Because of you…

I guess this is my Oscar speech.

I sit here in my old bedroom from my teenage days, no more Claudia Schiffer or Cindy Crawford posters on the wall, no Spectrum computer and no green shag carpet. I have over 3000 slides to sift through and plan the next part of this adventure which is to get this exhibition up and running before the end of the year.

This is most likely the final 2007/8 travel blog so I would like to thank everyone who has taken the effort to read/decipher my dribble. I know the grammar isn’t up to much and spelling is less to be desired but it really makes me feel like I’m doing some thing good when I look at my web statistics and see that over 3500 per month now tune in to the blog and from countries as far as way New Zealand, South Korea and even people in Russia are all logging on to find out the random tales I have to share with the world. I’m going to keep this blog as up to date as I can. I’m not sure what I will write on it or what it will contain in the future, I guess I’ll post up news and stories about my forthcoming trips and fingers crossed my exhibition.

This blog post is also to thank all the wonderful travellers I met along the way. Without you guys I don’t think I would have had half as much fun, eaten as many crazy things or learnt so much about our planet. Thank you to the backpackers of the world I met in 2007/2008.

Latvia
Mr Stu – UK – Guns, Vodka & Zane Lowe.

Russia
George & Patrick – UK
David Brent Security Guards and raves.

Fiona – OZ
I’m glad we kept in touch, i’m sure our paths will cross again, at least I have you on MSN. Glad the tooth is fixed

Theresa – Austria
Vodka, Strawberry Juice and sunsets over Lake Baikal. Just pure heaven.

Mongolia
Emma – UK
Run over by a hippo?? You made me laugh so much a little bit of wee came out now and then.

Richard & Mel – UK/Canada
The laughing and sneezing couple, loved them dearly.

Virginia -USA
More on her later

Joanne – UK
Old Skool Raver with great travel stories to tell. I am the Indian Princess!

Louisa & Emma – UK
Love there stories of Olkhon Island, Russia.

China
Bryant – USA
The drink you like is the Grasshopper, it was a pleasure meeting and drinking with you, shame I couldn’t see you in the states. Next time mate, you’re a diamond.

Greg – USA/JAPAN
Drinking, Great Wall Trekking and eating scorpions can only be done with this guy in one day.

Elaine – USA
Thank you for getting in touch with Katie and a great night out in Beijing… Not that i remembered much.

Leäh – Hong Kong
Room mates in Beijing, wonderful listening to you play the Pipa…. i think that is what it is called.

Aison – Hong Kong
Thanks for showing me around your city. Fish Market was fun and rather odd.

Sandy, Wouter & Martin – Germany/Netherlands/UK
Guys, I’m gutted I couldn’t come on your overland adventure. See you soon though.

Scotland
James, Aka the Grub – Mersea Island aka the centre of the Universe
If we go to Iceland, bring more than fucking Custard Creams this time. Had a great time and you managed to get me back to my normal random self. Cheers Mate.

USA
Katie – USA
Thanks for showing me around your amazing city. I had more than a blast with you. Who would have thought i would have made such a great friend on this trip.

Jamie – USA
Cheers for letting me crash at yours and getting me hooked on Wii, its more addictive than crack!

Teddy – USA
Cantaloupe. Enough said.

Juerie – USA
I love the wellies and the ninja kick on my leg.

Ange – OZ
Jerry Springer and getting kidnapped by old Americas… all in one day, just brilliant.

Clare & Maya – USA
Six hours with you girls was enough to make me want to come back to Chicago and party with you more.

Andi & Alex – USA
Thank you so much for your hospitably and wine tasting. 29oz steak, how do you do it Andi?

Colm – Ireland
2 words, Jägermeister & Wigs. Never a good combination!

Esther -OZ
Stay off the 80 cent drinks, i’m not always going to be there to hold you hair back. I wish, I wish I spent more time with you.

Lee – UK
“I’m coming for you Britney!” A road trip like no other, you are the man!

Virginia – USA
A wonderful and beautiful roller-skating squirrel (Without the roller-skates) makes V the most amazing backpacker i have ever met.

Anna – Sweden
Glad the leg is better, see you in London.

Don – UK
Fancy going gopher shooting Don?

Mum & Dad – Mersea Island
Thanks for the Helicopter trip, where is the next stop mum? Machu Picchu?

Matty & Kealy – UK
Living the American Dream, Nothing beats a road trip…… and a Peter Griffin lookalike.

Mexico
Cathy – OZ
Thanks for all the info on Cuba, hope you had a good time in South America, shit I must email you back.

Ying – China/USA
I’m glad Chris and I dragged you away from the internet for one night of drinking.

Chris – Canada
Top fella, many great nights out on the lash with him, though i will never look at Kahlúa in the same way again. I really had a blast with you mate.

Nova – Canada
Magical Nova cast a spell on me in the short time I spent with her. I’m sure if you follow a rainbow you will get to her.

Annelise Katie & Caz – UK
Cocks, Cocks Cocks, Drugs, Drugs Drugs.

Dougie & Jesse – UK/USA
Top guys causing havoc on the Island of Women. Great to meet up with you again Dougie.

Dave – Ireland
Have you found Blow Job Taylor yet?

Jodie – UK
Miss Provocateur does Holbox, i’m glad we met up again :-) x

Linda & Toby – Netherlands/UK
Its true…. you really can fuck a fish…. but no, you can’t smoke a cat.

Matthijs & Maurits – Netherlands
Like a married couple on holiday, very funny watching you guys rip the shit out of each other. shame i couldn’t make it to spring break 2008

Alice
Vodka & Camden, a perfect drinking partner. See you when you get back.

Belize
Tristan – OZ
Sorry for crashing your date…. you could have told me!

Guatemala
Mike – USA
Men & Women around Lake Atitlan will be whispering the story about LSD and Down Syndrome kids for years to come.

Chris & Monica – USA
Monica, wake him up for god sake, he is missing everything! Lovely to meet you guys.

David & Sahar – OZ
Took to Comedy Cocking like a fish out of water, great hanging with you guys. I hope the Cockney accent is working for you now.

Ryan & Sydney – Canada
Lets face it, I look better in a dress than you Ryan. I had so much fun with you guys. Lets do it all over again some time…. in the dresses.

Anneli – UK
Sounds like the bad luck has passed and that your trip is now going well. I Hope to see you for more random banter soon.

Lisa – UK
Lisa, my little sister. Sorry about being sick all over the room after that messy night, lets face it, you loved it. See you down at the Defectors soon.

Joy/Maria/Thea – Denmark
I was only moody in Belize because I was ill. Still we had a great laugh on your final night in San Pedro.

Marianne –
Girl, go and brush your shoulders off.

Helen – NZ
Helen and Van Der Beek kissing in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G.

Lilly & Emily – USA
Lilly, Your shoes seem to be the big thing this summer in London. And I’m not joking, they are everywhere.

Ditte & Chris – Denmark
I let you win. enough said… Cow 1 with 31 spots calls…..

I’m sure I’ve missed plenty of people off this list and if I have i’m sorry if I have.

I’m now back in London and have already bumped in to a few of you since i’ve been back. I will also try and see as many of you this year as I can over this year so we can talk utter crap over a pint or two and talk about the good old times when work wasn’t an issue.

Drop me a line or two in comments box.

S