So today it is exactly a year to the day that I set off on WST06 (a.k.a, the biggest adventure of my life). A lot has changed since then, got 2 new surfboards, a load of air miles/wave time under my belt, got a great new girlfriend (with a few accompanying grey hairs - joke) and a few more quid in the bank.

It would seem fitting a year on, to set out a few goals for 2007. It will be pretty hard to top last year, but I think the following will keep me pretty busy. Here’s the hit list (in no particular order):

• Look into buying a house
• Spend more time with friends and family
• Travel to new places and surf as much as possible
• Learn new skills to further my career in web design
• Look into working abroad
• Be more positive, try to go with the flow more and not worry about things outside my control
• Spend more time with Elise

Back again in Paris, visiting the Duke offices to present and discuss the functionality of this project Jay and I are working on. It is snowing here, well more sleet than snow, but still pretty cold. Apparently we have had a few inches of snow fall back home, which probably means Elsenham and the Essex countryside is looking quite stunning at the moment in a blanket of white.

We had a 2 hour delay last night, which meant we didn’t get in to Gare de Nord until 10.30pm, so didn’t go out for dinner this time, and just had an early night in the Hotel Agate and got stuck into an early breakfast.
I managed to get a few exciting bits of work started aboard the train last night, 1 of which will make some special girl in Brazil rather happy I think, watch this space!

Anyway meetings now, got my new smart trousers on and ready to rock the Parisian web design scene. As that saying goes in Gerry McGuire, I love my life, I love my wife (in my case my girlfriend)  and I wish you my kind of success, Ha!

Bit of a mixed post this afternoon. Been on the PB going through some of the photos that I took on Friday night at Beej’s birthday, there’s some funny shots on there, check out the Flickr link. Thanks to the boys for a wicked night!
As I was browsing through the photos on my PB, getting ready for another upload, I stumbled across the folder with all my World Tour/Elise photos. I had a quick flick through and kinda started thinking back on the good times I had in 2006. This time last year I was about to embark on a World Surf Tour. A year later I have seen a lot of amazing places, had some awesome experiences and met the most wonderful girl I could ever imagine to meet.

The past two weeks have been pretty tough, adjusting to not being with Elise, settling back into work and dealing with the cold, dark and grey weather of the UK, but I plan to check out Brazil in April, to go surfing, experience the culture, maybe learn Portuguese and of course spend a lot of time with my girl. It is a little scary when you love someone so much, but extremely exciting, as you never know what the future may hold. I plan to make 2007 another year to remember though.

Last night I went over to see my old buddy BJC. We had a wicked time, chilling out with a little Walter v’s Beej on Medal of honour on the PS2. Had a few beers, a little pizza, some dough balls and generally caught up. It was great to hang out and talk sh*t and relax and joke about old times. Even better the commute this morning was only 3 stops from Kings Cross to CG, all good.

Tonight I have some work drinks and then I am meeting Richie and Beej and some other mates for a few birthday beers (BJC’s 29 tomorrow).

Further afield, my girlfriend (Elise) is now in Sao Paolo, Brazil, and by the sounds of it, thoroughly enjoying her new life there. She is in SP for another 2 weeks and then off to Salvador de Bahia up the coast for a further 5 months. I am hoping to go and visit her in April, check out some of the amazing Brazilian culture she keeps on telling me about and also get some wave time in, might even pop down the coast to Itacare, where there are a few cool surf camps, we’ll see, watch this space.

Am heading off to Paris in about an hour for my first international business trip (I went up to Scotland a few years back, but that doesn’t quite count). I am going to meet the Duke Paris team tomorrow, which should be pretty cool. We are going to plan a big website that we will be collaborating on. Depending on how tired I am later on, tonight Jay and I might go out and see what the local attractions have to offer, looking forward to it…

Interesting article on basically how sh*t Windows is compared to Mac OS X. It’s funny after reading this I thought about all the people in my office who use Windows, there are only 2 Mac users (me and Duncan), and how people seem to not want to change to Mac. I think this is mostly because they are used to Windows and maybe scared of something new, but I really wish they’d open up their minds to Mac, as it really will revolutionise the way they work. Once you try a Mac, you never go back!

Came across this very cool widget for my PB that lets you send free SMS anywhere in the world from your dashboard. You can even enter your mobile phone in the preferences to receive replies back to your phone, all very cool (and free).

In honour of the Richie Pee Dee himself, I saw this and thought of you bro! Looking forward to (early) birthday beers on Friday, Mr. BJC see you there too I hope! As the pic says, the dog cleans up, which I am sure you’ll be doing with the BEEB girls on Friday, you old hound, woof!

As I head into the new year, and start to think about what I want to get out of 2007, it seems fitting to look back on the achievements and experiences of 2006. So here’s my top 10, in no particular order:

• Undertaking the World Surf Tour
• Surfing Devon in July with Beej, Richie and Luke
• Surfing big Newquay in November with Rob Auer
• Surfing big/messy East Runton with Richie
• Skiing at Sugarloaf
• Working for different design agencies in London
• Taking Hungry Browser into it’s 5th financial year
• Travelling back to DC and Maine
• Hanging out with (old and new) friends and family
• Meeting Elise Boyson

To all those that made 2006 such a memorable year, thanks, and here’s looking forward to an action-packed 2007!

The past few days in Maine have been fantastic. I have had the opportunity to ski, eat great food, drink some tasty ales and hang out with Elise (who happens to be THE best skier I know). I managed to get a little footage and pics of her steaming down some of the pistes the other day, as soon as I get it edited on the PB, I’ll stick it upon YouTube.
It was amazing (if a little frustrating at times, as I was always the last down the run) to ski with Elise. She is such a natural skier, and I really was in awe of the way she could confidently attack any run on the mountain, be it icy, powder, full of moguls or straight downhill. If I get to be half the skier she is over the next 5 years, I will be stoked. Another crazy thing about skiing in Maine in December is that it is COLD, not just a little chilly, but -24 degrees (celcius).

I’ve got a few more days to enjoy and make the most of, before I head back to London to start work again. Check out the pics taken so far…
Finally, to all my friends, family and people I know around the world, Happy New Year and I hope 2007 is a fantastic one for you all!