24/6 - I wanted to be immersed in Spanish. I got it! Even though I speak English to the kids, they speak some form of Spanish to me. And the rest of the time, Rosa and Felix only speak Spanish to me. As long as they don't speak too fast, I can generally understand them. And sometimes I find myself wanting to speak Spanish to the kids, but I remember I need to speak English to them, so I need to switch my mind back to that language.

I thought I was from a small town. Woodland has about 70,000 people and is located in the middle of agriculture. It's boring. There's nothing there. Nope. That's a city. La Almunia is a small town, or a "puebla." There are about 7,000 people here. It's silent at night, besides the people sitting outside their apartments, or the children riding their bicycles and running around with each other. There is no traffic either.

Nuria and Alex are typical young children. They're sweet and lovable one moment, but the next moment they become fussy, pouty, whiny, he/she-took-my-chair-so-now-I'll-cry/scream-about-it rage monsters. I strongly dislike how young children are unable to use their words to work something out or just accept an unfavorable situation. But really, it's a minor pet-peeve (pet-hate in the UK) of mine. They're exactly like the typical children we all know and love. The only difference? They speak Spanish!

We spent a very long time at the city pool today. For a reference, it's just like what you see in the movie Sandlot. The whole town turns up to swim, lay on the grass and just hang out. It's perfect! The pool is outside, open to the sunshine and warmth, and it's amazing to sunbathe again, something I've done in the UK just a few times. Today it was another one of those moments when I'm amazed at what I'm doing. Here I am in Spain, staying with a family that speaks broken English and swimming at the community pool like I'm from here. I have a new idea for a tattoo, and it's been something that has been in the back of my mind for a while. It's meaningful:

Live life on your own terms.

26/6 - During the day, La Almunia is quiet. Windows are shut, and that includes the steel curtains that cover them to keep in what little cool air there is. So the buildings look like they are closed down. But in the evening when it gets cooler, the village really opens up. The windows open, people walk around, there are many people sitting outside, talking, and it just feels much more alive.

Alex is a great kid. He wants to speak English and he tries hard. Nuria, on the other hand, is very moody. I can tell when she's bored because she gives me the death stare and resorts to hitting me with a tennis ball or not speaking at all. She's rude! But I have to remember she's only 7 years old, so it really doesn't matter. It's kind of typical of young children. Rosa, Felix and I just laugh it off. You have to. I can take it personally, or I can have fun and troll around with her, like acting stupid.

27/6 - Walking back from the pool today, I realized how much I'm really enjoying this experience. I love being immersed in Spanish. I'm learning a lot of new words and getting very comfortable speaking. Plus, I love the fact I'm staying with such a kind family made of people who are just trying to survive. Rosa and Felix live humbly, yet they've taken in a (almost complete) stranger, thus creating another mouth to feed. They're both great people, and I'm so glad I've met them. Rosa has welcomed me, and I love talking to her though she doesn't know very much English; we understand each other most of the time.

Alex and Nuria's cousins, Marta and Anna, have come to stay for the weekend. They are twins, though Marta has a freckle by her nose. That makes a 7-year-old, two 9-year-olds and a 10-year-old bunked in one room at night, which is next to mine. It sounds chaotic (it is) but it's really great. This is a very normal family (again, what is normal?) and it doesn't feel any different to what I came from. Having said that, maybe I'll take a trip to Zaragoza this weekend...

Final day with Kaichi students, lunch in London and rambunctious children in Spain

20/6 - Japanese kids like taking pictures. A LOT of pictures. Selfies, mostly. To the point of being narcissistic.

Friday was the last full day we had with the kids, and after the ultimate frisbee, oral presentations and farewell party that included them singing us group leaders a thank you song, it was the end of a very rewarding experience. This is something I will make a good effort to do next year, as I indicated on the program feedback form. There's lots of stuff I learned with this group, such as how good Japanese snacks and candy are, especially green tea Kit-Kats. Also, a well-fitting sportcoat does wonders for your appearance and confidence. Women don't usually come up to me and tell me I look cute...

