The One with the wrinkle-free skin

I was about 13 when this photo was taken – we were on our first trip to Canada and the US, and having had a brilliant time in Toronto and New York, we’d arrived in Washington DC, where it was about 95F. At this time, there were lots of no go areas, so we spent a lot of time not feeling particularly safe and being told to turn back and go a different way by the cops who were everywhere. Years later, when I returned to Washington for my birthday, it had changed completely, and is definitely one of my favourite cities.

As you can see, I was very gangly – I seem to be all neck and arms, and I was already colouring my hair. I’m doing my trademark pout, which is basically the natural shape of my lips, although people ALWAYS accuse me of pouting. Although I probably was being a bit sulky – I was definitely a typical teenager in the sulk stakes.

I don’t regret anything I’ve done with my life and I’m very happy where I am now. I don’t really want to go back to being a gangly teenager. But there’s one reason this photo does make me weep. And that’s my wrinkle-free skin. *sobs*

*This is my entry for The Gallery and the theme this week is ‘youth’.