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i have tried and tried but in the end i have failed miserably in my attempt to compile a list of the best things we did on holiday (my list mojo is obviosly saving itself for the wedding). People keep on asking me what was the most fun? where was the best place you visited? whats your most memorable moment? and everytime i answer differently. Its so difficult to put it into context. i look at the list i have drafted and most things come from the states. its hard to tell whether or not its because thats where we were most recently and our memories of there are more vivid or because it truly is such an amazing country. however it cant knock everything else out can it??? Anyway because i have been unable to come up with 1 list, i decided to totally chicken out of the whole thing and write 3. that way i can at least accomodate more things :) So are you ready???? if so we shall begin

Top 5 moments (the big one and the one that should come first)

• our engagement in NY. its so fitting that something so surprising and lovely happened on the last few days of our trip - it also served as a great excuse to get drunk for 3 days and have ricky spoil me. (i wonder if that has anything to do with the fact i let him watch the man u vs barcelona champions league final:)
• Seeing our friends in Sydney and Dunedin. its good to know people never change even though places do.
• the Grand canyon - i suppose this is as close as you get to the top actual place we saw - it was amazing in every way. it needs to be seen. full stop.
• Whale watching in cape cod was a magical experience. one would have been enough but so many meant we were just spoiled.
• the ice hockey - violence, alcohol, hot dogs, music, glass throwing and shouting combined to create one of the best atmospheres i have ever witnessed outside of cumnock on a saturday night

However there is more

Top 5 recommended activities for everyone to try (disclaimer -we accept no liability for injuries caused during participation, pregnant women and the infirm should discuss any doubts they may have with a GP first)

• Sea Kayaking in Abel Tasman in NZ (note to anyone who may wish to try this sport, if you are in a double kayak go for the back seat - you get to steer dodgily, splash the person in front and get away without paddling - ricky emerged from a day in the kayak fresh and energetic, i on the other hand was soaked, knackered from doing all the paddling and with shot nerves from thinking we were going to collide with every rock and boat we saw)
• Cycling in Stanley Park, Vancouver - worth it just to see ricky on a bike with a basket and a cycle helmet on
• Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb - outstanding views and feeling of accomplishment -pity about the crappy boiler suits you have to wear.
• Koala cuddling - i so want one - think ronnie might have something to say about it
• sailing in the milford sounds in NZ - awesome - only word for it

other things which came very close to making this list were seeing a bear in Yosemite, hunter valley wine tasting, smelly natural wonder of the world that is rotorua, driving big sur, lying on whitehaven beach in the whitsundays, handline fishing in Fiji and the cricket game in wellington as well as hundreds more activities. Man we did a lot when you think of it.

Lastly i thought i would give you a list of my favourite cities, well, we saw a lot of them, my feet will testify to this. FYI New York is not included on this list as i thought it was a bit unfair - it was and still is our favourite city and therefore have only included cities we hadnt visited before.

• Vancouver - the food, the people, the fact we could afford nice stuff, the ice hockey, our posh digs, the beer, granville island, cycling, bear watching - it was just all good
• Washington - it may have had 95% humidity when we were there but this is still undoubtedly one of the most beautiful, historic, poignant and interesting cities we have ever visited - we have unfinished business there i think
• Sydney - its iconic and its buzzing and the 22 hour flight was worth it just to see the sun rise over the harbour bridge and the opera house as we were landing
• Tokyo - the land of the weird and wonderful and of course the singing toilet and fake plastic food. however it is also the safest, friendliest and cleanest city i have visited. it also has fantastic temples, history and depth and of course neon and vending machines as well as drunken scottish people invading small pubs and being force fed sushi and sake - whats not to like
• Wellington - laid back european city in the southern hemisphere with great food and stunning vistas (a word i picked up in the states) of the marlbourgh straits

so there you have it - 3 months in a nutshell. for those of you who havent seen the latest photos i uploaded please find them here http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2427985&l=9e874167ec&id=732850985

i have started uploading all of our photos (so many) into online albums, so at some point soon i can bore you all with a slide show.

Settling back into life in edinburgh a wee bit too easy i would say. yesterday morning though i woke up and went "what i actually have to go to work today" i think the reality that i am no longer on holiday has well and truly kicked in. its weird as last week felt like a holiday being at work as it was doing something different. i am a bit messed up, but then again i think you knew that anyway :)

we have a busy week ahead as usual - it mostly consists of badminton and drinking

work that one out.

xx