** Day 1 14:30. **

Arrived in Amman. I had a walk around the city without really knowing where to go but I managed to find the tourist info. The guy there kept saying ‘welcome to Jordan’ whenever I said thank you. Anyway, saw the very impressive amphitheatre and gazed up at the citadel on the hill. Ended up walking back to the hotel though. Hungry, tired and I seem to still have hayfever here! Dammit!

Anyways, it’s still like 2pm. Think I’ll take it easy in my room for a bit and then head out a lil later. I’m here again for a while on the last day I think too. Only thing I know of at the moment is the citadel and the new museum that opened.

But yea, can’t get that comment out of my head. Do people say that if they’re kidding? ‘w’ is such a vague thing, difficult to tell if it’s meant to be read as a joke or something uplifting. I keep thinking I should have replied with a better comment than ‘I’ll send you a postcard’, so stupid! I should have said, 「本当にいいのそんなこと言っちゃって？電話しちゃうかもよ」or something equally smooth but yet portraying my gratitude and feeling.

I come half way round the world to sit in my room and tap out the same thoughts I have in Tokyo… I am insane.

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** Day 2 07:08. **

I feel absolutely knackered this morning. My mind is a bit out of it too but my body is aching; i guess it’s the long flight and prob the non-work thing causing all the tension to seep out.

Anyways, met the group yesterday… Well those that had arrived. They seem a nice bunch. Looks like I’ll be the youngest again. If you’re wondering – there wasn’t anyone interesting in that sense. So much for eye candy! I am such a chauvanistic pig – not sure if that’s how you use that word. But yea, seriously have to sort that part of my life out. I really do need to stop with the unreachable and fall for someone obtainable yet just as good. Hmm, that didn’t sound right. You know what i mean though right? No boyfriends, no complications, just plain ole fashioned boy meets girl and magic happens kind of thing!

Back to reality. It’s 7am, today we are heading to Jaresh, or some place starting with J. Going to be an hour drive and then a couple hours of walking around to take in the sights. Yesterday was a start but the real deal starts today! …best get ready, grab breakfast and all that

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** Day 2 21:59. **

Had a fabulous day exploring the exceptionally well preserved Roman ruins at Jaresh. We heard the distinctly Scottish influenced bagpipes of Jordanian music. Walked through the columned colonade and saw amazing theatres.

I was privileged to have lunch with three other girls whose conversation topics ranged from pick ip lines to plastic surgery, accents and underwear. I wad pretty much speechless throughout!

The evening we dined at a place called books@cafe which was an eclectic modern cafe / lounge place with good western food. I had shisha for the first time since graduating uni and let me tell you, it was sooo good. Clean pipes, smooth, silky, deliciously mellowing! Mmm.

Anyway, pretty content to fall asleep now!

One last episode. I had a missed call from home; I was slightly worried as I knew they wouldn’t call as they knew I was abroad. After killing my bank balance with data roaming, I checked my mail to find out that they didn’t know I was away already! My mum got the answer machine and thought the Jordanian Arabic message was Russian! Hilarious!

But yea, tomorrow we head to the Dead Sea! Gawd, wish I hadn’t slackened off with my beer gut and weedy arms! Eugh!

Still thinking…no answers yet though…

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** Day 3 22:27. **

Dead sea. Citadel. Irish pub. Hellish cab ride.

Today was spent mostly relaxing by the dead sea. It was an extraordinary experience to just float on water without effort but i was also very aware that my body was just not used to that feeling with my abdominal muscles tort the entire time.

Anyway, saw a group of young Japanese girls there. It’s strange how in the same way as moths are drawn to flames, people are drawn to other people of similar backgrounds. The funny thing is that I’m not exactly your typical Japanese. I don’t look japanese, I don’t really act it and I definitely wasn’t brought up in that sort of environment. However, I still like Japanese girls. Maybe it’s lower standards in my part, or maybe it’s just that japan has more beautiful women, but I find a lot more eye catching Japanese girls than western women. Having said that my standards are high so in terms of dateable rating they wouldn’t quite hit it.

