tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25143897574052079912024-03-05T09:06:46.928-08:00The life and times of me.....Ben Southall2008 was superb, 2009 is set to be better!
Read all about what going on in my life via this blogAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.comBlogger266125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-43391920718644307472009-06-23T09:41:00.000-07:002009-06-23T10:20:12.130-07:00Time for a change I think....When I initially set out on my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Afritrex</span> expedition at the end of December 2007 I'd decided that setting up a blog would be a fantastic way for my friends and family to keep up-to-date with my experiences and to follow my progress around the African continent.<br /><br />Since then blogs and blogging applications, widgets, add-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">ons</span> etc have moved on in leaps and bounds and it's now possible to add posts by text, video or speech, through your desktop machine, laptop or iPhone.<br /><br />With the help of my web-guru Ben Patterson, I've decided to design and build a new blog which will become my record of exactly what the job of Island Caretaker involves, some behind the scenes snippets and a blog of what the next six months of my life will be all about.<br /><br />There will be future updates to this page every so often but for now I'll be concentrating on my new web-blog which can be found at:<br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://www.bestjobben.com/"><span style="font-size:180%;">www.bestjobben.com</span></a></div><br /><div align="center"></div><a href="http://www.bestjobben.com/"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 207px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350573663391444994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqElCOEs9BksySifg-x1uLyQMoTckgXjICIcYh3irEL0FpEzxSMAF833Uaof0Zy0ggy5bhBb7zP3rR0m2yTKfFBnBXJAmopjeTNi90LvTbBrLySDYqEUqQsS8YIDq_ZnLUQYvJvJxOHaE/s400/Bestjobben+image.png" /></a><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="left">With only three days to go until I fly back out to Australia every second is busy with planning, building content for this new site and preparing for the adventure ahead. If you've been following my exploits over the past few days, months or years then please continue to do so by altering your bookmarks right now!</div><br /><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left">Ben</div><br /><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left"></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-27470401461790474822009-06-14T23:28:00.001-07:002009-06-19T08:07:23.698-07:00Down to Cornwall and into the water again...Before I disappear for the next six months to start my job as Island Caretaker on the Great Barrier Reef there are a few important people in my life I had to see before leaving the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">UK's</span></span> shores. Over the past few years a number of friends have left Hampshire and headed west to relocate in Devon and Cornwall and when you get down there you can understand why!<br /><br />Still loaded and prepared from last weekend's exploits up in Scotland at the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">LAMM</span></span>; Jon, Paul and I left in the Colonel (my trusty Land Rover and home for all of 2008) on Thursday and headed down the A303 towards the west country ready for a weekend of ocean based activities.<br /><br />There's something great about going away on a mini adventure even if its just for a few days; the long drive, the camping, the little country lanes, the sounds and smells of the ocean and the countryside are all a welcome reminder that you're somewhere different that needs exploring!<br /><br />Six hours after we'd left we dropped down the final descent from St <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Keverne</span></span> into the sleepy hollow of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Porthkerris</span></span> where Dave and Turkey live to find their perfect little world exactly as I remembered it....but this time with Turkey running the catering wagon, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">flippin</span></span>' burgers, blending cheese and generally amusing the locals with his own brand of questionable humour!<br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349048605685366418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3k5qCXAFEqrlo1RsCK1MB2gnEAUWWUxA40PRCs8GCNkzQjEZtn-9mGQDON1WMY9_dSFdHm94urTn801mnn65AXs-liYu32-hCNt9ljHQdjEzFVUXVv6oaF2Ls_TaXVKcNRUuhsYj_UHk/s400/P1000775.JPG" /></div><div></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349049872365299730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFyfQdiL9E9j0SXLl2_N4vIxQzaDZh_TQDSjBLp7pYvK3VFvNXDQmqtG_KodeGE2IRRBP2HKlBlyQ1eUflfLdml6gervE-cIBxslYV-scVzpFKf0YnEQuhbPAqxJ6v6y2W6pFrYT3nRHln/s400/P1000782.JPG" /></div><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349049867483333650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKqPnmnYwoy-83Mk3GPvEQoIog10pHdQ1ewk0St9h3B4uXB8FXf9dSvWxjvcWO4OEy12qflQXwbJe9ocAKZF4BrDqXTSjuzafZJ4bvVZy0eg5Gm-a4rnhf_Up14tBgkfroT0fQooRHdep1/s400/P1000750.JPG" /> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349049880710249442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEuJ6Y11RIw1KaihOLQtow-qIXIDhxgbaQOTw8Pd13aNyslgWeCAy4Sh7_l7oRSQaPz_wLmDxnMyPWoKhqX1xQiwj-4rudMHYQ1FGyVDUKzWEO02tmOyV91C6WZ1IWW9wwVUDzd3uDcSHO/s400/P1000753.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349048600950922850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbyjzppZE_YxQLekzCgVNgvYASesdbOrQ874iMiHqYb3sr7zSO2knLa7jI3E4j5NR26TYrNWTsVv4IeiODJmP-hU7oiqem6rQ2aIDMwA9k2_9ZVny78u2rc5uMqx7efgHm0Q4AFPi9RTuD/s400/P1000744.JPG" /><br />Being able to take time out from a hectic lifestyle is essential and something I really don't do enough of; its only when I get the chance to breakaway and head to one of the more remote parts of the country that I actually realise its good for the human soul to rest up, relax and let the sound of the ocean massage the brain into a trance like state - a one of the first real<br />opportunities to think about the job as the Island Caretaker.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Inside the head of me.....</span><br /><br />Since May 6<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span></span> back on Hamilton Island when Anna Bligh made the announcement that I'd won the job with Tourism Queensland life has been even more hectic than normal. I thought I used my days up pretty productively, planning a festival, plotting the next expedition and in between all of it trying to keep as fit as possible...but this has turned even my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">energetic</span></span> lifestyle on its head.<br /><br />Every day I talk to someone new, every day there's a different person contacting me from a another country and its truly amazing to have the chance to speak to everyone of them. We have a chuckle at each others accents, we struggle to understand each other sometimes and very often the time zones of the world just aren't taken into account as my phone rings deep into the night waking me as I dreamily ponder what the next few months will bring; adventure, the ocean and a vast amount of discovery.<br /><br />As I count down the final days to my departure from these shores the last week has provided me with an interesting insight into just how the press can work, I have the deepest sympathies for some of the 'real' celebrities out there and can now understand how they have to watch everything they say just in case its taken the wrong way, let me explain....<br /><br />Situation is this - I meet up with a good friend Ben Patterson on the way back from Scotland who's organised a meeting with a lady from the Press Association. We take a few, photos on the beach where I used to go as a child on holiday as a bit of promotion for the tourist industry in the north east (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Bamburgh</span></span>, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Northumbria</span></span>), she asks me a question....<br /><br />"What will you miss about the U.K.?"<br /><br />I answer as honestly as I can.....Mum's Sunday roasts, long summer's days, music festivals - genuine answers to a genuine question.<br /><br />However the way the Sun newspaper in the UK and several in papers in Australia decided to take the answer in a slightly different way and labelled me the 'Whingeing Pom' - brilliant and totally taken out of context. Oh you gotta love the media. Have a look <a href="http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,25621150-5005040,00.html">here</a> and <a href="http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=824578">here</a> for my response a day or so later....yet more laughs!<br /><br />Those good bods at Tourism Queensland are right behind me though and came back at the papers with their total support for me in a few articles which followed up on the story, a taste of things to come I think.<br /><br />As I sit here in my hotel room, having just come from <a href="http://www3.talksport.net/index.asp?">Talk Sport Radio</a> where I was a guest presenter for an hour on Ian Collins show, I'm thinking about the amazing opportunity ahead and the incredibly exciting six months of adventure and experiences which lie ahead.<br /><br />The clock is ticking and the final week here in the UK is going to fly by, I have two full-on days of promoting the BBC documentary (which is out on July 2<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">nd</span></span>, 9pm BBC1) to come next week, an evening meeting the Governor of Queensland and then two days to pack everything I need into my bags before hopping on a plane to the other side of the world again where I'll meet my girlfriend <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Bre</span></span> and move into the Blue Pearl residence under the watchful eye of the assembled world media once more! I cannot wait.<br /><br />The limited details I've been given so far of the first six weeks of the job look jaw-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">droppingly</span></span> exciting...diving at Cod Hole on Lizard Island being one of the obvious highlights as I try and dive as often as possible in an effort to get my Advanced <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.padi.com"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">PADI</span></span></a> certification, I really want to dive on some wrecks and to do that I'll have to pass another course but they're all things which I look forward to ...maybe with the exception of sitting another exam!<br /><br />This week has been particularly busy with three full days of interviews and appointments, I've tried really hard to give something back to the younger people in my area by organising some presentations at local schools, visiting my old primary school where I went for a year at the age of 10. It was so amusing going back to <a href="http://www.ropleyprimary.co.uk/"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ropley</span></span> School</a> and seeing quite how its changed, the secretary, Mrs Price, is still there and very kindly showed me my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">excerpt</span> from the year book of 1986 along with a very <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">embarrassing</span> picture which the children all laughed at as only they can! <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349053991917651058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTkoZ0rjZa_2cDURpu_ZYfqZSw4DeldFBJqm4IJPdjqKRH2gEJD7-yIA-Lk-0T15fYFINXqhgGgJqKTuD0NZcdcLdbkQTnZQJIzApSW0mz_9u2UEOrsXrkriziKwr8hZUTc7wEFEMOTVV/s400/P1000736.JPG" /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349052535949441266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacVfgrAfx9eubBG55tWtLs728BrUdC-SUfqHxSxXL9eCu02mHUXvp7bl0FhhlHj-_i_bEwm4-YWGFpp3eKVe0W6xKYg8fz4A2OqQXl7Bbv-tAY36ZhqHCe1Z7F2a4-7ziIxX9_uLFo3Fh/s400/P1000732.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349052537337226610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJwlBQnaw-iSBUEYKFvu6u1bLiFWrh4SVykPmHwAVdAQ3oXYC5HwZQnb25kssXLenmJPvCEjNvsBRxFPPDeWEzCzfNv3lDFCdA0JCjHq-xo3qATagEIG4yXTBI7AO-kglZmbXcbMTZqfw/s400/P1000738.JPG" /><br />My 20 minute presentation told them all about last year's project <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.afritrex.com"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">Afritrex</span></a> along with a little glimpse of what the Island Caretaker role will involve over the coming six months. Its amazing how different and almost nerve-racking it is presenting to 100 children....but they listened like mice and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">ooo'ed</span> and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">ahh'ed</span> in the right places as I showed them pictures of the African wildlife. A very rewarding experience all round.<br /><br />On a bit of a roll I repeated the presentation to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">Liss</span> Junior School this week, but this time there was the added pressure of addressing 250 children whilst being filmed by a French TV crew from the TV1 channel. It doesn't get much tougher than this.<br /><br />Nicholas and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">Arnaud</span> are filming a short feature for a current affairs program which goes out late in July and for their take on the story had me swimming in the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-error">Solent</span>, chatting with friends Paul and Rachel over dinner and even came with me as I recorded the voice-overs for a BBC program called <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/">Inside Out</a>, which I guest presented and goes out in September. Its been a busy week.<br /><br />I have to mention another local adventurer from the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21" class="blsp-spelling-error">Petersfield</span> area where I live, Tom Heal who together with his good friend Will Smith who leave the UK at the end of the year in an attempt to become the youngest team ever to row an ocean. Find out more and support them at <a href="http://www.atlanticrowyt.co.uk/">http://www.atlanticrowyt.co.uk/</a><br /><br />We spent an amusing hour together having some photos taken for <a href="http://lifeinpetersfield.com/index.php">Life in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_22" class="blsp-spelling-error">Petersfield</span></a> magazine around the lake in our fantastic home town! Best of luck to them both with their fundraising and training. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_23" class="blsp-spelling-error">Arghhh</span> hours on the rowing machine - my least favourite item in the gym.<br /><br />Being my final weekend in the UK I've organised another farewell party at the Mill Tavern, which people are welcome along to if your in the area, and then the countdown really is on....</div><div><br /><div></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">In a week's time I'll be flying out to Brisbane to start a new job</span></strong></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">AND I CANNOT WAIT WAHOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!</span></strong></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-24450724954372956602009-06-10T12:25:00.000-07:002009-06-14T23:28:06.096-07:00The Lowe Alpine Mountain MarathonFinally today the legs work again....<br /><div><div><br /></div><div></div><div>I thought I'd try another discipline of marathon running and jumped at the chance, back in February, to enter the <a href="http://www.lamm.co.uk/">L.A.M.M.</a> my first real adventure race which involved two days of orienteering through the wilds of Scotland with my old friend Bryan Smith.</div><br /><div></div><div>This sort of racing is totally different from a conventional marathon and a whole lot harder on the mind and body than I expected, but also incredibly good fun to be involved with. </div><br /><div></div><div>It's known as the Connoisseurs Marathon for a number of reasons; you enter as a team of two and carry all of your camping kit, food, water and clothing which is needed to take on the Highlands of Scotland in the summer (read as 'wet and windy), don't know anything about the location of the event until 36hrs before it starts apart from "3 to 4 hours north of Glasgow", don't know anything about the course until you're handed a map and some co-ordinates and have to run it up, down and over some of the highest mountains in the area. </div><br /><div></div><div>This is really tough event. Full stop, Period.<br /><br /></div><div></div><br /><div align="center"><strong><em>Here's the GPS route of our drive up to Scotland and back.....click the image</em></strong></div><strong><em></em></strong><a href="http://triptracker.net/trip/5835/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 264px; display: block; height: 79px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345812621201522146" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DHmZpvC01_7ZYCdx5Yd4m_g3Cf_baxSm-s9G4wYUEPuk7GaMRj1cxHw8EBmVonOZn4W2CwNwlHgqj_Bcf0LMj6IfReoWWt-atqX0kAV52LiShzgza8GcYjzt5b159jTRzq31KBaEPpXu/s400/triptracker+logo.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div align="center"></div><div></div><div><strong>Wednesday 3rd June</strong></div><br /><div>I collected Bryan from a pub in Rugby after a three hour drive to get there and then drove all through the night to reach our destination, Glencoe, three hours after sunrise just as my head was starting to get to that nodding stage. Afritrex all over again with mammoth drives, this one being 567 miles/912 kms!</div><div></div><br /><div><strong>Thursday 4th June</strong></div><br /><div>We camped in Glencoe, setup the Colonel ready for a night/days sleep and were rudely awaken by RAF jets screaming overhead three hours later....there goes the sleep, so we cut our losses, packed up and headed to the pub for some well earned lunch.</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1nckxCn3gpWJTFeHNpS28mT8Lfz8Ix6dLGKepLGheFevB9hzupBx_bsydQ9Rmar_9FdshUp3EXrMaKrZZPaMKi4QkwsWwJEvPwcDnz4HANgCNz6ZGpRxEDcsSBYymWTvulBRnI5qm7zp/s1600-h/P1000672.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1nckxCn3gpWJTFeHNpS28mT8Lfz8Ix6dLGKepLGheFevB9hzupBx_bsydQ9Rmar_9FdshUp3EXrMaKrZZPaMKi4QkwsWwJEvPwcDnz4HANgCNz6ZGpRxEDcsSBYymWTvulBRnI5qm7zp/s400/P1000672.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345832904559079106" border="0" /></a><div></div><br /><div>Now Scotland at anytime of year can provide 'interesting' summer weather - I know after having numerous family holidays there when I was younger; rain, sleet, sunshine and the ever present midges but today was to be a pleasant surprise - 20 degrees C and sunshine all round. Perfect.</div><br /><div></div><div>We headed out for a drive to soak up some air before we'd have to do it for real the next day on the marathon and found a stunning little valley road running alongside a river and got out for a wander. </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtnt0kglGtke_ViVqRu95hIYQO6b056vChiGgUqTEcjhkAvZ58Ji1RPNkPIQ_HDpKK05SdCi6WwwD6clPPRUqdjhIsINuDZ8rRhBSQuTm0Voh5cbHzEGAfkdTlMgWQKf5iGSKQ3cOSAmP/s1600-h/P1000666.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtnt0kglGtke_ViVqRu95hIYQO6b056vChiGgUqTEcjhkAvZ58Ji1RPNkPIQ_HDpKK05SdCi6WwwD6clPPRUqdjhIsINuDZ8rRhBSQuTm0Voh5cbHzEGAfkdTlMgWQKf5iGSKQ3cOSAmP/s400/P1000666.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345834428973008882" border="0" /></a><div></div>Now I know I'm renowned for jumping into cold water anyway but this was a fantastic place to find - a cool flowing stream and waterfall with a deep pool and a huge jump off, far too tempting not to have a go so I stripped off and entered the surprisingly clear waters without freezing myself too much, amazing.<br /><br /><div></div>Finally after waiting for what seemed like ages my iPhone signalled the arrival of the email we'd been waiting for...the location of where this years <a href="http://www.lamm.co.uk/">LAMM</a> would take place, Kintail, around 80 miles away to the north of where we were staying. Tonight we'd rest up and get a full sleep and then head to the location ready to pitch camp sometime in the afternoon.<br /><br /><div></div><strong>Friday 5th June</strong><div> </div>We headed out of Glencoe towards Kintail via Fort William, situated at the base of <a href="http://www.visit-fortwilliam.co.uk/webcam/">Ben Nevis </a>- the UK's highest mountain, and bought the last few things on the kit list we were missing and in near perfect weather conditions had a fantastic drive across the Highlands of Scotland and had a rush of nostalgia about quite how great this island we live on actually is!<br /><br /><div></div>Arrived at the campsite in good time and set up the tent just as in the distance a rainbow signalled the end to the fine weather and the approach of what we'd feared the most....rain. damn it, surely this would be here all weekend meaning a wet and uncomfortable two days pacing the hills. We went to bed with fingers crossed.<br /><br /><div></div><strong>Saturday 6th June</strong><br /><div>Now I love the bagpipes; the sound conjures up scenes from Braveheart and Dead Poet's Society, determination through adversity and total Scottishness - but when you hear them at 5.30am as a wake up call to signal the start of a two day physical adventure they somehow loose their romanticism.</div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSVozfJTm6Q4LCpYAAG6sUOwhmppsqTgBlG7-TAZODItbhDfUpoiW8ZRb-navQ2CXOxnUrBh2__VjzdL-AkJQeSom-tiPepFzsf5IlebYttK3ahKqPRA_apI0j2U0Wsc1DC04FC5QlzlCJ/s1600-h/P1000689.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSVozfJTm6Q4LCpYAAG6sUOwhmppsqTgBlG7-TAZODItbhDfUpoiW8ZRb-navQ2CXOxnUrBh2__VjzdL-AkJQeSom-tiPepFzsf5IlebYttK3ahKqPRA_apI0j2U0Wsc1DC04FC5QlzlCJ/s400/P1000689.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345834436855066066" border="0" /></a><div></div>Stuffing the last of our kit into our 30L backpacks we left the Colonel behind and made for the coaches which would whisk us to the start point, following our every move on the laminated maps we'd be given so we had a good idea where we'd be heading from the off.<br /><br /><div></div>Fifteen minutes later we were there, I felt a little nervous to be taking on a new form of adventure racing but totally excited at the same time and hopped out of the coach to collect the series of co-ordinates which marked the checkpoints we'd need to complete the course for the first day.<br /><br /><div></div>Bryan spent a number of years in the military and knows far more than me about map reading and orienteering so showed me how to plot the control point positions and from their location, how to navigate between them using the contour lines and features on the map to give the best route around the course - and from looking at how close the contours are together there would be some serious slopes to go up and down!<br /><br /><div></div>We headed out into the grey morning with the first easy checkpoint on the horizon with a few other teams already on the way giving us an easy decision on how to get to it...follow the other teams! Once we'd both pushed our dibbers (electronic bracelets which need to be clicked at each checkpoint) into the boxes the next decision was a little more difficult - a huge mountain stood between us and the next checkpoint, so which way do we go around it!?!?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjyEe7PU_fPRcQjVhXB60GJ4xistepJ19sCJwi3MEEqch1nc10nyf1hU9JZp00ZrFC2nBnMjvuWtwOMNUajKMV9v_GJSlTd4GVessQ4Ukbqpz3S83CrK_9IO5Y-ZOL8Og-rANl_X_VjlWW/s1600-h/P1000701_edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjyEe7PU_fPRcQjVhXB60GJ4xistepJ19sCJwi3MEEqch1nc10nyf1hU9JZp00ZrFC2nBnMjvuWtwOMNUajKMV9v_GJSlTd4GVessQ4Ukbqpz3S83CrK_9IO5Y-ZOL8Og-rANl_X_VjlWW/s400/P1000701_edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345835220843893922" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2FGS9lSxrrvpsfW9CV3KFLvy4T6Jxs5T-UpbAoaEDDYF86ZCcA_ZXQg2l5NsN0GOBGr1PIOaewm3ouH9CJfEazo8KxxW3Mno-FIgYQ7E8-bzxFCamac4bBJKL1BJJYcQF-6wjFOP8wQX/s1600-h/P1000691_edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2FGS9lSxrrvpsfW9CV3KFLvy4T6Jxs5T-UpbAoaEDDYF86ZCcA_ZXQg2l5NsN0GOBGr1PIOaewm3ouH9CJfEazo8KxxW3Mno-FIgYQ7E8-bzxFCamac4bBJKL1BJJYcQF-6wjFOP8wQX/s400/P1000691_edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345835221422040850" border="0" /></a><div></div>As we neared the decision point we decided to track east of the obstacle whereas others teams appeared to to west, oh well we'd stick to our plan and head along the contours keeping our height as best we could until the the edge of the cliffs and the eventual checkpoint...hopefully! We found the next checkpoint at the stream junction and made off into the distance for the remaining goals with the clouds gathering overhead all of the time.<br /><br /><div></div>By the early afternoon we'd found all but the last of the checkpoints and made our way down the final descent and wearily into camp to find the majority of the field already there, tiny tents already erected with people soaking their battered feet in the babbling stream to relieve them of the days exertions. 1400m ascended in total, 23kms as the crow flies or around 30kms on the ground.<br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div>After a light dinner of pasta, cous cous and energy bars we both hit the hay in 'the' smallest of all tents on show there - Bryan all the time happily claiming his £25 Ebay bargain was the way ahead, and I had no complaints sleeping right through until the dreaded bagpipes kicked off again at 5.30am once more!