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