Return of the chief

So back to travelling here there & everywhere.

Been to Cambridge...

Gloucester...






...Trowbridge (no picture funnily enough), Salisbury, Bristol, Dulverton, Dorset & I am now in....
The Channel Islands, Guernsey!!!

Got here on the ferry which left from Portsmouth...








I have my own appartment. The Lounge...



The Kitchen...

My Bedroom...


Even the surfboards had their own Bedroom & Beds!!!


The Swimming pool!!



Here's where I work...

The Pharmacy is the largest supplier of BoTox & Aesthetic's in Europe!



This is my desk (I work pretty hard)...





The view from the Pharmacy...



T

Neil & Prit's wedding

Neil & Prit's wedding registration ceremony was at Brighton's town hall...




They both looked really happy signing the register - shame they would'nt look at my bloody camera! ;-)


Confetti makes an appearance..

Before the happy couple got whisked away in a stretch limo...

...with champers...

...to the reception...


Some are happy to have their photo taken...

...others not so happy...


The cake is cut...

...and things get messy towards the end of a great do! Well done & congrats to Neil & Priti..


... heres to you guys!!

Saturday 07th October - How long since last update?

Sorry its been so long since I updated my blog spot - I've been busy at work with no internet access.

So I left Superdrug Ilfracombe that week & hung up the badge for a while...



So this weekend me & "The family" went to check out the 6ft Dosa at forest gates "Dosa" restaurant...


I had a couple of weeks of after leaving Ilfracombe which was much needed to repair my surfboard & wetsuit.

Rips & Rocks!

Wednesday 20th September 2006 is a day I will remember for the rest of my life.
I finish work & head to Putsborough. Its One & a half overhead at least, with double overhead sets coming in.
I get a nervous feeling in my stomach cos I know I'm gonna give it a go.
I look at where its smallest...through the rocks.
Theres a rip there so figure what the heck!

I go in & am paddling for 10 minutes. The rips not quite picked me up, & I'm getting close to the the south rock wall.
I look behind me & things are getting worse - theres a jutting out rock there & to make matters worse theres a 2ft wave coming towards me. SHIT! This is not happening.
A flukily well timed & executed duck dive & I'm out of danger & in the rip heading out the back. I'm very close to the south wall now & pretty scared.
I paddle away from the wall. I rest for a bit - shaken up.


I see a set coming - I'm in position. To late to paddle past it! Gotta go for.
I paddle, knowing I'm gonna get trashed - I do after nearly getting up on the wave.
When I submerge a surfer gets off a wave next to me & says "shit man don't you know to look over your shoulder!" smiles & paddles out the back.
Time to go in me thinks! I catch awave & don't even think about getting up - I'm clutching my board for dear life!
I get in. The news reports hurricane gordon's waves are hitting devon & cornwalls coast.
PJ's surf report warns surfers to take care!

I forgot my camera that day so the above pic's don't do the day justice. The next day was similar but slightly bigger - heres some pic's with the digital the next day.
I've made a movie too!

"OUTSIDE!"


Out through the rocks - DON'T try this at home kids!


BOSH!


Nice double overhead set...


And another..


Ok - here's the clip I've edited - amateur I know but what did you expect?!
click here

Will & Vals wedding!

Can you believe it? Another wedding! After a hard weeks work where I hand in my resignation at Superdrug, Ilfracombe (long story - not worth reflecting back on!) I head back to "Landan" Friday night. Upon awaking Saturday morning I realise I have nowt to wear having left my work clothes in Devon.
Nothing for it but to go shopping at Canary Wharf - just 20 mins from my place by DLR. I love Greenwich!
Fortunately I said I was not gonna be at the ceremony - I get there at half 2 in a taxi just as lunch is being dished out!
We Enjoy the fantastic wine & food...

"Mmh - I don't normaly like tomatoes Fais but this is delicious!"


Will gets his own speech out of the way in typical wit & style.


Tough one to follow for Martin the best man, but handled like a true proffesional...


After lunch the cake is cut...


The wine does the job..


As does the lager...


The helium balloons were destined for our lungs from the outset...
"Think your a tuff guy, huh?"
(click on this text for the video clip)

Come on guys, bring us back to sanity. Ah yes the first dance...


They were almost outshone by this young groover - check out this bad boy!!
(click here for video clip)

The wedding celebration was awesome as are the couple who did the deed, don't they look gorgeous together...

Paula Paul's Wedding celebration.

We've driven 8 hours from Stranraer. Its 4am. Me & Davy are cream crackered!
After a good sleep we get up to a lovely day & head off to Paula & Pauls wedding celebration at Narrow st pub Limehouse. An excellent choice I might add ;-)
Cal & Tej approved...


Here we are before the carnage started...

The happy couple was there to greet us...


With champagne & balloons...

