Day 463 - 30th June 2008

I can't say much happened all day really, oh I mean, I went out, but the light was all wrong for getting a good picture of the day, everything just looked bleached. Anyway, I got the picture this evening, as ever, by chance more than anything else - the sky was pink as the light of the setting sun shone through the pollution from the power plant.

That aside, I have just witnessed the greatest game of tennis I have seen for a long long time. Never before would I have said I could have watched a game of anything for nearly four hours - this changed my perspective on it all.

The game was between Andy Murray, Britain's only hope, and Richard Gasquet, a Frenchman. Frenchy took the first two sets, and I had written Murray off for the third, but he clinched it 7-6, then proceeded to win the two following sets, making a huge comeback to swipe the match from under his opponent's nose.

I followed every point (being a British player, it had to be nerve racking at all times, and of course there had to be a huge chance of him losing it all - the spirit of Henman shall always remain), and was riveted to my seat as my dad, I should mention is French, kept trying to change the channel.

Wow, I'm slightly tired from having just witnessed that - Murray's got Nadal next, oh well, at least he got to the quarters...

Day 462 - 29th June 2008

I went to a traditional provencal parade today, where there was lots of music and boat lifting etc...

I'm not sure what it was all about, I was told, but it involved going out to the high seas and doing a service, then coming back, then goodness knows what else - all very complicated indeed.

Anyway, that aside, Spain beat Germany 1-0 to win the european cup today, and also it's been really really hot again. there we are then.

Day 461 - 28th June 2008

Went to the cinema again today, this time to see a French comedy which has made the news several times for being so controversial.

It was harmless, but it's main flaw was that it wasn't very good. Cheap humour, crap jokes, bad acting and a really poor script left me wondering why this film is the most watched French film of all time in France.

My uncle enjoyed it though, which only made things worse as he is never one to refrain from expressing his feelings in a cinema. Weirdly laughing out loud (and it is very loud indeed) aside, it's the strange chatter he makes that gets me. Like the tendency he has to explain jokes, and tell me that a scene was crap - only he doesn't realise that he's not only annoying me, but the rest of the cinema too!

Anyway, today's picture was taken outside the cinema itself.

Day 460 - 27th June 2008

After yesterday's scare, which fortunately came to nothing, today was once more filled with more or less nothingness.

I got a picture of the fifteen different pills my dad has been given, for a problem they couldn't identify and that seems to have gone away...

Anyway, tomorrow is a new day - let's see what it might bring.

Day 459 - 26th June 2008

I was awoken by my dad today, with him telling me of extreme pain in his chest - this resulted in a trip to the hospital.

I don't want to go on too long, as I had to sit outside for six hours in the blazing sun, today temperatures stuck at around 36 degrees C.

Basically, it's not anything too bad, just painful, but the people in A+E couldn't find any lung or heart problems. Hey, it got me a high-speed trip in an ambulance though.

One word of advice, try to avoid having any emergencies in France, as there are several numbers you can choose from aside from just 999, we had to look it up before we found it was a pick between 15, 18 or 112. 15 was theoretically the doctors, but it took the ambulance one hour to arrive - the hospital is fifteen minutes away. Had this been a heart attack, this slow response would have made the picture of the day a very different one indeed...

Day 458 - 25th June 2008

I haven't mentioned it much recently, as you've probably talked about it enough in recent days, but I cannot avoid the fact any longer that the Euro 2008 tournament is coming to a close.

The first semi-final was played today between Germany and Turkey. Turkey, somehow, have got through by scoring, quite literally, in the very last minute of their last three games.

The Germans has done well, and with eight men missing, Turkey were not looking the favourites. They, however, opened the scoring, quickly followed by a German goal to make it 1-1.

The Germans left it until the second half to make it 2-1, then Turkey, in the 86th minute made it 2-2 again. They'd done it again. Or so we all thought until Germany made it 3-2 in the 90th minute. Looks like Turkey were hoist by their own petard.

Anyway, after that cracker Spain vs Russia had better be a good one...

Day 457 - 24th June 2008

Right now, I am in a place so hot you shut the windows to keep the heat out, and it is not at all pleasurable.

I have no plans for the near future, although they are likely to involve not moving much or going somewhere very cold and very far away, even if it's just for the air conditioning in the car!

I don't want to prattle on about heat for much longer, but it is somewhat stopping me from doing anything else.

Day 456 - 23rd June 2008

France. The sun. The heat. The sweat. It's so so hot here right now, hotter than most years and life isn't particularly comfortable right now.

I don't want to type too long, the computer is quite warm, and I just need to lie down and drink more water; just to add to the three giant bottles I've ploughed through already today.

Doing anything requiring any huge activity is so far out of the question, although with luck that may change.

Day 455 - 22nd June 2008

Early starts, late bed times and small shifts in time zones resulted in me getting up quite late today - a habit I've been successfully shaking recently.

