Final Year: All Change

It's been three and a half years since I started university, and a lot has changed - these are the bits that are most interesting to write about.

The rest is just waffle about how I've grown as a person. 

Walking to uni everyday

To anyone who has never been to Bath, you'll just have to take my word for it when I say this is a big step. For the two years I lived here I was pretty sure walking up the hill just wasn't possible. I knew people did it, but I was pretty sure those people were professional hill-walkers. People whose level of fitness so exceeded mine that if I attempted to walk up the hill I would, in fact, be found days later by a police search party, about halfway up Widcombe hill, collapsed from over-exertion. They would sigh and say things like: 'I wish these students didn't think they could just walk up the hill, on a whim, without proper preparation'. It takes me about half an hour to do and its great exercise, although the soon-to-be icy ground coupled with my tendency to hit the ground might mean I have to take a seasonal break over the winter. 

Dying my hair (again)

 I said I'd never do it again in second year and I lied. Despite the traumatic experience of trying to dye the ends of my hair only for the colour not to make it past the first wash, it's actually been a very positive experience and I'm thoroughly enjoying having slightly lighter ends of hair. 

Being a feminist

 I know that I believe in choice on every front, but I really want to understand what feminism means to me, and I'm still learning and forming my opinions every single day. So I just read everything I see and take it all in, and I decide what I feel comfortable with and what I don't and why. So I challenge myself as well as everything around me, and whilst that can be pretty frustrating it's also given me a new lease of life when it comes to my degree subject. I want to take in all of the information and challenge it and talk about it and think about it differently and it's great. What I don't want to do and is significantly less great is write 13,000 words by the end of January. Which leads me on to...

Becoming a resident passive-aggressive in the library

If you'd have told me 3 months ago that I would be intentionally setting up seats for people that don't exist in order to avoid other people sitting at a table with me in the library, I would have been horrified. Now things are different, now I would probably rather pull out my own eyes than sit with a stranger for an entire day whilst I'm trying to read/write. Now everyone else can fuck off. 
Also, some people really need to Google before they speak; I am regularly offended on behalf of all of those books by the absolute lack of brain.

Working in the library all day

Whilst apparently terrible for my social skills, this has been fantastic for my work ethic. I didn't know I could work all day, I didn't think I had the capacity to do my subject for anything more than the 4-hour lecture block allocated to me on a Monday morning. Turns out I can read and write all day long, albeit with a slight abandonment of social niceties. 

Being nicer to myself
So not constantly comparing myself to other people, especially people I don't know, because that's not only unhealthy but also a really weird thing to do. I know that if someone formed an opinion on what my life was like having not actually spoken to me about it, they'd probably be wrong. I am almost definitely wrong every time I do the same. Also not being intensely critical of myself about things that aren't important, like that I don't do sport, or maths, or molecular physics. I know I could do those things, but right now I'm doing other things, and that there is a difference between deciding not to develop those skills, and actually being incapable.
Except sport, I am just incapable when it comes to sport.
But I'm okay with that.

Really thinking about the future
And initially really, really freaking out. If you're in final year and you're imagining everyone else has these grand plans and ambitions for success, then you're just plain wrong. No one knows what they're doing, and even if they've been offered something they previously thought they wanted to do they'll probably still change their mind in around 3 weeks and start applying to things all over again.
I like to think of it as a combination of hedging my bets and being incredibly indecisive.
Despite all the stress and time it takes up, I have to admit it's pretty exciting.

xx

5 OF THE BEST: COMEDY

Sorry summer has been so bad for this blog, I've been super busy with job hunting and life planning and trips away and writing (although not nearly as much as I'd like). I plan to be more organised once term starts again!

#1 Wag the Dog

This is probably one of my favourite films of all time, but I wouldn't recommend it if you want to be cheered up. One of the best black comedies out there and if you were a fan of Dr. Strangelove, then you have to see this. In the context of the subsequent Lewinsky scandal and the bombing of a pharmaceuticals factory in Sudan it really rings true. In terms of media spin and governmental timing, it's as relevant now as it was then. Dustin Hoffman and Robery de Niro make a great time, and watch out for a young Kirsten Dunst. 

If this sounds like your sort of thing then Thank you for Smoking is also great. 