</div><br /><div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTu-tVY2OMAgfE4_de-PyhBbJqrYd11KnPcYVTWUtyLrjKJm9AZ-BaU0cdh-8mt_GCUq2ZVRBKR0MB4TTTx2yQM57sFpU9Zi6MEDleGK8jBJ4hzx1wLevyIfNgGb8fDK2qTbjyV6WsGnUq/s1600-h/P1000706_edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTu-tVY2OMAgfE4_de-PyhBbJqrYd11KnPcYVTWUtyLrjKJm9AZ-BaU0cdh-8mt_GCUq2ZVRBKR0MB4TTTx2yQM57sFpU9Zi6MEDleGK8jBJ4hzx1wLevyIfNgGb8fDK2qTbjyV6WsGnUq/s400/P1000706_edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345835230764145618" border="0" /></a><strong>Sunday 7th June</strong><br />Tired legs, tired minds, tired feet - not the perfect recipe for a fast time and after consulting the leader board found we'd not done as well as expected being placed 109th out of 116 teams in the 'C' Class - oh well we'd just be glad to finish today really, this is another game altogether compared to conventional marathon running!<br /><br /><div></div>We trundled out of camp around 7.30am, the leaders and chasing pack having departed well before us all still competing for the lead, leaving us mere mortals to run at our own pace for the remainder of the day as we tracked back to base camp some 14kms away (as the crow flies which actually made it about 20kms on the ground!).<br /><br /><div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwoq_sKZCg-1d94ELIb__Sznlw91aFNJrxQ-sZSokV_pVt4rm3Z5Dr7nXtLS64KtXLTznjoA6-cn8MRT7rw45RxDX1WII-UQC7D49JGB3fb55v7t8mlAFT7nIWF7fQSep_9XQ742IYakx/s1600-h/P1000712_edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwoq_sKZCg-1d94ELIb__Sznlw91aFNJrxQ-sZSokV_pVt4rm3Z5Dr7nXtLS64KtXLTznjoA6-cn8MRT7rw45RxDX1WII-UQC7D49JGB3fb55v7t8mlAFT7nIWF7fQSep_9XQ742IYakx/s400/P1000712_edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345835232899999026" border="0" /></a>What a lovely way to start the day a sheer 600m climb to the first checkpoint followed by another 250m to the summit of the nearest mountain for the second - it certainly got the blood pumping and the knees working again. After some great navigating by Bryan we decided on our route for the next couple of checkpoints and actually made up some time on the other teams by racing (or as fast as our painful legs go carry us) down a pretty steep slope almost falling on our faces as we went to arrive at the machine in advance of our fellow competitors.<br /><br /><div></div><div>One of the checkpoints was placed on the far side of the river so through the chilly water we went which added to the weight of our already heavy feet, as dibbed in but the joy of reaching another goal was short-lived as we both looked at the map and the monster mountain which lay directly in front of us...as out eyes focused on the challenge ahead we could start to see other teams already on the ascent slowly inching their way hand over hand up the slope. This really was a testing point of the weekend - already fatigued, here was another huge personal challenge to take on.</div><div></div><br />We broke the back of the climb around an hour later and finally had only one more checkpoint to find before we could start to taste to start of the descent back down to the awaiting finish line, clean clothes, food and the Colonel!<br /><br /><div></div>Pressing on, and after a slight navigation error (!!) we finally hit the tarmac road and the last of the checkpoints, well we almost got to the checkpoint having to backtrack to it after getting caught up in the joy of nearly finishing and walking straight past it! As we crossed the line a few muted claps welcomed us and we staggered into the finish area to claim our prize for the weekends exertions - a free bowl of chilli and a cup of tea!!<br /><br />We had a quick glance at the leader board and discovered today had been altogether more successful as we'd posted a final position of 127th out of 152 teams in the 'C' catergory. At least we'd got around and with minimal training too, if we do this again we'll be fitter thats for sure!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzcmSrxY9ZnfwV5H2C1TkgS3n1iUkTG5OUAp0V4cThrXQqF_eYMbSHidGSrLaqfzfXquco5RVrc2S6EeUjB4UXvdk6_S6AMOzbWn6skdjn8uW7loBAEkuh-z6auFoPH8UwgyXnMuIS918/s1600-h/P1000725_edit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVzcmSrxY9ZnfwV5H2C1TkgS3n1iUkTG5OUAp0V4cThrXQqF_eYMbSHidGSrLaqfzfXquco5RVrc2S6EeUjB4UXvdk6_S6AMOzbWn6skdjn8uW7loBAEkuh-z6auFoPH8UwgyXnMuIS918/s400/P1000725_edit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345835238672821778" border="0" /></a><div></div>This event really has to be entered to be understood, its around a marathon and a half for our class, the elite runners cover another 20kms on top of that and finish around 5hrs in front of us. It's great fun, once you've finished, and a true test of grit and determination - I will be back for more at some stage in the future.<br /><br /><div></div>Thank you so much to Bryan for being the brains behind the brawn - we made a damn good team and even though he's just told me he picked eight sheep ticks out of his legs in the bath last night (I couldn't find any in mine - must have been too quick for them!) I'd love to do another at some point.<br /><br /><div></div>We headed out of the campsite after a quick dry shower and straight onto the road south passing the beauty of the <a href="http://www.cairngorms.co.uk/">Cairngorms</a> before pitching the tent just outside Perth. Monday was spent trawling down the A/M1 south towards home with a slight diversion to meet a good friend <a href="http://www.swind.co.uk/">Ben Patterson </a>who's been responsible for creating and managing my website over the last year and is currently masterminding the next one. Great to see you BP and thank also for the very fun photoshoot on the beach at Bamburgh dressed in wetsuits for the Press Association - very memorable!<br /><br /><div></div>Off to Cornwall this weekend for more diving and water based antics.....next blog out just as soon as I can.<br /><br /><div></div><br />Ben<br /><br /><div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-88129841861802735072009-05-30T23:54:00.000-07:002009-05-31T15:23:01.609-07:00Frolicking in the sunshine on the Isle of WightIn the run up to leaving the UK at the end of June I've kept myself as busy as possible and finally after a few months of trying have made it to FARM-Africa and IDE-UK to present them with the remainder of the funds which <a href="http://www.afritrex.com/">Afritrex </a>raised last year, the total for all three is now just over £20,000.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOEgxEdN-AXrjkDy6wDGTl8RsLsnpPe0XDjURlYgkh9BqgKzmczSuW-H_esXeC6gwd8Yfn0tYMUvGN8HrJKnoNdPvpI4iPoDt-0jCXfdPG6NzGjmyN00clZaGJ5Q144IcyXFm7D6GUwQq/s1600-h/P1000494.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOEgxEdN-AXrjkDy6wDGTl8RsLsnpPe0XDjURlYgkh9BqgKzmczSuW-H_esXeC6gwd8Yfn0tYMUvGN8HrJKnoNdPvpI4iPoDt-0jCXfdPG6NzGjmyN00clZaGJ5Q144IcyXFm7D6GUwQq/s400/P1000494.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341894603452649330" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YXwB1fjE-8ukX2Vpz7HDpUNmtQ_N2hHPlOUrAALosSlQZQs847NAQyiwM31E1-wXgJZPMhiuUqGsU7WON-yPJ_OnuVIm5MEVc-fYHyZRHJpdmOSn1_xXpjPDLOsPCGMPxE2iAEM0BCgD/s1600-h/P1000492.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YXwB1fjE-8ukX2Vpz7HDpUNmtQ_N2hHPlOUrAALosSlQZQs847NAQyiwM31E1-wXgJZPMhiuUqGsU7WON-yPJ_OnuVIm5MEVc-fYHyZRHJpdmOSn1_xXpjPDLOsPCGMPxE2iAEM0BCgD/s400/P1000492.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341893508637119586" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/south/"><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">BBC INSIDE OUT FILMING - THE ISLE OF WIGHT</span></a><br /><br />Time to take on a new challenge Ben and this time not a physical one but a mental one - how about appearing as a guest presenter for the BBC......eeek, not an opportunity to be passed up. So my girlfriend Bre, Jane the producer, Joe the cameraman and Ian the soundman all headed to the <a href="http://www.iwight.com/homepage/">Isle of Wight</a> (just off the south coast of England) to film a program all about this gorgeous little gem of an island and what is has to offer as a tourist destination.<br /><br />I remember when I was about 5 years old (yes a stupidly long time ago I know) my Grandma and Grandpa sent me a postcard from the island and it looked something like this.....<br /><br /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/ADMINI%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.jpg" alt="" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjdJphK-bm2ukv49U63RKF16Gy0nju43qXH7zYiag-P1hsqtC0jc_C02kvTbk1Ob1zGsgp68wiPi40zc1NLrX3mHJ9dg4v7GDZfI1ouLELuyv_je7SyST9mRXF6NpKPRLLDtJAyXN1WTY/s1600-h/eights6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 172px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjdJphK-bm2ukv49U63RKF16Gy0nju43qXH7zYiag-P1hsqtC0jc_C02kvTbk1Ob1zGsgp68wiPi40zc1NLrX3mHJ9dg4v7GDZfI1ouLELuyv_je7SyST9mRXF6NpKPRLLDtJAyXN1WTY/s400/eights6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341904902113505490" border="0" /></a>...describing the Wonders of the Isle of Wight, I still remembered four of them and they are:<br /><ul><li>"Lake" where there is no water. </li><li>The "Needles" you cannot thread. </li><li>"Ryde" where you walk. </li><li>"Cowes" you cannot milk. </li><li>"Freshwater" you cannot drink. </li><li>"Newport" you cannot bottle. </li><li>"Winkle street" where there are no Winkles </li><li>"Newtown" which is very old </li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Coasteering</span><br /><br />First stop of the day was to be Freshwater Bay to try something I've always wanted to have a go at, Coasteering - the process of jumping over rock archways, swimming through wave filled gaps, climbing up cliffs and ducking under water into invisible caves.<br /><br />Arriving at <a href="http://www.iow-seakayaking.co.uk/pages/coasteering.htm">Isle of Wight Sea Kayaking</a> we met Owen our instructor for the day as I tried to persuade Bre to take to chance to dip into some freezing cold English water....for what I guaranteed her would be some fun!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9dUMkZkVh5pmJPwKDWjGntcZZ5IQP4eN3sBiamJDRgwKg43yjwAdBMIRduwKSKNwLmPf8Yn9D3deBuP2Xuf_HJiRcKDrHc_lYBk7MQBK45X9HPaJtblPOPhK4z2fhgHotbMz_lpoX9J0A/s1600-h/P1000579.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9dUMkZkVh5pmJPwKDWjGntcZZ5IQP4eN3sBiamJDRgwKg43yjwAdBMIRduwKSKNwLmPf8Yn9D3deBuP2Xuf_HJiRcKDrHc_lYBk7MQBK45X9HPaJtblPOPhK4z2fhgHotbMz_lpoX9J0A/s400/P1000579.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342095928327888434" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YGxD2ED7EHU/SiLjBd7gsxI/AAAAAAAABXc/0qve_65L-Gk/s1600-h/P1000526.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YGxD2ED7EHU/SiLjBd7gsxI/AAAAAAAABXc/0qve_65L-Gk/s400/P1000526.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342081722368439058" border="0" /></a>We kitted up in our wetsuits, buoyancy aid, booties and helmets and all trundled off along the promenade towards the waves which were crashing onto the chalk cliffs making the heart rate raise just a little as we dipped our toes into the ocean full of expectation for the experience which lay ahead.<br /><br />The waves continued to build as we swam out into the swell keeping close to the cliffs but just far enough away not to be pummelled into them and as we turned the corner the first of the caves came into sight. Owen leading us very expertly all the way offering guidance on the best way to take on this new form of adventure with a BBC underwater camera strapped to the side of his helmet.<br /><br />We continued for another half an hour along the coast, clambering up the sharply hewn rocks, jumping off the higher ledges and swimming through some amazing caves and tunnels until I turned to look at Owen....and the camera was missing, oh crap there goes the best of the footage then!<br /><br />Back on dry land we made our apologies for loosing the camera, dried off and headed back to the Colonel before leaving for the other side of the island after a wicked experience attacking the coastline with a very different and exciting approach to water sport.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Steephill Cove</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.steephillcove-isleofwight.co.uk/">Steephill Cove</a> is a little piece of treasured history which really hasn't changed for the past 500 years and when you arrive down the steep footpath you can understand why - its the only means of access, apart from by boat, to the collection of fishing cottages. The Wheeler family have owned the vast majority of these amazing little houses since the 1400's along with the cafe and restaurant, Dave being the oldest member of the family. His official name is Dave Wheeler MBE, or the Island Caretaker! He was presented with his MBE a few years ago for services to deckchairs of all things, and when given the opportunity to go to Buckingham Palace to receive it he refused saying he didn't want to leave the island. In the end the Royal Family sent a Lieutenant to present it to him!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnoNnZHfsokYUGSix31DohqcUbyZeXEgQau7e3_reaEvpYxgfT3kXpu3dJzpBTvez9pSam1vEb0EFjQXpGtnjOeSSff0Vg-GDyRuJjdiUFoHjvpmHb-bk7ZPoAQnlgjOch0gaUGqTWOCIc/s1600-h/P1000530.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnoNnZHfsokYUGSix31DohqcUbyZeXEgQau7e3_reaEvpYxgfT3kXpu3dJzpBTvez9pSam1vEb0EFjQXpGtnjOeSSff0Vg-GDyRuJjdiUFoHjvpmHb-bk7ZPoAQnlgjOch0gaUGqTWOCIc/s400/P1000530.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342093883388617186" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNAQPlroGPjFfEs2u5YYYaemTbs7XCrNEpE2bYyKdZpHar5Vrx2zJis2vjXYa8CGvgrTydEflGxc1SS4tpGZqH-OnIsWpfJ1Phxhss51ZppnjrK6eFVi18daMbkW4zCy0pOsVgztIKOVI/s1600-h/P1000540.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNAQPlroGPjFfEs2u5YYYaemTbs7XCrNEpE2bYyKdZpHar5Vrx2zJis2vjXYa8CGvgrTydEflGxc1SS4tpGZqH-OnIsWpfJ1Phxhss51ZppnjrK6eFVi18daMbkW4zCy0pOsVgztIKOVI/s400/P1000540.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342093900351547986" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxf45XSOaNWadIcYEROYBs9tL0ZxVxZ6chN8iXl4IbRICSoT38JbRzwZu3_vhe9CdyM376szHx1RuHOO0TMWKrKiANDhqzzPEg0aDeE8njomMX29YYR5rzFBimUzLHruA-Y1Rql3NrE8WO/s1600-h/P1000541.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxf45XSOaNWadIcYEROYBs9tL0ZxVxZ6chN8iXl4IbRICSoT38JbRzwZu3_vhe9CdyM376szHx1RuHOO0TMWKrKiANDhqzzPEg0aDeE8njomMX29YYR5rzFBimUzLHruA-Y1Rql3NrE8WO/s400/P1000541.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342093896791227794" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgly85BsC9rGOFOxpYvqi3YMXCAdpt0JuOnx2IId_FFj-Ncp8PA90J5uP3GlvEML1Lz2Rgp3RfRNhLmqXmYWRYqF2mfVdw2tNWss-8nvyaYAcyZCutXmrBTvqgZoOJi1sdRcua4NpBosLVM/s1600-h/P1000537.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgly85BsC9rGOFOxpYvqi3YMXCAdpt0JuOnx2IId_FFj-Ncp8PA90J5uP3GlvEML1Lz2Rgp3RfRNhLmqXmYWRYqF2mfVdw2tNWss-8nvyaYAcyZCutXmrBTvqgZoOJi1sdRcua4NpBosLVM/s400/P1000537.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342093887619109634" border="0" /></a>Dave's extensive family live here and every day his two sons Jimmy and Mark head out in their boat to check the crab and lobster pots, the catch from which supplies their wives with the supplies to run the cafe (famous for its Crab Pasties) and the restaurant. Real cottage industries which thrive here during the warmer months of the year.<br /><br />Simon from the <a href="http://ventnorblog.com/">Ventor Blog</a> stopped off to meet me and as we wolfed down a pastie he explained to me the tools of the trade I need to be employing to make my blog writing more interesting and interactive to all of my followers. He and his wife have been publishing their works on the internet for a number of years and were great to chat to. Thank you to them for their information.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sea Kayaking</span><br /><br />We raced back across the island to meet Owen and Tim who'd kindly offered to take Bre and I out Sea Kayaking for the last activity of the day, we launched just past Yarmouth and as we paddled along the coast trawled some lures for anything we may be lucky enough to catch in time for dinner.....wishfully thinking, we caught nothing and instead headed to the Fish n Chip shop for a guaranteed catch!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbe5NdcEQk5y_P7WHe_XUmfb71nDXoSQaKi6S-ADabVLllNOoX2ankBMh_sn6jxHg6LqUKmORObI3h9A3MEowFe3nFyXvckQK7ig44EwcLTv7TrKiaTxiyv0i0mBI4_0POrdjdpHy0-jl3/s1600-h/P1000549.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbe5NdcEQk5y_P7WHe_XUmfb71nDXoSQaKi6S-ADabVLllNOoX2ankBMh_sn6jxHg6LqUKmORObI3h9A3MEowFe3nFyXvckQK7ig44EwcLTv7TrKiaTxiyv0i0mBI4_0POrdjdpHy0-jl3/s400/P1000549.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342102652712601762" border="0" /></a>Bre and I retired for the evening to a fantastic cliff top campsite called Grange Farm where the owner had very kindly reserved the sea-view site for us and for the first time since January we erected the tent atop the Colonel. A little warmer than last time from -5c up to 15c, excellent.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKIugddOp-xz8dG0CegFH2kR1Dl37yCb3DCqtzyQSDwLayDACdrGql8J7Eae3bDkZ_XYVL-7MxJL2fBZpiyYU1-j8UymoyxAqQcugBWVBpIuRY4BvlpBUq8mUXnR2qgOfqq9poauHfABa/s1600-h/P1000583.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKIugddOp-xz8dG0CegFH2kR1Dl37yCb3DCqtzyQSDwLayDACdrGql8J7Eae3bDkZ_XYVL-7MxJL2fBZpiyYU1-j8UymoyxAqQcugBWVBpIuRY4BvlpBUq8mUXnR2qgOfqq9poauHfABa/s400/P1000583.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342095937881756274" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Red Squirrels</span><br /><br />Our last day on the island had more adventure and new experiences tied into it, starting with a visit to Alverstone Mead Nature Reserve to feed the resident red squirrels.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdP6djiGltADngKGFi9iTA0CKKvV80x8Gr4b_R5WilyqkVPXVJc7DouHDDnTbvKC5sw1m32ehiU6jDm8o8EnkQWm_-KTbNlmHX2YoRO3xnfofvDMp7ol0AyYN-jn3TMeCXSqvcg28Tqz6O/s1600-h/P1000622.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdP6djiGltADngKGFi9iTA0CKKvV80x8Gr4b_R5WilyqkVPXVJc7DouHDDnTbvKC5sw1m32ehiU6jDm8o8EnkQWm_-KTbNlmHX2YoRO3xnfofvDMp7ol0AyYN-jn3TMeCXSqvcg28Tqz6O/s400/P1000622.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342095943285076882" border="0" /></a><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz3H3i2cuWCKKcbMLb-Gpe0mVKHdMgGx-HuleOv8d0EY7-t_jgkGnX1bJxpm5xRYM2rJkn1fm6xflWmtTAZ9w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span class="style14" style="font-size:100%;"><p dir="ltr">Red squirrels are the only squirrel native to the British Isles. They are disappearing from the mainland fast and are being replaced by the introduced American grey squirrel.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Isle of Wight is an important stronghold as the Solent provides a barrier to grey squirrels. However a grey does find it’s way to the Island sometimes, so we need to be vigilant. There are contingency plans for dealing with greys that arrive on the Isle of Wight. Not only do grey squirrels outcompete reds, they carry the deadly squirrelpox virus, which is fatal to the reds. </p> <p dir="ltr">It is illegal to bring a grey squirrel into red squirrel territory. The penalty is 2 years imprisonment or £5,000 fine. It is also illegal to release a grey anywhere, once it is caught.</p><p dir="ltr">Talk about cute, these little red-haired creatures rock and truly do feed right out of your hand, as soon as you crack a nut they come scampering across the roof of the hide and peer at you through their little black eyes. If you give them a whole nut the effort of breaking into it is all too much and they disappear off to bury it in preparation for the winter...in somewhere they no doubt forget about!</p><p dir="ltr">John and his group of volunteers had done an amazing job at preparing the woodland which surrounds the hide and provides a multitude of different environments for the local wildlife to thrive in.</p><p dir="ltr"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Airstream Caravans</span></p><p dir="ltr"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8HfmeEvC0r5JYBUSv5R0dxAbEl66TL8nOouDjKF0sAxj79JZCkQE8kGYXkwPpnMKi1QVVm7Z-hV-3eLfE30b-WW3V_H87SeRGNCv-d2hl7Lw3FnDLhzmu9SrnUP7PBZwp1vdo95JUBFZB/s1600-h/SDC12437.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8HfmeEvC0r5JYBUSv5R0dxAbEl66TL8nOouDjKF0sAxj79JZCkQE8kGYXkwPpnMKi1QVVm7Z-hV-3eLfE30b-WW3V_H87SeRGNCv-d2hl7Lw3FnDLhzmu9SrnUP7PBZwp1vdo95JUBFZB/s400/SDC12437.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342100137917410210" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB9JwlpDbkeH9Ztzpnt3JvIsaM5IJ6XGiE_AODW_H-i7SRKXG6L-sFWxnxNtxJSGhdNT8P3enlpmc0JbA9RlmzDCDNSFGyo8B5Y4bLNs6VuvNdewy_dLg6I6kiTb1nRL7I0avN8hb8MWz9/s1600-h/63-Streetside.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB9JwlpDbkeH9Ztzpnt3JvIsaM5IJ6XGiE_AODW_H-i7SRKXG6L-sFWxnxNtxJSGhdNT8P3enlpmc0JbA9RlmzDCDNSFGyo8B5Y4bLNs6VuvNdewy_dLg6I6kiTb1nRL7I0avN8hb8MWz9/s400/63-Streetside.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342100133294157090" border="0" /></a></p><p dir="ltr">Another little hidden gem on the island, Helen and her husband have been running <a href="http://www.vintagevacations.co.uk/frontpage.htm">Vintage Vacations</a> for a number of years in a quiet little field in the centre of the island offering a little taster of yester'year and the opportunity to stay in one of their immaculate Airstream aluminium caravans, or Land Yachts.</p><p dir="ltr">Talk about bright on a day like today, the sun glared off the perfectly polished body but as I walked inside a 1960's decor made me feel much more welcome...as did the swiss roll which we all munched by the plateful!</p></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" ><br />Triptracker GPS recording of our route around the Isle of Wight</span><br /></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Click on the link below to see exactly where we went on our little adventure.....</span><br /><br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://triptracker.net/trip/5774/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 79px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYsJQNVS_9aSDRR9PQLtXfOpbpzJzruthExH8I38NEe9vUhn7ewiUkwuXPRxqxAz8EndGNw3a16Cet-CGs7h5WN3PAeVmakkeAs6S5650-SRitZ-d1i4AN8jlkmMKkhxe4YFVx47idNH9A/s400/triptracker+logo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342101516671084226" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-72498495230338690012009-05-27T03:24:00.000-07:002009-05-27T23:17:35.982-07:00Some strange and wacky things from the past few weeks....There's been a few little gems surfacing since the announcement was made, here are some of my favourites.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340454616773645138" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 297px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj49c8uDinz7cBhV-grQ0NHcl_evkJIIAR71pBSphV6SGHbuS_vyVLDQXi3ZWcCXCbP-Y7ndfykUI29qJFf_rN8qfBx1kWxMx_aR7DmvvUtF7nbI8GTxYzAhwBhePQA-mWh2vT_S4FN59l8/s400/Cartoon+image.gif" border="0" /><br /><br />Have a look at this link from <a href="http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/international/git-named-200905061744/">The Daily Mash</a> - pure gold!<br /><br />Have a listen to this...if you speak french or just like a good song! "Sur Ton Ile"<br /><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx4Oa4HYZC9EJQq4UnlBRaAX3VZT7dzewLfT5y-sV_wjaNEx5PKgpTdbwGxK9BGg0axRV-xvGhsIEcujUFSLg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p align="left">Off to the Isle of Wight today for a little adventure in the Colonel, should make for an interesting blog post in a few days time....</p><p align="left">Ben</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-33016045632876834912009-05-22T14:45:00.000-07:002009-05-30T02:54:56.985-07:00Warsaw and more.....Yesterday was the end to an era, I finally left <a href="http://www.turfcentre.co.uk/">Turf Centre</a> where I'd been working on and off ever since coming back from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Afritrex</span> at the beginning of the year. Thank you so much to George, Roy and Beverley for giving me the chance to earn a few pounds while I decided what to do with the rest of my life!<br /><br />Exploring new places, that's what its all about, right!?? So when Anita from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Dzien</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Dobry</span> TV in Poland called at the start of the week to ask if I'd like to visit their studios in Warsaw I jumped at the chance.<br /><br />Early starts every morning are the norm for me, I usually wake just before my alarm goes off at 05:30hrs and head to the swimming pool shortly after, but a flight out of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Luton</span> Airport at 08:10hrs meant a 4 o'clock start which was ridiculously early even for me.<br /><br />Simple enough through the usual airport procedures, I just wish that the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">UK's</span> airport officials would smile a little more - I know they're at work and I know its a serious job they're doing but come on people!<br /><br />After limited sleep the night before I fell asleep as we cleared the coastline of the east of England and awoke with popping ears as our plane dropped the final few hundred metres towards the runway with another new country appearing to me through the clouds below and initial impressions were good; an organised, green landscape with small villages everywhere and as we approached the city confines light industrial units gave way to the more expected cityscape. I was about to land in Warsaw.<br /><br />Swiftly through customs and passport control and into the arrivals area where Anita was waiting for me and whisked me away to the studio's car which whisked us, at the speed of light, into the city centre passing ugly high rise apartments overshadowing some of the more traditional older buildings which had survived WWII. Something like 90% of the city was flattened during the bitter struggle which shaped this part of the world 60 years ago resulting in a very new city but one which looks like it was rushed together, understandably to house the masses of course, but slowly new more attractive development seems to be replacing the architecture of the 60's and 70's....never a bad thing!