And so a new decade begins...

I'm always surprised by the contrasting realities that surface when I stop to analyse another year gone by. The fact that the year that passed seemed so short and at the same time was the outlet for so many different events in my life, baffles me. I will not say it was a bad year because that is what I said for 2008 and yet halfway through that year I finally moved house to a better neighbourhood and won a trip to the MTV Europe Music Awards in Liverpool. I'm not the one to brag but...damn, that was sweet!!

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that no matter the amount of good fortune that meets us in a particular year we always somehow manage to overshadow that with the bad moments. The truth is that life isn't perfect and something is bound to go wrong. Of course, if you are a spontaneous spirit who plans ahead but then still changes plans every few weeks, you're more prone to disappointment. Not to mention, being a perfectionist and unintentional diva! Oh, these are not words of low self-esteem, my friends. I'm just discovering my true nature as I grow older.

The bottom line is that a 'good' or 'bad' year should only be taken as a reminder that we never really do get it right no matter how hard we try and that sometimes we're spot on perfect without even trying. Such is the irony of life. From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank all my friends and family for helping me survive another year. Living ain't easy. There are a lot of things that can get you down. With support and love to share, life is more worthwhile. Happy New Year 2010.

Peace,
T

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And now for the best of 2009:-


8. M.I.A's style

No woman has inspired me this year as much as this politically-opinionated-colour-clash-urban-chic wearing Sri Lankan native. Well, at least style-wise of course.Despite coming from a culture that has fascinated me since the age of ten, she is THE style icon of 2009 - mos' def! I love everything about her style - from her short wavy toussled hair to her Tetris cube inspired finger nail art. I seriously want a watermelon slice oversized tie-dye t-shirt like the one she is wearing in her BIRD FLU video (click on Bird Flu to watch video). Her style is very personal though and not easy to work with the chic-factor she manages to achieve. So, I'll just sit back in awe or just make me my own watermelon t-shirt!

7. Meeting new people

This may seem like nothing special but every year I look back at the new friends I made and the interesting people I met because meeting new people is always fun. You learn new things about yourself and others that you never really knew. Also, my mum is foreign and I don't really know my cousins from her side. 2009 was the year I started fresh and long lasting contacts with these cousins. I even met some abroad more than once. It's a great feeling meeting family you've never met before but always knew were there.

6. Insite

There's a student media organisation at the University I go to that I had been a fan of for the last four years. I had always wanted to be part of this experience and the chance came to me quite by luck. Now since I've joined I've met such lovely people in the media world and realised by dream of working in a media house. We're not a bunch of professionals but we can boast that we have a 9 year publication, TV crew and programmes, website and the legendary IC Weekend under our belt. Looking forward to further positive results for 2010.

5. Following my dreams

Ahh, this year I just went berserk, went on three vacations in the past 12 months and decided to spend my time and money on things that I've been wanting to do forever! It seems that when I realised I'm approaching 20 and towards the end of my degree I went on a wild dream chase, ticking off my ever growing To-do list. First, it started with choir class where I got to sing a solo twice. Then, it went on to bellydance lessons and finally Arabic language classes. I don't know what got over me. I think I'm going through a quarter life crisis. (click link) Help?

4. Blur reunited and Pearl Jam back on tour

This news is both good and bad. Good, cause these bands are two of my greatest childhood musical influences. Bad, cause one of them I didn't manage to see on tour and are not going to tour again, while the other I seriously doubt I will manage to see on tour next year. Due to the above-mentioned quarter life crisis I am now broke till the end of my degree. Yes, that is June 2011!!! FML.

3. Falling in Love

You would think that this would take the number one spot. Keep reading...

2. Visiting Amsterdam and Dublin

This was the best holiday ever with around 60 friends from all over Europe in a boathouse in a harbour in Amsterdam including an exclusive private party sponsored by Sony Ericsson in a central night club, coffee shop adventures, a 13 hour pitstop in Dublin with a bunch of young and hot newly graduated Austrian engineers and a night drinking Guinness in the famous Temple Bar. Pure Bliss.