A great time was had by all.
Here's the calm, witty, mild mannered Steve...

But give him a few pints & a viking hat...
He turns into STEVIL!!!


As usual Paul gets blotto - but then again why not be happy when your married to a lovely welsh lass.
Congratulations again guys!!!

August 26th - Bank holiday, Ireland surf holiday - "Too small to go in"!

So the bank holiday finally arrives. Friday I drive back to London to meet Stu & Mel, Paula & Paul, Mel, Kate & others for a drink. Saturday I catch the train to Cardiff for the Snow Patrol gig in Coopers field with Davey, Liz, Andy & Tom.
Think Snow Patrol are "OK", the gig was good.


The next day we started the dreaded journey to Belfast - the 8 hour drive to Stranraer ferry port. Ugh!
We get to Daveys parents (who are very sweet) at about half 10.
Daveys dad cooked us an awesome Ulster fry before we headed off to Donegal coast, Rossanowlagh.
Town hall - Belfast...

I took some Photo's along the way.

A mountain near streedagh strand...


We managed to pitch up in a caravan site just as everyone was leaving as a weather front was due in!
We still managed to get the Barbie going before it chucked it down!

Ireland is well known for HUGE surf, we visited all the main spots on the coast & it was too small to go in! ;-)

Yup it was flat...

(Narin beach)
flat...

flat!

(East strand, Portrush, Causeway coast)

Meanwhile it was "going off" on the Devon & Welsh beaches! Quite funny looking back but gutted at the time!
To be fair, the first night there was a messy 1ft wave at Rossanowlagh.
Spot the lone surfer out - it was VERY windy & a long paddle out - He was a better man than me!!!

Also we did go in for a surf the next day at Streedagh strand but it was "totally closing out dude" & still only 1ft (its the first time I've seen a 1ft close out! Very funny!) with the odd 2ft set.


So this is where the boards stayed most of the holiday - in the bags or on the roof.
(Picture at streedagh after our surf)



Again to be fair we did Surf Port Ballintrae later in the hols on the causeway coast.
It was 3ft-5ft! However locals hogged the break & it was impossible to get on the wave - Davey managed to catch one on his fish & do a "bottom turn". I nearly caught one on the shortboard but pulled out for fear of running a body boarder over!

Port Ballintrae on a flatter day as I was too excited to take a picture on the day surf arrived for just that day!...



So we headed for Portrush - with no surf at least we could get pissed!
We stayed in a dive at Portrush. It was £8 a night!
We got a shit surf in (.5-1ft) at west strand, but this was cool as an airshow rehearsal was going on & we got pulled over by the "Surf Police"!! This made our day!
Wish I took my waterproof camera in with me for evidence!

We went to the local pub on the Friday & made friends with the locals & Kelly's night club on Saturday.

Sunday we watched the airshow at Port rush from the balcony at the hostel we were staying at.


Heres some clips of the red arrows..

clip1

clip2







Here they are in perfect formation

So, with no surf it was time to do some site seeing. We checked out Port Ballintrae just in case on the monday as troggs surf report said there maybe something - Lying bastards!!!
To be fair even the flags wee confused about the wind direction at Port Ballintrae....

Ofshore or onshore?


OK, OK!! No, surf - get over it!!
We headed to Carrick-a-rede rope bridge.
The view on the way...


This pic of a very nervous tourist crossing the bridge...


Next it was off to the Giants Causeway...

Start of the walk...

Past the Giant's Organ (Ooer!!)


Here's the causeway side on..


The rocks on the causeway up close are pretty cool, super cooled infact! Its molten rock which was solidified by the ocean thus its amazing shape.

One more..


Davey had to illegaly park in the middle of the road so I could take this pic of Dunluce castle...

I took this pic so you could read about the history of the sights we saw..


It was a great holiday in the end davy did most of the driving while I took all the pic's...


All good things come to an end as we drive onto the ferry home...

Overdue update! July 29th - August 19th

So at last time to do an update - or start one at least.
The weekend after Pauls stag do was spent chilling in Ilfracombe. Davy visited, bought a longboard himself & we got a couple of 3ft classic sessions in - nice one bruv!

The following weekend was spent at fruit stock festival - here's a wee pick of the stage.

My sis & husband Andy were down that weekend so we went into London town to piss about first, before I left them to head on to regents park...

Ok - I'm ready when you are sis..


On the train - No mum I'm not lending you a tenner!..


"Mate - I'm not a tourist I live here!!!"


The next weekend (12th August) I spent in Gorseinon, Wales. We had stuff to sort for the up & coming holiday to Ireland.

The weekend (19th) after was spent chilling in Ilfracombe - unexpectedly, an old friend, Beth got in touch & we went down to St Ives for the day as she was working in Cornwall that week.

A 2ft wave pushed through on Sunday so I went for a surf at Croyde.