Europe 2017
4/7/17
Dear Retreat Diary
It is 7.30am at home but 2.10am here at Dubai airport. I left home at 6.00am yesterday and travelled to Melbourne, here I flew to Brunei where I had a couple of hours stop, then I took a sleeping tablet adn slept for about 7 hours of a 9 hour flight, and I had 2 seats - score! this leg I hope to have 3.
Ot os interesting watching the people that I am travelling with, I dont know them they are just other passengers but they are quiet and there is a calm at gate D21, no one is over annoyed that we have had to wait as there is a 45 minuted delay.
The lead up to Europe trips are always big and a little overwhelming as I know i have to be totally organised everything booked and everything with me. This year I have designed a boutique tour for just one woman. She is 21 and I have known her about 6 years and she is sooooooo excited. Just because its one it does not mean there is less work - so those out there organising retreats for one or two my experience is that it is so much more intense, Because there is no one else for them to spend time with except you. When I get off at Heathrow in the morning I have a hire car and will drive to near Nottingham to my dear friend Helen's. Her and I became penfriends when we were about 9 or 10, that's a long time - about 36 years, a long time to have a friend. last year when I saw her it had been about 13 years and our past shared history melded and it was like no time had passed and I see her often. SO much had happened to both of us and we spent the time catching up and reminiscing about the other three times we had spent together. I can not wait to see her, I need to talk to her about my last year, the loss of my beautiful friend and the grief I feel. I know she will understand. But after being with her I am on the road, Chloe arrives we spend time in Wales and London before Paris.
My aim is to do a daily diary entry so I can talk about the joys and challenges of travelling and being a retreat extraordinaire can bring.
Hoping we can board soon.
BUt first three learnings today
1. It never hurts to ask for an upgrade
2. Have a folder with everything in it before you leave home - eveything don't rely that you can access internet or what ir you tablet or Ipad breaks and you need the info in an emergency
3. You will never use everything you pack in hand luggage
Liesel xx
PS for more Retreat info head to www.lieselalbrecht.com
********************************************************************************************
5/7/17
Day 2 - New Westwood near Nottingham, England
Dear Retreat Diary
Today I learnt three things
1. Airlines tell fibs - a mechanical issue is the best way to keep people quiet for three hours when actually there is a connecting flight that is late and coincidentally the mechanical issues is fixed when a group of about 20 come running to the gate.
2. Do not have a hot flush and be poring with sweat when you are going through immigration as they might think you are suss.
3, Make sure google maps is not taking you the opposite direction so then you have gone 40 minutes out of your way, then you get close to your friends and you miss the street and end up way down the road, decide to do a u turn in a bus stop in the brand new hire car which does not make it round and then you can not get it in to reverse so you try to drive it over the gutter but it wont go and then the car won't move and all you do is want to laugh or cry because of the irony of the issue and think thank goodness there was no clients in the car so you put your hazard lights on and hope a truck doesn't hit your car until a nice man stops and gets the car . straight in reverse (usually I am not car dumb).
True story all of these and in that order. Considering I have not slept in a bed for about 40 hours you actually feel really good but turned down the offer to have wine because goodness knows how I will end up!
So I am eventually here in New Westwood just outside of Nottingham, what should have taken a couple of hours to get here took longer because of the slight detour that had me headed for Wales and for the countless roadworks - just like being at home really. It is hard to believe that it was 11 months ago that I was here last it seems like - well it doesn't even feel like I have left that it is just the next day. That is what perfect friendship is, that no time has passed, that you welcomed in like family.
Arriving today really reinforced my rule of not travelling with clients if you can help it. I now have a week to work out reverse in the car, spend some time for me, see some new places and be ready to give Chloe the best holiday ever, and to rewatch Me Before You so when we go to the castle in Pembroke I know the scene in the movie she is talking about.
I also need to keep the money records right from the first day so I get in a routine and all the books balance in the end.
So that is it for day 2 - dinner then bed!
Liesel xx
********************************************************************************************
6/7/17
Here we are at day three, surprisingly there was no jet lag last night and I slept all night, well kind of.
My three lessons today are
1. Remember it gets light at 4.30 am here in the north during summer so don't wake up and go 'I slept all night'.
2. It is ok to buy wallpaper when overseas (and no I am not super strange)
3. When your friend says 'I saw my friend Maree at the shop and she is like a white witch or something you'd like her (oe something along those lines) you probably will.
And so goes the story of today - I slept until 4.30 am after going to bed about 8, I woke up excited because it was light, went to the toilet, looked at phone and went in my head WTF its only 4.30am, this is ridiculous I refuse to be wide awake now I am going back to sleep. So I did until 7.30 am. Then because I am awesome Helen cooked me breakfast - bacon and toast and I again congratulated myself for arriving at my destination early so I could assimilate.
Then we went shopping for caustic soda to strip something from a bike part, I found some beautiful wall papers (see below) which would look fabulous in my office. She thought it was hilarious, the only other person I could see do this would be my mum - whom I looked for mosaic tiles for as well.
