United Kingdom

We are in the middle of a heat wave at the moment...apparently. In the UK it appears they mean 'Wave' fairly literally (or descriptively?) The heat comes and the heat goes. Just like a wave.

Its interesting. After nights and nights of not being able to sleep because its too hot the last 2 nights its actually been quite cool and comfortable - but the sun has vanished during the day time.

We had cracking thunder overhead yesterday. It even managed a bit of rain. But that miniature 15 minute thunderstorm has broken the weather. Its not a satisfying situation however. I really love those days where the weather really hangs on you and you just know a storm must be building just out of sight (or at least you hope so - anything to break the unbearable oppressive hot weather) and you get home just in time to see that first flash of lightening and hear that distant crack of thunder slowly rolling towards you. We had some cracking (forgive the pun - and the overuse of the word) thunderstorms last year. Really black clouds and forked lightening crackling and fizzing and ripping through the sky straight for trees and helpless rooftops! Brilliant. More entertaining than an episode of your favourite prime time TV!

But I digress. The weather here - on the plus side - has been interesting and we have managed to get a situation where we work through the grey, boring, cool weather and we have all the good weather at the weekends! It is getting hard to kwno what to wear to work on any given day though!

Spring has apparently sprung and now is supposedly the time to be out on the river...

Well the daffs are out. The birds are twittering away in the early hours and I can finally walk the dog in daylight of an evening but thats about all that has happened Spring-wise. Its still bitterly cold.

But I didn't start this just to tell you about our semi-wintery Spring (well not as a main subject).

Sunday 9th April was Bedford Small Boats Head of the River Race (Or BSBH if you're in the know!)
For some masochistic reason I was down to cox and Antony was down to race in division two at 10am on Sunday morning which meant an early start to get to Bedford and put the boats together ready to race. The day started out better than you could imagine - hardly a cloud in the sky and just brilliant sunshine as far as the eye could see! We got to Bedford in time to get boats put haphazardly together and sort out who was rowing where and set off down the river for our first race. It was a novice mens 4 and I got soaked in my position at the bow of the boat (you have stern loaders and bow loaders which relates to where the cox sits and this boat what a bow loader so I wa sat the rowers mercy when it came to splashes off the blades!) but they did well for a first off-Cam race.
My own crew arrived well in advance of our race. We had time enough to stand sunning ourselves and talking tactics before boating and even got warm enough on the trip down to peel off a layer or two at the start area. Thats where it all goes a bit pear shaped. About 1 minute before we started the race the temperature dropped at least 4 degrees very suddenly. But it didn't feel like it was going to rain so we just htought - its cold lets get the race started.

We set off at a good pace and were at full tilt over the start line. Our cox, Muppet, set us up a good line to take and was talking us through the race as we went. The rhythm was struggling to settle through the boat and we weren't making the most of each stroke but we were holding our own. Then I caught a minor crab (where the blade sucks into the water rather than out of it at the end of a stroke). At about this time it started to hail on us - little tiny stinging bits of hail which rapidly turned to sleety snow. Then a senior womens boat from Guildford turned up on our stern. They raced up on us and we all thought they would fly by and we would be left trailing but after about 4 strokes I thought - they're still there. Muppet yelled out loud enough for the whole of Guildfords boat to hear 'We're holding them off - GOOD GIRLS!' and that seemed to do it for us - we just settled our stroke into a really good strong solid pull and that was it for them. They just couldn't lift the boat any faster after that. We held them off for at least 1500m before they started to push past but by this time they had been trying to overtake on the outside of a corner for so long they were burnt out and we managed to stick with them right to the finish!

By the time we passed the finish line the sleet was bucketing down and the ground was at least an inch thick with it. When I got out to hold the boat to shore to allow everyone else out I abandoned shoes to do so and ended up stuck to the icy grass by my socks. We lugged the boat to the trestles and I then had to rapidly change from one set of soaked gear to another to cox the next race. Which I can tell you was the least pleasant thing you could chose to do of your own free will on a Sunday afternoon.