1. And the number one spot goes to...

Seeing MUSE live at the O2 arena in London!! Just effin unbelievable. I can't even describe the feeling. Sold out arena, state of the art lights and graphics show, Matt Bellamy playing the piano, Chris and Dom doing their thang, the largest mosh pits I've ever seen and a free after party at Matter Club featuring Hadouken. Need I say more?

And the worst of 2009:-



3. Michael Jackson Gone

The media have coined this year as the 'Year of the Dead Celebrity'. I don't think that's a very nice term to use but it pretty much sums up the bizarre chain of deaths that have been occuring since Heath Ledger's death in January 2008 and the most recent deaths of Brittany Murphy and The Rev who died a week from each other. However, the one departure I took personally was Michael Jackson's. His death came at a difficult time for me and totally took me by surprise. Not to mention the mean jokes everyone was telling me since they knew I was a fan. I think the loveliest feeling was seeing all his fans sticking together in solidarity. I can't remember the hours I spent following news reports and ceremonies in his honour. It was a sad moment. He was only 50. True icons never die. May his music live forever.

2. Major burnout

I've come to the conclusion that once every year I crack. Halfway through 2009 I decided that I'd had enough of life and will lock myself away from society. First off, I've spent a record amount of money on my personal health problems in one year like never before. Then I was working three jobs and studying all summer for two resits. Finally, I realised that the man I fell in love with was not the man I thought he was. Which leads to the number one spot...

1. Breaking up

It sucks. And not because I love being in a relationship. Actually, I'm very happy being able to do what I do and putting myself first. Not because I'm selfish. But I'm very self aware of my influence on the people and world around me. I like to socialise and do my bit for society. I like to travel, meet new people and party. I am very ambitious and career oriented. Still, it sucked big time because I could not admit that I had fallen out of love. In fact, I only totally got over it a month ago. It takes a real woman to admit that, even though I'm the one who called it a day. Oh well, you live a learn.

---------------------------------

For all it's worth, it was worth all the while

DAY 9

I don't know how to start this last blog entry but I just did.

Simply...
Put...

...We made it to LIVERPOOL!!!



November 6th, 2008. We all dressed our full-on Fanwalk gear, had a quick breakfast and headed off to catch a ferry to Albert Dock, Liverpool. The ferry ride wasn't the most pleasing or glamorous experience what with all the misty outlines and murky British waters.

When we actually landed in Liverpool we were quite taken by our surroundings. This was the European Capital of Culture 2008 for a reason and the locals made sure we knew it at every corner.

We walked our way to the Echo Arena and when we arrived we were greeted by Dirk and the international press. Soon enough, internet-celeb Perez Hilton (cyber-host of this year's awards) came to welcome us. We all got a chance to take pictures with him and talk to him. He is such a flirt with the guys. HAHA.




Then we wore the Echo Arena pass so that we could enter the place for the first time. My first reaction was: It's not THAT big? My second reaction was: I wonder where WE will be seated/standing? While my third reaction was: What the heck is that cannon doing on stage? The 1st and 2nd questions remained unanswered but the third was promptly replied to by the appearance of scantily dressed dancers with pom-poms, just like cheerleaders, on stage. It was quite obvious that they were rehearsing for one of Katy Perry's performances.

We didn't really get the time to check out the place since we were rushed back out due to a strict schedule. Before leaving to our hostel we gathered for our last photoshoot with Dirk holding a wobbly, springy MTV EMA award, in front of the specially erected EMA monument.

As soon as we got to the hostel all hell broke loose. We had to be ready by 4pm so that we could have dinner together and get to the arena by around 6pm because people wouldn't be allowed in after that time. I think I ironed 4 different outfits including my own and gave away 2 pairs of tights too! In the end I had no time to treat my blister properly so I slipped into my heels and rushed out. This was the end result:-




