Calshot Spit, London, CouchSurfing while speaking Spanish and Olympic facilities

*Disclaimer: I wrote a novel here. There are lots of pictures though!

26/3 - Stella, Jess and I found ourselves in the kitchen at the same time this evening, and this situation evolved into one of those random times when everyone shares their food. They don't happen often because everyone is so busy, but it's fantastic when it does. Stella made a sort of mash with peas and onions, Jess shared her chicken curry, which always seems to clear my sinuses but is delightful at the same time, and I mixed chicken, kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, kale, cumin, paprika and other stuff in a pan, and also made some rice.

It was the first time Stella ever tried Brussels sprouts. She said they look like tiny cabbages. I told her they have a really bitter flavor if you don't cook them properly, but when they are cooked properly they add a different taste to the dish. Jess found out I can actually use chopsticks, and she looked shocked and started laughing. But these are some of the best moments in life, when you can sit down with other people and share food you all cooked. 

And while eating with Jess and Stella, I can understand my accent a little better now. For example, with words like "water" or "bottle," I don't pronounce the "t." Instead, I make it sound like I'm saying a "d" sound. So instead of "water," I say "wadder." It kind of makes me sound like I'm butchering the language! But it's fun to examine different accents. In Britain, there are so many, and if you're here long enough you can start to tell a difference between all of them. For example, the more northern you go the more difficult it is to understand the accent; it gets stronger. 

Our class took a field trip to Calshot Activities Centre in Southampton today (where the U.S.S. Dwight D. Eisenhower was docked; what a massive ship!). This compound used to be the place where seaplanes were stored. Essentially, it's a giant hangar that stores a velodrome, skiing slope and climbing walls. There are a few other hangars used for either storage or play areas when school children come to visit, a ropes course and Calshot Castle next to the hangars, which was build by Henry VIII. There's a coastguard tower too, but that's not part of the compound.

All of these buildings are listed, which means their history has to be preserved. Because of this, you can't insulate the hangars or alter the existing structure in any way. If repairs need to be made, like-for-like materials have to be used. There are buildings on the spit where you can sleep and live if you're being trained at the Centre. The spit is a tiny strip of land that juts into the shipping channel, and it's at the mercy of the tides. Sometimes the water blocks the road in and floods the hangars.

But I thought this would be a fun place to work if I want to stay in England. I can teach snowboarding and am familiar with climbing, so I told my lecturer that, and he said he'd get in contact with the director of the Centre. It's another opportunity, so let's see where that heads.

27/3 – There’s another job opportunity in my sights. This one is with Poole Town as Commercial Manager. I asked a member of the club if they’re looking for someone more experienced than me, but he told me I have something going for me, such as the fact they know me over there and they know I have the time and the enthusiasm for the club. While that’s a definite plus, I won’t expect too much. I have no experience seeking out advertising. But having said that, I sent my CV to them. The worst they can say is no.

I’m in Hemel Hempstead for the weekend, where I’m staying with Josep from Barcelona. And to get here, I had to transfer trains in Central London. The city is a wave of humanity; there are people running in all directions in Waterloo Station. Men in suits, women in high fashion, teenagers sprinting to make their train, travelers watching the big board to see when and where their train comes in, this language, that language, giant advertisements, all different colors of skin and always that one pigeon inside the train station that is too hardcore to be afraid of humans. This is a chaotic place. I can see why everyone would love to work there; there’s always something happening. But sometimes it’s too fast. I feel like a lamb following the herd sometimes, especially in the tube and train station, and that’s why I’m unsure about whether I’d like to work in London.

But this is my favorite city in the world. It always puts a smile on my face; it never fails. The place where some of your memories were formed will do that. I absolutely love the fact I find myself in London again. It’s like having a second, third, fourth chance at going somewhere you truly love and which really made you happy. All of this, despite the fact I again forgot my Oyster card.

28/3 - I spent a couple hours in London with Josep today. We've spent the whole day speaking in Spanish so far. I'm feeling more confident about speaking the language now, but I still have a lot to learn. And Spanish from Spain is both pronounced differently and has different words, kind of like American English vs. British English. But we walked several miles through Central London and went to a tapas restaurant in Soho. We also went to the National Gallery where there are paintings from artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Michelangelo and Claude Monet.