<br /><br />I checked into the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Mercure</span> Hotel, a very modern designer pad right in the centre of town and importantly only 5 minutes walk from where I have to be in the morning for the program! Free <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">internet</span> in the room too, excellent!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyqRoDE40_xmTkEJL7F6VCyhp2TH_VkgFDq6AmsxvgY3sHrpAJcCxehbVbyhm-m7SoJuAaBhuld4uR3lZQoDn906j2aNufg9UWGdXmQFwGqfzptK1Lsvw8CnTb65urMahoerCg1B2_R55/s1600-h/P1000400.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340025245943255090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyqRoDE40_xmTkEJL7F6VCyhp2TH_VkgFDq6AmsxvgY3sHrpAJcCxehbVbyhm-m7SoJuAaBhuld4uR3lZQoDn906j2aNufg9UWGdXmQFwGqfzptK1Lsvw8CnTb65urMahoerCg1B2_R55/s400/P1000400.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Time to explore....with map in hand, backpack on and a sense of adventure returning I hit the main street heading for the famous <a href="http://www.pkin.pl/">Palace of Culture and Science</a>, a 30 storey feat of architecture built by the Russians between 1952 and 1955. Its the eighth tallest building in the EU and the tallest in Poland so I had to get to the top and after paying the Z30 shot to the top in one of the high speed lifts for an awesome view of the surrounding city and sights beyond. It offers incredible views of the surrounding city and allows you to see well past the River <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Wisla</span> to the countryside beyond.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLA7QBb2EAu2f2dQzrEh24jD5jXjGmFIeXPcY6HrCuUV7OJg51qLHCiMDlHefZYlEq63cUin6aM9ZScF-M5cZNSYJ2KTon6pTltaXUlnTiW7LgP6l88rvrlysGulJo6h5lPO0_Pj7UyfZ/s1600-h/P1000431.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340029034036778914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLA7QBb2EAu2f2dQzrEh24jD5jXjGmFIeXPcY6HrCuUV7OJg51qLHCiMDlHefZYlEq63cUin6aM9ZScF-M5cZNSYJ2KTon6pTltaXUlnTiW7LgP6l88rvrlysGulJo6h5lPO0_Pj7UyfZ/s400/P1000431.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />On the way into the tower I spotted three Land Rover's parked up in formation outside the building, all customised ready for an expedition, one even had a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">rooftent</span> on top - I had to find out more! The guys were from a group called <a href="http://www.podroze4x4.pl/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Podroze</span> 4x4 </a>and organise expeditions within Europe and are currently gathering recruits for an expedition to Yugoslavia in September, shame I won't even be in Europe by then otherwise I'd have joined them. We chatted for nearly an hour about my <a href="http://www.afritrex.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Afritrex</span> </a>expedition, the highs and lows, how are different vehicles were kitted out and exchanged business cards and the commitment that we'd keep in touch in case there could be a possible future expedition together somewhere down the line.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8W4g1WfUUgSyBbcmEnM570tnD10diI_0yf9yGWsAvDhotHa6uPmY2k9zsqZgPomL1helk_wqdeeg2C3GIKWmLEN2orHjZAc7B-JEnQ8jIQo_Opta6Ta8-iEE9WjC4vPgDgK5zmwGFB5k/s1600-h/P1000409.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340026677436476354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8W4g1WfUUgSyBbcmEnM570tnD10diI_0yf9yGWsAvDhotHa6uPmY2k9zsqZgPomL1helk_wqdeeg2C3GIKWmLEN2orHjZAc7B-JEnQ8jIQo_Opta6Ta8-iEE9WjC4vPgDgK5zmwGFB5k/s400/P1000409.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Plenty more to see in this city I thought with a few hours to go until sunset it was off again, following my nose feeling happy to have met some like-minded people and with a spring in my step I trundled through the main park filled with people on their way home from work on sunny Friday afternoon...for now.<br /><br />On a couple of occasions I thought to myself 'time to head back to the hotel now Ben' but kept stomping, my inquisitive nature getting the better of me as I wound my way past statues, monuments and fountains eventually popping out in the old town - a how pleased I was to have kept going!<br /><br />The rather drab prefab buildings had now given way to older, more architecturally inspiring delights all rising four floors from the street below and adding a new element to the city for me...history at last, I watched as tour groups filed past me; up to 50 people following the pointing purple hand the tour guide thrust towards the heavens in a vain attempt to grasp every one's attention and focus. I even thought about tagging on the end but decided against it in favour of a particularly quaint little restaurant nestled in the corner of the main square...just in time as the heavens were about to open too.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVu1v9bccOkLOFnRXSL0TIckjs0EGCDLhScE2UT32uUCVh6qUuaebzawyuBvuMwMsxRQ3BYIMtHIQGDcNykYwNymtQsSxTNzbZjG57wG1cLT5KAStxtO128gMsPGIdBT-g-XqnQWQK1xd/s1600-h/P1000457.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340031732586410658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 184px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVu1v9bccOkLOFnRXSL0TIckjs0EGCDLhScE2UT32uUCVh6qUuaebzawyuBvuMwMsxRQ3BYIMtHIQGDcNykYwNymtQsSxTNzbZjG57wG1cLT5KAStxtO128gMsPGIdBT-g-XqnQWQK1xd/s400/P1000457.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />After a seriously good portion of pork ribs, sweet cabbage and roast potatoes I considered the route home...at least an hour's walk and the rain was really dropping out of the sky at quite a rate of knots which meant only one thing, getting seriously wet. I pitied the band who were assembling en <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">masse</span> in the square even more though...the start of what would probably end up a total wash-out!<br /><br />Back at the hotel I stripped off, showered and pondered the thoughts of the day and the great city I'd just had such fun exploring, hit the sack just after midnight ready for the day ahead.<br /><br />Usual story - body clock wakes me up before the electronic version and 20 minutes later breakfast arrives; a very Polish breakfast but good all the same, with rye bread, cornflakes and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">yoghurt</span> - certainly enough to keep me going until lunch anyway.<br /><br />The studio where <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">TVN</span> film the Saturday morning show was a simple five minute walk away and as I made my way into the room I was greeted by a bunch of yet more friendly English speakers making me feel very welcome with morning coffee, cereal and make-up, yuk.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkBpLS3TCjwNP4_q78hBWiNzEM4bXrsC8g0ie3_ptOLwR3PerAJB_sNL4XexM61JZPMalBOtvWPGquL6P7rr8CQL4XmN9U1EfoBk4n8A7Juy6o-x78xOwb59jqqYZpAjYJflB867hkSH8O/s1600-h/P1000478.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340036943971688386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkBpLS3TCjwNP4_q78hBWiNzEM4bXrsC8g0ie3_ptOLwR3PerAJB_sNL4XexM61JZPMalBOtvWPGquL6P7rr8CQL4XmN9U1EfoBk4n8A7Juy6o-x78xOwb59jqqYZpAjYJflB867hkSH8O/s400/P1000478.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJwYJvICr2JMytA4Z965fnFILwtlinSel34LFBflkOmK126M_lQGY5UtCyigUgAbOxipHpT49Vf3HV-FXa8WqJte65DMZiT-9p1zQDQFuedHHj4Rd1x5tlZPYCsHT2TMA3aat0QHyHVNW/s1600-h/P1000474.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340036948172425986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJwYJvICr2JMytA4Z965fnFILwtlinSel34LFBflkOmK126M_lQGY5UtCyigUgAbOxipHpT49Vf3HV-FXa8WqJte65DMZiT-9p1zQDQFuedHHj4Rd1x5tlZPYCsHT2TMA3aat0QHyHVNW/s400/P1000474.JPG" border="0" /></a>Why do they have to make you appear quite so ghost like!?! It baffles me and even made me giggle silently as the lady applied a liberal coating of hair spray to my usual messy hair, the first time I'd had this on since dressing up for a school play I think. In the ad break the two hosts made their way over to me and introduced themselves, sat me down in the standard green-room sofa and then we were live, me chatting away to them understanding everything of their perfect English!<br /><br />09:37hrs - my slot on national Polish TV. It drew ever closer and as it did I felt more confident about the new environment I'd been thrown into over the last few weeks, I strode up to the table I'd be filmed at and took my place in between the fake fruit and designer bowls ready for the stream of questions they'd be firing at me, 3...2....1 and we're off again.<br /><br />Five minutes of good conversation and only one slip up from the host, I'm not living in Coventry, I was born there!! Excellent job all round and off set ten minutes later before being escorted downstairs to another interview with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">internet</span> side of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">TVP</span>, this time a little longer and more <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">in depth</span> and I will stick a link up here once I get it from them I promise.<br /><br />Its amazing to me that you can fly to the other side of Europe and back in 48hrs all for 20 minutes of interview, still <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">that's</span> the crazy world we live in.<br /><br />Just about got to the airport in time to get my flight home after an extended lunch with Anita, the excellent host who'd been looking after me since I arrived, and once the thunderstorm which delayed our take-off by 30<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">mins</span> had passed I was off back to the UK.<br /><br />Well done Poland, a really damn fine experience all round.<br /><br /><br /><br /><img alt="" src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/ADMINI~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-23136850595300847022009-05-21T14:07:00.000-07:002009-05-21T14:59:33.120-07:00Been away from my laptop for what seems like ages...This really is the first time I've managed to put my fingers onto a keyboard to try and update you on whats been happening in the world of Ben every since I left the delights of Brisbane on May 12th! My heartfelt apologies and I'll try very briefly to summarise my movements ever since but firstly I do have to show you some of the amazing images Dave Biddulph, my dive buddy in the picture below I have my arm around, took whilst diving off Straddie Island.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjlfq6adTmgbZPi-zvLb36oscKykTHzC134Z9cLwrnHd1Pd56puyEnuU-TP1RERo7-Fg9wBud9udiIexm42hpG3AE-yux3u1CY8ks-TiLh9fQ6FFHg1wFIRAVxncaM4QuJiKqfPZ6YC_9j/s1600-h/_MG_0015+MANTA+LODGE+TEAM.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjlfq6adTmgbZPi-zvLb36oscKykTHzC134Z9cLwrnHd1Pd56puyEnuU-TP1RERo7-Fg9wBud9udiIexm42hpG3AE-yux3u1CY8ks-TiLh9fQ6FFHg1wFIRAVxncaM4QuJiKqfPZ6YC_9j/s400/_MG_0015+MANTA+LODGE+TEAM.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338387517912942146" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YkVX0XnCBUBrQOYVmOvEWWCgHTmOBp98Dfv8fqcMFzApMZW88AxcA8FmJTfDBL-LgAvfaBsr44Wwzl7iqvzhNDbdC-xVNnUeH27EoWR91Iqpm4gO_JJO9NUfV9GDJt5a2652UgaOV5tZ/s1600-h/_MG_0053+BAIT+FISH.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7YkVX0XnCBUBrQOYVmOvEWWCgHTmOBp98Dfv8fqcMFzApMZW88AxcA8FmJTfDBL-LgAvfaBsr44Wwzl7iqvzhNDbdC-xVNnUeH27EoWR91Iqpm4gO_JJO9NUfV9GDJt5a2652UgaOV5tZ/s400/_MG_0053+BAIT+FISH.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338387520720786610" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVE1EIindEl1za8THOKG8jjPFeE82otV0-bZOPMLxqaXQDoiE0q0J_mtQUUwprQDffZIx_TIGwGD1Ao9KqafgN6NW4eoXCa58-mfq_QkRZGA1MqT2jKXYspTOmkn1wU_ZQ5lYgsRVJJ-3Y/s1600-h/_MG_0070.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVE1EIindEl1za8THOKG8jjPFeE82otV0-bZOPMLxqaXQDoiE0q0J_mtQUUwprQDffZIx_TIGwGD1Ao9KqafgN6NW4eoXCa58-mfq_QkRZGA1MqT2jKXYspTOmkn1wU_ZQ5lYgsRVJJ-3Y/s400/_MG_0070.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338389194179320354" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUy4gI31oOos6HYktZUnBPrODV38ety1MgadOOhm1J5EzZj_dZwhevcXrdSA-jbUeTqC5tftwfL-Lu9MIvIo47m8o-lVtAA6fyo_F2csF81SXQNmEcBt32d-VtLOEfochJ-wlrcGXq7OH/s1600-h/_MG_0080.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUy4gI31oOos6HYktZUnBPrODV38ety1MgadOOhm1J5EzZj_dZwhevcXrdSA-jbUeTqC5tftwfL-Lu9MIvIo47m8o-lVtAA6fyo_F2csF81SXQNmEcBt32d-VtLOEfochJ-wlrcGXq7OH/s400/_MG_0080.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338389188011766370" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8NhIjnwjvXcCv3BcrfuZw1pbop66LRiXJ0ieYt7xIhwEBQ85OkC4RN7bzoZET1p1UfP5uS90srdTGc9UQNahkKraZ3b1KMtxfm2UgTWJnZzdGWn78GWn2C0klsWrzZEMDvPHoVL2ohPTM/s1600-h/_MG_0075+BEN+and+WOBBEGONG+SHARK.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8NhIjnwjvXcCv3BcrfuZw1pbop66LRiXJ0ieYt7xIhwEBQ85OkC4RN7bzoZET1p1UfP5uS90srdTGc9UQNahkKraZ3b1KMtxfm2UgTWJnZzdGWn78GWn2C0klsWrzZEMDvPHoVL2ohPTM/s400/_MG_0075+BEN+and+WOBBEGONG+SHARK.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338389183919400674" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On arrival back in the UK the BBC, who had been filming a documentary for the last 10 weeks all about the Best Job process, had an amazing suprise for me as they'd arranged for my girl Bre to be flown over from Canada to meet me at Heathrow and I was truly gobsmacked having not seen her for nearly 6 weeks. I was so good to hold her and excitedly tell her all about the last two weeks and what our future 6 months together potentially hold. We giggled like school children at the opportunities on offer....<br /><br />The emails haven't stopped, friends from yesteryear are appearing out of the woodwork like there's an outbreak of some 'ihavetocommunicatewithyou' disease and generally I'm trying as hard as I can to fulfil all interview requests for the multitude of people around the planet who all want to know a little bit about how it all happened. Its been full on and I've tried really hard to keep all of the local requests as happy as possible, the radio and newspaper's who covered my Afritrex adventure so extensively whilst I was away during 2008.<br /><br />Requests and sponsorship opportunities continue to come in and TQ are doing there best to sift through them to find the best and most brand-effective ones which I can utilise over the next few months....all very exciting really.<br /><br />Will post some more after the weekend as I'm off to Poland tomorrow early to appear on Saturday morning TV.....<br /><br />Have a great weekend :)<br /><div style="text-align: center;"></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-12471893777045603122009-05-10T14:23:00.000-07:002009-05-10T15:31:48.987-07:00Sunday 10th May 09If you'd asked me a fortnight ago what exactly I'd like to be taking away from this whole experience I'd have told you having to opportunity to dive in the warm clear waters of Queensland to give me some sort of perspective after dropping below the surface in Cornwall, South West England a few weeks ago.<br /><br />My great mate Dave Brown is a Dive Instructor at <a href="http://www.porthkerris.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Porthkerris</span> Divers</a> and as a little refresher I experienced my first ever dip into the rather cold ten degree waters of the Atlantic Ocean but loved every second of it...12m of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">visibility</span>, kelp beds, a plethora of life and my first chance to dive with a friend since <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Bre</span> back in November.<br /><br />Manta Lodge and Scuba Centre are based at Point Lookout on North <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Stradbroke</span> Island, Dave collected me from the reception of my hotel at the ungodly hour of 06:15hrs - but the sunrise was incredible, the swell slight and the anticipation extremely high which got me out of bed as soon as the alarm went off!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2gkh6V_tQaKX1Qb9OQQuxLCMEhc7g-vdCg1tLmmKtDUq3msGuY70t58cf14qXdi40Q_kb0nhINqQnpkGglu3OgpvQ9ea90o0PGDLhjPX-urDc8iHkC8HWd8IxK4up5SG3LEH1sWg3neOH/s1600-h/P1000344.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2gkh6V_tQaKX1Qb9OQQuxLCMEhc7g-vdCg1tLmmKtDUq3msGuY70t58cf14qXdi40Q_kb0nhINqQnpkGglu3OgpvQ9ea90o0PGDLhjPX-urDc8iHkC8HWd8IxK4up5SG3LEH1sWg3neOH/s320/P1000344.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334323418731980626" border="0" /></a>On arrival at the centre we went through the safety procedures, collected my equipment and got to know my fellow divers who were mainly there to complete their <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">PADI</span> Open Water certification and were as excited as I was to be getting in the water. The tractor towed our RIB down to the beach and we after a simple surf launch we were out on the ocean finally!<br /><br />Dave <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Bidduplh</span> was to be my dive buddy, a funny little man who helped me get all of my kit on and eased me back into the routine of the correct procedures I needed to complete before heading into the stunning underwater world below the ever increasing swell. Then with a gentle splash I dropped in and was finally beneath the waterline, in went my regulator, out went my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">BCD</span> air and down I dropped into the colourful world below...awesome!<br /><br />Once I'd slowed my breathing, checked my buoyancy and left the group of other divers, Dave and I headed out around Flat Rock to investigate its surroundings and I wasn't disappointed. A <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Hawksbill</span> Turtle launched itself off the ocean floor in front of me gracefully powering itself off into the clear warm water, thousands of bait fish swirled around my head and the multitude of corals and weird little creatures were everywhere, fantastic!<br /><br />As we started to near the end of the dive a big shoal of Barracuda cruised towards us from a distance and only 5m away split down the centre and swam at speed past our heads - totally incredible and another first.<br /><br />Once back on the boat with all my kit off I thought to myself how lucky I am just to have experienced this part of the day with still another dive to come.....and six months of huge adventure still ahead. WOW.<br /><br />The ever increasing ocean swell resulted on four of my fellow divers turning a little green and they generously contributed to the fishes breakfast over the side of the RIB, so Tim our skipper turned the boat and powered it to Shag Rock; a more protected dive site inland of our current position. That should sort it out and after a superb 10 minute skim across the surface we arrived.<br /><br />Keeping in accordance with our dive tables meant we'd have to wait on the surface before descending again, we fed on soup and snake sweets and joked together about the usual Pom v Aussie rivalry...this is going to be fun again after my South African ten years of getting used to it!<br /><br />Shag Rock is a much shallower dive with depths up to 12m and the increased chance of seeing some rays and yet more turtles in the clearer visibility which was somewhere around the 15m mark. Safety checks completed Dave and I again headed into the watery world which was sploshing around us.<br /><br />This was the best dive I've ever done for a number of reasons; its dive number ten for me and I felt totally comfortable with everything - equipment, buddy, breathing, the environment etc and enjoyed every second of it!! Dave <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">took</span> his professional underwater camera down this time and snapped away throughout the dive and I hope to have the images up on this blog and also <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.afritrex.com">www.afritrex.com </a>as soon as I receive them!<br /><br />Yet more turtles, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">wobbegong's</span> (a beautifully ugly carpet shark which rests on the seabed), thousands of bait fish and stunning coloured worms and corals all littering the rocks and surroundings making it truly the most enjoyable dive yet. No sharks still for me, no rays or whales but they will come - this for now was good enough, I can't have too many emotions at once or I'll pop!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOjAxUU5aL9dJmVrOo67Opv7y5bIBmBueAO7AqYiOdNW1y9nZkpq-oJD-ZbgStfXS6yhqvkQocvNUV7V8ZlVPUeRGVuOOOh0e4TfT5wLZ_NGDcQv23ZIzDQ5-k4xhQuqBEbM80UrPw1H4/s1600-h/P1000347.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOjAxUU5aL9dJmVrOo67Opv7y5bIBmBueAO7AqYiOdNW1y9nZkpq-oJD-ZbgStfXS6yhqvkQocvNUV7V8ZlVPUeRGVuOOOh0e4TfT5wLZ_NGDcQv23ZIzDQ5-k4xhQuqBEbM80UrPw1H4/s320/P1000347.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334325967770834194" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzAfWCGewtgVhAKR9mKBPiz7DQ76sDbgkE8f3EjLOtTA2ptNAcqsYMoturMOBnUZzPgXs1zwNptp6nd0qCFSJx6hRgBgvFzr6bwiIp9iHZr_p5sKtKXH4pywaxNn_9EXtr36yHbVha8PJq/s1600-h/P1000346.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzAfWCGewtgVhAKR9mKBPiz7DQ76sDbgkE8f3EjLOtTA2ptNAcqsYMoturMOBnUZzPgXs1zwNptp6nd0qCFSJx6hRgBgvFzr6bwiIp9iHZr_p5sKtKXH4pywaxNn_9EXtr36yHbVha8PJq/s320/P1000346.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334325957012086194" border="0" /></a>Back on dry land I said my thanks <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">yous</span> exchanged email addresses and met Sharon who was there to whip me away back to the hotel in time for a filling lunch at Look Cafe Bar just down the road.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYXn9wbUuRRJV43ZTrac5mG06QJq4Kli9CHglu_h7F1tch_3Rjeg_xWDYCu1xTOy__Nq5cB0xXHxdA15WIwRJcuicieRMuI58gROzARSHbf98ek1qN835HqdbjHhyphenhyphenBJVn1BUvS0hJTLL8m/s1600-h/P1000360.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYXn9wbUuRRJV43ZTrac5mG06QJq4Kli9CHglu_h7F1tch_3Rjeg_xWDYCu1xTOy__Nq5cB0xXHxdA15WIwRJcuicieRMuI58gROzARSHbf98ek1qN835HqdbjHhyphenhyphenBJVn1BUvS0hJTLL8m/s320/P1000360.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334325970904913762" border="0" /></a>The generosity of people here is almost overwhelming, John Henson the owner had been kind enough to give me a bottle of complimentary bubbly on the table and we enjoyed a yummy portion of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Barramundi</span> for lunch - good to be eating fish now and not looking at them. Everything in moderation of course.<br /><br />Then before I knew it we had to go, the Big Red Cat wouldn't wait for us and we filled the car with our belongings and drove the short distance across the island to the slipway and sat in line with the other weekend fun-seekers. What a total blast I've had.<br /><br />I can leave Australia this time around happy and content that I've done what I intended to do - get another dive in!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-25737203827147364742009-05-10T06:26:00.001-07:002009-05-10T14:23:46.662-07:00Saturday 9th May 09We headed back to Brisbane yesterday after saying goodbye to my fellow islanders, the remaining TQ staff and Hamilton Island for the meantime, checked back into the Stamford Plaza overnight and awoke to a magnificent sunrise after my first good nights sleep in around a week!<br /><br />Today symbolises the start of two days of rest and recuperation after the brilliant madness during the last week of controlled chaos. I grabbed some breakfast in the room whilst desperately trying to find time to get this blog up to date to let all of you know just what’s been going on….I have to keep you in the picture!<br /><br />Sharon Raguse was awaiting my arrival in reception, these TQ staff are on time you know, we did the formalities, checked a couple of my bags in as the sheer amount of gear I’ve picked up over the last few days has meant trying to haul around far too much excess baggage, and headed in the car out of the city – my first experience of rural Aus!<br /><br />I’m loving the buildings, the space of each plot, the uniqueness of each house and the cleanliness of the roads – no wonder so many people move out here! We arrived at Cleveland and had a couple of photographers to satisfy before jumping on the Big Red Cat which would whisk us across to North Stradbroke Island or Straddie as its affectionately known to the locals.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0UxVFMUuAfIUv9wJ6WV4ILFI_0UYQ9XxPIJ3kk6AJyxg6sZVSBf6VX61FdeDfkEPsVtji6GDmlr01S8O6vTjiv7QTZNIJwgytI3uUMaolFcO5wk5HlVDPVcZDSAH8nBAKCJI7xuGd-a7H/s1600-h/P5092059.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0UxVFMUuAfIUv9wJ6WV4ILFI_0UYQ9XxPIJ3kk6AJyxg6sZVSBf6VX61FdeDfkEPsVtji6GDmlr01S8O6vTjiv7QTZNIJwgytI3uUMaolFcO5wk5HlVDPVcZDSAH8nBAKCJI7xuGd-a7H/s320/P5092059.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334200074413942082" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5PR4S9A3orAIvxM7Xk120USY-vuYyoSFMpALkOLUqO7wrER45ZkVk1YrMb2hRTyBKz0Ls-_ruqm4NCbpAzoTflFYJnsvACyJlYi8n9k41XS36YDSsnsGKDfey3vQ0G6W-7LLh-VqUyRU3/s1600-h/P5092064.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5PR4S9A3orAIvxM7Xk120USY-vuYyoSFMpALkOLUqO7wrER45ZkVk1YrMb2hRTyBKz0Ls-_ruqm4NCbpAzoTflFYJnsvACyJlYi8n9k41XS36YDSsnsGKDfey3vQ0G6W-7LLh-VqUyRU3/s320/P5092064.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334200068622438290" border="0" /></a><br />Driving on board we quickly found a comfy seat and grabbed a choco milk as one of the staff came up and asked if I’d like to head up to the bridge to see the view – of course I said and raced up the stairs! Mick the captain even let me drive the massive beast as we turned out of the main channel and headed across the gorgeous blue water passing mangroves and jumping fish, amazing!