I’m Thinking of Taking a Trip

I’ve been thinking lately of taking a big trip at the end of this year, my last long chance I will have before getting bogged down in Work Experience for my degree and actually getting a job. I am fairly certain I would like to go for at least 6 weeks, preferably 8 (or more!), and have been thinking lately that spending time in a few European countries would be nice. I plan to do it all low budget, staying in Hostel Dormitories, eating cheap and avoiding the expensive places. Currently, I am planning on going to England for at least two weeks, then on to France again for at least two and then onto another country or countries. I have not yet decided where, I am thinking of Italy, though I would also like to visit Spain, maybe end up doing both! If anyone has experience with traveling cheaply or any recommendations on where to go or not go, please let me know, I am quite new at this whole planning a kick-ass trip thing!

Conn Iggulden

Recently I have read Conn Iggulden’s Wolf of the Plains, his novel about Genghis Khan. I really enjoyed it and I think it’s partially due to my lack of knowledge on the area. I knew very little about Genghis Khan’s story before starting the book so it seemed more like a fictional novel rather that a story based on fact. Iggulden does concede that he altered some details to make it more novel-like, but these are not major things. I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone looking for a nice read. I must admit, sometimes the way Iggulden phrases things makes the sentence seem rather confusing, but it does not detract from the story. I have just started Lords of the Bow, the sequel to Wolf of the Plains and it too is most excellent. Once this is done I shall either move onto Iggulden’s Emperor series, about Julius Caesar or start the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin. Just a start on my 15 books sitting on my shelf waiting to be read.

Oh and any DragonLance fans that might read this, do not read Kendermore, no matter how much you love Tas. The story is the kind of story that may be written by a 12 year-old, jumping from event to event with no real depth and each event is started and ended in the same chapter pretty much. It was a horrible read.