Harriet Solomon

Sadly, despite my fruitless hankering otherwise, exam season is upon us once again. Wasted days, panicked nights and a constant stream of self-assurance that you would have written that answer on the mark scheme if only you’d given it a bit more thought, have become my reality. Needless to say, this endless cycle of procrastination does little to satiate my niggling wanderlust and thus I’ve had to resign myself to adventures upon a page, at least for now.

But do not fret just yet dear readers, the end is indeed in sight. Until then, I am momentarily content to allow my thoughts to revel in the memories of outlandish endeavours in magical lands, even if my hands are preoccupied with (arguably) more important matters. I am not usually so quick to advocate dwelling on the past, adopting a sense of spontaneity has always held more appeal for my restless disposition. Nevertheless, in this case I am prepared to make an exception. After all whilst your body may not be able to indulge in exploration just yet, there’s no harm in treating your mind to a little travel in between past papers.

Now, though I struggle to believe that the unfortunate nature of my current predicament is not of extreme interest to each and every one of you, I will reluctantly abandon my distress (for the time being) in favour of outlining the subject of this post.

Food. Perhaps this sudden preoccupation with this topic can be attributed to incessant exam-time snacking, but regardless of the motivation, there is simply no denying that what you eat can make or break any trip. Whilst I make no claims to be a connoisseur of foreign cuisine (I’ll leave that particular title to my Father who never hesitates to impart his questionable knowledge with the rest of our travelling crew. Every. Single. Meal. Time), I can assure you that my adventures have confronted me with culinary experiences that are almost too good to be true. Whether our menu consisted of the delicious, the undesirable or the downright unidentifiable, the food I have consumed throughout my years has become intrinsically intertwined with some of my fondest memories.

So get ready to placate your grumbling stomachs (or more likely struggle to hold down your own lunch) as we embark on our most hazardous journey yet. Across plates, bowls and the odd banana leaf, this worldwide expedition will leave you hungry for adventure if nothing else.

Check out part two here!

Harriet Solomon