<br /><br />As we pulled onto the slipway I said my thank yous and we drove the short distance to the Stradbroke Hotel through stunning gum tree lined roads and finally past the all important WARNING KANGAROOS sign which I’d been waiting for – a true icon.<br /><br />Another friendly person welcomed us into the reception and gave me the keys to the apartment I’d be staying in overnight…plus there’s a cheese selection in the room as an appetiser! Amazing service.<br /><br />This has to be one of the biggest WOW’s yet…what a superb place, three double bedrooms, two bathrooms and a balcony overlooking the ocean with BBQ and open plan kitchen and living area – fit for ten people at least!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRuINxllt0x3R0Zahh3vqdFiyklNbYLTlhWJfgjK7PvxmjCRobdVwGDYIsqCtWbAurXoZDWkCYEBuoMINEkkBL4JmMB412ZGszz2KfwAHUzddWJeGfO220Mv_bpr3q_Ql8R6xu7xGa1yyo/s1600-h/P5092072.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRuINxllt0x3R0Zahh3vqdFiyklNbYLTlhWJfgjK7PvxmjCRobdVwGDYIsqCtWbAurXoZDWkCYEBuoMINEkkBL4JmMB412ZGszz2KfwAHUzddWJeGfO220Mv_bpr3q_Ql8R6xu7xGa1yyo/s320/P5092072.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334204813400001650" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcveceDO6mjShsm74lX3GWKLyrRrsOGDg6EYA8tWSpeoc-xNNIgk5q2W3aKiELGvNJ5QudvqOAWxyAttF0mS1vv7ZeEdqrrD9BQj9XokzR0kzprsBZUbaZmr9ZGfuFMh79giTEFWszl5HM/s1600-h/P5092068.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcveceDO6mjShsm74lX3GWKLyrRrsOGDg6EYA8tWSpeoc-xNNIgk5q2W3aKiELGvNJ5QudvqOAWxyAttF0mS1vv7ZeEdqrrD9BQj9XokzR0kzprsBZUbaZmr9ZGfuFMh79giTEFWszl5HM/s320/P5092068.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334204810011403138" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSf_c_siZhpb_jxgpbo-FIRCZ_fsuy0xoZ0ylu6xV5jX0jh4Cv9ojHguPW32sbgKb7HNkrbC5_JTPLPid6UKu23UQdmKomMjPWDh6otJbPwXVTbNJW5ZVLZj8GmWcVG90XmHktQ-Mdfmjx/s1600-h/P5092069.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSf_c_siZhpb_jxgpbo-FIRCZ_fsuy0xoZ0ylu6xV5jX0jh4Cv9ojHguPW32sbgKb7HNkrbC5_JTPLPid6UKu23UQdmKomMjPWDh6otJbPwXVTbNJW5ZVLZj8GmWcVG90XmHktQ-Mdfmjx/s320/P5092069.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334204803873897714" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVei1iIhn8Jj8ZakttDBmTXjMZ49VF2u6wMjTvGfSBkVfduxc7Hsdku_BiMGDANUkLZOCCi0XWHt_ey4ecxKDiay-XYVNhbb8kCbkDUIMeghp-fyRtzPaH1MzbxvH5FFUgGWGVnfK57V52/s1600-h/P5092070.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVei1iIhn8Jj8ZakttDBmTXjMZ49VF2u6wMjTvGfSBkVfduxc7Hsdku_BiMGDANUkLZOCCi0XWHt_ey4ecxKDiay-XYVNhbb8kCbkDUIMeghp-fyRtzPaH1MzbxvH5FFUgGWGVnfK57V52/s320/P5092070.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334204800110672018" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdZKey-8G2KQc3pfipd4DCO64Lsg4UhX5jkqHETG1D9PepwJ-_hgemPk_nPSnZQMFlEr0DpgnpNJ2cf0WLz6v4fxFPlevgxfq-dfnflaFEEJrTkcWN4LhZfHEd0uQdXScYODKmIeYZpnI/s1600-h/P5092067.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqdZKey-8G2KQc3pfipd4DCO64Lsg4UhX5jkqHETG1D9PepwJ-_hgemPk_nPSnZQMFlEr0DpgnpNJ2cf0WLz6v4fxFPlevgxfq-dfnflaFEEJrTkcWN4LhZfHEd0uQdXScYODKmIeYZpnI/s320/P5092067.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334204793576524578" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The superb tailor made schedule which TQ has put together for me over the next two days gives me the chance to enjoy the quiet away from the flashlights of the cameras and it started off exactly as I hoped it would...with another 4x4 adventure!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIV6B6TLoHDnzlbXxOBe9qZCIWzOQC_PXtB6l2AtIitfm9bt_JOCwKjtAG6nfGTE3CabNBgoqsXS8DcK6P0SopbF7fambKoUkohr99IcU5UfYcvlsVSkiERQuOniHt-gdNCRzGIUH5t1F/s1600-h/P1000318.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixIV6B6TLoHDnzlbXxOBe9qZCIWzOQC_PXtB6l2AtIitfm9bt_JOCwKjtAG6nfGTE3CabNBgoqsXS8DcK6P0SopbF7fambKoUkohr99IcU5UfYcvlsVSkiERQuOniHt-gdNCRzGIUH5t1F/s320/P1000318.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334202390177372290" border="0" /></a>'Barefoot Dave' was there to meet me at reception and we climbed onboard his Toyota Landcruiser and set off around the island, along the beaches, through the bush and over the huge sand hills with Dave telling me stories the entire time about the flora, fauna and vehicles the whole way. What a great afternoon of adventure!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2DNj_EInp1pT2TnSirx-ytAHvHnFKxVUHJJEV1WAk2-nEdm6mv7ZSTJizdifudh18BrV1AYNuQoOIk1-2QgHAeIL2QhxxB6F9b7I_yhajxhP_h74cZei4Mansj9zJC0c9uswurg80yFzT/s1600-h/P1000324.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2DNj_EInp1pT2TnSirx-ytAHvHnFKxVUHJJEV1WAk2-nEdm6mv7ZSTJizdifudh18BrV1AYNuQoOIk1-2QgHAeIL2QhxxB6F9b7I_yhajxhP_h74cZei4Mansj9zJC0c9uswurg80yFzT/s320/P1000324.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334202398872913986" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdxjvCN3EXK_SCI40FuM0dlzsKt-jJOIFAFBuNlOHubrZQh0Jj-6nk-2jeSd3iRgRvz0FQn2CEATA4pyAOpOYCHEVvkpSzpyj_2RXc14__lzyTjVIyX3ldZ_djlh1tj1_3u4OksdIJYgY/s1600-h/P1000322.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdxjvCN3EXK_SCI40FuM0dlzsKt-jJOIFAFBuNlOHubrZQh0Jj-6nk-2jeSd3iRgRvz0FQn2CEATA4pyAOpOYCHEVvkpSzpyj_2RXc14__lzyTjVIyX3ldZ_djlh1tj1_3u4OksdIJYgY/s320/P1000322.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334202392574302578" border="0" /></a><br />Once we arrived back at the Stradbroke Hotel I freshened up and Sharon drove me up to the Amis Restaurant for dinner with chef/owner Peter conjuring up the most incredible delights for both of us...no choosing off the menu here, this was all about allowing him to serve us whatever he wanted - and he didn't fail to deliver; kangaroo, scallops, prawns, duck and then a range of exquisite deserts! I left feeling rather stuffed but extremely honoured to have had such a superb range of delights!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MRNaBt0caY5nQ1DyIusZiTT0nesil-AaBRs7c3yDxBfIHPxTU25hLY-8W9H5VonOOAG7z0pWTiLg5O5cyHEHgZQOsZq-ho10An_IMMoFazeMt_ezpysRXt5CoIAiiwAr1-r0vu4yUoTr/s1600-h/P1000332.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1MRNaBt0caY5nQ1DyIusZiTT0nesil-AaBRs7c3yDxBfIHPxTU25hLY-8W9H5VonOOAG7z0pWTiLg5O5cyHEHgZQOsZq-ho10An_IMMoFazeMt_ezpysRXt5CoIAiiwAr1-r0vu4yUoTr/s320/P1000332.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334309040893881442" border="0" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-41444981223896417942009-05-10T06:25:00.000-07:002009-05-10T06:38:48.217-07:00Tuesday May 5th 2009On a day like today when the heavens open you need some total self indulgence …and that’s what I got!<br /><br />There’s no messing in the world of TQ, out of the hotel, down to the harbour and onto Voyager, another luxury motor launch. Cranking up the power as we left the marina the 2000hp engines<br /> roared into life, lifting the bow of our beast out of the clear blue sea and onwards towards Daydream Island only 30 minutes away….<br /><br />Arriving at the resort we had some hungry mouths awaiting, not our own for once…a pool of stingrays and sharks tame enough to feed by hand! Loaded with prawns I dipped my hand in allowing Pancake the Stingray to take a mouthful as I petted the top of his head leaving George the Cod looking on jealously – your turn will come! My nephews would love it here!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYQt0osQtukJGLd-6cOW01ium18p0q2aLSXrkxYsbOh78MFnxJwLeDblNPBHXECZgbg-GspUQC2st4x0-pRvTos0YkaXAAJjX1GhtTCjL0VpjVhQA6TMy1J1WqnfGnGrkcbDYWBjv3baNb/s1600-h/P1000270.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYQt0osQtukJGLd-6cOW01ium18p0q2aLSXrkxYsbOh78MFnxJwLeDblNPBHXECZgbg-GspUQC2st4x0-pRvTos0YkaXAAJjX1GhtTCjL0VpjVhQA6TMy1J1WqnfGnGrkcbDYWBjv3baNb/s320/P1000270.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334188153916394258" border="0" /></a>With the rain hammering down I headed to the luxury surroundings of Daydream Rejuvenation Spa to be pampered and preened into a state of relaxed nirvana by the highly trained staff.<br /><br />Stripping down to the bare essentials I indulged in a ‘Daydream Delight’ – a sensory journey including an exquisite exfoliating salt glow and scalp massage releasing all muscle fatigue and stress and relaxing me like never before!<br /><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWEtrzviUlany1eHxsGrNij783HryZhb-ouvnMgILjZ85lUyTgpKp5cUNsO4pw4VzDu4qZ9e8esS0Xq1apHy1cFy-xrhA6x8_1LaUbNBa-WdWqGbjWCFnu8BT01nlv5a9P-IeXuUd7ATrF/s1600-h/P1000251.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWEtrzviUlany1eHxsGrNij783HryZhb-ouvnMgILjZ85lUyTgpKp5cUNsO4pw4VzDu4qZ9e8esS0Xq1apHy1cFy-xrhA6x8_1LaUbNBa-WdWqGbjWCFnu8BT01nlv5a9P-IeXuUd7ATrF/s320/P1000251.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334188144372338370" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg396zYvsZFw7gjE_2eLx1TUx7f5OhCsHH_pGt_1LTqF-yTNaJ9QhZDUs7CFQEGtNd4AuE45aroxD2b5kAh-y5JMjwv69rSJ1RhEGxoQf1ui0IDSNWV5i0k673vWhIn3RiotdOQnRBOrshV/s1600-h/P1000257.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg396zYvsZFw7gjE_2eLx1TUx7f5OhCsHH_pGt_1LTqF-yTNaJ9QhZDUs7CFQEGtNd4AuE45aroxD2b5kAh-y5JMjwv69rSJ1RhEGxoQf1ui0IDSNWV5i0k673vWhIn3RiotdOQnRBOrshV/s320/P1000257.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334188152437290674" border="0" /></a>YOU REALLY HAVE TO TRY THIS, IT ROCKS!<br /><br />Having cameras in my face 24/7 is an experience so we turned the tables on the journalists subjecting them to a little of their own medicine…see how you like that guys!<br /><br />My legs barely working I staggered downstairs to Mermaids Restaurant to be greeted by a banquet of Aussie delights – rare moist beef, succulent lamb chops, humongous prawns, fresh oysters, lobster and a plethora of salads to boot, a feast good enough for Atlantis himself.<br /><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjprcp4E8UsW1ypjMgW2SjgkExzB9-DPwlQ1yJVMwM7Jh6JKHsUzzneCnamK_TFDPom-ygfmUZ1dxT9yPTha-gPs60xitPQAiyehS1uFzeJE4NzamFqOAMa6hZ_iWAeEMihknLQqB3-KSDZ/s1600-h/P1000285.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjprcp4E8UsW1ypjMgW2SjgkExzB9-DPwlQ1yJVMwM7Jh6JKHsUzzneCnamK_TFDPom-ygfmUZ1dxT9yPTha-gPs60xitPQAiyehS1uFzeJE4NzamFqOAMa6hZ_iWAeEMihknLQqB3-KSDZ/s320/P1000285.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334188151990719282" border="0" /></a><br />Another whirlwind tour of an incredible island and one that needs another visit sometime soon, thank you TQ!!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wednesday May 6th 2009</span><br /><br />Never normally one to suffer from nerves I awoke with a strange feeling in my head and body…there were only two hours to go until the final 20 minute interview with the selection panel and I was starting to feel it, yikes!!<br /><br />Ok get into some sort of routine here Ben…down to the pool for a few lengths to get the blood pumping, that should sort it out. And so it did…for at least 20 mintues!<br /><br />As I started the walk to the interview room my legs almost turned to slow motion as I closed in on the door and the interrogation I was about to receive…what a pleasant relief though as I entered the room to a casual sofa, sunny balcony and a smiling row of judges – no bright lights in my face here at all.<br /><br />We chatted away for what seemed like literally three minutes and then it was over…all of that fuss and worry for really nothing at all, a total relief and as I left the room I suddenly felt 30cms taller – the weight of the world was off my shoulders with nothing further I could do to better my application for the position now. It was out of my hands.<br /><br />Time to totally relax for the first time in a few days, Ben H from France and I headed to the beach for a swim away from the media and prying eyes and really the first opportunity to enjoy the warm waters of the Coral Sea, we swam, snorkelled and kayaked around soaking up the sunrays and atmosphere of it all – whatever happens now its been an amazing adventure and something I’ll never forget!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Outrigger Centre 15:00hrs – The Big Decision</span><br /><br />Nerves were everywhere, people looked worried, last minute concerned were talked about and we were even briefed on how to greet the first lady of Queensland, The Premiere Anna Bligh – ‘Premiere’ and nothing else!<br /><br />As the 16 of us filed out onto the stage area we entered a room the likes of which I’d only seen at some of the largest sporting events in the world – and it was all about this the biggest decision of our lives!<br /><br />It all started simply enough, the pre-arranged questions which each of us had to answer as Anthony Hayes came to us went by without issues and then Anna…sorry the Premiere, took the microphone to start the speech which would change my life.<br /><br />“…..and the new Island Caretaker, from the United Kingdom, Ben Southall!!!”<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">TOTAL UTTER DISBELIEF AND AMAZEMENT WAS ALL THAT FOLLOWED!!</span><br /><br />I walked to the centre of the stage and was mobbed by the other 15 finalists all very genuinely offering their thanks and tightest hugs imaginable which only added to the wobbly feeling my knees had in them, once the applause had died down from the 200 gathered pubic, media and TQ staff I took the microphone from the Premiere and prepared myself to address the entire planet about my new life!<br /><br />I’ve always shied away from public speaking but will also reluctantly do it if pushed and this was one of those occasions…time to show them all why you’ve been chosen Ben.<br /><br />With the initial thank-you’s out of the way I turned to my fellow finalists and thanked them all still rather blown away by the decision and the fact that I was now experiencing the start of an amazing journey together with 8hrs of interviews with news and media from around the world.<br /><br />I lost count after I’d spoken to the tenth camera crew and interviewer as to quite how many feeds were being beamed across the world to channels and shows all following this the greatest PR stunt the world has ever seen….CNN, FOX, BBC, Reuters, Time magazine, CTV, The Times, Channel 7, 8, 9 & 10 they were everywhere and the more it went on the better it felt as my responses became more practised and the adrenaline was replaced by satisfaction and pure smiles. My cheeks were starting to feel it….stop smiling all the time Ben!<br /><br />Once we’d cleared the final live feed, sometime around 21:00hrs I raced back to my room changed into something a little smarter and more presentable than the standard Best Job in the World t-shirt and made a beeline for the huge party that TQ were throwing in the Toucan Tango bar with all of my fellow finalists, supporters and all the others celebrating the end to an amazing four month adventure.<br /><br />The music was pumping, the food was mouth watering and the drink was flowing for everyone except me….too many interviews still to do tonight you know, until I was ushered out of the function room and back to face the next of the feeds as America was just about waking up and needed to know all about the new Caretaker apparently.<br /><br />I finally hit the hay around 23:30hrs and struggled to get to sleep as the adrenaline was still pumping around my body from the total excitement of the day.<br /><br />I took the time to call Bre, away from the cameras, to let her know quite what the next few months involved and how I couldn’t wait to be back with her again so much sooner than expected. The unhappiness of not knowing when that would be had been replaced by the joy of a new job, and date to work towards. We are going to have such an adventure together!<br /><br />The world of crazy coverage didn’t stop there though, before I knew it my alarm was ringing and it was suddenly 05:30hrs, time to get back down to the media centre for the next of the interviews…BBC World Service, BBC 4, BBC Solent, local radio in Aus, radio in Columbia, Malaysian TV, CNN again, the list went on and on! And then at 08:30hrs a break and the moment I’d been waiting for…time to get the keys to my new house – The Blue Pearl!! WAHOOOOO<br /><br />Sitting down in the golf buggy with Ems driving we headed to the house I’d looked around just over three days ago but this time there were no other finalists there – just me and the world’s press again. I walked through the doors and suddenly the place seemed huge, in fact so big I’m scared I’ll loose Bre down one and of the house and not be able to find her!<br /><br />Plenty more photos followed and then my first chance to dip into the spa to test the water and carry out my first task as Island Caretaker – cleaning the leaves out of the pool! This is the best spa I’ve ever been in, it has a lap pool built into it so put the motors on and it turns into a current machine which you can swim against as exercise – totally awesome!<br /><br />Walking around the house there’s so much here, huge sofas, three double bedrooms, spa bath, state of the art media centre, fridge with cold water and ice (I’ve always wanted one of them!) and of course a view to die for over the Coral Sea. Thank you TQ so much from the bottom of my heart.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-44676841881143017682009-05-10T06:24:00.000-07:002009-05-10T06:31:23.471-07:00Our day continues....Just as quickly as it all started it was almost over, the current of the outgoing tide pulling me swiftly towards the Reefworld platform where I grabbed my camera and slipped back in for just another few minutes in the underwater paradise clicking away at as much as I could. Before I knew it the call was coming to get back on dry land and it was over….for today anyway.<br /><br />Being treated as well as we are by TQ on this little adventure, a water departure was on the cards - but in a very different capacity to our arrival. An awaiting seaplane was moored just offshore and as we boarded the anticipation grew once more….another unique experience was about to commence.<br /><br />The sound of the engine firing gradually built the speed of the plane until we were finally hoisted clear of the ocean and into the blue sky above. After a brief taxi we awaited the arrival of the other seaplane and two escorting helicopters by flying out over Heart Reef (a location made famous by TQ in their promotional material) then we joined into a perfect formation and headed towards Hayman Island, the location of our next incredible experience.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPG8jLNPb2LRGWogwHcU90XROqZMob8pyH-i1wM5M5xyk8xBYWG8ak6Xr0X1kUyAgMAMWfuyWikeK1lomckbm_5okCfjs4TfKsWbN3hNKtjvU-rTDwY2467dvkWx-fEj8StQ07KCn3spAv/s1600-h/P1000139.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPG8jLNPb2LRGWogwHcU90XROqZMob8pyH-i1wM5M5xyk8xBYWG8ak6Xr0X1kUyAgMAMWfuyWikeK1lomckbm_5okCfjs4TfKsWbN3hNKtjvU-rTDwY2467dvkWx-fEj8StQ07KCn3spAv/s320/P1000139.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334186546554832034" border="0" /></a>It’s only when you climb up into the sky the sheer vastness of the Great Barrier Reef becomes apparent, I’d been lucky enough to experience a tiny part of this 2300km long ecosystem and can only start to imagine what the rest has to offer. The length of it means it passes through 3º of latitude giving a totally different environment along its length…I will have to return to see more sometime very soon.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMb8vbukkIq3ogEeFMNXKVPm7rOcK4dE-nCxEav2MRVqxtLXb30XOimdf3CgKvRKstSaPtSf1oG5gjlIBd54PC9BXnbrYjfMZ5hyxbI9FFa-ezJzmoXGM2E72RmtYZncAJSNGfRInJzSv6/s1600-h/P1000155.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMb8vbukkIq3ogEeFMNXKVPm7rOcK4dE-nCxEav2MRVqxtLXb30XOimdf3CgKvRKstSaPtSf1oG5gjlIBd54PC9BXnbrYjfMZ5hyxbI9FFa-ezJzmoXGM2E72RmtYZncAJSNGfRInJzSv6/s320/P1000155.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334186769666423378" border="0" /></a>We splashed down in the waters outside the luxury five star resort that is Hayman Island and our pilot from Air Whitsunday skillfully taxied the seaplane into the harbour and then very surprisingly up the slipway to the car park area where we awaited the arrival of the other plane. Incredible flying/driving there Sir!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5PJ4vZWrAHfcb8N5vu91snIf2fOWLtgRMVu1_9sJL7FzI-YYjT8VgMBiiWMD536ZXK8B2GYKQ2OLB0_82I_KaAOeatdahrKNl2qHJ86E6DEKdCzEVLfjFM4t1GveN9wzU76MvR3aiHkXl/s1600-h/P1000210.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5PJ4vZWrAHfcb8N5vu91snIf2fOWLtgRMVu1_9sJL7FzI-YYjT8VgMBiiWMD536ZXK8B2GYKQ2OLB0_82I_KaAOeatdahrKNl2qHJ86E6DEKdCzEVLfjFM4t1GveN9wzU76MvR3aiHkXl/s320/P1000210.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334186984948365922" border="0" /></a>We were greeted by the staff and management of the Hayman Resort and for the second time that day my jaw dropped to the ground as the opulent luxury of the place hit me. Perfectly manicured lawns, crystal clear waters of the largest pool in Queensland and the backdrop of another stunning beach…can’t you Aussies learn to share a little more and give us some in the UK?<br /><br />By now our hunger levels had raised to insatiable and the arrival of varied foods from around the world representing the nationalities of the countries the final candidates, couldn’t have arrived quickly enough. The intricate detail, quality and varied flavours of what we were presented with gave an insight into quite how well you would be treated if you were lucky enough to book a stay here! Crab noodles, Barramundi, Sushi and Maple Syrup ice cream to finish off were enough to satisfy even the largest of appetites!<br /><br />Before we had a chance to gather our thoughts we were off again, using the obligatory golf carts which are such fun, we headed down to our arrival area and this time boarded another new means of transport…the good ship Sun Goddess, a luxury motor launch.<br /><br />The friendly staff welcomed us onboard, offered us yet more exotic food and drinks and ushered us into yet more luxurious surroundings! A trip to the top deck was exhilarating enough as the salt air swept through my hair and the media interviews continued unabated. A chance to gather my thoughts on the day came as I retreated to the downstairs hospitality area and sat on the comfiest chair I’d found all day. What a pleasure!<br /><br />We pulled into the dock at Airport Harbour back on Hamilton Island, our departure point a few hours earlier having experienced the most fantastic day of my Australian adventure. If tomorrow is even half as good as today I will return to the UK a very happy man and a perfect ambassador for the Great Barrier Reef!!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-90224945096039955492009-05-08T14:25:00.000-07:002009-05-10T06:24:41.855-07:00I have a new job….I’m the Island Caretaker!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA2PcNbnj-lcb0JJQZXXfXn5m6y1W4OfoNS2tjS11et4m8lyDWHfl1A074-0ZT6QQEblWxVRXq0sY47Ih9rhFLZrYHXSLdT1Pp_5S6v_F-shU0YowJEfjGPbKhU9X4J1BLZDDlrhtigcmd/s1600-h/4142_193552675726_707730726_6860229_4011342_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA2PcNbnj-lcb0JJQZXXfXn5m6y1W4OfoNS2tjS11et4m8lyDWHfl1A074-0ZT6QQEblWxVRXq0sY47Ih9rhFLZrYHXSLdT1Pp_5S6v_F-shU0YowJEfjGPbKhU9X4J1BLZDDlrhtigcmd/s200/4142_193552675726_707730726_6860229_4011342_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334165539537488818" border="0" /></a>The speed in which things have moved along over the last few days has been incredible, I suppose what I’m also saying is sorry…sorry for not getting any updates out onto my blog and website but there really hasn’t been a chance to do anything of my own since the announcement was made!!<br /><br />I’ve had the most amazing experience over the last week with two days of incredibly intense tasks and tests at the start of it on our arrival at Hamilton Island…literally from the moment we stepped off the plane and hit the media scrum which was assembled in the entrance of the terminal building.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz6vE2t8dUAMqKCzmDxPEBBY-cbEBMeGjCvpygxUeaDL1FpGACd5SXbY9GH_MU6LvGQKnhLcIRXbdlx4to0YgH0ZZrPyw2_f_Lq7ADSJGTI9lHxZvCZQjUqK4nGSu4-uH8iXe_0WMfpZM6/s1600-h/P5031979.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz6vE2t8dUAMqKCzmDxPEBBY-cbEBMeGjCvpygxUeaDL1FpGACd5SXbY9GH_MU6LvGQKnhLcIRXbdlx4to0YgH0ZZrPyw2_f_Lq7ADSJGTI9lHxZvCZQjUqK4nGSu4-uH8iXe_0WMfpZM6/s320/P5031979.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334167092759047346" border="0" /></a><br />As we got off the Virgin Blue flight from Brisbane around 6 cameras were waiting there on the tarmac for us…as we turned the corner out into the arrivals area there must have been another 40! How on earth poor little Meiko, my now good friend from Japan, handled the huge number who were there to cover her alone I’ll never know – well done!<br /><br />So in at the deep end, literally. Off for the first of the trials we’d be subjected to over the next 3 days; the swimming test. Donning our new Aussie Bum boardies and rashie we all stood at the edge of the pool preparing to prove we could float and swim to the gathered mass of crowds and press…and I think we all did really well, no body sank anyway!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Monday May 4th 09</span><br /><br />It’s still not over; the effects of jetlag are there at 5am as my body continues to struggle with getting a good night’s sleep, but at least this morning there’s something worth waking up early to see…<br />My fantastic room, 10 floors up, at the Reef View Hotel looks out across the sand to the ocean in the distance and as the first rays of sunrise penetrated the horizon the view which greeted me was one of pure beauty. After weeks of preparing myself both physically and mentally the day had finally dawned which would welcome me to the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef and its islands.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimUstnOYyav4fSjBMnJsCQi8o0-qJki-Mq2anZlwB_OuF5FopCdC60i2K5YJGmvXx6ujNqpwfjmvBOJanL1t6UsCA3rIYyVV0RPfr0jKCeebpVw3IgDm9gPorYx5MGPdhRNQt8WFp4v6Dq/s1600-h/IMG_9981.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimUstnOYyav4fSjBMnJsCQi8o0-qJki-Mq2anZlwB_OuF5FopCdC60i2K5YJGmvXx6ujNqpwfjmvBOJanL1t6UsCA3rIYyVV0RPfr0jKCeebpVw3IgDm9gPorYx5MGPdhRNQt8WFp4v6Dq/s320/IMG_9981.