drnmarket

[opens-up-4-nobody]

...

[academla]

2/28 summary

Alright so I thought I would try to summarize my day since all I do anymore is make haphazard blog posts. I wanna show the bad parts that we all understand, as well as the good ones, because there's something good in every day no matter how many depressing cynical posts I make. Some shitty stuff: -I went to bed at 4 am and NEVER. DO. THAT. It is NOT glamorous, it is not healthy, I was shaking and low energy all day, and it is overall a terrible idea. Take a lower grade over sleep deprivation this intense. -My mom and I got in a stupid fight this morning. And it was super stressful and dumb. -When I talked to my school counselor she was pretty damn hard on me, and I ended up bawling for like a solid 45 minutes about how I want to get my associates in two years and I can't afford to drop a class and I LOVE school and this all sucks. And she was basically like "well that's bullshit what about things like your sanity bc right now things like self care and sleep are falling by the wayside bc of school" -Then my mom was all "maybe college isn't right for you right now" so we had a shouting match and more tears the entire way home. -My psychiatrist hasn't called back since I called on Thursday so that's annoying. I think I'm gonna find a new one cause she's been shitty anyway. Some good stuff: -English was tolerable even though the infamous ex (ish) and insecure girl (props to followers who know who I'm talking about lmao I mention them all the time) were there. I managed not to fall asleep. -My English prof was amazing as always and basically told me 10304929 times to stop being hard on myself. However she also admitted that we are a lot alike in our mindsets and she would probably be acting the way I am in my shoes. -She also said that there will be fewer reading question sets, and that based on class discussion I obviously am good at analyzing even though I feel like I suck at it. -My Chinese teacher straight up forgot to give us a dictation today. -I went to a PTK/masstransfer meeting (if you genuinely are curious I can explain both those things) and it got me so so motivated about my education tbh. There are TONS of scholarship opportunities and y'all know I'm paying my way thru my education so anything helps. -Also the people there were nice and I got the same sense of my peers thinking I'm funny and likable and nice and let me tell ya I went through high school definitely not feeling that way. Plus the people in PTK and the CHC are a lot more like me, and in general my classes have people who are secure enough not to snap at me or bitch at me or call me intimidating for being "smart" — instead they see me as approachable (which I am) and ask me for advice on studying. So that insecure girl was an anomaly. -Also I've been asked to do a testimonial for my college, so that's very nice and what an honor except also they have to take "photo and video" and I'm like how about we don't do that part. -Oh and I finally texted someone and told them I just can't babysit right now because of school. That's hard bc I despise saying no, but she was super nice and I'm really relieved I did that. -OH! Probably my true highlight! I suffered through my math test at 12:30 am and ended up with an 87 and I was pretty resigned to that — I mean I've taken the class before and I definitely should/will get an A, but given my mental health I was like PFFT whatever. I turned in my work to her anyway cause she grades it herself and gives back points depending on our work. I just checked and she boosted it to a 97.5! That was such a pleasant surprise and reminder that I always come through for myself. Honestly when it comes down to it, shitty as my day was and depressed and exhausted as I am, there are more good things I can list than bad. Now, I'm studying for my sociology test. I am totally exhausted. Luckily the math homework was easy and quick and I got that out of the way, so I just have a quiz left to take. I was gonna try and start cramming for English on Thursday but ya know, sometimes I gotta breathe. I need to be gentle and realistic with myself. I have a soc test tomorrow, so that's the priority. Alright well kudos if you read my entire blog post (does anyone find my life interesting? My friends are always like "wtf edye are people actually invested in your life? why?") and I'll talk to y'all later!

[solasulad]

Two Weeks Worth.

Feb 1st recap

And I can’t believe the lies that I went though

Thought you where mine but you decided to be with him tho

You took my feelings and just through them out the window

Feels like it’s too hard to fall in love again no

On some nights like this shorty I can’t help but think of us

I been reminiscing simply missing ya

Can you tell me what’s with all this distance love?

If I call would you pick it up?

On some nights like this i just want to text you but for what?

You gon say you want me then go switch it up.

Just gon play with my emotions just because..

You gon get my hopes high boy.

How am I feeling?

