Well,

Where to begin? First of all, I want to say that I had the most wonderful time in Paris at the weekend. The weather on Saturday was fantastic. I was on the top of the Eiffel tower in just a t-shirt and a baggy short sleeved jumper, it was so warm. It was a little colder on Sunday but we still enjoyed a tour of Paris on one of those open top buses and it was a great way to do a bit of sight seeing. We visited the Notre Dame and also the Louvre (although I could easily have spent longer in both places!).

But the best bit was on Saturday evening. To set the scene: I had been told that the trip was as a result of a buy one get one free offer on lastminute.com. My sister Adele and her friend Paula had been sent an email saying that if one couple paid for travel, one night’s accomodation and a meal that another could get it all totally free. We only had two weeks notice but it was enough time and the best bit was that Damian and I only had to take spending money because everything else was paid for.

Fast forward to Satuday night. We got a taxi from the hotel (with my excellent French skills coming to the fore with the driver!) to the Seine as the meal was going to be on board a boat. We had all dressed up a bit as it was our first time in Paris and we wanted to make an effort but none of us, or so I thought, expected it to be that posh because it had been a last minute deal. When we got there, it was amazing. All the tables were laid out beautifully, the lighting was perfect and there was a live band and a singer. The food was lovely. I had scallops with leek and truffles for my starter followed by sea bass, a cheese board and a chocolate praline dessert. Just before the main course, Damian pulled a little box out of his jacket pocket, presented me with a beautiful diamond ring and asked my to marry him! And I said yes!

So, we are now officially engaged and getting married in the spring next year. Afterwards, I realised how many signs there had been that he would propose but it was still a total surprise. For example, as soon as I heard about the  ‘deal’ (which of course didn’t exist and Damian had spent months planning it and paying for it!!), I immediately pointed out that Damian had always wanted to be the first to take me to Paris and I thought he would object to somebody else doing it instead but he seemed strangley compliant! Also, he was really uptight and, at times, grumpy when we were travelling there on Saturday to the point when I snapped at him to lighten up. Now, I understand he was just nervous. It was also really sweet to learn that he had booked tickets in advance for us to get into the Louvre to avoid queueing, only for us to find out that it is free entry for eveyone on the first Sunday of the month! Still, the tickets didn’t have a date on so we can use them another time.

So, that was my weekend and we are both very happy now. I hope everything is going equally well for everyone else.

xx

Life in Cambridge plods along. The brolly hop still hasn’t been booked and all my lectures seem to have ceased for the year. Hopefully my complainy emails will get somewhere! I went to FOCUS today, a big photo convention at the NEC. ‘Twas quite reasonable, although once you’ve seen one company that makes photo albums you’ve sort of seen them all. Why there were bunny-girls selling camera insurance and 40 year old ‘school girls’ demonstrating green-screen photography, I have no idea. I was disappointed to find that the new Hasselblads were not being given away as freebies, although they were giving out 2Gb memory cards… show offs!

Nothing else has happened really! I have the new Photoshop, which apparently can deal with 3d and video, so I’m trying to get to grips with those concepts without my head falling off. My housemates spend all day playing computer games so it’s impossible to escape the sounds of war echoing around the place! Otherwise I’m trying to get nosy-grindstones again with the photography.

Hope everyone else is perfectly cromulent, ttfn :]

:!!: Wednesday the 17th June 2009 :!!:

The cost will be £165. So if you’re riding the credit crunch wave like a surfer balanced precariously on a tsunami (translated as: if you can afford it)  and if you’re free then do let me know!

If you are afraid of heights or anti-aircraft fire then I suggest you come anyway and face your fearz. Alternatively if you just want to come and watch, we’ll be camping cosily overnight at the airfield which is quite close to Cambridge, and free of accommodation costs. So if you fancy a cromulent little camping trip then come along :happy: , whether you hop or not.

Hope everyone is approaching a lull in the inately insane busy-ness that is Level 2 of University and that those who are working won’t work toooo hard.

Day 1: ‘Exciting’ weather conditions meant that after a 10 hour minibus ride, our ferry was cancelled! Thankfully we were able to stay with someone’s friends nearby. A taste of Scottish hospitality when 10 people descended unexpectedly on them. Lovely people to be sure.

