We’ve all had to put our travel plans on hold since the pandemic hit, which explains the lack of activity on this site too, since I used to document my travels quite regularly here. While a cruise to nowhere does not necessarily fit into my traditional definition of travelling, I’ll take what I can get for now.
We decided to get the balcony room for 3 nights on the ship, for about $688 per person. I think it was worth getting the balcony, seeing as how we used it to enjoy the sea view while having our in-room breakfasts.
Room service breakfast with a view
We also got additional packages – The Key and the Unlimited Dining Package.
We wanted to get the former because the price point was similar to the regular internet packages Royal Caribbean offered, but with more perks attached. The benefits that we enjoyed included priority access into the terminal (within the booked arrival time), so we didn’t have to queue with everyone else to check in; private time at activities like FlowRider and Rock Climbing (although we didn’t make it for the private time at Rock Climbing because it was too early and we wanted to sleep in); early access at shows, so you can get the best seats; a special breakfast and a choice departure time on the last day. They also kindly gifted us with a plate of fruits during our stay, which we appreciated very much!
The Unlimited Dining Package was a worthwhile purchase as we are gluttons and wanted to try all the specialty restaurants. The only caveat is that you must be able to make all the reservations on arrival, otherwise it is difficult to get a spot at the more popular places should you choose to make a reservation later on. We had dinner at Izumi on the first night – a Japanese establishment that served juicy sashimi with real wasabi!
We also received amazing service from Mr Arturo that night and we were most impressed with him even after interacting with many other service-oriented waitstaff at the other specialty restaurants. On the second day, we went to Chops Grille for both lunch and dinner (mainly because we couldn’t get a reservation at Wonderland for dinner haha), but the menu was worth the two trips and I was not going to say no to a candlelit dinner with steak and the best company across the table. Lunch on the third day was spent at Jamie’s Italian, where we sampled a variety of food coma inducing starters, pastas and desserts.
We were meant to go out for dinner on the third day as well, but I was too tired and we were freshly showered, which meant that laziness won and we ordered room service instead. Dinner comprised 3 salmons, 1 philly cheesesteak and 1 burger, which we demolished while watching Kung Fu Hustle. Honestly, a perfect way to spend the last night on board. I cannot remember if the free room service came with The Key or the Unlimited Dining Package, but we loved using it nonetheless.
Most of the activities are scheduled on Day 2 and Day 3 on board, since there is more time for the crew to set things up. On Day 2, we woke up early to try the Flow Rider, which I was terrible at because I kept getting swept backwards, but it was still fun playing in the water. We then cleaned ourselves up and went for a Sudoku Challenge – both of us couldn’t finish the two puzzles they gave us in 15 minutes, but there was an auntie that did both by herself and won the challenge (kudos to you auntie haha). This was followed by an origami class, where we learnt how to fold flowers and butterflies.
In the afternoon, we went for the logo quiz challenge and disappointed our Asian parents because we only scored a measly 43/50 hahaha. We also spent a few hours at the gym because we desperately needed to burn the excess calories gained from eating like monsters for every meal. After dinner, we went to watch the Sequins and Feathers show, which reminded me of how much I enjoyed performing on stage when I was younger.
On Day 3, we started with Rock Climbing, followed by a towel folding class. Our towel animals look nothing like those folded by our stateroom attendant, Mr Tai, but well A for effort.
We also signed up for a swing dance class in the afternoon. Unfortunately, we could only spectate as the number of participants had already exceeded the maximum capacity allowed. It was around this time that the captain announced that a rescue helicopter was coming in 1 to 2 hours to evacuate a fellow passenger who had a medical emergency. Many people were peering out of their balconies when the helicopter arrived and circled around the ship, waiting for the all clear to land. It was an exciting sight but I hope our fellow passenger makes a speedy recovery!
In the pockets of time we had in between, we soaked in the hot tubs and took walks around the decks – all essential components of a top tier vacation.
It’s been a long time since I’ve written one of these, but I think it summarises our experience with the cruise to nowhere pretty well. Thank you H, for doing this with me ❤️
The time I spent in these two cities was structured really weirdly because I was sort of gatecrashing Elysia’s family trip but I was also having a solo trip at the same time. We started with a full day in Berlin together, then this was followed by them leaving to explore the rest of Germany while I continued to spend more time in Berlin. We then reconvened in Brussels for 2 days before they set off once more, while I again stayed for a little longer.
It must have been close to a year since we last saw each other, but in Elysia’s words “it didn’t feel like we were in Europe because we were together” (cringeeeeee haha). We met only in the evening, so it was a quick dinner and look around the Mall of Berlin before we parted ways.
The next day consisted of a full itinerary that covered most of Berlin’s important landmarks. We started off with the Berlin Wall memorial – the reddish steel poles represent where the wall once stood and serves as a physical reminder of the division between East Berlin and West Berlin.
The following landmarks were located close to each other: The Reichstag Building (otherwise known as the German’s parliament house), Brandenburg Gate and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. It was a particularly sombering experience stepping into the last one, with the tragedies of yesteryear hanging over you like a thick dark cloud.
Checkpoint Charlie was the next stop on our list and honestly, it seemed rather gimmicky. Perhaps it was the swarm of tourists trying to squeeze in to get a shot, or the souvenir shops lining both sides of the street, but this did not feel as authentic as the others before.
At this point, we were pretty exhausted, so we decided to take a break in the Rittersport outlet a few blocks away. I watched Elysia make some customized Rittersport bars, then we spent a really long time picking out gifts for our friends and we finally collapsed in a heap in the cafe upstairs. There was no better way to recharge though, we felt so accomplished with everything we managed to get there.
To wrap the day up, we had beer and pork knuckle for dinner at Hofbrauhaus. Sadly, that was the end of our time together in Berlin because the Tohs were heading to Stuttgart the next day. Although it’s been a while since I’ve been travelling solo, I hadn’t forgotten why I loved it. I spent almost the entire day in the Berlin Story Bunker, a museum located in the recreated Fuhrerbunker, where Hitler spent his last days. Actually, I didn’t think that I would stay in there for so long, but I simply lost track of time while I was reading the writing on the wall (yes, pun fully intended). It was an informative and engaging experience and I would highly recommend this to anyone visiting Berlin!
My stomach was rumbling by the time I was done (considering how the last thing I had was a pretzel in the morning), so I headed to Mustafa’s Gemuse Kebap to get some very yummy kebabs and Curry36 that was just next door for some currywurst + fries.
