HOLIDAY!

"HOLIDAY!" was what I kept squealing at Iain every 5minutes at Manchester Airport on May 13th! "I'm gonna start keeping count of every time you say that!" he smiled.

Jeeeeeez I don't think I've ever needed a holiday more than that one. And never been so glad I took one. I'm the kind of person who will always (always) be busy with work unless it's DONE. Can't sleep, can't relax, and there always seems to be wave after wave of the stuff waiting for me. So yeah, HOLIDAY!!!!! I was a little nervous of whether I'd be stressed out, thinking about all the work I had to do, so the week prior to leaving I spent every waking hour editing and tying up as many loose ends as possible. You couldn't have gotten me on that plane faster if you'd tried! :P

Here are some pics from the trip, some on iPhone, some on my 5D Mkii. I took only the 50mm 1.4 with me just because I had a horrible feeling I'd lose my whole kit or break it or something if I took anything else! :P

these awesome stickers had "wake me up for food" on them so we decided to decorate ourselves accordingly...

y'all know i love myself an unsuspecting sleeping subject...

We got to Dubai, attempted to leave the airport for dinner and were told that there was absolutely no way we were doing that. With 6hrs to kill, we got some money and went to an awesome restaurant called The Hub which had iPADS FOR MENUS!!!!!

followed my many many rounds of "shithead" - I won the first game and lost every. single. other. round.

eventually time had passed and it was time to go to our gate and wait...









4 1/2 hours later... WE WERE IN SRI LANKA!

We took a 3hr taxi to the hotel, and got a nice eyeful of culture. Everywhere was full of colour and it was nice to see such a change to the grayscales of Manc





Now for the really fun bit.

We got to the hotel, wandered around for abit, had a sleep and eventually decided to go to the pool. Naturally, we were reminded of England as soon as we even sat down! Couldn't believe this bloody cloud


I'd gotten a bit sleepy on the sun lounger, and I hear this voice over me saying "Are you coming to the pool? I'll see you there in a bit." I fell right back asleep, but got up two minutes later. Iain had momentarily vanished from the face of the earth, was not at the pool or really anywhere at all it seemed. So I went back to sleep.

Half an hour later he popped back, we went for a dip and then headed back down to get ready for dinner. Half way to the room, Iain goes:

"Oooh wait there, I forgot to make dinner reservations!" So I sit on this bench while he dashes off. I should have started to suspect something, but when he appeared 20mins later I thought nothing of it, only that "no one was in the restaurant to take the reservation". Back we went.

All ready for dinner, we headed for the restaurant.
Waiter: "Ah yes, romantic dinner for two?"

Again, at this point I should have cottoned on. But alas, still no clue. The waiter then proceeded to take us to the LIFT. I got so confused, I was all whispery "iain, i don't think this is right. we're heading outside towards the spa. i don't want a massage, i'm reeeally hungry" and iain played along.


We went outside, I was totally confused, and started walking towards the beach. In the distance I could see these two little lights, and then in between them as we got closer a table for two - decked out all fancy with candles and wine and fire torches either side! It was like something out of a movie.



I think my first thought was "oh my god, we're taking someone else's dinner plans" and all I could say was "Iain did you do this!?" over and over! I cried a little, and was overwhelmed for the first 10minutes. It's the most romantic, thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me - and the fact he'd organized it all in ONE day, specifically to make the first night there special - it just blew me away.

Realizing a camera would be useful to document Iain's efforts, he ran back after our main meal and we made some videos & took some pics!







I attempted to make a video before dessert... excuse the slightly drunkness, I'm also exceptionally giggly and laugh far too much at the mispronunciation of "dinner" as "ninner"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxuR_0mrChE

Iain was telling me about all these things you could have done with the dinner on the beach - you could get a three piece sri lankian band, fireworks!! i was far too pre-occupiedo with the fact he'd even done the dinner on the beach, let alone any added extras!

And then before I knew it, hey presto - a Sri Lankian trio swayed up to our table and began to play for us!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4Bo5y_YVc4

It truly was the most magical, wonderful and warming night of my life. I don't think I've ever been made to feel more special by one person aside from my parents, and i really can't believe how lucky I am to have met him! I tell him everyday but iain if you are reading this YOU ARE SO WONDERFUL!!!!!

<3

back to the holiday :D we did loads of filming to show family back home...




frolicking in the sea...




yup...


frolicking on sand...


Outside the spa before a lovely lovely massage!







and some more of us:





AND THEN (now this is big news!!!)
we went surfing.

We'd spent a few days at the local watersports center, and ended up befriend loads of the Surfer-guys staff there. They invited us to come surfing with them after work, and of course we were all "helllss yeah!" until I remembered I couldn't surf. Lessons there cost about £60 an hour, and one of the guys was soooo kind and told me he'd teach me for free! So off we went, and I got up on THREE WAVES!!!! Three!!!!



Here's some of Iain!









whit woooo! ;)


I only got hit in the head with a surfboard once and after a while mouthfuls of sea water didn't seem so bad! three waves. still amazed!

We went to the local turtle hatchery where we played with the baby turtles and let them into the sea at night! It was pretty epic:

















And some on the beach before we released the turtles (and my battery died :()



Lynn - one half of a really awesome couple staying at our hotel! They became our adoptive parents on the trip!







We headed back home at 4am on Sunday morning :(


The End :D