We went around in circles in the countryside a few time, had lunch at Costa coffee, did food shopping, brought the boys some stuff at Sports direct, looked at things for welcome packs, discussed dropping of training stuff in Birmingham and when I could do that, had Mcdonalds as my body clock was not coping without food so starving.
Then I had a Reiki and Chakra alignment session with the beautiful Maree. I am so glad I asked Helen to organise it, this woman had a serenity and calmness that cannot be learnt it is innate. She bought out feelings that I knew where there to reactive my heart chakra and I gained a perfect clarity of what I need to do and create when I am back home. It is something I have been thinking about for awhile, and I can now see it as clear as day. I will be seeing her again before I leave here. She is truly a lightworker.
Now it is getting closer to tea time and I plan to stay up later tonight. And Linda Wilkinson if you happen to read this we are heading to Bakwell in the next few days and I totally blame you for the need to get Bakwell Tart.
Liesel xx
********************************************************************************************
8/7/17
Dear Retreat Diary
I didn't post yesterday as I was so tired I could barely function. I don't think this is jet lag I think this is I haven't stopped for so long. Every day at home I'm work focused even if I stop to watch tv.
Lessons are 1. I really need to evaluate my own self care and balance 2. Stepping out of your comfort zone is important 3. I really like scotch eggs.
This balance and self care thing has been coming up a lot lately. I preach to others, take time just for you, nurture yourself and your soul. But do I really do it. My exhaustion signifies that possibly not. I've spent time doing nothing the past few days, work is still in my mind, I should be doing things stop watching the Jeremy Kyle show do some Retreat Besties Club work, send an email so some social marketing. I need to get better at this the same as many of us have to. I know I don't do meditation or journaling like many of you would suggest. I need to find a way to feel balanced and not become exhausted when I get away from home. So that's my goal over the next few weeks to reflect on self care and how to do this better when I get home.
Sometimes when it comes to something new I hesitate. So today I didn't and went to the Armed forces bike Shed which was great after a day out yesterday with Helen and her friend Michael that u met last year. We went to Southwell pronounced Southel here. People think I'm a total extrovert and sometimes I am but there are times I need to rejuvenate so it's been good getting time to do that.
Tonight I'm going to a party so the extrovert in me will come out. Potential clients - maybe. Then tomorrow coffee with some beautiful entrepreneurs here in the Uk that are coming to my retreat training.
So that's it from me
Liesel x
********************************************************************************************
Day 5-7
11/7/17
Dear Diary
Here I am sitting in a hotel room at Heathrow Airport waiting for the lovely Chloe to arrive. This is the first bespoke tour that i have done so I am a bit excited about it.
Bur first what have the last few days included and what are my learnings
1. Sometimes you don't make it to the places you'd like to go.
2. Meeting new people is always good
3. People are friendly if you are open to them
SO since my last diary entry I have made some new friends, visited a town called Southwell pronounced Southel, visited Tesco Extra and went to Birmingham to have coffee with some of the beautiful women coming on the retreat training later in the month.
The night out at Helen's friends was awesome and it was so lovely to sit and talk with other women, especially when there was no expectations are assumptions. Lil who is Helen's friends wife had been on a show called Life Swap (there is bound to be an Australian version soon). She got to go to Alaska for 10 days and be part of life in a small Alaskan town - it was a moving show with her honesty and fears about her life was raw and touching. I spent some time talking with her about the stress if working for a government sector and the expectations on her and her colleagues made me grateful for workers in Australia who compared to what she was saying have it actually quite good.
I didn't end up going to the 9 Ladies stone circle but that is ok as I will go next time with Marie, so everything happens for a reason.
For those in the entrepreneurial online world it is always nice to meet in person and when I met three of the women coming to my Birmingham Retreat Training it was no different this time. Conversation flowed and friendships where formed. I am so looking forward to spending time with this amazing mix of exceptional visionaries.
Now I am sitting in the hotel room near Terminal 4 - right outside the window are jets coming in, I have work to do and then in the morning Chloe will be here. The third amazing Youth Insearch leader to come away with me!
Liesel xx
********************************************************************************************
12/7/17
Dear Retreat Diary
Today I have my retreat/tour hat on for the next 18 days, and after a night with not much sleep I think I am going fairly well.
Wales is the home of my maternal grandfather, and as we drove here today my thoughts where with him and my ancestors. My soul sang as we crossed the bridge at Bristol and arrived back on the land of my roots. A place I have not been since 1996, we passed the names I knew - Cardiff, Swansea, Porthcawl, Bridgend. I felt like I was home.
My leanings are:
1. I can function and drive on just a few hours sleep
2. Sometimes down time is good the first day of the retreat - especially when the wet weather sets in
3. Time to start writing down expenses - because thats my rule.
Short but sweet - I think Chloe got more sleep than me on the plane, I tossed and turned and went down the Facebook video abyss during the night, then I am sure I woke up every 3.4 minutes to check the time. Eventually it was time to go to the airport via the elusive airport shuttle, and after a super quick exit off the plan e and clearing immigration Miss Chloe was in the UK. The shower, breakfast and we were on the road for the largly uneventful trip to St Florence so tomorrow we can go to Pembroke Castle where part of Me Before You was filmed. Worth seeing if you have not, super sad so bring tisues.
