I’ve been teaching my Year 8s travel writing to see out the year. It’s fun, creative, I love it and the kids really have a lot to share. I like to think that I’m contributing ot the travel world by developing the next generation of intrepid travel writers. Here’s a piece of work I’ve just come across and a student I’m particularly proud of. I’ve cut out some of the sentences that didn’t really add to the narrative and fixed a little grammar, but the descriptions are all the work of my delightful student. He’s worked hard, and as an indication, he is not actually at the top of the class. It gets better, but I just love this……

“A gust of musky breeze swept past my face as the majestic door unfastened. The smell of godly cleanliness overcame my nose and I took my first steps inside. A ghost of cosmopolitanism gripped me as I watched never-before-seen gadgets surround me. The icy air gave me chills up my spine; the hair on my arms rose as the air-conditioning stroked my limbs. A wine rack elegantly held an unopened bottle of Romance Conti, waiting to be exposed to my lips. Colourful fruits gracefully sat in their basket, begging me to sink my teeth into them. A poised lamp rested on the corner of the royal room, illuminating the area with a warm, orange glow. All this magnificence greeted me as I entered the two-bedroom suite in the Burj Al Arab. I wondered what else would come along my way in the next two nights.

I looked out the massive window, stretching from wall to wall. It showed off the gorgeous, sapphire sea that surrounded the bravura structure. I could see it sparkle like a perfectly polished diamond as the fiery sunlight struck the calm surface. The serenity of the sea was only disturbed by jet skis that skated across the deep. As I looked beyond the scenery, I could feel the warmth of the sun caress my face. I could feel paradise.

All this made my stomach grumble with hunger; I could feel the heat pierce through my abdomen, so I prepared for a bite in the lobby. I stared at the rows, divine rows, of astonishing food from all over the world; my heart skipped a beat as I saw the Japanese cuisine. I worshipped sushi and sashimi; its cold, smooth cuts were the ones that cast their Japanese spell on me. I quickly grasped a plate which had a touch of heat on it, enough to notice though not enough to take your hands away, and filled it with the seafood delicacies. I took hold of a bowl of dark soy. I dropped a spoonful of emerald wasabi into it, its sharp smell penetrating my nose, playing with my sense and whispering to me, “eat it now.” I hastily ran to my table, not risking dropping one bead of rice.

Before me lied four slices of glossy, orange salmon sashimi, five rolls of tightly wrapped and perfectly shaped maki sushi and eight pieces of crimson, stylishly placed tuna nigiri with a round bowl of black soy sauce, unified by pungent lime green wasabi. What was in front of me was my own cloud nine. As I pushed my bottom onto my seat, I quickly tore apart the chopsticks. I vigilantly clasped on nigiri, being careful not to break it. I graciously bathed it in the sauce, taking my time for the flavor to seep in. In my head, the sauce was invading it and releasing its flavor within. A few stirs from left to right, and I help it closer to my mouth which was watering in delight. I took a mouthful.

As soon as the fish touched my tongue, the zestiness of the wasabi burst. The burning scorch spread across my mouth. I had to close my eyes to prevent them from getting watery, although I could still feel the heat vent through my nose. The sauce and the fish went perfectly together, balancing each other impeccably, and the rice was a wonderful separator to keep poise in the flavor. As I swallowed, I could feel the wintriness of the tuna brush against my throat and the countless grains of rice run down me. The strength of the wasabi was shrinking, followed by an ice cold goblet of Pepsi.

The glass was moist from the coolness. As soon as the soda touched my lips, I felt the tiny droplets dance on my nose and heard the faint crisp of bubble. The chill of the beverage refreshed me as the tang rapidly drove down my neck. This was the perfect thirst quencher, before going back for more.” – H. V. ~ 13 years.