Trying the feature of putting photos in posts...

This is a shot of the yacht we were sailing on the other weekend, Shiraz, from one of the other vessels. The photo is taken south west of the isle of wight and the rocks to the left are 'the needles' .

Turning 24

This year's birthday celebrations were spread over a couple of days, as I see it, a birthday is an excuse to party, so you might as well have as many as possible.

The first event was a trip to the Duke of Cambridge for happy-hour cocktails followed by tapas at a place just down the road. Most of the DPhil candidates from SPANNER managed to make it and I will put up the photos on the SPANNER section of my photos page soon.

On Friday the plan was punting with Pimm's and lemonade, dinner, and then going out afterwards. It being late May in Oxford, the weather wasn't what it could have been. Despite my optimism that it was going to clear up by the time we were scheduled to punt, the torrential rain (which stopped me even from cycling home to get my camera, and get changed) made even me cancel. Instead we had drinks and snacks in New College MCR. Afterwards we went to my favourite Thai restaurant in Oxford, the 'Chiang Mai Kitchen', then on to the pub. A few hard core members of the group managed to make it to the 'Purple Turtle' but by that stage we were reduced from around fifteen people to three. Unfortunately, there are no photos of any of this as I couldn't go back to Summertown to get my camera because it was raining that hard!

Mum and Dad came down on the weekend and we were very cultured: eating lots of fine food, going to see 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead' on Saturday and a Piano Trio on Sunday morning.

This week looks like it should be fun as there are three big dinners in College (graduate, guest, and eights (rowing)).


Cheers,


Ali

A weekend on a yacht and a welcome lift

Last weekend I went on a trip with the university yacht club down to the south coast for some sailing in the solent and around the isle of wight. The only photo I have of our boat, Shiraz, so far is this picture however I should get some more soon.

We traveled down by minibus on Friday afternoon and spent the night on the boat moored in the marina. The weather on Saturday morning was grey wet and pretty windy, and we went part of the way round the isle of white. This made for some very exciting, and somewhat nauseating, sailing. In the afternoon we were more sheltered in the solent and the weather improved too. We harboured in Lemington and managed to get some dinner before watching a stunning sunset.

Sunday morning meant waking up at 4:30AM in order to leave the Marina by 5:00. Although it sounds painful, it was well worth it as we got to watch the sunrise, over the estuaries which was absolutely stunning. The island was fantastic in the light, and it was a fantastic day. There wasn't much wind in the morning and it died off more in the afternoon, which meant it wasn't terribly fast paced, but it was such a gorgeous sunny day it didn't make much difference. Getting up so early was very strange as by 8:00 AM it felt like much later, and at 10:00 AM I was ready for lunch. By the time we got back to Oxford I was completely knackered (poor Jon had to put up with me dropping off in the college bar afterwards!)


Meanwhile, back in Oxford, I have been having a lot of trouble with my bike, and I left it at a shop yesterday evening for evaluation. As I started the long walk back to the engineering department, a guy pulled over in a new Porshe Boxter and asked for directions to the Cowley road. I drew him a map, and on realizing he was going to have to go past engineering anyway I asked if I could have a lift. So I ended up getting a lift in a porsche back to engineering - which has to be the most stylish of my arrivals at the department!


Well I'm off to go sailing again, dinghies at Farmoor reservoir this time.


Over and out.



Ali

More photos - Exeter Ball and SPANNER!

Hi,

Well after a fantastic May Day - both punting and croquet (I'm so very happy!) I decided to put up some more photos...

Here are those from Exeter Ball and here are some from the second SPANNER trip to New College guest night.

Enjoy,


Ali