I could definitely see myself living in London. That city is so alive. The skyline is full of competing skyscrapers and facades, all battling for your attention. The city has so much to offer! But there are major drawbacks: the traffic is awful (so bad, in fact, you get fined for parking there during the week; it's called the Congestion Charge, and there are cameras set up to get your license plate number if you park in a certain area during the week.), it's outrageously expensive (just like most big cities) and you'll have to compete with tourists intent on nothing more than getting a selfie of themselves below Parliament, thus blocking foot traffic.

That by itself makes the whole experience old. Why do people feel the need to take a picture of everything? Why take a picture of a painting? Why is it so important to get a selfie with Big Ben in the background? Put the selfie sticks away and enjoy where you are! And there are so many people in certain places, like under Big Ben. It's so hard to enjoy the sights of London when you have to dodge people left and right. And I hate to say this, but now that I live in England, visiting London is like listening to a great song over and over again; it eventually gets repetitive and boring. Been there, done that.

29/3 - Before I tell you what I did in London today, this entry is dedicated to Sharon and Brent Gill of Porterville, CA. It was their 50th wedding anniversary on Friday. That's amazing. I can't imagine being married for 50 years. I can't imagine being married. Hell, I can't imagine being 50 years old. But in all seriousness, these two are like family to me. Because of that, and the fact I had just learned of their anniversary while sitting in a cafe in Waterloo Station doing nothing productive, I decided to send them a congratulatory video. The picture below is some of what I sent them. However, I wasn't clever enough to get the guitar player on the video; he was playing the perfect song for a video tribute.

This was another one of those quick, yet special adventures. It had meaning. With the London eye and Big Ben glowing in the darkness, I couldn't have chosen to do a better thing waiting for the train. Congratulations, Sharon and Brent! Here's to many more anniversaries!

Anyway, back to me. Josep and I spent the afternoon in East London at Olympic Park. I was here in 2011 when it was still under construction. The finished product was fantastic! I remember the goal of the London Olympics was all about being green, sustainable and reusable. In my opinion from visiting for five hours, they've accomplished all of those. While the stadium is under construction right now, the tall sculpture still takes people to the top, the velodrome is used by cycling teams, the aquatic center was being used for a youth swim competition and the Copper Box Arena hosts London Lions basketball games. And surrounding the buildings, there are play parks, small ropes courses, and simple resistance machines. Essentially, London invested in that area of the city to be a mecca of physical activity. The whole complex is a working part of the city, and an asset, unlike other Olympic Parks such as in Beijing or Athens.

The velodrome had its doors wide open to passerby. We walked right in and sat down to watch cycling teams practice on the track. The aquatics center was open after the competition finished. I was able to walk in and be totally alone. It was, quite frankly, my favorite sport venue I've visited since I started school here. Walking into that building was like stepping into a futuristic space ship. The ceiling is curved, like a wave. Everything fits with everything, aesthetically. It's a marvel. And something I noticed was the fact the humidity and temperature inside the complex felt like normal room temperature, whereas some of the other pools I've visited were overly humid and stuffy. There was almost no chlorine smell.

I also saw a London Lions basketball game at the Copper Box Arena. It was unlike any professional basketball game I've seen in person. Typically, the color commentators speak on TV and can't be heard by the whole crowd. This guy was speaking over the loudspeakers. And the whole time he was making dry-witted, typically British humor jokes. For example, one player is nicknamed "The Chef," so when he hit a 3-pointer, the commentator quipped "There's the Chef serving up three more!" It was quite funny at times. But now I can say I've seen a professional basketball game in this country.

Finally, my second CouchSurfing adventure has ended, and it was another complete success. I spoke mostly Spanish this weekend. So much, in fact, I found I was still a little bit stuck in Spanish while waiting for the train. While ordering some food, the cook asked me if I wanted everything on the burger, and I responded with "si" twice. So because of that, he asked me where I'm from, and I found out he was born in Albania but lived in Greece his whole life. It was just another great little story from tonight and from this trip to London.