I cried my eyes out last night because of josh. (Jan 26)

Did a 13 hour shift and closer to 9ish I messaged him asking how he was with his girl? And he replied back saying that

“I decided to say with her and see how things go, I don’t want to ruin anything because of our anniversary and that would break her. So I’m just going with the flow”

I read that message at work and sink in my seat. I felt bad all over again. Like wow.

I don’t know what i was expecting with him tbh. Like he fed me the idea that he was unhappy with his girl, and that’s what i kinda took and ran with it.

I cried so much last night, both eyes tearing when i normally cry form my left only.

I felt my chest getting heavy and my breathing was barely there. Like I was hurt bad. Then i started thinking about all the other guys who’ve put me last.

He wants to protect her and her feelings okay, but also look at mine, I had sex with you, I hung out with you, I make stupid moves and showed you who I was.

I shouldn’t be catching feelings but, once you been shown something that feels so good it’s kind of hard to forget about it.

I asked myself this question last night:

When are these guys going to look at me and see me. When are they going to be like damn I really hurt her. When? Cause I’m giving up at this point.

Even hair.

I went to see him Thursday Jan 26 @ night. Had back and forth messages through text. I made plans to see him Thursday at 6.. but I was running late and there was traffic.. he asked me to come by his ends.. okay.. but when I got there he was in a white van, light tints, parking in an open space.. so i was kind of shocked how low he thought of me. He said he couldn’t hang up the call cause he was on a conference “meeting” call.. so he put it on mute and fucked me right there in the open space next to a church. I felt disgusted with myself afterwards. Like I can’t believe I allowed myself to want that.. met up with Marisa after that didn’t tell her it was Thursday we had sex but told her we fucked Wednesday. I feel no ways towards hair at this point either, cause josh was bigger than him but also how he didn’t care tbh. Like you finger me that’s just it. He doesn’t even eat. And I was doing the most on his dick. Like the fucking most deep throating it, back and forth holding it there for a bit then going on. I don’t even know if he came from head cause he switched me over like 5 mins into it. We fucked, I felt space between his dick I think I got bigger but 🤷🏾‍♀️.

Spoke about josh with Marisa she says he’s a pussy. Which he is. Didn’t tell Marisa about hair cause she would look at me crazy.

Who wouldn’t look at their friend and think of them as a thot or hoe? After fucking a guy in a open space next to a church? Damn.

Feb 7th cont. recap

It’s been 2 weeks so far since I fucked hair..

Didn’t speak to him afterwards or anything, after I left the car he asked me a question saying basically how I want sex but I don’t get it as much as I want. Told him yah and something along the lines of I got a guy but my sex drives on high lately... idk wtf I said but when I left that car I had no intentions of linking him up again.

Josh.

After crying my eyes out, our snap streak died. I also decided to just let it be. I worked that pervious night on the 27th of Jan. So we been just sending memes on insta and Snapchat was pretty dry, on Sunday feb 2nd he has the nerve to message me a snap with 1 second.. I was busy doing school work and replied back along the lines of “you sending 1 second snaps might as well send a nude cause I can’t see shit” so.. he send a dick video.. I sent back a twerking vid (someone I sent to hair) and then.. that was it. He saved the video and nothing else. I went to sleep woke up seen a meme and we never spoke about the video afterwards.. that following week, he messages me saying come by his place and we can go swimming. Uhm.. I did want to go but honestly.. it’s just conflicting cause I’d be holding myself back knowing he has a girl and wants to fuck. So I just lied and said I was busy. On Wednesday night that week, the fuck it in me went thru but instead it was just to “kick it” didn’t bring a bathing suit, went there just to smoke and leave it as is. We smoked in his parking lot basement, felt that all over again, he was talking about my body telling me i got thicker, i just wanted to hang as friends but honestly we could’ve, but i felt his vibe and I left. Now I’m high as fuck and went home. He sends me a message asking when is he gonna see me again. I told him when the weather ain’t shit & that convo died.

Fast forward now to second week of February..

Past Monday he sent a snap with 👀 eyes.

I replied back wassup? He’s like I’m tryna see you.. alright, bam.. I was on the phone with Valentina and then replied back saying what you wanna do? He’s like you... so I let the convo go until he said he wanted to fuck. I paged him saying “you confusing as fuck, don’t be saying one thing and do another” he replied back saying sorry and alright. So fucking short and quick. Wow. I was on the phone with vale during that time and then later on in the night I sent him a snap saying “I just wanna fuck no confusion just fuck?” And he replied back saying the same thing.. then told me to pull up it was like 10 ish at night or so I had shit to do the next morning told him nah can’t but tomorrow...