Day 2: First ferry cancelled but we were on the Isle of Arran by the afternoon. The waves certainly made for an interesting crossing. So all in all we only lost half a day on the island.

Day 3: Saw red squizzels in the morning. Funny lil’ things. Our first trek out into the marvellous Arran countryside. Some of our party began to realise that designer handbags, jogging bottoms, trainers and Gucci sunglasses were perhaps not the order of the day… We had our first sightings of red deer up on the hilltops (hills? compared to Cambridge’s monotonous flatness they were practically mountains of epic proportion). In the afternoon the kit problems were confirmed as those clad in trainers quickly found themselves covered in mud and the poos. I’m not sure they found it quite as amusing as the rest of us. More red deer sightings :]

Day 4: How time flies. We were supposed to go to Holy Island to visit the Buddhists, but again weather (and sissy ferrymen) argued otherwise. Instead we went off to find the cave were (allegedly) Robert the Bruce hid out before slapping the English up. Whilst there he came up with the phrase ‘If at first you don’t succeed…’. Then off to Machrie Moor again. And with identical weather to the year before and the persistence of hill structure, the photos are identical to last years’!

Day 5: Glenashdale falls as last year, very pretty indeed. And in the afternoon we saw FIFTY wild (in the non-rabid sense of the word) seals out on the rocks! Quite a sight. All fat and whiskery :catfish:

Day 6: Homeward bound alas. Just as the group was really bonding we had to leave. But what a splendid time was had! And some excellent new people met and plenty of controversial issues discussed. And ironically, quite a bit of German and a very limited amount of Chinese learnt.

What else is new?

Well I got my results from last semester, averaging 74% so hopefully I’m on the way to a first *touch wood :U *. And the new semester begins for me tomorrow! Because we are jammy and late-starting. So nosy grindstone soon enough. I have an interview with Saddington & Baynes on Thurrrsday, about work experience. Hopefully that’ll go ok, but I have a week to learn Photoshop’s mac keyboard shortcuts :V

That’s about it really, hope everyone else is doing fines :happy:

Bye

Early flight. Up at an early time that was hitherto thought to be the stuff of myth and legend. Either way we eventually ended up in Rome and were chauffeured by a grumpy non-talkative fellow to our luxury hotel (no sarcasm intended, and yes you are all supposed to be jealous already). We swiftly ventured forth towards Piazza San Pietro and the Basilica. What we didn’t realise is that as it was Palm Sunday the Pope had just finished giving some sort of public address and blessing just a few minutes beforehand. So we missed seeing the Pope alas, but the crowds were wild!

Sort of added to the atmosphere though, and the views back up the road towards the Basilica were lovely, even with the street sellers harassing everyone along the way.

So since it was the afternoon and we’d had loads of travelling we decided to just go on a short walk around the city. Thus we embarked upon a mighty voyage encompassing most of the southern half of Rome. We saw a great many things and managed to get up high for some sweeping views of the city. Sillyness and photography ensued. See the sweeping vista below!

Back.

Meal.

Wander around pretty night-time Rome and take silly photos (see facebook gallery linked to later on).

So our second day plan was: The Vatican City place and the Basilica. Both of which were soundly achieved. I’ve just done a quick measure and discovered that the queue for the former was around 0.36 miles long. So it took a while to get in, but once we were the museums were (extensive) extremely interesting! We saw that really famous fresco among many others. Statues, paintings, frescos everywhere! It was like being nuked in the f4ce by culture. This lead through into the Sistine Chapel, where the beautiful ceiling and walls continued to astound.

We then saw a man in a silly costume, presumably guarding Vatican City. I had my doubts until I noticed his big pointy stick. That could really do someone a mischief.

Another short(ish) queue and we were inside the Basilica. The biggest church in the world! And golly. It was big. Not just big, but, really really big. And pretty, and painted all over. Magnificent indeed. You don’t need to be religiously inclined to appreciated the WOW factor this building inspires. WOW! Yeh this calls for a big picture too. See those tiny little people at the bottom? That might give it some sense of scale. But you really don’t get it properly unless you’re there.

I feel like a fool for ever thinking that St. Paul’s was big. Anyway it’s time to move the blog on, just as it was time to move on ourselves. Back hotel. Rest. Out again! A night-time venture for fuds and the Spanish Steps. Which were duly found! Here one can see the Tiber in twilight.