Steve Nash, wrestling, potential CrossFit and more Couchsurfing

22/3 - Steve Nash finally retired from basketball this weekend. He wrote a farewell letter that thanked some of the most important people in his life, and he looked back at his journey through the sport and how it helped him grow. It got me thinking about my time here in England. This is not the time for explaining what this move means to me, as that would take thousands of words. But right here I will say this: I made the right decision to come here. It's my second home. I don't want to leave. It feels like I've been here for such a long time; it was a lifetime ago I first stepped off the plane and came to Bournemouth for the first time. I was so worried about how far Corfe House is from campus. Having said that, I'll miss Nash playing basketball like I do Shaq.

I think Spring has finally arrived in Bournemouth. It was actually warm and sunny today. Absolutely stunning. The little insects that fly around in warm weather and get in your face at the most inopportune time have arrived, like during rugby practice today. And of course, you know the season has changed for the better when you get a sunburn on your face. 

It's looking like I'm going to have to take a trip to Kenya in the summer. I now have two people who have invited me to stay with them: Stella and one of her friends. If I do go, the thing I would look forward to most is sitting around a table and eating food. I wonder how different it tastes? 

I received my season ticket for Poole Town yesterday. I talked to one of the chairmen for a few minutes before the game started and he was so appreciative of what I've been doing for them. I love the fact I've been given this opportunity, and this is why I like sports writing; everyone has a story. 

After the game I did another player interview to be featured in the programme, with captain Jamie Whisken. But with my iPhone being unreliable in cold weather, I had to take hand-written notes during the interview. That's fine, but they will not be able to help me write a story because I lost the notes on the walk home from Tatnam Ground. Typical. It wasn't meant to be, so I'll have to do the interview again. 

23/3 - I'm so sore from rugby practice on Sunday. We did six reps of 10-meter broad jumps, and now my quads are dead. So what's the best thing to do while sore? More exercise!

Danny and I went to a mixed martial arts gym in Bournemouth and joined the wrestling class for the evening. So, once again, I found myself learning something new, in this case a trio of wrestling moves. Wrestling is so technical. And if you're not in shape, you'll be on your backside. After we finished, I was drenched in sweat, sported a new massive bruise on my arm and suffered from floor burn on my knees and feet. Ah, just like old times! I'll definitely go do it again.

25/3 - I found an Indie rock band yesterday which I really like. It's called The War On Drugs. I found myself dancing to it when I was cooking.

But today, straight after rugby practice, I had a meeting at the West Hants Club to get more information for a school assignment. I met with the same guy who gave us a tour a few weeks ago. And again he offered me a cup of coffee! Luckily this time I took my time with it and I felt fine. But we were talking for an hour so I think I got enough for my assignment. I like talking to that guy too; he makes me want to join the Crossfit gym there. Though the club is really close to school, it's in an upper class neighborhood surrounded by elderly people. So naturally, I'd be the youngest one there most of the time.

But a good Crossfit gym is something I miss about California and Porterville. The gym in Poole close to Corfe House is too small and on the third floor of the shopping center, so it's very limited. I'll at least check out the one at West Hants Club.

I've booked my train tickets to take me to London to Couchsurf this weekend. The guy's name is Josep, and I think he's a veterinarian. But I'm looking forward to it.

One last thing: it looks like my phone has erased all of my contact numbers. Somehow, I'm not really surprised, or angry for that matter. This is one old phone and is on its last legs.  

Cricket stadiums, published stories without my consent and women colluding against men

18/3 - Yesterday was St. Patrick's Day. So what did I do? I went speed dating, of course! It was held at BarSo in Bournemouth.

I didn't really have expectations going in. I've heard horror stories about it, but luckily nothing seriously embarrassing happened during this one. It's not like I was the woman who had to spend four minutes with her ex, whom she met speed dating. But I digress.

