We are pretty much finished! Tomorrow we fly back to Amsterdam and get plugged back into life as we knew it... except different. It has been almost 13 months since we were in Amsterdam; almost exactly 365 days since we flew out of London to Havana.
The year has gone so fast it's amazing. Back here in London we've been chatting to friends and family, and the consensus seems to be that "not much has happened" while we've been gone. Maybe not for you guys :-)
Over the next couple of weeks we'll be wrapping up this blog, reviewing our year, comparing our thoughts before we left with what actually happened, doing lists of highs and lows and so on. I even have some Barbershop stats to crunch for y'all, I know you're waiting for that with barely controllable excitement.
So don't switch off just yet, there's a little bit more to come over the next fortnight or so.
Ben
Showing posts with label England. Show all posts
Showing posts with label England. Show all posts
Wednesday, 30 July 2008
Thursday, 24 July 2008
Home! Sorta...
We're back! It's London! Not quite home yet, but as near as dammit cos we're spending a week with Camilla and my family are all going to be here and it's warm and we're wearing jeans! We are both apparently a damn sight skinnier than we were this time last year.
Here, you can drink water straight from the tap, flush bog roll down the toilet, and use a properly equipped kitchen to cook delicious food. Luxurious lifestyle revisited - we could both get used to this sort of thing you know?
So far, being back is very tiring and quite confusing. There are a million things that we both want to start working on, and it all rushes into us at once and leaves us dizzy and babbling. I had to keep going and lying down today because I just felt completely overloaded. Strange.
Anyway, one day at a time and all that. We have made one very good decision today - to have a big meet up for all our friends in London. So if you know us, and want to see us, please come to a lazy outdoor pub afternoon this Sunday, 27th July. Time Out tells us that the Windmill on the Common is a decent spot, so that's where we'll be, from about 1 o'clock. Here's where it is.
Ridiculous to think it has been a year since we left all this stuff behind.
Ben
Here, you can drink water straight from the tap, flush bog roll down the toilet, and use a properly equipped kitchen to cook delicious food. Luxurious lifestyle revisited - we could both get used to this sort of thing you know?
So far, being back is very tiring and quite confusing. There are a million things that we both want to start working on, and it all rushes into us at once and leaves us dizzy and babbling. I had to keep going and lying down today because I just felt completely overloaded. Strange.
Anyway, one day at a time and all that. We have made one very good decision today - to have a big meet up for all our friends in London. So if you know us, and want to see us, please come to a lazy outdoor pub afternoon this Sunday, 27th July. Time Out tells us that the Windmill on the Common is a decent spot, so that's where we'll be, from about 1 o'clock. Here's where it is.
Ridiculous to think it has been a year since we left all this stuff behind.
Ben
Wednesday, 1 August 2007
London, innit?
A short sequence of pictures representing our last week inna London, entitled "Feeding time":
Camilla and Emily "I cut my own hair" Barnard. Sauce on face.
Debs cools it down for Max.
Lion rock Ben.
Lucy, Debs, Nick and Camilla living it up loft style in London's fashionable Covent Garden.
Really, really nice to see the cousins, in-laws, nephews and nieces, and imaginary internet friend Professor Griff. Sorry to all the other Londoners we missed (Mat, Phraeza, v00n, and the rest).
Hold tight for lift off!
Ben
Camilla and Emily "I cut my own hair" Barnard. Sauce on face.
Debs cools it down for Max.
Lion rock Ben.
Lucy, Debs, Nick and Camilla living it up loft style in London's fashionable Covent Garden.Really, really nice to see the cousins, in-laws, nephews and nieces, and imaginary internet friend Professor Griff. Sorry to all the other Londoners we missed (Mat, Phraeza, v00n, and the rest).
Hold tight for lift off!
Ben
Wednesday, 25 July 2007
Mulching in Moseley
From Ludlow to Birmingham, for a weekend with Chris and Clare. Chris is one of Ben's imaginary friends who he met on teh internets waaaaaaaaay back in the mid-90s. He's also a bona fide pop star... Hoopla!
Before we left there was a 1 day break in the clouds. We capitalized by dishing up a tremendous lunch of mixed up mezze in Ludlow. You can see foody photos - and more! - on our Flickr photostream.
...and then the rain came down hard. We almost got stuck in Ludlow on Saturday. Trains weren't running at all, so Dad braved the rising waters and very kindly drove us to Shrewsbury where we caught a train to Birmingham. We seen flooding on the way!
On arrival in Birmingham we squeezed ourselves and our packs into Chris and Clare's Mini Cooper - no mean feat - and trundled off to Moseley where we got stuck into a weekend of larks.
Saturday was full of booze and curry (see below) with extra guests Dave and Sal. That's Clare and Debs in the shot below:
I had a crippling hangover on Sunday, which could only be alleviated by an amazing - and alarmingly big - vegiburger at the Cross in Moseley.
Then Sunday evening went by in a pleasant daze, monged out upstairs at the Hare and Hounds, King's Heath, watching 7 inch cinema. Highly recommended if they do anything in your area (there's a 7 inch blog so you can see what's coming up).
On Monday the trains weren't running between Birmingham and Reading, so we had to come via London. All in all, not too much extra hassle, although Reading station could do with adding more benches in the main part. Current count: 1.
Ben
Before we left there was a 1 day break in the clouds. We capitalized by dishing up a tremendous lunch of mixed up mezze in Ludlow. You can see foody photos - and more! - on our Flickr photostream.