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334168396682900002" border="0" /></a>After a quick consultation with the schedule to check I was satisfying the compulsory clothing requirements I dressed up and headed downstairs to meet the other candidates in reception all preparing for the first of the psychometric tests of the week.<br /><br />The room was ready, the candidates were ready…but breakfast wasn’t and all our tired little bodies needed was an injection of energy to stimulate the brain! It arrived in due course as we set about the task of completing the 186 questions required in the tight timescale together with trying to pack enough food in to see us through to lunch…possibly another challenge from TQ?!<br /><br />With the mental testing out of the way we headed to our bus which whipped us, at a very leisurely 20km/h, to the awaiting Fantasea boat which would take us out to the snorkeling platform some 70km from Hamilton Island. Packed with crew, biologists, media and now 16 candidates the amply loaded vessel headed out of the harbour into the open channel, the swell building all the time with waves crashing over the bow of our ride upsetting more than a few of my fellow passengers.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8zqRzIm5Z4fYIiqP-GuzpX4356LQm6I9bfgT_lRl3rbyfSTkYVcu8q66Px497FhubYDmDpbmR5y_wyNe0BdTOI2V2m-zZ1_L59lF3OItEojYIrLNU9ACnAZLZ5FTC1IywTLyUVi2Ub8Jm/s1600-h/IMG_0031.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8zqRzIm5Z4fYIiqP-GuzpX4356LQm6I9bfgT_lRl3rbyfSTkYVcu8q66Px497FhubYDmDpbmR5y_wyNe0BdTOI2V2m-zZ1_L59lF3OItEojYIrLNU9ACnAZLZ5FTC1IywTLyUVi2Ub8Jm/s320/IMG_0031.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334169813363596914" border="0" /></a>As we advanced on our snorkeling site we were treated to a number of presentations about<br />Fantasea, the Great Barrier Reef and the very quirky safety briefing - all important for anybody considering a trip on the water. Jacqui, the resident Marine Biologist, answering a number of questions I had for her relating to the way in which the eco-tourism side of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is handled, a subject which is particularly close to my heart following the research I’ve been carrying out over the past few weeks.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsm-fQSo9x_5MYmHTMJf1hOkbHqK02sVmKVuR9pgcjV9_yQanfEcSl1sixFbl8LmTMs31674iyoNpsFVTbYRSLV6wP_ZBpeFlSNeGv3pUFU461cGLsWMTEV-IeMhg8gBYy_U7y_KOWJc58/s1600-h/P1000047.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsm-fQSo9x_5MYmHTMJf1hOkbHqK02sVmKVuR9pgcjV9_yQanfEcSl1sixFbl8LmTMs31674iyoNpsFVTbYRSLV6wP_ZBpeFlSNeGv3pUFU461cGLsWMTEV-IeMhg8gBYy_U7y_KOWJc58/s320/P1000047.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334177253734525506" border="0" /></a><br />After 45 minutes we arrived alongside Fantasea Reefworld, an amazing mooring located right on the edge of Hardy Reef surrounded by crystal clear tropical blue waters – even more enticing than those of the Red Sea I’d been lucky enough to sample last year! We hopped aboard the floating adventure park and prepared for the first ‘at-sea’ task of the day. A quick visit to the changing rooms and I appeared back out onto deck dressed in my obligatory stinger suit (looking like a superhero, although lacking in the muscles department) essential for these waters even now during the latter months of the summer due to a variety of jellyfish which live here and can deliver a potentially nasty sting. No taking chances here!<br /><br />With my fins on, snorkel at the ready and desire to get into the water becoming more than a little overwhelming, Hailey, James, George and I left the platform by motor launch and headed to the pontoon positioned up tide around 250 meters away.<br />I hit the water with the standard entry and immediately felt my snorkel leave the side of my mask filling my breathing tube with a good mouthful of saltwater…great start Ben! With this problem overcome it was back to the task in hand…..and finally a chance to explore this incredible underwater environment I’d heard, dreamt and fantasized so much about in the run up to getting out here…..<br /><br />…..and what a delight it was to finally submerge below the surface to an environment I became so accustomed to last year; after the experience of Lake Malawi, Zanzibar and the Red Sea the Great Barrier Reef was really going to have to deliver to live up to its reputation!<br /><br />As I descended below the wind-chopped waves above and finally peered through the mask I began to focus on the new world below me and struggled to control my breath with what I was seeing before me.<br /><br />Coral absolutely everywhere and in all shapes, sizes and colours with a multitude of fish swimming around them – almost too many to count and understandably so, with 1500 species of fish calling the Great Barrier Reef their home. I’ve dived in some amazing other locations in the world before but the sheer concentration of corals here really blew every other experience out of the water (no pun intended). Stag coral, Finger coral, Brain coral all vying for position, gripping at every available place along the reef looking akin to an underwater forest. I’ve seen the rainforests of central Africa and now I was witnessing the underwater equivalent in Queensland!<br /><br />As I became more comfortable in the still-churning swell I could relax and start to take in some the species I was witnessing; a young Maori Wrasse cruised by, a Green Turtle anonymously hugged the seabed some five metres below me easily visible in the clear, warm water, Nemo himself, in fact Nemo and his entire family presented themselves to me as I drifted past my jaw almost scraping on the coral as I went.<br /><br /><img src="file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Administrator/Desktop/My%20Pictures/Best%20Job/4th%20May/Ben%20S%20Images%20from%20Day%201%20for%20USB/P1000050.JPG" alt="" /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ56e8wMt8cjG4X86WElIwiMLXxuKyutLXqQj7_Y82s8OgHWg6-FpbVQjvO6n6pYkOrMEHdCUd5g-F6oSLwjKT8yKVcyDuMZFswyQ67xGngQt7grvemYVEgraZkSFRC7TlsWTQYc3lN6ZB/s1600-h/P1000102.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ56e8wMt8cjG4X86WElIwiMLXxuKyutLXqQj7_Y82s8OgHWg6-FpbVQjvO6n6pYkOrMEHdCUd5g-F6oSLwjKT8yKVcyDuMZFswyQ67xGngQt7grvemYVEgraZkSFRC7TlsWTQYc3lN6ZB/s320/P1000102.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334183749396241650" border="0" /></a><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38IoFuZz6lNaK2yHKSFjKRZir3LSiRfuFq8mmrQZgVC6DGw-cqIFB-k_ZcIURbM2FR5EFgQk4we0RznrxSsiJSybY1mnFQflAIPvTLG1dx6CErUc1zMzeBLBLHESaqrUwWv4DrJLUwHR3/s1600-h/P1000055.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj38IoFuZz6lNaK2yHKSFjKRZir3LSiRfuFq8mmrQZgVC6DGw-cqIFB-k_ZcIURbM2FR5EFgQk4we0RznrxSsiJSybY1mnFQflAIPvTLG1dx6CErUc1zMzeBLBLHESaqrUwWv4DrJLUwHR3/s320/P1000055.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334183743104145346" border="0" /></a><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWboXJw8G01UyvLv8IX6y1C5ox7DFQkwKtPm6CpG1S1AsnLuGqgoMD4uUm3xu8e1oPNsv7NMudCk652rokg80Akrb7pY0z4yStle2mKXdYjl8QUhwKdHYRFj2EnBnlTqDO19ydX5_5XXr/s1600-h/P1000070.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWboXJw8G01UyvLv8IX6y1C5ox7DFQkwKtPm6CpG1S1AsnLuGqgoMD4uUm3xu8e1oPNsv7NMudCk652rokg80Akrb7pY0z4yStle2mKXdYjl8QUhwKdHYRFj2EnBnlTqDO19ydX5_5XXr/s320/P1000070.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334183739348306450" border="0" /></a><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmkmFYl5gKrrL53FC27b6TawGuffjURfLOot01dvf9JcZ4xCPda2ALvWJ2gl8Gm1HSONE9QXPVFGkAuTBywWFHTgU7yEiRa7dfkbP_mSdBPdfut-eJHZZP1NxvxXO6iEYzgF-9X9sLxd3M/s1600-h/P1000050.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmkmFYl5gKrrL53FC27b6TawGuffjURfLOot01dvf9JcZ4xCPda2ALvWJ2gl8Gm1HSONE9QXPVFGkAuTBywWFHTgU7yEiRa7dfkbP_mSdBPdfut-eJHZZP1NxvxXO6iEYzgF-9X9sLxd3M/s320/P1000050.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334183735341464290" border="0" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-74714118413704140242009-05-02T05:56:00.001-07:002009-05-02T06:20:38.165-07:00Travelling around the planet and the first day in BrisbaneDate: 30th April 09<br />Location: London, England<br />Weather: Grey skies, occasional rain, 15ºc<br />Status: Excited but also a little apprehensive<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">If you'd like to follow my adventures then click on the Triptracker<br />image belowto see a route and the pictures I took along the way<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://triptracker.net/trip/5595/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 79px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCI-5MyQkXcdzTmNGlhdmgSTQSabYi-RciR7HDS27CIHxAaoPNx0Af4Dgt8HWWDd0GcsUJwc4xCYOURlO5TX4UhsgXwNJEcwA49Go_1RDt_PyW0g8jiAcXr-oTM43Nh5m26mN4TfoJsdc/s320/triptracker+logo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331211849523604770" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7UxoxRjE9gPRJJbBqpxHF7QdwjBQztgFyJsmM01OoSU8gZWfIboLlR14JdoA7gx8IK3ChYbo8RM_ay5_FEYCgHJIfS6_hWdV15GAQeOu9telKYumr-335nC3POZTC_rNQIQ_xWcvynYeX/s1600-h/P4301891.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7UxoxRjE9gPRJJbBqpxHF7QdwjBQztgFyJsmM01OoSU8gZWfIboLlR14JdoA7gx8IK3ChYbo8RM_ay5_FEYCgHJIfS6_hWdV15GAQeOu9telKYumr-335nC3POZTC_rNQIQ_xWcvynYeX/s320/P4301891.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331211468674859410" border="0" /></a></div><br />Well here we go then, the adventure commences….firstly I must say it feels amazing to be writing a blog again, I loved trying to summarise my experiences, feelings and emotions as I drove around Africa last year and from the feedback I received from viewers of my Afritrex site they enjoyed reading them – something that’s obviously of utmost importance!<br /><br />After a fairly late night packing the final things into an already over-filled suitcase I read through my jack-rabbit plan for the final time on English soil and headed to bed.<br /><br />As appears to happen all the time at the moment, I woke well before my alarm clock! This must be due to the truly awful ship’s-claxon-like sound my phone makes shocking my body into gear every time I am awoken by it!<br /><br />Throwing the last few items into my well used trusty travel bag I headed downstairs to see mum and dad on my final morning with them for a while, scoffed the usual breakfast down and packed my life for the next few days into the back of the car.<br /><br />We hit the road at 6.30am filtering into the early morning traffic passing probably the same commuters I’d headed to London with a few years previous when I worked in Richmond for the Royal Star & Garter Home, but this time my mission was very different – I was off to compete in Australia!<br /><br />As we pulled into the grey, concrete monstrosity that is the multi-story car park at Heathrow Terminal 3 my phone rang as planned on the dot of 07:30hrs with a call from Julian Clegg at BBC Radio Solent. I’ve done a few chats with him live on the air since coming back from Afritrex so felt relaxed and confident and had a good chuckle taking about what was to come in the next few days, as the departing aircraft roared overhead adding a realistic background to the ‘just about to depart’ scene we were trying to set.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxXFmCbpaEEsu84TQPFY4qwi9cf5-3vtENTTtE5aqDuLcK2-hBmAmrvgDgw93WWUZHM8Ng22ijbt4tT09-uMeniUGn4USRRTQP0lMSuWPM0GvAgrMSHdsmlbwIyzjp09W00fbZ_h77T8k/s1600-h/P4301897.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxXFmCbpaEEsu84TQPFY4qwi9cf5-3vtENTTtE5aqDuLcK2-hBmAmrvgDgw93WWUZHM8Ng22ijbt4tT09-uMeniUGn4USRRTQP0lMSuWPM0GvAgrMSHdsmlbwIyzjp09W00fbZ_h77T8k/s320/P4301897.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331211476704191234" border="0" /></a><br />The usual planning and efficiency of the Southall machine ensured we arrived at our destination hours before we needed to be there and we made our way to a café to while away the hours before George, the Irish finalist, and the BBC crew arrived. As the clock struck 09:00hrs Vari and Agnieskza toddled around the corner laden with bags and accessories ready for their equally hectic two weeks away as they attempt to film the last movements of the competition.<br /><br />This would be the first time I’d met George, the other UK Top 50 entrants had a chance to back when the initial announcements were made back in March but I’d been in Canada so as he arrived up the escalator it was my first chance to see him in the flesh. A one minute video really doesn’t summarise a person that well!<br /><br />We instantly got on, had a good bit of finalists banter and grabbed a drink as we attempted to hold some unstaged conversation in front of the cameras, particularly hard to do really! Time was pressing on so we headed downstairs to the Singapore Air check in desk and handed over the relevant documents to the assistant all the time hoping that our request for an upgrade had fallen on some slightly receptive ears. No chance.<br /><br />‘It is not company policy to offer any economy passengers an upgrade’ came the well-practised response so the efforts which the team at Hill Balfour (PR company for Tourism Queensland), the BBC and myself had gone to had no effect whatsoever!<br /><br />We made our way to the exit said another staged farewell to mum & dad before advancing to our departure gate with time advancing fast ready to jump onboard the new Airbus A380…oooo how exciting in itself!<br /><br />With minutes to go we’d all made it onboard to a plane which was less than half full, brilliant news; George and I changed seats and moved forward to take advantage of the extended leg room in front of us…sleep may even be a possibility here!<br /><br />The Airbus A380 is a fantastic experience with wide aisles, comfortable seats, very little cabin noise and the sort of in-flight entertainment you’d be happy to use at home with a huge range of things to choose from to speed the lengthy 12 hour flight along.<br /><br />Given the better seats I thought sleep would be a dead certainty as the flight drew on, maybe the films were too good, maybe I was just that little bit excited about going to Australia but the end result was staying awake for virtually the entire journey and arriving in Singapore feeling a little less than well rested.<br /><br />As the group of us wandered through the immaculately clean, state of the art terminal building we passed another group of travellers when one of them asked “Are you Ben?”<br />It was Greg, the American who lives and teaches in Singapore and was in the final for the Best Job as well, well spotted Sir! Feeling shattered George and I weren’t on top form but made our way to the transfer lounge and sat down for a much needed leg stretch and coffee before subjecting ourselves to the next leg of the journey.<br /><br />So three finalists all here at once and how alike we all are, all relaxed, friendly individuals who seem quite relaxed about the coming two weeks of chaos and media scrum that’s bound to follow.<br /><br />Singapore to Brisbane was a much more relaxing flight; after the body had got used to the fact I was trying to stuff dinner down at a time when I ‘d be expecting breakfast. Back to the<br />entertainment system and I found Slumdog Millionaire – the last time I’d tried to watch it whilst out in Canada I’d fallen asleep and was determined to make it through to the end this time. By all reports its a superb film but I dropped off again just after the opening credits and awoke a few hours later to the start screen….oh well!<br /><br />Our flight swept in low over Brisbane and through a clear sky giving us a view of the city from above, one we’d be fully immersed in within an hour or so and after another near-perfect landing made our way into the terminal building. The increasing threat of Swine Fever has meant that health security has increased at all airports and we had to all walk past a heat seeking camera on the way to passport control just in case our body temperature was higher than expected due to flu symptoms….we all passed thankfully.<br /><br />Kerri Anderson, Tourism Queensland’s representative, met us in the arrivals area and once the BBC girls had cleared customs we all jumped into our coach and headed to the Stamford Plaza; our rather fancy hotel for the first two nights of the adventure. Passing through the streets of Queensland’s capital on a Friday night gave me some great initial thoughts on the city – as clean as Vancouver, as modern as London and as cosmopolitan a Cape Town. I think I’m going to enjoy it here.<br /><br />I’m writing the concluding part to this first day perched 20 stories up overlooking the Brisbane River with the sunrise about to happen on the horizon in the distance, yes there’s a few clouds in the sky and it looks like so monster rain in the distance but for now the day is starting off perfectly. I dropped off to sleep easily enough, but awoke at 4am and couldn’t get back to the land of zzz’s and with our first big press conference this morning at 06:45hrs (yikes!) an early start can’t be too bad an idea. and this blog is the result....<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Saturday 2nd May 09</span><br /><br />Not as bad as I thought...or at last not as hectic as tomorrow could potentially be really! The promised media scrum was nothing more than a live link up to Channel 9 in Australia and a single still photographer but what a great morning it turned out to be.<br /><br />We assembled en masse in the reception donned our 'Best Job' tshirts and<br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtJwHowOflacxmydX_T2AlVIew3WkZfxgczGrENU5N5HwrD8doyuGh2jx7wcQmcefAD8Ph7Mmw9VYbmD8D1ZT218XCDKH7mtG8tfmNiIsz51_PnufZm0-ZV7QJqHe1Kg-8YoGvDDg0xfp/s1600-h/IMG_9955.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtJwHowOflacxmydX_T2AlVIew3WkZfxgczGrENU5N5HwrD8doyuGh2jx7wcQmcefAD8Ph7Mmw9VYbmD8D1ZT218XCDKH7mtG8tfmNiIsz51_PnufZm0-ZV7QJqHe1Kg-8YoGvDDg0xfp/s200/IMG_9955.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331214186306723394" border="0" /></a><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbf-bRmH__r8EuCuDGbG_5RoWEmtHfV46q1wQ7gRt2qtMCGpoKgaU3w7RYfP_UoZ4DI4ATuUMnt_mkS6vRYAB1y-5Ggd750IifvNqxmP7goWyeLqyFyTJmyb5CiCrWwRXwZ82bbbUnsna/s1600-h/IMG_9943.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbf-bRmH__r8EuCuDGbG_5RoWEmtHfV46q1wQ7gRt2qtMCGpoKgaU3w7RYfP_UoZ4DI4ATuUMnt_mkS6vRYAB1y-5Ggd750IifvNqxmP7goWyeLqyFyTJmyb5CiCrWwRXwZ82bbbUnsna/s200/IMG_9943.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331214181643156418" border="0" /></a>slowly but surely the entire group of relatively new faces mingled and socialised all finding out a little more about each other than our initial one minute videos had allowed.<br /><br />A real boiling pot of cultures and people which is fantastic, the opportunity to meet new faces, find out about their likes and dislikes and see how each other weigh up for the 'interview' ahead. We have since been told that it is actually an interview and not a competition!<br /><br />Once we'd got the initial press photos out of the way we met Anthony Hayes, the TQ boss who would end end being my boss should I go on and take the job, and all sat down for a well earnt breakfast of fruit and yoghurt with all the trimmings - its amazing to be eating such good fruit again after Africa last year and the abundance we were lucky enough to have out there!<br /><br />The effects of the previous 24hrs travel were starting to take their toll of all the long haul travellers so we slowly sloped off once our committments were satisfied and headed back to our rooms. I chatted with Greg and Clarke on the way and instead of giving into the desire we thought we'd head out to explore the great city which was all around.<br /><br />Half an hour ater we'd massed in reception, headed down the jetty and onto the City Taxi boat which smoothly whisked us down stream towards Southbank, an area of the city with an artificial beach and perfectly clear if a little chlorinated water lapping at the edges.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGFA64QDCQnCWpMX91_8p7gqWMa-2gr62JEqF_1SmMTvbyTsLbHJGhN-21_L1Mh9ocm2eqYVZGHajJaVSN4N5LbinH_alc-E0dgGq3FOrZU5WYYdaR9hyphenhyphenQcJ-6zQXWRPd-w0FvkRvdu8G/s1600-h/P5021928.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGFA64QDCQnCWpMX91_8p7gqWMa-2gr62JEqF_1SmMTvbyTsLbHJGhN-21_L1Mh9ocm2eqYVZGHajJaVSN4N5LbinH_alc-E0dgGq3FOrZU5WYYdaR9hyphenhyphenQcJ-6zQXWRPd-w0FvkRvdu8G/s200/P5021928.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331214200223995138" border="0" /></a><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDd7ju7tvIwnpGBPbCYNjpkPbCfyAdpM6tOY_3SK_nF2KgGy97nDtidNQCeSUkVvQlHKL4ZylLEWwq6dqmSZ_SOfU8toh-Cz-9Ys4Y7H4b29qw5oGlZ7ueOwKSuPsQM5z7Zoy9JNTQhui/s1600-h/P5021922.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHDd7ju7tvIwnpGBPbCYNjpkPbCfyAdpM6tOY_3SK_nF2KgGy97nDtidNQCeSUkVvQlHKL4ZylLEWwq6dqmSZ_SOfU8toh-Cz-9Ys4Y7H4b29qw5oGlZ7ueOwKSuPsQM5z7Zoy9JNTQhui/s200/P5021922.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331214195976564722" border="0" /></a><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEAE0KQi0VdkFEemRVY81WeRsRNhS1QUskNoehiDYBrZie0rHKKo-TwNwI2mxJ_Ngr6eo-OAI_yPKtlYrtbJP3gwrCF_pg0GqhzKW0KqCyR0KkRh3SPKkJsmygjvKSwvlnn7Iaqmamklb/s1600-h/P5021912.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEAE0KQi0VdkFEemRVY81WeRsRNhS1QUskNoehiDYBrZie0rHKKo-TwNwI2mxJ_Ngr6eo-OAI_yPKtlYrtbJP3gwrCF_pg0GqhzKW0KqCyR0KkRh3SPKkJsmygjvKSwvlnn7Iaqmamklb/s200/P5021912.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331214189406464578" border="0" /></a>It was a perfect morning to visit with clear skies, sunshine and the Buddhist Festival taking place in the park with all manner of activities and festivities taking place. We meandered through the early morning crowds and eventually plonked ourselves down on the beach to soak up the atmoshere and sun's rays....all the time protecting myself with the obligatory Aussie suncream as has been instilled in generations of the locals and the lesson of which had already rubbed off (sorry for the pun) on me!<br /><br />Once we'd had a out fill we walked the route north out of the park, across the Goodwill Bridge and back into the CBD of the city for a bite of lunch before heading straight upstairs to the room where I then crashed out almost instantly for a few hours.<br /><br />It's a great city with simple public transport, friendly helpful people and the sort of climate I could easily get used to....Oh the UK seems so far away now!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-9288843776567516802009-04-29T02:39:00.000-07:002009-04-29T14:32:29.311-07:00The final few days before departure....In keeping with the normality of my day to day lifestyle I've been hectically trying to fit as much as is physically possible into my final fortnight in the UK before heading out to Queensland for the last stage of the Best Job in the World competition.<br /><br />Research, revision, studying - call it what you will, it all amounts to the same thing - trying to cram as much information into the 'long term' memory part of the brain as possible in as short a time as possible. Rest assured the other finalists will have been swotting up on their Queensland knowledge with the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">possible</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">exception</span> of the Aussie entrants as its their bread and butter, so I thought I'd better do the same. One way is to scour the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">internet</span> meandering from page to page, another is to fall asleep into the pages of a good book but instead I thought I'd get out of the house and pay a visit to one of the most respected Society's in the UK - The Royal Geographical Society.<br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Eco-Tourism Lectures, RGS, London - Tuesday 22nd April</span></strong></div><div><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_i6X9o4SnT5hpGw8_ZvOjJ-w9V2AGxHL8YVnRQ8qfA1WKJ_I5POPiaVasxL3hqkX85gVxyYl88IJeGV9lq3rFyJvGlqIWEMXdz32i50YP08pajB3l4VDnqGBol08grU6CKKdYupyvbS8P/s1600-h/P4211851.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330130730074223458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_i6X9o4SnT5hpGw8_ZvOjJ-w9V2AGxHL8YVnRQ8qfA1WKJ_I5POPiaVasxL3hqkX85gVxyYl88IJeGV9lq3rFyJvGlqIWEMXdz32i50YP08pajB3l4VDnqGBol08grU6CKKdYupyvbS8P/s320/P4211851.JPG" border="0" /></a> Established in 1830 they are located in a stunning building in Central London, have a membership of around 15,000 people ranging from professional geographers to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">expeditioners</span> and enthusiasts and offer a wealth of advice and library services to anyone interested geographical science and associated subjects.<br /><br />So imagine my delight when I spotted on their website a talk taking place all about Eco-Tourism, a subject which I've been asked about by a number of people since getting involved in this campaign designed to bring potentially thousands of new people to a location as environmentally sensitive as the Great Barrier Reef!<br /><br />I contacted the society and booked a place ready to fill my grey matter with the additional information I'd need to have a balanced opinion on the effects that increased tourist numbers may have on this amazing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">eco</span>-system.<br /><br />I pottered up to London on a stunning day, with the now ever-present BBC crew in tow to film my every movement, and arrived at the building to find the speakers all expecting our arrival prior to the event taking place; a chance to ask some questions myself before they gave their presentations to the rest of the room.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozB0p_nPNZidN4l2C4l_NqcU6A0kRG7QqnMpODROcHW_c9uN5csOstmdKqCGGF-Ku4Qd-NpmPaOdVHhqiIPPjIgxB5FWJorB8JztQnIsKciBYrNpb7med14bM9L4QvjRhBIXC-myEyrDM/s1600-h/P4211852.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330055076405696066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozB0p_nPNZidN4l2C4l_NqcU6A0kRG7QqnMpODROcHW_c9uN5csOstmdKqCGGF-Ku4Qd-NpmPaOdVHhqiIPPjIgxB5FWJorB8JztQnIsKciBYrNpb7med14bM9L4QvjRhBIXC-myEyrDM/s320/P4211852.