|
Monday, 05 September 2005 |
Trying to get used to the @ being above the ' again, not above 2, which is where " is.
|
|
|
Sunday, 04 September 2005 |
Saturday became a good day. Somehow I managed to wake up at 5.30am, just nicely at the start of the AFL finals. A quick trip to the AFL website and before long I was listening to Triple M. All well and good.
The whole idea of sport on the radio always baffles me a little. It's like knowing what's going on without knowing anything. Football, in any form, especially. Cricket's never so bad as long as you know field placements. Listening to the Aussie Rules footy though was suitably strange. The chances of seeing any of it on TV are slim to non-existant though!
Anhway, after a fun early morning of the Demons-Cats game, with full calling on bad umpires and a fourth quarter toilet break, there was the small matter of the Adelaide-St Kilda game.
Fortunately that had the right results which left me in a good mood for the rest of the day.
Now, being back in England as I am there was the return of being able to be around for the real football, commonly known in some countries as 'soccer'. It was a shame though that it involved World Cup qualifiers. Those annoying weekends when there isn't enough to keep me occupied or entertained. I've fast gone off international football. The build up for the last couple of days was all about player power. *YAWN*. All fictional and yet the concept had been picked up on so much by the English media it went beyond a joke.
The England-Wales game was as dull as can be expected. Scotland managed to show a glimmer of interest as they spent most of their match beating Italy, though even that ended in a draw.
Still, there's always next weekend when normal service is resumed. Just have to make it through Wednesday first. Might even have a bet on some matches.
|
|
|
Thursday, 01 September 2005 |
Home. Home again. It's good to be home as well.
The flight itself wasn't anything special. Having spent some time at Melbourne airport trying to ditch some stuff to bring my bags inside the required weight limit, losing a couple of book, a few magazine and some toiletries.
Melbourne to Singapore seemed a little brief. It was a 7 hour stint but having watched a couple of movies and got some sleep along the way I was soon up in the cactus garden at Singapore airport.
Singapore to Heathrow seemed to take forever. That's the trouble with flying on long flights. The closer you get to the destination the worse it becomes. That sheer need to be somewhere and not on a plane. It's never too bad though.
Rushed through Heathrow to get from Terminal 4 to Terminal 1 and the flight to Manchester. Last time there'd been delays so a bus sped a few of us through. This time I had to do it the long way, though in my bleary tiredness I very nearly went through the exits and not through the connections.
The half hour to Manchester, with a free copy of the Telegraph was quick. After nine months of Australian newspapers it almost seemed odd reading an English paper. News of Michael Owen's move to Newcastle and the floods in New Orleans were covered in detail, the rest of the news passed over.
And the final leg. The train to York. There's something I love about the train into York from that particular direction. Possibly because I've done it so many times, from years gone by of having been to Cornwall and a few more recent trips last year. Passing through Morley station brought back a few good memories, as did seeing the old shell of a windmill close to where I grew up.
Since getting home I've done little. I'm tired and really need sleep. I've had a bath and some sleep. I'm hungry, tired and want to sleep for the rest of the day and night.
It's been fun though!
|
|
|
Tuesday, 30 August 2005 |
|
My last full day in Australia. Today is also Melbourne Day, or Foundation Day. It was on 30th August 1835 that the schooner Enterprize first docked at what is now Queen's Wharf having sailed down the river now known as the Yarra. It's been a fun 9 months here. Starting as I did last December. Christmas and New Year being far too hot - which is just wrong. Christmas should be about the cold and snow but then things are a bit backwards in Australia. Seeing people in Santa hats on St Kilda beach. I've travelled round four other states, South Australia, Northern Territory, New South Wales and Queensland thus leaving only Western Australia as the only state I haven't been to. I've taken in the beauty of the Great Ocean Road, suffered boredom in Adelaide, the wonders of Uluru and the Red Centre. Drunk, smoked and fucked my way around Sydney, disliked Brisbane, loved Cairns, sailed the Whitsundays, seen the Saints look like flag winners, floated past wild crocodiles, got stoned in Byron, thought about living in Alice Springs, got sun burnt at the MCG, seen Revenge Of The Sith 5 times, met more people than I can remember, watched the Superbowl on a Monday morning and generally had a very, very good time. Tomorrow I fly out of Tullamarine and head back home, to York.
|
|
|
Monday, 29 August 2005 |
|
Having been suffering with a cold these past few days I sort of missed the end to the 4th Ashes test. It's not easy staying up till the small hours (I must be getting old) but lying in bed with the radio has been a good way to go. I have this marvelous way of falling asleep and being woken up by wickets. Good news on the result though. Another win for England now sees them 2-1 up in the series. One final test at The Oval, which I'll be back in England for so can at least watch during the day! It was fun to see the Aussies get a little rattled by the use of fielders by England. It's all within the rules even if it does stretch the concept of "fair play". I get the feeling the Aussies would do the same but they didn't bring any specialist fielders with them and with their own shortage of bowlers in each of the tests Ricky Ponting just ended up spitting the dummy big style when he was run out by Gary Pratt. To quote rule 2.2: The opposing captain shall have no right of objection to any player acting as a substitute on the field, nor as to where the substitute shall field. However, no substitute shall act as wicket-keeper. I can see the use of the substitute coming along more. England have shown it's effectiveness during the series. Unless of course the ICC decides to alter the rules. It's been a thoroughly enjoyable Ashes series so far. With a bit of luck England will win the final test. Something I know a few Aussies want to see happen. After all, losing now and again makes a change from always winning.
|
|
|
Blog 
