Madrid, Berlin and Munich (Octoberfest)

Hello all,

Apologies for my tardiness of late. Through a mixture of exhaustion, business, excitement and just all out partying I haven't been able to get a spare half an hour to keep you up to date on my latest travels. Evidently, now I have and here you go.

Madrid was Aaron and I's second stop in our whirlwind tour of Spain and one that Aaron and I knew very little about other than what had been conveyed to us through conversations with others who had travelled there in the past. Compared to the industrialised nature of the port city, Barcelona, Madrid had a completely different atmosphere to it, probably established by the significant difference in architecture. On our walking tour Aaron and I both felt that this city should really be in Germany or Austria rather than in the middle of Spain. The influence of the Hapsburg family who ruled a few centuries ago is incredibly evident around Europe once you know what you're looking for and Madrid wasn't short of this. We were able to explore the town centre with countless squares and historical landmarks, local markets, the royal palace (2800 rooms, the biggest in Europe) and Cathedral. Here we also learnt about Bull Fighting, a dying form of entertainment in Spain and across the world as a result of its treatment of animals. None the less it has a rich history in Spain and Las Ventas has been the scene of many pivotal moments in the sports past.

From there we travelled to Berlin, Germany. Before our trip had started Aaron and I both earmarked this city as a place that we were keen on visiting and it did not disappoint. It was the most interesting city of our trip caused mainly by the fact that it has been an epicentre for action from three of the biggest world events from the last 100 years, WW1, WW2 and the Cold War. The 4 hours we spent exploring the city by foot on our walking tour was time well spent as we learnt about the city's history. From the Brandbenburg Gate to the Holocaust Museum and the Berlin Wall we were always learning new and often being confronted with the harsh realities faced by many people in the last century. It is so hard to believe that these events have occurred in the course of my grandparents lifetimes. Certainly makes me appreciate how lucky we are to live in a country like Australia.

From one city in Germany and back to the scene of earlier travels, Munich. OCTOBERFEST!!!!!!! This was the craziest two and a half days! If I could sum it up I would suggest it is like the Royal Adelaide Show, only with 3 times the amount of rides, no animals (except the odd horse drawn carriage), no showbags, and all of the halls turn from little stalls into 14 beerhalls holding thousands of people, distributing litres and litres of beer, thousands of meals and each with its own Oompa Band! Basically it's an excuse for usually 'normal' adults to release their inner child with the assistance of a few well placed Steins of locally brewed beer. This was a great opportunity to enjoy what would be our last couple of days in Europe, catching up with friends from Croatian Sailing celebrating what has been an amazing 7 months.

So we've arrived back in London. This afternoon we were able to share lunch with some English relatives who I have never met and are now relaxing at our hostel before heading on a coach tour around Oxford, Warwick Castle, Stratford upon Avon and the Cotswalds. Saturday is Grand Final Day and don't think for a minute we're going to miss it. We've sought out a pub in the heart of the city which will be televising the game at 5.30am! After that we're off to the EPL to watch Arsenal v Chelsea, sure to be a definite highlight of the trip and then we're on a plane home!!!!! So this may or may not be my last blog from Europe. Stay tuned for my wrap up shortly.

Until then,
Watch this space!
Dillon

Croatian Sailing and Barcelona

Helloooooooo readers,

As I'm sitting in my hostel in Barcelona I thought it was about time I put together another edition of my blog to keep you all up to date on my travels.
Since I blogged last I have spent the majority of my time on a sailing boat, sailing around the southern islands of Croatia. Housing 38 passengers and 6 crew 'Cicero' is the biggest of the Fanatics fleet and could certainly saw the best and worst of us travellers over the course of the 7 day trip. On our round trip from Split we stopped at Markaska, Mjlet, Dubrovnik, Korcula, Vella Luca and Hvar. Spending a night at each of these spots we were able to explore the busy contrasted with the tranquil and everything in between.

For the first 5 days we were blessed with amazing sunny weather allowing for sun bathing and swimming during the day followed by dinner at a restaurant and parties most nights. Early on in the week we turned part adrenalin junkies as we went white water rafting just outside of Omis. Now I wouldn't go saying that these were waterfalls or anything remotely close but for someone looking to take in the scenes and get a little bit of excitement along the way it was the perfect afternoon. Some walked away with some bruises (thanks Shelley!) others sore arms from the paddling but most were content with a very nice afternoon.

Most mornings we were blessed with the wake up call of the boat dropping anchor signalling a morning swim in some secluded bay. For those with a rather sore head from the night before this provided a great way to freshen up while others worked on their acrobatics off the top railing of the boat. By far my favourite stop of the trip was Dubrovnik. Not knowing much about the city before we stopped I fell in love with the Old Town, surrounded by a massive wall and flanked by amazingly blue water on one side and mountains on the other. Smooth marble stones pieced together roads for the thousands of tourists who wanted to explore the little alleyways which always held something knew, a cafe, a bar which doubled as a 'beach', bucket bars or ice-creameries. Wherever you walked there was always something knew to find. This was the scene of the groups biggest night of the trip, as well as a picnic which Aaron and I shared with Adrienne, Chris and Shelley overlooking the boats moored at the marina.