The boat, when we got it in the water, was full of ice which I pushed to where my feet would be so at least I wouldn't be lying on it to start. We paddled down through sleet and got to the start line. When we started the race one rower nearly lost his oar when the gate holding it onto the rigger burst open. Luckily we hadn't passed the start so we stopped, hooked up and got on our way really fast. The crew did awesomely - possibly the nicest boat I have ever been in as a cox. Perfectly sat and moving so quickly and smoothly through the water you would never have known we had about 30 kilos of water weighing the boat down (all that melted ice!) We just flew to the finish. I cold barely talk to the crew my teeth were chattering so much but I really don't think they minded!

I can tell anyone interested that the novice crew I row with beat two of our senior womens crews time-wise on the day. We did the 2km course through a head wind and sleet in 8 minutes 23 seconds and came in 4th place in our division by 12 seconds. We have consoled ourselves that earlier crews had tail winds and no sleet and we know for a fact what kind of difference head and tail winds can make to a time so we are very happy with our performance.

If you are at all interested in seeing the photos the official photographer took on the day they can be found at http://www.rowphoto.co.uk/events.php?event=bedford_spring_sbh_2006&club=Cambridge%2099. Please note the photographer was not tough enough to stick with it through the hail so he missed the chance to get any pics of our fantastic finish but you can see me coxing boat 68 and can see a few of the other rowers at my club racing away! If I find any pics of my crew I promise to put a link to them here!

Hope all is well around the world. If anyone is hogging all the summer time weather please send it this way!

Cox out!

When you think of England surely somewhere you have a mental image of the Oxford/Cambridge boat race. The idea of 8 tall, long limbed, hunky blokes moving in perfect unison along the Thames - competing in that most nobel of endeavours - Intercollegiate sports competitions.

With that in mind try fitting this into your mental image: I row for Cambridge...Cambridge 99s that is. But its a valid Cambridge Club.

Rowing is a surprisingly difficult sport. You sit on a moving seat with an 8 - 10 foot pole stuck out to one side not only trying to do exactly what everyone else is doing but to do it at precisely the same time and hope that makes the boat steady. Because they are NOT steady. The slightest little thing will tilt the boat to one side or the other. Which doesn't sound too tragic until you figure in the fact that you are sitting approximately 3 inches from the top of the boat on your little moving seat and as soon as the boat tilts you can't get your oar (blade) out of the water without seriously squashing your legs in the process. And if the oar doesn't come out of the water there is a high chance that you will go IN the water. And you play this lovely little game for about 2 hours an outing.

Why do we do it? Well - hold that question - there's a bit more to come...

We are working rowers. Fortunately we are not expected to get up to row at 6am every day of the week (maybe just once a week). To re-phrase the title We work and we row. If we are not at work or asleep we are doing rowing related stuff.

Why do we do it? Hang on theres more to come.

I'm a novice. That is the lowest level of commitment required at club level. We do approximately 8 to 10 hours of rowing related activity a week. I also cox a novice mens squad. So I spend another 6 to 8 hours with that crew. Its a part time job already. And when either crew goes up to intermediate level its going to be double the work.

So why do we do it? Turns out its addictive. Its as hard as martial arts and requires somewhere near the same level of focus and commitment. After nearly 4 years here I have finally found my Kiaido Ryu subsitute. It feels like a family and there is a common goal (beat the other clubs on the river).

Life is still good.

Now all I need is my new passport and I can start putting some travel epics up on here again.

Ciao.

Travelling Mc.

Merriest and Happiest of Christmases and New Years to you all!

Here in Jolly England its chilly and rather damp. The early winter promise of snow has not yet materialised but to be honest if you live south of the highlands you can't expect too much!

Cambridge's threatened christmas lights are safely up and glowing like little balls of warmth against the winter chill and all the bungalows in our village are currently holding a christmas decoration competition that Tim "the Toolman" Taylor would be proud of. When you consider that bungalows in England are typically the residence of retired folk who can no longer manage stairs you will see a whole new facet for humour in this comment!

The pressies are wrapped, the chockies have all been bought, the parties are almost all over - Christmas is nearly here! The primary differences between NZ and UK have been discussed ad nuseum with a dozen different people who are fascinated by the concept of cold meat and salad on Christmas day (and when you mention the water fights their eyes positively bug out!), and everyone is negotiating with everyone else about who will stay and work through the week between boxing day and new years!