#2 Monty Python and the Holy Grail 

As above there are plenty of other films I could have substituted in this recommendation, but this just happens to be my favourite - especially after I saw Spamalot live for the first time last year. I don't need to talk about how good anything Monty Python is and I highly doubt I'm recommending this to anyone who hasn't seen it. In fact it's more likely that you haven't seen all four series of Monty Python's Flying Circus, so go and watch those instead, then watch the film again. Then go and see Spamalot if you have the chance, because things are always better live. 

#3 The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!

Again, Airplane could have easily gone here instead but since it was only on TV last week I felt like this was a more useful suggestion. Leslie Nielsen and Priscilla Presley are excellent and you will laugh from beginning to end as the film is surreal bordering on the absolutely ridiculous. Now this is something you should watch if you want to be cheered up at the end of a long day. There are also two follow-ups and although nothing can replace the original, they certainly don't fall as flat as most comedy sequels; so give those a go too. 

#4 Four Lions

After trying to explain this to people who don't live in Britain, it has become evident to me that this is something that only a British audience could find funny on premise alone. Written by the fantastic Chris Morris, it's at the same time hilarious and a little bit uncomfortable in places. It shouldn't be funny at all but it's too sharp to feel uninformed and too poignant to be out-and-out satire. 

#5 In the Loop

I think I love The Thick of It, Armando Iannucci and the entire cast of this film so much it would have been impossible for me to dislike it. Outside of my obvious bias though, the film is great and I would go so far as to say there isn't a weak moment or character in the entire thing. An amazing performance by James Gandolfini and a must-see if you're a fan of the late Sopranos actor, yet another example of what a great loss to acting he was. Watch it at the moment and have all the relevant context you need without needing to cast your mind back to 2003.

Films that just missed the cut: Shaun of the Dead, The Ladykillers, The Producers, This Is Spinal Tap.

xx

5 OF THE BEST: DOCUMENTARIES

#1 The Times of Harvey Milk

For anyone who prefers the actual testimonies of people who were there over the theatrical release, this is a collection of news footage and interviews from the people closest to Harvey Milk during his election campaign and the city's reaction to his assimilation. The film is moving now, so you can only imagine the impact it would have had in 1984, just 6 years after Milk's death, and the rawness of the incident runs through every anecdote the interviewees share. A topic that is just as prevalent now as it was 20 years ago, making this documentary even more saddening in its continued relevance.

#2 Food Inc. 

Years before Europe found out there was horse meat in its beef, America was fighting cases against contaminated meat and grains, and farmers were being taken to court over seeds carried into their fields by the wind. Director Robert Kenner spent a large portion of the film's budget on protecting himself and his researchers from lawsuits by large food corporations, which is surely the sign of an informative documentary if nothing else. Whilst the segment on meat production might not resonate with audiences outside of the US, the following piece on the unsustainable reliance on grain (both in our food, and livestock feed), is relevant for everyone.

Watch it, and take absolutely ages to do your shopping from now on.

Know more: http://www.fixfood.org/

#3 Inside Job

Thanks to a very good friend, I finally saw this, and it was well worth the wait. If you thought you couldn't understand what caused the global economic crisis, and as a result couldn't form an opinion on it, then this film will change your mind. In-depth analysis of the background to the crisis, the collapse of the banks, and the global response - and a great number of stumped interviewees. Whilst the film has an obvious bias, the people who declined to be interviewed and what is said by the ones who didn't, speaks for itself. 

#4 Home

Basically all those incredible aerial shots they show you at the beginning of documentaries compiled into one film with a fantastically informative voice over. Saying any more would ruin it for you, but the documentary set out to highlight how interconnected all earth's inhabitants, and the problems they face are; and it certainly achieves that. 

#5 We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks

A must-see for anyone who even thought they might have had an opinion on either Wikileaks or Julian Assange. Whatever side you fell down on before, this film will lead you closer to the mid-ground and largely feeling just plain confused. A closer look at Assange himself and soldier turned Wikileaks informant, Bradley Manning, An in-depth look at all the prominent events in the development of Wikileaks, but there are no conclusions here. With both Manning and Assange awaiting criminal charges, it is still far too soon to tell what effect these events will have on government intelligence and its relationship with technology.

