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VirtualTourist Member illumina


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illumina   
"Without new experiences, something inside of us sleeps. The sleeper must awaken."


Real Name: Joss
Lives In: Bristol, UK
Birth Date: March 18, 1978
Member Since: Feb 06, 2006
Last Login: Apr 25, 2008   17:05 UTC
Member's Time: May 20, 2008   19:40 BST
VT Rank: 789
Deals Rank: 37
Travel Interests: Budget Travel, Historical Trip, Archeology, Festival, Other Eco-Tourism



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Frustrated Wanderlust

by illumina - last update: Mar 27, 2008

Making up for lost time...

I've longed to travel my whole life, but have only recently been able to afford to do much, after four years as an impoverished student and a further 3 years in an interesting, but abysmally low-paid, career (Archaeology).
I didn't leave the country at all till I was 20, which was only to go to Ireland for a week with University; and I didn't leave the British Isles til I was 24 when I jumped in at the deep end a bit, with a busman's holiday to go digging in Albania, stopping off on Corfu for a couple of days of relaxation at the end.
Arc de Triomphe, Paris, March 2005
In 2003 I went to Belgium, passing through France on the way, but that was it, until 2005, when I really threw myself into it, visiting six countries in the space of 9 months; and nary a travel agent in sight. There is something to be said for redundancy after all! I'm now (as of Jan 2007) back in Archaeology, but the desire to travel is still strong, so I'll have to live frugally and save up all my pennies. Hopefully at some point I'll have built up the funds (and the courage!) to go off for 6 months or more!

I'm gradually working on creating and updating pages for all the places I've visited; it's going to take me quite a while, I've got so much I'd like to say!

I also want to create pages for all the places I know and love in the UK. I think that travelling around and getting to know your own country is just as important as going abroad, and there is so much diversity within the British Isles.

Past Trips

1998

Ireland - Dublin, Limerick, Bunratty, Blarney, Cashel, Holycross, Newgrange, Tara, the Boyne Valley

2002

Albania - Sarande, Ksamili, Butrint, Gjirokaster
Corfu - Kerkyra (Corfu Town)

2003

Belgium - Dessel (Graspop Metal Meeting), passing through Northern France on the way

2005

France - Paris, Saint Denis - the first birthday I spent abroad; the first of many I hope and plan.
UK - Glastonbury
Belgium - Dessel (Graspop Metal Meeting)
Germany - Wacken (Open Air festival) passing through northern France, Belgium and Holland
Finland - Helsinki
Denmark - Copenhagen
Sweden - Malmö, Lund
Helsinki, Sep 2005
Me and the Black Sea!
2006

Italy - Rome. Another birthday trip!
UK - Cornwall
UK - Stratford and Kenilworth

2007

Turkey - Istanbul and the Bosphorus (birthday trip no. 3!)
Netherlands - Amsterdam
Czech Republic - Prague, Kutna Hora and Sedlec
Slovakia - Bratislava and Devin
Austria - Vienna

The last three were visited in a single trip: 'backpacking' around Central Europe for two weeks, travelling by train between cities. Great fun, and now I've found someone who loves travel as much as I do, hopefully short city breaks are a thing of the past. Follow my trip, starting with Prague.

2008

Egypt - Cairo, Alexandria, Aswan, Abu Simbel, Luxor and the Valley of the Kings.
Trip for the big 3-0!

Present...

I am always deliberating where to go next!

We're hoping to go off for a big trip next year, for at least 6 months. The route changes weekly though! (if you look at the wish-list below, you'll understand why!).

Future

I have a huge wishlist of places to visit:

Croatia (Dubrovnik and Split)
Hungary (Budapest)
Russia (St Petersburg, Moscow, Ekaterinburg... I want to travel on the Trans-Siberian railway.)
Estonia (Tallinn)
Norway
Iceland
Switzerland
Spain
Greece (Athens, Rhodes, Delphi...)
Ethiopia
Morocco
Tunisia
Libya (Leptis Magna, Qasr al Hajj)
Jordan (Petra)
Israel
India (Jaipur, Agra)
China
Japan
Mongolia
Kazakhstan
Uzbekistan
Kirghizstan
Iran
Afghanistan
South America (Machu Picchu)

oh, and lots of other places!
...
As an archaeologist with an enduring love of history, one of the main reasons I travel is to see 'old stuff'! I also have a somewhat morbid outlook, and love to wander around churches, cemeteries, crypts and catacombs. You can expect to see all of this illustrated in my tips, and as I also love to share knowledge, I try to write a bit about the background of the places I visit.

(This photo of me appeared in Current Archaeology!).
I also like to combine travel with another of my loves - music! I quite often visit places within the UK to see bands live (London and Nottingham most frequently) and have travelled to Belgium, Germany and Finland for gigs and festivals. This picture shows me with the singer of Sentenced at a signing at Wacken 2005.

I'll be returning to Germany for Wacken 2008! \m/\m/

illumina's Albums
Title [Click to view]Travel YearPictures
2005 travels- 6
2006 travels- 1
2007 travels- 6
2008 travels- 

Comments for illumina
luckyzen Thu Apr 3, 2008 18:38 UTC
 Hi Joss, Sorry that I missed your Birthday......So, Happy Belated Birthday! Hoping that your day was a good one & wishing you many more! Best regards.
takla73 Fri Mar 21, 2008 15:37 UTC
 Happy Birthday Joss and have a nice day Greeting from Alexandria Egypt Mary ANN and TAKLA
leics Wed Mar 19, 2008 22:00 UTC
 Happy birthday.....hope it's a good one! Best, J
BeatChick Wed Mar 19, 2008 12:45 UTC
 Happy Birthday, Joss!!
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