I've been back home just a week and feel that I am feeling a bit more myself again. I think the jetlag was pretty bad as I felt so out of it, really tired and in a kind of fog. So this past week has been pretty much useless. No work done to speak of.

My time o/s was mixed...some things I really loved but it was always with a tinge of homesickness. I missed my two little ones much more than I thought that I would - it was tough for me. The Morrissey Symposium in Limerick was fantastic & kept my mind from home. It felt like such a relief and indulgence to be able to just talk Morrissey for hours. I met some great people there and hope that we all stay in touch and maybe meet again at the next Symposium. I got to see These Charming Men & was quite impressed and had a fun night out.

In Killarney I was just really biding my time until the Morrissey concert on the Tuesday night. It was my first experience staying in a Hostel & that went ok, I had the room to myself. This turned out to be quite fortunate as on the Monday night I suffered from a vomiting (maybe food poisoning type thing). Killarney is a pretty town and the scenery is so different from home - so green - almost overwhelming. I went for a nice walk through the National Park and to see Ross Castle. That was when I thought I was going a little mad from not eating and having no-one to talk to.

The Morrissey show was of course one of the highlights of my trip! Got to the venue around 4:30pm and chatted to people in the bar and saw someone from the Symposium which was great company. Got to hear the soundcheck and just hearing Moz start to sing 'Something Is Squeezing My Skull' was so out of this world, very swoon-worthy. It was fun just being part of it all, speculating about Morrissey type things. Then to get on the rail was more than I had hoped.I thought I would be back in the middle somewhere, but in the end there wasn't many there and no real rush to get to the front - so quite easy.

I always think it might be a feeling of simulacrum - suddenly Morrissey is 'there' on stage and it feels oddly familiar and not as 'magical' as I always imagine it will. Kind of like that is how it always should be. I think I focus way too much on what he does on stage, his movements and forget the order of songs and what he says inbetween songs. After the encore I went around to the stage door and waited out in the cold with several others for the walk of Morrissey from the venue to his shiny bus. We were all rewarded with handshakes - but no signings or photos. I asked him about touring Australia (or something) and immediately regretted it - I spent the night back in the Hostel going over it and just wishing that I had said NOTHING!

After that I went back inside the venue and got to meet Boz - who was way cool!! He spoke about the '02 tour of Australia and at least knew where Adelaide is! All in all...it was such an out of this world night for me and I don't think I could ever top it.

Then it was on to London. Immediately I was happy to be there - the sun was shining and it lifted my spirits. No more rain! I spent time shopping and just looking around, taking in the differences and the similarities. Maybe in hindsight I wasted my time there by not planning properly but I also think that you could have more time and still not see it all. I had a couple of nice dinners with my brother-in-law and spent most of my time by myself. Overall I was really impressed with the public transport & didn't find it as large or as crazy/busy as I thought I would. I could easily live there if I had my two children with me. One day I walked from where I was staying in Fulham, down Kings Rd and to Sloane Square, I enjoy just walking and seeing what I discover.

After a couple of days in London it was then time to head out to visit almareallymatters and family!! I've been wanting to do this for the longest time - so it was a huge privilege and pleasure and I had the most wonderful time - and was fed really well! We made our way through some Morrissey videos :)

But it is good to be home & being away has made me appreciate that even more. However I think my partner thinks I am being a bit of a pain - I think I really overindulged in the whole Morrissey thing while I was away and it is hard to reign that in at times. Also, it does seem a little boring here at home now. Must get on with planning the next trip!