tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54698429027424250132024-03-13T13:16:47.967+01:00Heron at home and abroadUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger343125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-15980451918403691932010-08-11T08:41:00.001+01:002010-08-11T08:41:34.309+01:00Time for a moveI've finally moved this blog over to a new home, under my main web hosting. The new address is:<br />
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<a href="http://blog.heron-photography.co.uk/">http://blog.heron-photography.co.uk</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-56079830138162209512010-07-13T23:00:00.007+01:002010-07-24T11:18:46.222+01:00VNF West - Foto van de maand<div style="text-align: justify;">I was back at the fotoclub today for the first time since February, taking with me a selection of photos from India (that I'd intended to show last month) and a selection from Texel. Most of the meeting was dedicated to the selection of photos for an exhibition which will be held at De Papaver (the nature centre in Delft) next month, but there was just enough time left at the end for a couple of us to show some photos unrelated to the exhibition. In the end, one of my Texel photos, of fighting black headed gulls, was chosen as the club's photo of the month.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TD2PAc-Q6pI/AAAAAAAAE9Y/GI0Uat7K9Js/s1600/2010-06-12_278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TD2PAc-Q6pI/AAAAAAAAE9Y/GI0Uat7K9Js/s400/2010-06-12_278.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-38157322007679480352010-07-10T19:01:00.000+01:002010-07-10T19:01:56.505+01:00Ackerdijkse Plassen<div style="text-align: justify;">Back to the Ackerdijkse Plassen this morning with <a href="http://arievanbart.posterous.com/">Arie</a>, this time for a guided walk, inside the part of the reserve which is not normally open to the public. The guide was very informative, and it was interesting to see and hear about the different types of habitat within such a small area. Given the heat, it was particularly nice walking through the woods.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDi0taWG5oI/AAAAAAAAE8w/4jmlU-7dYgM/s1600/2010-07-10_008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDi0taWG5oI/AAAAAAAAE8w/4jmlU-7dYgM/s400/2010-07-10_008.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
We didn't see so many birds to photograph - some cormorants, at a distance, and a buzzard flying by were the main highlights.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDi0yrVhY4I/AAAAAAAAE9A/-xmP1xjG_fU/s1600/2010-07-10_017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDi0yrVhY4I/AAAAAAAAE9A/-xmP1xjG_fU/s320/2010-07-10_017.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDi00Cyep4I/AAAAAAAAE9I/ozOIO2EeMQg/s1600/2010-07-10_022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDi00Cyep4I/AAAAAAAAE9I/ozOIO2EeMQg/s320/2010-07-10_022.jpg" /></a></div><br />
We stopped a couple times at bird hides, which at least gave us a few insect shots, and we also were inspected by the herd of cows who are allowed to graze the land, and were very curious about us.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDi0wCiYqyI/AAAAAAAAE84/SrSLAhMsJW0/s1600/2010-07-10_010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDi0wCiYqyI/AAAAAAAAE84/SrSLAhMsJW0/s320/2010-07-10_010.jpg" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDi02hP_YgI/AAAAAAAAE9Q/kVsYV6bm_e0/s1600/2010-07-10_051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDi02hP_YgI/AAAAAAAAE9Q/kVsYV6bm_e0/s320/2010-07-10_051.jpg" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-17899703332270560832010-07-03T19:57:00.001+01:002010-07-04T20:30:11.829+01:00Delft - Maassluis - Delft<div style="text-align: justify;">Today's walk was the longest yet until the Vierdaagse itself - 39.1km. The route took me through the Vlietlanden to Schipluiden, Vlaardingen and Maassluis, mostly walking along the waterside. A good route, and the early part to Vlaardingen and back would make a nice Sunday walk, with a bit of bird spotting thrown in.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDDZ8NYZA9I/AAAAAAAAE7w/cH0xYLukITY/s1600/IMG_0136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDDZ8NYZA9I/AAAAAAAAE7w/cH0xYLukITY/s320/IMG_0136.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDDaLN4tMVI/AAAAAAAAE74/eoKZ3wSinmc/s1600/IMG_0137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDDaLN4tMVI/AAAAAAAAE74/eoKZ3wSinmc/s320/IMG_0137.