For my last full day in Berlin, I had breakfast at Bonanza Coffee Heroes, as recommended to me by Corn. I sat outside and people-watched, thinking about the lives of each person that passed by me. Were they happy? What kind of family do they have? What about their dog? It looked so happy wagging its tail as it trotted down the sidewalk. I had intended to check out the fleamarket located on the other side of the road at Mauerpark, but I didn’t realise that it was there only on Sundays, so I was greeted with silence, broken only by the occasional bird chirping.
I spent the afternoon at East Side Gallery, trying to find the famous works I had read about in school. Below are a few of my favourites:
I chanced upon this quaint little family-run restaurant for while looking for some pork knuckle dinner and it didn’t disappoint! Of course, I had to have my favourite dark beer to wash it all down.
With the Berlin leg of the trip done and dusted, I boarded the train towards Brussels, Belgium. I arrived a day before Elysia and her family did, so I decided to try the two types of Belgium waffles first. I headed to Maison Dandoy for some Brussels waffles. They are rectangular in shape, with a light and fluffy texture, dusted with a thin layer of icing sugar on top. The Liege waffles are their denser counterpart, with little clumps of sugar interspersed throughout the almost bread-like dough. They come in smaller sizes and have rounded edges. The ones at The Waffle Factory come with savoury fillings as well – I had mine with ham and cheese if I remember correctly.
When the whole gang was assembled, we set off on foot to find the landmarks in this city. We started from the Royal Palace, to the Grand Place and then to Brussels Square.
We also made it a point to find all three pissing statues – the boy, the girl and the dog. They were certainly much smaller than they look in pictures online.
On our second day in Brussels together, we spent the morning shopping for chocolate at Godiva. I mean, we were in Belgium, so we had to get some Belgian chocolate right? (by some, I mean a lot haha). In the afternoon, we spent some time at the European Parliament, before heading to the Cinquantenaire park nearby. I think the most memorable part of the day was the three of us playing fetch with this really tiny but really cute toy poodle. We saw it playing with its owner and he was kind enough to let us have a go as well.
Sadly, it was time to part ways once again as the Tohs were heading to Hamburg next. I had one more day here before I had to head back to Reading, so I spent most of it at the Atomium. I enjoyed the art exhibition inside the most – it used different lighting, sounds and movement to create a truly immersive experience. You could also overlook the entire Mini-Europe inside the Atomium, which I thought was pretty cool. The ticket price included entry to the nearby Adam Brussels Design Museum as well, so I went there to have a quick look. I think the exhibitions in there was not as captivating as those in the Atomium, so I would give it a miss if you didn’t have much time.
I needed Belgian fries to complete the trio in my Belgian food experience, so I headed to Frit Flagey to get some, before heading to the airport.
I guess that’s it! Here’s a photo of the Tintin street art that I would pass by walking to and from the hostel I stayed in in Brussels:
After countless meals of tagine, the white wine paired with the 3-course Parisian lunch was like a breath of fresh air. My first meal in the city of love was a great welcome back into the familiar territory of grimy metros, coffees, wines, pastries and sunsets by the riverbank. This formula has accompanied me through most of the European cities and it works like a dream every time, so I don’t think I will be abandoning it anytime soon.
While it was my first day in Paris, Mae had arrived earlier (1 or 2 days before I did), so we spent most of lunch catching up on what we’ve both been doing. We had so much to tell each other that we continued the exchange while walking down random streets, admiring the array of rattan chairs lined outside each cafe. We then found ourselves at the entrance of Galeries Lafayette – THE shopping mall that everyone talks about. Evidently, we could not afford anything in there, so we went in to marvel at the beautifully patterned domed ceiling and treated ourselves to some delectable eclairs.
For the rest of the evening, we strolled around the Tuileries garden and caught the sunset by the river Seine.
The next morning began with coffees and croissants at a cafe near our airbnb. I can’t remember how much the coffees were, but the croissants were one euro each (they were super yummy) and we were so amazed at how affordable our delicious breakfast cost us. On our way to the first attraction of the day, we stopped by an ice cream parlour. The pistachio ice cream I got could rival the one I had in Copenhagen so I was really impressed. This was followed by a pit stop at Stohrer for my favourite lemon tart!!
In the afternoon, we worked the calories off by climbing up the Arc de Triomphe. I love getting a bird’s-eye view of cities and this was no exception.
Before the day ended, Mae and I met Ailin and Jav for dinner near the river Seine. We caught the sunset once again and we managed to see the Eiffel Tower lighting up for the night too.
We kicked the next day off with coffee and pastries (I mean what else would it be?) and I was very amused when Mae said that I looked like I own the place – I can’t remember the name of the shop but it was within the city centre, not the one near where we stayed.
The rest of the day was dedicated to explore the Louvre as we were determined to take advantage of the free entry we had back then as UK students. We did see the Mona Lisa but we were horrified by the throngs of people surrounding the artwork, so we took a photo from a distance and another selfie at the back of the painting just for laughs.
We spent our last day in this beautiful city having a picnic at Champ de Mars (with The Alley BBT no less) – the perfect viewpoint for the Eiffel Tower.
I’ve heard so many people say that they were disappointed after their trip to Paris, because it didn’t live up to the fairytale they had imagined. This wasn’t the case for me though, because I truly enjoyed dressing up each day to visit the various landmarks and consume copious amounts of pastries. I guess the only thing I wished I could have done was to see the Notre Dame as well. Unfortunately, we visited shortly after the fire broke out, so I suppose I’ll have to come back another time.
It’s been a while since my previous post – well actually a long while because I haven’t written anything since August last year. Work was especially tough in the beginning and just when I thought that things were settling down nicely, COVID19 shook things up once again. Perhaps the Circuit Breaker measures were a blessing in disguise, because now I finally feel like I have me-time, even when I’m going to work as usual. Previously, I was on edge all the time, because I felt like I couldn’t enjoy doing things alone like how I used to. There were just too many people hovering around. These few weekends, I’ve been reading, baking, watching Netflix, doing workouts and now, I think I’m in the right headspace to start writing again.
