Assie's Departure: Until next time…

Photos taken 4 June 2009 in downtown Beirut, Lebanon

23 June 2009 - Beirut, Lebanon. Technical difficulties prevented me from posting Alyssa's farewell post, which she composed in early June, just before she left Lebanon on a one-way ticket home to the Gold Coast. Here it is...

Alyssa wrote on 4 June 2009:

Well I am going to hijack Ali’s blog one last time. This time… [bxA]to say see ya later ! NOT goodbye… but see ya next time. I have had a completely kick arse past 5 months traveling around the globe and the majority of that time (4 months) with Ali ! I don’t know how she put up with me for that long !!

The past two weeks in Lebanon in a nutshell for me involve copious amounts of vodka red bulls, dancing for hours on end, eating my way through the entire country and a very half arsed attempt to exercise ! I did miss Ali when we were shacked up in our separate apartments and always loved reuniting again over chicken shawarmas for giggle sessions ! I will miss laughing with her so much…

I have decided to go and visit home for a couple of months before I head to the UK to embark on another adventure. This time though, it will be a working adventure. (Thank goodness says the poor bank account!) It will be good to see home, my parents, animals, friends and touch base with the home world. The main reason which motivated me is that my Dad will be in the UK working in June so I thought I would go home to keep my Mum company. (Not to mention the $0 bank balance hanging over my head!) Plus I am killing to eat my Mum’s spag bol !! My Mum makes a MEAN spaghetti bolognaise (amongst everything else fantastic she whips up) and I can’t wait to feast on that !! It’s my favorite home coming food ! Like I need to eat more though… ughh !

It saddens me to no end on ending this journey (but it’s not ending, I’m just hitting the pause button!!) and since I made my decision to return home it has been an off limits subject of conversation between Ali and me.

Ali has been the best travel mate ever and I’m so lucky to have spent some of my time traveling with her and getting to know her very cool self ! I have never laughed so much in all my life and I’ll have many many great memories from our time together to cherish for years to come. We both had equal craziness, laziness and adventure ness that seems to be compatible with each other. (Not to mention the equal appetites which wasn’t such a good thing!) And no matter what dilemma got thrown our way, we knew exactly how to deal with it. Just laugh !! I think we drove everyone completely insane with our giggles. Sorry, but that was our medicine for sanity !!

We never traveled alone either. We were constantly joined by our friend Nancy. (See earlier entry for Nancy’s story.) Neither Ali nor I were strong enough to tell Nancy to get lost. As much as we hated the b*tch, we loved her too !!!

I also want to wish Nikki a safe and great recovery and be assured that I am always wishing you happy thoughts and passing you along a lot of good happy vibes !!!

Ali… *big sigh and a tear in my eye* thanks so much for your awesome company !!! I’ll miss you heaps and won’t know what to do with myself if I have to eat a snickers bar by myself. And don’t you just know that I will be at some random place in the world and something will trigger me to just laugh my head off, in public, all by myself, looking like a complete fool and only YOU will get it. But it will give me comfort that you can do the exact same thing and we can both look like idiots ! Hopefully you can get a good nights sleep without me sleep talking or randomly poking you in the middle of your sleep. I can’t wait to meet up with you, Penny and Fiona again to jump aboard another crazy sail boat again. I shotgun the V berth and that Fiona is dish pig !!!

I wish you all the best on whatever the hell happens next on your adventure because as you and I both know…we NEVER will know what will happen next and where you will end up !! It’s just another day of pure randomness and randoms which we have grown to love so much ! (But not the creeps part !! haha!) I hope to bump into you again soon in another marina immigration office or Dunkin’ Donuts somewhere in the world soon !!! And if you ever come to Australia, you always have a place to crash with me !! But make sure Nancy doesn’t follow you. Ali, I’ll miss you more than chicken shawarmas !!!

Lots of love, hugs, kisses, snickers bars and donuts,

Alyssa

Xoxo’s

PS. If you are ever in trouble, just write to those angels !!!

Photo taken 4 June 2009 at Beirut Rafic Hariri Airport