Down there is me

I'm back.

In a new house, rather well appointed with fabulously fast wifi.

I'm rediscovering the fact that the internet is really quite good.

So I'm sitting here weighing up my options of what to write and how to bridge the gap in the information that occurred due to my loss of internet. More thinky stuff later.  This is just a catch up.

On the speakers Wilco's newly downloaded album Sky Blue Sky plays. Is it just me or are they getting eerily good?  Best band in the world by my reckoning.

Anyway, unfinished business.  After my disappearance during the Great Turtle Race, I at least owe all the participants one more link. 

So here goes.

First:  Sorry, embarrassingly, this was Billie backed by me.
Second: Stephanie Colburtle backed by Living for Disco
Third: Champiro backed by Nicaragua Living and Investing
Fourth: Turtleocity backed by Close Your Mind Tracks
Fifth: Purple Lightning backed by  Water, Wasbai & Wile
Sixth: Genevieve backed by Justin at Gadling
Seventh: Saphira backed by Cult of Degan
Eighth: Freedom backed by  Bob Piper (currently in Vietnam)
Ninth: Windy backed by You've Got Your Hands Full

Finally two turtles just didn't seem to fancy the trip and stayed frolicking in Costa Rican waters instead.  They are Drexelina and Sundae backed by Rambling Traveler and Minxlj respectively.

Phew.  That feels better.  Rather like the shameful feeling of writing your Christmas thank-you letters in March.  At least you did it.  You can stop feeling guilty.  But, all in all, not cool.

I should move on.

Finally, and I'll try to unveil this with a modicum of modesty and reserve....

I WON! I WON! I WON! I WON! etc etc

Yes thanks to all the very wonderful people who voted for me, linked me, and asked their friends to do the same I won the travel writing competition on This Just In - the blog bit of Budget Travel Online.

I won $500 worth of vouchers which is rather good and I also  have a guest blogger spot for a week.  It's a chance to share the link love and also put my employers CafeChavalos in the spotlight too.

Two more links.  Firstly the winning article as a "proper" bit of the website here and secondly the same piece with lots of nice things said by good people.

Finally, if you click on the pic above and view it large you'll see that on the edge of the truly massive Lake Nicaragua is Granada.  In amongst all of that is me, typing this. 

Hmm.. though obviously not by the time you click it. By then I'll probably be trying to find the new series of the Sopranos illegally online somewhere.

Anyway...

The picture was taken during a trip of Volcan Mombacho.  Rest of the pics are here.

Oh and good luck Big Fat Sam.

Comments

[Stacy]

mmm... first the turtle, then the BT competition. They say good things come in threes. Perhaps you should buy a lottery ticket. Can you get one in Nicaragua?

Congratulations on winning the writing competition, it was well deserved.

[ourman]

I think you can buy a lottery ticket but the top prize is probably less than the cost of a beer back home.

I'll settle for winning a book deal. Perhaps I should be emailing while my luck is in.

[Bob Piper]

Hey, series 1-6 of the Sopranos... only $19.... guess where?

[ianmack]

congrats on the win! also, thanks for reminding me about the new wilco. i'm on it.

[ourman]

Ah yes Bob, that'll be Vietnam. No such luck here. It's just not having the last series that is killing me. Hope you are still enjoying your trip or are you back now?

Ian, thanks. It's a good album. Quite chilled out and melodic which some critics don't like. Me? I like it. It's good to be understated sometimes.

[Abby]

Hooray! Congratulations on the travel writing win, you truely deserve it. The turtle win? Now that one's a little bit suspicious...

[ourman]

Since when has giving a turtle amphetamines been a crime?