It's funny because the kids talked to me more than they had all week on their final day in the country (Saturday). I and the rest of the leaders saw the group take off on the coaches, and I remembered to give my group a gift. I gave them a handwritten note in both English and Japanese, some balloons with the England flag on them and chocolate from Fortnum and Mason, though Yuto had to give Yuu my gift because he had disappeared again. So at the very least I've made some new friends.

I think this week showed people who are from the other side of the world aren't that different from the rest of us. They may have different habits or procedures, but they are still humans who love interaction with fellow humans. There are still bullies, nerds, popular kids, introverts, dorks, jocks, artsy types and hormones in Japanese high schools compared to what we're used to. It made me realize I'm not that different to them, even though I look very different. I never felt like an outsider, even though I was one of only a few non-Asians there. There was mutual benefit for everyone on this trip, and it succeeded in shrinking the size of the Earth. So, thank you, Jess, for introducing me to this program. It was a blast and I'm definitely doing it again.

21/6 - After getting paid and checking out, I took the tube into Central London so I could catch a train back to Poole, and I used my Oyster card for the first time in four years. It still works!

This was another one of those quick but incredibly meaningful trips into the center of the city, as I ate street food and met up with David Davies, my journalism teacher during my 2010 stint in the British Studies Program through the University of Southern Mississippi, and someone I hadn't seen in five years. Sunday was his first day in the U.K. in preparation for the 2015 edition of the BSP, only he's now the program director. It was excellent to eat at a spicy chicken restaurant down the street from Kings College with a former professor and catch up. It was very nostalgic. We spent a little less than two hours talking, but he eventually gave in to his jetlag and excused himself back to his hotel for a nap.

There's something I noticed today, though. I wasn't ecstatic to be back in this part of London. It didn't feel incredible. I wasn't deliriously happy or sport a stupid smirk on my face while walking the streets because I was in my favorite place in the world. No. It's strange to say, but it felt normal to be there, like Dave and I were catching up in any old restaurant in any other little town not named London! I know why; it's because I know that neighborhood, and nothing looks different to me. I've lived in this country for three-quarters of a year and I'm comfortable. Having said all of that, I got the chills when I saw the figure of Big Ben through the support structure of the London Eye. It literally never fails.

23/6 - I made it to Zaragoza and am now in La Almunia, Spain. Rosa collected me from the airport, and it's much easier to speak Spanish with them in person, not over Skype or Facetime. I started speaking Spanish right away, starting with a person on the airplane and later to the customs agent. La Almunia is in a dry, somewhat arid part of Spain at the base of some mountains. I haven't felt dry warmth like this in a very long time, and it's nice.

Felix, Rosa, Alex and Nuria are a very friendly and noisy family. Alex is 10 and he loves soccer. Nuria is 7 and she talks an incredible amount. I think Felix and Rosa were happy the two started talking in English to me so much straight away. It only took a few minutes of soccer to get the kids to really like me. But it's time to go to bed; I haven't had a true sleep in a couple of days. 

Spontaneous trips to Piccadilly Circus, Japanese words and keeping the group together

18/6 - Wednesday was supposedly the most difficult day of the week. I don't understand why, though.

We went to the village of Bourton-on-the-Water and later to Hampton Court in southwest London. We can go off by ourselves as a group, but I'm most concerned with not losing Yuu, the kid in my group who has terrible body language. Yes, he has a bad knee from crashing on a scooter, but he doesn't talk to anyone in our group and constantly lags behind while hanging his head and dragging his feet. I'm forced to keep pace with him and let the other five go ahead. Thankfully, they don't go too far ahead always end up sticking together. I can tell Hayato, Ayaka, Yuma, Yuto and Arisa are responsible enough.

