Hey everyone!

Last couple of days at camp were very sad, I regretted every time I'd thought "I really wish this day would just hurry up and end already" 8 weeks passed so quickly.

The last day was pretty hard - after getting up at 5am to say bye to all the French staff who were leaving on the early bus (12hr trip to Quebec!) then had to pack my bag and go and say bye to everyone else (some people stay at camp over the off season, there's music camp for a week, then it gets used by universities or businesses for a few days at a time)

Just managed to get on my bus in time before heading back to Toronto. Pretty annoying - had a bunch of 14/15 yr old female campers behind me, who cried the whole 2 hrs back to toronto, then started hyperventilating when the bus pulled into the car park and they saw their parents. One of them nearly threw up she was so emotional, it's pretty funny to watch how ridiculously exaggerated they get. (once had a time where 4 girls of a similar age came to me in the dining hall and explained that, after a dance practice, they were so dehydrated they were literally about to die unless they all got a cup of juice, I explained that on the way here they had walked by a water fountain. Apparently this wasn't good enough as they had to replace their sugar levels too. Suddenly these 15 yr old girls have an excellent knowledge of biology when they want juice. After dropping everything i was doing and going and getting them all juice they did produce a reaction pretty similar to as if I'd saved their lives - "OMG, thank you so so so much, like, you're like such a like kind person... Like.")

Anyway, meet up with my friends and then had a bit of a replay of Christchurch - trying to find a room for most of the day in Toronto. Eventually got into the hostel I stayed at the 1st time in Toronto.

Ended up getting an amazing room (see blog photo for views out of my window!) before heading out for a very fun night in Toronto. Most of the camp was out in force that night so had a good opportunity to say bye to everyone.

Woke up and packed up the next day, quick wander around Toronto to say bye to the last few people before heading to the airport. After 2 subways and a bus we finally arrived. Bit of hassle trying to check my bag in, but eventually got everything sorted.

Chilled in the duty free a bit before heading up to my gate. Was a bit nervous - only had a 45 min connection time when I landed in Chicago, so was hoping my flight wasn't delayed.

Which of course it inevitably was, by 30 mins. Leaving me 15 mins to get out of the plane, find my gate and board the next plane at Chicago. Fortunately the pilot flew quicker than usual, leaving me 30 mins to catch the next flight.

Ended up helping this utterly bewildered Thai lady who I was sat next to on the plane, as she also had to catch another flight in Chicago. 1st of all she couldn't actually pick up her carry on luggage (to be fair she looked about 100), so had to get it out of the overhead and carry it down the stairs. Then find the departures information for her, then point her in the right direction. All of this communicated in her bad English and my appalling Thai, although I was impressed that I remembered the Thai word for red, and 43, so hopefully she got her plane.

Then found my own gate on the tv screen and walked to that, arriving just as boarding started.

Got off in LA and met up with my friend who I was staying with, who picked me up in her orange golf gti (I was drooling slightly) and took me to the nearest burger joint, got the biggest calorie ridden thing I could find, then got chips (or "fries") and a coke. Wolfed all of this down, and realised sadly that fatty American hamburgers actually taste really good.

LA was really cool, to summarise: went shopping in Melrose, Hollywood, Santa Monica and Venice among others. Saw the Hollywood sign, went and sat in the audience of a new sitcom currently in production in Hbo's studios in LA. (it's called 'whitney', and airs on the 22nd of Sept, if you listen really really closely, you still won't hear me laughing)

LA all came to a close far too quickly, and before long I was back in LAX airport, checking my bag in again. Longest continuous flight I've had - 10 hrs 20 mins on the smallest most uncomfortable seat ever made, sat next to a smelly frenchman who loved talking at me, but who was impressed by my French knowledge (thanks to 8 weeks in camp!)

Landed in heathrow before long, and had to transfer from terminal 3 to terminal 5 - an interesting little ride on the new "heathrow express" an underground train service in-between terminals and London. Checked in and dumped my big rucksack (now at 15kg!) before killing about an hour in the duty free, this included looking around the 2012 Olympics shop (£20 for a small stuffed animal with a redcoats inspired outfit, £25 for a satchel with London 2012 on it)

Gave both parents a ring while I was in the uk (and it's cheap) hadnt spoken to either for over 2 months.

Got on the plane (which was 20 mins late) to then sit on the plane (a further 20 mins) to then evacuate the plane (oil leak in the right engine) to take a bus to a spare aircraft (20 more mins) leaving about an hour later. Good job BA.

Landed in France, where I easily cleared passport control, walking straight by my mum and sister holding a "Joshy" banner against the glass, not deliberately I hasten to add. It was mainly a mix of having to look like you know where you're going when you've got blue hair, and changing the song on my iPhone at the same time.

Grabbed my bag and met up with mother plus sister. Lots of hugging later we paid for the car parking and hopped in the crappy rental car, and headed to the house.

Not much achieved so far in France - got very jet lagged so was awake in the night a lot/ sleeping in the day. Ended up being so run down that I contracted shingles, which just made me feel worse (more sleeping!).

Have watched all of "the big bang theory", and am halfway through season 3 of "Greys anatomy" (have nothing to do in the night but watch tv!)

Had a party a few days back with friends to commemorate my birthday/welcome back, and went to the local market in Valbonne today. Bought my bracelet for France, a new tshirt and treated myself, the sister and mother to soca - a local speciality made from chickpea flour baked in a wood burning oven.

Looking forward to getting back home, few weeks working before starting uni around the end of sept.

For now,

Josh xxx

Picture is... Well pretty obvious.