Before the real fun begins (sorry Mom), I am staying with my parents for a couple of weeks. The plan is to get a great tan, be fluent in Spanish and have an idea of where I want to go once I hit South America.

Needless to say that is not really a reality, but a girl can dream...

So far I've done a little language practice, sat in the sun for a bit and not changed colour, and have not touched my lonely planet (although I would argue that this is a good thing). Looks like spontaneity is the order of the day once I hit Caracas.

Other than that I've played with my parents' dog, Dingo, had some family board game fun, and of course a little guitar hero :-)

I've also been out and about in the village bumping into locals and trying to understand what they are saying... particularly when they are addressing me specifically, and have sampled some of the local cuisine.

Not been in the pool as it's a little on the chilly side at the moment, maybe I'll feel daring before I leave :s

Now I guess I should go and practice my Spanish...