Books...

Well, I've been back about two weeks now, and here is my first post since then.

I'm going to continue to post regarding my trip, at least until I figure out what to do next with this (see previous post)

I thought I'd write a bit about some books that relate to the trip. The first is the Lonely Planet Guide to Great Britain.

I know this sounds like a commercial, so I'll explain a bit. Before I left the country, one of my dear friends surprised me with a going away present- this guide. It was totally unexpected and very wonderful of her. I would never have thought to have purchased a guide book before the trip, not in any serious sense, and I'm not sure which one I would have picked anyway. So it was great to get one as a gift.

It only became more valuable to me as we traveled throughout the UK, as it had helpful maps, information, entertainment suggestions, and other stuff that the Professors didn't know about. It was one of the most useful gifts I've ever received.

I liked it so much that I purchased the Lonely Planet Guide to Ireland myself later on in the trip, and it was extremely useful for planning my independent travel period.

Why write about this stuff now? Well, I've just got another gift from the same friend, a book called Round Ireland with a Fridge by Tony Hawks. It's a great little travelogue about an English guy who made a bet (while drunk, of course) that he could hitchhike the circumference of Ireland with a fridge. Interested yet? Sure you are. I'm about half-way through it, and I'm really enjoying it too. And not just because I have an unhealthy interest in Ireland.

I've not really been one for travel books before, but that seems to be changing. So, if your in a quandary over what to get a friend, you might try these.

Oh, and when you get a chance, check out my friend Ian's new blog www.dabbling-in-the-arts.blogspot.com/ the photos he posts are really quite nice (I particularly like Cloudburst), and he'd probably appreciate some feedback. He's a good shit. Give his stuff a look.