Having returned to school, my trip to Russia, Mongolia and China in the summer seems something of a distant memory. I do intend, however to spend some time, when I finally find some, to post some snippets from my travel journal. Some highlights to look forward to, so to speak, are the dubious lap-dancing club, my fiance dropping me during a piggy back race and the truly awful night I had to collect him from the foyer, where he was so drunk I couldn't get him in the lift on my own and spent almost an hour trying to keep him in the recovery position.

These 'interesting moments' were, thankfully, nothing to the exhileration of discovering new people, places and cultures, feeling the freedom of moving between countries (albeit restricted by 8 hour border crossings) and exploring the maps within my own head as we lulled through four days of Siberian landscape.

Now I'm back and into the old routines, I'm countering the wanderlust with a new interest. His name's Ollie and he has silver grey hair, hasn't actually touched my hand yet and will only eat the chocolate drops I give him when I'm not looking. I'm not sure whether watching my Syrian hamster spin endlessy in his wheel reminds me that I will travel once more when the summer holidays are upon us or, whether I am entertaining a sadistic passion - I can't go anywhere so why should he, but round and round.