Now, a girl wearing heels on sore feet is a dangerous thing if not unhealthy! But I did not anticipate the extent of damage on the sole of my foot. The pavements in Liverpool are mostly cobble-stone which proved deadly to me. As I was slowly making my way to the arena, a sharp pain shot up my leg and my ankle gave way on the cobble-stone. As I clutched onto Chloe to stand straight, I couldn't believe this was happening. We had almost arrived to the restaurant so I ripped off my heels and walked barefoot through Liverpool till we got there (How dramatic! HAHA. You must be roaring with laughter right about now). We got into the restaurant and joined the seating queue and on closer inspection it was revealed the sole of my foot was covered in blood and the sore on my foot had opened. The blood got through my plaster and stained the inside of my shoe. Everyone looked like stars and I was barefoot and bewildered. But I wasn't going to be let down. I just needed a way to get back to the hostel. Luckily, one of the organisers saw me and was kind enough to contact Troy. She was a life-saver! Too bad I don't know her name but I would like to thank her from the bottom of my heart. Anyway, back to the action! So, Troy got me some first-aid materials and I cleaned and bandaged my left foot in the Ladies' Room. Then he joined me for dinner on the table while we waited for the taxi he had called. I was so grateful that he got a taxi in no time and made sure I got there safely. I managed to get to my room, adjust my bandage and change my shoes to flat pumps in no time! Hallelujah.

Soon enough I found myself with Sarah making our way to the Echo Arena. Sure I had a bandage on my foot and no heels (boo-hoo) but nothing could stop me. This was the day I had been waiting for and we were finally going on with ticket in our hand and tag on our wrist. As we were rushing past the fans, two security guards called me. They thought I was Beyonce. I guess they were just pulling my leg, but it really was a confidence boost to me at that moment.

I quickly forgot about my foot and got down to finding my seat. As soon as that was established we raided the bars to get our free drinks. It was free cocktails all night and we were loving it! Obviously, the standard girls-night-out-restroom-shots ensued.

I don't think I need to comment about the WHOLE show because most of you saw it on TV or in repeats or even on the internet. However, I will comment that our seats sucked! They were at nose-bleed level and terrible for taking photos and videos. It would have been better if we were standing in the pitch close to the stage and star-audience-interactivity. The show itself LIVE is far better when seen on TV. The lights were pretty top of the list in coolness though. Katy Perry made a fairly good host but 30 Seconds to Mars just ruined her efforts. Puh-leaaaaseee, gimme the Foo Fighters any day of the week over those guys! Best performance? I would have to say a cross between THE KILLERS and KANYE WEST feat. ESTELLE, even though Kanye and Estelle were crap vocally. P!nk's performance obviously kicked ass, as always, but I was a bit dissapointed with Beyonce's performance. I mean I love Beyonce and I'm glad she chose to focus her performance on her actual profession: SINGING. Still, I always wanted to see a Beyonce SHOW...you know...the sexy raw dance number and bursting-at-the-seams energy! I was happy with her act though. She is a strong, talented woman. And finally, The Ting Tings just blew my socks off. Heard and seen live they are perfect. Katie's voice sounds exactly like on the record and I love the way she delivers her lines with her sharp quirky movements and style. Together with Jules, they're going places. Duffy and Kid Rock were really cool too.

The most anticipated moment of the night was surely when Dirk presented 30 Seconds to Mars with the award of Video Star along with Kerry Katona. Dirk got the VIP treatment that night and he actually looked pretty high on stage. LOL. But he did a great job and we were all so proud of him. The best moment was when the Fanwalk advert came up on screen and we stood up singing 'Pull it Together' like lunatics in front of a whole arena of onlookers. Ahh, good times, good times.

Et puis...

Le After Party!!

This is where we mingled with the A-listers baby! I met the likes of Kanye West, The Little Terrors, Solange Knowles and my idol Lauri Ylönen from THE RASMUS. I even got a pic with him:-



The crowd was so cool and happy. I found myself talking and dancing with random people. The place itself was huge. Like a whole corner block HUGE. There were different floors and rooms everywhere. I got lost countless times. There was also free-flowing alcohol and delicious party food like giant prawns, sheperd's pie and pasta-cups. It was a really fun night and worth it in the end even though we didn't really get to meet all the celebs we thought we would. Also, security was really tight even to take pictures with some celebs. Ultimately, we just wanted to enjoy our last night together because the next day some of us had to leave early to catch their flights.

The Maltese were the last group to leave Liverpool the next day. In fact, we even had time for shopping in the morning. I don't really want to write about this last bit because it was both a sad and satisfying day. However, I am sure that this experience will never leave me and that I will visit Liverpool again soon enough. At least, even to get a closer look at the Beatles musuem which we didn't have time to really visit.

