Happy Birthday, my one and only Ruth (@yasminep)!

Dear Yasmine,

I'm dedicating this post to you since it's your birthday (at least it is in the UK and I have about 30 min to post this). 

I met you on my first day at King's School when I moved to the UK, almost 14 years ago and you've become my closest friend ever since. We've had our ups and downs, yet you've always been there for me - to give me advice, crack me up, get drunk or a shoulder to cry on.

We've shared a TONNE of memories at school but my favourite ones seemed to have always been from our travels. I guess that's no surprise considering just how much we both LOVE travelling.

But let me get warmed up first...

---

This is the FIRST ever photo taken of us at Blease's party back in 2006

And the FIRST ever photo I was tagged on Facebook was with you!

Here are my 28 most favourite memories with you...

---

1. That time you dressed up as me

---

2. That time you had my granny's PINK soup for the first time

---

3. That time I taught you how to eat a watermelon with a spoon

---

4. That time I picked you up on Valentine's Day (a day after passing my driving licence) and we almost crashed (not because of the masks, lol)

---

5. That time I put you in a straightjacket in a restaurant and let the waitress feed you soup

---

6. That time you got so sunburned in Thailand that you couldn't even keep any food inside you

---

7. THAT tequila night on Koh Samet (from wolf wooing to skinny dipping and everything in between)!

---

8. That time we wanted to prank @allasyummyfood with a condom?! (Still have no idea why. Lol)

---

9. That time I took you on your first jet ski ride and you were horrified but also loved it!

---

10. That time we went out looking like this (honestly, who let us?!)

---

11. THAT beach day in Jurmala, Latvia

---

12. That time Ruth and Mike were born at a bus stop in Riga, Latvia

    

---

13. That time you turned into District 9's alien and couldn't stop laughing for 30 mins (haha)!

---

14. That time we got so drunk that you missed your flight back to England (totally my fault)!

---

15. That time we spent a week on a cruise - visiting Ibiza, Tunisia, Italy and Monaco

---

16. That time we went to see DJ Tesco (ahem, Tiesto) at the Privilege Club in Ibiza (still 17 at the time)

---

17. That time 5 of us got in the tinniest taxi to get to the beach in Palermo, Sicily - and took this shot

---

18. That time you tried to get me out of the bathroom with a bold man on my 18th Birthday 

---

19. That time we got day drunk in Newquay and I flashed everyone in the pool tryna catch a ball

---

20. That time we went to our first festival together - Global Gathering in 2010!

And a few more recent ones...

---

21. That time you took me to Duck & Waffle for the first time on my birthday!

---

22. That time we discovered Snapchat filters

   

---

23. And swapped our faces

---

24. That time we got so lost but still made it to Frank Ocean's party (minus the Frank Ocean)

---

25. That time I heard you rap to Stormzy's tune on Ashna's hen do in Croatia

---

26. That time we wondered through Dubrovnik together

---

27. That time I had to witness you complete your dare

---

28. And to MANY MORE times like these...

---

Love you loads and can't wait to have you back in London with me so very soon!

Yours,

Mike x

---

P.S. I also found this gem whilst searching for that group you created about me and my small ears...