In which all travel is finalised, and I chat about Cardiff.

Above lie two of the tickets which will seal my fate.

I jest. I'm looking forward to it now. Towards the end of the next five weeks, I'll post about why.

"Above lie the two tickets which will transport me across France," would be a better description. So that's it! This evening I bought my final train ticket from Paris Saint Lazare to Bréauté-Beuzeville for the sum total of €15 (you have no idea how long it took me to find that euro sign - just one of the ways in which I'll change during the next twelve months!).

However, now I've shared that, I am going to discuss something else.

A shout-out (If I were a poet, it would be "an ode")

To the best person in my life.

The one who I've been able to speak to about almost anything (because there are always some things I'll keep to myself), and the one who just hugs me when I feel low.

The most consistent, the most open, the most supportive and the most encouraging, even though she's busier than I can ever fully grasp.

I don't think - I know that if she had not been around these last two decades I would not be the person I am, and I would not still be standing. There, that's the answer to the question I've been asking myself today.

Thanks, Mom. For all my words, for all my writing, that's all I think I can say.

L'herbe est toujours plus verte...

Travel between countries on the mainland continent seems to be so much cheaper than from the United Kingdom. It's almost as if the rest of Europe has gone, "The UK? They don't really want to be in Europe so screw them, they can pay twice as much to get around here." I mean 180 euros from Paris to Moscow via Geneva? Really? I'd be mad not to take it.

Year Abroad: What scares me most.

I promised you fears, and as I'm feeling the fear right now, fears you'll get.

In the last couple of days I have filled in some of the many essential forms from both my university and British Council, bought travel insurance, a train to London and a Eurostar ticket from London to Paris. Everything is beginning to seem far too real and, with that, far too scary.

And today is the day this blog goes French.

Well, at least a little bit.

And I'll probably blog in English on the whole, so please don't fear. I'd frighten an awful lot of people away if I declared that this will be a French-only zone from now on.


But hopefully soon I can adjust my header, the flag will reattach itself to the White House and somehow I'll recognise France up there as well. At least the French flag isn't too hard to draw.


Why? Well if you weren't already aware then I suppose I'd better enlighten you...

The Potter Tour

Although I haven't shown a lot of the tour (footage was banned...), I made a short vlog about our trip out. If you're into Harry Potter at all, then you really should go and visit. The £28 entrance fee might seem steep but for what you're getting and seeing I don't think it's overpriced at all!