Cyprus, with Natalie, was a week of pure relaxation. Our flight out was delayed by 2 hours so having arrived at Gatwick at 7am, we remained there until 12.30pm! Still, it gave us time to eat breakfast and buy matching t-shirts from French Connection which bear the slogan “mile high fcuk”. Our apartment was spacious and clean, the pool was just the ( Read more... )

Saigon, or rather, Ho Chi Minh City was fascinating. Our last night there, we were taken to dinner by one of my dad’s colleagues, who spoke disparagingly of the corrupt system of government. He said, that the country’s biggest and most notorious gangster, drug dealer, pimp etc, was above the law, as he was the son of the Prime Minister. A minor ( Read more... )

It has been too long since I have written here. There is a multitude of things I would like to say. I have yet to write about my last few days in Vietnam and the following week in Bali. I have since received A-level results, had my 18th birthday party, been to Reading Festival, spent a week in Cyprus… all of these I would love to give account of, ( Read more... )

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi was atmospheric in a very morbid and imposing kind of way. Strict dress code - nothing above the knee, no beach shoes or tank tops, no cameras, videos, mobile phones etc. The guards in their pristine white uniforms with red and gold trim stood in pairs, so straight and still that they could have been statues. The ( Read more... )

I'm in the Business Centre of my hotel, baffled by the speed of the internet connection. What I mean, really, is that I am baffled by its lack of speed. It claims to be 56K and I know I am used to my home ADSL instant connection but this is ridiculous - snail's pace reminiscent of the oldest machines at school ( Read more... )

That'd be British Airways then. I'm still at heathrow, slowly freezing in the departure lounge- not much of a lounge either. I have spent the past 3 hours en famille staring at a Cola vending machine and have a neon induced headache. We have missed our connection in Bangkok, will be staying ovrnight there (when we eventually arrive). The optimist ( Read more... )

*Squeaks excitedly* I have a beautiful shiny new layout, made mostly by the utterly amazing mazuhisto and I love it! *Squeaks some more*

...Continued from "Begin at the beginning (Interail part 1 ( Read more... )

30th June, 6pm, my father comes to inspect my packed rucksack. He cannot lift it off the floor of my room as it is so heavy. Immediately, he upends it onto the floor and removes ¾ of its contents. I am reduced to 1 skirt, 1 pair of trousers, 1 pair of cropped trousers and 6 t-shirts to get me through 12 days abroad. I wonder how I’ll manage it ( Read more... )

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