Anyway, back on track. After the Dead Sea, we had a massive barbecue lunch, which consisted of humus, and other dips with pita bread followed by a wrap style mixed grill. Very tasty!

The citadel was very interesting but what really caught my attention was the view. Although hazy with all the dust, the view over the city was breathtaking. A little rudhed for time but a wonderful experience.

The evening we went into the modern city centre with the shopping colonade lined with western brands such as Zara, Adidas, etc Dinner was a light affair with a wrap at a local Lebanese style fast food joint. The night was rounded off at s smelly smokey Irish pub.

To get to the city centre we took a cab again. This totally pissed me off. Crammed 4 in the back seat with be singled out for slaughter; I had to hang on to the handle above the door and float above the seat as there was literaly no room. I really don’t know why he didn’t just ask for another cab. It’s ridiculous how much money I spent on this trip and he skimps out on these little things. A lot of bad thoughts went through my head during that agonising few minutes.

I don’t know if it’s just coz I was tired or coz I’m no linger used to European beer but the Amstel was difficult to drink. I started missing my Premium Malts. Ah well…

** Day 4. **

Mt Nebo
Church
Wadi Al Mujib Dam
Al Karaj Castle

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** Day 5. **

Petra horseride
Treasury
Tombs
Amphitheatre
Royal tombs
Church
Monastry
View at the End of the world
The great temple
High place of sacrifice
Petra. By Night – candle lit walk to the Treasury

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** Day 6. **

Visitor centre
Wadi rum
Jeep safari
Night walk

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** Day 7. **

Aqaba
Glass boat
Free dinner due to ’slow service’
Mosquitto bitten face

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** Day 8. **

Drive to Amman
Books@cafe

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** Day 9 08:20. **

The last couple of days have been tough physically. After a night un the desert my face and my right hand was littered with mosquito bites. Knowing that I am incredibly alergic to these bites makes me feel incredibly stupid for not using the mosquito net provided . Anyway, that totally sapped my energy, which was not helped when I started throwing up at 3am the following morning. Maybe it’s totally unrelated or maybe it was but having had 10+ bites my body prob was not in the best state. I felt queezy for the entire day yesterday with cold shivers and a feverish temperature; not the nicest way to wrap up my vacation. I just hope it’s not serious and has no lasting affects.

My flight back home is in the afternoon today so I plan to stay in bed until my late checkout – that’s at least another 4 hours before I have to move.

–

** The Summary. **

This trip has been an eye-opener to Jordan and the whole Arabic region. This country is probably one of the more liberalised and westernised but it has given me a gear insight into this part of the world. I hope to return to the Middle East at some point in the future.

I had minimal knowledge of this country, the people, or even the places I would be visiting. Part of me is glad I didn’t read up anything as I had no preconceptions; from the bustling city life of Amman to the traditional simple lifestyle of the Bedouins in the depths of the desert, I was moved at every point.

I thought the only highlight before the trip would be Petra but I was very wrong. The jeep ride into the Wadi Rum desert, the spectacular Roman ruins at Jaresh, the strange sensation of floating in the Dead Sea… So many memories.

I can understand the reluctance to visit such a volatile part of the world but from my experience over the past week, i have probably felt a lot safer on this trip than even travelling in the States or South America. Jordan is safe. I really would recommend this place as a destination to visit.

My first week back from vacation has passed without any major events.

Considering the apprehension I felt last weekend, and the whole “let’s do something” attitude, I ended up slipping back into my life without remorse. Don’t get me wrong, I still have all those delusions of grandeur swirling through my mind – travelling the world, doing volunteer work, going to the gym, etc… but somehow it’s just far too easy to put all of that on the back-burner.

Statement: Last night I drank a lot. It’s been a while since I drank so much – I mean, I can’t say it’s been a while since I drank, but it’s definitely been a good period of time since I really wanted to drink so much. I’m wondering what that shot I had was? I remember it being incredibly tasty with no bite.