Come Thursday we were on our way to Hvar (after stops at the little towns of Vella Luca and Korcula) and we were unfortunate to come across a bad patch of weather. The rough seas mixed with a stint of food poisoning from the night before didn't lead to an enjoyable day and forced us to dock on the far side of the island on which Hvar is situated. Consequently I was unable to get to see Hvar which was quite disappointing as those who had been on the trip previously or to Croatia before raved about the city. It just means I'll have to go back sometime!

After arriving back in Split we had our last night out together as a group, dining at a quiet italian restaurant and dancing at a cafe turned bar. The next morning we parted ways and after a load of washing, some free wifi and some very emotional farewells to Adrienne we were off to Barcelona!
The last two days Aaron and I have gone back to being the typical backpacker tourist, trying to cram as much sightseeing into the smallest timeframe. Yesterday's highlight was definitely La Sagrada Familia, a cathedral designed by Gaudi which is still under construction. If you're not sure what I'm talking about Google it because it is amazing. The amount of thought and detail put into each specific part of that building is astonishing and provides for possibly my favourite building of the trip, and it's STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION! We also ventured to Park Guelle which overlooks the city and provides for some great pictures, the old town and the cathedral.

This morning we were off to Park Nou, home of Barcelona Football Club and the biggest stadium in Europe holding just under 100,000 people. Unfortunately there isn't a game on while we were here but seeing the history and stadium itself was more than enough to keep us happy.

 Tomorrow we are off to Madrid before flying to Berlin later in the week. Hard to believe this time in two weeks I'll be on a plane home!

Until next time,
Watch this space,
Dillon

The last hurrah and Santorini

Hello readers,

Well I'm into my last month abroad and hasn't it started with brilliantly. The week started with my last game for Bovey, a sad but thoroughly enjoyable time. We travelled out to tiverton heathcote, probably up there as the most picturesque grounds I've ever played at. After a pre match pump up from Chris Bradley we looked to go out there and rectify what had been a pretty terrible last month of cricket. Thanks to some great bowling from Charlie Hill, Matt Kidd and the spearhead Charlie Carter we were set a very reasonable total of 114 to win. With some magic from Sam Wyatt-Haines we got over the line 8 wickets down to finish 3rd in the league, higher than the club has ever done before.
I think it's fair to say that the boys were keen to celebrate what has been a tough but rewarding season with the 2nds and 3rds who both won their leagues. It was great to be able to share a few drinks with the boys back at the club and say thankyou for everything that they have done for me over the last 5 months. It certainly was sad to say goodbye but this farewell was the start of a new journey.
After finally packing up my room and saying my final goodbye's to the Simmons's I was on a train to Gatwick Airport to start the rest of my travel with Aaron.
Before I move on I would like to say another quick thankyou to the Simmons's. Despite already having 3 children they welcomed me into their family with open arms and made me feel completely at home. I have no doubt that their warm nature kept homesickness at bay and certainly made the 5 month period a lot easier on an 18 year old away from home for the first time. They always knew how to keep me grounded and it was never long until I heard all the jokes after a tough day in the field and for this I am incredibly grateful. All the best to Jack and Will as they enter into their final years at school and to Rach as she looks to finish her teaching degree. Can't wait to see you all in Adelaide soon.
Anyway, after a 3 and a half hour flight we landed in Santorini in the greek islands.

Now for those who don't know much about Santorini, I was exactly the same until a week ago, it is basically a volcano which the greeks have chosen to inhabit and has turned into a tourist hot spot for those looking for some incredible, movie like, scenery and some sun. Sounds perfect after the worst English Summer in 100 years. And it did not disappoint. It was absolutely stunning. Our accommodation overlooked the Caldera, the centre of the volcano which is now covered by water, with Oia to our right and Fira to our left. In the distance you could see Islands everywhere and cruiseships, yachts and the odd stray dinghy venturing out to explore further amazing sights. Check out Atlantidas Villas, Oia, if you want to see the amazing hotel. After a day relaxing by the pool and a leisurely walk through Oia to take some amazing photos and look through the multitude of little speciality shops the rest of the party showed up. The reason for our travel was to celebrate Ros Howland's 50th Birthday. As a consequence, 13 of us from around the world ventured to Santorini.


The next day, Aaron and I decided to seize a free opportunity and explore more of the southern parts of the Island which we hadn't yet travelled through. We travelled through the tourist filled Fira before stumbling on the beautiful town of Perivolas which is famous for its Black Sand beach. We decided to down anchor here for the afternoon, hire an umbrella and chairs and have lunch overlooking the sea.
As amazing as this was, it was nothing compared to what the Howland's had planned for the next day. Kept as a surprise, we were taken out onto a sailing boat which ventured around the south tip of the island, with stops at the White and Red beaches for a swim, to the Volcanic Springs in the centre of the Caldera and back, watching the sun set on what had been the perfect day.

After three flights and 3 countires, Aaron and I are currently sitting in our hostel about to board the Fanatics sailboat which will take us through the Croatian Islands for the next 9 days. From what we saw on the way in, this will no doubt be an amazing week and I am extremely excited to get to meet some new people and take in some more sun.
So keep an eye out for my next blog!
Until then, watch this space,
Dillon

The beginning of the end...

Hello readers,
It has been a while since I wrote last and it has been an absolutely jam packed time with plenty going on, so look forward to an extended read.

