Monday 5th January 2009

Hello everyone!
It’s clearly been far too long since you had a nice long juicy update from me, so here it is!
Firstly, I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and New Year! Mine was fantastic – lots of relaxing at home with my mum and R, and my sister and her boyfriend. Far too much wine was drunk, and chocolate consumed. I attempted to make my first ever roulade on Boxing Day to eat instead of the roast goose that mum made, as it was my first proper Christmas as a vegetarian and also my first Christmas at home in 5 years!

The roulade was…… nice, (it was chestnut, mushroom and pepper) but not as aesthetically pleasing as I’d hoped – instead of rolling up nicely, it kind of slumped back down into a brownish splodge!
However, the holidays were fun, very relaxing and it was wonderful to see so many of my friends and family. We even got to see my gorgeous nephews, courtesy of skype and a webcam, opening their presents from us, which was great fun, although J, who’s now three, kept asking if there was chocolate inside, and seemed rather uninterested in anything toy-shaped – a boy after my own heart!

After that I had a lovely new year’s eve with my friends Betty, Bryn, Bill and Rita at their flat in London, where we attempted to drink a toast on the hour every hour, to celebrate new year wherever it was in the world at that particular moment! We managed to toast China several times over, as they only have one time zone, but it technically covers at least three, and there was some confusion about when it was new year in India, so we continued toasting them for several hours as well, just in case.

Then I drove from London to Oxford, where I stayed with my friend H for a couple of days before continuing on up north to Liverpool.

I am now settled into my new flat, which is very nice, and have met my new housemates, who are equally nice (at least they seem that way so far!).
My house is literally less than a minute’s walk to the school (our building is basically behind the lecture hall), and a ten-minute walk from the center of Liverpool, so I couldn’t ask for more really!
There are at least 50 pubs within about a half-mile radius, but I will of course be far too busy studying to do any serious drinking (ha ha ha ha – couldn’t actually say that with a straight face!).

The only downside to my new flat is the view, which, although it’s on the 6th floor and gives me a wonderful panorama of the city, does not, in fact, include any hot French guys.
I do miss my lovely neighbours in Les Minguettes, but alas, a view of the city will just have to do instead!

Classes start tomorrow, so the fun and games will begin, but so far I must say I really do like Liverpool quite a lot – it’s a really interesting city, with loads of things to do, and people have been really friendly and nice. I must be blending in well with the locals too, as yesterday I got stopped 3 times by people asking me directions! I was rather embarrassed to have to say “Sorry, I don’t know where anything is yet!”
However, I have discovered the shopping district, which has possibly the best city center shopping EVER, and have spent several hours wandering about happily. Liverpool also has the biggest Primark I’ve ever seen, which made me extremely happy (now that I’m poor and have spent all my savings!!).

So, here I am all settled in, and my little car Lucy (who turns 20 this year) made it all the way up here too, although sadly the little crack in her windscreen is now two foot long and desperately in need of replacement! Autoglass quoted me £300 to replace it, which I laughed at, as the car only cost £300 in the first place!
So, the hunt for a new windscreen continues, but Lucy is comfortably locked up in a safe little car park next door, with a few other cars to keep her company, and I can see her from my bedroom window, which is nice.

Well, that’s about enough rambling for now,

I wish you and all your vehicles a very happy 2009!

tons of love
Maya (and Lucy!)
xxx