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDDaeoD2dpI/AAAAAAAAE8I/7DiMe8rbBKE/s1600/IMG_0139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDDaeoD2dpI/AAAAAAAAE8I/7DiMe8rbBKE/s200/IMG_0139.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDDaUpgHE3I/AAAAAAAAE8A/cFp3cjikxf8/s1600/IMG_0138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDDaUpgHE3I/AAAAAAAAE8A/cFp3cjikxf8/s200/IMG_0138.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDDa0lPBifI/AAAAAAAAE8Y/0Ln5qZdG9E8/s1600/IMG_0144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDDa0lPBifI/AAAAAAAAE8Y/0Ln5qZdG9E8/s200/IMG_0144.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDDapF_zM7I/AAAAAAAAE8Q/NI5OIeXZzZM/s1600/IMG_0142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDDapF_zM7I/AAAAAAAAE8Q/NI5OIeXZzZM/s200/IMG_0142.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">I ended up taking an unexpected break about 20km into the walk, when I came across a man collapsed on the side of the path. He was being assisted by another woman, who had called an ambulance, so I stayed to keep an eye on him whilst she tried to bring in the paramedics, who were stuck on the wrong side of a hump backed bridge. In the meantime, a police man arrived on a motor cycle. After some questioning, and the aid of the Breathalyzer, it appeared that the man was not seriously ill, but seriously drunk. </div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDDbACiheKI/AAAAAAAAE8g/nLqcOzhE0Ck/s1600/IMG_0146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDDbACiheKI/AAAAAAAAE8g/nLqcOzhE0Ck/s200/IMG_0146.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDDbJ0PnqiI/AAAAAAAAE8o/XREDLha58ls/s1600/IMG_0147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TDDbJ0PnqiI/AAAAAAAAE8o/XREDLha58ls/s200/IMG_0147.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="548" src="http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/39208287" width="465"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br />
</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-59511935158184393972010-06-30T20:27:00.000+01:002010-06-30T20:27:19.587+01:00Ackerdijkse Plassen (2)<i>Something a little more ethereal.</i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCuaNm6OEUI/AAAAAAAAE7o/5zI7BB79h-I/s1600/_MG_9979.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCuaNm6OEUI/AAAAAAAAE7o/5zI7BB79h-I/s400/_MG_9979.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-68048554636343502702010-06-29T21:30:00.000+01:002010-06-29T21:30:06.453+01:00Ackerdijkse Plassen<div style="text-align: justify;">I went for a bike ride this evening around the Ackerdijkse Plassen in the hoping of finding some birds to photograph. Unfortunately, two of the three bird hides were closed, and the remaining observation post didn't have anything much to offer. I did however have some fun trying to photograph a distant bird of prey (buzzard?), some swifts/swallows (about as successful as you'd expect, given how small, and well, swift, they are), and a couple snoozing grebes. In the end, though, the best photo was of a frog, when I was on my way back.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCpXPRfVbrI/AAAAAAAAE7Y/3B1I87MdBvs/s1600/_MG_9882.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCpXPRfVbrI/AAAAAAAAE7Y/3B1I87MdBvs/s320/_MG_9882.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCpXUFR0fCI/AAAAAAAAE7g/xZZ4SqMAXds/s1600/_MG_9919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCpXUFR0fCI/AAAAAAAAE7g/xZZ4SqMAXds/s320/_MG_9919.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCpU--uu3WI/AAAAAAAAE7Q/Qw_jJc2kbD4/s1600/_MG_9966.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCpU--uu3WI/AAAAAAAAE7Q/Qw_jJc2kbD4/s400/_MG_9966.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ride wasn't quite as tranquil as I'd hoped, as there was an almost constant stream of (racing) bikes zooming by. My grebe photographing experience was a little ruined by the backdrop of a couple arguing, and bizarrely one cyclist swore at me for 'not leaving the birds alone'. Given that the bird in question was a passing cormorant, I didn't really see his point.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-40809474756370560882010-06-28T20:33:00.000+01:002010-06-28T20:33:28.427+01:00Texel - Avocets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCj4kcM3tdI/AAAAAAAAE6g/XrE-1elwx_k/s1600/_MG_0037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCj4kcM3tdI/AAAAAAAAE6g/XrE-1elwx_k/s400/_MG_0037.