I left you last after our week at the Olympics and showing Aaron around Bovey. Since then I have held two summer holiday cricket courses for the children around bovey interested in cricket for three days, 9am-3pm. As tiring as these days were, they were a great opportunity to spend some time forging a relationship with those who turned up and spend three days teaching them the basics of cricket. This also presented many challenges which I was to work through, with another coach in the first course, and by myself in the second. Coaching has always appealed to me and therefore to have such an intense period of coaching was fantastic and opened my eyes to what exactly is required. The enjoyment and improvement seen in the kids was reward enough for the effort put into it.
In between these two courses, I travelled to Brighton and then further on to Eastbourne to experience some of what Aaron's life had been like, living, working and playing in this area. This was fantastic to see another part of England and meet the people that he had previously talked about. I was shown around Brighton on the monday and tuesday before heading to Eastbourne for a training session and a day of exploration; seeing the boarding house where he had lived and the cricket ground as well as the surrounding area. We made a rather impromptu decision to travel up to london at the end of this week. I saw Thriller in London's west end with James, Eliza, Adrienne and Aaron before living a childhood dream on the friday, watching a test match at Lords Cricket Ground, the home of cricket. This is a particular highlight of my entire trip and to spend a day in a sold out Lords watching high quality cricket is something I will never forget.

This past week I travelled to Scotland. It coincided with the end of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where Matthew Barker and his drama colleagues in Gravity Boots performed. Unfortunately I was unable to see their performance but the place was absolutely buzzing and I was able to see a show at 12:30am on the last night. Edinburgh is up there as one of my favourite cities seen on this trip so far. How the city is planned with the old and the new town separated was brilliant as you were able to experience either the relatively untouched old town or the modern new town separately. After a walking tour of the old town on the first afternoon, James, Eliza, Aaron and I hired a car and travelled out to St Andrews; the home of golf with 7 golf courses, the beach from Chariots of Fire, and a beautiful ruin of a cathedral and castle, before heading further on through Cairngorms and Loch Lomond National Parks on our way to Loch Ness and returned to Edinburgh via Stirling. Done instead of a bus tour, this day was great as it allowed us to do what we wanted and wherever and whenever we liked and allowed us to experience more of the phenomenal Scottish Landscape than would have been possible on a bus. After some shopping and visits to friends James and Eliza were off and Aaron and I did some further exploration of the Royal Mile, Arthur's Seat and Edinburgh castle in the sunlight before boarding a plane back for our final days in Eastbourne and Bovey.

Unfortunately when it comes to Cricket Bovey has not finished the season as we would have liked. We suffered 3 straight losses in the league, effectively killing off our chances of winning the league and also lost in the Devon Cup Final to Sidmouth. With one game left tomorrow however, there is still the opportunity to finish off what has been a great season on a high note. Irrespective of performances, I have still thoroughly enjoyed playing with the boys in the 1st XI, Sunday XI and the Devon Senior Cup team and will be very sad to leave them behind. I have a lot to be thankful for from the last 6 months, and the way that the cricket club, its players, supporters, volunteers and parents have looked after me has made this trip so incredibly special and memorable. I only hope that my presence has made it a worthwhile experience in return.

As I said, I have my last game tomorrow and a celebration at the club after the game before leaving Bovey on the Sunday to meet Aaron at Gatwick Airport to start the rest of our travel first thing Monday morning with a flight to sunny Santorini. This next month is poised to be an incredible month and no doubt the sights, experiences and people we meet will provide a great finish to what has been an amazing trip. After travelling to Greece, Croatia, Spain and Germany I will be returning to England for 4 days to regroup, watch an EPL match (Arsenal v Chelsea), visit family and tour Oxford and the Cotswolds with Sightseeing Tours London (http://www.sightseeingtourslondon.com/) before boarding a plane home to Adelaide.
Look forward to more regular blogs over this next month to keep you in the loop on my travels.
Until then,
Watch this Space,
Dillon

London 2012

Well it is the olympic year and isn't the UK alive with excitement. In case you aren't up to scratch with the world around you the Olympics are being held in London this year bringing millions of people into the UK, supposedly providing an economic boom, sending accommodation prices through the roof as well as the price of transport, food and drinks. The underground becomes packed with anticipation and people filled with the olympic spirit. Road lanes are closed for 'the olympic family' to arrive 2 minutes before an event starts rather than the suggested 2 hours due to the international flight like security. No aerosols, liquids more than 100ml and the typical firearms, grenades or knives. And don't even think about bringing a mastercard, bottle of pepsi or burger king product as they'll all be rejected at the gate or at time of purchase due to Visa, Coca Cola and McDonalds major sponsorship. Most people choose to steer clear of this event but we (being Aaron and I) braved the cues and ventured on a day trip up to Stratford to experience this once in a lifetime event.

It all started with a 6am train from Exeter to be up in London by 9 and meet Aaron at 10 outside the gates before heading into Olympic park for the morning. Being able to walk around the park was fantastic, buying some olympic paraphernalia and taking advantage of the freebies from the sponsors as well as see where the arenas for different sports are located. We were also able to hold the Olympic Torch for a picture in front of the Olympic Stadium; a great feeling. 

After this we headed off to the Excel Centre where we witnessed 3 hours of non-stop boxing. I still don't know how it's scored, let alone how some men maintain a weight between 47 and 49kg, but this was still an amazing event. A couple of aussie aussie aussies later to help an Australian get pumped we were off to dinner and to Earl's Court for an evening of Volleyball. 

