50,500 Kilometres later....
And so ends my blogging...thank god I hear you say. The tour is almost over. Lila is safely back home and I leave Monday, arriving back in the UK at some unearthly hour before the sun has come up and no doubt before the Woking Railair link starts working!
I had originally decided to stay a few extra days in Sydney after the Test match so that I could enjoy the atmosphere after we had retained the Ashes. In reality this has meant a thoroughly miserable time watching beaming Aussie faces everywhere and smug TV presenters to contend with. However there is a shining light on the horizon as I see Lord Vaughan has been appointed 1 day captain with immediate effect.
So to escape from the Aussie party I took myself off to Manley beach yesterday on the ferry and had a thoroughly good time watching the world from the beach. I conveniently choose a spot within distance of a women's beach volleyball contest going on so that I could contemplate my expedition.
What have I learnt from 2 months away I mused? Well certainly I could see myself living in New Zealand and/or Australia in the future. The people and pace of life is so much nicer out here. Strangers are friendly, prices are reasonable and the climate is much better. In fact I'd say if wasn't for the fact that I'm blessed with wonderful family (in-laws included) and friends in Blighty, there is very little that I would miss about living in the UK. Actually, let me go back on that...I'm dying for a decent pint! The beer out here really is poor!
On the flip side I am also looking forward to being able to walk out my front door without spending 10 minutes caking myself in suncream and having to don shades and a cap to avoid the sun!
I now have 10 days to get life back to a normal routine before my next trip to Schiffau and I guess some catching-up is required with a trip to Christchurch first on the priority list. I guess a trip to Adams Park is also in order as I reach the 20th Anniversary of my first ever Wycombe game. It's nice that Mourinho has agreed to mark this landmark by bringing his premiership all-stars down to give us a game. I'm not predicting a scoreline because as many people have pointed out to me, I did say the Ashes would be 1-1 and therefore perhaps I ought to keep my views to myself in future. Although despite this BBC East Midlands have been on the phone asking if I could help their sports reporter to raise his prognostic game.
Chobham's AGM has been coveniently slotted into my return to the country, so hopefully the lads will lose their collective common sense yet again and vote Squiffy and I back into power. I promise that I have learnt nothing from Freddie's captaincy this trip, so we should stand a reasonable chance!
All in all, a great tour with some very happy memories to take home. Perhaps I'll do the same again in 2010/11 when hopefully we'll make a better hash of defending the Ashes. Although I hear that we touring New Zealand in early 2008....
Up the Monty
Ant/ Swiss/ Casper/ Rigsby/ Bally
I had originally decided to stay a few extra days in Sydney after the Test match so that I could enjoy the atmosphere after we had retained the Ashes. In reality this has meant a thoroughly miserable time watching beaming Aussie faces everywhere and smug TV presenters to contend with. However there is a shining light on the horizon as I see Lord Vaughan has been appointed 1 day captain with immediate effect.
So to escape from the Aussie party I took myself off to Manley beach yesterday on the ferry and had a thoroughly good time watching the world from the beach. I conveniently choose a spot within distance of a women's beach volleyball contest going on so that I could contemplate my expedition.
What have I learnt from 2 months away I mused? Well certainly I could see myself living in New Zealand and/or Australia in the future. The people and pace of life is so much nicer out here. Strangers are friendly, prices are reasonable and the climate is much better. In fact I'd say if wasn't for the fact that I'm blessed with wonderful family (in-laws included) and friends in Blighty, there is very little that I would miss about living in the UK. Actually, let me go back on that...I'm dying for a decent pint! The beer out here really is poor!
On the flip side I am also looking forward to being able to walk out my front door without spending 10 minutes caking myself in suncream and having to don shades and a cap to avoid the sun!
I now have 10 days to get life back to a normal routine before my next trip to Schiffau and I guess some catching-up is required with a trip to Christchurch first on the priority list. I guess a trip to Adams Park is also in order as I reach the 20th Anniversary of my first ever Wycombe game. It's nice that Mourinho has agreed to mark this landmark by bringing his premiership all-stars down to give us a game. I'm not predicting a scoreline because as many people have pointed out to me, I did say the Ashes would be 1-1 and therefore perhaps I ought to keep my views to myself in future. Although despite this BBC East Midlands have been on the phone asking if I could help their sports reporter to raise his prognostic game.
Chobham's AGM has been coveniently slotted into my return to the country, so hopefully the lads will lose their collective common sense yet again and vote Squiffy and I back into power. I promise that I have learnt nothing from Freddie's captaincy this trip, so we should stand a reasonable chance!
All in all, a great tour with some very happy memories to take home. Perhaps I'll do the same again in 2010/11 when hopefully we'll make a better hash of defending the Ashes. Although I hear that we touring New Zealand in early 2008....
Up the Monty
Ant/ Swiss/ Casper/ Rigsby/ Bally
posted by Ant | 2:27 am
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