We went, we saw, we conquered... at least some of the time!! Ash put together a bit of footage, hope you enjoy watching!
Wednesday, 26 September 2007
Wednesday, 19 September 2007
Reasons I love living in Wales: #2
Heading to the local 'swimming pool'...
Mid swim - I am the dot at the back! Wetsuits are compulsory but the view from the changing room is unsurpassed...
It lives! It breathes! It updates!
You’d think, wouldn’t you, that being unemployed would enable me to write nice big long frequent updates about how life is going?? Turns out, not so much! I am more inspired to write when I’m wasting my employer’s time instead of my own!! Which is handy, seeing as I’m now back in the land of the gainfully employed – starting October 8th, I’ll be working for a local branch of a global bank. Should be interesting, and I’m slightly surprised to have found anything resembling a ‘career’ job in such a small town.
I’m making the most of the rest of my ‘summer’ off by spending a week with Ash up in Scotland, kayaking in the Fort William area… It’s the ‘Wild Wet Paddlefest’, and we are going to catch up with friends (Ash), boof some gnarl (Ash), and get knee-wobblingly freaked out by the forecasted ‘biblical’ conditions (me). It’s raining pretty much non-stop up there at the moment, and with rivers already high there’s a few forecasted periods of torrential rain just to really spice things up. Ah well, it’s the best thing about being a kayaker in Britain – when it’s raining, we’re pretty much the only happy ones.
Though other aspects of the forecast are equally scary – maximum temperature of three degrees on Sunday, but will feel like zero degrees according to Metcheck!! I plan to dress like the Michelin Man. I’ve started purchasing winter clothes as I’m already getting cold, while Ash and other locals are still wearing shorts. Bastards. My latest purchase is a jacket designed for extreme outdoors use – I’ve warned Ash I’ll have no issues about wearing it to bed as a slightly odd-looking but undeniably effective pyjama top should I deem it necessary!
After that, I’m heading back down to London for the first week of October, to catch up with all the girls, tidy up my crap from the house in London so Kerro can find a flatmate, and generally enjoy a bit of time in the big smoke! Just had the good news that Kristie is coming over for a few days in January, so no doubt I’ll pop down for a weekend then, but this’ll be the last long visit for a while I’d imagine!
And for the $64m question, what have I been doing all ‘summer’ to render me so unable to put fingers to keyboard long enough to type out an email? The answer, sadly but predictably, is nothing much. I was a bit poorly for a while there and not up to sitting in front of a computer, but for the last month it’s just been sheer laziness. I have been out and about, but the effort of *doing* is so overwhelming that the *documenting* is somewhat of a bridge too far ;-)
I’m really enjoying the ease of accessing the local countryside and have been inspired to run and walk far more often – partly, I have to admit, because Ash’s dog Casey needs exercising! But there are some gorgeous little tree lined lanes and trails within 100m of our front door, so it’s really easy to pootle out. I did the run leg of the Bala triathlon recently in 9 minute miles despite hilly terrain so while I’m still no Lorraine Moller I am at least getting to the stage where running is more of a pleasure than a chore.
I have also started mountain biking, with my second ever ride involving white knuckles (mine), wussy portages (mine), and lots of eye-rolling (Ash's). He is a pretty good rider but has so far been very patient about my complete lack of ability – I like to think that it accessorises nicely with my complete lack of confidence! Seriously though, it’s really good fun and even I can see the contrast between Mach 1, my first ride (too nervous to jump curbs, got scared when going fast downhill on loose gravel) and cli-machx, my second (riding single track fairly happily, capable of differentiating front and rear brake without having to test to tell which was which).
I have been taking other images, and plan to upload them after I come back from Scotland - given my current crap record of updating regularly, expect them sometime in November!
I’m making the most of the rest of my ‘summer’ off by spending a week with Ash up in Scotland, kayaking in the Fort William area… It’s the ‘Wild Wet Paddlefest’, and we are going to catch up with friends (Ash), boof some gnarl (Ash), and get knee-wobblingly freaked out by the forecasted ‘biblical’ conditions (me). It’s raining pretty much non-stop up there at the moment, and with rivers already high there’s a few forecasted periods of torrential rain just to really spice things up. Ah well, it’s the best thing about being a kayaker in Britain – when it’s raining, we’re pretty much the only happy ones.Though other aspects of the forecast are equally scary – maximum temperature of three degrees on Sunday, but will feel like zero degrees according to Metcheck!! I plan to dress like the Michelin Man. I’ve started purchasing winter clothes as I’m already getting cold, while Ash and other locals are still wearing shorts. Bastards. My latest purchase is a jacket designed for extreme outdoors use – I’ve warned Ash I’ll have no issues about wearing it to bed as a slightly odd-looking but undeniably effective pyjama top should I deem it necessary!
After that, I’m heading back down to London for the first week of October, to catch up with all the girls, tidy up my crap from the house in London so Kerro can find a flatmate, and generally enjoy a bit of time in the big smoke! Just had the good news that Kristie is coming over for a few days in January, so no doubt I’ll pop down for a weekend then, but this’ll be the last long visit for a while I’d imagine!
And for the $64m question, what have I been doing all ‘summer’ to render me so unable to put fingers to keyboard long enough to type out an email? The answer, sadly but predictably, is nothing much. I was a bit poorly for a while there and not up to sitting in front of a computer, but for the last month it’s just been sheer laziness. I have been out and about, but the effort of *doing* is so overwhelming that the *documenting* is somewhat of a bridge too far ;-)
I’m really enjoying the ease of accessing the local countryside and have been inspired to run and walk far more often – partly, I have to admit, because Ash’s dog Casey needs exercising! But there are some gorgeous little tree lined lanes and trails within 100m of our front door, so it’s really easy to pootle out. I did the run leg of the Bala triathlon recently in 9 minute miles despite hilly terrain so while I’m still no Lorraine Moller I am at least getting to the stage where running is more of a pleasure than a chore.
I have also started mountain biking, with my second ever ride involving white knuckles (mine), wussy portages (mine), and lots of eye-rolling (Ash's). He is a pretty good rider but has so far been very patient about my complete lack of ability – I like to think that it accessorises nicely with my complete lack of confidence! Seriously though, it’s really good fun and even I can see the contrast between Mach 1, my first ride (too nervous to jump curbs, got scared when going fast downhill on loose gravel) and cli-machx, my second (riding single track fairly happily, capable of differentiating front and rear brake without having to test to tell which was which). I have been taking other images, and plan to upload them after I come back from Scotland - given my current crap record of updating regularly, expect them sometime in November!
Monday, 17 September 2007
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