Today’s post is: where I’ve travelled
Despite my hatred of flying, I’ve actually been to quite a few places. Here’s the three most memorable.
Egypt
Ah, Egypt. 1994, I was a thirteen year old nerd and the only child in my class who was allowed to go on the trip. Everyone else’s parents were too worried that we’d get shot, or something.
The trip was great. We saw the Valley of the Kings, the Pyramids, Karnak, Luxor, Philae, the Aswan Dam… it was great. For me though, the best thing was being adopted by the sixth formers (seniors for you Americans) and discovering the wonders of pop music, teen magazines and perhaps most life alteringly, Magic The Gathering.
So it was an important ‘growing up’ holiday for me. And the sights were fantastic. It baffles me why people only go to the Red Sea resorts when there’s all that history. Seriously. Don’t go to Egypt and not see the Pyramids or the tombs. What’s the point of even going if you’re not going to immerse yourself in the ancient sites?
Russia
1996. The year before my GCSE’s. I was fifteen.
I really loved Russia. The people were what struck me the most, I think. How kind everyone was, and how happy everyone was to help a bunch of stupid English teenagers fumble their way around Moscow and St Petersburg.
I also vividly remember the day we went to the Kremlin and saw Lenin. I will never forget the armed guard checking all of us out – like totally staring and appraising us from top to bottom. Lech. Also there’s a massive cannon in the Kremlin that I remember one of the smaller girls tried to get on. She got told off pretty quickly. Apparently riding cannons is frowned upon in Russia.
Also the food – Russian food is damn good. Except caviar. I will never forget my first and only try of caviar. That’s nasty sh*t right there. Just say no.
Canada
1999. Or ‘the trip I tolerated a week of skiing so I could see Niagara Falls’.
Actually, I’m not a bad skiier. I’m a bad stopper and apparently using other people or trees as brakes isn’t good slope etiquette.
Niagara Falls more than made up for all the bruises, though. Spectacular. Breathtaking. I remember we had dinner in a revolving restaurant by the Falls and they were all lit up and it was wonderful.
We also did Toronto and there was born my love of Cargo Cosmetics. And I made my entire group squeal because I lay down on the glass floor of the CN tower and didn’t care. It’s not like my gargantuan weight of… about nine stone… would break the glass. Eeesh.
I also remember the flight there and landing in a damn blizzard. I didn’t know a 747 could drift sideways down a runway on its landing gear, did you?
oOo
So yes, I’ve done a bit of travelling. I prefer to stay in the UK these days, but when I’ve sorted out my passport, I intend to do some serious exploring of Europe by train. And first stop will be Antwerp. I’m coming for you Belgium!
WEST SURREY STYLE 