We are staying in a lovely country inn, with great service, good atmosphere and fabulous food - its called Parsonage Farm Inn and is certainly worth the hours I spent searching through the internet for the right accommodation for this first night.
Tomorrow a full English breakfast before a castle tour, possibly a chocolate factory before driving back to Bath. What adventures will tomorrow hold for us on thie bespoke tour?
Night
Liesel xx
********************************************************************************************
20/7/17
Dear Retreat Diary
Here we are a week since I wrote last - and we have travelled a ton of kilometres on trains, planes and automobiles.
My lessons retreat wise are:
1. Make sure suitcases are well packed and weighed before the airport so there are not suitcases open shoving and changing things
2. If chaos reins because your transfer isn't there and it is 10 pm at night and the train ticket machines don't work and there is no other way to Paris it will be ok because some man will let you through the barrier eventually, and help you get a jammed bag through as well. The cleaner will let you through another gate and eventually the train ticket man opens the final gate no questions asked. Then a taxi driver whose GPS and no English don't work eventually gets you to the hotel at 12.45 am - don't loose your cool the lesson is it will all be ok.
3. If you get off the wrong train because the train driver said this is the stop to transfer to Manheim - ignore them it isn't and the German train ticket people will swear about the French train driver to their customer - me. It is ok you will get there via a different route on a less crowded one.
It is all ok really but lets delve into the past few days
Thursday
Thursday last week saw us in Glastonbury, England. A place of energy and power, it is the home of the earths heart Chakra - did you know that the earht has chakras? I found this super fascinating when I found out. WE first wen to the Abby which is said to have have the body of King Arthur and his beloved there and is was where the holy grail was rumoured to have been brought after the crucifiction. To sit amongst this ancient place was truly phenomenal. Not as amazing thought as going to the Chalice Well, dringing the healing waters, spending time reflecting life, and standing in the healing waters. I think my feet were healed or it might have been that the water was about -5 degrees. In the shopping street it pays to talk about what you do - like I am always saying! I was in a shop and I asked about the tarot reading that was on in an hour, they were a bit pricy but when we went back later the lady that did them was there and I was tlaking to her and telling her what I do - so now I am running training there and a retreat next year - see pays to talk, talk, talk about what it is you live for.
Thursday - Saturday
Then to London for two nights and you will see the picture of the bathroom meant that there was no room for movement - you had to step over the toilet to get to the bath - no I am totally serious.
Had a #ladypossee meetup in London which was pretty cool, new connections and friendships were established and plans made. I love the connection that I have with alot of you because of Facebook. If this platform wasn't here then maybe we would have never met or maybe fate plays a hand.
We also did a Harry Potter walk in London which was great and then met up with my beautiful friend Ellen and her husband and daughter who are there on a holiday also. So lovely to see them - we must catch up at home so much more.
Saturday to today
Fate did play a part in life now
on the plane on the way to Paris where we met the dazzling Danny who is a drama teacher from Florida, his love of Disney is mirrored by Chloe and the decision was made to meet up on Monday to share that love together. I did try to get out of it but to no avail and I walked the length of Disneyland and did enjoy watching Chloe love it in her Minnie Mouse dress and ears. It really is a place of happiness where you can forget all your worries and leave them at the gate. The fire works show at 11 pm was unbelievable and made me want to come back just for that. A Fairy retreat anyone?
We saw the classics like the Eiffel tower where we stood for two hours in the blazing sun to be only able to get to the second level because of all the people, but the view were good and the sunburn is turning brown so that is ok as well. Then the Champs de Elysee where we walked and shopped and then walked some more, Went back to our hotel in China town and had the best ever Vietnamese spring rolls. Walking to the restaurant we saw some working girls who were all aged 40 plus and Asian in origin which was very interesting. Not sure why I have added that but there you go.
Yesterday we spent seeing out places from Me Before You - the perfume shop alluded us for awhile but we found it eventually and the perfume was the most amazing I have ever smelt, it was just divine and then the restaurant at the end of the movie - we found it but had to sit next door as they were not open, but we got the obligatory pictures to prove we where there. Dinner in the Latin Quater we ate the best Indian ever, and confirmed that I will come here with my other half next year for at least two week.
And then there was the train ride today to Salzburg in Austria. We slept through the 5 am alarm and woke up at 6.07am - 6 minutes before the booked Uber was booked - which we missed and had to order another one. We made it to the train station on time half dressed and hair not really done at least we had some clothes on and all our belongings. SO we made it on the train which was running late and a stop before the scheduled one the driver told us that this was the stop to get out at, so we did as did others and we realised we shouldn't have lucky the Deutch Banh train staff had heard of thie train driver before and re routed a number of tickets - we eventually made it to Austria, unscathed and have had a dinner tonight of my first of 3 meals of schnitzels, Divine. AND OMG TOMORROW WE ARE ON THE SOUND OF MUSIC TOUR!!!!
********************************************************************************************