Gaining big things from overseas travel

Five memories of O/S

1. In America I tried Kosher Sausage. Camp Lindenmere was a Yiddish camp in the Poconos one hour from Philly and an hour from New York . Food is one thing you never forget, or one thing that your tastebuds never forgive you for. Kosher food is made from animals who have had their throats slit and are bled out because its the belief that's the more humane way of killing.

I tried Jewish synagogue which is a lot like Christianity but without Jesus. I learnt all about Barmitzvah how they cost the average Jewish parent 20 grand. I tried food called Briss. They tell me it was Brisk not Briss and no circumcision went into its making.. I learnt that a JAP was a Jewish American Princess. I liked a Jewish boy. He wanted to be a doctor. We lasted a week.

2. In London I went to the same mosque as Cat Stevens ( Yusuf Islam). I wore a headscarf on my head and was directed to the female side of the service. The men conducted the service on one side while the women watched the service on the other side on video.

I went to the mosque with my friend Muhammad a 34 year old never been kissed virgin who is waiting for that right girl to marry. And I met a girl about my age who took off her full-length headscarf in the company of women only. She was stunning. She took me to the room where the women prayed. It was the size of a family Ford car. We looked down on the room where the men prayed. It was a palace.

3. I travelled to Scotland by myself. One thing a 22 year old female should never do o/s is travel alone. Scotland is harmless, yes it does have a bad history. Have you seen Braveheart? But it's come a long way since then. In Scotland I stayed in Edinburgh in a hostel for only 13 pounds a night. Bargin!! I meet two American boys from Phoenix and we hit it off straight away.

I looked for Loch Ness, I tried Haggis (Yuk) and I realised that staying in a hostel equals good night. P.S Just don't spend the night looking for a Scottish guy in a kilt wearing no underwear just for the fun of lifting it up!

4. I met my cousins in Ireland. Wait Wait Wait… before you stop reading it's not that boring. Read on for a bit. My cousins are missionaries and a bit far removed from my own family. My family own a winery. They don't drink but my brother and my two cousins and I hit it off.

Nothing should be a barrier between families. I admit it was a bit strange to go to church and hear how evil Jerry Springer is. My brother, a vegetarian, ate his first steak in ten years just to be polite. And as a parting gift they gave us a Bible. And what did we do in turn? We took them to their first Irish pub.

5. The regulars at my Norfolk Pub. You know you are a regular when you sit down at the bar and your favourite beer has already been poured. Meet Colin. Known for his big tongue. Boy did he love to show it off to the ladies. Colin had recently retired from a nursing home in Norwich. He had a lady friend in London that he visited once a month. He spent the other 28 days at the pub.

On special occasions Colin was allowed a Stella (Drink known for making him go crazy). Meet John. One of the richest men in the town, but also one of the tightest. Instead of buying condiments John would steal them from the pub. The day beer went up 10 p I think John almost broke down in tears. He had a mail order bride from Thailand. I never did meet her. My friend Dave?

Dave cleaned the pub. He and his wife spent only weekends together. During the week he drank and lived with Colin. Special little pair those two, but boy did they make me laugh. Ahh the memories.