It’s been almost a year since I went on my trip to Morocco, so all my memories are pretty fuzzy, but the pictures should help. It was the first of multiple graduation trips I was going to embark on and it was definitely the hottest one (literally) as well. I took a flight into Marrakech, the city that I was meant to meet my 3 other travel companions. As we had booked a private tour for the entire trip, we had a driver to ferry us from the airport to the Riad. According to Google, a Riad is a traditional Moroccan house in which multiple stories are built around an inner courtyard. This was a defining feature of all the accommodation we stayed in during our time there, but a Riad is essentially their version of a boutique hotel. What caught my eye in the first Riad we stayed in was the beautiful centerpiece lighting. The red and orange stained glass, combined with the intricate patterns, lent a warm yet mysterious touch to the courtyard.
While waiting for our dinner to be prepared, they served us some steaming Moroccan mint tea (not the greatest idea in the blistering weather) and some sweet pastries. Night had already fallen, so they ushered us to the rooftop to enjoy our Tagine under the stars – certainly a great way to kickstart the friendship between Kayla and I.
The next morning, we had a quick look around the compound to see how it looks like in the daytime and it was just as I thought. Without the unique lighting dotted around, the place seemed to lose some of its magic.
After having breakfast in the courtyard, we packed up and spent half the day exploring what Marrakech had to offer. The buildings in Marrakech are all sand coloured, but it was definitely not a cookie-cutter town because each building had its own unique shape and texture.
Unfortunately, the story behind the intricately patterned window grilles is not as pretty. According to our guide, they were made that way to allow women in the house to look outside, but prevent men on the outside from laying eyes on the women residing in there.
Our guide navigated through the sand-coloured alleys and brought us into this pharmacy-looking store, which actually sold beauty products. I’m sure he receives commission for taking us there, but the products are legitimate and of good quality. I bought an Argan Oil hair serum and a tub of Argan Oil face cream which my mother loved – 10/10 would recommend!
Next up was a palace tour in the heart of Marrakech. I knew they were nothing like the palaces I was used to seeing in Europe, but I was blown away by how beautiful the interiors were. On the outside, it looks quire unassuming, but once you step into one of the rooms, you will be greeted by a kaleidoscope of colours and tiling patterns – this is clearly a recurring theme here. I was in awe of the artwork that lined the walls, the floors and the ceilings, even the tiniest nooks and crannies were not left untouched.
Before leaving Marrakech, our guide took us to a marketplace, but it was a rather unpleasant as it felt like people were just trying to hard-sell expensive items to us and we left without purchasing anything. The car ride after that more than made up for it though – the landscapes here are breathtaking and I had a field day with my film camera. My preconceived notions of this place comprised of sand, sand and more sand, so I was pleasantly surprised by the patches of green juxtaposed against the rocky hills and of course the sandy plains.
We arrived at the next Riad in the evening, just in time for dinner by the pool. Before turning in for the night, we decided to walk up the hill opposite the Riad, just to have a look around. We were pretty far from civilization then, so there was limited lighting on the road, but we could see the city lights twinkling in the far distance. Once we looked up, we realised that the area was illuminated by the galaxy of twinkling stars. Sadly, I don’t have a photo of that but I still remember how peaceful I felt, being away from the hustle and bustle, quietly admiring the beauty above.
The next morning, we were on the road again for most of the day, bypassing slightly different landscapes from yesterday. It was an uneventful drive, but the highlight of the day had to be picking out traditional clothing to wear. We had so much fun trying on the different dresses and eventually we did buy an outfit each to take with us to the desert.
After hours and hours of driving, we finally made it to the Sahara desert. I was so excited about coming here because this was a place that I would see on television when I was younger and I didn’t think that I would actually have the opportunity to see this firsthand. It felt surreal looking at the orange hues extending to the horizon and it felt even more surreal that I was riding a camel!!
Honestly, it was more bumpy and uncomfortable than I had expected, but I loved every minute of it. The sun happened to be setting while our camels were taking us to our tents, so we managed to catch the golden egg yolk descending, casting beautiful shadows of the camels on the sand. It may sound cheesy, but in that moment, I was reminded of how endings can be beautiful too.
The whole set-up of our tents seemed really luxurious. I mean there was literally a red carpet leading us to our tents and each tent came fully furnished with a queen sized (or was it king sized?) bed + a single bed, a toilet and shower area with running water – something I did not expect to receive in the middle of the desert. There was a central tent that served as a dining area for all guests and in the middle of it all was a campfire. On the first night, all the guests were invited to gather round the fire. We sang, played music with their instruments and shared stories. We were all strangers from different parts of the world, but we shared a very special bond that night.
The next morning, our guide drove us around to explore the desert a little more. We were so thankful to have him as our driver, because driving on sand is so different from driving on concrete roads. He must always adopt a zigzag pattern or risk the wheels sinking into the soft sand. That morning, we visited some nomads who were living in the area, we dropped by an oasis and we also visited a plantation of sorts.
In the afternoon, it was our turn to do the driving. We got an ATV each and it was such an exhilarating experience. I also overturned my vehicle (not my proudest moment), but hey I escaped unscathed and it makes for a good story so it’s not all bad. After returning the ATVs, we chilled at a resort nearby (we only came here for lunch, we weren’t actually staying here since we had our tents). It was strange playing in a swimming pool in the middle of the desert, but maybe it wouldn’t have been so memorable if things weren’t a little strange right?
That night, our hosts took us out stargazing. It seemed like the perfect ending to our stay in the Sahara, except when we returned to our tents, we discovered humongous desert bugs and we (by we, I mean mostly me) started screaming our heads off. The bugs were eventually chased out though, so I still managed to get some sleep haha.
After bidding the Sahara goodbye, it was time to hit the road again for a long drive towards the city of Fez, where we would be based for the next few days. Fez was a stark contrast to the desert life we had because it was all hustle and bustle. The roads were teeming with people and vehicles, unless it was prayer time. Everyone knew when prayer time was because the city would literally fire a cannon (or something that sounds like it) to inform everyone that they needed to head into the mosques – we were so shocked the first time it happened that the kids who saw our reactions started laughing at us. Prayer time was an unbelievable sight to us, because literally everyone would leave their store unattended (with all the goods on display) to go in and pray. As we were left to our own devices that night, we stayed out only for dinner and a quick look round the shops before heading back to the Riad.
Our long awaited daytrip to Chefchaouen had finally arrived. It was an incredibly long drive to and fro (3 hours each way if I remember correctly), but it was well worth the wait! The entire town comprised different shades of blue and it was a sight to behold. From what I can remember, our guide said that the people painted their town blue because this colour signified that they were closer to heaven. Well, we were definitely in seventh heaven, photographing each alley and stairwell.
