My New Home - and Still no Boat Time!

I have now been living in my new home for 3 weeks (sorry I haven't kept to my fortnightly posts - I think monthly is going to be more realistic with all the activities I'm throwing myself into). After a week of complete spoiling with my aunt and uncle, Aly and Paul, they helped me shift my life into my room.

Left: 

Lisa, Adam, Alicia and Lydia in the countryside area behind Halls 

Right: Westminster Halls L Block (My room is top right window at the front)

         
Right: I love the sky! The planes constantly draw criss-cross patterns so sunrise and sunset are stunners!


My new digs mates aka varsity family (aka United Flat Three) consists of Lydia - a hugely bubbly and energetic Greek girl in first year Nutrition (Our baby of the flat), Adam - from everywhere (Kidding, he was born in Hong Kong, but he's British, and sounds a bit Irish to me, and possibly a bit American too...oh and he has lived in China and an Indian country which slips my memory right now). He's a bundle of fun, studying post grad teaching. He's married to Hubey (a chinese girl who lives and is studying in London). Then there's Stu from Bury (Near Manchester) who is in his first year of Theology and Philosophy. One of my first encounters with Stu was him walking out of his room with his arms stacked with microwave hotdogs and pizza - to which I had a good chuckle. He has since been dubbed "God" of Stuism and has been coverted to munching on carrots and celery occasionally. Who next? - Gil (Short for Guillaume - which is French for William). He is the stud of the house, studying his Masters in Hotel Management, he's well suited to what he studies, as he is a chatter box and a half and loves food and appreciates the great outdoors. He loves South Africa - he did a bit of work at Singitha, in Kruger - most of conversations end up being about the bush. Then last, but most definitely far from the least is Al (Alicia) the beauty from Spain. She is full of fun and giggles - we do spans of (Horrific on my part) singing, hand standing, climbing walls and trees and poles, making games and generally playing the fool. She's studying primary level education which I guess is why she's so in touch with her inner child. We're a pretty international bunch, and spending time together comes naturally. We all seem to gravitate to each other and have settled in with such ease - it's as if we've lived together for ages (and that's not just my opinion).

Itching for a Row

It's official. Running is "oarsome". Running only just dims that craving for sport and moving my body these days. After almost 3 weeks without being on the water, I had a sudden realisation - I've managed to keep up a basic level of fitness with a few runs a week and the odd strength session here and there, but the feeling of gliding and sliding, tipping and pushing just aren't satisfied by a run. I miss my little Severin Rowing Boat! The sound of pounding feet on the road is also more of a grind than the swish, splash and bubble of a rowing boat.

I managed to lug my 30kg of luggage around again last week. As I left Duncs and Brendan, (and Henry the Chinaman) in Limehouse and Headed (secretly and spontaneously) off to Bath. Oh Beautiful Bath!!! I headed out prepared to sleep on the pavement or in the train station should I not find a backpackers. Pretty confident I would find the one I had researched I headed off, and arrived at Bath Backpackers fairly ready for bed after a day of marching up stairs and dodging focussed Londoners. Lisa (spelled Lille) from Austria, and I hesitantly started chatting, and ended up spending the entire of the following day together. We explored a vast majority of the Bath sites, my favourite being The Old Roman Baths. We had a decent amount of fun together, singing random songs as we walked to our various sites, watching the odd street show here and there, shopping for trinkets post cards and sweeties, and grocery shopping for our dinner. It was as if we had been friends for many years, and I was sad to say goodbye to her the following morning.

Next week the real varsity life starts. (Not quite like the real world, but will be work, nevertheless). My Halls (Res) is stunning from what Aly (My Aunt) and I could see from our snooping. I move in this Sunday. To Westminster Halls, which is in Botley area of Oxford. I will be living no less than 50m from the Varsity sports hall and a mere road crossing to the sports fields (Which have about 3 Rugby Fields worth of space to make use of!). Couldn't ask for a more ideal position.