Bath, grinding out the dissertation and a shrunken Earth

11/8 - It's dissertation time. It's my final assignment, so I should be focused on that. But no. It's me we're talking about.

I should have been working on it this weekend, but I ended up having a picnic in Bath and watching air balloons in Bristol with my new friends I met through that Couchsurfing meetup last week. We took the same road to Bath as I did when I rode there on a motorcycle, only this time it was sunny. I have to say, wow. That road is tight and curvy with lots of blind corners! The more I think about it, that was stupid to rent a bike and just go, in the middle of a storm as well. But it was the best decision I made this year; I'll look back at that trip with fondness forever.

14/8 - The dissertation is slowly coming along. I've been holed up in the same lab as Danny while he grinds away, editing his documentaries. It's good to be around people during this process. You're still focused, but you can easily socialize if you need a break. It's my final assignment before I'm able to disassociate myself from this money-grabbing school, uh, I mean "university."

Bill told me yesterday he went to his first AA meeting. I don't think he will completely stop, as in he will have a drink now and then (just one), but he needs to get a grip on this because he's a completely different person once he finishes three pints of beer. And now that I'm thinking about it, the British drink so much compared to other countries I've visited such as Spain. They make themselves miserable! So, being his friend, I'll support him and not bring alcohol with me when we watch football on Sunday.

I'm so close to moving away from the UK. I move forward with no regrets, and these past 11 months were fully taken advantage of. It's been an incredible year, something that exceeded even my own expectations. The best thing wasn't the traveling; it was meeting people from all over the world, thus shrinking planet Earth. If I want to go to India, I have friends there. The same goes for Thailand, Greece, Lebanon, UK, Central and South America, Africa and everywhere else in Asia. These past 11 months have ignited a traveling sickness, one that won't be cured. Ever. The best way to treat it is to visit more places and meet more people.

I'm looking forward to returning to Porterville, especially because I'm this close to snagging a 2008 Honda CBR1000RR for a fraction of what it's worth, which is about $7,000. If nothing else, I can flip it for profit. But just imagine: riding the curves of the Sequoia National Park with massive Redwoods towering over you.... The second go-round should be fun. Plus, there's a 25-year-old guy working for the Recorder now who likes to hike and be active. Plus, I'll get a raise from both the Recorder and Bleacher Report.

Bring it on, Cali.