With this, our tour had come to an end and we had one day of exploring Fez by ourselves. We spent most of the day walking around the markets and going on a short tour in one of the leather-making factories. I think we all agreed that the tour was a little too authentic for us – while it was very educational, pungent smells permeated the entire compound and the sprig of mint we held onto did little to mitigate the assault on our olfactory.
Soon, it was time to bid the other three goodbye as well. They were heading back to Edinburgh, while I was transiting through Casablanca to head to Paris – the second leg of my graduation trip.
If this mood for writing keeps up, I might just be able to catch up on my backlog of travel blogs.
There’s not long left to the journey home, but I felt compelled to pen something down now. I was going to write a post after the end of my last exam, or even after graduation day, but things were so hectic that I didn’t get a chance to. Immediately after my last clinical exam, we were due to go glamping in the New Forest as a course. There were about 12 of us and we spent the day exploring the nearby town before doing the fun stuff, like setting up the barbeque, lighting the campfire and of course playing party games. That was pretty much the last time that we were all going to hang out together- we still saw each other at graduation, but it’s not really the same when you have to get yourself sorted for the ceremony and take care of your family/friends at the same time.
After coming back from glamping, I had to set off for my Morocco trip with YF, Gary and Kayla. I had planned to dedicate an entire post to this trip, but again, I have been really short on time lately, so it is not ready as soon as I wanted. We spent about a week there, starting from Marrakech and ending up in Fes. Given that none of us have been to any African countries before, this trip has been truly an eye-opening experience! While the other 3 left Fes for Valencia, I stopped over at Casablanca to get to Paris, to meet Mae and Ailin. Despite all the horror stories that other people have shared regarding their experience in Paris, I had a (unexpectedly?) pleasant time there. It was fun to dress nicely and basically look at/take pictures of pretty things all day – I mean, the city architecture is stunning, the galleries/museums are full of gorgeous works and all their desserts are so beautifully decorated. There will be a separate post for this trip as well, so stay tuned!
I gave myself a little bit more than 24 hours to rest before embarking on my next trip, so I used that time mostly to do my laundry and attend Mae’s final degree show. After that, it was time to meet Elysia (and her family) in Berlin. I met them for dinner the first night that we arrived and then we spent a full day sightseeing together. While they continued venturing into other cities in Germany the following 3 days, I continued to stay in Berlin, because I wanted more time to delve into what this city had to offer. We then met up again for a few days in Brussels, Belgium. Again, a separate post will be dedicated to this trip (or maybe 2, if I want to split the countries up), so more writing will be done!!
Anyway, I was thoroughly exhausted from 3 weeks of (practically) non-stop travelling, but I didn’t really have a break because it was 2 weeks before our lease ended, so there was lots of logistics to be done. We had to ship some stuff back first, sell the stuff we didn’t want or couldn’t take with us, pack our belongings and donate the rest of it. On top of that, we wanted to make sure that the house was in tip top condition (well, as much as it could be anyway), so that we could get our entire deposit back, so we spared no effort in cleaning every nook and cranny, which was pretty back-breaking work. Moving day had to be the most tiring though – moving 4 people’s worth of stuff to 4 different places required all hands on deck, quite literally. It was also pretty emotional bidding our house goodbye, all of us have grown attached to it and the memories we shared in there, so it wasn’t an easy day at all.
I then spent a week in an AirBnB in Reading, which was a much needed breather from everything that has been going on thus far. The owner’s two black cats were very enjoyable company, though a tad clingy. I say clingy because they would literally follow me wherever I went, to the couch in the living room, to the counter in the kitchen, or to their favourite spot, on my bed by the window (don’t worry they were always only allowed on top of the duvet, not under it). If I didn’t shut the door at night, they would come sleep with me, but if I did, they would meow at my door in the morning until I wake up and let them in. Despite being siblings, I don’t think they got along very well, because I witnessed a literal cat fight once and it was not pretty. Nevertheless, they were both gentle with me and always let me play with them and give them belly rubs. I spent so much time with them that I started differentiating what the different meows meant: There was one that really sounded like a human ‘hello’ and that was when they were trying to look for me or get my attention, then there was one that indicated that they wanted to be fed and then there was another one that meant ‘get off my territory’ (there were other cats that liked to trespass into the garden, hence the territorial behaviour). When I relayed this information to Mae one night, she declared that I was indeed turning into a crazy cat lady. I can’t deny that but I have to establish that I still love dogs more; I’m sorry, I had a lovely time with those two cats, but they’re just not as loyal and passionate as dogs are.
The week passed by quickly and before I knew it, my family had arrived. We spent a week in Scotland, with Edinburgh as our base. We went to the typical touristy places, like the Old Town and Edinburgh Castle. I had wanted to bring them up Calton Hill as well (because I knew that Arthur’s Seat is definitely impossible for them), but I soon realised that that was not an option as well. I ended up running there myself and taking pictures for them instead. I also brought them to my favourite spots like Kilimanjaro Café (for brunch) and Mary’s Milk Bar. They arrived in the midst of the crazy summer sales, so we spent a good amount of time in the Princes Street area too. I mean, the garden was nice, but I think they were much more interested in the other side of the road. I also managed to go to the nearby coastal town Leith, with my mum. We started with brunch at Mimi’s Bakehouse, which had amazing avocado toast with poached eggs and deep fried halloumi, then we did some shopping at the Ocean Terminal, where I bought my dress for graduation! The rays of sunshine made for nice pictures, but we needed some respite, so we headed into the Fishery and all their seafood was super fresh and yummy. We ordered some fresh oysters, white wine mussels and cod fishcakes – all of which we really enjoyed!!
We went out of Edinburgh on two days – one to the Highlands and the other to Glasgow. We covered much more ground with the former as we followed a tour company, but it also meant that we were almost always rushing from one sightseeing spot to another. Nevertheless, the views were still great, especially at Glencoe, so I would say that it was worth the money spent, especially since none of us knew how to drive. (I really should get my driving license though). Glasgow was much more relaxed as we went there on our own, so I brought them to try a typical English Afternoon Tea, complete with sandwiches and scones. The rest of the day was then spent exploring various markets and the street art dotted around the city.