Bourton-on-the-Water. Yuu decided not to be in the picture, as he didn't want to sit on the edge of the bridge. From left to right: Arisa, Ayaka, Yuma, Yuto, Hayato

I've already learned a little bit about Japanese culture. For example, when we sit down to eat, everyone waits until the last person has joined the table. We then put our hands together, bow and say "itadakimasu," which means "I am going to eat." It's polite. I've also learned "ohayo" which means "good morning." Japanese students normally keep their eyes down while they eat, are very reserved and quiet until they get used to you a little bit. That's my group. They sometimes talk to me to ask questions, but most of the time I have to ask them something to get them to speak English. And another new thing I experienced? Three students put on a Kyogen, which is a traditional Japanese play. Those kids are really talented.

I knew the language barrier would fall eventually, and it happened this morning. You only need a few words of language to understand how to fold origami, construct a face blindfolded while the others tell you which feature you're holding and play board games designed to help us learn details about each other, like where we want to visit and what our first impressions were. Those few hours were fantastic! However, Yuu spent most of the time with his forehead on the table, trying to sleep. I feel bad for the kid. There's probably something deeper going on with him, but I just don't know. Or maybe he's still jetlagged, considering he was 30 minutes late to dinner because he fell asleep during free time. We had to send a member of the group to go find him, and he was still falling asleep at the dinner table.

Three in my group gave their oral presentations in English today, and they read off a script written by them and in English. Yuto talked about spinach, Arisa talked about the difference between food in the UK and Japan and Yuma talked about space theories, like Freezing Space theory. My job was to ask questions and have them engaged with the topic, and afterwards write down some feedback for the students to take back to Japan. The most positive feedback I could say is how I could (mostly) understand them. Ideally, the group would have had discussions amongst themselves in English about the topics, but my kids talked in Japanese to each other. I had to ask questions to each one to keep everyone engaged instead, and there were other groups like that too. But having said that, I learned a little bit more about the kids, like how Yuto can draw really well. However, the whole time Yuu sat by himself, not speaking and sporting a stony, get-me-back-to-Japan face. I make sure to ask him questions like this one: what do you like to do on holidays? The answer:

"Nothing."

Yuto can really draw. He used this for his presentation. And this is Yuu's default face. 

19/6 - Central London is a sensory overload. I remember the first time I saw Big Ben and Westminster Abbey; I was ecstatic! (Heck, I'm still like that.) But it's great fun riding with a bus full of 16-17-year-old Japanese students who have never been here before. Two in my group had never seen a double-decker bus before, and they really wanted to ride one. Everything is new to them, including something as simple as how neighborhoods look, so they were recording things as mundane as ordinary neighborhoods miles outside of Central London. But once they saw the sights of Central London, their eyes began to pop and they were much more excited.

At least Yuu got in the picture this time...

We all traveled in a pack to Trafalgar Square to tour the National Gallery, and later the British Museum. For the first time since Tuesday, Yuu showed interest in something, like when we saw Vincent Van Gogh paintings, the Rosetta Stone and mummies. Half an hour before we were supposed to meet to leave the Gallery, my group experienced a bit of spontaneity, in contrast to the strict schedule we follow, as we made a quick trip to Fortnum and Mason, an upscale department store in Piccadilly Circus, despite the fact I wasn't supposed to take the kids away from Trafalgar Square (it wasn't my idea, after all, and Arisa got permission from a teacher, so it should be fine).

All six kids went into Fortnum and Mason and bought some high-quality tea, among other things. Afterwards, I put my finger on my lips and said "ssshhh." They completely understood, as in "don't tell the teachers!" Near the end of a quick trot back to the Gallery that featured a picture with Spiderman, we bumped into more teachers on their way to China Town, looking highly confused as to why one of the groups was in such a random place. And of course, I thought one thing when we were caught:

Shit.

I thought I would get chewed out. Fortunately, no one questioned me about it. Okay then, I got away with taking my group to Piccadilly Circus and a fancy department store! That was an adrenaline rush, but I was worried I'd anger the teachers for a few hours.

Today I was part of a very large group of Japanese kids cutting a very noticeable path through London. Though I don't speak the language, I felt part of the group. Perhaps there was no time I felt more part of the group than when we went to a Chinese restaurant in China Town, and there were 10 of us at one table, all using chopsticks to eat everything, including rice. It doesn't even seem weird I'm one of the few non-Asian people here anymore.