Aaron and I were particularly looking forward to this event with our involvement in volleyball in Adelaide both through PE at school and for the infamous Coil's Dodos Volleyball Club. Not only were we blessed with a night of high quality volleyball but we were also able to see the Aussies beat the Brits followed by the top two teams in the world, Brazil and Russia, go head to head. This was a particularly special night as I felt momentarily normal surrounded by tall people, both supporters and players. I even felt a little sorry for a 7 ft 2 participant from Russia, a full 17cm taller than me. He must live with a permanently sore head if I struggle not to hit my head repeatedly around the UK.

A midnight train trip back and we were back in Bovey. The next couple of days I was able to show Aaron around Bovey and the surrounding areas. Considering it was in the first week of June that I saw Aaron last it was great to spend a couple of days with him again before he headed home. It was also good for him to experience what my life has been like for the last 4 and a half months.

I now have less than a month left in Bovey before heading on my last month of travel with Aaron. One of these weeks will be spent with Aaron in Brighton and Eastbourne and one in Edinburgh so no doubt this team will absolutely fly.

Until next time,

Watch this space,

Dillon

Love an English Summer

Hello family, friends and procrastinators,

Another month has passed since my last blog and Wow hasn’t time absolutely flown. It’s so hard to believe that the last time I blogged was at the conclusion of my trip to Ireland.

I have returned to the relative normality of life in Bovey Tracey between trips and with the hectic months of August and September ahead I’m not exactly complaining. A usual week generally involves coaching on a Monday and Friday night and working on a Tuesday and Thursday. Interspersed sporadically is of course, cricket, either Twenty20’s or league matches.

Unfortunately, it seems the change in atmospheric climate caused by a 6 ft 7 giant meandering around the South-West of England has led to an unseasonal amount of rain. This is not only particularly inconvenient for the consistency of cricket but has led to a significant increase in the likelihood of the ‘damn weather’ arising in any daily conversation. Risking backlash I’m going to throw it out there and say that the weather is on the slight improve with the 25 day forecast having significantly more cloudy days than rainy days compared with the last month. Fingers crossed this means plenty more cricket to be played! But then again, when are English weather forecasters ever right?!

This being said we have found a way to get some cricket in recently. The Bovey Tracey 1^st Eleven are currently top of the Devon Cricket Premier League and through to the semi-finals of the Devon Senior Cup. In addition we are also through to the quarter final in the Devon Twenty20 Regional Competition. The 2^nd Eleven have won their way through to the final of the Naracot Cup Twenty20 Competition which will be played this week. So of the cricket being played Bovey Tracey have been going particularly well.

On top of my work at the health centre I have also picked up a couple of 1-1 coaching sessions with colts from the club who are looking for some additional coaching. It has been fantastic to see the improvement already in such a short period of time in boys that have a lot of potential. It has been really rewarding to see the improvement of not only these boys but also the two colts teams that I’m coaching throughout the summer. It makes it seem like the effort you put in is worthwhile.

I’ve also moved house for a short while due to a shortage of beds as my previous family doubles as post-op recovery centre for a fortnight or so. This has meant that I’ve moved in with the Roberts Family. I know this family quite well and they have been fantastic in taking me in despite already having 4 children of their own and have made me feel incredibly welcome.

The next couple of months are going to be very hectic as Aaron and I look to take advantage of our time left over here. We made a last ditch effort to get to the Olympics, and have a day trip to go and see the boxing and men’s volleyball which we are very excited about. Furthermore, Aaron will be coming to visit Bovey and I will be visiting Brighton and Eastbourne for a week. I also will be running two summer coaching courses in August, each 3 days in length, for young cricketers around the area and this is all before our last month of travel which includes, Edinburgh, Santorini, the Croatian Islands, Barcelona, Madrid, Berlin and Munich for Oktoberfest! So much to do, so little time!

Until next time,

Watch this space,

Dillon

Ireland

Wow what a week it's been since my last blog. The first week of travel since the conclusion of Contiki and it didn't disappoint living up to my expectations and more. First stop was Belfast, flying out on Sunday afternoon before the Queen's jubilee celebrations kicked off around the UK. Despite a delayed flight nothing could dampen my excitement for the week ahead. After a flight shorter than that between Adelaide and Melbourne I had landed in Belfast and had arrived at the hostel we would be staying at in the centre of Belfast, much to the excitement of Kathy, Adrienne and Aaron who I would be sharing the next week with.
That night was spent catching up on recent events before our first day of sightseeing the next day. We started the day with a black cab tour through West Belfast, the area of Belfast where the Catholic and Protestant communities are located and the place famous for the start of IRA troubles throughout the 20th Century in Northern Ireland. As a spare of the moment decision to take this tour it was certainly one of the highlights. It was a real shock to hear stories of civil unrest based almost solely on a minor difference in religious preference. Yet there is a wall which separates the two communities similar to that located in Berlin topped with barbed wire at times, a no mans land and barricades which are closed for a period each night to prevent any traffic between the two areas.

A memorial in the Catholic area of Western Belfast to those who have died
as a direct result of IRA troubles.

It was also particularly interesting to see the difference in English patriotism between the Catholic and Protestant neighbourhoods. In the Catholic area there was not a union jack to be seen, but cross over to the other side of the fence and the area was covered in English flags and Union Jacks as well as Queen Elizabeth paraphernalia. Other highlights in Belfast was the Belfast Cathedral which was housing a wedding at the time, as well as the Town Hall and the port.