Otherwise, there's nothing else to talk about beside my trip to go and see the new Indiana Jones film this afternoon. It's not bad, not brilliant, but not bad.

I'm quite pleased with the picture of the day again, once more this was a photo destined for deletion - I only noticed the outline of the leaf on the right hand when once I got it up on the big screen...

Day 454 - 21st June 2008

It is at some ungodly hour of the morning that I write this now, from the country that you drive through in Europe to get to other countries - France.

I don't hate France, I can't, I wouldn't be about to spend the next two months here if I really didn't like it. However, as I sit here tonight, at nearly one in the morning, it is a muggy night of around 26 degrees C and I can tell you right now - this is not the place to be at the moment.

I have already drunk as much water as I did in the whole of last week, and the inevitable collection of mosquito bites has already begun to grow.

This aside, I surprised myself with this picture I took off the plane - it's quite nice in its own simple way. Typical bad luck though, the real light show was on the other side of the aircraft with the sun setting through the mist casting out all the colours of the rainbow.

Right, bedtime.

Day 453 - 20th June 2008

And so as the longest day of the year draws to a close, I prepare to leave England. Tomorrow, the time shall come once more to leave for France right up until the end of August - I'll have had my fair share of baguettes and Citroens by then...

Can't say much else has happened, early start tomorrow so I'd better be off.

Day 452 - 19th June 2008

Apologies for another duff picture, but the weather was been rather average recently and nothing spectacular has happened at all. A picture of my new iPod case, flash as it may be, is not something I am proud of - but it is sometimes inevitable.

I don't expect much more from tomorrow, but things might get more interesting when I leave for France on Saturday...

Day 451 - 18th June 2008

Yesterday, in Manchester, I picked up a copy of FIFA 08 for my DS console. Today, I did almost nothing else but play it - and it's really hard.

Tomorrow; I've got about as many plans as I had today, that is to say, none. Oh how holidays are gripping sometimes.

Day 450 - 17th June 2008

Ah Manchester, seen here from the window of a big wheel, Britain's second city is certainly unique. Modern buildings interspersed with many welcome blasts from the past, the textile industry so important to the city's history.

I'm glad I went, although I don't want to go on for too long - it's getting late again.

Day 449 - 16th June 2008

I did one thing today, and that was it - I went to see the Incredible Hulk film. It was good, not brilliant, but so much better than the turd of last time. Here is a picture of me as Hulk, I would have spent more time on it but I need to go to bed.

Day 448 - 15th June 2008

Oh bollocks. East Anglia was on the menu today - nothing much else left to be said. Yet another lunch spent in a fenland pub with a bunch of people in God's waiting room.

It's flat boring and lifeless - not the kind of place you look back on when you leave; ideally as soon as possible.

I think I've said enough about this place to write a small novel in the past, and it's safe to say that the fens tourist board shall not be requiring my services anytime soon.

Day 447 - 14th June 2008

Packed up and ready to go, I'm now typing from home at last - the term has flown by very quickly indeed. So quickly, in fact, that I just said 'term' instead of 'year'.

Frankly though, that's what it feels like - a year condensed into a term. Moving away was a strange feeling; I just dropped my keys off to never go back into my room again, ever.

Anyway, I could blabber on, but we've all had it sometime I guess - and in four months it simply starts all over again.

It's nice to be home though; off to East Anglia tomorrow for a meal - by then I'll be wishing I was still in Lancaster...

Day 446 - 13th June 2008

Friday the 13th and it's time to pack up ready to go home tomorrow. It's a quite extraordinary experience, the first time I've ever really moved out from a place.

Anyway, this has left me with little or nothing to talk about aside from this - the actual departure happens tomorrow, so that can wait.

I felt as though yesterday I didn't quite do the lakes justice, and I must mention one place I visited - Cartmel. Famed for its sticky toffee pudding, and I just had to go and get some.

What I felt I should mention was the village shop where I picked up some of this pudding, pictured. I also picked up a delicious Cumberland sausage sandwich, and a sausage roll; equally as good. All of this, bearing in mind I bought two large puddings, for £6! I thought I'd have to spend that on the puddings alone! Cartmel - it's the place to go.

Day 445 - 12th June 2008

Ah the lakes at last! Having taken the train to Grange-over-sands, within half an hour I saw a big red building on a hill and just had to get closer. That's just what I did, but I can't decide if I like it or not - it does stand out, but too much?

Anyway, there is never any debate as to the beauty of the area as a whole, and I was only to glad to be there. Having only spent some time passing through in the car before, this particular part of the Lake District, the bit by the sea, was relatively unfamiliar to me.

I walked around for nearly six hours, visiting loads of villages and meeting loads of people on the way. It wasn't cold, it wasn't hot - no blazing sun, but as you can see it wasn't a bad day either; just right.

I could ramble on all day, but I won't. Goodnight.

