I am in the bosom of the Bow family in Brisbane, and straight in with the Scottishisms that my auntie Glad and my mum have bestowed on me. I implore all readers to use the word 'Bism' which means something like 'wee bitch' in a naughty child (naughty girl only I think) way. Also add in the sayings 'Jesus Johnny!' in a broad Scottish accent, 'In the name o' God' also in a broad Scottish accent (both are exclamations of surprise or alarm), and 'I'll smack ye, so I will'. My cousin Rick has a nice t-shirt; it says, "Gonnae no [View Full Entry]

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As I clean the sand out of my ears that is seeping from my brain for the millionth time, I am doing my last night in the Fraser Escape hostel - the worst one yet, a caravan park masquerading as a hostel - before Greyhounding it to Brisbane. There I will be picked up by my cousin Hazel to see all my other cousins, nieces and nephews on the Bow side of the family, my auntie Gladys' kids and their kids' kids etc. Very excited about this - the last time I saw them (except for Kendra, who I guess is [View Full Entry]

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I am bussing to a town called 1770 at midnight tonight, so killing time in my last day here at Airlie Beach. And staying out of the sun because I caught the most evil sunburn ever on my boat trip. The middle section of my back looks like a raw steak, which is a pleasant thought for all youse stuck home in the cold, I'm sure. Carrying my 3-stone backpack on it this morning was sure fun. Just an unrelated piece of info - Airlie Beach seems to be obsessed with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They play the Chilis every [View Full Entry]

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So I've been at this party hostel called Magnums in Airlie Beach for a few days now. It's alright for $16 a night, but the crowning glory of this place is the bedroom action which is lovingly shared among all guests, whether they like it or not. A couple of nights ago, I was in a 10-bed dorm with a mouldy shower sharing with one Irish, one really old American bloke who was a bit too friendly, and a throng of German Highschoolers who were on summer break, whose parents are awaiting their decision on what they will study at university. [View Full Entry]

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Hi folks, prepare oneself for another epic essay. Checklist: tea: comfy sitting place; eastenders off; children in cage; bebel gilberto soundtrack? (I am listening to a lot of Rufus Wainright at the moment) As usual, photos to follow. Some cracking ones too, natch. I am learning how to use my close up feature on the camera, so plenty of zooming into spiders' faces and the like. If you like that sort of thing. I have spent a week in Cairns now and will take the midnight Greyhound bus tonight to Townsville, which takes about 6 hours with all the stops it [View Full Entry]

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It is the hottest part of the day and the sun was burning a hole in my head, so it was time to use my internet access card. So here is the tale of Swallowtail Cafe, one of the highlights of my time in Japan. i have seen the future and it is swallowtail-shaped. There is a big trend right now in Tokyo for 'butler cafes' which are, as suggested, cafes or restaurants where the serving staff are dressed like butlers, in coat-tails and pocketwatches and white gloves and the like. These cafes are done up in a faux english tea [View Full Entry]

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ｊｕｓｔ　ｂａｃｋ　ｆｒｏｍ　ａｎ　ｅｖｅｎｉｎｇ　ｏｕｔ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｊｏｎ　ａｎｄ　ｔｗｏ　ｏｆ　ｈｉｓ　ｆｒｉｅｎｄｓ．　ｗｅ　ｓｔａｒｔｅｄ　ａ [View Full Entry]

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i just wrote the dead sea scrolls about my day, and somehow deleted it. ;( condensed version it was a productive day, i walked loads - got to tsukiji fish market for 7am with karen, a girl from ireland staying here a couple weeks. had great time observing all the fruits of the sea being sold and sampled some lovely sushi in a bar adjoiining the market. walked to ginza, the posh fifth avenue/sloane square type area, saw lots of posh department stores, the kabuki-ya theatre, then went on my own up to ikebukuro and sought out the swallowtail cafe, the [View Full Entry]

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i am writing from the sakura hotel (a hostelnot a hotel) in jimbocho, chiyoda-ku district in tokyo. i have been travelling for five days straight without stopping now and my internal clock is fucked! i woke up, had a shower in the extremely clean and lovely power showers, sorted all my bags out and came down to the lobby ten minutes ago ready to decide what walking tour i would do from the book of options i got in london. but now i find it is 5.15pm in tokyo so i must have slept about 14 hours because i got here [View Full Entry]

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Today is the first in a long list of last goodbyes I'll have to endure before my trip. My flatmate (until recently), colleague and mate Aoife is off to a 3-week jaunt in Brazil tomorrow and I'll be flying out to Tokyo the day she returns, so I won't see her after today until at least next July. I'm not sure if there will be tears or tantrums, but it will be weird to say goodbye in person for the last time. The thing about Aoife is that she keeps asking me what I know, and usually I'm the one asking, [View Full Entry]

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