And so ends my first trip to the UK.

I miss it so much but know I will meet my new-found family soon enough. We will be meeting all again in Amsterdam in February 2009 for a reunion. I' m really hoping I can get enough money to go because it's going to be a big gathering with the Dutch fanwalkers recruiting a film crew to follow the event. We might also do some fundraising through music. I can't wait!

Thanks everyone for helping me achieve this dream and for following my experience with the same enthusiasm I had throughout the trip. This final blog is dedicated to all those that appreciate music and its influence in the world. Music is the most abundant and influential resource of every era. And now as 2009 has been declared the European Year of Creativity and Innovation, I invite you to explore this medium and make a change in the world through it. Hopefully, as Fanwalkers we can carry on this music pilgrimage and pass on the message of music throughout all of Europe and maybe one day...the WORLD. In the great words of Lenny Kravitz: "Let's start a LOVE REVOLUTION!"

Peace out,

TaM x

The final days...

DAY 7

On Day 7, I woke up with my first blister after one week of walking. Due to the commotion of getting ready for each event and consuming vast amounts of alcohol (JOSE!!!!), I left it untreated. Somehow, I managed a full day's walking from Whitchurch to Chester.

On the way, we visited a Dairy Farm and had ourselves some British ice-cream. Everyone was so tired but we all had one thing on our minds...who was going to win tonight?! Some common names were whispered on our lips and people ushered their favourites but it was all down to that evening's judging.

The judging ceremony took place at Peckforton Castle...a titan structure of historic times. It is the only intact medieval castle in the UK and feels like a scene out of a Harry Potter film. Check it out: http://www.peckfortoncastle.co.uk/. It felt all very regal and we were served quaill meat for dinner amongst other strangely named foods.

After dinner, the Judges (Kate Edmonson: our MTV host for Fanwalk, Sara Kelly-Husain and Julian Hewitt: Clubfeet) commented on the presentations by each finalist. All of them were really good but you could tell some were more nervous than others. We actually got to see the presentations since they were done in the banquet hall where we had dinner.

The moment Dirk (Germany) was announced winner that night you could feel everyone's shoulders dropping and their hands coming together in one huge applause. Shoulders dropped because that tense feeling of anticipation was destroyed and hands clapped in approval. Of course, some people felt dissapointed but after that defining moment our friendship was sealed forever.

DAY 8

The next day was Guy Fawkes Day in the UK. We walked it from Chester to Wirral (Heswall). Despite the aches and pains we experienced from all the walking and exhaustion this may have been one of the very best walks. That element of competition was totally eroded and now that we knew each other so well it all boiled down to that feeling on our first day except better cause we had a history of good times to share along the way. Everyone was just mixing with different groups since there were no challenges so we were free to hang out with who we wanted to. I took this as an opportunity to talk to other people I didn't really have the chance to speak to properly. By this time most people (mostly girls) had caught on the trend me and Sarah started. A sort of high-school school-leaving book for jotting down memories, messages and contact details. It all felt a bit strange. Now that we knew the winner and could finally relax and be together as one big family, it was all over! Tomorrow, would be the day we land in Liverpool...the day we had all been waiting for. But, we were just not feeling it. We wanted to be fanwalkers forever. Liverpool never felt so close as that day. And after 8 days complaining: "Are we there yet??" , it all seemed to have ended too quickly!

That evening, we got to our hotel (at this point I don't remember any more names), and then drove to this location for our Guy Fawkes-style bonfire night complete with crappy amateur fireworks. Despite the petty attractions we conjured up our own form of entertainment in the form of campfire songs. We sang all the fanwalk classics. Wonderwall by Oasis, Good Riddance by Greenday and all our other special songs. Inside the dinner hall, people were signing their farewell books and some were crying and hugging each other. I felt a bit gloomy that night. Not only because of the general mood but I was in pain. My blister was 3 times too large and I had burst it open and tried to burn it before stepping out. Blonde moment, right there. Not that I haven't done it before. It's a pretty effective yet gross technique. However, this was the grand-daddy of all blisters and I went tampering with it.