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCj4vBz1dvI/AAAAAAAAE7I/xQGhkm0M4bo/s1600/_MG_9953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCj4vBz1dvI/AAAAAAAAE7I/xQGhkm0M4bo/s400/_MG_9953.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCj4rzUifuI/AAAAAAAAE7A/f_s-5o1OQ4k/s1600/_MG_9650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCj4rzUifuI/AAAAAAAAE7A/f_s-5o1OQ4k/s400/_MG_9650.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCj4meaY6HI/AAAAAAAAE6o/Wqq8ah_R0aM/s1600/_MG_0041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCj4meaY6HI/AAAAAAAAE6o/Wqq8ah_R0aM/s400/_MG_0041.jpg" width="267" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCj4oNvAVUI/AAAAAAAAE6w/xZlNxbz9vkU/s1600/_MG_0588.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCj4oNvAVUI/AAAAAAAAE6w/xZlNxbz9vkU/s400/_MG_0588.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCj4pi-ACNI/AAAAAAAAE64/EPM9-zZM9SY/s1600/_MG_0607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCj4pi-ACNI/AAAAAAAAE64/EPM9-zZM9SY/s400/_MG_0607.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-78948167390463336912010-06-20T19:30:00.004+01:002010-06-28T19:57:10.233+01:00Zandvoort aan Zee to KatwijkThis weekend's walk was in the opposite direction from last week's, south along the coast from Zandvoort aan Zee to Katwijk, with a small detour through the Nordwijkerhout along the way. Unfortunately, having taken the Garmin along with me and recorded the route, I managed to wipe it out in my relief at reaching Katwijk at the end. Fortunately not before I knew how far I'd walked - 25km. As you can see, it was a typical grey, rainy day.<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCjwN-LFm-I/AAAAAAAAE6Y/9QfOR5YoZOA/s1600/northsea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TCjwN-LFm-I/AAAAAAAAE6Y/9QfOR5YoZOA/s320/northsea.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-35622844712214886472010-06-19T20:00:00.006+01:002010-06-28T19:25:49.756+01:00Choral Evensong - 19th June 2010The last choral evensong before the summer break, just a shame about the football supporters and their annoying orange honking things during the prayers. Needless to say, thanks to the World Cup, we were a couple singers down.<br />
<ul><li>Introit:<i> Lord, For Thy Tender Mercy's Sake</i>, Farrant/Hilton</li>
<li>Responses: Oxley</li>
<li> Psalm: 150, Stanford</li>
<li>Canticles: <i>Collegium Sancti Johannis Cantabrigiense</i>, Howells</li>
<li> Anthem: <i>O Thou the Central Orb</i>, Wood</li>
</ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-51398099465900083022010-06-13T19:25:00.001+01:002010-06-13T19:27:05.442+01:00Texel<div style="text-align: justify;">This weekend I visited the island of Texel, off the north coast of The Netherlands, with Arie and Jules. I still have quite some work to process all the photos (approx 1300), but here a couple taster shots of a kestrel (torenfalk). We also saw plenty of godwits (grutto), avocets (kluut), sandwich terns (stern), common terns (visdief), gulls and oystercatchers (scholekster).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TBUiV7QSNzI/AAAAAAAAE5o/FKZxgcCTeeE/s1600/_MG_0176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TBUiV7QSNzI/AAAAAAAAE5o/FKZxgcCTeeE/s400/_MG_0176.jpg" width="302" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TBUiXoM4-GI/AAAAAAAAE5w/CyNGNywPbbA/s1600/_MG_0193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TBUiXoM4-GI/AAAAAAAAE5w/CyNGNywPbbA/s400/_MG_0193.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>(I took these shots with the 300mm lens that Arie rented for the weekend, plus a 1.4x teleconverter. Handheld, and quite heavily cropped)</i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-52308812409428908082010-06-09T19:00:00.001+01:002010-06-13T21:00:19.307+01:00PatentRun 2010So, I had been planning to take part in this year's PatentRun, and at one point I'd even had ambitious plans of improving on my time from last year. But it wasn't to be. Instead, I took along the camera and photographed the event, getting soaking wet in the process.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TBUfAZUWftI/AAAAAAAAE4o/EoHYTjbCcpk/s1600/2010-06-09_029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TBUfAZUWftI/AAAAAAAAE4o/EoHYTjbCcpk/s400/2010-06-09_029.