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Speaking with Professor Andrew Holden from the University of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Bedfordshire</span> was my first introduction to interviewing on camera and as I had no script prepared launched into a volley of questions which had been floating around in my head ever since I'd found out about the presentation. His answers were informative and gave me a much greater understanding of the effects which tourism can have on a global scale as well as with much more localised issues relating the the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">GBR</span> itself.<br /><br />Another quick interview with both Roger <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Heape</span> - Chairman of the Travel Foundation, and Tricia Burnett - Director of Tourism Concern this time in front of the entire expectant audience for that evenings event (it went <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">surprisingly</span> well!) lead us comfortably to the start of the evening itself where I could sit down and relax for the first time that afternoon to listen to what I had come to learn about - The Environmental Effects of Tourism.<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-STYLE: italic">Interesting fact from the day - The water used on all of the world's golf courses in a single day provides enough water for 4/5<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">ths</span> of the planet to drink in that same day! YIKES showing why golf really isn't that green!!</span><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Farewell Party - Saturday 25th April 2009</span></strong></p><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330224221150182658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdu1NBcBQrw35iAn_hSdgTdhdXVnh7uumhMvRnZMOqWx5etebVKPwwrccMUUi0I-JN3hFHUdNyhEYAVJMkdEp7EsDU-OwxoBEUbRPWCl01iCBnzZ86CDs27USB_vzObtqsSOGUZNQy_-D/s320/IMG_9880.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330224217413154242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh99GrpR6_Xt2IdvdOPnKRyPvHvEwio0O9rjtS9AbXPD_5xKQa-4nfTDxU-Z6R1mGf8GMIs4t_1mrpiCsWAegjwOtKd9n1phs5wqPZdAlqeDJcIQ1yHybSsuOU-QZ0nASBMTR4PXlGitLpH/s320/IMG_9875.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330224226490824754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC2JKXweLNqkv_QhGmPzjxkKMPbi40s9OLlnXMSJJSElJa2ubJ_cpUoH94wLwiL4bVgG6bE3CzO0vNq7skVgWjK1jBDjWJ9Jk04xXtnd42amGfDOKKzbQ4gKkMndLqST7g71Ug5_ozmgRi/s320/IMG_9896.JPG" border="0" /> <p>To celebrate heading off to Queensland and making it through to the final 16 I'd decided a few weeks ago to throw a leaving party to thank all of my friends for their support and last Saturday 25<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">th</span> April the extremely generous crowd down at the <a href="http://www.milltavern.co.uk/">Mill Tavern</a> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Haslemere</span> hosted what can only be described as a fantastic day out for all....the only person who was missing was my girlfriend <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Bre</span>, horribly far away on the other side of the world in Vancouver :(<br /><br />Pierre <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Loup</span> De Cam and Lee Forbes are the very active hosts there and together with the marquee which we've recently acquired for <a href="http://www.onionfest.co.uk/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Onionfest</span></a> ; the charity music festival at the end of July which I manage, we built quite a large hospitality environment for the gathering!<br /><br />Saturday dawned cloudy and wet, so I went for a long run to help focus my thoughts on the day ahead, the coming week and the excitement of the next few weeks. By the time I'd finished another good 7 mile run the heavens had opened, closed and started to clear up so my optimism for a good afternoon in the sunshine was more justified, there is a reason that my friends call me their 'Sunshine Friend' after all!<br /><br />The Mill Tavern has a fantastic garden in which we'd assembled the marquee the night before in case of inclement weather, the hog roast was turning and smelling particularly edible already and there was very little to do apart from help the bands haul there equipment from the cars to the stage area. </p><p>Its so difficult for me to sit down and do nothing so the 'waiting for guests to arrive' stage dragged by as I sat and listened to the bands tuning up. A few familiar faces <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">started</span> to appear and before I knew it the garden was filling up with loads of people I hadn't seen for ages - with my expedition last year I'd been away from some for 18 months and it was fantastic to catch up and socialise.<br /><br />By mid afternoon there were nearly 200 people all milling about in the garden with awesome music, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">scrummy</span> food and great weather ensuring that everything went <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">brilliantly</span> well and was the success I hoped it be when it was being planned. The final few drifted away by 23:00hrs leaving the remnants if cheese and wine for us to clear up. What a superb day out! But it did suddenly bring home just how close this is all getting now....</p><p><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">London Marathon 2009 - Sunday 26th May</span> </strong></p></div><div align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwn9pC2dFnJtuAGrsKhRBgFdRp-oUDe1s9sF8QdgKj4EVCDUUakFGOy283hAH5j7ckP9LVBPiqFuZXDjnLZXQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div>This is the first time I haven't run the marathon in two years! Headed up anyway wishing all the way that I'd entered whilst away last year but this was all about my good friend Harry Panton who's entering for the first time and last year was a regular motivational emailer for my Afritrex trip. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330214156198945138" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJ5HnaMhT1NNulsKEWoHizxwPelKrES1D-RECENTU81Bmzs0CvpBXXmiLzBs1T6L7re2Y3rIRAfcgP9hLTpAwAz5iPPSoalWS3B9-gOGs6EjQc02CYp-hdYwEN52ss-Orm5jThb4pwzT4/s320/P4261866.JPG" border="0" /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330209879691825410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtmTu9xuLkvNr9CrV3Fk3Xrg6q2RJ8TiA3XklocA2gKLxf7TVfDVPfQ07Qm8z6I-1NgAvwnZ8qUFdEV1Y5LaQrfMeujT96YegwhrbGRMy2ZCDPTmESWNU-dHiyxmhuGqd0-POkJXzcV4E/s320/P4261871.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330209885955490386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLmJs7WZXsAMEF8w848zchO1A5VqJXeRGTbJBKTxgvHcnbFXP75_A1uNjeuMsWjSSMnFsEoDDNg5AQRn1lf8dd5B84p9zBWEDdC2PlivTuB1MyHCHFEXAaId5krwrIv4ETxRyZ_-FZ9vBO/s320/P4261873.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330209889869487570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DMhA4wktP8VyNmLl9pKFMm4JVNx0uTjwRZMXnP0MUwEKcvXUknp89kWt2aCcvHFFS8c9PZ__vumpQBnNAjleeOE-1P2QEp6J7Rg1SYdA3enRWA7QCgODgt3J_KjosbDLcI_WlnFl203E/s320/P4261874.JPG" border="0" />London is totally transformed for me when there's something amazing like this going on in the capital, normally somewhere I try and steer clear of being a countryside lover, the abundance of people all cheering the runners on is a sight to behold and made a fantastic day out. Well done Harry and superb time of 4hrs 28mins....see you at the start line next year!<br /><br /><p><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Media Appearances</span></strong></p><p>As the date for departure out to Australia has drawn closer the number of interviews and questions I've had to answer has increased hugely and with it my confidence levels. </p><p>It's quite an experience trying to honestly and professionally answers questions with a microphone or lens is thrust in your face and now the exposure is about to hit a peak with the media spotlight firmly fixed on us 16 gophers as we vie for the position of Island Caretaker. Here's a few pictures of the various media interviews I've given with the final one for now happening only a few hours ago at the ITV studios in Hampshire with the very famous Fred Dineage! Enjoy....</p><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzWalnMK6_kkNIqDwKtINpF6eaFFvbiB5LQZ8LqszDzjXyv4ym_ARChsZYPdB81_aCEYfnGF7FkXjO4E8C9' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330218047107998546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii56Pi1JoMYYDgC9Hn1zs4ZTBqcsF2uOg36cnJfwZ884xaCikuCOlI5QmGZxWYRldCGVcbBV619UnlyXUcVt_f-Lr_JGpn-oiqSxIl9FqFpe9DLPYQx9UuTZf3rflYXsHLnjTffAIKv4Un/s320/P4291882.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330218048878689282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4BGTdpAN-O06RfJEGQ2E4OmNQ0LDXICgqMSgg7ngLLM4zwIGH9i-tCZuVEReGFLhzqs9g3ocM3nuLB8d127jI0CNrpkGGe7eyrH45j11Q4niwbqTvNH9Q922_R6KTtMX9ekNuxUnqzPDg/s320/P4291883.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330218040755952082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNC7pSJkZfqxuRbpmhVXWJm643tSCEoWVqc2uVbA6CT9xUP1Zgv7bNbJUQTcJMixUMtJQ3dQmIDcp2JqtILXC0850b3wBJGA7tKeyNmjrlIiAz4cSGYSbAlikGug4IBmsLNqj1TLF3nly/s320/Photo1.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330218038248944098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNHOHWgnZjQMpx3BtYxj4h7QfeExAINaMUOpJevOeha0vo_T5Lh5sZNsIdr2BnFKSk0ZQTUECr_jiT1tS1Zk2YpxMgkZQTjrAeJExyAMiQdw9Y9VlX1IdJC3yYH07DL2ImVNQUo-7nn08G/s320/Ben+Southall+and+Shireen.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330218033897445042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxKh4HgZrQ9HElXUhp-Hsm1AB6CO77LTCER6uFmxJWTdOeGpNJFvC_tRsTUlPrm_y6eA1FLNcDNAPfv74DCw9M4ZhdlFEtBDokNWaTSxFEhsb5A7juYI7z_tWOgp30O18SLR-gqPsZcRl5/s320/Eagle+FM.jpg" border="0" /><br />The support I have received from both friends and family has been overwhelming and as I enter the final 24hrs before I fly off to the other side of the world to experience one of the greatest continents on the planet my head is awash with questions and thoughts of what the next few weeks will hold. I'll be keeping this blog as up-to-date as I can for the sake of all those who are interested which hopefully includes you!</div><div> </div><div>Here comes the next adventure...bring it on!</div><br /><div>Ben :)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><p><br /><br /></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-54520337168565459972009-04-22T14:11:00.000-07:002009-04-25T02:34:21.002-07:00Could I do any more!?!?<div>Now <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">that's</span></span> how to spend a weekend away......out of work at 17:30hrs on the Friday night and straight onto the road out of Hampshire heading West toward Cornwall to meet a couple of friends.<br /><br />Destination <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Porth</span></span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Kerris</span></span></span> on the Lizard Peninsula for a couple of days of amazing experiences and hopefully good weather, my good friend Dave Brown lives there and works as a dive instructor at <a href="http://www.porthkerris.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Porth</span></span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Kerris</span></span></span> Divers</a> where I'd be refreshing my underwater skills and having my first real contact with some damn chilly water. I only learned to dive last year and obtained my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">PADI</span></span></span> accreditation in some of the warmer waters of the world - Lake Malawi and the Red Sea so up until this weekend I'd been totally spoilt with the amazing environments I'd be lucky enough to dive at.<br /><br />The four hour drive can sometimes be a total ass of a journey down, the end of the school holidays and the fact it was the start of the weekend didn't <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">bode</span></span> well at all but as we cleared the usual traffic bottle neck of Stonehenge the roads seem to clear and we made it just in time for last orders at the pub!<br /><br />Getting up to swim every weekday morning rather annoyingly sets my body clock for me so <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">unsurprisingly</span> I was first up at just after 6am <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">and decided</span> not to waste the morning so headed down the track from Dave's house to the ocean below lapping quietly at the pebbles with its <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">rhythmic</span> swishing sound and decided to take some photos of the misty, grey atmosphere I found myself wrapped in....enjoy!<br /><div><div><div><div><div align="left"></div><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327634218941616530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1lQC_G72QnIdtJmzsTUKY1xoHhfppRTiRhD9mk4-tjCxH2_HovLTHMZ65n47JXkIVgyP-O9exYwc5MifZjm48IykjyHrck4cbDnV3qq9nc3Tcli7_V9vZGj-oy54u4I2B_wGiNy_FwXLR/s320/IMG_9735.JPG" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328005424205768322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMuFUrulLk08W5u5fGIZ8vQ1LGXNwN943yIqlqkLc66zIr2qXLhN5FfGoEzmNTWtgfxlgePh4x_CJ3aL3MK4ZGuGs0Hyae8jv67t0AtdEtPiCiKkSwh5t-L-Hy6NeM9AmemWW932YQO-uy/s320/IMG_9745.JPG" border="0" /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328013674030056178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizIB-0JZtZE6Ob_oD9xIW3MH5ADc1FLjqugwY7KmB8hST6mdoNIopsAuen1LYKIeLe4Vs6fKU64uOdf76M-kqmIrHl4n10kd7gDngoL1sSmXAwkeldUOAP-MEG2gXs0bY-za8rLJhI8j2m/s320/IMG_9748.JPG" border="0" /> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328559813548311026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5T8RyhWBIomlh1Lx0UV9gaO9ZaaJ_thDDqBkSG1P35CpDVlKDZz-uNrNup0Vt0BxVbOFmT1VXF65qYbv7_FR4mWcBXrBiBpba6ThUYgBvTBRDTTkVNZByfpB7OWP5fsXG1Pe3Wiom7h5/s320/IMG_9845.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div>My <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">bestest</span></span> buddy Jay lives on his own yacht, Curlew, which he moors just outside <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Falmouth</span></span> so we arranged that he'd sail across the bay to meet us for a morning of sailing and relaxing abroad his stunning investment....but the weather just wasn't playing the game. Every minute the sound of the foghorn resonated across the water warning anyone crazy enough to try moving on the water the position of the mainland, pretty difficult to see through this pea soup. He'd have been foolish to have tried going anywhere at this stage so we had to play the waiting game until finally as mid morning arrived the blue skies and sunshine started to show their faces for the first time that day! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Hooray</span></span>!<br /><br /><br /><p align="left"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328014082149806274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP9-XthsXjJO9heooZuf7bhmOXIBjFmhJH5dY5RkUtR-pDzPOeEoPRWukw1fUq0WxzY8GwTdDWj8O4u7lYSvQajO4_PfG5jOb0AI_o0-W-G3WS_8cvcE6DGpMTxPhmE05gcAYXG7_Hqaov/s320/IMG_9758.JPG" border="0" /> In their continued effort to film everything that I enjoy doing, the BBC had arranged to come down for a short period of the weekend to film us sailing and diving....they'd be sorely disappointed though, the fog and lack of wind meant the closest we got was rowing out to the yacht as it was moored in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Helston</span></span> River! </p><br /><p align="left">The afternoon continued to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">improve</span> so we all made our way back to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Porth</span></span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Kerris</span></span> as I prepared for my first dive in nearly 4 months...what a contrast to the last one as well, 26c in the Red Sea plays against 10c and English Ocean!! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Brrrr</span></span></p><br /><p align="left">Dave's a great instructor and ran me through my safety procedures again before we donned our semi-dry suits, checked tanks, checked each other, talked our way through the dive ahead and then grasped the rope in our hands which led us down the rocks to the pebbly beach below and made our way to the waters edge.</p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328016676022551378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI8hDHYLViBHorV83fGdgBnZoDYa3ZHRg24KJQq5LQhL_kfMm6hxZNZ80TWntTAo8qYUGtFZR7XJvTX4EJIhAUAMQVHajV8a-m5e2NZXWFTX_WKVfEDi-bYhe0JBQp1s22d_UcTSFZrEjR/s320/IMG_9814.JPG" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328015884835128034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyYHvhtqLFa8YUDrPd2958A-raX-Azjg0dAtOhU4Dzdum3_FYKAs-T5LenFXwJ83IcoKxuHtd_kZuGw38HVxE7RqenYveRvbFPVGYQAPEG8jAhCaRbEqAfcvTQdNc6_3gi4130DZge7Kuz/s320/IMG_9834.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><p align="left">Time to do my best to protect myself from the freezing ocean I'd be lowering myself into very soon. Now I suffer from the cold anyway with numb fingers for no reason (hence my decision to visit warmer climates for the last 12 years) so all protection was taken to protect my extremities...gloves, hood, double suit - the works!</p><br /><p align="left"></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328015199688222114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFfjyKrlgTO9iOrJAyoT0D1aSZ_POOYKou8hxtigS7qS5JvWWqszsLbR0hxqO-mRxuEQnaxR1_kfeQVthAx9ulYuMN_jVK6G7tsBPf8ihM2EVvUWRcQQx-WBq3GX6lY8fLH9dZDmwj5Dtv/s320/IMG_9832.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><p align="left">We gave a final safety check to each other and walked into the small waves lapping at the shore, slowly lowering ourselves into the clear cold water all the time becoming lighter and lighter as the weight was taken from our bodies by the buoyancy of the salt water. Masks and fins on, one last <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">ok</span></span> and then under the water.....</p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328017425288230546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdjW7tb-kjJ96JfhiqUSFk7lU4vMEE_wLqW9-2oC6bc2VaLGS5WNl_ICy2tuQJBbmfbrtfKPPG4ILwZxuYFObFZ_koRQsra0xRm8Z5Gcw22g0rtpYJ52qXFlM8SDrtJ0c_xVvUGam52CnR/s320/IMG_9839.JPG" border="0" /><br /><br /><p align="left">WOW I'd almost forgotten how good it felt to be diving under the water, flying and floating perfectly as I steered myself behind Dave through the kelp beds which twisted up from the ocean floor some metres below. My first impression were not of the cold instead of the superb clarity of the water with visibility up to around 15m allowing me to see far off into the distance towards the sheer rocks which make this dive site one of the best in the UK. </p><br /><p align="left">The abundance of life around really surprised me too, yes its the ocean and yes its Cornwall but to see <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">anemones</span>, starfish, prawns, crabs of all sizes, dog fish and plenty of other white fish swimming around really blew me <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">away</span> and gave me something I thought I'd never say about an dive in the UK....a real sense of pride about what my native land's shores have to offer. There's so much to see in lake Malawi, The Red Sea and the Great Barrier Reef as everybody knows but to see this in UK waters was eye-opening and spectacular!</p><br /><p align="left">We dropped down to 17m as we cleared the easterly tip of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Dawana</span> Rocks and made our way back inshore until we'd reached our beach exit point and clambered awkwardly out of the slight surf...I tried to speak to let Dave know quite how amazing the experience was but my bottom lip was frozen solid and wouldn't work so all I managed was a series of muffled barks...much like a seal trying to speak I imagine!</p><br /><p align="left">Once we'd packed up, dried off and put some warm clothes on we headed back to Dave's caravan come house for a hot cup of tea and some scoff...surprisingly tiring all that exertion you know and well deserved. All in all a fantastic experience and one that I'll repeat again very soon I hope with just the Great Barrier Reef in between of course!</p></div></div></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-86624341176399436512009-04-13T13:29:00.000-07:002009-04-15T14:27:23.686-07:00Finally the sun shone during Easter!<div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcfXsXNMbln-8xKdAhYIusbTWxAmVRO-Yy6-zXDA2cPabTaVyZUwyd9UptF4tKZtMYneJa002h5fBfo49uz1dQpoetZ1VVsW7eHX0GcA5kxL_fOddq4-n9v9CYghWFI5r1vi72RbqORdb/s1600-h/P4051831.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324293743043062898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcfXsXNMbln-8xKdAhYIusbTWxAmVRO-Yy6-zXDA2cPabTaVyZUwyd9UptF4tKZtMYneJa002h5fBfo49uz1dQpoetZ1VVsW7eHX0GcA5kxL_fOddq4-n9v9CYghWFI5r1vi72RbqORdb/s400/P4051831.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Now for most people who celebrate Easter, Good Friday is usually the start of a particularly relaxing few days off work with time spent in the garden, seeing friends or just watching some sport on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">tv</span>....but I'm afraid I don't subscribe to that at all, it's potentially one of the most usable and busiest weekends of the year now that the clocks have jumped forwards by an hour and the evenings are that much longer!<br /><br />For me Good Friday is nothing more than another day of work. The agricultural business which I'm project-managing right now celebrate their busiest month of the year starting this weekend so its all hands on deck to help out with the melee of phone calls, customers and drivers all needing help....AND RIGHT NOW!!<br /><br />Once I'd watched the clock tick past the 17:30 mark it was time to head home to prepare for the weekend ahead, and as usual I'd planned far too much to fit into the short three days off.<br /><br />A good friend who works for a PR company handles an electronics company as one of her clients and in passing a few weeks ago mentioned the Best Job in the World and how well my application was going for the role, apparently their ears pricked up at the thought of being able to get some of their products out to me where I could test them in 'The Field' so to speak, proving their worth at actually handling some of the conditions they were tested for.<br /><br />I was intrigued too...I love technology, gadgets and anything else which could add an new air to my blog reporting to make it more visually appealing to anyone out there who actually reads them! The box which greeted me when I got home was stuffed full of the usual air packing and after delving deeper to the bottom found three new toys to unwrap and play with....<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">OOooo</span> it was just like Christmas all over again.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.oregonscientific.co.uk/">Oregon </a>Scientific had been kind enough to send through three of their latest products for a good old fashioned <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">roadtest</span>, a weather station watch (superb timing guys, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Suunto</span> which I normally wear is out for repairs this week so arrived at exactly right time!), a pair of super slimline <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">walkie</span>-talkies and an Action Video Camera!<br /><br />Time to get using them then. I strapped the <a href="http://www.oregonscientific.co.uk/prod_RA121_weather_forecast_watch.htm">watch </a>to my wrist, set the date and time and worked it all out....simple enough. Now I'd checked the weather out on my usual site <a href="http://www.metcheck.com/">http://www.metcheck.com/</a>and didn't hold much hope for the weekend ahead...grey, wet and not exactly the start of summer all of us weather-addicted Brits hope for on a holiday weekend.<br /><br />Unfortunately the watch didn't give much more of an optimistic outlook either with clouds and a sun showing on the face.....well sit on the fence why don't you! Still the training has to continue so come first light on Saturday morning I'd needed to get out onto the tracks and footpaths of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Ropley</span> to keep the fitness levels high.<br /><br />Never the easiest thing to do, drag yourself out of bed to go for a run - I don't seem to have a problem getting up at 05:30hrs every weekday to go swimming before work but on the weekend when the cloud base outside looks like it hovering just above ground level and the outside temperature isn't much over 10c its damn hard to shoehorn yourself out of a very comfortable pit. Bring on the delights of Australia and the pleasure of training in the warm again....oh how I miss African roads.<br /><br />I've been upping my training over the last few weeks to give my mind something else to think about instead of The Best Job application and my gorgeous girlfriend over in Canada so horribly far away. The stamina and mental strength which I need to get me up the hills when I running further than normal and now with a 15kg backpack on certainly do that!