Each date was four minutes long, and every time the hosts rang a bell, the men moved on to the next table or booth. We were also given a card to write down names and memorable stuff about each person. I forgot to write anything down for the first three women I dated, but I remembered one has climbed to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro. But even when I focused on getting their name and some facts, that cut into the four minutes we had with each other. That just wasn't enough time to talk to someone. Every time I was getting into a conversation, that damn bell started ringing again. And you really have to focus on asking meaningful questions; I left one table not knowing a single thing about that woman. Small talk is dangerous in that situation!

But having said that, it was really enjoyable and a positive experience. Out of 11 four-minute dates, only one was awkward. I got the same question in some form in 10 of those dates (why'd you come to England from California?), and the only person who didn't ask me that question thought I was British (she was from Bulgaria, so she didn't recognize my accent).

But it turns out I made an impression on everybody in the room, including the guys. And that's just because I came from California after quitting my job and moving to a completely new country where I didn't know anyone or where anything is. And I think I've written about this before, but it's funny how Americans love the British accent and want to go to England, but it's the same way with the Brits. They love the American accent and want to visit the States.

Finally, I made two women laugh pretty hard during the intermission by saying one of them reminded me of a British actress on the American version of The Office. She had the same kind of tone and accent as that actress. But since I didn't know the actress' name, I showed the woman a picture of her, and it turns out many other people have pointed that out to her. The actress is Catherine Tate.

3/19 - I got my International Driving Permit in the mail yesterday, which was a shock considering I wasn't expecting it until April. Before I go on a long trip, I'm going to rent a bike for a couple of days just to get used to riding again, and also to orient myself to these roundabouts and driving on the left side of the road.

We took a field trip to the Ageas Bowl in Southampton for a class field trip. It's a large cricket stadium used by the Hampshire Cricket Club. It made me want to go see a cricket match, even though it's a very confusing sport.

20/3 - I found out today a magazine in Dorset printed one of my player features for Poole Town. One of my professors told me about it and complimented me on my writing. While I was pretty stoked to hear that, I wanted to know why no one asked me for permission first. And I felt like I should be compensated. But of course there's no money writing for print, so it's just something I can tell employers.

And as an update on the speed dating thing, it turns out the two girls I was most interested in were friends. So since they both decided they wanted to see me again by ticking yes on the website, they agreed with each other to not see me! What makes this funny is the fact I sent one of them a message saying they were the only person I ticked on the website (because she was the one I was most attracted to). So by the rules of the universe, two women out there now see me as a tool.

*Facepalm.

Today has just been one of those awkward days. First I had to ride the elevator with Kate and talk to her for the first time since she moved out (which was so uncomfortable), but I had to deal with this too. 

Oh well. First-world problems. Time for some guacamole!

First-world food, tennis clubs and more Couchsurfing

12/3 - I'm going to start this blog off by talking about food and drink. Earlier this week I cooked a duck breast for the first time, and it turned out excellent. You begin by cooking it skin-side down in a skillet for a few minutes. When the skin is crispy, it then goes in the oven for 25-30 minutes. During that time the duck fat can be used to cook vegetables in the skillet.

(Update: I cooked duck breast again last night [16/3] and marinated it in red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, thyme and lime. I then added butter and white wine vinegar to the fat in the pan and then cooked asparagus, mushrooms and cucumber in it. Later, I added paprika, cumin, lime juice and a little bit of rice milk for its sweetness. It tasted great, and as always, I was winging it, just seeing which things work successfully or not.)

And I've learned that cooking vegetables with a little bit of oil and small chunks of bacon is so simple but it turns out so tasty.

And now about coffee. Oh, coffee...

Since I moved to England, I think I've had more cups of coffee here than I've had my previous 24 years and four months of living (two). What have I learned? It makes you feel like you've just drank a Red Bull, except it's a lot less terrible for your body. And it's like beer in that you get a taste for it. But since I almost never consume caffeine, it makes me so jittery to the point where I stumble over myself when speaking, more so than normal.

That's what happened to me today when we took a tour of the West Hants Tennis Club in Bournemouth. The club gave us a cup of coffee near the end of our meeting with one of the club officials. I was starting to feel the caffeine immediately, and it didn't help when I was asking questions. So I began rushing and struggling to get out a coherent sentence. (In fact, just writing about this is making me feel jittery, thus making me giggle.)