The week-long vacation in Scotland was followed by 3 hectic days of graduation, with mine scheduled on the very first day. Thankfully, it was not as hot as last year, so it was much more bearable taking photos outside, especially with the robes on. Unfortunately, the receptions this year only had drinks – a marked downgrade from the Agriculture one we attended last year (we were so looking forward to free food). But in all seriousness, it still feels surreal that all of us have graduated. Everything has been happening too quickly for us (well, me) to process it properly, but it has only just begun to sink in that I am officially done with university. I’ve spent the past 2 days in London with my family and I was constantly reminded that that was probably the last time that I would be there (at least, in a long while).
I will miss living on my own and I will miss the lifestyle I have had the past 4 years. Term time was always tough, having to juggle both placements and lectures/tutorials, along with exams and coursework, but there were always holidays to look forward to. The prime location I was in also meant that it was a convenient base for travelling – I have seen so much of Europe, some parts of America and a little bit of Africa during my time here. I think I’ve only had a taste of what the world has to offer and I really want to be able to continue doing that in the future. I will definitely be more financially capable next time, but there will no longer be term holidays for me to take advantage of. Yet, I also want to be home, to spend time with my grandparents and friends that I’ve not seen in a while. I am also looking forward to starting my new job! I have to clarify that I do not like the insane working hours and stress, but I truly love how my job helps to make someone’s life a little bit better every single day.
I guess it’s time to close this chapter and start a new one. I don’t know what is in store for me, but maybe it will prove to be just as good, in a different way.
In the 4 years that we spent together, we’ve done many get-togethers as a course, like having picnics in Harris Garden and brunches in the common room. But this was the first time that we were all going out of Reading together, to celebrate the end of our VIVAs (and essentially the end of our degree!) Everyone was so hyped up for it and the excitement was especially palpable when we were enroute to the campsite.
The train ride there was unexpectedly enjoyable, because Katie managed to get us into the first class cabin! It’s honestly not that much of a difference from the standard cabins but the seats are cleaner and more comfy. As Megan and I were talking about our plans post-glamping/post-graduation, Sian got the job offer for her dream job and she started calling everyone to share the good news. It was such a good start to our little getaway and I loved how everyone was genuinely happy for each other.
When we arrived at Brockenhurst train station, Chloe and Coral came to pick us up. The campsite is located in the New Forest, which meant that we were driving through lush green landscapes, with free-roaming horses/ponies. We (well, just Megan and I really) were so amazed at how the horses were allowed to run “wild” and how they were so comfortable with cars and humans in such close proximity.
As we were waiting for everyone to arrive, we indulged in glasses of Prosecco and bags of crisps – there was really no better way to celebrate the end of our university life and the new job offers that people had received/were receiving. We weren’t allowed to check into our bell tents until 5pm, so we decided to take a walk to the nearby town called Burley. The walk only took about 15-20 minutes and was rather enjoyable, apart from the whiffs of horse poop that you would inevitably get along the way.
Lizzie described Burley to be a “quaint little town” – it’s an apt yet polite way to sum up my impression of that place too. On one hand, they have a handful of independent stores that we can all appreciate: There was an ice cream parlour (which we all enjoyed), a fudge store (I found it alright but some of them really liked their samples and ended up buying bags of them), a traditional sweet shop (with all the candy in huge glass jars), a pop-up cake shop (a fundraiser for the local women’s institute) and a gift shops selling cute trinkets. On the other hand, the town also seemed to be going for the “magical/witch-y” vibe. We found fairy doors (which I thought was quite cute) and a couple of shops selling witch-related products, like the various incense sticks, sage leaves and “magic jewellery”. Some of the figurines on display kinda freaked us out as well, so I suppose bits of this place are an acquired taste.
Back at the campsite, we all worked together to kick off a full night’s worth of activities. Some of us helped with starting the barbeque for dinner, while others pitched in to start the campfire. We had sausages in bread rolls with veggie kebabs and we also roasted marshmellows to make smores! The real fun began when we brought out the things that wanted to burn in the campfire, to signify the end of all the crap that we had been through in these 4 years. Some people brought their VIVA notes, I brought my notebook that I used for placements and someone even brought a very well-used bra that she always wore for placements. It was perhaps the most symbolic item in the pile of things we brought, but the fumes it emitted was also the most unpleasant (hopefully, it wasn’t that toxic HAHA).
This was followed by team games! We started off with designing white tshirts and coming up with unique SLT team names. Then there was the “university challenge”, which Coral prepared for everyone. She was the Quiz Master and she came up with interesting/quirky questions about our uni/our tutors/our shared experiences and we had so much fun fighting to answer them correctly. We also played SLT games like the Malteser challenge (which was essentially to work on diaphragmatic breathing using chocolate) to get bonus points!! At one point, we also played Twerk Pong- a game that Megan introduced to us. Instead of staying in our original teams, there were 2 captains and it was a schoolyard pick. Basically, we had to tie a tissue-box like thing around our waist, which was filled with 5 pingpong balls. When the music starts, you’re supposed to twerk as hard as you can and the person who gets all the balls out of the box first wins. It was hilarious watching it and playing it, but we were all so exhausted at the end of our turn because it requires much more energy than you think!!
We went to bed pretty late, but the birds were chirping so loudly at 4am, so we couldn’t really have a lie-in. Instead, we set up our breakfast spread on the picnic tables and bathed in the morning sun. After one last walk round Burley, we packed up and said our goodbyes (for now, because we’ll still be seeing each other at graduation!!)
It was only a short 2D1N of glamping, but I’m really glad that we got to do this together. I’ll always treasure the conversations that we shared, as we strolled through the countryside, as we stood around preparing food together and as we huddled around the campfire. It’s with these people that we can make inappropriate SLT jokes, share funny stories about our patients, commiserate with when things get tough and of course celebrate each others’ successes. I mean, who else can we make sarcastic remarks to about Total Communication? 🌚
I’ve submitted my dissertation- the baby that I’ve been working on for close to a year.
I’ve submitted my portfolio- the longest piece of work that I’ve ever put together, a 100 pages to be exact.
I’ve finished my Oropharyngeal Dysphagia exam- the last written exam of this degree.
I’ve finished my adult VIVA; I gave my diagnosis and management plan for a gentleman with Parkinson’s Disease. The 24 hours preceding the actual exam was painful to go through- I was basically on the verge of a breakdown the entire day, after receiving the case history information, but I consistently stopped myself from reaching that point, because I didn’t want to lose time being upset when I could be doing more prep. And then when we went in to watch the video, he was so quiet that I could barely make out half of what he was saying. Thankfully, things got a bit better after that. The 2 hours we had after the video was helpful in clearing my head and I didn’t think I got grilled too badly in the 30minutes of the VIVA.
