Alternative Boden Catalogue

Greetings all

I know this is not related to travel, but I couldn't resist it. A chance to ridicule the Bodenites of Dulwich. My all-time favourite blogger, Dulwich Mum, has devised the 'Alternative Boden Catalogue' and here is my entry. Enjoy!

The Boden Teenager:

India is eighteen and a student at Falmouth University. Her student loan does not stretch to the purchase of many new clothes but luckily her parents, back home in Dulwich, send her monthly care packages filled with lots of Boden goodies. India is a good girl, you see.

India wears bluestocking pea coat in 'debating society' blue, nautical stripe 'no-one likes a slut, dear' t-shirt in barf green, and wholesome not-so-skinny jeans.

Favourite things: Mephedrone, ChatRoulette and sleeping in ditches.

Football....

For the last two weeks, World Cup fever has taken over London. The St George's crosses have been decorating everything and it has been rare to be able to walk down any city street without hearing the sounds of the dreaded vuvuzelas all around. Today I went with my friends to one of our local Dulwich pubs to watch quite possibly the most depressing match of the entire tournament so far. Of course, Germany were the better team and deserved to win, but this was little consolation to my red-and-white painted fellow drinkers.

I started thinking that perhaps now England have been knocked out, their supporters could turn their support to another team and continue their interest in the competition. Perhaps a team which there's a family connection to, or a favourite holiday destination, or even anybody Germany happens to be playing. To get out of the King's Head and the Red Lion and experience some of the bars in London championing the other teams. Time Out recently ran a spectacular article of where to watch the World Cup in London if you aren't an England supporter, and I for one am going to try to get out there and experience some of these establishments for myself.

Support PARAGUAY at Nueva Costa Dorada tapas bar and restaurant, just off Oxford Street (tube: Tottenham Court Road).

Support JAPAN at The Crane and Tortoise Japanese cafe/bar on the Grays Inn Road (tube: Chancery Lane/Farringdon).

Support SPAIN at Camino bar in Kings Cross (tube: Kings Cross St Pancras).

Support PORTUGAL at Bar Estrela in Stockwell (tube: Vauxhall).

Support URUGUAY at the Zoo Bar and Club in Soho (tube: Leicester Square).

Support GHANA at the Gold Coast Bar in Brixton (tube: Brixton).

Support GERMANY at The Jolly Gardener in Vauxhall (tube: Vauxhall).

P.S. I will be supporting my beloved Japan. GO JAPAN!!

Expect less football related posts soon!

Sevilla...coming soon

Well hello strangers. Before I start writing I just would like to say thank you for all of the feedback you have given me over the past couple of weeks with regards to this blog. It makes me really happy that so many of you have enjoyed reading it!

So I have to confess that I actually returned from Seville a week ago and still have not blogged about it. However, in my defence this has been one of the busiest weeks in history. I got home from the airport in the middle of the night, so much of the weekend was spent sleeping, unpacking, washing suncream-coated clothes and catching up with my boyfriend who is so often neglected when it comes to my travelling (sorry love). Then on Monday I started working again for the BFI, which although is great fun is synonymous with 'chaos', so I have been a very busy girl. This weekend I have three (count 'em - THREE) lots of birthday celebrations to attend - tonight for my favourite-est travel buddy, Miss Samantha Garland; tomorrow for my neglected boyfriend; and Sunday for the son of my neighbours. Monday is a bank holiday (hooray!) so I intend to spend the day converting all of my Seville notes into something publishable, and hopefully saleable.

Anyway, enough about my social life. This weekend, as well as writing articles I am also going to write up my blog about my trip. Obviously much needs to be reserved for the articles, so it will take me a while to choose what will be going in the blog and what will be sent to potential publications. Just wanted to let you all know that I absolutely have not forgotten! In the meantime, there are some pictures on my Facebook page. Have a look through those and I will be with you very shortly.

Counting...

So today has been pretty much excitement and stress all rolled into one. Whilst aimlessly surfing the internet last night the dreaded words 'Ash Cloud' kept cropping up on my screen, and when I further investigated this BAA confirmed that ash from that pesky Icelandic volcano had indeed closed some UK airports. Damn. However, I have been checking both BAA and Ryanair throughout the day and it seems that Stansted isn't really affected. There are still nine hours until I have to leave for the airport, so a lot can change, so I am keeping my fingers firmly crossed that I will make it to Spain after all.

Today Sam came over and we ate pasta on my balcony and looked for planes. We even cheered as a BA jet flew overhead. It's nice to have a friend who is as much of a travel junkie as you are and understands the anxiety. Afterwards we wandered up to Peckham so I could buy a selection of toiletries which will not exceed the 100ml hand baggage limit.

And just as soon as I'm about to leave the country the weather picks up. Typical. I missed the entire of the 'British Summer' last year while in South East Asia. Caught two days of sun before I left and had two days when I got back.

Almost Here...

Good evening all. Firstly, here comes yet another profound apology for my lack of blogging of late. I can only blame the exams which completely took over the last two weeks of my life. Thursday was my last exam of the year and my fellow students and I breathed a collective sigh of relief that a very difficult year was indeed over and we could get back to some kind of normality. The kind of life that doesn't involve spending the entire night high on pro-plus reading history books or nursing migraines or cursing oneself for missing morning lectures due to hangovers. I can now blog some more and travel some more and sleep a little easier.

The most exciting piece of news I have to report is that my Seville trip has finally come around. My flight leaves at 7am on Tuesday morning and tomorrow has to be spent packing and planning. I have guidebooks to read and outfits planned, articles in mind and many tapas bar recommendations. I just have to make sure that I don't miss the plane. I'm not trying to brag or depress any of my dear readers, but here's how the weather is looking there for the next few days:

OK, so maybe I am bragging a little. But the cold and dreary winter here has been so completely depressing that I feel as though I can a little. Sorry.

Also, Ollie's parents came by today bringing gifts from their recent trip. They spent three weeks in Australia visiting friends and bought us a beautiful little china travel tea-set from their stopover in Hong Kong.

I think pottery from Asia is one of my favourite things ever.

Top Travel Thursday

I've scoped out some top travel deals for you all, just in case the outcome of the election is not what you hoped for and want to escape the UK:

Lufthansa are offering two-for-one flights from London Heathrow to Milan from £79.00 including taxes, fees and charges. Find out more info on their website.

Intrepid Travel offer a 20% discount on trips departing soon. There is a long list on the special promotions section of their webpage, but here are some highlights:

• 20% off the Southern Highlights tour (14 days) from Cape Town to Windhoek departing between 10 June and 10 July. Now £1784 (was £2230)
• 20% off the Hanoi to Hong Kong tour (15 days) departing 23 May. Now £684 (was £855)
• 20% off the Rio to Buenos Aires Unplugged tour (17 days) departing 14 June and 12 July. Now £956 (was £1195)

There is also still time left to take advantage of the lastminute.com 48 Hour Holiday Sale which includes 5* Gambia for £599, 3* Kenya for £339 and 4* Italy for £549.

My escape to Seville is coming along as planned although I seem to be permanently buried under travel publications in the name of research. The price of worldwide flights could currently be my specialist subject on Mastermind should I ever wind up in the black chair...

Blog-o-rama

Just a quick mention, my blog has been featured on the Goldsmiths University blog page designed to give new students an insight into living in London and studying at Goldsmiths. If you have some time, be sure to check out some of the other blogs on this page. I've had a look myself and they're ace. Thanks!

http://www.gold.ac.uk/student/blogs/