Iceland blew my mind. Words don't really do it justice, so I'll just put up loads of pictures... (Umesh will be pleased about that...) Highlights for me were : every hike, every park, every protected area but especially Landmannalauger, and a ride to the bus station in Bjork's mum's car (though she wasn't driving)! And Skyr! Yum. For those of you who are technology challenged... if you click on the small picture it will enlarge and you can read descriptions etc. For these photos, it's worth enlarging them! Enjoy. [View Full Entry]

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Scandanavia rocks my world. I was definitely a viking in a former life. I had the most fantastic time in Scandanavia, travelling with Disa, Martin and Alberto over thousands of kilometres from Stockholm to a wee island in the north of Norway called Karlsøya (at 70 degrees north, my northernmost point, ever) and then all the way back to Stockholm. After a very, very brief stop in Helsinki, a 3am bus to Turku and an 11 hour ferry ride to Stockholm, I began my Scandanavian adventures. Disa had written to me, saying that she and Martin had met a Spanish guy [View Full Entry]

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An age, a lifetime ago, way back in June! I travelled from Slovenia over to Milan to meet up with Brent and Shona for the weekend. We ate bad pizza and great gelato (fresh fig being the winner), got picked on by touts and pecked at by horrible pigeons in the square. After Milan, we drove north to Staefa near Zurich, where the Westies currently reside. I spent a week with them in their lovely apartment. Very cruisy - lots of sleep, swimming in lake Zurich, touring the city and marvelling at Chagall´s windows in the Frauminster church, yummy nachos reminiscent [View Full Entry]

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April.... I started in London, it's getting to be a habit. After two days I needed to get out of the city before I experienced spontaneous combustion... I went to Anne Boleyn's childhood home for the day. Very pretty, Kentish springtime. [View Full Entry]

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My first continental stop was Holland. Some fun times in Amsterdam with old friends. My body knew I'm not 16 anymore, even if I didn't act like it. I took a quick side trip to Rotterdam to see Fever Ray live at the Motel Mozaique festival. I thought it would be amazing and it was. Then I hopped on a bike and headed north. My aim was to tour up to Friesland and then down and around in a southern loop back to the capital. I got to St. Annaparochie and was so warmly welcomed by Francie's host family of a [View Full Entry]

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With my dear grandma and my aunty Cindy we began our journey in Paris. To get there, we took the eurostar. Cindy and Jude were both a bit nervous about the tunnel but in the end were entirely unaware of going through it. We'd passed under the Channel while I was getting coffees from the cafe carriage and half an hour later Judy commented that surely the tunnel would be coming up soon... I pointed out that the signs in French outside the train were a bit of a giveaway. Paris was beautiful and grand. The Louvre was everything I'd hoped [View Full Entry]

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We spent a couple of days in St Sebastian first. Cindy felt right at home here. I was treated to a brilliant and unsuspected storm one evening, complete with thunder and lightning, recharging my batteries after the overindulgence of French cuisine. From there we headed to Barcelona to stay with Madeleine Sheahan in her little but very well placed flat. It was great to spend time with her. She lived with us for two years when I was wee and I've not seen her much since. We enjoyed Gaudi's madness and some fine organic vegetarian food, further dispelling the French Fugue. [View Full Entry]

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We went to Cornwall next. Visiting St Ives, The Eden Project and Tintagel for the most part. We had only a few days here before Cindy was due to fly home and Judy went to stay with cousins for a couple of weeks. Cindy surprised herself by finding a soul place in St Ives. We all enjoyed the Eden Project for the hope it engenders. I loved the wind on the cliffs above Tintagel... I'd have stayed up there all day but heights are really not Judy's thing and she was waiting further down... England always surprises me with it's loveliness. [View Full Entry]

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While Judy visited the cousins I visited the Highlands. I caught the train to Inverness where I visited the loch, predictably, and didn't see Nessie, also predictably. But it was pretty all the same. Then I headed west to Plockton, a beautiful town near Skye, where I invited myself to stay with the Macrae's, friends of family friends. I helped out in their guesthouse and ate at their restaurant. I recovered from a nasty head cold and went for a walk in the hills behind their house in Achmore. I even got to watch a Shinty match and get eaten alive [View Full Entry]

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Before meeting up with Judy again, I headed down to Canterbury to stay with one of Alan's bestest friends. I was very nervous about it, thinking; What if we don't get on? What if he doesn't approve of me? I needn't have worried. Matthew turned out to be one of those rare people who I immediately feel comfortable with. We spent three days in good company, good food, wine around the fire at night, and good conversation that just kept flowing. I also got to hear him play his famous saz - beautiful. He lives on a Pinetum in the woods [View Full Entry]

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