The year that was!!

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Can you believe it's nearly the end of this decade!!!!! 2009 Oh my days!!! 2008 was an eventful one not only for me but for everyone. I've personally been to so many places and met so many people. I've had many special people come in and out of my life so I hope 2009 will be even half as good.
As everything seems to have an end of year awards I've decided to give out the inaugural 'Marcies' awards.

'Highlight of the Year' - Watching Usain Bolt not only destroy the 100m and relay world records but beat Micheal Johnson's 200m world record in incredible style.

'British Highlight of the Year' - Again at the Olympics, seeing the British cycle team completely dominate the world stage yet again.

'Funniest Moment' - Standing on a platform in the middle of Russia watching a man jump on to a moving train with his dinner in a polystyrene plate and seeing it go all over him as he is clinging on for dear life. Bradders and I were in tears of laughter for at least 2 days.

'I should of known better Award' - Zip lining into a river in Vang Vieng, Laos not once but twice and losing my hearing for several days, eye sight for a couple of hours and breaking nearly every bone in my body. Idiot!!!!

'Best Country Award' - Joint winner Laos and Japan, with Croatia a close runner up.

'Best City Award' - Beijing (i was there at a truly historic time) New York would be a close runner up.

'Worst Country' - Tough to give it to anyone but maybe Poland or Cambodia. I did enjoy my time in both but they can be depressing countries.

'Worst City' - With out a single doubt Zhengzhou in the middle of China. Hell hole!!! I think Moscow except the Kremlin deserves a mention.

'Best Wonder' - The great wall, Chungju Lake (Korea), Lake Baikal ( Russia) and Lake Bled (Slovenia)

'Most overrated wonder' - Imperial Palace in Tokyo

'Best Museum' - The Baltic states war tour that Bradders and I made. The communist museum in Prague and the Korean War museum in Seoul that I've now been to 5 times. The UN building in New York and Red Cross Museum in Geneva.

'Worst Museum' - Bosnia National Museum and Laos National Museum. They have such potential but yet such a let down.

'Best Argument' - Bradders and I in Vienna subway station both acting like brats.

'The Wrong place Wrong time Award' - Being in Bangkok Airport at the start of the protests and not being able to leave the country for 5 day, subsequently missing the wedding of the year in which i was one of the best men. I will stick one of their clappers somewhere painful if i ever go back.

'The small world award' - Unexpectedly meeting Carlos in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing just before the start of the Olympics. Also meeting Elizabeth in Lithuania, Latvia and Seoul.

'Biggest Disappointment of the year' - England not qualifying for Euro 2008 and Spain winning it. All my worst nightmares at once. Leeds not getting promoted again!!!

The 'I surprised myself' Award - Cycling the entire length of South Korea and taking a Korean Language course.

'The biggest expense Award' - Buying a world class suit from John Kerry's tailor and missing the wedding i was going to use it in. It really is a good suit!!! The train from St Petersberg to Moscow was ridiculous.

'Best Accommodation' - Live the bubble, Dream the bubble, Enjoy bubble. Andy I'm coming to move in with you anytime.

'Best Sporting Achievement by a country' - This is an added award before i get mobbed by angry South Africans. They are now the best Rugby union and Test cricket team in the world. According to rankings!!!

'Best Food' - South East Asia had great food, Fukuoka (Japan) had great ramyeon, Austria had great strudel and the baltics great dumplings. However, there is only ever going to be one winner and with out a doubt it's Korean food. For those of you that have never had it, it's not expensive high class difficult food. It's regualr cheap lower class food but it's so good. Dakgalbi, kimbap, just rice and kim, pacheon, all the soups, ramyeon and everything except tofu. I eat korean food ahead of anything and always eat my plate and my friends. Uni canteen food is the same but cheaper. Siney knows my feelings because I most of her food at lunch on top of mine.

If you have any more suggestions for awards tell me. I think overal it has been a great year, the olympics were a big sporting success, Obama winning the presidency is obviously big news that i was glad to see. The economic crisis has dampened the mood and it sad to see situation in North Korea continue to not get the humanatarian media coverage that it warrants. The situation in Zimbabwe, Congo, Thailand, Sudan, Somalia, Middle East and Georgia still remain poorly dealt with.

As for this blog I recently added a blog counter and after some trail and error it's working. I average about 20 views a day with 3-4 unique viewers. It's amazing what it tells me about the people who view this site. I will try to get a map up to geographically place them all. I'll give my 2009 predictions in due course now i know people actually read this. Also somewhere i must have a stalker because over I've had over 10,000 views on my flickr page. Own up who is it?