I said I would be doing travel posts on my blog, about many different places and cultures, and so I will. Basically, I just looked up 'countries of the world' on Google, chose one, and researched a bit. I was going to start with Afghanistan, for the simple reason that it begins with A and hardly anyone knows of its insane beauty, but no matter where you go, there are very few pictures that don't have some element of war in them and that aren't copyrighted. So I'll return to Afghanistan some other time. Preferably when the war has ended.
Instead, I am going to talk about somewhere I have always wanted to go. The Marquesas Islands, one of the largest groups of islands in French Polynesia, can be found (can - what am I on about? Like sometimes they're there and sometimes they just disappear!) between 400 and 600 miles South of the equator (that big invisible line that runs round the middle of the world, for anyone who never did Geography). There are 10 main islands (according to Wikipedia - I'm not a travel journalist I just dream of travelling, so don't have a go at me). These are (from NW to SE):
- Hatutaa
- Motu One
- Eiao
- Nuku Hiva
- Ua Huka
- Ua Pou
- Hiva Oa
- Tahuata
- Moho Tani
- Fatu Hiva
I seriously hope someone appreciates this. Do you have any idea how long it took me to copy all those names?!?! I love them though. I think my favourite is Ua Huka or Hatutaa :)
Anyway, on with the imaginary journey. I could tell you loads of stuff about the first settlers (Polynesians, predating 100AD), but that doesn't interest me so tough. If that's what you want, go somewhere else. This is my blog, and I'll tell it the way I want, with lots of rambling on about random stuff (like now).
The Marquesas are an extremely remote group of islands, about 852 miles (that looks tiny in the atlas - my god the world must be huge!) away from Tahiti, that exotic place that I don't care about but lots of people do. Together, the Marquesas Islands cover over 1 thousand square miles (that's a lot).
Te Henua Enana (North Marquesan) and Te Fenua Enata (South Marquesan), as they are called in the native Marquesan language, which, I'm guessing, is Marquesan, both mean 'The Land of Men'. I'm not sure whether to get annoyed because it sounds sexist or imagine loads of buildings. Neither. I'm too busy.
Okay, I'm bored with all the geographical stuff already. I'm going to tell this how I see it.
Basically, the Marquesas Islands are a group of totally lush islands (never!) found in French Polynesia in the South Pacific. Basically, go to Peru in South America (I thought Peru was in Asia until I was about 11!), and head left for ages. You never know. You might fins it.
Well, the Marquesas are completely lush. They are not famous for anything much, as far as I know, but you should go there because they are truly gorgeous. If you don't believe me, have a look at the pics below :-)
Okay, several things I should say here:
1. I don't know which pic is from which island or whatever, except that the last one is Fatu Hiva.
2. This post is completely crap and I will do the next country properly, but tbh this one is rushed because I have 4 different essays to learn off by heart by tomorrow and Wednesday plus Maths homework, and also I am extremely tired because I have spent the weekend looking after a friend who got beaten up so badly he was in hospital. I do apologise though. I will put every effort into making sure the next post is a good one.
3. There should be more pics, and better organised I know. Look at number 2 for the reason.
I honestly have nothing else to say except, if you ever feel like buying someone an island, remember I love you and also I love the Marquesas ;-)
Hey everyone
This is my first ever post so 1) it's not gonna be great and 2) i'm basically just going to introduce myself and talk a bit about what I'll be talking a bit about on here :-)
My name is Alex. I'm fourteen 1/2 years old, 15 next April. I am average height, with spiky light brown hair and turquoise eyes. I live in a small village in South Wales, and there's really almost nothing here except houses. I live with my parents. We don't get on, especially me and my mother. Umm...the school that I go to is (or was) a right dump with a bad reputation, but we all love it anyways, and right now it's being completely rebuilt basically so there's huge construction vehicles and big fences everywhere. It's a nightmare to get to lessons because there's only one way to get from the lower school to the upper school and there's over 1 1/2 thousand people trying to get to their lessons. Disasters loom around those corners...
Anyway...umm I am quite smart (when I want to be), funny, curious about many things, obsessed with my dreams, quite gobby / chopsy, and a natural leader, or so people tell me. I am crap at almost all sports except for swimming and trampolining! I love cooking, art, randomly doodling on anything and everything (my arms, school books), and I love writing stories. Unfortunately, I, like everyone else, have flaws. Mine are that I let my emotions carry me away, I care too much about certain things, I see the bigger picture more than the details and I often over-think or don't think at all. However, I am very forgiving and I have definite goals in life. Also, I see things differently to every other person I've ever known, and I like that.
I have huge dreams for my future. I want to 1) travel 2) be a well-known author 3) have children 4) marry a hippie boy with long blonde hair and ocean blue eyes and 5) change the world. I am adamant that I will travel, have children and change the world. If I'm honest, I care more about travelling than anything else. It is my life and I have dreamed about travelling since I was literally 4 or 5 years old. It kills me that I'm not travelling, and makes me extremely depressed quite often, but I am working my way up to it. When I'm older, I want to buy a VW Camper or a boat. Probably the camper.
Oh yeah -- something important that I almost forgot. I always wear odd socks. And like, properly odd, not just mismatching. I'm well weird. Today, my socks are a cow print black, blue and white one, and a rainbow striped, if anybody's interested. Obviously not, but you know...socks are a part of my soul!!! Sorry, dramatic moment over...for now ;-)
On this blog I'm going to be talking about current affairs, hot topics, travel, things I think are important, and maybe even a little celebrity gossip, though it won't be much. I might even put some short stories / poems in if inspiration strikes. I will give my opinion in as much of an unbiased way as I can (good luck with that Al) and I'll be entirely honest with you all about what I think.
There will be no schedule for when I post, it will just be when I remember (uh oh!) and when I have something important that I want to talk about.
It would be nice to have people following my blog, but I don't expect a huge amount of people will be interested in what a stroppy 14-year-old transgendered kid has to say. But I solemnly swear to do my best to make posts interesting and to make them often.
Oh well, I should start getting ready for school now since my bus comes insanely early nowadays. If I remember, I'll be on later with my first official post. If not, you probably won't see me for about a month because I'll forget completely.
That's all for now folks. See ya later :-)