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TBUfDcdlODI/AAAAAAAAE4w/SRN91JB3j9w/s1600/2010-06-09_143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TBUfDcdlODI/AAAAAAAAE4w/SRN91JB3j9w/s320/2010-06-09_143.jpg" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TBUfGiT96CI/AAAAAAAAE44/G1a7C0Kb-14/s1600/2010-06-09_208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TBUfGiT96CI/AAAAAAAAE44/G1a7C0Kb-14/s320/2010-06-09_208.jpg" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TBUfJZ-HcgI/AAAAAAAAE5A/KIFF2A4LqIQ/s1600/2010-06-09_245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TBUfJZ-HcgI/AAAAAAAAE5A/KIFF2A4LqIQ/s320/2010-06-09_245.jpg" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TBUfMzWDG3I/AAAAAAAAE5I/vOIMmlo5Wls/s1600/2010-06-09_318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TBUfMzWDG3I/AAAAAAAAE5I/vOIMmlo5Wls/s320/2010-06-09_318.jpg" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TBUfRnsp1cI/AAAAAAAAE5Y/113hf9ytjX4/s1600/2010-06-09_381.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TBUfRnsp1cI/AAAAAAAAE5Y/113hf9ytjX4/s320/2010-06-09_381.jpg" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TBUfUf125AI/AAAAAAAAE5g/wo0EBVuA56o/s1600/2010-06-09_403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TBUfUf125AI/AAAAAAAAE5g/wo0EBVuA56o/s320/2010-06-09_403.jpg" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TBU4yFMiAhI/AAAAAAAAE54/v0BcAqhCvGU/s1600/2010-06-09_380.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TBU4yFMiAhI/AAAAAAAAE54/v0BcAqhCvGU/s400/2010-06-09_380.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-88065887260032618512010-06-06T19:00:00.007+01:002010-06-09T21:09:19.625+01:00Scheveningen to Noordwijk<div style="text-align: justify;">After a few weeks hiatus, I resumed my training for the Nijmegen Vierdaagse today with a walk through the dunes from Scheveningen to Noordwijk, about 20.5km.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The weather wasn't ideal - muggy and overcast, and about halfway into the walk, very rainy. For the sake of experimentation (and because I hadn't charged up my GPS watch) I only used the iPhone (with the MapMyRun app) to record the route... very effective, but it also drained the battery very fast, so I stopped recording at Katwijk. By the time I arrived in Noordwijk and wanted to look up the bus information, the battery was completely dead. Not the smartest idea, thus.</div><br />
<div align="center"><iframe frameborder="0" height="450px" src="http://js.mapmyfitness.com/embed/blogview.html?r=a74bfdfce1986bfd3dddc8a3eec17adc&u=m&t=run" width="550px">&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/walk///454127583280761818"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;iMapMyRun: Jun 6, 2010 4:00 PM&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br/&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyrun.com/find-walk//"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Find more Walks in , &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;</iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-76193126292135885342010-06-05T21:58:00.025+01:002010-06-09T21:08:53.344+01:00Choral Evensong - 5th June 2010My first choral evensong for ages... and it wasn't really the most impressive. I contributed to the overall effect by tripping over the words in the middle of the second reading, and forgetting that victuals are pronounced 'vittels' until a millisecond after I read it. Idiot.<br />
<ul><li>Introit: <i>Oculi omnium</i>, Charles Wood</li>
<li>Responses: Ebdon</li>
<li>Psalm 121, Walford Davies</li>
<li>Canticles: Moore's 3rd service</li>
<li>Anthem: <i>Here, O my Lord</i>, Whitlock</li>
</ul>The official photographer was along for the ride, to take some publicity shots for the choir.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TA_zUpB_MyI/AAAAAAAAE4Q/KuYnoQ9bRDY/s1600/2010-06-05_s003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TA_zUpB_MyI/AAAAAAAAE4Q/KuYnoQ9bRDY/s320/2010-06-05_s003.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TA_zXoJqTJI/AAAAAAAAE4Y/Pq2y1gpPYPo/s1600/2010-06-05_s138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TA_zXoJqTJI/AAAAAAAAE4Y/Pq2y1gpPYPo/s320/2010-06-05_s138.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TA_zbNj6mDI/AAAAAAAAE4g/zRuud7Tds_Y/s1600/2010-06-05_s211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TA_zbNj6mDI/AAAAAAAAE4g/zRuud7Tds_Y/s320/2010-06-05_s211.