Coming soon...Salinger

 Incredibly reclusive during his lifetime, so it will be incredibly interesting to see what this film contains. Even if it already feels like a massive invasion of privacy.

xx

5 OF THE BEST: HORROR

#1 Silent Hill

As video game to film adaptations go, this easily outstrips all of its competitors, and for that you can thank its director Christophe Gans. Gans not only had the sound developer from Konami flown to the set, he also played the game on a 40-inch screen in front of the entire cast and crew so they could get a feel for the game and emulate it in their work. What a hero. On top of its excellent development process, the film is also different to nearly everything in its genre because it has an actual plot, with a twist and character development and alternate dimensions and everything.

Also the creepy family who live in Silent Hill have the last name Gillespie, which is just great.

#2 Friday the 13^th

Questionable moral lessons and killing scenes with excessive amounts of blood are here, it’s definitely an eighties slasher. If you have sex, well, I hope it was good, because it's the last thing you'll ever do. Smoking weed? Better enjoy that joint, because you're about to be stabbed in the face. The acting is hilariously dreadful, look forward to the scene where one of the boys pretends to drown, and get a lesson in how not to react in a potential crisis. It’s awful in every sense of the word and you really have to see the sequel to at all understand the story behind the monster, but all this aside, it’s still an absolutely great experience in horror film history.

#3 World War Z

A zombie film that also examines the geo-political outcomes of a worldwide epidemic. I don’t think there’s anything I didn't like about this film (although the scene with the bikes still confuses me) and Peter Capaldi’s appearance half way through just made it all the more enjoyable. No loose ends but enough twists and turns to keep you going in a film that stands alone from the book it’s based on as a piece of art in its own right. I can’t explain how much I enjoyed this, I might even buy the DVD.

Further reading: The Zombie Survival Guide (2014 release), The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks, and World War Z

#4 The Blair Witch Project

I tried to stay away from the obvious choices but if you’re not mentally scarred for days after watching this then you’re just not human. The cast were given no direction before they were sent out into the woods with cameras for eight days, with only notes along the way to guide them, and the crew harassing them by night; so the stress and the exhaustion are all real. By far the scariest thing is watching the characters deteriorate mentally until basically the only dialogue is heavy breathing and yelling; leaving it more distressing than obviously terrifying. 

Also the house at the ends reminds me of the interior of my place in Brussels - bloody hand prints aside obviously. 

#5 REC

Almost as terrifying as #4 and there’s something about people yelling in Spanish and needing to use subtitles which just makes you more on edge than usual. My fun fact about this film is that the creepy girl at the end is also played by horror film legend (and actual person) Javier Botet, who plays creepy elongated women like no other (also see Mama). Basically everyone you get attached to in this film (and the sequels) will die, so don’t watch if you’re having a bad day. Or if you’re planning to visit any apartment blocks in Barcelona.

The one you should see – The Conjuring

Having spent most of the film with my eyes shut I can’t tell you a whole lot about it apart from the fact it’s absolutely terrifying. Not wanting to become a spoiler, I won’t say much, but the addition of the outside characters is nice, the birds are a little unnecessary, and the make-up department did an excellent job.

The one I want to see – V/H/S

Found footage. An omnibus of found footage. An omnibus of found footage with a plot arc and two people fainted when it was premièred at the Toronto Film Festival. There is nothing about this that means I don’t absolutely have to see it. V/H/S 2 was released earlier this year but not in the UK, although I'm told it has nothing on the original, and experience has taught me you don’t have to bother with sequels/prequels if they’re no good. So just stick with V/H/S and get scared silly.

Coming Soon – ­­­­­You’re Next

Okay so you've seen the trailer, and you think it looks exactly like The Strangers. You’d be right, it does; a wholesome family evening ruined by a home invasion by masked killers, but don’t you remember how good last time was? This looks to be more of the same and I think it's going to be incredible. 

xx

LUST LIST

I couldn't do a month of fashion posts without having a list of everything I wish I had...

Leather Holdall: Topshop, £65

Bikini: Warehouse, £14 (top) & £12 (bottoms)

Bomber jacket: Warehouse, £65

Dresses: Hearts & Bows @ Ark, £26.99

Jumper: Illustrated People, £50

Jumper: WeAreHairyPeople @ ASOS Marketplace, £36

Skirt: Cameo Rose @ New Look, £14.99

Crop Top: Neon Rose @ Ark, £14.99

T-shirt: Topshop, £12

Trainers: Nike @ Office, £65

Earrings: Louche @ Joy, £6

New theme coming for August on Thursday! 

xx

FASHION IS BAD FOR US

Or more importantly, the policing of fashion is bad for us, and recently, it seems to be getting quite a lot of airtime. 

