Windband Cotswolds camping

 

Just 2.5 hours from Cambridgeshire and I know I’m back in the west country, there are hills and gorgeous stone buildings. I annoyed the sat nav for pretty much the whole trip so it had to recalculate, but I finally arrived at Far Peak campsite in Northleach, surprisingly at the same time as the people that live 45 minutes away. Tent up, and on with the BBQ, being eaten by bugs and lots of chatting and laughing. Having grown up camping all the time, it’s a shock when we bring people that have never been camping before, but it was Bea’s first time under canvas. BBQ whilst sat outside in the rain was a good initiation. 

There are some benefits to always waking up at 6am and today it was the most vivid colours in the sky. Breakfast turned into lunch but it was a full English breakfast which is huge accomplishment to our chefs. After lunch activity included a branch that was used as a rounders bat, flip flops as bases and excruciating heat. The sweat was pouring at this stage, bright blue sky, an incredibly stong sun resulted in pretty much all of us getting burnt in one way or another, the worse being Bea’s bright red feet. 

We had hoped to go to Stow on the Wold but the sat nav actually took is 6 miles from it to Guiting Power and the Hollow Bottom pub! http://www.hollowbottom.com/ But the sat nav made a perfect choice, the village looked like we walked into a traditional English film set. Dinner in the beer garden, and then back to the tents for the name game where I had a laughing fit to Kat’s go at ‘ursula underthesea’, and then progressed to sing it. Maybe you had to be there J

Sunday morning, application of sun cream before breakfast, and then down with the tents and on the road. The windband camping trip has now become an annual tradition and I never thought I’d ever say that a little less heat would be appreciated!

London 2012: Hungarian Eton Dorney

This is turning into an addiction, it must be to get up at 3:30am! to travel to Eton Dorney for a 9:30 start. We walked to the train station in pitch black, just the smell of damp fields and the promise of a very hot day. It's amazing the number of people with lights on at 4am, and number of people with their TV on, why aren't they sleeping? The train was surprisingly full, so much so that we couldn't sit in first class. By this time, our legs were moving but it felt like our heads were asleep. Cross London to Paddington at 6am, a very civilised Paddington, very few people. Then We boarded the train to Slough, shuttle to Eton Dorney, a very long walk to the lake and we were there. All morning the sun blazed, we don't often put sun cream on at the small hours of the morning.

The pre-race entertainment consisted of bongo cam, interviews, a war canoe, paddling demonstration, kayak pulling a wakeboard and then it was time to start, 4 medals available for canoe and kayak. As we got to Eton Dorney, I was really surprised with the number of Hungarian flags and supporters, they were everywhere and evening the British supporters! When the races started, we realised why. Hungary, Russia and Germany are  big stars in the world of canoe and kayaking. The men's races were 1000 metres, women from 500m but oh my gosh, it was a long way. We had great tickets at the finish line, row 3 and the roar when the GB competitors went by was fantastic. We also did a few of the longest mexican waves and the medal ceremonies for Australia, Germany twice and Hungary was really moving.

A stop in Satsuma for food, then back home after a very very long day. Ali experienced first class train travel for the first time (and now doesn't feel sorry for me for travelling to Bristol) and we wer ein the Olympic bubble again, we absolutely love it, can't we have this every year?

London 2012: Synchronised swimming

An Olympics in your own country is something to be really proud of. It kick started last week with an amazing opening ceremony where I was welling up most of the evening watching the TV! The sense of being patriotic was something we lost, but after the royal wedding, jubilee and now Olympics, it’s back. 

Today we visited the Olympic Park for the synchronised swimming qualifying heats. Entering the park was the most efficient thing I’ve seen, it took just 6 minutes on the javelin train from St Pancras, just enough for some speed eating. It felt like we were boarding a plane…in pouring rain. However, it was nice to be in a majority again. We stuck out a bit in St Neots with London 2012 top, bag and hat but as soon as we got onto the platform, we were one of many. We walked just a little of the park (it’s huge) and then it was time to head to the aquatics centre for synchronised swimming. Opening the doors and seeing the pool for the first time was amazing, I had the biggest smile on my face. We walked up the very steep steps and found our seats. While waiting we watched diving practice. Then the countdown until the start. How the women get their bodies out of the water is astonishing. Russia won the heat and they stood out by an absolute mile. The sound of cheering when team GB walked into the competition was immense. Flags were waving and the cheer was through the roof. 

Before the event we knew nothing about synchronised swimming but we loved it, we loved the atmosphere, we loved the sea of nationalities and flags, all having a great time. Olympics on home soil is something I will never forget.