After a game of king of beers and a late watching of Despicable Me we were off on our 7 hour bus trip through the Irish Midlands and into Galway, a city of 85,000 in the west of the Irish republic. In itself it was a beautiful city but it was just a place to stop for the night before heading out to the Cliffs of Moher and Burren National Park. In Galway itself there was again a very nice Cathedral and a beautiful walk along the river to get to it as well as a busy pub and club district. The highlight of the trip though was the bus tour we took to the Cliffs of Moher through Buren National Park. In my opinion, these cliffs were the most at awe I've been of nature, along with the Swiss Alps covered in Snow. The coach drive through picturesque surrounds in Burren was nice in itself but our arrival at the cliffs was simply breathtaking and the weather made it even more amazing, with sun and minimal breeze making it a perfect sight. 

Our final stop on our travels was Dublin and unfortunately this stage was slightly tarnished by some poor weather. This was a real shame because it seemed like a city with so much to see historically and from lots of different periods throughout history. It is most famously known as the home of the Celts who were a race which originated from the time of the Romans. This being said we still had a great time, exploring Dublin castle and the Temple Bar district as well as the Guinness Storehouse, one of Dublin's most famous sights. Our last night was spent exploring the bars and pubs of the Temple Bar district. Not only was this our last night together as a group but also the last night out that Kathy would have as she heads back to Australia after 3 months of travel.

Anyway, Im now back to the 'normality' of life back in Bovey Tracey. Unfortunately the weather of late hasn't been great and this is expected to continue for a little while longer. Our game on saturday was rain reduced but we won retaining top spot. I am also entering my second week of work at the Mt Pleasant Health Centre and have an expected 4 games of cricket in the next week, weather permitting.

As hard as it is to believe, I am almost half way through my stay overseas! The time certainly has flown but both Aaron and I have quickly realised how much we have to take advantage of our remaining time left over here. Can't wait to see what the next couple of months have left in store for us.

Until next time,
Watch this space.
Dillon

Life in Bovey Tracey 3

It's been nearly 3 weeks since I last updated you on the happenings of Bovey Tracey and in that time so much has happened. One note that must be made is that I hope this post lives up to the significant hype created by the men that I'm lucky enough to call my team mates so here you go boys!
Apart from the never ending excitement of life around Bovey Tracey Cricket Club there have been two significant events in the last 3 weeks which will dominate this blog being; Aaron and I's trip to Greenwich, London to watch the finals of the Premier League Darts and my trip to Bath to visit two friends, Kathy and Adrienne, from Contiki.
About a week after my last post Aaron and I met up in Greenwich, London for a night to visit the O2 Arena (also known as the Millenium Dome) to go and see the darts. Some might say, "What is the point in spending so much money to see something so pointless?". This would seem well founded in Australia, but in Europe, darts is massive! There were between 5 and 10 thousand people in this arena, most of them dressed in some hilarious costumes, drinking and supporting their darting heros. We were no different (minus the costumes). Australian Simon 'The Wizard' Whitlock made it into the final against international superstar Phil Taylor. The aussie started slowly but as can be expected never threw in the towel and fought back to 7-7 only to lose 10-7. A valiant effort. For anyone who has watched the darts on TV the theme song which is played is probably the highlight of the night as all those who are intoxicated or just having too much fun get up and dance and sing. Aaron and I joined in on these antics and the results can be seen on facebook. All in all, a very very enjoyable night and one that was worth the effort of going to. It was great to be able to see Aaron and talk face to face about how much he is enjoying Eastbourne and what his impressions are as well as plan for the future of our trip. Sad to say goodbye but we would be seeing eachother soon.
The second highlight of the last couple of weeks was my trip to Bath. This trip has come highly recommended by a lot of people who have travelled around the UK, including Mum and Dad and it certainly didn't disappoint. After a week of 25 degrees and sun I was wary that the fantastic weather might end but it only got better, highlighting the fantastic architecture of the rounded Royal Crescent and the sheer history of the Roman Baths which had only relatively recently been uncovered. Futhermore, I was able to catch up with some friends who had continued travelling since Contiki and it was great to hear so many of their amazing travel stories including their recollections of ANZAC Day at Gallipoli. I would definitely recommend the trip to Bath as it is just such a beautiful place with fantastic architecture mixed with very picturesque parks and rivers. Well worth the trip.
The other advancement that has come in the last three weeks has come on the work front. I have been gifted some work at a GP practice in Exeter with a family from the club attending to general administration work for the remainder of the summer. The hours of work fit in perfectly with cricket and the money I will be earning saves me from delving into my savings for week to week spending which is ideal. I am very grateful for the leg work that Dr Colin Roberts did for me in lining up this work and it is great to start thinking again rather than just going through the motions of day to day living. Welcome to the life of normal people who have to work everyday :)
It would be naive of me not to mention cricket as clearly this is the purpose of my trip. Bovey Tracey have played 4 games and are currently undefeated in the league and sit top by a game after being the previous top team last week in a very exciting game. This led to some thoroughly enjoyable celebrations as this tied in with the birthday celebrations of two boys at the club and the infamous Bovey Boot was dusted off and drunk after being on the shelf for the last couple of weeks. Personally, I have had a good start to the season with runs in every game and have also had the chance to bowl, which allows me to still contribute to the team if I fail with either the bat or ball.
Tonight I have a Twenty20 match, weather permitting, and another match on Saturday before the Queen's Jubilee celebrations start on the sunday. Most seem more excited about the 4 day long weekend than the purpose of the holidays but are happy none the less. Should be an exciting couple of days around Bovey with a street party and other ceremonies. However, I will miss most of these as I am off to Ireland on Sunday for a week to explore Belfast, Galway and Dublin! I can't wait.
Look forward to hearing that recap in my next blog.
Until then,
Watch this space,