I’ve finished my paeds VIVA; I gave my diagnosis and management plan for a 4-year-old boy with some language difficulties. This time, the preceding 24 hours wasn’t so bad. I worked through the case history methodically, did my prep, and didn’t feel so overwhelmed with anxiety. It’s probably because I’ve already done it once, so the entire process doesn’t seem so daunting. I was of course still nervous, but I think I was in much better control this time round.
And that’s it. My 4 years of studying Speech and Language Therapy has come to a close. I wouldn’t sugarcoat things and say that it hasn’t been difficult, because it really has been a long and arduous journey, especially towards the end. But it also feels so so surreal that I’ve gone through all of that and I’m just a teeny step away from becoming qualified.
I’ve once told my parents that my job is to understand those who are the least understood- I hope that this is indeed what I will do and that I can make a real positive difference to people’s lives. I’m really excited for what the future holds but meanwhile, it’s finally time to enjoy my well-deserved break and see the world 🌎🌍🌏
3 months later and I’m back in this city again! But this time for much longer and with different people than before. It’s so strange because there’s this sense of familiarity, yet the sense of novelty is still there. We actually covered quite a number of new places that I didn’t manage to visit the last time:
9/11 Memorial
Initially, we wanted to visit the museum, but we didn’t reserve tickets in advance and the queue was insane, so we decided to give it a miss and explore the memorial instead. 2 water features stand where the two towers once stood and the names of the victims are engraved on its perimeter. There is also a ‘Survivor Tree’ which as its name suggests, survived the attacks and it still standing strong today. Just across the road, Liberty Park overlooks the memorial. It showcases sculptures, including ‘The Sphere’ which was salvaged from the debris, as well as America’s Response Monument.
Survivor Tree
America’s Response Monument
The Sphere
Statue of Liberty
We didn’t have enough time to take the Staten Island Ferry to get a closer look of the statue, but we did manage to catch a faraway glimpse of it while we were walking down Battery Park City Esplanade.
Wall Street
Apparently it brings good luck to rub The Charging Bull’s testicles, so that’s what we did haha
New York Stock Exchange
The Fearless Girl Statue was originally located near The Charging Bull but is now standing opposite the New York Stock Exchange.
Rockefeller Center/Empire State Building
We didn’t manage to go up to the top of the Rockefeller Center on the evening that we planned to (when the weather was the best), because there were too many tourists who booked the slot way earlier than we did, so we had to go three days later instead. It wasn’t the best weather, so the sun wasn’t fully out, but the fog in the morning cleared, so we still got a pretty clear view of NYC’s skyline.
Crazy hair
Of course, we can’t miss out on the quintessential touristy places as well:
Brooklyn Bridge
DUMBO
This used to be an industrial warehouse area, but it’s now turned into this hipster area where people come to have coffees and take Instagram photos.
Only posting this bc I think my legs look great hurhur
Somehow I look better in photos where I’m doing weird things
Times Square
With more time in NYC, we managed to do non-touristy things, which turned out to be really refreshing experiences:
Broadway Dance Center
I have always wanted to try the dance studios in NYC and I finally got the chance to this time! I went for a Commercial Jazz class by Debbie Wilson, which was pitched at Level 2. For context, BDC offers Levels 1-6 and Level 2 is meant for those with 2-5 years of training. Based on this information, I was under the impression that I will get a nice, relaxed class, since I have been dancing since I was 5. However, I was proven very very wrong. It appears that the ‘training’ they refer to is full-time/professional dance training and not the casual dance experience that I have, because literally everyone else in the class had solid techniques and great athleticism (both of which I lacked). The first 45 minutes of the class was pure physical training, so we did the usual stuff like push ups and sit ups, as well as the more ‘dance-like’ training. With everyone shouting each count together and enduring ‘punishments’ together (aka more of each set) when we weren’t shouting loud enough/giving it our all, I felt so at home. I suppose its the camaraderie that dancers have when we train together, even if it was literally our first class together. The next 45 minutes is then spent learning a short piece of choreography. It took me a while to get into picking the moves up but I think I (sort of) got there eventually. I was nowhere near as good as the other dancers in class though. While they were thinking about things like musicality and emotions, I was still trying to keep up with executing all the moves decently. Nonetheless, I enjoyed myself thoroughly – it has been a while since I’ve been pushed like that and danced ‘properly’. The $22 I paid was incredibly well spent.
Live Shows
We managed to catch the recording of Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The queuing system and organisation of the former was much better than the latter, but the whole studio set-up is way more impressive in the latter than the former. With Seth Meyers, there are very clear directions as to what is happening at each point and they usher you into proper rooms to wait. The actual studio is small though and everything looks a lot bigger on screen than in real life. With Stephen Colbert, all the briefing was done outside, by the main road, while everyone is in queue, which is not exactly the most professional thing to do I think. The recording studio is much bigger than Seth Meyers though and its interior is also designed more elaborately. It was an interesting experience to see how these shows are produced – each segment is filmed individually, not necessarily in chronological order; audience reactions are carefully planned and elicited; crew members are always strategically placed to support the host (e.g. holding placards for the host to read, prompting audience reactions in a timely manner). I was also amazed at how the content they covered was so up-to-date. News that had been released the previous day was addressed in the next recording, which is essentially within 24 hours. The day after the Notre Dame fire, Stephen Colbert’s crew managed to project the cathedral’s roof onto the ceiling of the studio as a tribute. However, the major con of attending these shows is that we had to be in line hours before the actual recording started, because the tickets that we got did not guarantee admission.
Ellen’s Stardust Diner
This diner is known for its singing waitstaff and many of its ex-employees have gone on to sing on Broadway. The queue is insanely long (I think we were in line for close to 2 hours?) and there is a minimum spend of $20 per person, but it is truly worth the time and money. All the waitstaff have scheduled songs and there will be someone singing at any one time. It’s amazing how they can go from serving you food to belting out solos and/or duets the next moment, with so much strength and emotion. It may not be a Broadway musical, but it definitely comes close enough.
Long Island
We booked 2 nights in an airbnb on Long Island and it sort of became one of those chalet experiences, with a little bit of exploring in between. We started with an arcade session at Dave & Busters. Darren managed to get us a Groupon deal – $9 for unlimited plays on selected machines and 18 credits on the other machines, so we spent lots of time there. The boys were very happy with the unlimited plays on the shooting games, because you wouldn’t normally get to finish the entire story and I was very happy with the ‘extra’ credits I had on my favourite machine, DDR! We also spent some time playing pac-man and racing as a group, which was really fun.
