Travelling transition and the Manics.

It is curiously appropriate that when I sat down to write this at my computer, as ever, the first thing I did was hit the spacebar to continue whatever was playing on my iTunes before I last left the computer and on this occasion it was The Manic Street Preachers' 'Further Away'. Not wanting to further examine the lyrics, the title itself is satsifying enough as a form of 'omen' or 'signal', call it what you like. It just struck me as appropriate.

Anyway, that time has finally arrived and I am off on my travels tomorrow. In fact, in 24 hours I will, with any luck, be about to board my flight to Bangkok, Thailand. Thailand being the first of our ports of call on our seven month, round the world trip encompassing three continents and at least five countries. So, commencing in Thailand, we then move on to Australia, New Zealand, America and Canada over the ensuing six and a bit (seven is so much easier to say) months. Now, clearly, we have a much more detailed itinerary than that, but I will spare you the intricacies.
Suffice to say, we travel around quite a lot in all of the countries listed above and any recommendations for things to do that are off the beaten path or perhaps missed by all but the most savvy of backpackers would be more than welcome. Certainly from my end of things anyway.
I will be posting photos from our travels and reporting, in some detail on what we get up to and where we go, as and when I can. I have no idea, however, how often I will have access to the internet and so you will have to just wait, patiently! So, having said a last few, not entirely easy goodbyes I will put the travelling to one side for the moment.

Not much to report fashion/style-wise to be honest. I have had one or two other things on my mind. Although popping up to London today did give me and always appreciated opportunity to dress up. Involving a combination of Black Watch colours and a chance to get out the good old full-length umbrella and look the true British gentleman, strolling purposefully around, tapping away, even though it wasn't really raining. One can never be to sure in this climate, you know! Oh, that and I found this delightful blog: www.unabashedlyprep.com, which, as you might imagine, is an American blog that focuses on the Ivy League Style, as sported by the likes of JFK and the myriad other Ivy League Alumni. It is always fascinating to open up another world of fashion and particularly one that is so well known and well entrenched in a society that is so close to ours and yet seems to have had surprisingly little, obvious, impact on us.

Musically, I have been enjoying the Manic Street Preachers recently, largely due to the coverage on the BBC Red Button that I stumbled across the other evening, while bored. Given that 'This Is My Truth, Tell Me Yours' was one of the first CDs I ever owned, they have been sorely neglected. Particularly as I appear to have given away or lost the aforementioned album rather foolishly. Nevermind, I am well and truly re-enamoured and enjoying the lyrical highlights and curiously catchy glam-punk(?) and would urge anyone who enjoys the likes of Stereophonics, Ash or, dare I say it, Oasis to check them out or pursue them further if you haven't already. From the Unabashedly Prep blog linked above, I discovered the American band Locksley, whose song 'The Whip, features on this excellent video for Tommy Hilfiger: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZDW14VxRXM and if you like bands like The Strokes, or any of the British Invasion bands I advise you to check them out.

For the moment, Joe out, but expect many more colourful and envy-making posts in the not-too-distant future!