Engerland and Home Again

Let me start this post off with a word of warning: I am MASSIVELY sleep deprived. I am doubting my abilities to string more than 4 coherent words together. Of course, this lack of logical abilities at the moment is making it very difficult to get programming done at work. So to make use of my time, I am going to post some pictures of note from my trip that I promised that I would get up, and attempt to fill in the holes of my final few days in Engerland.

First, some pictures of activites that I have already summarized:



This is the greeting I got at Heathrow. (Kidding: this of course would be Guy Fawkes festivities. I thought that I wouldn't be so cruel as to put the picture of Simon in his tux up).



This is Matt, Simon and I at Guy Fawkes after most of the festivities have taken place.



And this is Vivian, Mark, and Matt at that random house in the country that we ended up staying at.



This is Becky, Ryan, Emily and Glen at the Red Bull, the pub across the way from their college. The Red Bull is the #1 alternative when the college bar is rented out for other activites (e.g., Sweaty Salsa night, which is quite truly quite sweaty I learned later in the week after having to walk through the Sweaty Salsa-ers)



This is where we had Formal Hall at Oxford. This picture was taken pre-dinner, as I was expressly told that whipping my camera out during dinner was not proper etiquette. So unfortunately I have no photographic evidence of actually sitting high table.



Here are Ryan and Glen in the Bear for a pre-dinner pint. Note the ties on the wall behind: the whole place is covered in tie clippings which the pub owners apparently like to collect off of their patrons.



This is a picture from the patio outside of Ryan's new residence room. A few months ago, Ryan and the Finn moved into a little cottage that is just behind the college itself, and is much nicer than the room that he had before. Also, it has a patio. And is about 4 times the size as his previous room. Brilliant.



And this is the cottage that said room is located in. Nikie, you will appreciate how much better this place is than his old room. You may want to consider another visit out there to take advantage of the accomodations alone.



Here we are giving positive reinforcement to James whilst he is carrying out his Portering duties. Explanation: at all the colleges in Cambridge (and Oxford), there is a Porter on duty. At the vast majority of colleges, these Porters are hired as full time staff, and effectively act as Guards for the College. Wolfson has the unique distinction of also having 2 student Porters on staff: those Porters would be James and Ryan. So they have universal access anywhere on the college. And control of the security cameras. And intimate knowledge of the going-ons behind the scenes. And power beyond their wildest dreams.



Here is Ryan giving a brief tutorial on the Trailer Park Boys to Nick and Simone (not shown). This will come in handy in the next couple of weeks for the "Best of Trailer Park Boys" showing that will be occuring in one of the common rooms. I wish I were there to see it. Hessels and Conrad: Ryan may well be joining us in Halifax for NYE so that he can make a pilgrammage to the Trailer Park where the Boys is filmed. Should be good times.



Here are Ryan, Becky and James after the Wolfson formal hall. A considerably different experience than the Christ Church formal. Much more wine and Port.



For my final evening in the UK, James and Becky had us over for a fantastic chicken dinner in their new flat. This is Becky and I after dinner. And after 3 Yorkshire puddings.

Mmmm. Yorkshire Puddings.



And here I am with Emily (who I finally got to meet this trip... even though we stayed at her place last time I was in Cambridge) at a Wolfson party on my last night there. Emily: you will note that I HAVE NOT put the ass picture up. But I do have it, and may be forced to use it as collatoral in the future. Hee hee.



And finally, a picture of Ryan, Simone and Emily during my last few hours at the college. Shortly after this, I went to bed. For 2 hours. I then picked up the 3:30am bus for Heathrow, took said bus, got on the plane, arrived in Toronto, was driven home by Vik, and found a (very hungover) Lynne on my couch. Out for the evening to Fion Maccool's, where an early evening turned into one that saw me in bed after 3am. 30+ hours after I got up. Yesterday was a bit of a blur, as I think I was only awake for about 8 hours (pretty much long enough for me to give Lynne a ride to the airport). Hence the fatigue and lack of creative thought whatsoever.

And as promised, this morning sees a new Anderson with a healthier lifestyle. We'll see how long this lasts.