The word is a very exciting place

The isle of Wight is a small island just south of where I live. It's where a lot of people from this part of the country go for holidays or weekend breaks, because it's nice, warm and has lots to do. We started (surprise surprise) by visiting a petting zoo. I was a little cautious with the llama's but they seemed to love James. there was a slight incident with a pig. I reached down to pet and feed the pig, but the pig jumped up at me. I pilled the food all over the place, when the pig knocked my hand and then showered me in mud. At least one of us got what we wanted!                                            The view as we came into the port of Cowes  Beautiful scenery and views make the Isle of wight a good destination, not to mention the fact theres lots of walking trails, beaches and history! Now I will admit, when James said there was a roman villa o...

December. The month thats only well known because of Christmas! December is always a manic month because of it. Work was crazy, the night shifts were just not enough to get everything done, no matter how fast I was going. So it was nice when James took me to Runnymede, for a night away, despite the fact that I slept through most of it. The hotel was beautiful, the dinner was good, and there was even a dusting of snow for good measure!  These two pictures were a dinner I cooked, having decided to blend as many cuisines together. Hence sweet potato chips covered in jerk seasoning and cheese, sweetcorn grilled in a BBQ and chilli rub, and sweet Thai coconut curry chicken. In hindsight, it as all a bit much, but it was rather yummy if I don't say so myself!  Now if you live in Southampton, then you have surely heard of Sadlers. It's an amazing BBQ restaurant and bar, and it serves up huge meaty portions, all of it expertly cooked. Me and James ate there one night, a...

So each month when I'm not trvelling, im going to do a post about that months activities, all the little bits and bobs that arn't enough on thier own, but together give a little bit of a picture about what the month was like. To cheer me up and banish the post travelling blues, James took me and his housemate Rob to Swindon for the day, where there was a shopping trip, where I didn't really find anything I liked, and also a trip to the Swindon petting zoo. It was a nice experience, feeding and petting the animals, although to be honest they just ate all the food and refused to allow any petting, which isn't quite how it works. I don't know what it is about petting zoo's, but there's something very therapeutic about feeding animals. Feeding humans not so much, but I've been practising making lamb Adana kebabs, my absolute most favourite food from my time travelling.                   No where near as good as when I h...

I nearly cried on the eurostar home. It seemed unimaginable that I was coming back to a cold and dreary England after having the time of my life. I didn't want it to end. I wished the train would break down, that the tunnel would be closed for maintenance, anything that meant at least one more night in Paris. But, unfortunately for me, there was no problems, which is bloody typical when you want there to be. It was a quiet drive home. I was wrapped up in my thought's about what was going to happen next. We got home, had some dinner, and had a pretty early night. Unremarkable really. The next day was a Monday. I spent it unpacking my stuff and moving into my new bedroom In James's house. It was weird, I'd had the same bedroom for 22 years, then no bedroom of my own for 10 months, then I was having to try and settle in again. Travelling changes you. Within a few days, I'd explored everything that had changed in Southampton, and then grew bored of it pretty quickl...

Paris was the final stop on my travels, and needless to say, while I was glad to be coming home, a part of me wished I didn't have to. James came and met me in Paris, and he splashed out on a beautiful hotel for us, Les Bains Paris. It is an absolutely stunning hotel, the staff will help you with anything you wish for, the food was amazing, and we even had a glass of champagne when we arrived. It was blissful, and the best way to end ten months of backpacking and exploring the world. Or rather, just a small part of it. First up, a visit to the Shoah, or holocaust memorial and centre is a must. It's quite general in the fact that western Europe had it easier than eastern Europe during the second world war, but any life lost is a tragic thing. At the Shoah memorial, they have carved the names of every French Jew who died into large slabs of marble, so that their name and memory is remembered. The centre is free to enter, and has a large selection of artefacts and information a...

Paris. The eternal city. So much has been written about Paris that it seems I cannot offer anymore to say? The cliche is true, it's a romantic, delicious and wild city, with so much thrown together it should never work. But it does. It's one of those cities that makes you feel eternally young and full of energy, while at the same time making you feel refined and a classy act. All of which is applicable to me, except the refined and classy act bits) For me, the most interesting sight is not the Eiffel tower, nor Notre Dame, or even Le Louvre. It's the statue of Liberty. It's one of those fun little moments when you stare at an object, and feel a rush of emotion through you. I've not been to the actual statue of liberty in New York, but you can't imagine the feeling of seeing the huge statue as you arrive to start your new life. Full of hope and ambition, as she directs you towards the future with her glowing lamp. It's also a great place to feed ducks ...