Now fast forward to yesterday aka Tuesday feb 5.. he messages me in the evening around 5ish saying he finishing up with his lawyer, told him come by my ends. He comes by my ends but I’m paranoid cause my older bros out and i don’t want him seeing me. I pick him up from the station with the quickness. Ended up just driving down the Main Street all the way until I reached downtown. Smh my dumb ass was literally in the heart of the city and I didn’t know what to do. So the car ride was pretty chill we just talked about nothing pretty much. His girl friend wasn’t brought up, his feelings wasn’t brought up but he kept saying things like you cute, sexy ass. Etc to show he was into me. I went in dressed as a niggah. No make up, hair tied back, black sweats and a grey hoodie. Wtf am I looking cute for tryna get some dick?

Anyways. We leave downtown go to a park next to the lake and smoke. The ground is filled with Ice and I’m sliding all over the place in my A1’s. smh. We smoke it’s pretty outside but cold a fuck, we get back in my car & I think the biggest mistake I did that night was giving him the keys to my car. I was high but fuck, I should never allowed him to drive. He drove back to his ends and we said fuck it went into his parking basement and fucked right there. I gave him some head and then said it was time to fuck, he goes in to put it in and I’m like where’s the condom??????!!!!!! He said he didn’t have one and forgot when we went to 7/11.. smh he said he’ll pull out but I was so scared then he went in to give me head tryna get me wet.. like wow this guy is a fucking goof, he knows what he’s doing. After I said I was kinda iffy he went in to get me horny.. smh

We fucking how he’s going in hard and I’m digging my nails into his thigh, I’m pretty sure I left marks.. he pulls out and I felt a drip. He asks me to finish him off by giving him head so I go in. I’m sucking it deep throating it until he says that it’s painful.. okay, so I’m just sucking the tip and moving my hands with his dick.. he kept saying “oh shit” and I didn’t know what was going on thought I was hurting him but after I pulled up he told me he came.. wtf I swallowed it and I didn’t even know?? Kinda disrespectful tbh, like let me know when you coming so I can catch it. Anyhoo, I swallowed and sat up, he said that this was the short amount of sex he had but the most intense ever, lol okay? We leave the parking spot and he drives us out. I don’t want to be seen tbh. So.. we get outside have a cig and then I leave him off. He was paranoid his moms would see him from the window. Smh okay whatever.

I’m ashamed with myself big time but at the same time I wanted that dick so badly. Like confusing as fuck how you want to say one thing then do another...

We fucked and that was that. Wednesday he had to do that immigration stuff so he didn’t really message me or anything, Thursday now; I asked him how it went and he said he got accepted. Okay... wow..

But shits not gonna change. I’m dead ass just leaving it as that, like I caught myself wanting dick again just thinking about Tuesday night smh. Now I have to wait until my period comes to make sure I’m not pregnant. Smh my periods due sometime this week or next week. But woowerz.

Let’s just be friends?

And with being friends you can’t be all sexual towards me. Gotta have boundaries. No hand holding, back grabbing or kissing.

Let’s just fuck?

And with fucking we can’t be friends cause that’s just going to lead to wanting it more than we should. Wanting more than each other’s time.. peeping what we doing and who we with?

Let’s just dead it?

Cause fucking or being friends is just too much at this point. We can both just do our own thing and not worry about each other?

Who knows what’s next cause it feels like at this point shit just happens randomly in life.

[roycruisesthebaltic]

Friday May 22 09:34 mid flight Syd to Mel

Very busy prior to today getting things done and Anne with her business and uni work. Bed last night at 23:00 finished packing. Up at 05:45 and had lots to do before leaving the house at 07:00 15 minutes behind schedule. Drove to Liana who drove us to the airport. Plane delayed about 40 minutes due Melbourne weather. Another scissors confiscated but no fluids nor toothpaste this time. ETA Mel. about 10:15. Jetstar A321 a little squashy but only for 1 hour.

14:35 downtown Melbourne

Hotel across the road from the airport just a short walk. Btw Jetstar took carry on luggage down to the cargo bay and we were lucky not to be charged. We are at the hotel today and leave for Hong Kong tomorrow at 07:25. How convenient just a walk across the road from the hotel.

