So. I got writers block.

I didn’t think non-writers could actually get writers block, but I’m living proof that they can. I literally have had nothing to write about. Nothing. De nada. Zilch. Not one creative thought. It was actually a bit worrying. I was so blocked I couldn’t even write my own name.

But don’t worry – we’re unblocked and back.

Anyway, because of this writers block we’ve been a bit quiet on the old blogging front. We did think Lyvette could take over but turns out she can’t even spell Two Small Mancunians correctly (see pictures below) so that was a no go.

In all honesty I think the blockage was mainly due to the fact that we’ve been in Australia and nothing much happens over here. Well, stuff does happen – obviously, but it’s nowhere near as exciting as Asia stuff e.g falling down toilets, hurdling dinosaurs and causing landslides on volcanoes etc etc. Basically, we haven’t been ‘proper’ travelling for a while so the stories aren’t as wild, hence the lack of blog.

So what has been happening?

Ok, we’ve been in Sydney working. Lyvette now has a fully functioning achilles tendon and can dance, jump over puddles and run for the bus. Progress. For those of you that don’t know she severed her achilles by falling down a toilet in India – you can read more about it here.

Her fear of flying things is somehow getting worse and she is fly fitting her way around Manly, where she lives. She is staying in Australia permanently and so is getting used to proper life down under e.g. killing snakes with her bare hands (just kidding guys, just kidding) and collecting possums in her garden (not kidding guys, not kidding). She still has a thing for kangaroos but her latest obsession is birds. Yeah I know, interesting. She has named every bird in Sydney and can tell you at least three facts about each of them (she’s a real life liver nowadays).

I have been busy running. Or trying to get back into running. Eating pies and skydiving. And trying to go on as many mini holidays as possible (I’m doing pretty well). I am gradually growing my toenails back and actually taking anti fungals for them now, which is ideal considering they were tainted as soon as we stepped into Asia almost 4 years ago. In comparison to Lyvette I know absolutely nothing about birds and have just learnt my best ever fact…

Did you know a killer whale is actually a dolphin?!

I know, right. Mind blown.

Lyvette looked at me like I was stupid, obviously David Attenborough over there already knew this fact.

Anyway. The biggest news we have is that we are breaking up. And this time it’s for real. Almost 4 years (3 years and 9 months to be exact) after we set off on our travels together we have finally said our goodbyes. I mean, we’ve split up briefly before, like in NZ when I moved to Queenstown and Lyvette stayed in Auckland but we were still in the same country, able to visit each other and go on holiday. This time is different. The break up is real. My Australian visa expires tomorrow (I’m currently at the airport unblocking my writers block) and Lyvette is staying in Australia permanently. We will no longer be in the same time zone and this is the first time in 4 years we have no idea how long it will be until we see each other again. For the time being we are embarking on different adventures. We’ve been through a lot together and I guess you could say our travels together are over. But we did good, we lasted approximately 3 years longer than planned, and have had an absolute ball. We have separated with more memories than we can possibly remember, a few more scars, a lot less toenails, numerous fashion disasters and trillions of photographs. But the best part is – I have had the absolute best time of my life with my best friend and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

So what next? Lyvette is currently on a mission to name every bird in the southern hemisphere and continue to live the dream down under and I am going to continue travelling solo. I left Sydney 4 weeks ago and did my last bit of travelling round Australia (and New Caledonia). And now that my writers block is unblocked I’m going to sit down and write a blog about it while I wait for my flight to Kuala Lumpa.

Don’t worry, the next blog will be less emotional. I already know it involves flies on my face and rolling around in marsupial shit…