I've noticed these kids are just like any other high-school aged kids we've ever met. They're silly and love to laugh and play games, and they REALLY love throwing up the peace sign when taking pictures, something that is considered immature in Japan. However, they couldn't be more different riding a coach compared to British teenagers. There's no rude singing or hazing. The Japanese kids are quiet and respectful for the most part.

Saturday is the final day in England for these kids. This is crazy for two reasons. 1) They only got here on Tuesday; some of them are probably still jetlagged. And 2), my kids are starting to warm up to me.

Inspiration, picnic on the beach and Kaichi High School students

15/6 - I saw Jurassic World on Friday night. While it was very entertaining, it was a horrendous movie. There were so many things that bugged me about it, and I'd spend way too much time on here being negative and ripping into it, so I won't go there.

I've written it here before, but I've succeeded in inspiring another friend of mine. I spent some time with Alessandro (Italian) and Abby (Lebanese) Friday night, and I told them about my traveling adventures, particularly about the Wales trip, and the possibility of the Trans-Siberian Railway. Abby was so impressed she asked me to help her set up a Couchsurfing account. And speaking of her, I now need to add Lebanon to my list of places to visit. The Middle-East sounds great, though very different.

I spent the day Sunday at the Bournemouth Bobcats football game vs. Hastings, working the chains. I was able to get away from my computer for a while, and I met some people who really love being around football. They had some great stories. Sometimes, volunteering just seems to work itself out.

My dissertation is going very badly. After six failed attempts at a proposal, my lecturer finally sent me my classmate's proposal to show me what it's supposed to look like. I'm just wondering why it took him so long to do that. I obviously have no idea what I'm supposed to do, so I was wasting both his time and mine with those six failed attempts. Showing me earlier would have saved me from being a dickhead to him through email and threatening to change advisors. Essentially, I had no idea I was supposed to write an essay with references to explain why and how I want to write another essay. It's more academia bullcrap. But I just keep reminding myself to be patient. Get it done. Eventually I'll have it done and then I'll be able to travel.

That Trans-Siberian Railway trip looks like it will happen. Danny wants it to happen, and so do I. The prices aren't that bad. A train from Moscow to Beijing is about £450, less than what the Mercedes cost. The unknown comes from me needing a visa to get into all three of those countries, and how I'll get back from China. Will I fly back from Beijing, or will I keep going? What if I keep going to South Korea, Japan and then get a flight back to California? I'd literally go around the world! The most important thing to keep in mind?

It's doable.

16/6 - Last night was the final time in a while we would all be able to meet up, so we had a picnic at the beach in Bournemouth. It was one of those absolutely perfect evenings that don't come around too often. Even the water, which is normally freezing cold, was comfortable. I stood with my feet in the water, just gazing at the horizon towards France, and got a bit lost. The shouts of my friends were drowned out by the gentle crashing of the waves, and I chose that moment to take it all in. My time at this university is coming to an end, so I needed to take a few minutes to appreciate everything that's happened so far.

We ate, drank, played football and volleyball, and I got sand everywhere you can imagine. It was a perfect way for all of us to go our separate ways for the immediate future.

Currently, I'm at Brunel University in Uxbridge on the west side of London where the students from Kaichi High School have come for the week. There are six kids in my group, and they all have different skill levels of English. They flew more than 12 hours on an airplane to get here, so when we finished with dinner, it would have been about 4 a.m. in the morning for them. They're tired.

We sat down for dinner together; that was our first time meeting each other. You all know how I am; I'm quiet when I first meet you and don't talk very much. It was very awkward at first and I had no idea how I'd remember their names. I began to sweat. My mouth went dry. It was like giving an oral presentation in front of people. But they gave me a poster with a picture of all of them, their preferred name and some basic facts about themselves, so that made it much easier. What I need to do is get them comfortable with me and speaking English. The language barrier is a little tough right now, but it'll go down soon in a glorious tumble. The best thing is most of them seem interested in speaking. There is one kid who seems down and doesn't appear to want to be here, but there are kids like that in every group.