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<ul></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-6891515862459932612010-05-29T22:07:00.000+01:002010-06-07T22:14:31.262+01:00Crazy CatNothing like putting your friends to work when they visit.... either as official cat photographer of the evening,<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TA1gBB-QiRI/AAAAAAAAE4A/8Zc4lkcb7Vs/s1600/IMG_3284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TA1gBB-QiRI/AAAAAAAAE4A/8Zc4lkcb7Vs/s320/IMG_3284.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TA1gABtSX6I/AAAAAAAAE34/VBjYHT5sULI/s1600/IMG_3247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TA1gABtSX6I/AAAAAAAAE34/VBjYHT5sULI/s320/IMG_3247.jpg" /></a></div><br />
... or preparing dinner (and trying to keep Rupert out of it)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TA1hHOyq-0I/AAAAAAAAE4I/Yacc8-E7aFM/s1600/IMG_3275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TA1hHOyq-0I/AAAAAAAAE4I/Yacc8-E7aFM/s320/IMG_3275.jpg" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-67903239241125972252010-05-27T23:00:00.000+01:002010-06-07T21:58:35.692+01:00Poker nightI got together with some of my old colleagues this evening for a game of poker, something that we manage to organize once or twice a year.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TA1dKKCHknI/AAAAAAAAE3g/vT2UM-KD6RU/s1600/32213_1438361074029_1083082426_1304774_6795586_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TA1dKKCHknI/AAAAAAAAE3g/vT2UM-KD6RU/s320/32213_1438361074029_1083082426_1304774_6795586_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TA1dKjbOcFI/AAAAAAAAE3o/_QY4HGAiHPY/s1600/32213_1438362394062_1083082426_1304777_1359878_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TA1dKjbOcFI/AAAAAAAAE3o/_QY4HGAiHPY/s320/32213_1438362394062_1083082426_1304777_1359878_n.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TA1dLDU_DwI/AAAAAAAAE3w/tZY5qKFWBUE/s1600/32213_1438362594067_1083082426_1304781_7435888_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TA1dLDU_DwI/AAAAAAAAE3w/tZY5qKFWBUE/s320/32213_1438362594067_1083082426_1304781_7435888_n.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Needless to say, I lost, as usual. My excuse is that I was distracted by the Dutch playing cards... which have the letter H for king, V for Queen, and B for the Jack. Most disconcerting!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TA1c0qM1cEI/AAAAAAAAE3Y/RflQteF3Ynk/s1600/IMG_1308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/TA1c0qM1cEI/AAAAAAAAE3Y/RflQteF3Ynk/s320/IMG_1308.jpg" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-54091801863822831252010-05-09T21:00:00.060+01:002010-05-11T07:10:36.006+01:00Vancouver Sun Run - 10K<div style="text-align: justify;">So, the name gives it away... I was planning to run 10K today. Instead, since the training hasn't exactly been going to plan, I decided to walk the event instead and consider it training for the 4daagse. And since Mum is out here with me, I dragged her along too for the ride!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="548" src="http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/32911323" width="465"></iframe> <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The truth of the matter is that despite I always tell everyone that I'm visiting Vancouver, my Grandmother lives in a neighbouring city rather than Vancouver itself, and we very rarely make it downtown. So, it was actually quite good fun to go into Vancouver, first on Saturday to pick up our start numbers, and then again today for the race itself. <br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-juuQg5v7I/AAAAAAAAE1Q/AiIduaNhDPU/s1600/IMG_3186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-juuQg5v7I/AAAAAAAAE1Q/AiIduaNhDPU/s200/IMG_3186.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We were lucky to have fantastic weather, resulting in an amazing turnout of 51,417 participants. Not for nothing is this billed as Canada's largest 10K. As walkers, we started in the last group, and didn't manage to get over the starting line until about 10.30. As the official race start was at 9am, we had a lot of hanging around.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-ju3MlkyuI/AAAAAAAAE1g/ohGrh8LTY0c/s1600/IMG_3197.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-ju3MlkyuI/AAAAAAAAE1g/ohGrh8LTY0c/s200/IMG_3197.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-ju8dYc7sI/AAAAAAAAE1o/Ha_f7hyT3wk/s1600/IMG_3199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-ju8dYc7sI/AAAAAAAAE1o/Ha_f7hyT3wk/s200/IMG_3199.