Summer is notoriously bad for body fascism. People are wearing less clothing and baring more skin and as a result, everyone more open to criticism than at any other time of year. 

The phrase 'no one wants to see that' gets thrown around so that it's a wonder we don't have an epidemic of people sticking pins in their eyes. Or vigilante groups throwing carefully positioned sarongs over anyone who has the indecency to not have the body of an Olympic athlete. 

Etiquette consultant William Hanson recently called exposed flesh 'revolting' and 'appalling'. Although it's little wonder that a man who makes his living teaching outdated modes of behaviour doesn't appreciate the trend towards wearing less, he isn't alone, and that's a bit worrying. People will always have different tastes, and it’s not unhealthy to have a personal preference towards being more covered up; but it is unhealthy to be obsessed with how other people are dressed. 

There's a big difference between having an opinion on someone's outfit, and deciding on their right to wear it. We're naturally judgemental, and you're bound to see someone and think they look bad in what they're wearing at some point. That's perfectly fine. 

What isn't perfectly fine is thinking that you are an omniscient being who knows exactly how all clothes should look and which body types should and shouldn't be allowed to wear certain types of print/cut/materials. 

We didn't get these opinions from thin air though, they're all around us. Every fashion magazine and TV programme has an opinion on what you should wear depending on your size and shape, and we're not just listening, we're taking it all in. 

I can't say my times tables off the top of my head, but I can tell you that horizontal hoops will make you look wider, and vertical ones will do the opposite. Apparently.

On the face of it, this is all useful advice, meant to help us feel better about ourselves, right?

But has it made us cruel? Why do we have so much disdain for people who dare to bare, or wear tight clothing, or potentially unflattering prints? Surely that's their decision, and surely something can't actually offend your eyes.

The worst thing is that it hasn't just made us hard on other people, it's made us hard on ourselves, and no time is worse for this self-criticism than the summer. Because apparently as soon as it's more physically comfortable for us to have more skin on show, every inch of that skin needs to be honed and toned to perfection. We each have our own little Daily Mail ‘sidebar of shame’ in our heads, and the most featured face there is usually our own; because we think we know what looks good now, and we think we know what we have to look like to be ‘allowed’ to be happy with ourselves.

A 'summer body' isn't a thing. Neither is a 'bikini body' or any other type of body that suggests it's necessary for you to be less than completely satisfied with the way you look all year round.

Likewise, anything constitutes an outfit, if you feel happy walking down the street in it, then that's enough, and everyone else should be more concerned with their own lives. The amount of skin you’re showing is not anyone else’s concern, and the only thing it says about you is what you like wearing.

Leggings and a bra? An outfit. Denim hot pants and a crop top? Also an outfit. A sheer dress? Still an outfit. 

No matter what size. No matter what shape. No matter how much skin is on show.

xx

Dressing is hard when it's hot.

Dressing in the summer is hard, I don't know what to do, and I'm so suspicious of the weather in the UK I always carry another layer in my bag just in case. 

So here's a quick list of things I'll be doing, socially acceptable or not, just because it's hot. 

• Wearing sunglasses on the bus/inside building that are made entirely of glass - because I think it's important that I don't go blind. 
• Wearing black - because most of my skirts are black, and they're cooler than jeans. 
• Sunbathing in my bra instead of a bikini top - because they're the same; exactly the same.
• Wearing tops I used to use as 'for underneath things' tops as 'wear on their own' tops - because I can't be dealing with layers in this heat. 
• Have my feet on show, even though I think they're awful - because it's hot. 
• Wearing my hair up all the time/never styling it - because there's so much of it and it makes my head so warm and I don't want to put hot things near me either.
• Having an uneven tan - because I move around a lot when I'm sat down and it just happened.
• Wearing the same outfits every week - because I was born and raised in Northern England, and as a result my summer wardrobe is not extensive.

More OOTDs: 

Top: New Look

Jeans: ASOS

Necklace: Dorothy Perkins

Watch: Casio

Shirt: A freebie from Cayla's wardrobe

Top: New Look

Shorts: Urban Outfitters

Top: New Look

Skirt: White Label at TK Maxx

Necklace: Urban Outfitters

In other news I baked some scones today, from a recipe which was apparently 'perfect for unexpected guests' as it can be ready in '20 minutes'. 