But what essentially cranked up my heart rate was when we were told the club does not use Twitter because some of the officials don't feel it's useful.

Bam.

Opportunity. SNATCH IT! Both as an opportunity to put something new on a resume and as a dissertation research question.

We talked about how Twitter is better than Facebook when needing to reach more people. I sent the guy a tweet afterwards, thanking him for the tour. I also sent an email asking how I could start a Twitter account for the club. (Update: the club has already hired a person to oversee their social media accounts.)

But perhaps the most relevant question during the visit was when the man in charge of the club's finances, when finding out I'm from California, asked me what brings me here. That's a great question, and lately I've realized I take being from California for granted. There's so much there. And it's less bloody expensive than England! Also, it seems everywhere I go, the Brits ask me this same question. I guess I just like cold and rainy weather so much.

14/3 - I've spent a few moments here and there reading past blog posts here. And it's kind of amazing to look back and realize how much I've been able to do. I have some awesome memories of my (six?!) months in England so far. Wow.

I remember the first day I was here, completely freaked out about the prospect of living so far away from campus, taking out a loan and being in a completely new environment. Now, it's home! I want to find a way to stay here because (1) it's less expensive than going back to Cali and (2) I'd like to try to go live in another new place. But really, I can't believe I ever felt so uncomfortable and, frankly, scared. But that's what'll happen before you meet the kind of friends I have.

15/3 - I accidentally drank expired and curdled milk tonight. It was great!

But we had another rugby session today. It's kind of surprising how different a rugby football is. It's bigger than an American football, but it's so easy to catch and feels lighter. Callum, our trainer, told us today just because you can make a perfect spiral on a pass doesn't make you a better player. Just focus on delivering an accurate, quick pass. I've also noticed it's much more difficult for me to pass to the right as opposed to the left.

I also noticed how playing it has helped me understand what is going on in professional matches, like when I watched a bit of Ireland vs. Wales in the Six Nations Cup yesterday.

17/3 - I meant to do some work this morning, but I ended up talking to Stella for at least an hour in the kitchen. Whenever I have these chats with her, it makes me want to visit her and her family in Kenya. What I'd really like to go there for is to try the food, because when I really think about it, I don't think I've ever had food cooked outside of the first world. Food in Kenya sounds so real and so much more flavorful, like it has its natural spirit. And it'll be as real as it gets with Stella's family because they have their own farm, so they grow all their own food.

It's interesting to hear what someone from the second or third world has to say about the food here. Stella, for example, says nothing tastes real. It's rubbery. It doesn't have the right flavor. It makes you think about one question: What have I been eating my entire life?

But then again, I've had completely natural food before, like the oranges on my parents' tree which taste so sweet it's like candy, and cherries from our tree every year which are always so deliciously tart. I've had bits and pieces here and there, but I didn't grow up on meals that were completely free of first-world tampering (No offense, mom. Your cooking has always been great!).

It also sounds like I've actually convinced her to ride the ferry. She sounds eager to visit Marie in Cherbourg with me to Couchsurf, but is nervous about riding the ferry over the Channel. So I told her to start smaller by riding the ferry from Sandbanks to Shell Bay, which takes just five minutes (seriously, just build a bridge!).

And speaking of Couchsurfing, I've found another person to crash with and a date to go, which will be next weekend. As with Marie, I've found a man from Spain who's had lots of great references from past guests, as well as hosts. He lives in Hemel Hempstead, which is on the northern outskirts of London. It'll be a good opportunity to work on speaking Spanish, as well as a good time to go explore the city. I was also thinking about going to a professional basketball game there as well.

So this isn't as incredibly spontaneous as the Cherbourg adventure, but it should be another great time.

Southbourne, greyhound racing and my acting premier

6/3 - I found out today, in an email reply from the business itself, I can rent out a motorcycle with an American m1 license. They only need to figure out what cc that licence covers for insurance purposes. In other words...