Dillon

Bovey Tracey 2

It's been two weeks since my last post and in that time there have been a couple of requests for another post to keep updated.
My last post ended after my 3rd trial game in the Bovey Tracey Pre-season. There were another two planned trial matches on the next weekend and the season proper to start the weekend after that (i.e last weekend). Unfortunately, preparation for the start of the season was interrupted significantly with rain, and not just a light drizzle. It poured for nearly a week non-stop leaving the pitch, square and outfield of Bovey Tracey recreational ground underwater and therefore unable to host our last two trial games. As a consequence of this rain there was also some localised flooding as was as broad cancellations of other sports across most of England. Luckily the weather started to fine up early last week and a pitch was able to be prepared for the first game of the season against Sandford. We won this game making 186 to their 123, a good win to start the season placing us at the top of the table after round 1. The second game, a friendly against a touring side, ended in a loss in the second last over.
My own performances in the first weekend of the season weren't fantastic with 20 runs and 1 for 21 off 8 overs. However, I am getting more and more confident the more time I spend actually playing cricket rather than just training in the lets. My progress has been good since arrival and I have no doubt this will continue with more cricket being played so no panic stations :)
Outside of cricket, colts training has begun where myself and the other international cricketer from New Zealand run a cricket session for 8 to 15 year olds on a friday night. This generally results in close to 100 kids rocking up for an hour and a half which was initially quite overwhelming but we are settling well into this role. Unfortunately, again the weather hasn't been kind enough to let my coaching of the Under 11 and Under 15 junior sides start yet but no doubt this will start in the near future.
On the work front, the job at the adventure park has fallen through but since then I have had a couple of job interviews for admin work in a GP's office as well as work in a department store so waiting anxiously to hear back from them. I have also set up my own one on one coaching program for kids around the club so hopefully that is up and running in no time.
I am starting to feel somewhat like a local with people seeing me around the streets of Bovey and talking to me about cricket or Australia or the weather which is nice. I am still having a lot of fun and settling nicely into a routine which has been made easier by the improving weather. All in all, I'm looking forward to what exciting things the season has in store.
In a week and a half Aaron and I will be reuniting in London to go and see the final of the darts at the O2 arena which no doubt will have an amazing atmosphere as well as visit Bath and a week long trip to Ireland with friends from Contiki. So look forward to hearing all about those in my next installment.
Until then,
Watch this space.

Dillon

Bovey Tracey

It's been just over 2 weeks since I blogged last and in that time I've settled into the life that will be taking up the next 4 and a half months of my trip.
The family that I am staying with is brilliant. The first week that I spent in Bovey the whole family was home, a 21 year old daughter and two boys 17 and 15. It's almost as if I have slipped out of my family and into theirs. They are incredibly active taking part in tennis, hiking, mountain biking, cricket and hockey just to name a few. This is fantastic as it gives me a chance to get off the couch and outside. Since then they have dispersed back to school, uni and work leaving me time at home by myself.
Unfortunately the weather has been a little bit temperamental and as a consequence it's been difficult to get any routine established as cricket has been interrupted and I've been stuck up inside for a majority of the days.
I have had 3 games since arriving here. One was rained out after 20 overs without getting a bat or bowl. The second game I was drafted to the opposition to make up the numbers and even out the competition in which I made a second ball duck (not a great start!) and took my first wicket. The 3rd game, played yesterday, went a bit better as I scored 49 not out and took another wicket. We have another week of trial games this weekend before the official season starts on May 5 which I can't wait to get into.
Bovey Tracey the township is rather small with a main street which has most of what I need, a gym and the cricket club. There are 3 larger towns within 10 to 15 minutes as well as Exeter, the capital of Devon which is the size of Adelaide CBD within half an hour. Torquay, the nearest beach city is only 3 quarters of an hour away which will hopefully come in handy when the weather starts to slowly warm up and the rain becomes a little more rare.
The job search is going slowly as the original pub work fell through. At this stage I might have work at a local adventure park about 15 minutes away which I understand to be similar to Greenhills adventure park where I might be working behind a bar or in a cafe. This is still yet to be confirmed.
All in all I've settled in well and as colts training and cricket gets into full swing I will hopefully have the chance to get into a routine making life a little bit easier.
Until next time,

