2010. the year for calm. This year im going to stay in one spot. No more of this non-stop travelling around business..

well, that was the plan.. now, 50 or so plane trips later, and with a big headache im home, via India, sitting inside with the heater on, wondering what happened to my plans of being home for a SUMMER Christmas. Melbourne. Your unpredictable weather is more annoying than charming today.

The year started in Primrose hill, La Clique ruled london; stadium like shows, 8 shows a week. A super fun season hanging out many fun people, helping to ease the pain of my first full English winter ( never, ever, again). I did a few weeks with the show in Paris at the bobino – this was a dream, everything feels magic in Paris. I wish I could have done longer there – But then it was time for blackpool! Showzam was huge this year too, and really busy for me as I was performing with La Clique in the evening and as koringa during the day, walking up a ladder of knives.

By march I was living in my own place finally! Chez Marawa was in the same building as Feef Killacky – who actually found me the apartment – thankyou!!. This was my home for the next 5 months – the longest time I had stayed in one place for a few years. I bought a toaster. a fryingpan, AND a kettle. And I felt a sense of calm that had been missing for a long time.I was still travelling a lot – I did a couple of weeks in Hanover performing at the GOP, and some more trips to Paris.

I performed on the champs elysees for swatch and managed to squeeze in a Gonzales film clip. And I did a fun weekend of party shows with ryan (martelo) and savage skulls.

And I went for Brussels to have dinner with dad one night. He is doing BIG TINGS, in the online world, .so, that’s cool.

In april I performed in the first version of Carnesky’s Dystopian Wonders at the roundhouse, with my dear friend Raphaelle.

This involved being set in plaster at the Insect Circus house and more knife ladder climbing. My Birthday was a culinary triumph! Emi and Ryan met me for breakfast at the Diner, Pancakes and French toast oui! Then it was an enmasse coffee session. Then a trip to the spas with the broken hearts and trixie. Then an epic dinner at viet grill. Perfection.

With the departure of Alice and Paulie back to the motherland, ( DISASTER) I was without my favourites but I made some hot new friends to replace them! Mi Casa became host to regular dinner parties, where on a good night Jean, Emi, Mattias, Russella and Naomi all came around.

Amechi even made me trousers! Eventually. So it was a great summer, broadway market providing many a protein boost in the form of a haloumi burger, bean salad with a lamb burger on top. Genius.

I also went to Edinburgh this year – what originally started out as an ‘exciting new experience’ became a month of drama ( not the good sort ) as I made my acting debut as the lead in LULU – a frank wederkind 19^th century sex tragedy – tragedy being the word I would like emphasis. Well. It wasn’t as bad as I would have liked it to be ( because then at least it would have been funny..) Nevertheless I survived ( even when the set fell down ) and had a really lovely month in Edinburgh saved by the lovely folk at artisan coffee ( carrot cake gods), piff the magic dragon, wendy bevan and the botanical gardens. Seriously the loveliest botanical gardens ever. I had many nice afternoons there, and many nice dance times with the wauwau's and amy.

ON my way back to blackpool I stopped in at the national fairground archive in Sheffield and also attended the illuminations switch on party! This year the lights were switched on by Robbie Williams and I wore a nice dress and got mah hair did. It was a lovely evening and it was so nice to see Phil, Vanessa and the Petulengro’s. Then it was back to london and straight back to work!! Rachael Castell gave me a lovely little home, where I spent many nights laughing hysterically at simon amstell’s Grandma’s house. I had so many shows booked when I got back I could hardly LOOK at another taxi – I was spending 4 hours a day in taxi’s BORING. And EXHUASTING.

By the time I got to paris in October for the 50^th time I was so crazy tired..but Emi surprised me on the train ( heart attack!) and we had fun fun times. Chloe Van Paris threw an amazing party, and it happened to be just down the road from the ninjatune party where Toddla was playing and I met my biggest musical crush of 2010 – Poirier. He played a 2 hour set and I danced the WHOLE THING down to the floor.

He makes perfect music.

Sabrine stuck it out with me ( love her) and then I walked back to my new favourite French hotel – hotel el dorado. After too many fashion parades/ parties and fun with sabrine I had to forfeit my trip to marsaille to see the savage skulls boys who were shooting a clip – and get back to london where I worked like mad to get ready for the opening ofLa Soiree. What a drama. New costume, new music, and most importantly – THE DEBUT OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HIGH HEELED BABY BLUE ROLLERSKATES.