Sleeping time! Then, the third and final day dawned. And it was by far the most epic day, involving walking on a truly Tolkien scale. Well, almost. First stop was the Pantheon! And big, old (two thousand years or so) and remarkable it was too (photos in FB galleries linked to later). Then straight off towards the Colosseum! I slap myself silly for not going in here before with the Photography trip two years ago. It is another wow place. Two thousand years old and still standing!

By this time our limbs were suffering from all the walking. But we wern’t done yet. Oh no! After a few navigational blunders by myself we then took a stroll through the Forum, all the ancient ruins which surround the Colosseum.

In a final sweep we traversed Rome northwards in search of the Trevi Fountain, in which we deposited our moneys to ensure a return visit to Rome. Then dinner by the Pantheon and home. But not before some more photography! We just so happened to wander past a filming set. Obviously some sort of new bus themed adventure film. But not very high budget. That man in the red was sat bouncing on that plank of wood to wobble the bus, making it look like it was moving. Skillz.

Well really that concludes our trip to Rome! I’d better not reveal any more information as the Carabinieri were following us closely throughout our Roman adventure. This fellow was handing over information about us to them. Don’t worry, we dealt with the informant.

So there are many more images and and things available for the looking at. Thanks for reading this somewhat monumental post (if you got this far). Hope we can all meet up some time soon this Easter!

See also:

My FB gallery, Soph’s first and second galleries.

This blog isn’t really about a trip as such, or an event, but I chose trip as a category because it feels more exciting. Every Wednesday, Brookes tests the fire-alarm. Nothing exciting there. Only today, it went off two hours early, and why?

Because one of my flat mates, who may well have a concussion from rugby yesterday, decided to make pasta in our microwave. This was fine, we all do it, because we don’t have a hob and don’t want to have pasta-tea and so don’t use the kettle. The problem was, my flat-mate didnt put water into the bowl of pasta and left it to cook for 12 minutes.

He was about to go and check it after five minutes, when the fire alarm went off. I thought ‘That’s a bit odd, maybe they’re testing it early’, because it was midday and they usually test it at 2.30pm. I saved the assignment i was working on on my laptop and opened my room door. I couldn’t see to the end of the corridor… there was thick thick smoke outside in the corridor. It was thicker than any smoke emitted from a smoke-machine I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen some pretty hefty smoke-machines in action.

Also, it was toxic enough to make you choke. I grabbed my coat, phone and keys, locked my door and started getting out of the building. People’s eyes were streaming, the smoke was so bad, but luckily, my glasses protected me, hoooray!!! Half the people coming down the stairs (because I live on the bottom floor of my building, out of three floors) had been asleep, or in the shower, or both. But I was the only one sensible enough to grab a coat, because although it was sunny, the wind was freezing.

The fire brigade had to be called out and the corridor ‘fumegated’ in their words. It still stinks of smoke and I didn’t realise it until later, but my hair also stank as badly. So I had a shower. My hair still stinks of smoke grrrrrrrrrrrr. The smell probably won’t go until the end of easter break, if then.

‘And what happened to the pasta, the microwave and the flat-mate?’ I hear you cry. Well, the pasta was burned to a black, charry crisp (some like it crispy) and could not be seperated from the bowl. It was left on display in the kitchen sink, were many came to wonder at it’s ashiness and ruin. The microwave? It was sadly unplugged from the wall and left to cool. Then it was meticulously explored; the inside had melted and the outside, once white, was brown (like Toby with a tan and covered in tanzanian dust. And perhaps sun-burn, although that’s more pink.) Anyway, the flat- mate was made to eat the pasta and bowl…. kidding, he wasn’t really, but he did have to pay 35 pounds for a new microwave, which I correctly guessed would be a bit pathetic compared to the one we had lost.

Our old microwave had a grill, a setting for seconds, minutes and hours and was a 900 watt. Our new one is much smaller, it doesnt have a seconds option and is an 800 watt, with no grill. Also, the flat mate who caused all this wanted me to supervise his cooking in the new microwave later in the day, so I did. He might have set this one on fire as well, because he missed the teeny safety notice saying ‘remove the plastic vinyl before use’. I saw this, but didn’t realise the plastic vinyl to be removed was ALL AROUND THE MICROWAVE, APART FROM THE DOOR, so it was a bit oo obvious for me I’m afraid. However, we did get it off eventually and cooking in Wheatley is safe once again (well, it is in our block…. well, it is in our block when I’m there anyway).