I found my plan for the upcoming break. Or weekend. Or month. I thought I'd gotten my hopes up. Nope! All that's standing in the way of a motorcycle trip is some bureaucratic paperwork. I. Am. Stoked!

I told Stella about that and she said she wanted to switch bodies with me but still look like her. In all honesty, I seriously lucked out with this Master's program. There's literally almost nothing to it. It's given this subpar student ample time to travel and do what he enjoys, and for that I'm thankful.

7/3 - As an update, since I'm unsure about what cc restrictions an m1 license carries (I don't think there are any, but I can't say for certain) the rental place recommended I get an International Driver Permit. That shouldn't be too difficult or expensive, and since I wasn't planning on going on a motorcycle trek in the very near future, I'm not too disappointed. It's just more paperwork.

Anyway, as Josh and I were eating the ritual Saturday morning breakfast in the Jolly Sailor, we were interrupted by the man who usually sits by himself near the window drinking bottles (plural) of white wine. He knew I'm American but wanted to know which state I'm from. He thought I was from Florida! But I brought this up because that man is always there on Saturday by himself drinking wine in the morning. You can tell he's aching for someone to talk to. He's obviously lonely, and it's a bit sad. Next Saturday if he's in the same spot, I'll introduce myself formally and eat breakfast with him. I have a feeling that would make his day.

8/3 - Last night Josh, Bill and I went to Poole Stadium to bet on greyhound races. This is the stadium where Poole Town used to play, but when the track was widened and the pitch inside became too narrow for a football pitch, the club had to move. I won one bet when my dog finished first, but I lost my other bets. I didn't lose that much money through betting though. Most of the damage to me came through drinking and bar hopping with Bill afterwards.

Greyhounds can run really fast; it's like a miniature horse race. They're going so fast you can hear their feet pounding the dirt. Bill taught me a funny reason to bet on a dog; you just bet on the one that relieves itself the most right before the race. But of course, that never worked. The races were a great time. I was a little surprised to see how nice the stadium was and the kind of people who were there. There were a lot of people my age and it was an opportunity to dress up a bit.

9/3 - I've mailed my application for an International Driver Permit. This is something I want to do, so I'm going to make it happen! It involved filling out the application, making a copy of my drivers license, signing it and including two passport-size photos.

11/3 - I went to Southbourne yesterday, a part of the city I haven't been to. I saw a lot of shops that sell antiques, but other than that it's not much different. I also felt like I was an outsider considering I don't know that neighborhood at all.

But after spending more than an hour on the bus, I walked to Grange Road to see the house my family will be staying in in May. It's three doors down from the cliff that drops down to the beach and overlooks both the Isle of Wight and the English Channel. I wandered down to the beach and got caught up playing in the sand, taking my shoes off and walking into the water. While the sand and sun was just warm enough to make me lie down and doze off, the water was so cold it hurt. That's March for you, I guess. But it was so relaxing to lie on a beach listening to the constant crashing of waves. Not that I need to relax; My course is so easy I think other people hate me for it!

Today I went to see Alex play in his final basketball game this season, and it ended 5-on-3 because three players from Southampton fouled out of the game. The final quarter of that game was, frankly, terrible basketball.

I also got up to go to rugby practice this morning. It's so different from football. I'm glad I'm learning another new thing. It's refreshing. But, damn. I need to get into shape and get running again. I was gassed after training!

But Naomi finished her video from the New Forest. It looks great! I'd like to do more of that.

Crystal Palace, cheeseburgers and a motorcycle fantasy

3/3 - I went to Southampton with Bill today to see Crystal Palace play Southampton at St. Mary's Stadium. It holds about 30,000 people and is a very nice place. But our seats were in the Palace supporters section, and that meant we stood the entire time, despite every ticket clearly stating "no persistent standing."

Thug Life.

Outside the stadium before the game, I saw there was a food stand selling hamburgers and stuff like that. Remembering the train wreck of a cheeseburger I had in Portsmouth, I chose not to get one at that moment. But Bill ordered a cheeseburger and I saw it had melted cheese and also grilled onions. My mouth fell open. I gave in and ordered one after the game. While it was miles better than the dog food at Portsmouth, it still wasn't close to my definition of a cheeseburger. I expect a cheeseburger to come with all the fixings and be juicy and messy. It's gotta be so big you struggle to take the first few bites. You get exactly that at Burger Shop and 7Bone. Having said that, my expectations were exceeded in Southampton.