While on trips away from Brunel, they will wear their school uniform, which is a black blazer with a shirt and tie, which is essentially a suit. But this week it's pretty warm in this part of England, so I'll tell them tomorrow it's OK to take the blazers off. In fact, they gave me a gift which consisted of a Japanese fan and hand and feet warmers. Those will be handy any time but now, but they're appreciated nonetheless.

Finally, I've met the rest of the group leaders. They're all people my age, but I've joined a group where most people already know each other. It'll take a bit of time to get comfortable and open up. This little experience will be fantastic, as I'll make connections with people from a completely different part of the world. I think it'll get better and better.

Aching with obsession, potential trips across Asia and a new roommate

8/6 - Meike finished her Couchsurfing here. She stayed here for two nights. I showed her a bit of the neighborhood and cooked her dinner Sunday night. She was tired, as she explored the area by herself, seeing Dancing Ledge, Sandbanks, Corfe Castle, Old Harry Rocks and Swanage. She was even able to take a dip in the man-made pool that was blasted out of Dancing Ledge in the 1930s. I was a bit jealous of that. But I helped her get some interviews for her school project, and she was very respectful and clean and relaxed.

We have a new roommate. His name is Hunter, and he's a PHD student from Delaware. It'll be strange having another American in the flat! 

I finished putting together the motorcycle video today. It's incredibly cool, and now I can't stop watching it. I'm obsessed! But this is exactly the kind of thing I'm after: amazing memories. That link goes to my Facebook page, as the video gets muted on YouTube because of copyright issues.

9/6 - I can't stop watching that video. That video and the trip as a whole is something of which I'm proud, and it's something not a lot of people can say they've done. Some of my friends came up to me today to say they liked the video, and that's a cool feeling. I now have extra motivation to get this schoolwork done: when I finish, I'll ride a motorcycle to the Scottish highlands. That journey, in my estimation, is 1,500 miles there and back, and because of that I'm glad I went to Wales instead. Just everything about that trip was perfect, even the weather. Looking back, I can now say I've ridden through and battled bad weather, and come away with only good memories and a body intact.

I keep getting requests from people to stay with me through Couchsurfing. I'm turning all of them away now because I need to get this work done (yes, I'm writing this, but I need a break from essays) in good time.

10/6 - Tim and I got some beers yesterday after I had been working all day. One of them, a Duvel Triple Hop 2015 edition, was amazing. And the other was a taste of home: a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Had it not been for the dark beer Sion gave me in Wales that absolutely rocked my world, the Duvel would have been the best one I've had since coming to this country. And I'm not even annoyed I paid £6.75 for a bottle of beer. You absolutely pay for quality. 

Since yesterday was Tuesday, it was the day of the week for the Quay to fill up with motorcycles. We constantly heard them rumbling past the bar while Tim and I sat outside and discussed my trip and what riding a bike is like. It's coming off like I'm really passionate about having a motorcycle, and Tim said I should get one. I've learned lessons from the last one I owned, like taking great care of it. I'll get one, but not until after the summer. I'll have to resist that ache to ride every single bike on the Quay and just focus on school. Then I can let loose.

I've been talking about a motorcycle trip to Scotland. However, Danny told me about the Trans-Siberian Railway today. That's 6,000 miles on a train from Russia to Mongolia and eventually to Beijing, China. If I can ride on a motorway in a storm on a motorcycle, I can definitely survive a week-long train ride through unknown lands and languages. Danny sent me a blog from someone who's done it before. That really sounds like the ultimate adventure. What would be better?...Riding a bike the whole way instead of a train, but hey, that's just me.

11/6 - I've been making progress with these essays. Hopefully, I'll go to London and Spain with nothing to do except the dissertation. I talked to Felix again today. It's kind of a shock to realize there's only about two weeks until I go to Spain. It's very exciting.

But before that, Jess and I will drive to Brunel University on the western outskirts of London. It's there we will host the students for a week. I'm looking forward to it. Maybe afterward I'll get the itch to go to Japan. But really, coming here has really made the world smaller. I've met people from literally everywhere, and I want to visit them in their own countries. Right, it looks like I'll live a live of traveling, not collecting things. And that I am totally OK with.

