Julian Assange is outies
+ Bel Chimes In with an unsolicited list of things to take travelling 𓆩♡𓆪
Angels!!! I’m gearing up to head away for a month in Canada/ the USA (I leave TOMORROW) so the past few days have been HECTIC!!!! For the most part, I’m gonna be trying to touch grass and stay offline-ish (but bringing the Close Friends along for everything, duh), but you’ll still be getting Bel and me in your inbox at least 3 times a week (more on this tomorrow.)
All of this is to say, if you’ve been sensing my chaos, that’s why!
Love you to death xxx
⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ IN THE NEWS⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖
Julian Assange says byeeee to the UK
Julain Assange (AKA the dude behind Wikileaks) is outies. After being charged with conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information, Assange has been in a British prison for the last five years, where he’d been fighting for extradition to the US.
And yesterday was his day, as he agreed to a plea deal that would see him plead guilty to criminal charges and go free.
Wait, what’s Wikileaks?
It’s a website that publishes secret, classified, or otherwise restricted info anonymously. You can think of it as a platform where people share confidential documents and news that they believe should be public knowledge.
TLDR; it’s a global whistleblowing website.
So what’s next for him?
According to the BBC, Assange is expected to “appear in a US courtroom on the Northern Mariana Islands - in the Pacific - on Wednesday to enter a guilty plea which will finally resolve his case.”
“He is due to be sentenced to 62 months in prison. But under the plea agreement, he'll receive credit for the time he has spent in jail in Britain - and isn't expected to spend any more time in custody.”
Assange is an Australian citizen so he’s expected to return there, but the Aussie government has been pretty tight-lipped about it.
✿⊰𖡼𖥧𖤣❀ BEL CHIMES IN: An unsolicited list of things to take travelling ❀𖤣𖥧𖡼⊱✿
This section is written by the refreshing-as-a-house-chardonnay-on-a-steamy-day (and co-author of our debut book Make It Make Sense) Bel Hawkins. Each week Bel comes here to chime in about the things she’s been loling at, yearning for, or totally mystified by. Luckily for us, she also writes our Sunday advice column ‘Wait, But What?’ for all our paying supporters who want to make sense of the world!! Upgrade your plan to get her newsy here!
Hi crushes!
Coming to you in an extreme swirl after spending 14 hours on the road yesterday hooning back from Morocco and headfirst back into reality.
I'm telling you this not to make my life sound exotic and chic but because on the other side of all the moving around and the photos and the stories is a gal spinning all the plates of her life, hacking wifi on the side of the road, sending emails and balancing chronic fatigue and not being able to eat bread. Cringe, is this getting too much about me? Here's something for you!
I get heaps of DMs asking after travel tips/hacks and so I thought, cute girls don't gate keep. Here is an updated list you never asked for but will hopefully use and j'adore:
An unsolicited list of things to take travelling:
Rehydration sachets, affectionately referred to as a 'morning cockie' (short for cocktail) to add to water each morning, regardless of whether you're hungover or not.
A soft hat to stop your hairline getting sunburned, honestly, it happens every time. And if it's winter, a beanie because it is the thing that will be the difference between remaining mysterious and warm and walking around looking like a rat all day.
A tiny book and pen to write in for when you get stuck in a bar/cafe waiting for friends and are wondering what to do with your hands/eyes rather than being on your phone.
A practical, yet ubiquitous black shoe that can be dressed up and dressed down for almost any occasion. You will not ever regret this.
An eye mask and earplugs, regardless of where you're going.
A Russian doll set up of bags: tiny bags, small bags, bigger bags (tote), and your actual bag. You will use them all.
Something to wear that makes you feel like you could make out with a stranger in. You may not wear it every time but if you don't bring it you will always regret it.
Something that smells nice, like a tiny bottle of lavender oil and water or a rolly scent a witch on the side of the road sold you.
A tiny comb.
A cute message someone you love sent before you left to re-read during existential moments
A soft jumper, even if you're going to a warm climate.
A tiny speaker. There is nothing more confronting if you're travelling solo, or even with a friend, than clocking around in a shitty rented room trying to make it feel temporarily comfortable.
An ergonomic pant.
An opshop shirt you don't care if it gets sunblock-stained.
The contact/name/IG of someone a friend knows who lives there in case you get lonely and want to have a platonic blind date with someone other than yourself.
A pillowcase (sounds princess vibes but honestly it's such a hack you won't regret it)
Space in your bag for something you can't even imagine yet.
Then go out and be in the world, geotag less (it fucks up the local ecosystem), and be a bit mysterious for as long as humanly possible before you have to open your inbox again <3
Love you! See you this weekend where I'm gonna stay on this unsolicited advice train and talking how to make friends as an adult in this internet world. xxx
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Why the Northern Marina Islands?? Seems so niche