We caught the sky bus into town. Walked around had lunch, window shopped. Free tram from Spencer St outlet mall to Bourke Street. Currently having another coffee, to wake up and kill time. The chocolate and cake shops are very tempting but we are resisting, not sure about resistance on the cruise in a week or so. It's quite cool here in Melbourne and the jacket I brought may not quite cut the mustard so we bought a jumper from an outlet shop. Coffee at Myers.

Dinner was at Triim a Mediterranean restaurant in Hardware lane. Read my review on trip adviser (anneroy contributor). Free tram back to Spencer St interchange. Then skybus back to Park Royal airport. Watching Eurovision. Tomorrow flight to Hong Kong departs 07:40. Wake up call at 05:00

Sat May 23 07:35

Email during the night to say flight delayed so we slept till 6. Dressed, packed, checked out and walked to airport. Currently having breakfast.

Sun May 24 16:25

Comfortable seat that lies flat, daytime flight so movies. Interstellar and John Wick. Too much food. Smooth flight only a couple of times to fasten seat belt. Installed SIM card into my phone. Arrived Hong Kong delayed docking due weather. Lucky flight was not diverted to Malaysia or China due weather. Easy quick transit though arrivals. MTR train to Kowloon HK$140 then free airport shuttle to Salisbury YMCA hotel. All too easy. Upgrade to view of harbour. Dropped bags in room then walked to Marianne jeweller. Most shops closed so back to hotel, fruit in our room for dinner and early night. Up early, bought coffee downstairs and took back to room. Fruit for breakfast. Walked 1st to tailor chose material and measured up for suit. Last time 2010 and 5 centimetres thinner now. Then to Jeweller Marianne, then a haircut and shave. Lunch across the road. Anne bought watch and hand bag. Currently Coffee in hotel cafe. Plan to catch airport shuttle at 20:30 across the road. So 4 hours to kill. I bought an "S" SIM card for iPad from honest Ali ( turned out to be a dud) in shop in arcade. Let's see if it works for 4 weeks.

23:15 Emirates lounge

Plane leaves 12:30 just past midnight so we are filling in time sitting in hotel foyer. Airport shuttle leaves every 12 minutes to Kowloon. Anne read book I walked thru hotel next to YMCA. Shops are all classy expensive like Prada Louis Vuitton and other names I've never heard of but Talia would know. And watch brands that are probably ridiculously pricey.

Decided we might as well suffer at the airport so caught early shuttle to Kowloon. Rather quick trip without traffic. Well surprise surprise, at the train station, Kowloon, you can check in your luggage. Then you board the train to the airport luggage free. The airport is something else, the size of a small city. A shuttle train takes you to the appropriate gate and lounge because it is so far away. So we ate lots, charged up the phone and iPad and now wait patiently for another 30 minutes to board the plane to Dubai.

Mon 25 12:15 pm

Amazing Emirates A380 flight to Dubai, overnight flight so we missed out on enjoying everything Emirates has to offer. Arrived early Dubai about 04:00. Easy transit thru customs, immigration. Chauffeur driven to Regent Palace hotel. Arrived hotel about 05:00 far too early to check in lovely hotel front of house Essi now Facebook friend, so we paid extra ¥200 for the luxury of a room. Had a snooze. At about 09:30 went across road to shopping centre including French supermarket Carrefour. Lunch at Dome. Bought fruit to fill in before dinner. It's very hot probably about 40 Celsius.not many burqas several men in traditional gear. Swishy shops in shopping centre. Weighed myself with clothes and shoes so possibly 1kg extra weight. Gotta be careful.

17:40

Waiting till 19:00 to be picked up for cruise dinner and dance performance. Rosemary and Garry arrived from Sydney. I checked out the trains just next to the hotel and they come often.

Tuesday May 26 21:36 in our hotel room

Dinner cruise was interesting. Mostly Indian passengers and a few locals including women completely covered in black. Magician and Egyptian dancer. Indian cuisine buffet. B- evening but something to do in the evening. A good nights sleep and breakfast at 09:00. At last a hotel breakfast that is different albeit an Indian cuisine. Off to Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa tall tower. The mall is awe inspiring in its size. The train trip to it was easy and efficient and the station located next to the hotel..well done Anne and Rosemary. Note that some carriages are women only, a friendly local explained to me I could be fined being in the wrong carriage.