There was a Levain’s near the house so we went there to have some cookies and then we went to try this seafood place for lunch on the second day. It was supposed to be a clam chowder place, but I liked their lobster bisque better. Their baked clams and lobster roll was pretty good too. The best seafood however, was the one that we bought fresh and cooked ourselves. We had such an elaborate dinner on the second night – we bought live lobsters (which Germaine killed), whose tails we grilled with freshly made garlic butter and whose heads we used for a lobster pasta. There was also grilled prawns, ribs, salmon, peppers, pineapples and a salad. Ken also made an apple crumble for dessert, along with the 3 alcoholic ice-creams we bought earlier. After dinner, we also spent some time to set up the camp fire outside, but that was very short-lived because the heat from the fire wasn’t enough to keep us from feeling the cold winds.
Initially, I was feeling a little apprehensive about this 3D2N in Long Island, because these people were all Ken’s friends, whom I’ve not even had a proper conversation with, so a trip together seemed quite daunting at the start. Thankfully, we got along well and we bonded over things like playing bridge, poker (well I mostly watched for this game) and of course Overcooked 2! We didn’t manage to do the things we had planned, like visiting the lavender farm, because of the terrible weather, but the company more than made up for it. It’s always nice to make new friends whom you can click with, so I’m very glad that I agreed to join in on this one.
Literally the only photo I have from Long Island (I think)
NYC truly lives up to its reputation of having good food, so here’s just a snapshot of what we had over the week:
Van Leeuwen
I had their pistachio ice cream on my first night in NYC – not bad, but still doesn’t beat the one in Copenhagen (I really miss that ice cream place omg)
Absolute Bagels
I didn’t take a picture of this because I was too excited about eating my egg bagel haha. It was as chewy as I remembered and the cream cheese was really thick with a generous serving of smoked salmon bits mixed in. Just thinking about it makes me want to eat it again…
Joe’s Pizza
This place is famous for it’s $1 pizzas but we chose to go with the ‘higher-end’ options. I got the Pepperoni while the boys got the Supreme. Like many other pizza joints in NYC, their pizzas are freshly made, so you’ll literally be enveloped in smells of fresh dough and melting cheese as you have you slice of pizza in the store. It’s salty and cheesy (and a tad oily) but I guess that’s just how it’s supposed to be!
And he added way too many chilli flakes
Bibble & Sip
They have really pretty desserts and are known especially for their cream puffs. Unfortunately, by the time we got here, there were only the matcha cream puffs left, so we couldn’t get to try the other flavours. Each choux pastry is filled to the brim with cream that is slightly on the runnier side, so each bite is incredibly satisfying. YJ also got the matcha jasmine latte to try – the jasmine notes only come through at the end of each mouthful but they compliment the matcha flavour surprisingly well.
La Colombe Coffee
This was a very welcome coffee break after an entire day of eating, so I ordered their Pure Black. They are known for their draft coffee, complete with the thick layer of foam, but I couldn’t stomach anything remotely creamy by this point, so I went with the most basic option. I enjoyed it nonetheless – their coffee is strong and well-roasted, so the cold brew was a refreshing afternoon drink.
Kungfu Tea
Bubble tea is an Asian staple so we couldn’t say no to trying a new brand that we’ve not had before. I had the Kungfu milk tea, the most ‘standard’ thing you could order I suppose, and it was not disappointing, but not particularly outstanding either. Not a bad option for your everyday bubble tea fix, but I wouldn’t hype it up too much.
Boba Guys
The matcha latte with strawberry was way too sweet for me when I tried it the last time, so I got the plain matcha latte instead – which worked out perfectly!
Alimama
We ordered a variety of cream puffs from here, but it’s most famous for it’s bubble tea cream puff, with actual miniature pearls in the filling. The other flavours we tried included ube and yuzu, but my favourite is the latter! The citrusy notes from the yuzu cuts through the cream really well. Overall their choux pastry is airy, without losing its structure and has a nice crunchy exterior. We also tried their mochi doughnuts, which are essentially doughnuts but made with mochi instead of the regular batter. The result was a very chewy dessert, which was right up my alley.
I started uni with these boys and now we’re almost at the end of our degrees! I suppose this trip is in some ways our graduation trip together? Well, whatever it is, I’m very thankful for our friendship and the common memories we have of RV. Hopefully, even as we start work and get incredibly busy with our own lives, we’ll find some time for each other and keep this friendship going for years to come 🙂
This week has been so surreal. I finished my final paediatric and final adult placement, I had my last lecture of this degree and last night was potentially our last night out to Q with everyone.
I’ve been hustling for so long that it feels strange not to have another placement to look forward to. On one hand, the sense of relief and joy when everything ended was unmistakable- it is a well-deserved break after slogging for the past 4 years. On the other hand, it’s also a reminder that the hand-holding ends here. The next time I step into the clinic, I’ll no longer be a student and I will be fully responsible for all the clinical decisions I make. Even though it’ll still be some time before I become fully registered and get my license, the change in status feels monumental. The sense of duty and obligation seems to have grown exponentially overnight. I have always known that I owe it to my patients to perform at my best every single time, but without someone keeping me on my toes all the time, I’m just worried that I won’t realise if/when I’m not giving my 100%. Yes there will be clinical supervision, especially in the early days, but the dynamics will definitely be different because of the change in status. As I’m writing this, I hope I’ll remember that there’s always something I can do better, that the version of me tomorrow should always be better than the version of me yesterday.
When I stepped out of the last lecture yesterday evening, it felt so unreal that that marked the end of my 16 years in formal education. It’ll be a while before I’m thrown into this sort of learning environment again and I really think I’ll miss it. There’s just something strangely enjoyable about the process of listening to what these experts have to say, then reading up and making notes afterwards. I can’t say that I feel the same way about the assessments we have to take after going through this process though haha
And then there was last night. Q has been such a staple of our nights out these 4 years – we’re there for Halloweens, Christmases, end-of-term celebrations, birthday celebrations and any kind of celebration really. Q is the embodiment of how we work hard and play hard throughout our uni life. It’s an experience I’m glad to have shared with all the friends I’ve made in uni and I’ll always look back on these memories fondly. ❤️
That’s enough rambling I think (There will definitely be a part 2 to this when I make my final coursework submission and sit for my last exam.) Easter break has officially begun so it’s time to enjoy the emerging sunshine and the company of everyone before we all go on holiday. There’s dissertation and portfolio and exams to study for, but it’ll all be done in good time! For now, the Vitamin D is calling us ☀️
NYC has been a city full of surprises. For starters, I wasn’t even supposed to come here! I thought that I’d have to save this city for another time, but an unexpected change in circumstances has allowed me to spend (almost) two full days here. It’s really limited time, but we did our best to cover as much ground as we could (without over-exhausting ourselves) and the little that I’ve seen is already enough to warrant a second visit.