And speaking of pregame, we stopped for a few drinks in a pub filled with fans of both clubs before game time. I was already starting to feel cold considering I had a brain fart and didn't come prepared for cold weather. There was a jumper sitting near us while we were drinking. It was there the whole time we were drinking. No one ever came up to grab it. So as I was leaving, I stuffed it into my bag without really looking at it. Ironically, I never needed it during the game. But when I finally did look at it later back at the train station, I found out it has a Crystal Palace logo on it, though it is a little ratty and scruffy. That was a nice surprise.

Now about the game. It was great. Southampton won 1-0 after the Palace keeper made a mistake by blocking a shot but letting the ball get away from him, thus letting a Southampton player pounce on it just a few yards from goal. While the competition on the pitch was exciting, so was the battle in the stands between the home fans and Palace supporters. The game is just half the battle; each set of supporters are just ripping into each other the entire game. For someone like me who just likes to observe, it's hilarious. It's funny how a person, like the kid in front of me, can get so wound up and angry at other supporters for singing. This kid was giving Southampton fans the finger and getting legitimately mad those people were singing just one song and making fun of the Palace fans. I don't understand it; it's such a stupid thing to get angry about. Me, I was laughing the entire time.

Imagine thousands of people chanting "you've only got one song" or "fucking useless" to thousands of other supporters. Imagine these same sets of people singing "you sing when we tell you to" or "we sing when we want." It's hilarious on one hand, and incredibly stupid on the other hand. But having said that, it was a totally different atmosphere being in that section. It made things that much more exciting and it was a fantastic time.

4/3 - Speaking of Burger Shop, I made a snap decision and hopped off the bus in Parkstone to get a lunch special there, which includes a standard burger or veggie burger with homemade chips for £4.99. In short, it was a brilliant decision to stop there.

I sat by the window, and the weather today saw periodic sunshine. When the sun got around a cloud, it shone threw the window where I was able to soak it up. The warmth was incredibly comfortable. Combine that with different genres of music like reggae, hip hop or alternative and that resulted in one of life's simple pleasures. It was an absolute pleasure to eat my way through a juicy burger while soaking up warm and friendly sun rays and some good tunes, and closing my eyes for a few minutes at a time. It was literal bliss.

I made another snap decision to get a ticket to the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra tonight at the Lighthouse, just down the road from Corfe House. It's fun to watch the conductor's movements as well as the members of the orchestra. The violinists are like a machine moving in unison.

5/3 - I played more rugby today. I can see now it's nothing like American football. And if there's one thing for sure, I've signed up for something that will test my cardio and also beat me to hell.

Bring it on.

Lately, I've been in want of something. It's something I miss from my time in California. It's not family, adopted grandparents, traveling buddies, a dog-like heifer, old and new friends or having a car. Though I do miss those things and people. No, the thing I miss most about California is having a motorcycle. Riding on two wheels with a hot engine beneath you is an absolute thrill. I miss pulling the throttle and hearing the engine rev up, roaring, while holding on to the handlebars to deal with the acceleration.

I see many motorcycles a day here, and it makes me envious each and every time. I ride by a used motorcycle dealer on the bus every day, and I'll stop by eventually. Now that I think about it, I'll do it tomorrow or Monday.

That's all I want. A motorcycle (motorbike to the Brits).

I've had vague thoughts of buying one, hopping on the ferry to Cherbourg and riding around Europe. It would be the ultimate adventure. I'd go to the Alps or the Pyrenees mountains and navigate those steep, winding roads. I can imagine riding through meadows with a giant mountain rising in front of me or passing by a never-ending cliff, all while listening to uplifting, melodic trance music.

The thing stopping me, as with all things in this country, is the cost. I'd be able to get myself an older bike no problem, but the insurance cost here is absurd. I looked it up a few weeks ago and that place quoted me nearly £800 per year. Yes, that's just one place but I'd expect similar results elsewhere.

