Well following 2013 I firmly believed I was in for disappointing year, after all what could top 2013? The year where I achieved so much, had great fun and got engaged?? But I couldn't have been more wrong. We are only 4 months in and already 2014 is turning out to be quite the year. Following a great new years celebration with some fantastic friends and far too many homemade Dawa's 2014 started off positively. I got to start planning the wedding I have secretly been planning since I was 11, it is most girls dream to have her dream wedding and I am fortunate enough to be having two! With all my family and friends in England and most of Alex's friends and some family in Kenya there was no way we could get all those important people to the small town of Northallerton, and it was vitally important for me to get married in the church where my parents married and I was christened. So there was only one thing for it ... two weddings!!! woohoo. Double the joy but double the stress. As it turns out planning a wedding from abroad can be pretty difficult especially as I have 'Monica' control tendencies. However I am so so lucky to have amazing family who were able to look out venues and help us make the decision! After many visits and many many changes in decisions we finally have our wedding date!!! I will officially become Mrs McGuinness on Friday 14th August 2015, and I will share my wedding anniversary with my gorgeous friend Sabrina (deliberately done so she can remind me of my anniversary) we will then follow up with a wedding in the sunshine in Mombasa in December 2015. I now can't wait to get home, try on dresses, look at cakes and decorations and fully submerge myself in all things wedding and if I'm honest to get my Bridezilla on!
As 2014 got underway we knew we had a fantastic holiday to look forward to in the Easter Holidays; good friends, culture, QT and some much need R and R. As we headed off on a jam packed adventure to Thailand to visit our friends Liz and Marie who I worked with at Braeburn for 2 years. Following an hilarious visit from them at Christmas we knew we were in for a lot of laughs. On arrival in Bangkok we pretty much headed straight out for some Thai Food (after a short nap on the sofa) what a sheer taste sensation, Alex did his usual impatient ordering of bitings before listening to the size of a portion so we ended up with an extreme amount of food but it was delicious. Number 1 reason for loving Thailand = fresh delicious food. The next day Alex and I headed out on our own adventure as Liz and Marie still had a week of work to go before their hols. We hopped on the sky train to the pier, jumped on a boat and head to the reclining Buddha and to the steepest stairs to a temple I have ever seen, the hilarious view of people getting up and then being too scared to come back down tickled our wicked sense of humour. Reason number 2 and 3 for loving Thailand = Great culture and logical transport. We then headed of to take full advantage of something we seriously lack in Mombasa ....... SHOPPING!! (reason number 4) Alex had an extensive wish list so we scouted out some shops. It's amazing how after living here the smallest things bring me great delight, Pantene for 99baht, H&M, McDonald's and food courts!! I decided to start the holiday as I meant to go on so we headed for a Thai massage, I seriously left the parlour feeling 3 inches taller and de-stressed; despite the moment when she had her elbow on the back of my neck squashing my trachea, cracking my spine at least 7 times and shoving her fingers in my ears - it was the best massage I have ever had (reason number 5). Tuesday evening we headed out for dinner at a restaurant called Condoms and Cabbages - aptly named when the entire décor is made out of condoms you even get a condom instead of an after meal mint! We had later arranged to meet with another Ex-Braeburn teacher who had also moved to Thailand, we went to a street lined with VW camper vans which were all bars and ATM machines - bonus! 
On Wednesday Alex and I jetted off to Chiang Mai for 3 days, we straight away hired a scooter thing (something I would never normally do) we had intended to hire one each but I think it was safer to share. Alex having told me of his great experience on bikes took the lead and immediately swerved us into the line of fast moving traffic - good work Mr McGuinness, once I had pulled my nails out his waist I began to settle into the ride, that is until a Police Officer pulled us over; coming from Mombasa you never quite know the objectives of officers. We were wearing helmets - check, the bike had insurance - check, we had a licence - check, or so I thought. Alex pulled over and stepped off the bike, the officer asked for his licence. "Babe, give them your licence" "erm I don't think they want my licence I'm not driving, and believe me we do not look remotely the same" The officer kindly fined us 500 baht before setting us on our way!! Always a Drama. The drama was set to continue when we discovered we were both ridiculously bad at map reading and got lost on several occasions, to the point where we couldn't actually find our hotel, got caught in a storm and nearly got wiped out by a parked car opening their door. Whilst we still had all our limbs in tact we returned the bike and opted for a foot massage instead! The next 2 days were super busy with planned trips, we experienced an elephant safari followed by bamboo river rafting on Thursday and then literally threw ourselves into Flight of the Gibbons - a huge zip line course through a jungle home to really cute but noisy Gibbons. Saturday we headed back to Bangkok to experience Koh San road and collect Marie and Liz before our next adventure. Saturday night was so much fun, the live music on Koh San road was amazing (reason number 6), I ate a crispy Locust and Alex drunkenly bought some ridiculous art work. Despite a shaky start on Sunday with a few sore heads were headed to a huge market in Chatuchak which I think we only scratched the surface and still managed to buy 4 dresses, a caftan, shorts, a clock and a notebook (reason number 7). Before heading back to the airport to fly to Krabi for 4 days in Railay (reason number 8 - amazing quick, cheap and easy to jet off to different parts of Thailand) After the plane landed we had a luxury mini bus transfer to a hotel, a golf buggy to the pier, a long tailed boat to Railay, a tractor from the boat to the beach, and another golf buggy ride from the beach to the hotel! Railay was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, stunning blue waters with huge rocks bursting up through the water. We kayaked around the various rocks and even visited the prestigious fertility cave, which is basically a cave full of carved penis'. I continued with my quest to keep having treatments and ate some more amazing Pad Thai. 
Overall an absolutely unforgettable holiday with great friends, finished off with a first class fly home, I don't think I can ever fly economy again knowing the treatment those people in first class will be getting :( I slept like I was in my own bed and drank Moet to my hearts content.
Prior to our holiday I had applied for a new internal position within my school in a senior management position. I interviewed the day before I flew and loved the whole process, despite the interview being really tough I thrive on that pressure to think on your feet and to be pitted against other international candidates. On returning I was delighted to find out I was successful! Another promotion in consecutive years. I am so excited to start the new role in September, developing my skills, knowledge of how schools are run and further moving a growing school forward.
Perhaps not one of my most clever ideas I now have a Senior Management role, 2 weddings to plan, 2 trips home and not forgetting another mountain trip!! Having successfully scaled Mount Kili I am now planning another school trip to climb Mount Kenya!
I cannot wait to head home in the Summer this is the longest I have been without seeing any of my family members :( they haven't yet had chance to see my engagement ring in real life so I look forward to popping some corks with family and friends to celebrate in the summer. I also have 3 weddings, a hen party and new baby being welcomed into the Circle of 7 to look forward too!! I will then spend my first Christmas at home in 3 years so I can continue some wedding planning and dress fittings and finally experience that Christmassy feeling that is always missing when wearing a bikini in Mombasa!
Let's hope 2014 continues to be an amazing year with great adventures. If my birthday has anything to go by it could b a fun and crazy future I'm letting myself in for with Alex. Not only did he unintentionally enter a golf competition across my birthday weekend but he then left me a present the day he left with birthday candles that read 27!! I'll happily remain 27 for one more year but I'm actually turning 28! God love him and his ditsy ways! Ooh and I nearly forgot I also have a new car and 2 new additions to the family - 2 gorgeous puppies Sala and Titus!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Steph xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