[Brooklyn Bridge]
The day we visited the Brooklyn Bridge, there were cloudy skies (with some fog) and choppy waters, so it wasn’t the best day to be taking pictures here. However, it also meant that there weren’t many people around (apparently it is almost always really crowded, especially if the weather is good), so we could stay in a particular spot for quite long, without having to worry that we were in other people’s way.
[Glossier]
This is a makeup/skin care store, located near/in Chinatown so we decided to pop by and have a look. Its interior is beautifully decorated and the lighting was perfect, so we had to take photos in here. Surprisingly, most of the girls didn’t buy anything, because we were busy trying makeup on the boys, and they were actually convinced to buy them! One of them bought brow mascara and the other one bought concealer- we all felt like the best salespeople after that!!
[Times Square]
As I stood in the middle of Times Square, everything felt so surreal – the big screens with advertisements, the lights, the hustle and bustle all around. I thought that I would be overwhelmed, but I actually enjoyed soaking in the atmosphere. Perhaps I’ve been away from the city for too long.
[King Spa]
This Korean bathhouse is located in Koreatown (in Jersey) and we spent hours in here after dinner. We started with the indoor hot tubs (and cold tubs), before moving onto the various sauna rooms. There was a ‘spice’ room, ‘salt’ room and even a ‘gold’ room (plus an ice room for you to cool off afterward). Each ticket entitles you to a free drink as well, so all of us sipped on our juice while we sat at the back-warming area together. We ended the night in the ‘oxygen’ room, which is essentially a room full of reclining chairs, that was enriched with (extra?) oxygen. It was such a relaxing experience and we were all falling asleep (this was also because it was getting really late), so we had to bid the bathhouse goodbye and head home for the night.
[Chelsea Market]
We visited the Chelsea Market on our last day in NYC. It felt like an indoor version of Borough Market (in London) and we were thoroughly impressed by the variety and freshness of the seafood offered- unfortunately we had such a big brunch before that we couldn’t eat anything else, otherwise we would have definitely tried something here!
[The High Line]
This was our last stop before we had to catch our flight out of NYC, and we were really lucky to have caught the sunset as we walked down this route. The High Line was originally a railway track, but then it got turned into a public park (apparently many civil servants were sent here to do research for the Bukit Timah Rail Corridor in Singapore).
[Food & Drinks!]
The full day we had in NYC was essentially a food tour around some of the famous spots- we were so stuffed from all the food and drinks so it was a good thing that we shared almost everything that we ordered.
Max Soha
We went to this Italian restaurant for dinner/supper on the first night, when we had just arrived in NYC. We ordered a few dishes to share (pastas, lasagna, risotto) and it was so authentic, it felt like I was in Italy again!
Magnolia Bakery
This place is apparently where cupcakes got famous, but the item that everyone loved was their Banana Pudding. We first tried it at our friend’s place, where he had a frozen tub of it and then the second time was when we went to buy it at the shop. With the frozen one, it changed the texture of the pudding because it was frozen and thawed before we ate it (which meant that it wasn’t as fluffy as it should be). However, with the other one, we carried it around for so long that it wasn’t cold enough, so everything was a tad squelchy.
Absolute Bagels
This bagel shop is owned by Thais (which was quite unexpected), but they make their own bagels and cream cheese. With the bagels, I enjoyed the ‘egg’ flavour one, because it was essentially an enriched dough made into the bagel. They also have interesting cream cheese flavours (that I presume they whip up on their own in the kitchen). For example, you can find tiny smoked salmon bits in their smoked salmon cream cheese.
Shake Shack
There are Shake Shack outlets in the UK, but it (supposedly) tastes better in the US (where it originated) so we gave their Shack Stack a try. I really liked the mushroom and cheese combination (in the patty) but it certainly isn’t something that you should have everyday. The amount of calories in each item is staggering and I seriously wonder how people actually eat this regularly.
Boba Guys
I have heard about the Boba Guys from Buzzfeed so it was really exciting to see this store in person. I tried the matcha strawberry latte- it looked pretty, but it was honestly too sweet for me. You couldn’t change the sugar level in this drink, because the sweetness came from the strawberry jam, and I normally have 0% sugar in my bubble tea, so I really should have expected this. The normal matcha latte (without the strawberry) was at the right sweetness level for me, so I probably should have ordered that instead (but it was not as aesthetic hehe).
La Colombe Coffee Roasters
This place specializes in draft latte, which means that they put the coffee through the keg and it comes out from a tap, thus resulting in a light yet creamy cup of latte. It does get quite heavy after awhile though, so it’s not the first thing I would go for on the menu. My personal favorite is the ‘Pure Black & Tan’, because it is a mix of the draft latte and the cold brew, which helps to cut through the thickness of the milk.
Artichoke Pizza
Artichoke Pizza has so many outlets now, but we went to visit the original one, because their pizzas are made on-site and so it has the best tasting pizzas. Unlike the typical ones you get at other chains, their pizzas are very cheesy and saucy (so they are quite messy to eat) but so so good! We ordered a slice of the Artichoke one and the crab one to share (because their slices are HUGE). Their interior also makes for great photos, so we spent some time posing at the counter seats too.
Jing Fong
This is a dimsum restaurant in Chinatown that still operates using pushcarts, just like how they did in Hong Kong in the olden days. The restaurant’s atmosphere really makes you feel like you are transported to another place and time. The quality of the food satisfied our Asian food cravings, so this is a 10/10 would recommend!
Levain Bakery
We didn’t have time to visit this bakery in person, but one of our friends very kindly bought their cookies for us to take to the airport. Their cookies are so thick that their texture resemble brownies more, but they are really good nonetheless! Like most of the other American food that we have had, it is not something that you would or should have everyday, but it is nice to indulge in once in a while.
adventuresofxmm 