Iran pt.2

Applied for an Iranian visa last week, will take another two or three weeks to see if my app has been succesful. If i don't get it, i'll just head to Jordan or Syria instead via Turkey, depending on time etc.

While typing this i'm waiting for the finance form for University to finish printing out. 48 pages. Joy. Pizza later though, after i have cooked it. .

Travel plans.

Well i'm planning a little trip, by train, ending up in India if all goes to plan. First of all i'll be getting a train to Paris, where i'll run (not literally) across the city to Montparnasse, catching a sleeper train to Lisbon and then on to Tavira. Then a succesion of trains will go take us to Italy, the czech republic, and Greece. Then i'll be going on to Turkey, which is where things will get complicated. If i can secure an Iranian visa before i go, i'll be catching another sleeper to Tehran, which shall serve as a base for exploring the country. Seeing as i'll be starting a Classics degree in September i'd quite like to see the tomb of Daris and Cyrus, not to mention the ruins of Persepolis. Then, again if all goes to plan, i'd like to continue on to India.. via Pakistan, which worries me slightly what with the terrorism and US air strikes and all. Then i'll be able to explore India for a while.

What shall i do if i can't get an Iranian visa? Well perhaps then i'll have to head to Moscow!

Snow days.

Snow seems to have crippled the United Kingdom. While other European countries regularly continue functioning through several feet of snow, England is crippled by 7 inches. It's fun though, if the definition of fun is extreme difficulty. Yesterday i cleared the path of snow in order to allow better access to the compost heap, i managed it - just, but it's left me pretty much crippled today due to extreme fatigue. The joys of CFS i suppose. Attempted to build a snowman, but my efforts have been easily outshadowed by the 8foot monster several neighbouring families have constructed out the front. It even has a reflective jacket on.

Completed Gears of War 2 a short while ago, somewhat easy ending. I'm suprised. Still, got many other games to get through yet. Resuming Mass Effect as i type this.

Solace.

Through invisible corridors for uncounted hours

searching for contentment and the restless fix of rushed words and

replies of strangers.

Esoteric information rushed to lone individuals 

locked away

devoid of meaning.

Obama.

Great inaugeration, inspiring speech, just got to see whether the expectations placed upon him are too high now. I'm sure he'll be great, but whether the Republicans will make life hard for him.

On a related note, justice roberts fluffed his lines when swearing him in. I laughed.

Existence before essence.

Life is pretty damned pointless. We're condemned to be free, as Sartre said, therefore any solace is of our own finding, there is no greater purpose, existence precedes essence in humanity's case. So, we're in the position where any meaning in our lives is left to be found by ourselves, there i am hitting a problem. I'm finding no meaning in life. I have everything, lots of time to myself, great friends - heck, i'm happyish with who i am, i'm intelligent, look reasonable when i'm not looking exhausted and have been told repeatedly i'm a nice guy. Sure, i don't have a girlfriend but.. well let's not go there.

I'm going travelling soon, meet up with a friend, hopefully explore a bit and get to Morocco eventually. We'll see if that satiates the void.

Social interaction.

I've discovered it's not as scary as i thought. Actually rather fun. How about that, people were right!