Blogs from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Just started my list- what I want to take with me to Beijing. Although 4 months down the line, and still working, I have been advised to be organised and not leave it all to the last minute. I have booked my flights, arriving in Beijing on the 11th of August at around 9am their time, so 1am in England. Over the next 4 months I'll probably not blog that much, but once in China I think blogging will be the way forward to let people I know/and perhaps don't know about my travels!!... read more

What an eventful past few days it has been here in brisk and windy Sheffield! Sunday afternoon, I lazily rolled over to see that the time read 12:30...around 7:30 in the United States. I forced myself out of bed and started the day at an early 3 p.m. It was on this day that we discovered the fabulous T.K. Maxx (The American T.J. Maxx), Poundland, where everything is 1 pound, and Sainsbury grocery. Unfortunately Sainsbury closed their doors at 5, so our shopping spree came to an abrupt halt there. Poundland became our favorite store as soon as we walked through its doors. We must have looked like crazy American hooligans sprinting through the aisles with less than 5 minutes left 'til closing. We ended the night with a group dinner at this Mexican restaurant by ... read more

Greetings from England! :) I hope everyone back home is doing well! As for me, I can confidently say that I have had one of the most thrilling and exhausting days of my life. I thought packing was stressful enough! I was quickly put in my place when the security officers at the Savannah Airport found my bag to be suspicious. They proceeded to interrogate me by asking, "Ma'am, do you have any sharp objects in here that I would need to know about?" Of course, I responded with a flat, "No." Instead of taking my word, they searched my bag and confiscated my beloved Jif Peanut Butter. I am still fairly bitter about this incident. Our first flight from Savannah to Atlanta was delayed about thirty minutes. We were nervously eyeing the clock as time ... read more

I sit below the falling ash.A winter bonfire is crackling to my right being fed by seven behatted fire-feeders with a possible combined age of 490 years They feed the furious flames with branches from these old self-seeded trees that litter the cemetery. Ash falls like snow. This place is a quiet haven, holding some of the great families of Sheffield’s dead. The orchestra assemble to practice in the church, in the warm – away from this sharp frost – I saw only one young among them arrive on his bike with his violin on his back. I can hear the saxophonist practicing in the nave. Ash in my hair. Two trees have grown from the body of Albert Edward Waterfall, dead and buried 147 years ago. Albert senior joined his son 59 years later – ... read more

6.19am, I wake knowing my tall daughter is sleeping next to me. it takes me a while to figure out the day and the reason. 6.20am, I realise I’m 48 years old. She’s always been able to sleep through anything but I still get out of bed without stirring the covers of making a sound. She sleeps on with long arms sticking out of my short clothes. the stairs are different. they creak. walking through the front room, light flooding across the floor, my son sleeps stretched out on the day bed with his back to the window. I pad past him because he is a light sleeper but my saving grace here is that he is almost deaf in one ear. I hope the ear that I can see, cannot hear me. But I only ... read more

12 days to go! With not many days left to go and with the rest of this week of placement and a week of lectures still to go, not forgetting the 6 evenings out planned between now and then, I'm suddenly realising that I better get a move on with getting packed! Apart from couple of little things I think I have everything I need (i've accepted that there's always going to be something i forget!) so now its just the question of fitting everything on my list into my rucksack. Fingers crossed I haven't been over-ambitious with my planning! ... read more

Where to begin...at the start I suppose. I have wanted to travel around the world for years. Literally. It's a dream and passion of mine to see cultures that shock me, sights that astound me and experience things that I have not yet before. So I thought maybe if I write a blog about my plans (lack of!), maybe it would kick-start me into action (here's hoping!). Why is something I am so passionate about, and really want to do, something I am still talking about? For one I am the most unorganised person ever, so to plan something like this is a nightmare. I struggle to plan a night out... A big dilemma is the round-the-world ticket debate versus the onward travel. I favour the latter for freedom, but money costs, and visa trouble puts ... read more

I returned and you weren’t here – just a note. Not even a note as such. You opened the door to me then left with your dog taking the dog cage too. I noticed the things that you had left and taken. For an hour, I repeatedly looked for you in the same places – in the note, on the sofa, in your room, on the phone screen and in the absolute emptiness and silence. You are not here to hear the new sounds. You left and purposely left no clues. At night, I again looked for you. When you come back, I may already be on the train to London and you may feel relief. Come, stay, leave, go, return, leave again, hui lai. We agree that Sheffield has its charms, especially first thing in ... read more