Sheloian (the gorgeous one) presented some awards for the best bloggers too. They all got a new phone and bag by Sony Ericsson. I know that Sheloian reads this blog so I'd like to wish him all the best for the festive season. He really helped us Maltese a lot and he's an awesome guy.

Back at the hotel we had our last party together (besides the awards after party). I don't remember much of that night. Did I go to bed early? :O Everything's a blur to me now. All I knew is that the next morning we would have to wear our full fanwalk gear for the international press and Dirk would be attending soundcheck early in the morning...

These boots were made for walking...

DAY 5

It was Sunday and it was our day off. From walking, that is!!

All we were told the night before is that the next day we would have to dress up in our own personal style for a photoshoot and then perform a little challenge. NO WALKING. That sounded cool especially since we were going to Oxford and could do some shopping...

It was a bit of a struggle getting ready in the morning but we made our way out and packed the Fanwalk party bus for a new adventure.



When we got to Radcliffe Square in Oxford and finished our shoot we were briefed about our challenge for the day and for the next day. We had to split up in teams and create bands by collecting musical items from the streets of Oxford in any non-criminal manner. We couldn't buy the stuff either.


Three persons from each team followed by their own camera crew scoured the streets in search of "instruments". The result was amusing and quite creative. My team even managed to get an actual item from a band's tour bus...the "Cage the Elephant" tour cow-bell!! (www.myspace.com/cagetheelephant)


In the evening we were split up in four different hotels which SUCKED. Particularly scary was our choice of hotel...the Formule 1. We were just a group of about 10 separated from the rest of the team. However, we quickly made up for that at our night party location...the Barton's Arms. This pub was so majestic and breathtaking with its swooping staircase and chandeliers, that I couldn't help stop and stare. In addition, I felt some sort of connection with its musical roots especially when I found out icons like Ozzy Osbourne and UB40 used to be regulars there.

The night was pretty relaxed and Clubfeet got a little more intimate with an up-close-and-personal gig followed by some fanwalker performances. The Italian fanwalkers entertained us with their dance rendition of Mamma Mia!, Caroline from Germany sang a little Cranberries and the Free Booze Band played the unofficial fanwalk song - "Wonderwall".



DAY 6


And then we busked.

The sixth day saw us in Birmingham starting off with some time with the Birmingham press and some more photoshoots. By this time we had all gotten sick of getting our pictures taken.

Our mission was to use the instruments we had collected the day before to BUSK for charity. We all had our hats, tins and jars ready for collecting coins in aid of Sound Futures: an organisation in Birmingham providing underprivileged kids the chance to play an instrument. Unfortunately, we were stopped by the fuzz, but still managed to collect a lot of money in a short time.

On the bus ride to our walking spot of the day, Sarah (my fellow Maltese sister) suggested we do a mini-challenge to get a wristband. Seeing that we were only going to walk 8 kms that morning we thought we'd tie our shoelaces together for the whole distance. This day was to be known as Muddy Monday...

Never in my 19 years of life did I see such quantity, depth and density of mud before!! It was the worst day to pick a challenge but we endured. Two kilometres of tripping, falling on our arses and getting mud in our pants we were finally made to stop, much to our dismay. The terrain was too dense and we were slowing the team down. It was the funniest and most difficult walking experience of my life but totally worth it because later that night we were awarded a special Sony Ericsson gadget for it (http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/14/sony-ericssons-hbh-ds970-stereo-bluetooth-headset-with-remote/). Also, we travelled through dark woodland with steep climbs and our torches to guide us. It was a new experience for me.

The good news was that we got to spend the evening in a Spa Resort with comfortable beds, spa facilities and a mini-fridge in each room. *grin* The rooms were so large and opened up to the lawn. Basically, we kept the residents up all night. ;)

The biggest announcement that night was when Troy revealed the final list of eligible fanwalkers to present the award at the MTV EMAs. The pressure was certainly on for these guys as they had 24 hours to prepare a 1 minute speech explaining why they were the ones to present the award. However, for that one night, nerves were pushed aside.

Back to reality...

...because FANWALK was just a dream!

I cannot even begin to explain my gratitude and disbelief towards SONY ERICSSON for organising such a perfectly unique event. And now I sit here on my bed trying to garner the energy to put it all down in words without shedding a tear.

