Friday 2 August 2013

The Duke of Edinburgh award Gold expedition

In year 12, after the exams, I took part in DofE Gold expedition.

Here are pros and cons:

Pros

  • Amazing sense of achievement. When you get to the end, the finish line, you feel amazing. As if you can do anything in the world  after doing this.
  • Great on CV and for universities- You really do learn a lot about yourself, not just how to navigate. It shows motivation, determination, and strength both physically and mentally. 
  • Doing it with friends. I didn't do it with my friends but a few classmates. But supporting each other makes such a huge difference. 
  • Good laughs - One of my team member had poo on her backpack. 

Cons

  • HARD. Very challenging for me, since I was very unfit. The uphills are torture! Although I do know some people found it easy, so it depends. You need to make things easier for yourself. Carry light things. Avoid heavy snacks, like partially dried apricots. You need to see what food works for you. Different people like different things. Try out food during the training and practice to see what you like. 
  • Scarred for life. I can not look at tuna wraps or even think about them without gagging. I had them for every lunch.The sweetcorn made it better but still, NEVER AGAIN.
  • The practice and training are before the exams and so time consuming. 
  • Very dangerous. Just generally be careful. 

Helpful hints

  • If you are very unfit and struggle with hills so much that you are thinking of dropping out, use walking poles. They are very expensive, but get them on sale or offer somewhere. They do help so much!
  • Pack lightly- do NOT need makeup and try to pack a plastic cup, instead of a heavy metal one, etc.
  • Tie your walking boots TIGHTLY, because otherwise your feet will start to hurt quickly.
  • Wear appropriate clothing- don't wear shorts or crop tops. Please....wear leggings and a top (preferably not cotton, because if it gets wet, it will not dry as quickly). Guys, wear something flexible.There are walking trousers out there, but make sure whatever you wear is quite lightweight, because the only thing you don't want, is extra weight.
  • Bring waterproofs! Vital. Proper waterproofs are very helpful, especially if you do it in the rainy seasons. 
  • Have breakfast. - even if you are not a breakfast person
  • Stretch! This will prevent any lactic acid building up and causing anything to hurt. 
If you have any questions, please ask. 

Must read book- Catching fire

So many of you may be thinking which book to read this summer. Here's a review of a book that I just read which was absolutely amazing!!

Catching fire, the second book in the Hunger Games series. Many of you may want to pick it up because the movie is coming out or you've just finished reading the first one. 

I would highly recommend it. There were so many twists and turns that I didn't expect. It made me smile and cry. The first few pages I thought were quite boring but then after that, I could not put it down! Not kidding! 
I would love to hear what you think, so comment below. 

The fall of the angels -story

Here's a story that I wrote, with the inspiration being the TV show Supernatural.


The fall of the angels

“Well, fancy seeing you here”
“Huh” I smile lightly, “What are you going to do now? Kill me? Torture me? Or ooooo, I don’t know, let me go?”, I ask cheekily.
“Yes, because that is why I have trapped you here, in a 105 years, 3 months and 1 day old abandoned building, with demons guarding your every move.” He answers back with sarcasm.
“Well, things could be worse……”
“You certainly have an imagination, a creative one at that.”
We face each other and battle it out.
He pulls out a sharp weapon, a knife with jagged shark like edges and a polished sliver handle. I look at him, unsure of what to think. Is he playing with me? Is he just bluffing?
I think of 6 different scenarios of what could happen. Don’t be stupid, outwit him. So what can I see that I can use?.......I look to my right instinctively, yet trying not to look like I wanted something. Just scanning the room with the corner of my eyes. Windows cracked with some kind of green-brown fungus growing on it, with only an ounce of light coming through due to the black material plastered on the windows.
I look to my left, and see a wooden black desk, cheap and plain. On it a dozen weapons, a blueprint of some kind and a 60s radio. My eyes look at the rounded knife like a hook. I smile gently and look at him, happily with a plan. He catches my look.
“Save that look for when you’re in hell and need to get out honey”
“Ok, Number 1, don’t ever, call me honey or sweetheart or …..bubbles”, I say with disgust, “ and “number 2, I’m not an average girl, darling. I’m trained to kill. I’m trained to fight. I’m trained to observe and most of all I’m trained to….well ummmm…..not be stupid!” I say with a smirk and suddenly I run towards him and slide under his open legs. Luckily I’m thin enough to, but I get stuck ¾ of the way and so I lift one leg off the floor, bring it up and kick him in the butt area. He falls on his face. I can’t afford to lose a second and so I don’t look back, but I can hear the sudden anger in his voice. I scramble up from the floor and head back around to the desk. I pick the hook knife and throw it in the direction of the closest demon I see. It slices the top of his head vertically and somewhat smoothly, and I keep throwing every weapon in a particular way depending on the weapon and aim for the head of every demon I see. I tentatively feel the desk surface, while looking at the incoming demons ahead and I release there’s no more knifes or any kind of weapon on the desk. I sneak a look at the desk quickly and confirm my realisation. I’ve been keeping my eyes on the demon in the human vessels which are running towards me, that I haven’t even thought about the limited supply of weapons on the desk. Panic rushes through me. I’ve always been ready for everything, until now.

