I have come to the end of my Gap year - it's been quite an experience. I completed the cycle from Vancouver to San Francisco in 24 days, and then went and did some more relaxing things.

I start at Oxford University in a few days, I'm viewing it with a mix of excitement and trepidation. Should there be a quiet moment at any point I have a huge number of photos to trawl through.

I snapped. Have bought a Canon EOS 350D after seeking advice from the DA forums. It really is incredible how satisfying it is to use a proper SLR after messing around with point-and-shoot cameras for years.

On Monday (3rd July) I leave for a month in the USA - cycling from Vancouver to San Francisco with the aim of raising money for charity and having an adventure. I guess at some point I'll have a huge number of photos to sort through. See [link] if you're curious...

I realised it's been a long time since I looked at DA.

I've done a lot since I last submitted anything - I've had big exams, left school, had a brilliant summer, travelled to Nice, withdrew my university place, started a gap year, got a job, got into Oxford University, travelled to Prague and have some mildly insane gap year plans still lined up.

Looking for things to do at the moment as distraction so going to go through photos and submit things I deem to be passable...

Have finished uploading photos from Berlin now having finally got a new computer working.

Will start uploading photos from trip to Venice next.

Exam weather seems to have kicked in: lots of sun and warmth. Spent past weekend in Oxford for the May Day celebrations, involved watching thunderstorms at 2am and long treks across town at unhealthy times of day. Will upload passable photos from the celebrations...

The 30th... 18 today. Feeling old, but going to enjoy new ability to legally buy alcohol, can't think of anything else new other than watch 18 rated films that I can do now...

Going to Venice tomorrow with ~alcl03...