Christmas was a smart move by the catholic church. Deciding to take over the pagan winter solstice festival was a display of immense wisdom. I say this because if they had not allowed people in the northern hemisphere to celebrate at the heart of this most dark and gloomy time they wouldn't have had followers for long. As it is Cambridge town centre with its cute lights flashing and glowing from 3pm everyday and brightening everybodies previously gloomy spirits.

I am hopeful of snow on Christmas day. I missed it last year because I was celebrating kiwi-style (in the sun) but this year we are heading north and north is where the snow is (I hope!)

So joyeux noel from me to you. Happy Winter or Sunny Summer depending on where you are. Best Wishes and if I son't see you before New Years - have a good one!
C. (Travelling Mc)

All this time overseas and I rarely speak of what has so easily become home. Cambridge is a fabulous little city. The English believe it shouldn't be called a city due to its lack of a cathedral (a vital box you used to have to tick if you were to call your town a city) but we wont pause for too long on that thought.

Cambridge - for those of you not familiar with the area - is situated pretty much in the heart of East Anglia in its own county (Cambridgehire). We are a 45 minute train ride north of London and only 30 minutes from Stansted airport which gives me all the benefits of easy to reach hustle n bustle as well as a great international transport network. What more can a girl ask for?

The city is situated on the river Cam (hence the name) and is most well-known for its University and its Boat Race (and indirectly the friendly competitiveness with 'rival' university city Oxford). Rowing is a local pasttime and a great way to get a completely different view of the area. However if you only visit for a short time most people would recommend hiring a punt and seeing the sights that way. I would recommend this to you with 2 additions: Champagne and Strawberries. Or Pimms and lemonade if you prefer!

Cambridge is also 'The City of Cycles'. Popular myth has it that almost everyone in Cambridge owns a stolen bike - not that they necessarily stole it themselves, more likely they bought it from a mate who got it cheap from a bloke 'with connections' - but considering the number of bikes that get nicked every week I'm going to guess that there is some truth to the tale. Because East Anglia is 'Fen land' its almost completely flat which means that biking everywhere is fairly fuss free and with most of the centre of the city being pedestrian-only riding a bike is much more convenient than having a car.

There are 4 main commons: Jesus Green, Parkers Piece, Midsummer Common and the Mill. Each has its popluar uses and summer is definitely the time to make the most of them. Midsummer common hosts the strawberry fair and countless amusement fairs and a circus or two each year; Jesus green is where students and locals alike go to play football and tennis and skate and muck about; Parkers Piece plays host to pretty much anything slightly more high brow than would feature on Midsummer common as well as being the playing fields for Parkside School (and great for snow fights in winter); and The Mill is a great drinking space. In the middle of summer its either strewn with comatose bodies or plastic cups and disposable BBQ's. Its also a good space to watch novice punters fall off their punts (my 'tip of the week').

There are many good eateries including a LOAD of pizza places and wine bars. There are 3 cinemas as well as a bowling alley and various pool halls if you like that kind of thing. The local nightclubs are good fun after a drink or two and the whole area is absolutely stuffed with fantastic pubs in which to enjoy a Sunday lunch or a romantic meal any time you fancy.

The architecture of the city never fails to please me. Due to several big building projects there has been a lot of archaeological digs going on which I've taken the opportunity to poke my nose into whenever I can. If you like churches then Great St Marys is worth a stop - go up the tower for a brilliant view of the city. The colleges of the university are brilliant. There is so much more to them than impressive walls and court yards - being invited to dine at any of them is well worth the experience. The May Balls (held in June) are brilliant and the tickets always go quickly despite being priced up to £500 and I can say that they are more than worth the money.

If you come during winter - especially around halloween - you can do Ghost Walks and scare yourself silly (if you like that kind of thing). Or else you can enjoy the splendour of this centuries old town in the heat of summer idly wandering from bar to bar, cafe to cafe, common to common (via the market square) and just soak it all up as you go.

So now I've done this advertisement, you should come and visit.