“Duck!” I hear a very deep voice shout at me. Instinctively without thinking at all, I do as he says. Why? Because I would recognise that voice even if I was in a coma. He is my partner in crime. A ticking time bomb. But he’s my ticking time bomb.
With an axe, he slices the demon in half. One half, waist downwards and the other, the rest.
“Hello pumpkin, miss me?”
I look at him with a grin. I’m so pleased to see him, since he just saved my life and all that but….I would never admit it to him. Why? Because we’re both stubborn.
“Pumpkin? Really?” I reply with a look that says, you idiot.
“What?” he replies, looking defensively “Do you want me to be a bit more creative? OK, how about sugar coating puppy?  Unicorn?..”
I can’t help myself and I fall into a bundle of laughter, meanwhile the evil demon guy, who I kicked in the butt, isn’t too happy and is coming towards us, with his hand raised, palm facing towards us. Dean and I, our backs against the desk.
“Any bright ideas Watson?” He asks me with a hint of fear in his eyes but a smile to hide it.
“Well, how about….RUN?!”I reply still looking at the demon in front of us, but scared yet with the adrenaline rush.
We run to our right, towards the exit, the metal door flung open, next to the grimy windows. We don’t even look back.
We get into Dean’s Jaguar and make our escape.
“Bye the way, I’m Sherlock.” I say, in the passenger seat, next to Dean, once we are well away from the warehouse.
“Come on!” He exclaims. After a few minutes of awkward silence, his face turns solemn and he starts his speech, telling me everything, “Look, don’t get mad……and don’t ask any questions until I’ve finished, OK?”
“I guess this is where I nod?” I ask and then nod by the serious look he gives me. Then he faces the road and starts to talk.
“I know that you want to risk your life and go to the temple. The temple of Kizak. I know you want to gain power. God’s power.” He pauses for a moment and then carries on. “It’s madness. You can’t do this. It’s far too dangerous and  I don’t want to lose you again. Got it?”
I start to protest but he stops me by telling me something that in all our years of friendship, I never thought it would be said by him. “I love you”.
“What? Stop the car. Stop the car, right now!”, As soon as he stops, I step out of the car as quickly as I can. I can’t breathe and my chest feel constricted and my head pounds. My pulse becomes more rapid and my legs feel like water. But I run away from the car. From Dean. He calls out my name, but I don’t stop. I hear him punch his car in frustration. But I  keep going. I don’t even realise where I am, until I realise that I am sweating excessively from the scorching sun. Shade. I need shade. I look around but no trees. No shade. Just sand. A sand dessert. I sink to the ground and clench into the fine sand particles, but they go through any gaps in my fingers, like silk.
Dean sits next to me, but I don’t notice because I’m too busy hyperventilating. Classic me. I look in the face of danger and laugh, but simple things like love, I can barely handle. I’m good with people, in a professional way. I’m a just graduated doctor. Yay. Years of hard work paid off, but funny how I can’t deal with people who are not my patients very well.
I stare at the ground, not even daring to look at him.
“I’m sorry.” He says softly.
“Sorry? What for loving me? This is why I never get close to anyone else and now you, of all people….you’ve….” I start to rant.
“messed up?” he interrupts but finishes my sentence.
“I’m always going to do something risky, dangerous, even life threatening. That’s just me. I don’t want to get anyone else hurt.”. I start.
“Whether you like it or not, I’m going to be with you every step of the way, even if you hate me. Because …..I’m your ……friend.” He pauses and then suddenly sighs and makes up his mind, “You know what? I’m coming with you, to the Temple. I can look after myself and I’m good with weapons.”
I think about this, because I know he will never let me go on my own. Once I was on a revenge phase and tried to kill a vampire who killed this entire small village, including every single child, but Dean tranquillised me and handcuffed me to the bed. Now I’m very sure he would do it again.
“Fine. But don’t think I would jump in front of an arrow for you.” I say angrily.
Dean would make his comeback and insult me, but he knows I’m not exactly in the mood and so lets me feel as if I’ve won this word battle, by not saying anything.
He stands up and offers me his hand, but I don’t take it. I struggle to get up, but once I do, I head straight for the car, which is quite far away than I originally thought.
Dean follows behind me, without saying a word.
We get into the car, Dean drives silently, knowing very well that any word out of him right now, will only make me more frustrated.