At the destination 7 travelators to get you to the mall. We did the aquarium, had coffee then went up to level 124 of the tower in a super smooth elevator. Great view. Dinner at Wafi gourmet, somewhat expensive but quite good. Enjoyed the water show then train back to hotel.

12:25 old Souk Dubai Eating at Masti

Hotel Breakfast at 09:00. Taxi to Old Souk but he got it wrong and took us to old Gold Souk. Eventually went to the right place. Walked around the market mostly clothes, materials and trinkets. Very hot and dry. Bought a white Arabic garment plus keffiyeh. Pestered by hawkers.

Lunch at small cafe Masti. AED¥75 (2.7) Biryani chicken and fish plus fruit juices. Call to prayer loud and clear from several mosques.

Thursday23:30 Southampton Mercure hotel

After our shopping trip to the Souk we returned to hotel by taxi. Picked up at 16:00 for our desert safari. Our guide Botiri. Driven to the desert where we swapped to a Land Rover vintage model and given goggles and kaffiyeh.. A drive over the sand dunes looking for animals oryx, antelope like mammal. Refreshments sweet Apple juice and a falcon demonstration during which the sun set. A drive to dinner in the desert with entertainment, rifle dance and Arab lady dance. Lentil soup, rice, chicken kebabs, camel stew, dates, coffee, sweet drink mezze dips and bread. I lay on the cushions and fell asleep. Returned to the hotel by 22:30

Thursday morning vip taxi (lexus) to miracle garden. A 35 minute trip. Gardens were lovely. We waited for taxi to return us to the hotel 10:15 patiently which eventually arrived so we would make it on time back to the hotel. Picked up at 12:00 by Emerites and driven to airport. Boarded at about 14:30. 7 hour flight to Gatwick England. Emirates drove us to Southampton Mercure hotel where we are now.

May 31 sailing from Southampton to Denmark 05:48

A small room in the hotel but conveniently located. Met up with the other two families. I woke up early and walked up to the shops. After breakfast drove to Portsmouth dockyard and toured it. Took lots of photos. Light Lunch potato and cheese in a pub and had a pint. Met up with Chris and Diane in the street. Local restaurant fully booked so we ate at the hotel which was quite good. Saturday June 30 had early breakfast with Chris and Diane. Invited them to Talia's wedding (I know Diane will read this) Sadly said farewell then we drove to Highcliffe Northern Forest. Returned to hotel via the ship Celebrity Eclipse then finished packing. Checked out of hotel dropped off bags, Anne and I embarked at about 13:00 after about an hour line up. The ship is amazing. It just had a refit a month ago. Cabin spacious. Buffet level 15 very yummy. Dinner in restaurant very delicious. Prior to that we went to forward Skye lounge for drinks, part of our unlimited drink package. After the dinner went to the show, a very funny comedian. Bed early. Couldn't resist room service chicken soup at about 22:00.

12:00 noon may 31

Up early. Gym for 30 minutes 300 calories. Breakfast at Ocean View Cafe level 15. Yummy smoked salmon and herring. Spa level 12. Trivia sky lounge level 15. A,R,G playing cards.

Monday June 1 in bed 12:16 am

Lunch in dining room. Dinner yummy as usual. Singer evening show very good lady.

Monday gym, smoked salmon and herring breakfast. Spa with Anne, Denmark talk. How to cook a steak demo. Lunch in ocean view cafe. Arrived Denmark 15:00. Taxi to canal boat ride, which was excellent. Tour guide Kiya. Met Karina and had coffee and talked a lot. It was just great meeting her after 16 years. Anne had 5 herring sampler. Taxi back to ship. Dinner in Ocean View. + wine( part of drink package). A,r,g cards in our cabin. Show at 21:30 very good singer Ben 3rd place X factor, sounds like rod steward. Coffee and iced tea in cafe bed at 12:30.

Wed June 3 10:00 in cabin

Yesterday taxis all booked up so took hop on hop off bus into town. Anne and I got off at department store like David Jones. Bought mascara for Liana then a Danish with coffee ( not called Danish here). Walked to "3" shop and along the way bought clothes at H.M. At "3" shop they got internet working on iPad and spent a short while skyping the girls.

