A day at the Races

Just a quick one with some photos of my time so far in London. Since being here i have already worked three jobs (one as a bloody warehouse worker for a luxury department store over here - and for £7 an hour!), but i'm now settled in working for DeLoitte & Touche as a data monkey. Incredibly boring work, but i'm with a good bunch of temps and we all have a good laugh.

Since getting over here, i've also joined a 20-20 cricket comp, playing with a group of South Africans and Aussies called The Peanut Gallery. The highlight for me was when i got 4-14 in one game to win the game for the lads - especially seeing as though my bowling is usually absolute rubbish it was hilarious to be congratulated for something i had no control over. The ball just kept on hitting the stumps. What can i say? I'm awesome. The three aussies have of course carried the side all the way as well - that's what i think we are there for really. Just to ensure that we keep on winning.

As well as working 3 jobs since i've been in the mother country, i reckon i've also gone through about 3 livers. Don't worry Mum, it's all been in moderation but the drinking culture over here is just plain stupid. You could throw a rock all the way around London and never worry about not hitting a pub - they are just all that close. The fact that i have one about 3 mins walk from my house says alot.

Plans in the pipeline include a trip to Pamplona in 2 weeks to be one of those silly Aussies who runs as fast as they can to try and avoid a bunch of rampaging bulls coming at you, as well as going to La Tomatina (that festival where everyone hurls tomatoes at each other for an hour) in late August. Both of these festivals are in Spain so i will get to practice my deplorable Spanish two more times. Get out that phrasebook!

One of the highlights was a day out at the races about a month ago when I went down with Sara, Jo and Ben to Epsom for the Derby Day. Now i'm not the greatest punter in the world but team McHopkins went nuts, winning every race except the last to come out with the huge sum of.........£30 quid. Now if we hadnt been lame and bet more than £2 on each horse we would have been laughing, but it was still a great day, and for once the London weather really turned it on with a heat-wave like 23C.

Last Thursday, I also took a day off work and ventured into Hyde Park for the o2 wireless music festival which was quality. Saw the White Stripes, Queens of the Stone Age, The Thrills and The Bees rock out amongst others. Was my first music experience since getting over here and whilst it certainly wasnt Glastonbury, it was a start. Glasto next year for sure i reckon.

Not much else to report - this has been relatively dry and for that I do apologise. After travelling for so long i put away the camera for a long time as i couldnt stand the sight of it and have only pulled it back out in the last few weeks so i dont have that many shots, but i hope you like the ones that i've put in here.

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