Meals out, Curries, Eliminators, Photography Fail

Really tired today, and no real reason for it! Really think I am in the process of catching whatever it is that Andy has, lucky I bought him a load of illness-busting drugs today that I may now have to share...

Had a rather nice lunch and catch-up with David today. As he's already been and done his year abroad, he is more than familiar with the idiosyncrasies of the French and the struggles with language that you tend to have. Very interesting to compare my experiences so far with what he had, and also see what he has been up to. Ironically, the time that I am now in England is when he is off to France so we were lucky to be able to synchronise schedules enough to get lunch! It is really nice too to get a lot of my little niggling worries (am I speaking enough French? Are all people involved in paperwork quite rude? Etc.) addressed and resolved.

Met Andy on campus and got the bus home. Managed to run into Kassia on the bus and we all had a very interesting conversation about different types of DSLR, and also the nightlife in Liverpool (place of this year's Photosoc Winter Tour). As this is my closest city, I am rather well informed! When we got back to Andy's we listened to a Kings of Convenience album. Not a particularly interesting thing to do, but there is this one song that always speaks to me...especially when I'm in France. I think it's this sense of not belonging, but obviously so. It's usually when someone has spoken too fast to me and I can't understand what they're saying...then feel particularly foreign.

The evening's entertainment was an all-you-can-eat curry, courtesy of Kismet and with over forty other Photosoc members. Andy got into a bit of a flap about how many members were coming (he organises all the socials and tours for the society), but I think it was all unfounded as everyone had a fabulous night! Kai and I had the piss taken out of us quite a bit because we just couldn't manage the spicier section of the curry selection, but hey ho I know if I tried more than a taste of them I would really regret it! However, I think watching Jaz and Alex try whole Naga Chillies really did make me die slightly inside...I felt quite sorry for both of them trying to pretend that the intense spice was not affecting them in the slightest. Ended up in Kelsey's and had my first Eliminator (first definition!) of the year. Yes, a very interesting beverage to have...and not the tastiest as anyone can imagine...but somehow, when you can't have it, you kind of miss it. This is Mark, photographed in Kelseys - rather unfortunately I didn't take too many photographs last night...was slightly too busy talking, so this is the most in focus photograph of the night!

Got in rather late to discover Saskia, Fliss and Jared making cakes. Well, in particular cakes, and a pumpkin pie. Apparently the pumpkin pie did not turn out as expected...although when you use cottage cheese rather than soft cheese, well I don't know what you can expect!