<br /><br />Its all in preparation for the <a href="http://www.lamm.co.uk/">Low Alpine Mountain Marathon</a>, a two day event at the beginning of June somewhere in the north of Scotland - the location for which remain secret right up until the last minute. No idea why...as if we'll try and get up there in advance to put ourselves through hell, it'll be bad enough on that weekend surely! Bryan Smith, a good friend from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Mumm</span> Champagne days, will be my partner over that weekend when we have to orient our path, carry all of our food, water, tent and clothing all whilst running towards a seemingly impossible finish line some 48hrs after we start, and getting out now to train with a full backpack on is one of the best things to do locally to ready myself for the challenge. The total distance we'll need to cover is released just before the event but I've been told to prepare for a marathon a day up and down some of the steepest mountains in the Highlands and Islands....<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">haha</span> love it.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Ropley's</span> a pretty hilly place for the South of England but nothing in comparison to the Scottish mountains, in fact nothing at all and as a result when I head out of the door with my running shoes on, my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">backback</span> loaded and water filled I head as far off the beaten track as possible.<br /><br />Having lived in the area for around 20 years I know all of the local roads from playing on them as a kid and training on them more recently...but recently I've taken to leaving the roads behind and following the footpath signs which I regularly drive past thinking "I wonder where the hell that goes to?"<br /><br />Over stiles and through fields, ducking under branches, shoes splashing through the puddles formed by the dreary rain and squelching through the sloppy mud my feet crash into as they pierce the leaf-littered floor of the woods - this is real running and great training, the straps of the backpack needing regular adjustment to keep the load on my back level and tight to my body, my feet need more accurate placement to lessen the chance of the inevitable fall and my legs feel heavier after every slight incline....it must be good training surely?!<br /><br />After winding through the back lanes of the neighbouring villages I open out onto the muddiest track of the morning and there's crap flying everywhere from my feet as I pace through the wet <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">bye way</span> before finally breaking out onto a familiar looking piece of tarmac only a couple of miles from my house, and I'm on the home stretch finally.<br /><br />A quick glance at the watch as I turn into my driveway and I've managed 90 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">mins</span> of fast-paced training with the load strapped firmly to me all the way banging into my lower back like a demolition ball doing its work - its only when I stop I realise that the padding which should have protected me from the aluminium bars has slipped leaving them exposed and the source of the last 30 minutes irritation and soreness.<br /><br />When I head out for the same run later this week I'll take the <a href="http://www.oregonscientific.co.uk/prod_atc5k_digital_action_camera.htm">Action Cam</a> with me and try to catch some of the footage from my training for you all to see.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">"So what happens if I don't get this job then" I've asked myself a couple of times now...well of course I get on with planning and organising the next mission to get my teeth into. One of them being <a href="http://www.onionfest.co.uk/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Onionfest</span> </a>- the charity music festival which raises funds for <a href="http://www.charsfund.co.uk/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Char's</span> Fund</a>. A cause very close to my heart after I lost a great friend to the awful Tsunami which devastated the Indian Ocean area back in 2004.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left">Another sideline which jumped forward in leaps and bounds on Saturday would be doing another extreme fundraising expedition/stunt to challenge myself and possibly some other people. the mind wanders amongst <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">various</span> things....rowing across the <a href="http://www.woodvale-challenge.com/">Atlantic or Indian Ocean</a>, swimming across the English Channel or sailing around the world with my best friend Jay <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Byrde</span> or as part of the <a href="http://www.clipper-ventures.com/">Clipper Ventures </a>adventure. All of them excite me, all of them cost some serious funds so saving money has to be number one!</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324668633723335858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 215px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvoyj-j6WZ_BW1wU-e3m8T9XAQJV1-QIEYriC-dZTu-qYjawTaO4IXPrC-V7J-gbM6xV3__XpvJfEN-iVWUscwR5QPrBIULYeqUZFYNU61iqZ3EZ1dMnWm7OduDnCQOIEfU5Xw1hxY0jMW/s400/Holly+Budge+website.jpg" border="0" /> </div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">I met up with a friend I used to go to college with on Saturday and it was great to see dear <a href="http://www.hollybudge.com/">Holly Budge</a>, who has just become the first women to skydive over Everest...not bad hey! She's been looking for a new adventure and after chatting for a long time we shook hands on the idea that something, not sure yet exactly what, but something will be done together in the very near future. Thinking caps on...she has the extreme side and I have the endurance so we have to see what combines the two....any suggestions on a post card please!</div><div align="left"><br /></div><div align="left"></div><p align="center"></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324671329419769938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 283px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIMfaAcMHIvlWSLcGFzdftia0_wI5rO0dq2-LPA9-iDck5lsyWKNtuJA3l-tfrdSiTrzT_Hx66HliQol5ha8RtlD7r6bfEki9tzQI8T1HKyfWf1eBdta33YJSA_yZcGm0SpPV0orgEg4Y2/s400/14-04-2009+23-03-40.jpg" border="0" />After meeting Holly I headed down into my local town of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Petersfield</span> to put together the final touches for Spring Onion, a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">pre</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Onionfest</span> fundraiser taking place on Easter Sunday in the local pub featuring four local bands, which if all goes according to plan should result in us raising enough money to buy a new marquee to house the bar and second stage at this years main <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Onionfest</span> event on July 25<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">th</span>.<br /><br /><br />We managed to sell all 200 tickets, sell all the food at the BBQ and all the interesting cocktails too and once we'd cleared up the mess, paid a few bills and counted the cash found we'd made over £1400 which was totally <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">mind blowing</span> and secures a new professional looking marquee in which we can house the open-mic stage and one of the bar areas. This years event will be better than ever....<br /><br />A lovely little present was waiting for me when I got home that evening, the postman had dropped of a DVD of my interview on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">ITV</span> Meridian News, our local <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">independent</span> broadcaster, which went out a few weeks ago - before the decision had been made for the final 16 and being in London had missed it when it went out on regional TV. So I called up <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Bre</span> and played it as loud as I could over the phone to her in Canada. Here it is....<br /><br /><div align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyKdNgz03k3xZBGnreHp1HjU7v5Dm9zalhGouq_ZEpFGaPpmtpsCihCE5ldgRJEUtTZdzhU5miifGTR_D0ilg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p align="left">Sunday took me to a world I never normally associate myself with.....ever; Public Holiday Clothes Shoppers Hell!!! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Ahhhhhhhhh</span></p><p align="left">In the details I received from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">TQ</span> about the next round of the application process came a packing checklist and on it were a number of items I either don't own or have but are in such a tired state that they need replacing and this could only mean one thing....fighting against the other shoppers to grab a deal! </p><p align="left">Not being the most <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">au</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">fait</span> person with 'Cocktail Attire' and 'Casual Evening Wear' (my wardrobe amounts to a large collection of casual shirts and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">that's</span> about as smart as it gets!) I enlisted the help of my dear friends Luke, Josie and Fraser to help with the elimination process and we headed down to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Gunwharf</span> Quays together. Four hours later we left.....tired, shopped-out and poorer but damn confident that I now have the wardrobe necessary to present myself in an honest, tidy way to the awaiting <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">TQ</span> bods and media <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">lovies</span> who'll be there in Queensland!! </p><p align="center">No photos here obviously to keep the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">surprise</span>!!</p><p align="left">Testing the new equipment continues in earnest -I took the Action Cam out for a run this evening and put together a little movie for you all to see how I spend at least 4hrs of every week trying to keep in tiptop condition in the countryside of Hampshire.....</p><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwo_XmEKlsIEFScilcuAeVC1aF8DwWG-7WIsbEdO0XG1dlbOfY2QAqvZMOsaj5ORhJT-DoUXesF5sgEhX4v' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p align="left"><span style="color:#ff0000;">So <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">that's</span> the last week, this week could be even better and I can't wait to start putting together the next blog already, here's a little taster for you all:</span></p><ul><li><div align="left"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Head to Cornwall, South West England on Friday night to meet my friend Jay on his yacht, sail across to the Lizard peninsula Friday night</span></div></li><li><div align="left"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Saturday morning surf early before a light lunch then</span></div></li><li><div align="left"><span style="color:#ff0000;">dive in the afternoon for my first cold water experience in the UK!</span></div></li><li><div align="left"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Saturday night - live radio interview </span></div></li><li><div align="left"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Tuesday - live radio studio interview then head to London...</span></div></li><li><div align="left"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Royal Geographic Society talk and interview on Eco-Tourism and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">world's</span> reefs</span></div></li></ul><p align="left"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Should be a superb week and just a few things like work, swimming and researching in between....SLEEP WHEN YOU'RE DEAD I SAY!!!</span></p><p align="left"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Over and out for now, </span></p><p align="left"><span style="color:#ff0000;">Ben</span></p><p align="left"> </p><p align="center"> </p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-12289278917232950232009-04-11T03:54:00.001-07:002009-04-11T04:59:33.405-07:00Happy Easter to everyone!Sleep when you're dead that's the theory anyway! As usual I'm trying to cram far too much into a weekend as I race to get everything organised and completed in time for the big off at the end of the month.....<br /><br /><ul><li>Farewell party to finalise for Saturday 25th April - Taking place at the Mill Tavern in Shottermill, Surrey for anyone who'd like to come down for a hog roast and BBQ in the afternoon.</li><br /><li>Pre-<a href="http://www.onionfest.co.uk/">Onionfest</a> fundraiser - 'Spring Onion' taking place tomorrow, Sunday 12th April. Every year I help to manage a charity music festival which raises money for <a href="http://www.charsfund.co.uk/">Char's Fund</a> which was set up after the loss of one of my great friends Charlotte Jones who tragically died in the Asian Tsunami. In order to raise some funds to buy a marquee to house this year's bar we're putting on a day of music in The George with loads of great bands and a BBQ so come and join us!</li><br /><li>Diving in Cornwall's freezing water next weekend with another superb friend Dave Brown. Having never dived in the UK's waters before I thought it may be about time to get my feet wet...and cold before I sample the warmth of the Coral Sea!</li><br /><li>Eco-Tourism talk at the Royal Geographic Society in London</li><br /><li>Training run tomorrow with more weight on my back in preparation for the <a href="http://www.lamm.co.uk/">LAMM</a> at the beginning of June</li></ul><p>The second stage of the application process to whittle down the final 50 to a final 10 (which later became 15) involved writing a 300-500 word short story explaining lots about your life....I'd love to see if anyone actually only used 300 words, doubt it!</p><p>A few people have now made this public so in the name of fair game, I thought I'd do the same....I did initially write it down as a word document but only when it came to within 5hrs of the deadline suddenly thought....everyone will be doing that, lets make another video instead!!</p><p>Having my amazing girlfriend Bre there with me at the time helped no end, I was still out in Canada and she suggested a great place to go and film it, Lynn Canyon suspension bridge in the middle of another awesome part of North Vancouver. </p><p>Yes again the temperature was touching freezing, just as with my initial application video when I filmed the 'Practically a fish myself' scene, so the camera batteries kept dying in the middle of takes which meant racing back to the Ecology Centre to recharge and warm them up and all of this knowing that the clock was ticking closer to the deadline. But we did it and here it is....</p><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyt09HV6Qm-z4MroPWc9bT_mu2BFitors4Z0O2fYFw6xASHyv8P6qNkVjBQUi3T7xxNzrp9PsWYNLXycoOQFQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p align="left">Should be reporting back very soon on some exciting little gadgets I've acquired to make reporting on my blog more interesting and interactive later this week....watch this space!</p><p align="left">Enjoy your Easter holidays wherever you are in the world :)</p><p align="left">Ben</p><p align="left"> </p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-69267877269986262072009-04-08T14:21:00.000-07:002009-04-09T12:44:38.402-07:00Keeping training, keeping learning....<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322434340683715250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCAEmveUKb62JCj9btmm-CCgxDO2BMZrTZfePbwAvi6EsXX43abhUtz_tiD02xDmQJA_-Qb9ibDvVmlreycx0A0s8mQCI7MfIaaKS8K4XX-c-ybM1eTrLbGGjjzXIS_3_nt-Wo5Kcc626/s320/Photo1.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div align="center"><br />Saturday 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span> April - BBC Weekend News</div><br /><br />After a particularly quiet Friday night spent with friends at a restaurant in London I hit the hay early to get as much sleep as possible before the second day of media attention following the announcement of the Final 16 for the Best job in the World.<br /><br /><br />I clambered into the Land Rover (The Colonel for those who don't know him from last year's exploits <a href="http://www.afritrex.com/afritrex_the_team_landy.php">http://www.afritrex.com/afritrex_the_team_landy.php</a>) but it felt weird driving across London in what really was my home for the last year for the entire expedition. Land Rover's in London are generally frowned upon as Chelsea tractors - and rightly so! Do you really need a big 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">WD</span> to get up the kerb and into your gravel driveway?!!<br /><br /><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left">Still The Colonel stands out and gets a few looks and thumbs up as Bacchus the Buffalo (who made it all the way from South Africa with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Bre</span> and I) looks proudly out from his rooftop position overlooking the front of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Landie</span>.</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="left"></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322439104145983874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 114px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFMaC3WOYMPpammH6NT-e1bXs1adl0hlAJ1s9QNMfPEBBkDAmjNhpJg1xfzM3RA30mQlSmJWPHlxo48gx6C1zIy3RSIK_-asVKSsjzEjUU1R-IhfT6_QRiIYuekChkaimZHanfPXCUiGK/s320/Picture1.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><p>I pulled into the BBC Television Centre at Wood Lane and the familiar looking building was strangely empty...it was 7.30am on a Saturday morning but I had hoped to bump into Sir David <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Attenborough</span>, Jonathan Ross maybe or even Fern Cotton...but there was no one around at all! I made my way to the stage door reception and still no one...what should I do? Spotting a sign on the wall clearly saying BBC Breakfast I followed it all the way to the studio - which was empty!?!? Wow I know the BBC is struggling for funds but not having anyone around was a little disconcerting. I made my way back to reception and sat watching the programme being broadcast from <em>somewhere</em> within this huge concrete monster...but where!?!?</p><br /><p>Finally Antonia rang and asked if I'd arrived!! She came and met me at reception and led me straight into make-up.....<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">bloomin</span> make-up!! <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Apparently</span> I was 'shiny' even though I'd only stepped out of a shower an hour before so had to succumb to the same brushes and pampering everyone else does who goes in front of the cameras. Industry standard darling :)</p><br /><p>Sat in the Green Room waiting was an interesting experience, there were three school-girls who'd met Michelle Obama the day before, a single mum discussing goodness only knows what and the weekly newspaper reviewer Simon - we made quite a mixed bag and had some funny chats about our circumstances and our short lived fame!</p><br /><p>Then the call came, "Ben you're on in 10 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">mins</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">ok</span>"</p><br /><p>It was all getting a little more serious now, the initial racing heartbeat and clammy hands of the first live interview on BBC South Today only 13hrs previous to this were a distant memory, but the pressure of keeping it all together and reporting the answers to more unknown questions in a professional manner kept the concentration levels <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">max'd</span> out as I sat and waited patiently for the nod, and then it came....</p><p>Into the studio I went with the knowledge that this broadcast was going out live to the entire UK on BBC1 and even over the entire planet on the BBC satellite network to a potential audience of billions...no pressure then! What a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">surprise</span> the studio was though, the presenters Charlie <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Stayt</span> and Sonia <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Deol</span> had a bank of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">auto cues</span> in front of them, the traditional red BBC desk and nothing else really - no studio team, no directors nothing!</p><p>Miked up as I came into the room by the only other person working there I sat down on my stool and chatted briefly with my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">interviewers</span> off-air before the feature being played to the viewing public ended...and it was my turn, I felt the throat tighten slightly as I happily watched my application video played once more but this time to the country. I must have heard this thing a thousand times now but to see the presenters enjoying it was a good reflection on how a newbie to it must feel...something I'd rather lost since January when <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Bre</span> and I made it.</p><p>After a few questions on air, during which time they played the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">TQ</span> promotional video for Hamilton Island, it was all over and I felt pleased with the way it had gone...no stalls, staggers or blunders - a success then.</p><p>The second appearance at 09:45hrs went even better, more relaxed, flowing answers and a comfort level i now felt happy with - TV <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">actually</span> rocks! As I finished the feature Antonia told me that BBC World Service had been in touch and that they wanted to do a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">pre</span>-record radio interview downstairs so we made out was to what must have been THE oldest building at Wood Lane...certainly no one had decorated it for since at least 1970....gorgeous brown and beige trimmings and walls, yummy!</p><p>A full on morning of media presentations out of the way I left the building, climbed into the Colonel and drove back to Hampshire for some well <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">earned</span> rest!</p><p>Ben</p><p>P.S. I think I'll put as copy of my 'short-story' up in this blog sometime in the next few days so you can see what the second stage of my application was all about and maybe even why they chose me to go through....</p><p>Happy Easter to you all :)</p><br /><p></p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-14099097048129775912009-04-05T07:21:00.001-07:002009-04-05T09:54:29.075-07:00WOW....I'M OFF TO AUSTRALIA AS ONE OF THE FINAL 16!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpai1ehzjZwrk_NgE4Urj83VfOEaz6L24gsifqXIJw1Ya8vnE1HLYaPe921Gzx3ZMaW1ny6qt8L_k97kJEMGAxVV5L1mLnIFEgrS32zTAVlq740pcMikwfFO3YLD_ZQg6vvR-ZuWSYFki/s1600-h/Best+job+snag+it.bmp"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 82px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpai1ehzjZwrk_NgE4Urj83VfOEaz6L24gsifqXIJw1Ya8vnE1HLYaPe921Gzx3ZMaW1ny6qt8L_k97kJEMGAxVV5L1mLnIFEgrS32zTAVlq740pcMikwfFO3YLD_ZQg6vvR-ZuWSYFki/s320/Best+job+snag+it.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321212724497724834" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The final 50 (which became 48) applicants from around the globe must have been doing pretty much the same as I was on Thursday night, biting nails, twiddling fingers and generally annoying those around them with the nerves which were building up pending the decision by Tourism Queensland on who would make it through to the Final 16 for The Best Job in the World.<br /><br />I'd not felt anything all day in the Thursday as being involved with my job from 7.30am until 5.30pm during the busy season doesn't really give me any time for anything else..but as I got into my car and started the drive home it started to dawn on me that the decision into who'd be going through to the final was now only a few hours away and the stomach started to feel a little different - the chrysalis was twitching and becoming a butterfly! The last time I felt like this I was 216m up on the Bloukrans Bridge in South Africa about to throw myself off it!<br /><br />BBC Wales have been with me on and off for the last few weeks filming the background to a documentary which followed all four of the UK applicants (Sarah Louise, Holly and Doug) as we went about our own very secretive press and marketing campaign around the UK, and tonight was to be no different.<br /><br />I met with Agnieszka and her husband Stuart at Alton Sport Centre where I head every week to pursue another love of mine, climbing. My good friends Rich and Sam were along for the night and under the pressure of the camera we picked our way to the top of the routes whilst trying to keep straight faces as our tired limbs struggled to make it through another 'take' just to get the perfect picture.<br /><br />At the end of the session we all went our own ways with Agnieszka and Stuart following me back to the comforts of my house in Ropley where a sumptuous fish pie awaited us ready for the pending decision. Mum had cooked up a storm and we took our places around the dinner table, phone on charge, camera rolling ready for the anticipated decision which was due at 11.30pm<br /><br />The clock ticked away, the impatience grew - mainly from Agnieszka I hasten to add, and then the phone started to ring....<br /><br />"Shall I get that" I enquired<br />"YES OF COURSE YOU SHOULD!" came the reply<br /><br />"Hello Ben speaking" I nervously answered...<br />"Hi Ben its Peter Lowlor here from Queensland, how ya going mate?"<br />"Ah very well thanks, how can I help you?" - as if I didn't know!<br />"Congratulations mate, you've made it through to the Final 16 for the BJITW and I look forward to meeting you out here at the beginning of May!"<br />"Thats awesome, I can't wait - see you there" I think I babbled down the phone to him...<br /><br />The obvious celebrations followed with Mum and Dad cracking the champagne open and me racing into the study to get my girlfriend Bre onto the webcam to break the good news to her on the other side of the planet.