Kayni's 2012 Christmas Exchange Gift Party

It's here! It's here! Kayni's 2012 Christmas Exchange Gift Party :)

Image Source here.

Christmas Wish List Guide

• Something you use everyday:
• Something soft:
• Something sweet:
• Something you need for work:
• Favorite colors:
• Favorite flavors:
• Something you collect:
• Something you want:
• Share you most important wish this year:

Please note that this list is just a guideline. It's Christmas and whatever you put into that box will surely make me happy as long as it's packed with cheer and kindness.

If you'd like to exchange gifts with me, leave a comment on this entry, post your Christmas Wish List by November 15 and leave me a link of your blog post.

I'd like to finish shopping early, as I'll be on vacation on the first two weeks of December.

A Mid-October Update

Photo Source

It's mid-October and the holiday season is upon us. I am excited.

My apologies for my absence in the blogging world, as school has taken precedence in my life.  After this semester, I have one more semester then I have to write my thesis. I keep thinking a lot of you are living far more exciting lives than I am these days. I feel that while I'm stuck rotting with my textbooks, everyone seems to be doing something more fun. I miss having my free time or just traveling to some place on a whim. I miss the familiarity as well as spontaneity of travel.

I do have travel plans, but they won't take place until December. Also, it depends if my Hematologist would approve it; I remain optimistic. My platelets are in the high 20s the past three blood works, so if my count goes up, I'd be hopping on a plane to Spain. This is my second time to visit Spain, and although our port of entry is Barcelona, we will be spending most of our trip exploring Andalusia. Our itinerary is still in the planning stage, so I am hoping we will get our itinerary straightened out before our flight day arrives.

In two weeks, I am going through my fourth bone-marrow biopsy. Please keep me in your prayers and well wishes. There will be other tests that I'll go through as well. November 1st is the completion of my first year in clinical trial and the beginning of my second year treatment for my Aplastic Anemia. It's been a challenging yet enriching journey. But this is one journey I do not wish for anyone.

Here's a few more thoughts I've been mauling about:

• Christmas exchange gift with me - There were three who joined last year. I am hoping to post the announcement before this month ends, so that we can start posting our lists. This exchange gift is with me, so if you're interested to be my partner, leave me a comment.
• Have you seen "Taken 2" yet? I love it! The movie is a continuous adrenaline rush, no boring parts.
• Kepi and I went to the Sugarloaf Festival this weekend and pigged out...oink, oink. I did my little shopping for handmade crafts, but we spent most of our money on festival food - kettle popcorn, turkey leg, greek gyro, steak sandwich and ribbon fries topped with cheese, bacon bits and Japaleno. I'd love to go back to the November festival.
• October 22 marks the first year Kepi and I are engaged. Wedding plans are on-going.

The Cliffs of Krysuvikurberg - Iceland

The Krysuvikurberg area is accessible by car, preferably a four wheel drive vehicle, but if you're a hiker, you can also walk from the main road to the cliffs, which is a good 20 to 30 minute hike through rough terrain. Even  the road is rough and bumpy, but our little rental made it through. It even drove through a creek.  Apart from the breathtaking view, the Cliffs of Krysuvikurberg is home to some of the largest colonies of seabirds found in Iceland. According to the brochure I got from the inn, it is about 15 km wide and a great place for hiking.

The crescent shaped cliffs battered by wind, snow and rain.

 

The vastness of the cold sea, the crescent cliffs, the chilly temperature that made me shiver, the wind pushing and pulling yet the birds seemed to be at home. I wasn't.

A colony of birds live on the side of the cliffs.

To them, this is home.

No wonder the birds love it here, they have the best view in the world - the horizon and the sea.

 This is no place for bikinis or shorts or spaghetti straps. The wind is fierce and the chilly temperature crept through every bone in my body. Still, I managed to smile. I do love Iceland.

Kepi the photographer.

At that time, we were the only ones visiting the cliffs. Perhaps everyone went to bed as when these photos were taken, it was close to 9 PM.