One last hurrah with the bike and more Couchsurfing

5/6 - I'm going to miss having a motorcycle. It was such a bummer to have to ride the bus again today. But not before taking the bike on one last adventure, this time to Dancing Ledge, located near the small village of Langton Matravers. This is a former quarry on the coastline where there is a flat shelf of rock in the sea. It's a good spot for rock climbing, as there was one man preparing to descend while I was there.

The walk on the way there was very quiet. Since it's a bit difficult to find and you have to turn down an unmarked residential street, drive up an unmarked country path and into the parking lot behind a farm, there weren't a lot of people there. The only sounds were my footsteps crunching on the gravel and the wind blowing through the grass. You eventually end up in a grassy meadow, with livestock on either side of you and the great blue sea directly ahead.

And the hill that slopes down to Dancing Ledge is so beautiful it's unfair. You can see coastline featuring cliffs for miles, and it borders the deep blue sea with wispy clouds floating lazily along. The walk to and from Dancing Ledge is about 1.5 miles. I'm just glad I discovered another cool spot that further highlights where I live.

But back to motorcycles. I'm a fanatic now; I can't stop talking about it. My head turns every time a motorcycle drives past me on the street. I'll miss being a part of the club you're automatically a part of if you ride. Riding a motorcycle is like being on a roller coaster, especially when you lean into a downward-sloping curve.

And the grand total in terms of mileage while I had the bike? 721 miles, approximately £60 for fuel, 5 days, two national parks visited, two very friendly cats and one sore-as-hell backside.

I'll try to get the video done next week. I have at least an hour of footage to go through. But if there's a stretch of road I wished I recorded, it would have been either the coastal road of A487 south of Aberystwyth (because its curves were long, gradual and frequent, making for fast riding) and the A350 north of Poole (because that road had sharper curves, and I had to focus the whole time; plus, that's where I hit my fastest speed of the week).

6/6 - I'm a Couchsurfing host this weekend to Meike, who is from Germany. She's visiting this area because she's interested in the postgraduate program for media production. But I've made it very clear to her I have a lot of work to do, so I can't spend a lot of time with her.

So this is it for a while. Time to get to work.

Safe and Sound after an adventure in Wales

4/6 - Who needs drugs when there are motorcycles, curvy roads and nature somewhere in the world?

There comes a point where you just begin to trust your motorcycle more, and that's when you start leaning into corners a little bit harder. I'd do it more, but I have to be able to see where the curve is going or how sharp it is. When I can see a series of curves that open up before me, that's one of my favorite sequences. Lean one way, then immediately lean the other and back again.

There are so many perks to a motorcycle. You can park it anywhere, you don't have to pay for parking or getting across the bridge and you don't have to be held up by something as mundane as a line of traffic. It's so convenient being just two wheels and an engine. Though it's super convenient, you get the unwanted perks as well, including all of the smells that come with a ride through sheep-and-cattle-filled Welsh countryside. And when you break free of a line of traffic caused by a slow-moving tractor or truck because you moved to the front of the line at a stoplight, it's like a wild stallion breaking free, bucking and neighing in enjoyment of freedom.

Like I said in the last post, I went all the way to Snowdonia National Park today, riding approximately 200 miles in the process. I did what I said I would do. And aside from riding in the wrong direction for 20 minutes immediately after starting this morning or not seeing an oncoming car when I was merging onto a road, it was a perfect day. It was the kind of adventure dreams are made of. It was sunny, not very windy and the colors of early summer were incredibly vibrant. Deep blue lakes, infinite light blue sky dotted with clouds, luscious, green vegetation, some purple, some yellow and countless fields of sheep. If there is some space where there are no sheep grazing, it's a wasted space here in Wales. There were also those stretches of road that go under thick snarls of tree branches, thus making you feel like you're royalty surrounded by servants holding up swords for you to ride through.

But this is awesome. Here I am in Wales, riding a motorcycle everywhere, shooting some video and doing some hiking. Why? Because I can.