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd5XFIX2gJVLRKSLn9ETM_MifsKYppbAtPSKLT9-XMCetX7T0CjEE92xaAzIByQwpbEkwuCoFPKjRQu2g_grT5d7AuUosHwqmx806JOw0VAAGshsDGWZGV-nFtxZGnZIIiEzglskGgIVqn/s1600-h/IMG_1804.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd5XFIX2gJVLRKSLn9ETM_MifsKYppbAtPSKLT9-XMCetX7T0CjEE92xaAzIByQwpbEkwuCoFPKjRQu2g_grT5d7AuUosHwqmx806JOw0VAAGshsDGWZGV-nFtxZGnZIIiEzglskGgIVqn/s320/IMG_1804.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321215313416385874" border="0" /></a><br /><br />"You're not going to believe this baby...I'm through!!"<br />"OMG you're joking!!!" Came her startled reply<br /><br />Its got a couple of big meanings really to get through this far, obviously the chance to get out onto the Great Barrier Reef and to swim, dive, snorkel etc is a massive excitement, but it also gets me one step closer to another dream of mine - being back with my girlfriend who's out in Canada and being given the job will mean she can come out to the island to join me for another six months together. It was clear to see how excited she was!<br /><br />After a drama had calmed down and the camera had stopped rolling it was time for bed before another early start ready to deal with the UK's media enquiries....as if I could sleep!<br /><br /><br /><br />My plan for Friday 3rd was to visit the three charities I'd raised money for with my Afritrex expedition. The BBC were at the house bright and early and we started the shots they'd need interviewing Mum and Dad and their reactions to the success of my application for the role. Finally we made it out of the house and hit the road to London with Agneiszka<br />onboard the Colonel for the first time.<br /><br />We arrived at the Royal Star & Garter Home, where I used to work, the first of the charities I hoped to see to hand over a big cheque for last years efforts in Africa.<br /><br />There's been a change of CE at the charity so I met Mike Barter for the first time and handed over my cheque to him in the surroundings of the stunning garden at the Home which overlooks the Thames from up high. Together with the appeal which the Home sent out the total raised for them was £15,701.22!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJHq58nHfnIxMSIhgK-Y4V-8fgIfbu5RYX6zhVKpYJnyF1GkmNJDSW-jEdWxz-zkZsr42ZtCf5jAJ6C84L2gDsk_MvLUJ4z8rjsC04wOsOx2UsbxKA4ohRpoZJYPR_lLOeFhk7Fh1dhdf/s1600-h/BenSouthallBestJobCheque(2).jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJHq58nHfnIxMSIhgK-Y4V-8fgIfbu5RYX6zhVKpYJnyF1GkmNJDSW-jEdWxz-zkZsr42ZtCf5jAJ6C84L2gDsk_MvLUJ4z8rjsC04wOsOx2UsbxKA4ohRpoZJYPR_lLOeFhk7Fh1dhdf/s320/BenSouthallBestJobCheque(2).jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321214131560361474" border="0" /></a><br /><br />How does time disappear so damn quickly?!? Before we knew if half the afternoon was gone and we had to abandon the idea of visiting my other two charities much to my disgust, this filming thing takes longer than you'd ever imagine!<br /><br />Instead Plan B swung into place and made a beeline straight for the headquarters of Hills Balfour Synergy, the PR company who handle all of Tourism Queenslands campaign where Jane, Anna and Daisy work and between them, and others from TQ around the world, decided to select me as the representative from the UK who's make it through. Very important people in other words so when you tell them you'll be there....YOU HAVE TO!!<br /><br />London traffic - something I really will never get used to or miss, African roads are bad, African drivers are acceptable but London just eclipses everything I witnessed last year including the chaos of Accra! It took nearly 90 mins to drive the short distance to their offices and then we had to sit around whilst the camera-crew arrived....edging ever closer to my next appointment at the BBC studios at Millbank scheduled for 6.30pm!<br /><br />It was awesome seeing the girls again, we shared a celebratory drink, checked out the stats from the coverage the story had been receiving that day and talked briefly about the next few weeks. I hope to be in control but I feel it'll be another rollercoaster of a ride all the way to my departure for Aus at the end of the month.<br /><br />Ten minutes later I had to rush out of the door to make the 2-stop tube ride to Westminster and sprinted across Parliament Square to the amusement of the tourists and police assembled there on a sunny afternoon, and fell into the offices of the BBC with 5 minutes to spare. I plonked myself down in the link room, mopped my brow and prepared for the light on the camera to turn red.<br /><br />I felt a little apprehensive talking for the first few seconds to a room with no one there but the technician, but then got into my flow and ended up loving it, this limelight this is really good fun!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/ADMINI%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.jpg" alt="" /><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/england/hampshire/7980717.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/england/hampshire/7980717.stm</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0ydsSkgRlc">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0ydsSkgRlc</a><br /><br />A great 2 minute feature was beamed live into the South Today studio in Southampton and then suddenly it was all over with the appointments for the day having been satisfied, well very nearly - I have to get to the other charities at some stage but a full-on day of media based coverage was over.<br /><br />At least I thought is was....driving out of central London the phone rang for the gazillionth time with a happy sounding Chloe on the end from BBC Five Live asking if I had 5 minutes to do a pre-record for their Outlook program, of course I would - its the station I listen to on the way home from work every day! I stopped at a friends house for the night, found a quiet room and delivered my final interview of the day.<br /><br />Wow quite a first day as a finalist! 5 x radio interviews, 3 x newspapers and one TV appearance - all in a days work!<br /><br />I almost fell asleep before I got into bed....time to count some valuable ZZZZZ's<br /><br />Ben<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw1BkFkQrQ663LauAwdudbo62krDh_ac2je7SPk7p73FUiKiKRin9_ce9hRS8s3r1qXAigQ3i9eVTOxXdZ70Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-65120695531109893212009-03-19T13:07:00.000-07:002009-03-19T16:29:19.901-07:00TV, PR stunts and my weekTalk about exhausted, I've never had a migraine in my life and today I did...crazy swirling visuals and then the onset of a headache which can only really be associated with the stresses I've been placing myself under the last few days.<br /><br />I've been on the back foot ever since returning from Canada, where I'd been for a fortnights holiday with my girlfriend Bre, the other UK finalists had the advantage of two weeks self-promotion whilst I was out of the country and really need to pull my socks up to stand any chance in the media scrum which has seriously dissolved to nothing in that time.<br /><br />What I needed a was stunt, a really good PR stunt which instead of appealing to all of the radio stations, tv channels and media oputlets directly, would instead draw the journos out of their offices to witness the Ben-style crazy event.<br /><br />So as with everything in life I started off big...and then had to tone it all down again as my expectations and dreams were slowly shattered and lay in tatters around me. It really was a hugely depressing three days as deals and pledges fell through all around me. <br /><br />Try Trafalgar Sqaure on Mothers Day, with a 10m x 10m acrylic fish tank full of water, fishes and.....me of course! Mumm Champagne supplying the bubbly for the game 'Champagne Cork Bobbing' and three or four travel companies promoting themselves alongside and also footing the bill for the entire thing!<br /><br />But how much is Trafalgar Square you ask....only £1000 per hour!! A cost which scared the life out of me and the travel companies who I'd asked. "Oh we'll do it if we can come along for free you know!" Yes but unfortnately my pocket doesn't stretch quite as far as that I'm afraid, so the idea here was canned.<br /><br />I wandered back from, one of the Australian candidates, Hailey's little gathering at Big Ben with a heavy heart and a heavier bladder as I trundled down the embankment thinking of new plans. The National Theatre had an amazing site right on the Thames with a high footfall and a big enough car park to house the tank and truck so thought I'd struck gold when I went inside to enquire about its viability and Alison there said it'd be fine. All I had to do was send her my proposal and we'd start working together, finally some success!<br /><br />The next day arrived, I finished the proposal and before I could send it I'd had a message from Alison to say that they now wouldn't be able to host the event as they (a) didn't have the staff on Mothers Day and (b) didn't think the underghround carpark would be able to support the weight of the filled tank and truck. Great back to square one....or so I thought, it was actually square two. Worse was to follow.<br /><br />Establishing exactly when the fishtank would be ready and transported down to the capital from Birmingham was the next issue raising its ugly head and it got worse the further into it I got. Yes, they could supply the tank to me free of charge but as it was made from matt acrylic it would have to polished in order to make it transparent...a process which would take two men five days and there wasn't enough time left! This was turning into a disaster.<br /><br />So I'd been left with no location and no tank.<br /><br />Working full time is the way to pay the bills but not the way to try and organise a PR stunt with limited time or funds, I'd only been back at work for two days after a year off and was seriously taking the biscuit with my boss!! Phone calls all day and hardly any progress for the projects I was meant to be working on at all. Eeek.<br /><br />Today has been the best day of the lot, my dear friend and Location Manager Luke Marshall got on the case. His 15 years of experience working in London finding sites for major films, tv programmes and commercials paid off and by lunchtime we had a site on the edge of the Thames in Hammersmith. The age old 'Its not what you know.....' really meant something today!<br /><br />The fishtank has been scaled down slightly to a large paddling pool but the concept is the same, me in the water in a suit, free champagne for the winners of my competition and lots of friends there for support along with the masses of public and media (hopefully!) who'll be walking that way on Mothers Day.<br /><br />I have everything crossed and can't wait to get in yet more cold water after the application video, but it should be damn good fun all round.<br /><br />Bring on Sunday, more to follow....Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-55134821696730188222009-03-15T17:45:00.000-07:002009-03-16T06:08:08.173-07:00Best Job in the World!! - How it all happenedI really don't think my feet have touched the ground since I got back from the Afritrex experience!<br /><br />I had a few days work with Luke, who joined me through the first few weeks of the expedition, then I had a few days work with Owen who joined me for....none of the expedition and then I decided to head off again around the world to explore and discover another new country with the help of my dear girl Bre over in Vancouver, British Columbia!!<br /><br />Then it all happened, and so damn quickly too...one day it was just a suggestion from a friend. "Ben there's the perfect job in the newspaper for you, you just have to go for it!!"<br /><br />And I was handed a cut out from the Daily Mail advertising 'The Best Job in the World' by Emma along with being emailed by my Aunty in Spain to say...."get your ass into gear Ben, this one's for you!"<br /><br />So we set to work, not really knowing exactly what we'd be coming out with at the other end, something witty, funny but intelligent and a genuine representation of exactly what I'm about and what makes me tick too. My girlfriend Bre is another source of my constant energy - we bounce off each other and her help writing an amusing summary of what I'm about was right up her street. I typical Bre style we created lists, scribbled lines out and practised them to each other, every time building confidence as I practised 'piece to camera' work for the first time on a few weeks since being on the road....all massively exciting though!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOea8XKX5b8vCQ3yLLDDYXSDykCOiTNgPMOTJHNtMncc30_plVwsUR5_h4hYbOtnHbn_H0y93qVC2Y5Mzo0Yj_VlcggTFTAtj5kJOXF949yd-8BI3cNT2tWM5VupBU2j-xnU4zO0-iYF7U/s1600-h/P1310971.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOea8XKX5b8vCQ3yLLDDYXSDykCOiTNgPMOTJHNtMncc30_plVwsUR5_h4hYbOtnHbn_H0y93qVC2Y5Mzo0Yj_VlcggTFTAtj5kJOXF949yd-8BI3cNT2tWM5VupBU2j-xnU4zO0-iYF7U/s320/P1310971.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313711744421408706" border="0"></a><br /><br />We had our script, moved into the great British outdoors, and it was freezing cold in fact the day before the South of England experienced its worst snow for 20 years with gorgeous temperatures of -2c on the day, yikes!!<br /><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL01ESfzt8GJU5sKgkqqrJzJmhK7jZ-ILhM0BosmB-QJ6fMTr8lUb_N834v37v622OuweTASQ8d1FmEfJt5JhBxRZKZHdkkFCVpEomB25DP5nB0wiobWE3dp3DkwfcPwVP3YVswThdljK6/s1600-h/P1310966.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL01ESfzt8GJU5sKgkqqrJzJmhK7jZ-ILhM0BosmB-QJ6fMTr8lUb_N834v37v622OuweTASQ8d1FmEfJt5JhBxRZKZHdkkFCVpEomB25DP5nB0wiobWE3dp3DkwfcPwVP3YVswThdljK6/s320/P1310966.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313711753764805186" border="0"></a><br />And this is where the amusing part of the day really took place, we'd finished off the main part of the filming, using a number of takes for each shot up to now, here on the banks of the freezing cold lake it really wasn't an option.<br /><br />I'm sat there as Bre sets up the camera hidden in the hedge, in only a pair of shorts with a snorkel and mask on my head sitting on a cold wooden bench looking out onto an empty Hampshire lane.<br /><br />"Are you ready Bre, its freezing out here?" I questioned<br /><br />"Almost baby, just getting it level" she replied<br /><br />"You know we have only ONE take on this so please make sure it works first time!" pleading to get everything just perfect to save me the pleaseure of freezing my knackers off for a second time.<br /><br />Then just a we're about to shoot and Bre says 'action', along come a walker into my periferal vision....damn it we'd have to stop! So I sit back down, the inquisitive rambler unaware of Bre's presence in the bushes, he looks me up and down and continues to walk past me taking in and trying to register what he's seeing.<br /><br />"It's prefectly normal behaviour you know" I explained.....to which he turned silently and kept walking!!!<br /><br />With our observer out of the way I steadied myself for the shock of the freezing water, the unknown bottom to the pond and tried to establish my escape route back to the Land Rover, my towel and some form of heater (although Land Rover's aren't best for this!)<br /><br />3...2...1 and I ran down the jetty stuffing the snorkel in my mouth and just launced off the end into the murky depths, my knees hitting something under water, my mask coming clean off my eyes and the snorkel seperating just outside my mouth leaving my lips open and allowing the grim water to fill my mouth! Ha just what I didn't want!<br /><br />Here's the full version so you can see just how much fun it really was!<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzbj7NeX-A06glO2qPSEBpiouK4ba-yfbmX_mLmwmy0YvxcmYj62e5vkEyhXzIfKXUZR3hSMTFSjr3fyoTeEQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />We raced back to the house, emptied the leaves and mud out of my boardies and sat in front of the fire laughing at my stupidity and tried to warm up whilst learning how to use Windows Movie Maker for the first time. Actually its damn easy and by 2am the finished version was there all done....ITS A WRAP!! - as I believe they say in the industry.<br /><br />Its only when the total number of entries were announced that I realised quite how unlikely it was that my application would ever go any further....come on there must have been at least 50 better produced videos, 50 more qualified people and 50 more bikini girls than I could ever offer so assumed that my entry would fall by the wayside and be lost for enternity with only Bre and I remembering the fun and stresses we had shooting it!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-8445885069445678232009-01-02T03:44:00.001-08:002009-01-02T03:44:36.259-08:0031st December 08Date: 31st December 08<br />Location: Guildford, Surrey, England<br />Weather: Cold and crisp, heavy frost overnight 2°c<br />Status: Starting the final day…..<br /><br />So this was how it was going to be then, the final day of my African adventure and I was playing out in the freezing conditions of the UK! I jumped out of bed though with the realisation that it’d all be over pretty soon, bar the friends and family I’d hopefully see as I crossed the finish line!<br /><br />After the usual pre-marathon nipple-plastering and vasaline rubbing session I gathered my thoughts and warm top and got into the Colonel complete with Bre and Dad for the final drive of the expedition.<br /><br />Dad had very professionally organised the route for me taking me back to Petersfield on the back roads ensuring I’d cover the required 26.2 miles to make it all official and together with Bre they’d form my team of water suppliers and direction givers!<br /><br />We left and started the run from Shalford, just south of Guildford, and after a toilet stop started the run with cold fingers to start off with. Two hours into the run I’d made it past Haslemere and into the small village of Miland, marking the halfway point for the run, by this stage I was starting to feel the cold and shivered every time I stopped for a drink break….this is so different from African runs!<br /><br />The undulating terrain around Liss and the final approach to the Jolly Drover at the top end of my marathon was exhausting, it’s easy to think halfway through a marathon that everything is going well and that the second half should be easy…but then it all starts to bite as the legs tighten, the pain kicks in and the energy levels disappear suddenly leaving me desperate to see the crest of the hill.<br /><br />The drop down into Petersfield along the A3 was much better, my family and friends had started to appear at the sides of the road with even the odd banner about to motivate me for the final push into the town square where I was hoping to meet a few people. But what I didn’t expect was quite the welcome I received!!<br /><br />There must have been 40 people there including an official finish line, TV cameras and reporters all wanting to talk…something that’s very difficult to do after running for four and half hours! Once the pulse had settled again I managed a hug and kiss for them all and even had a great pint of good old English ale, my first since leaving a year ago, and it tasted awesome!<br /><br />And then it was over all of the dreams, plans, challenges and expectations which I had set myself nearly three years ago were lying there in front of me completed….Bre, the Colonel and I have formed the most incredible team and I sincerely hope there is more to come in the future. For now were going home to spend New Year’s Day with family and to do a good old catch up, bore them with photos and complete the website for you all to see….<br /><br />Thank you all so much for reading, writing and being involved, it really has meant the world to me…..<br /><br />Over and out…for now.<br /><br />End of day location: Ropley, England<br />Distance covered: 42kms running, 20kms drivingAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-87807055349898059822009-01-02T02:29:00.003-08:002009-01-02T02:29:56.028-08:0030th December 08Date: 29th December 08<br />Location: Mont Blanc, France<br />Weather: Very cold with snow and sleet, -5°c overnight<br />Status: Within a day’s drive of home<br /><br />Wow that was extreme camping….so cold overnight so we were lucky to have my two mountain climbing sleeping bags which are rated down to -25°c and gave us plenty of warmth in the cold tent.<br /><br />We were back on the road by 8am and without Kees filling the mirrors could up the speed to 110kph when the conditions allowed, the weather slowly deteriorated and snow started to fall which even the fleet of salting trucks couldn’t keep from blocking the outside lane of the autoroute.<br /><br />Our progress was constant and as we arrived in Reims I decided to head to the Mumm Champagne cellars and pick up a bottle ready for the New Year celebrations, having worked for them in the UK for ten years it was great to see where all of the fizzy stuff is made.<br /><br />Late on in the afternoon we made it to Calais and after trying the channel tunnel which was full we headed to the ferry and booked the Colonel and ourselves on the next available crossing back to the UK.<br /><br />On arrival at the famous white cliffs of Dover Bre and I held our breath as Baccus the Buffalo was facing his final test…could we sneak him through the final border of the trip and safely home to Hampshire? The police and customs stopped the Colonel momentarily to check our number plate and waved us through….we’d done it!!<br /><br />The joys of the M25 and thick fog slowed our progress back to my sisters house in Guildford where we finally arrived at 1am, a quick chat and into bed ready for the alarm clock at 7am in order to ready myself for the final marathon home!<br /><br />End of day location: Guildford, Surrey, England<br />Distance covered: 950kmsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-34489754783997384402009-01-02T02:29:00.001-08:002009-01-02T02:29:23.533-08:0028th December 08Date: 28th December 08<br />Location: The middle of the Mediterranean Sea<br />Weather: Cloudy, cold and fiercely windy. 15°c<br />Status: Scared for some reason….<br /><br />After a good nights rest we copied the last of our photos and videos from Kees to my collection, Bre did some more memory book and we all prepared for the departure and goodbyes which would be happening in a few hours time.<br /><br />Its strange I had a mixture of feelings throughout the last few hours and days and they now became stronger and harder to deal with, firstly the happiness of leaving Africa after battling for so hard over the last few days and weeks but then when thinking about it, it was replaced by a feeling of disappointment that the adventure no longer continues and the harsh reality of the fast, uncaring lifestyle that is presented to us in Europe of money, work and generally selfish people. <br /><br />I understand that this is a harsh statement but some of the people I have met in the last year have been hugely caring, will go out of their way to help you and think nothing of spending an entire day helping you out with no reward. There’s always exceptions to the rule but I find it hard to think I could easily find the same as easily in the UK as everyone needs reward or gratification for the simplest of things.<br /><br />We docked in Genova in howling northerly winds with snow sweeping down off the mountains and it gave us a taste of what a stupid decision it had been to return to the UK at this time of year! We eventually managed to get the trucks off the ferry after waiting for ages for a broken down car to move and drove through the customs area without challenge.<br /><br />Kees led us out of the city on our last journey together for now and we pulled into a service area to have a final meal together, buy some supplies for the journey ahead and say our final farewells to the big yellow tortoise and its amazing driver, Kees and Bindhi….for now!!<br /><br />Bre and I drove on for another 150kms until we arrived at the foot of the Alps to be greeted by snow and ice everywhere and made a freezing cold camp in a car park.-5°c overnight so big cuddles were needed!<br /><br />End of day location: Mont Blanc, France/Switzerland border<br />Distance covered: 300kmsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2514389757405207991.post-15185257441252584632008-12-27T10:42:00.000-08:002008-12-27T10:43:17.224-08:0027th December 08Date: 27th December 08<br />Location: Tunis, Tunisia<br />Weather: Clear blue skies and sunshine, cold. 18°c<br />Status: Ready for home….<br /><br />After the rude awakening by the security guard I packed away a cold, wet tent and we drove into the city to find the offices of the ferry company to book our ride back to Europe. It wasn’t open so we caught up on an hour’s sleep and waited…<br /><br />Eventually the manager turned up and I went inside and sorted out the particulars we’d need to get us all back to Europe. It actually worked out cheaper to book here than over the phone or on the internet so a success already.<br /><br />Once we’d done I noticed I had a flat tyre so after Kees little flat yesterday I had one as a sympathy puncture 12 hrs later. We are the most efficient team now and had it changed and repaired within the hour!!<br /><br />Went into the centre to the medina to find some last minute gifts for people and to eat some lunch. Then back to the ferry port to wait where we’d spend the night before boarding at 9am tomorrow for a 2pm departure.<br /><br />Watched our last African sunset at around 5pm as it fell into the outline of the city, a very poignant moment…..back to Blighty Colonel, your African adventure is over, for now… <br /><br />End of day location: Tunis, Tunisia<br />Distance covered: 20kmsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06379918688814378199noreply@blogger.com0