Now I've got to take issue with this, mainly because 10 minutes of those 20 are meant to be when the scones are in the oven, and it definitely takes longer than 10 minutes to prepare everything in this recipe. 

But also I don't know who these 'unexpected guests' are, or why I'm baking for them; because if people just appeared at my door I would not be running off to make them scones, and I don't think I'd need to.

Either I'd know them well enough to not want to be absent for 20 minutes to pointlessly bake scones, or I don't know them that well and why have they arrived at my house unannounced and  I'm definitely not running some sort of middle-class soup kitchen.  

And that's all for now, I'm going to see Taming of the Shrew at Kirkstall Abbey tonight, so the weather is very welcome, and I'm taking scones. 

Pre-prepared scones for an entirely pre-prepared occasion.

xx

Everything under £5

I'm going to be honest; I have bad skin. 

I always have, not just on my face, on my shoulders and back as well.

It's been like that since I was about 13; I've tried basically every skincare product ever sold. 

I'm still trying them now, but I have formed one very stringent rule about what I will and won't put on my face; it can't cost over £5. 

Not my face wash, not my make up, nothing. 

Because it's pointless, for me at least, how expensive the product is has never once made it work any better than anything else. I think I thought for a while that that was why I still had bad skin, because I couldn't afford anything more expensive than the brands they stock in supermarkets. 

Numerous birthday and Christmas presents have taught me otherwise; expensive skincare products might look better, but there's a limit to what the same ingredients in a different bottle can do.

So this is what I use:

Simple Moisturiser & Toner: 

 I couldn't recommend the Simple products enough, for starters this is probably the only moisturiser I've ever owned to not make my skin break out, and the toner also smells lovely. 

I usually make my own toner with Tea Tree oil and water but these were on a BOGOF offer at Tesco.

I also broke the bottle for my toner on the train to Edinburgh when my bag nearly fell on my head. 

Superdrug Tea Tree Facial Scrub:

 This facial scrub was a Christmas stocking filler - so yes, my skin is actually that difficult, I must have received at least 10 products aimed at my skin for Christmas last year (just from my family, no one else would ever be so rude). 

This is easily the best face scrub I've ever used and I see the difference every time. My face feels clean and washed without being dry or red from the exfoliating.  Awesome. 

Natural Collection Tinted Moisturiser:

£1.99. 

I could leave it there, but this is really good. In all honesty it doesn't cover skin anywhere near as effectively as actual foundation, but it makes enough of a difference for me to walk out of the door when I'm having a bad skin day and it doesn't make my skin any worse. 

Which is all I ask for really. 

Boots lipsalve:

Exactly the same as the Nivea equivalent. Half the price. 

And...this weeks OOTD's

T-shirt: A present from actual New York (thanks Emily)

Shorts: Urban Outfitters

Necklaces: Accessorize (another lovely present - thanks Elle)

Top: New Look
Skirt: Primark (sort of solving the printed trousers issue)

Crop Top: Hearts & Bows at Ark
Skirt: TK Maxx
Bag: Accessorize

xx

The curse of patterned trousers.

 I can't wear patterned trousers.

I can wear them in the usual sense, I can put them on, I can figure out how to wear trousers. 

But I won't wear them; because as soon as I put a pair on I'm transformed into an out of proportion, weirdly-heighted figure. I'm rendered completely unrecognisable from the waist down. 

I still keep trying though, at every opportunity I drag friends to the changing rooms and make them awkwardly sugar-coat the phrase 'that makes you look ridiculous'. Luckily for them I already know I look ridiculous. If it goes on my bottom-half and it isn't monochromatic; I always look ridiculous.

I'm convinced I just haven't found the right pair; so watch this space.

For those of you who don't have such a crisis, here are some of my favourites:

 Topshop

 Nasty Gal

 ZARA

 Ralph Lauren

Vero Moda

And here is a quick round up of this weeks OOTDs:

Shirt: Blue Rinse

Skirt: Hearts & Bows at Ark

Tights: Marks & Spencer

Lace jumper: New Look

Leggings: River Island

Necklace: Dorothy Perkins 

Dress: Glamorous at Ark

Tights: Marks & Spencer

Necklace: Ark

Bracelet: Topshop

Rings: H. Samuel (top), Vintage Market in Brussels (bottom)

All this and more to come on my Instagram: @clairegillesp

And some recommendations: 

The Dukes of Bevington - These boys are playing a gig in Harrogate on Sunday, but if (like me) you can't make it you should check out their EP Deux.

