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Published: August 31st 2009
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The Ashes
Day 474 (29/7/09)
We left warm and sunny Lisbon bound for Birmingham. It was gonna be a long day, first a taxi to the airport for check-in and our flight was already 30minutes behind schedule and it was about to get longer. After an hour queue through passport check we finally boarded and left for London 1 and half hours late. Fortunately, we'd booked our bus with just enough time to grab a bite to eat and not miss our bus which too ran 20minutes late. We arrived into a rainy Birmingham and waited for Shea and Justin who were on the next bus. We got a taxi back to our old place in Moseley where Kara and Leanne and Brian were waiting (after a slight mishap of their own). Gaffy arrived shortly after and we headed to our local The fighting cocks pub for a dinner and drinks.We continued on at home, with Shaun arriving just after 10pm completing our Ashes Crew of eight for the following day.
Day 474 Day 1 of Third Test at Edgbaston.
The excitement was palpable despite the rainy start to the day. After breaky and a team sandwiche making session we
set for Edgbaston donned in green and yellow, aussies flags, hats and scarfs. After a downpour just before we arrived at the gates it was hard to believe we were off to cricket as we dived for our poncho's and garbage bags (pure class). We arrived to fantastic seats, flowing beer but a ground resembling the Hume Weir. With rain on 14 of the last 17 days even the non stop work of the 'suckers' was struggling to dry anything. The first pitch review at 12noon resulted in the scheduling of an early lunch and further inspection set for 3pm. So we headed home for a couple rounds of vodka and sat eagerly awaiting the next review. Finally they set a start time of 5pm, which was to ensure a full thirty overs disqualifying us or any refund.. but we were just estatic to see some cricket.
The sun came out and the Aussies we off to a good start. We bounded home for a quick change before a fantastic dinner at the local Moroccan restaurant. With such a late start we held our excitement back for the following days play.
Day 475 Da 2 of Third Test
Estatic
More Blue sky
Wheres the cricket? with the sunny weather, had a chaotic kitchen serving some recovery bacon and egg mcmuffins and sandwiches. We left later then anticipated struggling to manage all eight of us and missed the bus by seconds, leaving us with no option but to speed walk to the cricket. The queues to the ground meaning we were less than 15minutes late to out seats but long enough to miss the first two wickets and Australia begin to crumble. The morning session collapse left us getting pitying looks as we walked around the ground to met us with Jez's mate Simon from Oz and Carly's English workmate Gareth. We headed back to our seats for an equally disappointing afternoon and evening sessions as our drinks fell like the Aussie batsman. We ran in Merv Hughes, Glen Archer, Corey McKernan and Anthony Stevens who willing obliged for photographs and a chat with our drunken crew.
We kicked on at the Fighting Cocks with Kara, Terry (from Oz who arrived from Bristol), Aidy, Jenna and Pippa ( our local Brummies mates)joining us until requested to leave... apparently our singing wasn't up to standard. But kicked on at number 31 King Edward into the wee hours
of the morning.
Day 476
I'm sure must have left some of the crew rueing their decision for such early starts as Gaffey, Justin and Kara all vacating to catch transport before 7am. The rest of the crew nursed their sore heads with another serving of bacon and egg muffins. Despite the result is was a 'phenomonal weekend'! (Quote\unquote) thanks team!! We cleaned up and farewelled Shea and Shaun and set off to see Harry Potter and the Half blood prince, unsure of who rated it 4/5 stars we left utterly disappointed! Back home it was time to repack (and lighten as able) our backpacks, we dined on some steak and vege (yum) and called in for an early night.
Day 477
And it was time to say goodbye to Leanne and Brian as they headed to Ireland for the last week of their action packed eight week Europe trip. We waved off their taxi at 6am and grabbed a few more zzzz's before doing a final pack up. On the road again this time to Greece, keen to trial every kind of transport in a day we caught a taxi, then bus, then flight and another taxi
to our hotel in Rhodes Town. After some home delivered kebabs its was time to catch up on some well needed sleep.
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