It’s been about ten years since I last set foot in my old home town. Ten years since I saw my remaining friends here. Ten years since I wandered past the house I grew up in and chanced a peak over the garden fence. It was time to put that right. Taking the bus from …
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Wetherby
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Memories
I’ve always felt a bit funny standing and peering over a fence at a house that isn’t yours anymore. Imagine if a woman inside on her own was to catch sight of me staring into her backyard for no apparent reason. The police would be called. You’ve got to be subtle about it. Move position …
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Going home
It feels somewhat strange as we board a 10 hour bus to Glasgow. A wonderful few days in sunny Twickenham with my sister behind us, it’s now time to take that long road North. Ella has had the pleasure of meeting my delightful twin, who’s literal opening conversation was about the various sizes and extent …
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The madness of flying, London and women
While I stand in line with a boarding pass and passport, I’m looking around at my fellow passengers and thinking; ‘these are the people I’m going to die with’. Such is my fear of flying, which gets significantly worse each time, as my brain is convinced that this is the one that’s going down. This …
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Listening to Ella Fitzgerald
Chance meetings with like-minded individuals sharing the same fervor for globetrotting are generally ten-a-penny for James Peter Alden. Within minutes of strolling into a sociable environment a conversation would catch his attention, and more often than not the perpetrator would end up becoming something of a new buddy. An instant friend in a cup yes, …
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Translvania
Ooooh scary! I don’t mean seeing my sister; I mean doing a long-awaited tour of the famous Carpathian mountains. For years my sibling and I have desired to visit this mystical land full of castles, gypsy villages and vampires. Bram Stoker aficionados since our teens, we’ve been obsessed with all things Dracul. My first Halloween …
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Hitchhike to India leg 18: Timișoara to Bucharest. Total failure.
This is going to be ridiculous. 560 odd kilometers through country and mountain roads, no direct route, and breaking the number one hitchhiking rule; never have a time frame. I’ve got one day to make Bucharest for my sisters arrival by Sunday lunchtime. Oh and it’s driving snow. I can barely see my hand in …
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Timișoara
It feels genuinely wonderful to be in a new country, and one I’ve wanted to visit for a very long time. Ever since I heard about Transylvania , I’ve had this desire to explore this mysterious and fascinating land called Romania. With the utmost respect to the Balkan countries, I’m thrilled to be back amongst …
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Hitchhike to India leg 17: Novi Sad to Timisoara
Save the ridiculously easy journey from Belgrade to Novi Sad, hitching of late has become something of a difficulty; and it will certainly continue to be so for the foreseeable future. This appears due to a number of factors, the primary one being no real direct roads anywhere. I fully anticipate requiring several rides to …
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Hitchhike to India leg 16: Belgrade to Novi Sad and military wankers
I’m sitting nervously on a bone shaking tram for ten stops before I realise I’m going in the wrong direction and I’ve forgotten my kilt knife. Serbians glower strange looks as they see a bag laden angry dude curse his way back into town. I hate losing time on hitch days, and especially missing the …
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