16.c Try a new type of Transport, Horses

Yesterday saw me take on possibly my scariest challenge yet as I attempted to ride a savage and wild horse, well lazy and stubborn.

Now I hadn’t ridden before so when the idea for this particular challenge came around I had no idea how to start, luckily for me my girlfriend used to be a keen rider and new both where the stable was to go riding but also had a vague idea of how to ride too.

We arrived at Courtlands early one Saturday afternoon to join the adult riding lesson, with me as the most in experienced rider brining up the rear. First I learnt how to walk, and lead Tommy, the lovely horse which was unfortunate enough to be given me as a rider, around the school.

After a while, and the teacher apparently being quite harsh on me (though I hadn’t noticed), it was time for me to take a step forward and learn how to trot. Now this was an insane feeling as I got bounced up and down and tossed around everywhere, but slowly as the lesson continued slowly I could feel myself beginning to move up and down instead of Tommy making me bounce.

All in all I had a great time so thank you to Courtlands for the experience, which I may have to try again at some point.

Firsts…

Now this year was meant to all be about firsts, things that I have never done before. Now this got me thinking about some of the things I have done this year which I have never done before. This made me think about the list, so I have added a few things that have happened to me so far this year that I have never done before.

For example, I had never (in fact no-one in my family had ever) spent a night in hospital. Unfortunately due to the glandular fever and doctors worrying more about swine flu than what was actually wrong with me I got to this year. Not a great experience but definitely an experience. (Number 17)

We will just have to see what I can organise, or what comes up in the rest of the year to complete the last four items on the list.

Apologies for the short post, especially as it is long overdue! However I am off horse riding tomorrow and hopefully all being well I shall blog that!

P.S. I wonder if i should try vlogging one of my posts :S

16.c Four wheels are better than two!

Well an opportunity arose to have a go on a motorbike. Well I asked a friend if he would mind me having a go on his restricted learners bike as I didn’t think this could do me much harm, this is where I went wrong. It was a sunny day in an Essex car park I had the helmet on and had listened intently to my “instructor”, it was at this point I should have said “Would you mind going through that again please just so I am sure on this?” however I climbed on the bike and gave it a try.

I pulled in the clutch, put the bike in gear, turned the accelerator slightly and nothing! I couldn’t understand why it wasn’t moving then thought about it and realised I hadn't released the clutch, so slowly (I thought) I released the pressure and whoosh I was off. I got about four foot and then panicked, I was coming up to a kerb didn't understand how to turn properly and tried to brake. This unfortunately in my state of mild panic this didn't work as well as I hoped but as my body came in contact with the car park floor I knew I had stopped, I stood up and just said “I’m ok” whilst my friends laughed and the bike owner checked his bike was ok. Luckily this event  was also captured on video, so for your viewing pleasure I present my attempt at riding a motorcycle.

2.a England: Drink a pint of scrumpy and see a show on the West End

This challenge has possibly been one of the most expensive so far, which actually kind of surprised me. However I am sure that visiting a new country will be a tad more expensive!

Now this all started on a family holiday to Cornwall, this is when I picked up the very very nice scrumpy from Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm. Now I drank this at the time, because I didn't want it to spoil depending on how long it took to get to the west end, and it was gorgeous. Now I am a big cider drinker anyway so this wasn’t a huge hardship for me but it was nice to try something new!

The second half of this challenge is the West End Show and around the time I started blogging a friend of mine asked if I wanted to go with her, and as I wasn’t really looking to go see a musical all alone and I don’t get to see her very often I dually accepted. The date was set and I booked the tickets for The Lion King at the Lyceum theatre. When we arrived in London we got slightly lost trying to find the theatre but my new iPhone came to the rescue and sent us in the right direction. The show itself was spectacular the music was brilliant, and the costumes inspired. In fact I liked the music so much I ended up buying the CD partly so I could find out those lyrics I missed live. It is a great family show and I would recommend it to anyone it is a great way to spend an afternoon in London.

Thank you to the girls for keeping me company at the musical and my parents for the “free” holiday in Cornwall.

Howdy Stranger!

Apologies it has taken me so long to type to you guys but my life has been mildly hectic over the past month or so! I have managed to complete a few tasks from the list, finished my placement, travelled to Bournemouth and gotten ill.

I will blog the completed items in the usual way and just use this post as a general chatty post. Though as usual I have no idea what to say!

As I said I have finished my placement, so I am no longer working at Microsoft. This means a) I have a lot more time for myself, b) I no longer have any money, and c) my computing friends can't think I’m evil anymore! It was a great experience and I wouldn't have changed any of it! Unfortunately this does mean I now have to write the essay about my placement however I do have a little time for that!

The other bit you may be wondering about is the bit where I said I am ill. For those that haven't already heard is that for two weeks I have been suffering from Glandular Fever. I have had loads of well wishes and to all of those that sent them thank you very much!
Glandular Fever is one of those things which no-one seems to talk about however once you are infected everyone has a story about it, this has lead to a huge array of opinions and stories about how long the recovery is and what the symptoms are! The general consensus is that it takes 2-4 weeks to begin to feel vaguely normal, well I am at the two week point and am beginning to feel mildly normal, just don't look it. This means hopefully by my birthday party I will be ok!

Yes that's right the day has finally come and tomorrow I turn 21, this marks the half way point in the year and I am pretty sure I am not half way through the list, also I still do not have a complete list! This is possibly the most annoying thing, but hopefully soon I will have a brain wave and complete the list so watch this space!

It’s a new dawn, It’s a new day for me..

…and I’m feeling good.

That's right my beloved readers, I am happy in my life! Which makes a pleasant change. Since my last post I have made some progress on the list and been generally happy and bouncy!

In terms of the list I went to see the Lion King and went to a cider farm (actually did that a while ago but was waiting to blog it till I saw the show), been learning the joys of Guinness ready for my trip over in September, and well actually that is it!

I had a good friend visit me this weekend and I was supposed to be crossing off number 9, unfortunately my loving mother decided it would be a good time to protest against this one! So now this is on hold till i return to the lovely Bournemouth for my final year of university.

In other blog relate news..

I still am struggling to think of ideas to complete the list of 21 things. I can’t think of a new poll, and life has got busier recently leading to a lack of posts! However, my calendar is becoming less hectic, and girlfriend willing I should hopefully be back to a weekly schedule soon!

One final note, as of Monday there are now 7 weeks until I finally bite the big one and turn 21! So if anyone has any suggestions of things I should add to the list to do before the big day let me know soon!

Blog to you all soon! Especially as I will write the post for 2.A. now and publish it later in the week!

Life

Heylo everyone!

Apologies I haven't blogged in a while, my life as always is hectic. However there has been little progress with the list!

The little progress that has been made regards my becoming a scout leader, I now hold a pre-warrant meaning I am allowed to do it but need to take the training, well I have already been doing the training and have been waiting for the pre-warrant to get things made official! So hopefully within the next month I should be a properly fully qualified Leader! (Hopefully by St George’s Day so that I can take my first promise as a Leader!)

There have been a couple of suggestions made in regards to a number 17 however nothing has been pinned down yet, but as soon as I know I will blog it here first (as I have no-where else really to blog it).