First Post - one week til I take off.

My 3rd attempt at keeping a blog. This one is meant to take the place of group emails whilst I am away. However long that will be. So, read if you would like.

I am heading out on the 24th of January, at 9am flight from Sydney to Seoul, Korea. I spend the night in Korea and then fly on to Heathrow, arriving at about 4:30pm 25th of January.

Just in time for Australia Day at Earl's Court, says Father. No way, says I.

I'm meeting up with my mate, Sons, who is taking me on a whirlwind tour of London theatres, then I head up North. I'm going on the train and ferry from London to Belfast, so I get to see a tiny bit of Scotland (Kilmamock - so delightfully Scottish!) before hopping the ferry to Belfast. I'm there a few days, then a few days in Dublin, before heading on to Bandon, Co. Cork, where I will be spending 5 - 6 months being an au pair for 2 little girls. I have included some pictures of Bandon from internet searching. Now, tell me they are not the most ridiculously idyllic photos you have ever seen. Even if they have been 'enhanced'....

My internet research has also thrown up the Cork Midsummer Festival, the Cork Arts Centre (which has a competition for One Act Plays each year - the prize of which is having your play performed professionally - and takes unsolicited scripts), and a theatre forum happening in Cork a day after I arrive all about how to make theatre in Ireland. So. Getting ridiculously excited about potential opportunities. Also read this New York Times article all about theatre in Dublin ('Off Off Broadway? Try Dublin'), which is rather encouraging - http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/09/05/travel/05Dublin.html

It seems like pretty much every city in Ireland has a variety of different festivals, ranging from theatre festivals, to trad festivals, to writing festivals and storytelling festivals. On top of which, every local pub is a hive of poetry, theatre, storytelling and music. Not to mention, much drunken revelry. I don't know how I'm going to fit it all in!

Finally, if anyone is around in Sydney next Sunday (23rd of Jan), I'm having a little get together/send-off down at Coogee Beach. Bring food, booze and anybody you like. I'll be there from 3 pm onwards. And if anyone feels like coming to the airport Monday morning to see me off, I'll be there around 6am and would love to see you (Stepmother will be recovering from an operation and Father has decided I'm an adult now, so he doesn't need to hold my hand through check-in etc. Whilst this is technically true, the thought of checking in alone for an overseas journey of an unknown duration and having no one to wave me off with a little white hankie at customs makes me feel like bawling my eyes out in a manner that would rival the most temperamental of 5 year old children).