Anyway, it was a “Charity” party, but from my point of view, it looked more like just a party at a bar as there seemed to be minimal charity appeal. I had these visions of expanding my social network, but as always, the reality of it is that that didn’t really happen! I mean, I met a lot of people but I doubt that it had any long-term affect on my network at all. Sucks slightly. Don’t get me wrong though, I had a fantastic time and it has definitely been a while since I’ve been invited to such a party – a charity function or not. Hopefully I’m not wasting away all these opportunities by being so reserved.

This past week, I’ve been on a mission to streamline stuff, specifically my computer; as I’ve mentioned previously, I’m backing up all my data as regularly as possible – with the thought of my computer dying hanging over me – plus, cutting out as much crap installed on my computer. Hmm, I don’t really have much else to say on this topic. I did look into how I could blog post without going through a browser and using a text editor instead… but that went nowhere.

I was asked yesterday who I missed the most during my vacation. I let the question slide by making a stupid comment but having thought about it – wading through memories of last week, I don’t really know to be honest. Well, to be honest, it was only a week and I had my phone on me so I wasn’t exactly out of touch.

Hmm, anyway, my stomach is grumbling so I think I’ll wrap this up for now.

I have returned from a fantastic vacation in the heart of SE Asia, away from the stresses of “modern life”. The time away from my “regular” routine has given me time to reflect on what’s important in life. The region I travelled through is well known for the widespread poverty. However, seeing and experiencing the locals living through each day with such energy and enjoyment made me realise that poverty does not mean a poor standard of living.

We in “the West” may have got used to computers, chocolate and convenience stores, but we tend to forget that those things are “luxuries”. The trip reminded me that one should really be grateful with the roof over our heads, the food on the table and the clothes on our backs… the only other ingredient in a fulfilling life would be “purpose”.

I was explaining to one of the locals the intricacies of my job; standing in the middle of a rice field in the heart of Cambodia, the whole conversation felt incredibly surreal.

Anyway, it made me wonder about my “purpose” in life – I’ve written entries about “ambition” and “dreams” before, and I think this follows a similar vein. We all have to set goals in life and strive to improve ourselves. I feel, purpose gives us the energy to wake up in the morning and provides the foundations of happiness. I guess “purpose” may not be the right word to describe it, but the combination of ambition, optimism and purpose is essential.

Having realised the shortfalls of our modern society – in my life, as well, as well as those people stuck in poverty – I started wondering what I could do. I mean, I’ve never believed that one man can change the world, but I do firmly believe that one man can make a difference. I think maybe on my next travels, I’d like to try out some volunteer work just to see if my mind is in line with my body. It is easier said than done. Actions speak louder than words. I can throw any idiom at this thought but the truth is, I have no idea what it’d be like until I give it a go. I also know that my conscience has been stirred and I know that I will have to make every effort to not let it slip back into “routine”.

Some people say that seeing the world can change you. I myself have even spoken those words on many an occasion. However, up until now, despite all my travels, I hadn’t truly felt I’d changed. Sometimes I’ve wondered what my place is in this world. Now I know that I can’t just wait for it to find me a place. The people I have crossed paths with over the past week or so, have given me great strength and determination to drive forward.

Despite the tough times we are all going through right now, I hope that each and every one of us can look back on these years with fond memories; I hope that I can look back on this period and say “yes, I stood up”. The world may be crumbling all around us, but it’s not how you fall that matters, it’s how you stand. ….hmm, not that I’ve been crumbling or anything.

I feel I have so much more to say, so much more to share. But, maybe it’s one of those things that you just have to experience yourself. I really do love travelling.

Yesterday I played tennis for the first time in nearly a decade; I honestly can’t remember the last time I played but I’m sure it’s over 6 years ago so that rounds up to a decade! Anyway, the theme of the day was travel as I had to wake up super-early, 6am, to get to my friend’s place.