Day 444 - 11th June 2008

Since I had bits and bobs left to do by the end of today, I decided to put off my trip to the lakes until tomorrow. In the post, I received a hip flask from an old friend in Scotland which brightened up the day.

Nothing much else to take a picture of - the weather has been dull and cold all day, not to mention high winds...

I hope I do get to the lakes tomorrow - time for a different picture I think!

Day 443 - 10th June 2008

The exams are now over - and although I was never one to stress; the feeling of not having anything to do until October is nonetheless a good one. It's like having shackles removed and tomorrow, I think I'll go to the lakes - could be fun...

My Guinness pint-shaped money box arrived today, and I'm over the moon when things aren't tacky rubbish. This certainly is not, it's a nice hefty piece of ceramic - I don't mind paying for that kind of quality, but it only cost me £5 off eBay in total!

So, morals are high, the question is though - were they ever low?

Day 442 - 9th June 2008

Oh boy - now that's what I call a cake. Mmm yeah baby; cakey cakey cake cake. I made this, and it tastes good - so much better than all other brands of cake out there at the moment...

Day 441 - 8th June 2008

What a day. Fast-paced, productive and fun; all under the sun. I've done a lot of work, booked some flights, organised various trips and watched the grand prix. Oh yeah, I made some cakes too.

Talking of the race in Canada, Hamilton lost out after crashing into the back of Raikkonen in a pit-lane blunder, giving Polish driver Robert Kubica his first much-deserved and long awaited victory. David Coulthard came third too, which at his team is a quasi victory.

I took today's picture in one shot, it's not bad - could have done better but I ran out of time. That, incidentally is what I'm doing right now - goodnight.

Day 440 - 7th June 2008

Two birthdays within two days of each other led us out on a pub lunch smack between them both. This was a welcome break from the hum-drum revision of every day, and yet nothing much else happened.

Sitting in my room today I couldn't help but notice the bare shelves, having been cleared prematurely on an early, but welcome, stop by my mother to pick up some books etc...

It made me think - that's it now; one full year of university gone. Well, it will be on Tuesday anyway. That's an amazing amount of time to just fly by, next thing I know I'll be out and in the real world.

Day 439 - 6th June 2008

If you ever hear the words 'O2 orgy of fun', do not get your hopes up. Lancaster university seemed to have won some sort of facebook competition, the prize being an 'it's a knockout' style field full of inflatables.

As I said, this was dubbed 'orgy of fun' but believe me, there was no orgy. This was no surprise, but I was surprised at the distinct lack of fun. A man, Dave Berry, was there. He is, so I hear, an MTV presenter - whoopity-bloody-do.

Anyway, the picture I took was on my way out - I'm far too miserable for all this 'fun'. Hey, I got a goodie bag with a 'wacky' wig and a Frisbee. Is it just me?

Day 438 - 5th June 2008

Behold - my makeshift guitar. Made from the back of my chair, a tube and some highlighters, it has been the cause of little or no hilarity.

Dodgy as it was, I needed something to play with and this seemed a pretty good option. In other news, I got a haircut today and now I'm off to bed - what a fascinating life I lead.

Day 437 - 4th June 2008

After my Italian exam, I decided to head off to Birmingham - on the premise that I wanted to get some really nice doughnuts. I've been and come back, and brought a whole batch with me - boy did they taste good.

This was a welcome change from the boredom, and although I thoroughly enjoyed my trip out - nothing much happened of note.

I think I should mention that Barack Obama is now the democratic nominee for the American presidential elections. Will America vote for a black man as president? I sure hope so.

Day 436 - 3rd June 2008

Observe the sky in today's picture - looks good here and in real life it was as glorious as the Sistine chapel ceiling. A fantastic half hour of brilliant light, covering everything like a golden blanket, made for a long-awaited decent picture of the day.

Italian exam tomorrow - I've been watching Italian TV all day and going over some verbs. I also went over the Paul McCartney concert to celebrate Liverpool's year as capital of culture; a great gig on all levels...

Day 435 - 2nd June 2008

Big exam number one is out of the way. Aside from this, it has been a day of rest. When nothing happens, being from where we are from, we talk about the weather - I shall pander to this stereotype.

It's been miserable, nice, then miserable - the semi-blue sky in the picture of the day is moonlight hitting clouds at night; not bare sky.

Tomorrow I shall warm up for the Italian exam the day after - what fun. Yes indeed, fun, fun, fun...

Day 434 - 1st June 2008

I went to the effort of trying to get a reasonably decent picture today, but the weather was pretty dire and I couldn't.

It's June already, oh how time flies - not having much fun with these exams though...

England beat Trinidad 0-3 today, with Beckham as captain we played well, very well in fact and they pulled off another convincing victory. Maybe Capello is what they needed after all.

My Spanish exam awaits me tomorrow morning so I'd better get off to bed sharpish.