From Russia with love

Thanks to my newest set of dorm-mates, I am now wandering the foggy paths on the far side of exhaustion. I came home late last night to find the entry to the dorm physically barred with some massive object on the other side of the door. After pushing and knocking, I heard people shuffling around. I left for a few minutes and then opened the door to find my departed medley of backpackers replaced by seven huge tanned men, each wearing only a small slip of leather.

For the entire night, this cabal of Russians talked, and yelled, and laughed, and snored in anti-harmony: sounding like a collection of gas-fired saws all grinding around on rusty bearings. Thanks to their decision to wake up at six and spend the next four hours talking loudly in the room, I honestly got no sleep before having to vacate the hostel. And tonight is Saturday… The chances of my having enough presence of mind to manage the trek to the Aran Islands are not perfect.

PS. Unable to find a hostel in the Aran Islands that can take me for less than forty Euros a night, I’ve decided to book a place at the Sleepzone in Galway. I don’t particularly want to spend a lot of my time here calling and emailing various hostels, anyhow. From there, I will hopefully be able to do a daytrip to the Aran Islands on Monday. I will learn from the ticket office there how feasible that will prove.

Author: Milan

In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. In the fall of 2005, I began reading for an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford. Outside school, I am very interested in photography, writing, and the outdoors. I am writing this blog to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, provide a more personal view of graduate student life in Oxford, and pass on some lessons I've learned here. View all posts by Milan