FINALLY. That’s one life goal ticked off the list!

Performing with La Soiree meant living in Soho Square again – hurrah! I shared with the lovely Miranda and Captain frodo. The other upside was that rob worked at tapped and packed – the new trendy coffee shop just up the road – where Yu takes his morning coffee! So I was happy to bump into him a lot J. Also I took advantage of a little time at soho house with wendy and john. I starred in 2 episodes of lady shimada’s cooking show – bitchin in the kitchen!LOVE HER. And she also got me hooping on the new Eliza Doolittle clip.. After a month of being endlessly entertained by mooky and amy in the dressing room – it was time to leave La Soiree – for bangalore! To attend Nina and Naag’s wedding, followed by a week in hampi. Then I came home! Yes yes yes.

Home. time. Breathe breathe breathe.

I had 2 days to sort my bag out and then adventure mum and I headed off to Tasmania for a week of hiking.

sheesh.

We did the overland track – a hike through cradle mountain, over mount ossa, and over to st anne’s – this was tough but so beautiful. There were waterfalls, snow, sunshine, leeches, and no reception. When we had reached the half way – I realised that we were 3 days hike from anywhere – each way. That was a little scary – and nice. I wondered if north korea had done anything spectacular and liked knowing that the world was still turning even though I wasn’t watching it.

I sat very still a lot of the time, and looked at the tree’s and slept a lot. Mum was a champion. I was proud. The next day we topped it all off by going to hollybank treetops for a morning of flying fox adventures 50 metres high. The longest stretch was 400 metres over a river. Adventure mum had met her match. And she didn’t mention anything about skydiving when we had finished which had been my fear.. We got back to Melbourne after a lovely cheese platter and some honey shopping. Then it was off to the Gold Coast for more shows..

Another massive WIN this year was seeing the clipse live – IN MELBOURNE! Who would have thought they would have ever made it here?? Wamp-nation for life. They are some very talented brothers. Also this year I acquired an epenpal, called Ketil. We have been exchanging stories of adventures, long journeys and local trivia, as well as our favourite youtube clipse. He is in a band called Casiokids and I am looking forward to meeting him in Melbourne soon when they come to play the falls festival

Christmas is looming – Asli gave her Christmas reflection as school music captain at the carol service ( she is so. Grown. Up.) and in her speech she talked about what Christmas meant to her and she said her memory of Christmas every year is the ultralounge Christmas album that is played throughout December in our house. I tortured everyone with it last year at the roundhouse and I am so please to be home. With THE WHOLE FAMILY. To go crazy listening to it all together. NOTHING like a little distance to make the heart grow fonder. Wampnation and the Ibrahim’s all in the same town? Its going to be a very merry Christmas indeed. Brraaaaaaap!

*Helmets are important.

This year I fell off my bike and onto my forehead and hands and knees. My hands were wrapped in baby blue leather riding gloves, and I got some bruises on my knee. But I hit my head and I didn’t have a helmet on. It happened so fast and that’s what scared me most. I bought a helmet and avoided my bike for a few days and was pretty sad. My lovely neighbour sarah made me a card. That made me feel better. Emi’s good friend Jayne Helliwell died on her bike this year. She was younger than me. She was really sweet and made some amazing and beautiful things. I felt so sad about this even though I didn’t know her very well.

OTHER THINGS:

My Favourite times in 2010 were spent sitting on the bench outside Present. Drinking espresso’s made by mattias, lord of the coffeee. planning my day, and bumping into people. I logged most of this year here.

The best show I saw all year was the finals of london’s next top tranny. i love Russella.

I also went on radio 4 this year and did libby purves show, I didn’t realise how big a deal that was until I finished reading val doonicans autobiography.

French fries and savage skulls made a song called marawa!

I got to see Sharon Jones and the Dapkings in london and Melbourne – fittest woman ever! And binky griptite also has the greatest radio show ever ( more episodes PLEASE.)

I was the ambassador for the ‘hula hoop crisps sports relief world record’ event, which was pretty funny.

I swapped vegemite for marmite. im still not sure how to deal with this.

I Hope 2010 was good to you, if not, well.. its nearly over! Looking forward to bumping into you somewhere in 2011!!

LOVE,

Marawa in quality novelty heaven. xx