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AnotherYear Over...And A New One JustBegun

2007 has come and gone and like everyone else on the planet, D and I have been spending some time reflecting on the past year.

It's quite awesome (awesome in the true sense of the word not that totally-radical-dude-way) that for almost HALF of 2007, I have been living out of a backpack.

I have been finding places to sleep. I have been wandering around temples. I have been beached-out on beaches. I have been learning new languages. I have been trying every kind of food your can imagine from grass pancakes to live squid.

I have been exploring the world.

Suffice to say, I'm very happy with my 2007. There were some triumphs (mostly involving D) and some mistakes (mostly involving alcohol or exhaustion) but for the most part, it was a year I will look back on with great fondness.

We started 2007 off in Tawain, on Green Island, a small little place with some of the most beautiful underwater coral inthe world. It was warm. It was cozy. It was romantic.

2008 began a bit colder, a bit louder but just as romantic. Our hotel arranged for us to go to a party, on a boat, in a perfect position to admire the fireworks.

Not only we were escorted there by the lovely Andre, we immediately became friends with the funnest Russians we have met to date - and considering the Russians have been nothing butfun, this was quite a feat.

There was smoked salmon and roast beef and caviar and champagne. There was dancing and learning Russian and toasts. And therew as fireworks. Many MANY fireworks.

Then there was the walk home. 45minutes down Nevsky Prospekt, the mostfamous street in Russia. Just me and D and about 500,000 other people, making their way back to their homes or other parties.

There were so many people on the street,you would have thought it was 9pm. They're worse than the Koreans. It was 5am. And no one seemed close to finishing the party.

We got back to the hotel, had some tea, drank some water, ate some pretzels and fell alseep, both still in awe of the fact that we just spent New Years in St. Petersburg.

I've never been one for enjoying the going-out part of New Years. My family used to spend it in such a fun way at home, I actually loathe the idea of heading out somewhere.

I can tell you, I finally had a good New Years Eve outside the house.

Who knew all I had to do was come all the way to Russia to find it?

To 2008. May it be filled with as much excitment, wonder and adventure as 2007 was. And may we find a way to fill it this way, without dragging our asses all over the place.

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