Returned to catch the bus and the first one did not stop. Fortunately second one did stop because we have no Danish Kroners left for taxi fare. Back to ship, lunch, afternoon sleep, dinner at 6:30 then excellent show, circus, lucky to find a seat. After show my iced pear ginger tea. Watched rest of movie in cabin whirlwind or whirlpool.

Up at 07:30 and gym for 30 minutes. Then Oceanview cafe for smoked salmon, herring and toast with OJ and coffee. Returned to cabin with fruit for Anne then spa with Anne level 12.

Friday may 24 05:30

Wednesday: early gym. Port talk about Stockholm and Estonia. Show was juggler comedian, excellent. Afternoon matinee was Ben the singer and the west end lady singer together. They were terrific. Lunch in oceanview level 14. After show we all met up in the cafe and I had my iced pear tea.

Thursday May 25

Arrived Stockholm. Gym for 30 minutes and met everyone for breakfast. My weight ok but I think the scales are wrong. Taxi to Vasa museum (fitted 8 into a 7 seater) ended up doing Abba not Vasa. Skyped the girls in Abba museum. Abba interesting but needs a lick of paint. Ferry across harbour to old City. Walked around. I had my Swedish meat balls and beer. Anne had herring. Walked around then long walk back to ship. My phone says 12000 steps today. Returned to ship smoked salmon open sandwiches delicious and scones. Met chef yesterday and asked for buffalo wings. During dinner maitre de said buffalo wings tomorrow (Friday) show was impressionist, least entertaining so far. Early to bed everyone, all quite tired.

Friday May 26 clock forward 1 hour. Up at new time 04:30.

Saturday 20:30 St Petersberg.

Yesterday Stockholm. Shuttle bus into town. Lunch at restaurant. Fish soup and potato dish and Swedish beer. Bought a few nick nacks for kids and friends. Old city with history, small lanes and old buildings. Returned on shuttle bus. Dinner at 18:30 and magic show at 20:30 quite good. Everyone is quite exhausted so early to bed finished watching night stalker movie in cabin. Up early in St Petersburg.

A magnificent sickly opulent city with palaces decorated in over the top paintings, crockery and gold foil. On a tour. Had to pass through customs to get off ship past miserable government employees. Tour guide Lena, good English and very knowledgable. We were early so avoided huge crowds at various venues. We are a little disturbed that Russians do it tough while such lavish opulent churches and palaces. Part of the tour was a subway ride on a noisy train over one stop. The longest escalator I've ever experienced. We had lunch provided creamy soup and chicken crêpes. Garry and I had vodka. A lot of walking today 17000 steps according to my pedometer on the Samsung. We were agog at the size of the palaces as well as the fit out. The nazis more or less destroyed these places when they left and the Russian government restored them in record time. Much artwork was removed just before the nazis invaded. Much was stolen or destroyed. Back to the ship at about 18:00, dinner in dining room at about 19:00. Everyone is tired but we all want to see St Petersburg entertainment at 22:00 tonight. Early start tomorrow another 1/2 day tour with Lena and Peter.

Sunday 23:48

Early start 07:30. Easy thru immigration today. River cruise. Churches, palaces, lunch piroga (big piroshki) blood church, mosaics. Synagogue, hermitage museum. Farewell Elena and Peter our tour guide and driver. Dinner in Murano at discount thanks to Robert. Fantastic experience. Broadway show. Delay setting sail due 40knot wind.

Monday 21:00

Sea day sailing to Lithuania. Gym, new scales more accurate, I'm a little shocked at my weight. Excursion talk. Go pro talk (bought one). Chef demo how to cook fish. Lunch, sleep, dinner with Ruth and Stephen. MacDonald brothers show. Iced ginger pear tea. Anne did trivia.

Tuesday June 9 12:00 midnight

Arrived Lithuania. Gym, weight terrible. Walked thru town. Wi fi at cafe. Lunch back on ship. Trivia. Men vs women fun quiz. Ventriloquist show. Time running out for cruise.

Thursday June 11 08:35

Yesterday Poland. Taxi tour. French markets ate pistachio nugah. And apple donut. Church of many bricks. Church with lovely orang recital. Famous ant communist ---------- place.

Thursday arrived Germany. Gym, spa, breakfast.