Watch this space :)
Dillon

Contiki days 19, 20 and 21. The last hurrah

I left my last post heading into Amsterdam for the last city on our tour. It didn't disappoint and was a fitting end to what had been such an incredible 3 weeks with 48 other amazing people. Our first night included a trip to infamous red light district where those who weren't keen on exploring shared a few beers/shandy's before a relatively early night to prepare for what was to be our last day together as a group. An early morning allowed us to take in the beautiful city of Amsterdam by day. We started at Anne frank's house which was a highlight of the day as I had prior to this trip read the book and watched the film. It was incredible to think that 12 people could live in such cramped quarters for such a long period of time shrouded in constant fear. We then headed down the main shopping street of Amsterdam, the sight of 5 H&M stores alone (Aaron's new favourite store and the home of his new man scarf) along with countless other stores. This was the detour taken to the local palace and gardens and the Heineken museum. A few Heineken's and laughs later we were prepping for our last night out. We started with dinner in a small fishing village approximately 30 minutes outside of Amsterdam before heading back into the centre of the city for a canal cruise with open bar for an hour and a half. This allowed us to see the city by streetlight and what a beautiful city it is with some amazing architecture and romantic scenery. This was the start of a great night where we moved between some local clubs and pubs dancing and listening to some live music. It was tough to say goodbye to those staying in Amsterdam but with only a quarter of the crew staying behind we knew it was going to get tougher. It wasn't long before we'd cruised through belgium and were back over the English channel and into London. I have absolutely no doubt that the friendships that I've made and the memories that we've shared will last a lifetime and I can't wait to see how people's lives progress in the next 5 or 10 years. I couldn't have asked for a better group of people to share such an amazing tour with and there's no disputing that it was the people not the places that made the trip so enjoyable (although the places we visited were still incredible) I have so much to thank them for as I shared many firsts as an 18 year old with them. We have arrived back in London and its not long before Aaron and I split and head off to our respective cricket clubs for our season of cricket. The posts will become less frequent but please stay tuned. Until next time, Watch this space. Dillon

Contiki days 15, 16,17 and 18

The last time I wrote a blog post we were travelling to Vienna via Mathaussen Concentration Camp, the last Nazi concentration camp liberated by the allies in World War 2. This is possible the most eerie experience of my life as we watched a documentary about the life span of the camp and then had some time to walk around. It is so hard to believe that such a cruel thing could occur in what can definitely be considered very recent history. Certainly an experience that I’ll never forget.

Arriving in Vienna, a city which I knew comparatively little to other cities we have visited, I was blown away by the architecture and history which included the period of the world wars. This was also the site of the highlight hotel of the trip with the biggest and most luxurious hotel housing a day spa and a gym comparable to Fitness First, Payneham (for all you South Australians). Consequently the first night allowed us fitness freaks to work off the Italian carbs and relax in the pool. Our free time in Vienna was spent exploring the historical loop which included the cities’ palace, the Austrian museum of Natural History, St Stephens Cathedral, a dirt bike festival and a trip to the local schnapps museum.

The next day was spent on the coach travelling to Prague, Czech Republic. The first night in Prague was spent on a pub-crawl through 3 pubs and a local 7 story club. This started with 1 and a half hours of an open bar and fair to say there was a significant thinning of the contiki-ers. Others went onwards and upwards to a great night, exploring the nightlife and making friends with the locals. The city itself was #1 on the list of most beautiful cities explored on this trip, tied with Venice. The river flowing through the city was the scene of our lunchtime cruise allowing for the hard core partiers to back up after a big night before hand. We also had the opportunity to explore Prague Castle and the Czech Republic communism museum. That night we were treated to the famous black light theatre which was interesting interpretive dance with comedic intervals. This was followed by a once in a lifetime dinner. We spent the night at a Neanderthal restaurant in which we had to order through carvings, in a cave with waiters who just grunted to communicate. Those who were keen to take advantage of our last nights on the trip headed out to a local club called Roxy and fair to say a dance floor was destroyed after a few cheeky cordials.

Yesterday we ventured to the Rhine Valley in Germany as a stopover on our way to Amsterdam. We were treated to a wine tasting in a cellar from the 1700’s.

We have just arrived in Amsterdam is sure to be a place for many, many funny stories so stay tuned for the next edition of this blog. 2 days left in our Contiki trip which is very sad but we’re sure to head off with a bang.
Until then,

Watch this space.

Dillon

Contiki Days 11, 12, 13 and 14

My last post ended on my last night in Rome and since then we’ve been going non-stop through Venice and into Munich, Germany. Leaving a place such as Rome is tough because of all the history that it holds from different eras anywhere from 2500 years ago to 100 years ago and the nerd inside me wasn’t happy. However, the transition to Venice didn’t disappoint. What a beautiful place! Our day in Venice included a walking tour through the little alleyways, avenues and canals as we learnt about the formation and history of Venice. It was incredible to think that over 2000 years ago Venice was founded as a city built on thousands of tree trunks stuck into marshy surrounds resulting in a stable but very, very slowly sinking city. We also enjoyed a romantic gondola ride along the canals of Venice, seeing the city from a different angle and experiencing what life would have been like when this was the main mode of transport around the city. Free time involved trying but ultimately failing to get purposely lost in the never-ending labyrinth of back streets as well as a trip into St Mark’s Cathedral and a picnic on the banks of the Grand Canal. The weather didn’t let us down with a beautiful blue sky and bright sun.
The next day we ventured to Munich via Austria and again ticked off what was a fairly unique experience for the second time in the trip. 3 different meals in 3 different countries in one day!! Breakfast in Italy, lunch in Austria and Dinner in Germany. Fair to say everyone was pretty excited to see a salad bar at lunch and dinner after 5 days of Lasagna and a severe lack of any vegetables. This sounds crazy for me to be saying but I quite enjoyed a SALAD for lunch. Unbelievable!
Munich transported back into more modern eras of history as we were opened to the events of the world wars, in particular world war 2 and the rise of the Nazi’s. This was before a trip to a local and quite famous beer house where we enjoyed a significant amount of pork and a few coca-colas to the sounds of a german brass band. Today we’re travelling to Vienna via Mathaussen Concentration camp which is sure to be a confronting and eye-opening experience. Until next time,

Watch this space.

