More photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/unsoundmethods/

Hey there,

Sorry about the radio silence, I've been all over the place recently, but haven't got down to writing, so here's an update.

Everything is going well over here, the teaching term crawled it's way out of existence, and we've been hitting the road in scorching heat. The week after we went to Laško we travelled up to Nova Gorica in the West of Slovenia. Nova Gorica is a pretty interesting place. It was built by the Yugoslavs after the Paris Peace treaty divided the area and gave the town of Gorizia to the Italians. Because of this the resourceful Yugoslavs planned a new town and in 1948 began the construction of Nova Gorica ('New Gorizia' - get it?!) right next to the old town. The effect of this is that today there is what appears to be one coherent conurbation which has an international border running right through the middle of the town. We met two of Ian's Italian friends who had previously lived in Oxford, and we were joined for the trip by Dave's friend Moggi - I'm sure in some small way his naval knowledge benefitted us...

Gorica je naša

Gorica is also where Ernest Hemingway was based during the first world war. Attempts to find the brothel he frequented proved futile.

The next Friday we hatched a plan to visit the Bosnian town of Bihac (kind of pronounced be-hatch, which has become be-yatch gangsta stylee for us. This is made even better by the fact that the local beer is called Preminger!) but the Post Office insurers shot our idea down in flames, they have some idea that there is risk involved in taking a BMW to Bosnia. I still havent made it to Bosnia yet, but that's a trip for the next few weeks.

In lieu of Bosnia we travelled up to a place called Idrija, on the edge of the Soča valley. Idrija was the site of a major mercury mine (we didn't go and visit), for pub quiz fans out there however, Idrija is one of the few places in the world where mercury occurs in both its elemental liquid state and as mercury sulphide ore - cinnebar, it says on Wikipedia. We ate the local delicacy žlikrofi which is a sort of ravioli made of buckwheat, and then visited a stunningly blue lake which forms at the end of Slovenia's shortest river. I'll post some photos when I've sorted my computer out.

On the Sunday we climbed up Šmarna Gora, a hill just outside of Ljubljana, it's quite a climb, but the views are well worth it. The climb was supposed to be preparation for climbing Triglav, but that isn't going to happen right now - weather, heat, lack of fitness etc...

The next week we decided to go international again and Ian, Christophe, Alenka and I headed down to the Croatian island of Cres, the weather on the first day was good enough for us to go for an evening swim (where I managed to get impaled on a sea hedgehog) and get drinking in the evening - followed by the early morning. We awoke with severely bad heads and cautiously made our way to a bay a few kilometres down the coast. I forced a typically Balkan breakfast down my gullet and then shuffled of to the beach to hide under a tree. Re-energised by the breakfast I decided to take a plunge, the hangover disappeared and the job was a good 'un. This might have been the sea water, but it could equally have been the thousands of tiny jellyfish that filled the water, they were like tiny soggy jelly beans, and I guess they might have some mystical healing powers, although that's almost certainly bollocks.

Istrija je naša

Then it was teaching, drinking, swimming, sun-bathing, chilling and socialising until I returned back to the mothership Great Britain for a week and a half. England was cool, I met up with lots of people who I hadn't seen for ages and we even had a couple of old school boy's nights. The family seem to be doing well with out my guidence and leadership (!) and everyone else was on good form. The weather however, was shit, but then the biggest national cliche about Britain depends on that. It was kind of wierd to go into smoke free pubs, but then it is probably the way of the future. Thanks so much to everyone who made an effort to catch up when I was back, to those who didn't - fuck you! ; )

On return to Slovenia it was more of the same from before. Last Friday we travelled to Laško again (surely twice in one life is enough) for the Beer and Flowers festival. Drank lots of beer, didn't see any flowers. We stayed at Matt's house in the country side and went swimming at a terme (spa) the next morning - again, hangover cured by swimming. On Sunday Ian and I went and chilled at my local swimming pool and on Monday we travelled down to the coast to chill in Portorož near Koper, my tan actually appears to be working again.

On Wednesday I travelled to Domžale with Paul to witness some red-hot Champions League football. By red-hot I mean the first qualifying road first leg clash between the titans N.K. Domžale of Slovenia and Albania's K.F. Tirana, scortching. Domžale ran out with a 1-0 lead to take to Albania next week. The domestic season starts here this weekend, so I don't have to endure the football drought for as long as my English peers (Did anyone see Argentiana get served by Brazil in the Copa America final - ha, ha, ha...)

That's enough, if anyone has made it this far, well done, you're either a true friend, mental or both. Answers on a postcard.

Props, J