I could rent a bike, as it turns out, but I need to be 29 years old, have insurance and have nearly £2,000 as a deposit. So there's that dream out of the window. Perhaps Tim could do it for me...

Damn this whole being-only-24 thing...

(Update: It looks like there's a place that will rent to people aged 21 and over. I shall investigate this in a few days.)

The beginning of my acting career in the New Forest

1/3 - During our party last night, I showed Stella and Naomi the photos from my nude photoshoot back in December. I think they were impressed because some of those shots are pretty cool. Stella was particularly impressed as she said it inspired her to try new things. In fact I think it blew her mind. Honestly, being nude on camera was fun. It makes you more comfortable with your body. And, it's a damn good story!

I had another fantastic adventure today, and oddly enough it involved horses again. Josh, Naomi and I took the train to Brockenhurst in the New Forest to shoot video for one of her assignments for journalism. I went along because one of her classmates flaked out on her, and that meant I was the new star of her short film, which will be about a minute long. The story of the film begins with me sitting in a cafe eating breakfast and drinking tea. I check my watch and realize I'm running late for the train. So I jump up, grab my bike and start pedaling. There will be several scenes of me jamming through the Forest. I'll eventually get to the train station, quickly get off my bike, set it up against the wall and accidentally knock another bike down in my haste to get to the stairs that go to the platform. But unfortunately, I get on the platform right as the train is pulling out. The final shot will probably be me running after it, stopping and turning around with a look of disappointment on my face.

We rented bicycles for the day and cycled from Brockenhurst to Lyndhurst through the Forest, which is a national park between Bournemouth and Southampton. I must say that I do miss road cycling and my bicycle. That's a perfect place to go riding. I miss the feeling of your legs being absolutely drained after a hard pedal through wind or in an effort to pick up speed on a straightaway. I miss that sound of bike tires buzzing on smooth asphalt. And when we first took off, it was another one of those ecstatic feelings, with thoughts of "I'm really on a bicycle in England!" floating across my mind. But riding here takes a bit of getting used to because you ride on the left side of the road instead of the right, even on one-lane roads.

Church in Lyndhurst

But since I was riding through puddles and mud, I was getting splattered by my back tire. By the time we arrived in Lyndhurst, My pants were muddy and my hoody sprayed with droplets of dirty water; I was in no shape to go into a restaurant. But we went to a tea shop, and it turned out to be one of the best food experiences I've had since coming to England. I had cream tea. With that, I received a mixed tea concoction that had a very nice aroma, a slice of velvety chocolate cake and a dense biscuit topped with cream and jam. Josh and Naomi (both British) told me this is essentially the most British thing you can do. This tea shop was fantastic and I'll definitely go back.

While acting in Naomi's film was super fun, I think one of the best encounters of the day was when we came across ponies in the middle of the path. The New Forest is home to wild-looking ponies that look so scruffy it doesn't seem like anyone owns them. They roam free wherever they want and there's nothing stopping you from approaching them. I even took a selfie with one such pony while waiting for Josh and Naomi. This one was sniffing my ear and being very friendly.

It was a great day. You can never go wrong with riding bikes outside, getting dirty and being creative in the process. But what really topped off the day was an email I received while riding the train home. Chris, the chairman of Poole Town, complimented me on my work for the website and team programs. He said I'm doing "top notch work" and thanked me for it.

2/3 - Today is the eve of the Crystal Palace vs. Southampton game Bill and I have tickets for. I'm pretty excited. We'll be at St. Mary's Stadium as visiting Palace fans. I have yet to be in that kind of environment.

I was also able to tell Jess about my adventure in Cherbourg. She seemed impressed and talked about not being sure about being able to handle a trip to another country by herself. But it's really very easy. All you have to do is book ferry tickets, find a place to stay and go. You might have a bad experience, but there's also a chance of you having a smile-producing memory and fascinating story. All you need to do is try and see what you're capable of on your own. And besides, I'm unsure about doing a lot of things, but that fear can't hold you back.