Summertime in June

I haven't had internet connection for a while, a update's long overdue:

I blog this from cosy YMCA hostel in Basel, Switzerland, now adventuring
through my (mini) budget-style European tour. The world cup starts TODAY. Walking around the streets, supporters are decked out in their team's jerseys, adding to the festive cheer. It's a strange sight to see a sea of green Mexicans here in Switzerland. In the background, a string orchestra livens the atmospshere with theme songs from Pirates of the Caribbean and Mission Impossible.

God has been good. Travelling alone does feel really different, and it has its challenges indeed. Today my train from France was delayed, which meant that I missed my connecting train by a matter of minutes. Fortunately the monsieur at the ticketing booth was kind enough to put me on the next train and upgrade me to first class on a fast train. And it worked out well, for I left an hour later but still managed to catch up with the earlier train that I'd missed!

Progress so far: I've gone through Amsterdam, Delft, Paris, Versailles and Nice. Within a week, I've spent 1 night at the airport, 1 night on a sofa, 2 nights on a train. Budget traveller style. With a very good bed tonight, it's time to finally catch some proper beauty sleep.

Paris was magnificent to say to the least. I can understand why the City of Lights is easily everyone's favourite European city - just so many things to see but much better organised than London! Pickpockets were on the prowl though, and their methods are so blatant its laughable. Every day a group of them camp along the steps of the Sacre Coeur, friendship bands in hand, waiting to stop passing tourists who already know what's on their minds. One of them tried so hard to stop me and bombarded me with questions which I avoided. When I totally ignored him, he suddenly asked me to "look there". So obvious. Well thank God I was prepared so he had a futile time with me.

I also got acquainted with this Australian dude from Sydney, Alistair. He's an interesting chap - an Atheist who majored in Aboriginal studies. We hit it off surprisingly well and he was a great travel companion in Paris.

Studies wise, my exams and papers have gone well. Results aren't out till August but I'm expecting decent grades. I'm really glad to have had a thoroughly enriching experience studying in Bath. A year would have been just nice, but yes it has to end somehow. Post Easter, I joined the Bath Christian Union, Bath's version of Campus Crusade, and managed to make good Christian friends here in the end. As much of my blog testifies, being a Christian youth in the UK isn't easy, and we should keep praying for them.

Until next time, au revoir.