I'm going to have to come back to Wales. I have no other choice. Sion is basically a friend now, and he's offered to do the whole hike in Snowdonia with me the next time I'm here.

Anyway, I rode to Pen-y-Pass to walk the Miners Trail on the way to Snowdon Peak. It was awesome to see mountain lakes in northern Wales like that, surrounded by the occasional group of sheep or goats. And there's almost no sound. When there is no one around you, all you can hear is the water from the numerous streams and waterfalls, a gentle breeze or the voice of a lamb. I didn't finish the trail because (1) I wasn't equipped to traverse a steep slope of unstable stones, (2) I was almost out of water and (3) I had to save some strength for the ride back to Lampeter.

But that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. I noticed in that whole area there's really nowhere you can't go. There are no areas blocked by a fence. If you want to blaze a trail to the top of the jagged, rocky hill, go for it. If you want to get some height between you and the trail so you can lie down and get a higher view of the area, that's cool. There's absolutely nothing stopping you, and I really like that. I also noticed the complete lack of trees or vegetation besides grass in that area.

Afterwards, I made my way back through difficult-to-pronounce towns such as Beddgelert, Penrhyndeudraeth and Machynlleth. I also stopped in the coastal town of Aberystwyth both because I was distracted by castle ruins right on the coastline and because I was feeling a bit dizzy, most likely because I was dehydrated and very hungry.

Wales has been great so far, and I can finally give it some love. It's a beautiful country with its own unique culture and language. From here I need to get back to Bournemouth to return the bike and return to real life (is this real life, living in the United Kingdom?) and finish this schoolwork.

5/6 - I'm back in Poole. That makes Day 2 of riding at least 200 miles. The roads north of Poole are amazing when it's not raining or windy; who would have thought?

Anyway, I went to Brecon Breacons National Park today, where I conquered Pen y Fan. It was tough, and much longer than I thought it would be, but it was an accomplishment. The trail up to the summit was tough. It was straight up the hill with no breaks. I began to feel like I had been doing squats for hours. I even began to talk to myself, urging myself not to quit. But the reward was me seeing some amazing views; I got a lot of footage with the GoPro, so the video I'll make will be epic. Thanks to Sion for the tip.

I leave Wales kind of like how I left Italy: with nothing but good things to say about the people. From what I experienced, every Welsh person was glad to talk to me, have a conversation and teach me how to say Welsh town names, even though one or two people actually said I still have a strong accent despite living here for nine months. And really, I'll now give Wales some love to everyone I come across, because, obviously, Wales deserves some love. It's a beautiful country, especially on a motorcycle.

I used the GoPro in several different ways today, including pointing it at myself during rides. During one such time through Bath (I dislike that city now), the GoPro actually fell off the bike and I was forced to park the bike in the middle of a fork on the busy motorway, track back 150 yards on foot and dodge traffic to retrieve the camera. After all, it's not even mine. I worried Danny by texting him, "Funny story about the GoPro...:(" But I took it on the bike and the hikes. I got some incredible footage, including the time the camera fell off the bike. I can't wait to edit that footage.

Like I said, I rode about 200 miles back to Poole today. Riding is too much fun. It doesn't really get old. And I still have it for tomorrow, so I might ride it west of Poole, towards Swanage. If there's one thing I learned from this adventure, it's that it doesn't take a special brand of guts to do what I did. To travel on a motorcycle for five days takes smarts and caution, not bravery. Sure, there was the occasional fellow rider who tore past me going 40 miles per hour faster, but that's just the superior power of their bike, not my riding skills.

But it also shows every country has its own selling points. Wales was one of those countries I never really had a desire to visit. But now, I have to give every country a chance. And honestly, I'll now give a lot of credit to Wales for being a very friendly place and a country with incredible roads for a motorcycle.

So the next country in which I ride a motorcycle, the top speed will have to top 95 miles per hour. That'll be easy, considering this bike (another picture of it, I know. But it's a great little machine) is just 650cc. I can go higher than that now. This bike felt sluggish at times, like when I opened the throttle to pass slow traffic.