THE END

Hope you all like and are okay to meet up in Easter when I am. Excursion at Wycombe methinks? xx

Oh, and I suppose this blog does involve a trip; the trip to safety when the smoke would otherwise have throttled us.

The first day was spent travelling, what with it taking the best part of twelve hours to get there. We stopped at a lovely truck stop in Cumbria for lunch and ate chips and did some group socialising. However the real fun started on the Sunday. Our first stop was a waterfall, Glenashdale Falls. And a very big and pretty one it was too. It was here I had my first experience of leading a totally blind fellow up a rather treacherous steep path. The chap did very well though over the week, incredibly adventurous for someone sightfully impaired. After the waterfall it was off to church, would have seemed rude to opt out as they were providing us with lunch afterwards. It was a special service in which all the churches all over the island gathered together. Alas this didn’t prevent me doing nodding off a few times. After lunch we went for a seaside walk, specifically to look at seaweed. Perhaps more entertaining for the students who did biology related subjects, so I got my camera gear out and took some photos. Now one must understand that lenses do not enjoy rocks, or salt water, so as you can imagine dropping my lens in a rock pool was not a good way to exude professionalism.

The second day was spent in search of the Arran Whitebeam, a special kind of tree found only on the island. Again, lacking a keen interest in conservation or biology, I was mainly in it for the walk and promises of breathtaking landscapes. However this day the heavens opened and rain and sleet poured forth. Without waterproof trousers I was soaked to my b0x0rz before even getting halfway. We had to abandon the trip due to the weather as at places the footpath was a stream inches deep at the bottom of Glen Catacol. Snow fell on the hillsides and we all dried ourselves and our boots by the fire in a hotel, much to the disgruntlement of the staff. The image on the right shows the Glen, but doesn’t really show you just how soaking the whole place was. I never believed hills and mountains could shed quite so much water into valleys, water was cascading down the slopes in some places. On the way back we saw some red deer on the hillsides, but the snow and distance prevented me from getting any decent shots. They were mere specks on the hillside.

And so day three dawned, and with the dawn we were already out and about on our way to the ferry for Holy Island, a little island off Arran is owned by Buddhists, and thus there is a retreat there where Buddhists do live. We went for a walk around the edge of the island seeing the wild ponies and mountain goats. ‘Tis a beautiful place almost untouched by humans.

Then, still dripping from more rain, we were invited to take part in a meditation led by one of the monks staying on the island, which was rather good. As part of the trip we’d already been meditating every morning and evening, not serious proper meditation, just clearing your mind of thoughts and bringing yourself back to the present. I found this to be very beneficial for my photography, helping me to pay attention to what was going on around me. I think it was due to the meditation that I wasn’t so irritated about breaking my lens too. Anyway, the meditation with the monk, fine until he started chanting, then I almost got the giggles (giggle loop style), but managed to contain myself. Phew! There’s also a tiny retreat on Holy Island where female Buddhists shut themselves away for 3 years 3 months and 3 days. We couldn’t work out the significance of this, but if I was stuck there for that long I think I’d go quite mad. Almost as mad as the Saint who apparently lived in a cave on the island, and preached from a flat topped rock. I refrained from drinking out of the holy spring any more than a drop, wild animals roaming around hardly makes for a clean area to drink from. Call me unadventurous if you will.

Our last full day on the island started with a shore walk to find Hutton’s Unconformity. This is one of the places Hutton used as evidence that the Earth was millions of years old, where rocks of two slantings can be seen next to each other, sorry but I’m no geologist. Finally we went to see the standing stones at Machrie Moor. Whilst not as impressive as Stonehenge the landscape made up for it, with cloud whipping the top of Ard Bheinn up ahead.

That rather concludes what I have to say about the trip! In conclusion I would describe Arran as wet. Filled with natural beauty, but wet. And a good time was had by all. Hoorah. :happy:

I haven’t posted in a while because not much has really been going on here, but I do have a few bits of news – as usual most of my news is to do with music societies! Last week I got invited to sing in Consort, which is a little ‘elite’ vocal ensemble in the music centre. Basically in the chamber choir auditions at the beginning of term you’re listened to by a panel of judges who are involved in different singing societies, and there are a couple of groups – Gaudeamus, which is a female voice choir, and Consort, which is a madrigal choir (primarily 16th and 17th century unaccompanied choral music, just like the choir I was in at home!) which you can’t audition for but the conductors of these ensembles listen to you and if they like your voice they invite you to sing in their group. So I got invited to join Consort, which is very exciting! The first rehearsal was last Monday and my second one is in a few hours, so that’s all very fun and dandy. We’re singing lots of Christmas stuff at the moment in preparation for three concerts in the last week of term.

