Novotel Birmingham International

... Friday, and I am going to be ready for it if it does. I have a huge chunk of admin blocked out so will have time on my side but fingers crossed it all goes well. <br><br>The weather has turned pretty horrid today with the first major winds - had to wear a beanie to the bus stop for the first time today as my hair was blowing madly and obstructed my visual field - and even then it was tied ...

Ten more sleeps - yippee.<br>Woke this am not to the sound of rain as in the previous how ever many mornings but to the sound of the shop across the road opening up - ok it was 9.30am, and I had a lovely little lie in.<br>Weather actually ok - didn't rain for the first time in over a week, and the sun actually shone today. I'm getting sick of getting soaked wherever I go and hanging for some warmth from sunshine - an alien concept ...

Finally worked out my route.<br><br>Fly to Armenia, travel through Georgia to Turkey and fly from Istanbul to Mumbai. Work my way across to Calcutta and fly to Bangkok. Through Thailand and Cambodia to Vietnam, then onto China.<br><br>I am setting off early September 2010 and aim to be in China early December, maybe.<br><br>And then I have to get back...

I am being to think I am absolutely mad for doing this ... my bag has been re-packed no less than 10 times to find some space for a mascara and a pair of sparkly flip-flops, both of which I thought were essential items, until I remmebered that I am going to Africa and in fact fighting off bugs should really be my number one priority. So out came the sparkly flip-flops and the mascara and back in went the mossie net and deet spray!!<br ...

... br><br>Much to the amusement of some people, I have planned my entire trip by the week! Yeah, yeah, I know it is likely to change in the first week, but without preparation I might miss out on something I wanted to do, so it's good to have a skeleton plan.<br><br>Only 16 days to go and counting ... I wish I was going tomorrow, having said ...

... phone numbers and addresses properly, however it meant a great deal to meet up with these two again. For all the detractors of Facebook and other social networking websites, here was a classic tale of family being reunited by them.<br><br>With no real time restriction, it was time to meet Vicky&#8217;s daughter, Georgia who held court for most of the day. She was an absolute delight, as most kids at the age of &#8220;almost 1&#8221; are.<br><br>Yet again we decided to head to ...

... the area around it looks dodgy, though. it's in a back street under a railbridge. i'm glad that i printed directions to it because i never would have it other wise. birmingham is pretty and the photos are of the victoria square and of birmingham itself. i hope all is well back home and that i have lots of great stories for you tomorrow. i'm hoping to visit the jewllery quater! :) d. x

... found ourselves, or at least in a room containing ourselves, Amy and a few Anaesthetists. What then happened was the worst thing that I have ever experienced and it's really hard to find the right words other that, pardon my language, "****ing horrible". Watching your 3-week old baby girl slowly drift off to sleep having signed a form that says there is a chance that she will die is not a pleasant experience, and unfortuately is one we will have to go through ...

... years ago. After our stop at the Hathaway home, we headed into town to spend a couple of hours and to visit the homestead of Shakespeare himself. They have maintained the quaint look of this town very nicely. Stratford sits upon the River Avon, hence its name. It rained in the afternoon, but we were prepared and no one melted.