Coach to Berlin 3 hours. Stopped at Maccas for toilet and coffee break. Toilet 50c. Swapped at 1936 Olympic stadium to group of 8 of us with excellent tour guide Lee an American who has been here for 30 years. All day tour of various places. Berlin Wall, railway station where Jews were loaded onto trains, square where books were burned. Various other places. Currently driving back to ship, a 3 hour trip. It's 20:00. Thursday evening.

Oops Sunday June 14

We arrived back at the ship at about 21:30 and dinner in the oceanview cafe bistro. A German feast including German sausages which chef Darren went on shore to buy , sauerkraut and German beer affordable on our drink packages. Ship departed at midnight.

Friday and Saturday sea days. Gym. Trivia, talks about confessions of a customs officer, and necrotourism. Other talks from officers, navigation and engineering. Shows were Beatles(yesterday evening, Chinese magician matinee yesterday and production show. All quite good. Four families met outside our cabins in team earth to discuss tips for crew. Rosie's trivia team earned various prizes including new lanyards, most appreciated. I walked around the ship and photographed most places with my new gopro. Obviously I've put on weight. We disembarked today (Sunday) at about 08:30. Phone call to taxi company. Taxis to Southampton airport. Little hiccups with Rosie's champagne and my bottle of wine but all sorted. Weigh was ok. Howard and my priority cards got us into business lounge. Free wifi so we spoke to the girls and caught up a little on the Internet and ate nibbles. Currently 22:05 on a Dash 8 at 28000 ft on track to Dublin.

Monday June 15 22:35

Yesterday arrived Dublin. Picked up car. Drove to Sandymount Hotel. Walked to local village. Asked Una Mollony a Dubllin resident directions and she ended up making two trips in her car to take us Moto dinner at the Old Spot where I had hamburger and Guinness.

Up Monday morning, hotel breakfast then caught hop on hop off bus to trinity college, then to town and shopping centre. Irish stew at cafe below museum the Hutch. Shopped then walked to Dublin castle to catch up with Rosie and Garry. Bus to Guiness storehouse for interesting tour then a pint of Guinness on level 7. Bus to stop 24 to dinner show, Gaelic music and dancing. Train home to the hotel.

During the day I got interviewed for a Father's Day show on Saorview.

Wednesday June 17 21:30 just arrived Sligo Park Hotel in Sligo

A summary of the last two days. Belfast :Titanic museum exhibition. We had a tour. It was terrific.a few levels of information, a chair lift taking you through a mock up ship yard. A cinema showing the remote camera view that surveyed the sunk ship. The drawing room. And lots of information. The Crumlin road Gaol, a morbid but interesting historical tour of this infamous place including the gallows. A show at the Old Opera theatre in Belfast. The Business of Murder. Slow at first but quite interesting second half. It had an 8 year run in the west end. Meals at various pubs and even a Chinese meal at the red panda opposite the Europa hotel. On the way to Sligo from Belfast today we stopped at the rope bridge Carrick-a-Rede. £5.90 and a mile long very difficult walk then a precarious walk over this shaky bridge. Hmm a lot of calories burned up today. A visit to the Bushmills distillery too late for a tour but not too late for a taste and to buy a bottle of honey single malt.

An historic black taxi tour if Belfast telling us about the history and the political problems faced by Ireland. Protestants are loyal to England Catholics are republicans. Some very sad stories of the struggle.

Saturday June 20

Left last drove to Sligo. Nice hotel for 1 night. In the morning a spa. Breakfast. Off to Galway. Dinner at an Italian restaurant. Looked through Dunnes department tour.

Currently travelling to Killarney. Cliffs of Mohr along the way but fogged in. Diverted by car ferry. Stopped for chowder and potato. Currently in Listowe having coffee. During this last two days we visited a castle in fact a fortified mansion. Today's road trip passed a bicycle rally.

Last night we stayed at a B&B Seashore lodge. Had to carry suit cases up the stairs. A good B&B but a poor hotel. Breakfast was basic. Coffee finished now 1 hour to finish our trip for today.

Sunday 10:30 June 21

Arrived Killarney yesterday via fogged in cliffs of Mohar and a ferry ride across a lake. Nice hotel Brooks. Great position near shops. Big room. OK breakfast. Here for two nights. Today we drove the ring of Kerry and enjoyed the scenery. Dinner both nights at Scala Eile and they gave us left over cakes to take away. Barbara from Poland the waitress my new Facebook friend and Maurice was the manager. Good value nice food great service. Had my sixth Guinness. Tomorrow early start to Cork.