Yesterday I went to Northampton with the Wind Orchestra to compete in the National Concert Band Festival, which was quite exciting. :happy: Basically you play a couple of pieces and you’re judged in terms of lots of different things like dynamics, tone, ensemble, etc. You can be awarded either bronze, silver or gold, and those who get the gold award go through to the finals next year. We played our set and then went to listen to the adjudication, where we gave an extremely loud cheer when it was announced that we got a gold award! Something that made the evening even more magical was the fact that while we had been playing our pieces it started snowing outside! And not pathetic wet snow either, big snowflakey snow. We didn’t think it would settle because it had been raining all day, but after I’d been back in the flat for a couple of hours and it was still snowing we noticed that it was actually settling reasonably thickly outside, so we abandoned our work and had a snowball fight. :happy:

Apart from that, not a huge amount has been going on here really. We had a heroes and villains night at the union on Saturday which was fun – our flat went as Captain Planet and the planetiers (we’re the planetiers! you can be one too! ’cause saving our planet is the thing to do! looting and polluting is not the way – here’s what captain planet has to say! ‘THE POWER IS YOOUUURRRS’). Next weekend I’m off to Cambridge to see Mister John, which will be lovely. :happy: Apart from that it’s all mainly work and concerts. Speaking of which, I better get back to work. Toodle pip, all!

Well I haven’t written a post in a little while so I thought I’d update you all on what’s going down in Warwick. Last week and the beginning of this week were pretty work-heavy; I had two essays to hand in at the beginning of this week as well as lots of reading to do for both English and French, translation work for my Middle English class, grammar and translation work for various French classes and discussion preparation for my seminars. However after a hectic weekend and a very late night of essay-writing on Monday the work is slacking off a bit in preparation for the glorious reading week which is happening next week! Basically we’re given work and reading to get on with and we don’t have any seminars or lectures to go to. Some people are going home but because I still have Orchestra and Choir rehearsals to go to and my two shifts in the library, I’ll be sticking around and just going home next Friday morning for a long weekend.

This weekend I’m heading off to Alveston, which is near Stratford-upon-Avon, with the Chamber Choir. We’re setting off on Saturday morning and rehearsing all day, then we may go to a fireworks display in the evening and on Sunday morning we have some free time to mill around in Stratford. On Sunday afternoon we have another rehearsal and then we’re performing in the evening. I’m really looking forward to it – my first proper concert at Warwick. In terms of other musical stuffs, I have a concert coming up on the 12th with the Wind Orchestra and on the 18th we’re competing in the National Concert Band Festival, which should be pretty exciting. :happy:

This blog seems to be going backwards, so let me tell you about last weekend! On Saturday I went into Leamington with my flatmates Jason, Daniel and Sophie, and we had a browse around some of the shops there. It’s about ten million times nicer than Coventry and there’s this massive park with a lake and fountains and a river with boats for hire – I shall certainly be taking John there as a sequel to our punting adventure in Cambridge. On Saturday evening we had our Halloween Ball in the Student’s Union, which was good fun. We were planning on going as the Addams Family but because of various reasons with the tickets selling out and those without tickets buying different costumes to have a party at home instead, and then more tickets being released on the website after all, we had three members of the Addams Family – me as Morticia, Mannie as Gomez and Yee Hung as Uncle Fester, and a caveman (Jason), a witch (Soph) and Zorro (Daniel). We all looked rather spiffing if I do say so myself!

Other than that I don’t think I have anything to say. Ooh, except going back to music again (sorry for boring you but it’s the only thing I do other than work ), I’m going on tour with the Symphony Orchestra in Easter, woot! We’re going to Salzburg, how awesome is that?

I really am finished now. If you are reading this, think to yourself: hmm that looks fun, I should write a whasblog too I want to hear from you all! Now! Toodle pip ^^ xxx