Geo: 24.5247, 117.891... read more

Geo: 30.3338, 103.752... read more

Geo: 39.3194, 118.285After having taught English to Spanish and Italian kids all summer I needed a break and there's no better place to chill and unwind than my beloved China. I had already been back to Tianjin at Christmas and Easter so this time I decided to venture a bit further, see some of the sights I hadn't seen yet and visit some friends. Ruth was my partner in crime! It was a whirlwind tour, we got to see loads, had a HUGE amount of fun and met some great people. I even got to see 'Jay' (my favourite Chinese popstar) in concert along with lots of other famous singers at the Beijing Workers' Stadium. The major highlight was getting to hug a panda, probably the most amazing experience of my life!... read more

Geo: 41.8955, 12.4823We were lucky enough to have very good friends (Valentina and Lorenzo) living in Rome. New Year was the perfect occasion for a bit of a China reunion so Moira, Nathan, Vicki and I made our way over. We benefited greatly from being in with the locals! the food was amazing, especially breakfast at the local bakery. Lorenzo and Valentina were far better than any tour guide, even providing drives through the red light district! New Year was fantastic, having a lovely meal in Valentina's Mum's gorgeous appartment, looking down at the honking cars, fireworks and chaos down below. Vicki and I were most satisfied in our hunt for 'Italian Stalians.' Rome is beautiful! Getting a lift back was quite an experience as everyone seems to drink drive in Rome. But somehow it seems ... read more

Geo: 38.8921, -77.0241I never thought I'd visit central America. However, when I heard that my Canadian friend Mathieu was going to be spending New Year there, i was very tempted. I decided New York was one of those places that had to be visited in a lifetime and now was as good a time as any. Rebecca (my annoying little sister) decided to seize the opportunity as well. The New York toy stores didn't know what was coming at them! It was quite something actually being in New York, the city that is just everywhere all over the world. I didn't fall in love with it, like I seem to do with everywhere else but it was really great to see. Just a bit too big, developed and materialistic for my liking. It wasn't dramatically different ... read more