Cheese-flavoured ice-cream

So it turns out that I could get onto the net with my laptop in Singapore airport, it just took a bit of admin with subscribing to the free service, so now instead of 15mins of standing internet, I have two hours of battery to use at my leisure...

So where to start...

I am on my way home now after an excellent experience all-round. I could not have hoped for this trip to have gone any better.

The last few days, with the group of athletes dwindling substantially, we got a bit more adventurous and found some interesting sights. One which stood out was the cheese-flavoured ice-cream. I kid you not! We went to our usual ice-cream stop, the Mini-Stop (it's like a garage convenience store, without the garage) for our (almost) daily P15 (R3) soft-serve sugar-cone ice-cream and they had swapped the chocolate flavour for cheese. Cheddar cheese flavoured ice-cream. I'll try anything once and I have to say, not being a huge fan of chocolate ice-cream to begin with, I was pleasantly surprised. Certainly the combination of flavours is odd, but not unpleasant at all. What will they think of next?!

Last night we went into the 'carnival' in Olongapo City which is like a massive fair with hundreds of stalls and a stage which hosts entertainment of some sort every evening. We ate 'local fare' from one of the food outlets where you are (very enthusiastically) waited upon by three 'ladyboys'. It turns out was a good night to see the 'culture' last night as it turns out that the stage was hosting the Miss Gay Philippines Universe pageant. Culture shock, or shock culture?! Words cannot describe it, so I'll leave it to your imagination...

I ended off the training really well, with a tough double-run day on the final day. All three disciplines have certainly improved noticeably in the last three weeks of 'training camp' and it is great to see such dramatic improvements. It fills me with confidence for the future...

Speaking of the future, that has just taken a massive leap in the right direction. teamTBB have offered me a Pro contract for 2009, which I am obviously going to accept - it's a dream coming true. It will provide me the opportunity to work with one of the best (or the best!) coaches in triathlon and train with some of the best athletes in various training camps throughout 2009. The team will also help support me in various ways to allow me to focus on the important stuff - training and racing. If that doesn't lift my game to the next level, then nothing will!

I will write more on the whole situation once the deal is signed and sealed and I can confirm more details, but for the moment just know that I am super-excited by the opportunity. It is what I have wanted for a while and certainly needed if I am to reach my goals. I am looking forward to great things in the months and years to come... :D