Dillon

Contiki Days 7,8,9 & 10

So there has been so much to tell you about the last 4 days that I don't think I could do it justice. I could probably title this blog "Italy" as the last 4 days have seen us head from Nice in Southern France to Rome via Florence. Day 7 basically consisted of a day on the Coach travelling to Florence with one major detour, Pisa, the home of the leaning tower. This was a rather large shock, mainly as a result of the surrounding ghetto. It was quite odd to see such a beautiful square of history including the Leaning tower and attached baptistry and cathedral located right in the middle of the darkest part of a ghetto comparable to Elizabeth. After a week of the high life it was a shock to the system to see what was basically slums where it can only be expected that unemployment and crime levels would have been high. This soured the experience for some but for me it was just more of a shock until you got through the beggars and the squares surrounding wall to the trip Pisa square.

FLORENCE
Heading into Florence we were treated to a walk through the historic town to an all you can eat lasagne and an early-ish night before our next day exploring Florence. We woke to a beautiful day, a traditional leather production demonstration before a walking tour through the historical sights of Florence, most importantly the Duomo and the Ponte Vecchio. It brought back many memories from Year 10 History and it was amazing to see such a building which if I was to say dominated the Florence skyline it would be an understatement. Luckily enough we were able to climb the second biggest dome in christendom (behind the St Peter's Basilica) and look out over the seemingly never ending spread of terracotta roofs. We also quickly visited the palace of the Medici family who are basically the founding family of the banking and monetary systems. This was also the sight of a 1.5kg Florentine steak for lunch (shared between 3) and a Tuscan feast (5 course meal) in a castle above Florence. This only served as the precursor to my first clubbing experience at space and it was certainly an incredibly enjoyable night to remember.

ROME

Arriving in Rome was something I will never forget. It was a serious of WOW's as we took a coach trip through Rome past the Colosseum, the Vatican, the Altar to the People (also commonly known as the wedding cake) and the Roman Forum. This was before a walking tour through the Colosseum to the Trevi Fountain, consuming Europe's best voted Gelati (amazing!!) and to the Pantheon. Today was spent revisiting the places the we skimmed over on our walking tour as well as the Catacombs (morbid) and a 3 hour tour through the smallest country in the world, Vatican City. After going to a Catholic School for 6 years of my life it was hard not to be excited about this tour and it didn't disappoint. We scoured the Vatican museums, took shneaky shnaps of the Sistine Chapel roof before heading into St Peter's Basilica. It was amazing to see such incredible art and architecture for what is assumed to be a sacred space. Around every corner was a different famous sculpture or painting by Michelangelo or Boticelli. A paragraph on it just doesn't do justice.

Tomorrow we're off to Venice via the home of the Ferrari where some of us will be driving Ferrari's around a custom made highway track. Should be an interesting experience. Until then, watch this space!

Dillon

Contiki Days 4, 5 and 6

So by now you're probably getting sick of having to read through my stories of having an amazing time overseas so I thought i'd just keep you updated on what's happening. Short and shiny.
It's been three days since I posted last and since then the biggest highlights have been generally related to the amazing scenery that we've been blessed with. We've explored what seemed to initially be a nice, cosy little town called Lucerne which had a couple of main streets and a few main attractions such as a historic old bridge. The trip up to the top of the closest mountain proved those observations wrong as we were treated with incredible panoramic views of the swiss alpine region, some amazingly white and clean snow and a view of what turned out to be a big sprawling city. The scene provided time for some quality snowballing and some even better group photos.
Since then we have travelled through 4 countries; Switzerland, Italy, France and Monaco (the second smallest country in the world, 5 square kilometres). We've travelled from endless snow capped mountains into the quaint italian countryside through to the beautiful french riviera with possibly the bluest water I've ever seen. It's pretty incredible to think that we travelled through 4 countries, from snow to surf and had 3 main meals in 3 separate countries, all in one day!
Last night was spent in Monaco, a country which has no taxes but requires residents to have a passport worth $4 million each. Fair to say there was a serious amount of money being thrown around. Mansions, yachts, at the casino. It was just incredible. Fun fact: A piece of land 1 square metre by 1 square metre costs $56,000 in Monaco!

We had dinner in a cosy little restaurant off one of the alleyways before heading to the Grand Casino for the rest of the evening. It was an odd sight seeing people just walk up to a roulette table and place a $500 bet every once in a while and not even care what the result of the bet was. It was similarly enthralling to witness what a $200,000 chip looks like. Luckily some contiki-ers won a bit of cash to provide some entertainment as we all cheered to the amusement of the dealers in the tuxedos.
Today was a relax day, allowing us to do some washing and a picnic up above the cote d'azur of some local delicacies before heading out to dinner later on tonight. This morning was one of the most picturesque runs i've ever done in my life, along the beaches of Nice as the sun rose. Breathtaking!
We head into Italy for the first time to stay tomorrow as we explore Florence. And I can't wait.
Until then,

Watch this space,

Dillon