World War Z - Probably the best zombie film I've ever seen. Definitely the only zombie film I've ever seen with an actual plot. Still not sure what the point of the bikes is though.

The Botanist, Leeds - Beautifully decorated, nice staff, about as pricey as you'd expect.

xx

July's theme...and how this will work.

This month I'm going to try and do a sort of fashion/beauty/maybe talk about my hair but probably not sort of theme. I thought this would be a good transit for me using this for something other than talking about my year abroad because most of the blogs I follow are about this sort of thing, so I shouldn't be short of ideas.

I'm probably going to aim to post every 5 days and will probably do some OOTD type things over on my Instagram: clairegillesp

And on here too...

Jeans: ASOS

Shirt: MaxC (TK Maxx)

T-shirt: Topshop

Necklace: Um...we found it in our new house

Watch: Casio

 First proper post to follow soon!


BEDIJ #30
We made it to the end! Although I am sorry this is so late, I went to Nottingham on Sunday and I've just been ridiculously busy since then.
So if I'm honest I didn't really do much on Sunday apart from get a new phone and pack and then arrive in Nottingham to be greeted by takeaway pizza.
Thank you to everyone who's kept reading through all of this - hopefully better things to follow!


xx

BEDIJ #28

This is actually the only photo I took yesterday - sorry Josh.

If pathetic fallacy was a thing; then this morning would have been it. Grey and cold and raining.  Absolutely miserable.  But I’m not going to talk about how I feel about leaving, because I promised Lizzy this wouldn’t be a sad post. Also because I think I might have had too little sleep and/or food to properly process any emotions right now. 

Sat in the café at Gare du Midi, there were a group of British people next to me with a television camera. This is the best networking opportunity I’ve had in the past 10 months (and I kind of just want to know what they’re doing), but considering I just spent the tram journey letting people clamber over my bags because I literally didn’t care if they accidentally hit me in the face, now probably isn’t my best time. 

So let’s think about why it’s good that I’m leaving. Ignoring the fact that I have to leave because I no longer have a room to rent or a job, I have to leave because I should and I need to.  This year has been amazing, everyone has been amazing, and I’m incredibly sad to be leaving it behind. Nevertheless, I’m never going to do anything else if I don’t leave, I won’t have a degree for starters so unless I want to spend my life as a perpetually unpaid intern, I’ll probably want to get that. 

I’m certainly never going to write better if I don’t experience change; eventually I’d just run out of things to say. The most exciting stories I’ll have will be of my journeys to and from Brussels to home, and quite frankly, if I keep doing journeys like this, I will be lucky if I don’t lose the ability to use my arms altogether. 

Also last night was amazing, and so much fun, and I'm going to miss everyone in Brussels a lot. 

That's the closest we're getting to a sad post, I promise. 

xx

 

BEDIJ #29

We're just going to have to imagine photo of the day today because I'm doing this on a phone I haven't fully worked out how to use yet...

My bag is heavy. I know how to pack lightly, and I know how to pack this bag, but no matter how hard I tried, it seemed nothing could prevent it from putting an amount of weight on my upper body that I’m just not built to carry. 

I’m so glad only my family are coming to meet me at the other end of this journey because I literally look disgusting. That’s not there to fish for compliments; I can just feel a look on my face that says I’m tired and miserable and even thinking about having a conversation is too draining for me. No one looks good like that. 

What times like this have taught me is that I’ve really got my own back. At first when I saw I had to walk a whole five carriages down the platform, I was disappointed in myself and my seating choice. But Past Claire had a plan, and as a result of her vigilance, I’m sat in the carriage next to the food carriage, I have a seat to myself and I’m next to the luggage rack. 

Present Claire however, finds it impossible to get on at the right end of the carriage any time she takes a train journey, so as a result her luggage is in the other set of luggage racks. 

It doesn’t matter though. I don’t need to be close to my luggage. I do need a cup of tea and yoghurt.

Present Claire also appears to have packed her bag slightly lopsided, so I’m hitting everything within a 4 inch radius of my left-hand side. Nice work Present Claire, nice work.

I then went on to have the most beautiful evening, hope you had a wonderful 21st Pippa! 

xx