In the words of a lecturer, I'm a nutter. Yup, I am.

England and Wales on two wheels

1/6 - I thought I'd make it to Cardiff today. I booked a hostel near Millennium Stadium. But alas, that pesky English weather showed up again, and I was forced to stop at a youth hostel in Bath, with my shoes and pants soaked with water from consistent rain and very strong winds. Basically, I rode through a storm for the past couple of hours.

I'm riding a Suzuki SV650S sport bike. Just like driving a stick shift in France, riding a horse on the beach or snowboarding after several years away, riding a motorcycle came back incredibly quickly and easy for me. It's just like riding a bike! (it's OK to punch me in the face after that pun.) And since I've driven on the left side of the road before, I found it to be more relaxed and easier to ride. I understand how to navigate these roundabouts now, too. All I need to know is the city or village I need to ride towards.

Too bad I'm unsure about that sometimes. And why does it seem like when you're most in need of fuel...THERE'S NO FUEL STATION ANYWHERE NEAR YOU? I spent a good half hour today riding around Blandford like an idiot trying to find a place where I could fill up. That was stressful, much more than the wind or the rain. I also started off very late in the day, due to Danny meeting me two hours late so I could get the GoPro camera from him. If I met him when we said we met and I got the bike around noon, I'd most likely be in Cardiff right now. But I digress. It was a small inconvenience.

I wanted to go to Wales so I could see some great scenery and ride some windy, curvy roads. I've accomplished all of that just in this short distance to Bath! Up short, curvy hills with blind corners. Down long hills with a slight curve at the bottom, but not enough to deter you from opening up the throttle. Turning your head through a corner, pressing on the handlebar to turn and generally leaning into the corners. And all the while passing gentle, green hills with the occasional flock of sheep or herd of cattle. It's a massive thrill to be riding again, this time with a sport bike that requires you to lean forward with your chest touching the gas tank at times. And it's funny how much more you pay attention to weather details when you ride a motorcycle. The wind and rain affect you so much more than in a car. But it's all part of the adventure.

2/6 -  I'm in Lampeter, Wales today, staying with Sion (pronounced "Shaun") through Couchsurfing. It was a truly excellent day of riding, but it started off horrible because it was still raining this morning. That meant I rode on a major freeway during rain, and I was completely soaked through my feet and legs. Add in the fact I left my Sennheiser headphones accidentally at the hostel in Bath, thus most likely losing them forever, and the morning was a complete bust. The rain and visibility was so poor I decided to stay at a rest stop coffee shop for more than an hour so the rain would pass. Eventually it did, and that's when the ride got much more enjoyable.

I crossed into Wales via the Severn Bridge, north of Bristol. I've never experienced wind like that on a motorcycle before; it was pushing me everywhere. I even had to lean into it just to balance myself. But at least it wasn't raining anymore, and now a bit sunny.

So now that I'm in Wales, I've realized Welsh is another language I don't understand at all or know how to pronounce the words. Everything here is in two languages: Welsh and English. And right around the point when I was cackling inside my helmet with glee because I could open up the throttle and not be soaked with water, I ran into Raglan Castle completely randomly. While exploring those ruins, I had a stupid little smirk on my face. I felt like a 25-year-old kid having the time of his life and feeling surges of adrenaline. It was bliss.

The rest of the way to Lampeter was beautiful scenery through Brecon Beacons National Park and drool-worthy roads on the final 10 miles north of the park. I stuck Danny's GoPro to the front of the bike, and I have some really cool footage too. Tomorrow I think I'll go to Snowdonia and hike Miners Trail at Snowdon for an hour or two. That's going to be an epic adventure.

And something I need to add as a final thought: Sion has given me a Belgian dark beer that is considered by many one of the best in the world. It's been aged 15 months. It has hints of chocolate and coffee and is creamy to me. It's 11.5 percent alcohol by volume but doesn't taste like it at all. Simply, this beer has blown my mind. Beer shouldn't taste like this. I want to come back tomorrow just to have this beer. Good host!

Until next time.