Josh On Tour

Hey all!

Confirmed as part of the marathon on the Monday, so training officially began on the Tuesday. My plan at least for the first month is to do one night on and one night off progressively increasing distance. As its winter here its cold, wet and dark from 4.30pm so all weekday running is at night. Got off to a good start with a 10km run in the rain Tuesday, had the Wednesday off and woke up with a cold on the Thursday which kinda killed the training I had planned for the week. As it was more of a headcold I still managed 8k Thursday night and then another 6k during the day Saturday, was hoping for another run today but the cold seems to have moved more to my chest and back so going to have a rest.

So week 1 results:
Distance Covered: 24.3 km's
Total running time: 2 hours and 37 minutes
Average speed: 9.3km/h
Money raised: £2.00 (Thanks Greg)

Roll on week 2

As a tourist, walking along the Thames at night is an absolute must, most of the famous sites are well lit up and in reasonable walking distance. Rugby convert Kelly from York joined me in making the most of a gap in the wet weather this particular night.

Tower Bridge from the north side of the Thames








Big Ben


Hard to tell from this photo but the bridge was in the process of raising in order to allow a boat to pass through.

Some brief pics of doing touristy stuff in London during the day.

First up the London Eye, basically the worlds largest ferris wheel, 135 metres high..with perhaps the worlds longest line after the better part of 3 hours Leonie and I eventually made it on, some pretty incredible views from up there.











Next we have Trafalgar Square with the National Gallery current home of Michelangelo's "The Entombent", Rapheal's "The Madonna of the Pinks", Leonardo's "The Virgin of the Rocks"..no Donatello's however there is also Monet's "Water Lily Pond" and Van Gogh's "Sunflowers"

The trip to Cambridge was a little painful, we weren't feeling the best at all and found that finishing another beer on the train was just a bridge too far, in fact Cambridge itself may have been a bridge to far as even the discovery of a huge Weatherspoons Pub jam packed with university lass's couldn't even snap us out of our half incapacitated state. (For those unfamiliar with Weatherspoon's pubs they are pubs that serve the absolute cheapest beer ever though have the downside of only being frequented by very old and very drunk men)

Nuclear Power Station on the way to Cambridge






Greg getting some shut-eye in Petersborough while we wait for our train transfer









One of the many impressive buildings in Cambridge






Cambridge is a University town..and no, nothing like Palmerston North. It along with Oxford university are the two of the most famous academic institutions in the world with past students including:
Charles, Prince of Wales, Stephen Hawking, Isaac Newton, John Cleese, Sylvia Plath, C.S. Lewis, Ian McKellen and of course New Zealands most famous (perhaps only?) nuclear physicist Ernest Rutherford.

having a few quiet drinks with local rugby fans..

spending quality time with my church friends...

or even just sleeping..

More to come!

First Saturday night's magic

Awesome All Blacks NZ Rugby Tries!



Then American Head Charge concert tonight:

American Head Charge - Just So You Know



Followed by "You say party, we say die" Monday night:

You Say Party! We Say Die! music video for The Gap


Good thing I've got Monday morning off work!