Wed June 24

Taking off Dublin on route to London central airport. Just left Dunboyne castle hotel. A great hotel, great dinner here and good breakfast. Spa was €10 for the room and had steam rooms, sauna, spas of all sorts, relaxing rooms. I note that maintenance was lacking with multiple issues in several rooms.

Prior to that we were at the Ambassador hotel in Cork where we met Tommy and Anthony, Marian's father and brother. They picked up Anne and me from St Patrick's Street outside Brown and Thomas department store and took me for a Murphys at a local pub.then a Jamesons whisky. We had a cheap Chinese meal at a local (pity we missed out on a genuine not tourist meal).

Btw last night was my seventh Guinness.

Spa, nice dinner, and good breakfast here.

Friday June 26

Currently in Lancaster hotel London. Couple of days ago flew to London City airport. Gotta remember not to take liquids on plane! Fitted 8 of us plus baggage into taxi..a miracle. Hop on hop off bus. Thames cruise with the funniest tour guide ever! . Harrods ( crazy prices AUS$14 for coffee). Saw musical Beautiful last night excellent, in the audience Gene Simmons and Michael Cain. After Harrods walked through Hyde park back to hotel. Saw Princess Diana memorial fountain and squirrels.

Wednesday July 1

Have not written for a while so here's a catch up.

Back to London where Anne and I picked up the SIXT hire car with a little difficulty interpreting the gps. We caught a train then walked till we discovered it in a car park. It's a manual Citroen and had a challenge finding out how to start it and how to engage reverse. Then to negotiate London traffic, avoiding the congestion tax. We drove to the Lancaster hotel, farewelled Cheryl, Adam, and Howard and Shirley. Then off we drove to the Cotsolds and our lovely Roman period house at Bouton on the water. We stayed here for 3 nights during which we did road trips all around enjoying English countryside. We had cooking facilities so we cooked two dinners, 3 breakfasts and made lunch twice left over sausages on rolls with coleslaw. We shopped at Tesco a short distance from our house. the Cotwolds are a magic place with a creek running through it and old English charm and a lot of weekenders over Saturday and Sunday. We bought duck food and fed the ducks. Garry and I had a pint of Hobgoblin beer brewed locally and served at 12 Celsius. Restaurants close at 6 on Sunday so we were forced to eat Chinese. On the morning of our departure a police car pulled up as someone complained about where we parked.

We left the Cotwolds and drove the Staffords to Gatwick via Stratford upon Avon and Brompton where Downtown Abbey is and was being filmed. Behind schedule we tracked to Gatwick on the M25 my gps not working, turned out we ran out of data. I drove for about 7 hours this day. Traffic on the M25 was horrific for over 100 miles. A nightmare. Went under some bridge and paid the toll on line at Jeff's place. We planned to arrive at 5, we arrived after 6. We had planned to do dinner with the Simons at 7 ended up thee at 8:30 without gps and about 10 at Monica's place after that. And we tried to ring Sharon turned out we had the home number not mobile and ringing Jeff the phone cut out yep unbelievably stressful. Wi fi at the restaurant gave us a map to Jeff so Alls well that ends well. Stayed with Monica overnight after talking till midnight. Yummy breakfast. England has great berries and yoghurt. I had a short morning walk to the seaside. We went to Smileys for lunch on the seaside I had fish and chips. Then at about 11:45 set off to Heathrow early as I was scared of the traffic. As it turned out traffic was excellent and I cruised at 70 mph. At the airport we retrieved VAT and octopus credit then relaxed in the lounge until we realised our plane was at sector C a shuttle away.

11 hour flight passed quickly I think I slept a long time as I can't account for all these hours.

Arrived Hong Kong knew the train and shuttle protocol and here we are at the YMCA and the temperature is 35 Celsius.

July. 2 Thursday

Just filled in time on an hour harbour cruise.

Did recon this morning about our trip to Macau.

Went to jeweller and to polo bag shop.

Yesterday went to jeweller and tailor. Suit measured and will be posted to Australia. Ring ready for Talia and bought earrings for Liana.

Dinner in authentic Chinese restaurant around the corner. Checked out of hotel at 12 and they are storing our bags and facility for shower if we want.