Our journey started early on the morning of Tuesday, 28th October 2009. As usual, I was late...as in 30 minutes-check-in-before-flight late! I met the others and I could tell everyone was nervous. As soon as we entered the aeroplane I dropped my passport with excitement.

We were all tired but couldn't sleep on the plane (except for Sarah...she could sleep through a hurricane). As soon as we arrived at Gatwick airport we were greeted by a petite old lady with the Sony Ericsson Fanwalk sign and that's when we knew we were in the right place!

The first friends we made on the drive to our first hostel in London (The Holland Park Hostel http://www.yha.org.uk/find-accommodation/london/hostels/london-holland-park/index.aspx) were two of the Ukrainian fanwalkers - Liliia and Aleks. As soon as we got to the hostel and started meeting other fanwalkers we knew this was going ot be a special adventure. That first day was so long with so many things happening. Fanwalkers kept arriving till the evening and we must have gone shopping on the Kensington High Street about three times! That same night we were given our Sony Ericsson W-series mobile phones and some instructions on the Fanwalk. The Maltese crew got this model:-

Pretty schnazzy, right? ;) The person who blogged most with their phone even stood the chance of winning another mobile phone!

We also got lots of goodies like walking gear (sponsored by Reebok and EDC by Esprit) as well as Sony Ericsson candy, pens and badges. I also got to meet my cousin for the first time because he works in one of the local post-offices. That was pretty cool and meaningful to me.

Then, later that evening, we had our first taste of the night life. Nothing special really. We all crashed at this neat pub called Kensington Arms and made friends with so many people. It was cool because we had music as a topic to get things going and so many different tastes and lifestyles were revealed. We talked about our countries too and how we all got into this competition. It was pretty cool. The walk back was crazy though since it was snowing! However, as soon as we got to the hostel we hung out in one of the bigger dorms and got to know some other people. It was so relaxed and soothing...Andi (from Germany) playing tunes on his guitar and everyone on the floor singing and chatting. Another taster of nights to come...

DAY 1

The next day saw us all together as a group and marked the beginning of some very serious friendships and lessons in packing and unpacking. We had to check out really early and dress up in our star outfit, i.e. , dress up as our favourite artist. Some people went all out and it was cool. The most over-copied star was Justin Timberlake. I tried my best at being Alicia Keys...not bad, don't you think?

We got to see some cool sites like the Big Ben, the London Eye and Westminster Abbey. We also had a photoshoot with various members of the press and some of us got interviewed. This was our first real reminder that it was going to take much more to get Malta noticed.

After the shoot, we went to this cool club in Camden, London, known as Jazz Cafe (http://www.jazzcafelive.com/). This is where we changed into our walking gear and met for the first time the band that would be travelling, partying and living with us for the next 9 days. They came by the name of CLUBFEET (www.myspace.com/clubfeetband) and boy were they good!! They performed some of their songs for us that day including the Official Fanwalk song 'KEEP IT TOGETHER', which was to be drilled into our brains in the following days. I also bought my first wellies from the Camden market. Aren't they fab? ^^

And then, we WALKED. Our first walk. 15km. I shall never forget it. Everyone was mingling with each other and it was the only day we were at maximum energy levels. HAHA. We were divided into groups of about 20 each so as not to startle the locals. My first group leader was the almighty JEN from the Outward Bound Non-Profit Making Organisation (http://www.outwardbound.org/). She was so awesome and I regret not having my picture taken with her or any of the group leaders actually. They really helped us get along the British wilderness except for Mr. Brown (he was a little misguided but a nice chap really! hehe). We first walked up to Mill Hill and through Hampstead Heath and paused a hundred times for interviews and photoshoots, but it was fun. By the time we got to the tourbus, we all looked at each other and thought that wasn't so bad. Never a more fallous statement there was.

The tour bus took us to the Days Inn Hotel...a welcome sight! This is where we learned how to get washed and changed in 30 minutes in time for our first briefing. Troy the motivator introduced us to the wristband challenges which basically meant that in order to be in the running to present an award at the EMAs we had to partake in different challenges along the way, earning us wristbands. The top 15 people with wristbands would then pass through to the finals. All we could say was...BRING IT ON!!

(to be continued)