...and then the rain came down hard. We almost got stuck in Ludlow on Saturday. Trains weren't running at all, so Dad braved the rising waters and very kindly drove us to Shrewsbury where we caught a train to Birmingham. We seen flooding on the way!
On arrival in Birmingham we squeezed ourselves and our packs into Chris and Clare's Mini Cooper - no mean feat - and trundled off to Moseley where we got stuck into a weekend of larks.
Saturday was full of booze and curry (see below) with extra guests Dave and Sal. That's Clare and Debs in the shot below:
I had a crippling hangover on Sunday, which could only be alleviated by an amazing - and alarmingly big - vegiburger at the Cross in Moseley.
Then Sunday evening went by in a pleasant daze, monged out upstairs at the Hare and Hounds, King's Heath, watching 7 inch cinema. Highly recommended if they do anything in your area (there's a 7 inch blog so you can see what's coming up).
On Monday the trains weren't running between Birmingham and Reading, so we had to come via London. All in all, not too much extra hassle, although Reading station could do with adding more benches in the main part. Current count: 1.
Ben
Friday, 13 July 2007
The fun never ends....
Ben and Paul are currently ezzing it up round Farsley, returning an Asda trolley that Ben bought round a year ago on Jess' 1st birthday. What a sorry state.
Go forth, angel of beer:
Hope they haven't crashed....
Go forth, angel of beer:
Hope they haven't crashed....
Ball Pool
Here we are, in Farsley with the Laycocks having a lot of fun in a ball pool... bought for a 2 year old.
Attack!
Enter the Batch (the 'cock)!
Fleeing the scene:
Attack!
Enter the Batch (the 'cock)!
Fleeing the scene:
£60 up
This terrible photo was taken shortly before I lost £20 in the first round of a poker game with old colleagues Pod, Nik, Goodtime, Sirf and Dobbo.
I then won the 2nd round, and then lost the 3rd. Net gain: £60!
Merci Messieurs! I'll be spending my winnings on cheap thrills for me and Debs in Cancun before you can say Jack Robinson.
Ben
Thursday, 12 July 2007
Addled in Adel
It's a hard life being a traveller. No job, no home to go to... penniless and transient, we wander the streets in search of asylum. Who will save us from a life of abject misery?
Pod and Natalie! Here we are in Andy's luxurious hot tub, guzzling beer and generally living it up.
Cheers!
Ben
Pod and Natalie! Here we are in Andy's luxurious hot tub, guzzling beer and generally living it up.
Cheers!Ben
Monday, 9 July 2007
England
So, we haven't posted in a while, but we've been busy spending time with friends and family in England.
After a lovely night at Clare and Jamie's for Jamie's birthday in Amsterdam, we dragged ourselves out of bed and got a lift to Schiphol at 7.30 with our great neighbours Chris and Jitske.
After we landed, we went straight to Sarah's house in Leeds then onto Claire and Paul's wedding party, which was really nice, with lots of cute kids running around, and suprisingly romantic when Claire and Paul did a first dance. Check out their moves:
Then onto Yarm. We spent a lovely week at my parent's house, where we tried to fix their crappy internet connection, failed to convince my dad that Comic Sans is a shit font, broke the exhaust on mum's car, trampolined, wet n' wilded, and shopped. It was lovely to see Mum, Dad, Shaz, Wayne and Bethany.
Whilst in Yarm, we went to a vegetarian restaurant called 'The Waiting Room' where we were joined by the Wilsons. The food was great, with massive portions, and we were really touched that everyone was willing to eat veggi for us - we had a great night. I have the best family.
Even though we live away and don't see them as much as I'd like, I'll still miss my family a lot, and got quite upset when I had to say goodbye. It's strange knowing we'll be out of proper communication for a year, but I'm sure we'll get used to it once we get going. Anyway, enough, or I might start crying again.
We're in Skipton now - with Ste, Zoe, Joe Rocket and the unborn - until tomorrow, when we're off to stay with Andy and Nat in Leeds, where I think I'm going to have to keep an eye on Ben to make sure he doesn't blow all our travel money at Nik's poker night.
Debs, x
After a lovely night at Clare and Jamie's for Jamie's birthday in Amsterdam, we dragged ourselves out of bed and got a lift to Schiphol at 7.30 with our great neighbours Chris and Jitske.
After we landed, we went straight to Sarah's house in Leeds then onto Claire and Paul's wedding party, which was really nice, with lots of cute kids running around, and suprisingly romantic when Claire and Paul did a first dance. Check out their moves:
Then onto Yarm. We spent a lovely week at my parent's house, where we tried to fix their crappy internet connection, failed to convince my dad that Comic Sans is a shit font, broke the exhaust on mum's car, trampolined, wet n' wilded, and shopped. It was lovely to see Mum, Dad, Shaz, Wayne and Bethany.
Whilst in Yarm, we went to a vegetarian restaurant called 'The Waiting Room' where we were joined by the Wilsons. The food was great, with massive portions, and we were really touched that everyone was willing to eat veggi for us - we had a great night. I have the best family.
Even though we live away and don't see them as much as I'd like, I'll still miss my family a lot, and got quite upset when I had to say goodbye. It's strange knowing we'll be out of proper communication for a year, but I'm sure we'll get used to it once we get going. Anyway, enough, or I might start crying again.
We're in Skipton now - with Ste, Zoe, Joe Rocket and the unborn - until tomorrow, when we're off to stay with Andy and Nat in Leeds, where I think I'm going to have to keep an eye on Ben to make sure he doesn't blow all our travel money at Nik's poker night.
Debs, x
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