The Long and Winding Road

So, it was probably my first time experiencing the winding expressways of Tokyo properly; I think the only other times were in the Limousine Bus or possibly asleep in the back of the car. We talked about how London really cannot compare with Tokyo roads – there’s really no cross-city highway or complex raised junctions of spaghetti roads… hmm, that English didn’t make sense!

Anyway, the experience gave me a reason to sort out my driving licence – not to get stuck in traffic, but just to drive around, see the city and the area around Tokyo on the weekends. Obviously, I won’t be buying a car anytime soon but renting should be pretty simple… but first, the long road to actually getting the licence!

Tennis

So, tennis. I suck at it now… well, I sucked at it before, but I really want to get back to a decent level again. I’m writing off my serve but backhand etc, def needs more work! My right shoulder slightly aches today – I do enjoy that feeling of having done exercise though.

Rails

Anyway, I went to see my grandparents in the evening, which meant another long trip, this time in to the countryside. I ended up staying the night and here we sit on Sunday evening…. I don’t know where the afternoon went.

Air

I’m off back to London next weekend so I need to get some plans sorted. First thing is to find out when people are free. Actually, the first thing is to find out if people want anything from Japan. I did go slightly overboard this morning with the omiyage shopping though. I have to pack my suitcase to see how much more stuff I can take. I’m taking a big suitcase there but only a little one back meaning omiyage will make a big part of my luggage!

p.s. the map shows my journey over the last two days back and forth across Tokyo. The line to the south should stretch to my grandparents place. The central line-break is roughly where my house is.

The Break

I’m back from Las Vegas. I guess you knew that as I’m sure you all use Facebook. The question to ask seems to be “how was it?” or “how much did you lose/win?”. At the start of the holiday I didn’t really know why I’d decided to tag along. I wasn’t really in the frame of mind to gamble any money, nor was I excited about being across the other side of the world. Las Vegas didn’t seem like the place to unwind and relax. I still don’t think it is.

I adjusted to the strange pace of life after a couple of days and I started to enjoy my time there. After a mini blip with the jet lag and air conditioning screwing up my body for a day, I played my first whirl of slots and the Mojito Magic started. I still had my moments, the hot weather, the ice cold mojitos and the pool-side tanning, washed away my stresses.

There aren’t really many highlights to talk about; I’m not saying the trip was rubbish, far from it. I’m saying, we did some walking, talking, swimming, drinking, eating and gambling. I guess the one thing worth mentioning is the Penn and Teller show at the Rio – thoroughly entertaining. Although some of the tricks were not that impressive, it still was a nice night out.

Although there were a few frustrating moments, some minor disagreements, some frayed tempers, those moments complement the many wonderful memories of my week in Las Vegas. I’m not sure when or if I’ll ever return to that strange city but I had a great time.

O, I only lost around 20 dollars

Having switched to the Calendar view in Thunderbird for the first time this week, I realised that the multi-week view now menacingly shows the final week of April. You all know what that means? There’s less than 3 weeks left – the first exam is looming.

I know I said I did not like to talk about this stuff at all but my life is, and will be for the next month, consumed by it so I don’t really have much else to talk about. Also, I have been known to be slightly hypercritical! Skip to after the break if you want to read about other stuff ^^

Student Life

So, I originally intended to only have two phases in my revision. The first phase being just a quick glance through everything to refresh my memory as to what I needed to learn, and the second phase being to actually learn it. Phase two has ended up becoming the “refresh”as the first phase contained a lot of stuff I hadn’t seen before!

I was thinking of doing a revision blog post a day on a random topic that I’d looked at during the day. I have no idea what I’d write about but maybe it’ll be a nice way to recap what I “learnt”. Actually, it probably won’t be helpful at all…

Anyway, so, despite the extensive hours I’ve put in so far I have actually yet to learn anything at all. Well, apart from what every student learns at this stage – there’s a Himalayan mountain range of stuff to learn and I’ve only worn a t-shirt.

I was thinking today that I should probably figure out exactly what I was going to do come the Summer. I know I’m already jetting off to Las Vegas for a week post-uni.