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-jvDTq1H1I/AAAAAAAAE1w/iFwzNJm3u-8/s1600/IMG_3203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-jvDTq1H1I/AAAAAAAAE1w/iFwzNJm3u-8/s320/IMG_3203.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-juyyGXBCI/AAAAAAAAE1Y/JOrs_OcGNE8/s1600/IMG_3189.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-juyyGXBCI/AAAAAAAAE1Y/JOrs_OcGNE8/s200/IMG_3189.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-jvIXBeHSI/AAAAAAAAE14/o4leNmNLHMg/s1600/IMG_3204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-jvIXBeHSI/AAAAAAAAE14/o4leNmNLHMg/s200/IMG_3204.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-jvNf_qxYI/AAAAAAAAE2A/gIf6-9yT7W0/s1600/IMG_3206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-jvNf_qxYI/AAAAAAAAE2A/gIf6-9yT7W0/s200/IMG_3206.jpg" width="150" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The <a href="http://connect.garmin.com/activity/32911323">route</a> took us past the cathedral, and to the tip of Stanley Park, home to the Vancouver Aquarium, which is one of the places we always used to visit when I was a kid, and then primarily along main streets around the edge of town, finishing up at the ice hockey stadium. I couldn't help but think that if I ever decide to run a marathon, it would be pretty cool to do it in Vancouver. It's a city that can't help looking good, with the water and the backdrop of snow covered mountains.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-jvR1zBu3I/AAAAAAAAE2I/qijVO4ceNhE/s1600/IMG_3208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-jvR1zBu3I/AAAAAAAAE2I/qijVO4ceNhE/s320/IMG_3208.jpg" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-jvYu8Qq3I/AAAAAAAAE2Y/OSngLnUaf_c/s1600/IMG_3213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-jvYu8Qq3I/AAAAAAAAE2Y/OSngLnUaf_c/s320/IMG_3213.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-jvVLWsnRI/AAAAAAAAE2Q/O4r0AcvZM98/s1600/IMG_3212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-jvVLWsnRI/AAAAAAAAE2Q/O4r0AcvZM98/s320/IMG_3212.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<b>Vierdaagse Training Progress:</b><br />
<i>Total distance</i>: 79.9km / 49.9mi<br />
<i>Longest walk</i>: 25km / 15.6mi<br />
<br />
<i>I'm still looking for my first <a href="http://grey-heron.blogspot.com/2010/05/nijmegen-vierdaagse-asthma-uk.html">sponsor</a> for the Vierdaagse! You can sponsor me here: http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/natashahadfield </i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-3602023049292434692010-05-04T22:42:00.000+01:002010-05-04T22:42:06.181+01:00Nijmegen Vierdaagse - Asthma UK<div style="text-align: justify;">Today is <a href="http://www.ginasthma.com/WADWorldAsthmaDay.asp?l1=2&l2=0">World Asthma Day</a> and therefore the perfect moment to unveil my (not very momentous) plans. I've decided to use the opportunity of taking part in the Nijmegen Vierdaagse to try and raise some money and awareness for asthma research, via the charity <a href="http://www.asthma.org.uk/">Asthma UK</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-CUl1AvdaI/AAAAAAAAE1I/qmqvD4GrFiQ/s1600/AsthmaUKLogo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S-CUl1AvdaI/AAAAAAAAE1I/qmqvD4GrFiQ/s200/AsthmaUKLogo.png" width="198" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some of you know, probably a lot of you don't, that I have asthma myself. Most people won't have seen me use my inhaler, because I hate using it in public. My colleagues may have seen me sneak out of a meeting for a quick break, but you probably wouldn't have known that that was the reason why. Asthma does interfere with my life on a daily basis. On a good day, it's nothing more than remembering to stop and take my medications, even though I may be running late for work, or exhausted after a long week and a Friday night choir practice. On other days, I could spend the evening on the coach struggling to breath, and putting my running plans (and everything else) on hold. And then, after a disrupted night's sleep, having to get up for work again in the morning. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">But on the scale of asthma, I'm one of the lucky ones. A bad day means I'm struggling, but it doesn't put me in hospital. Asthma might slow me down sometimes, but for others it can limit even the most basic physical activity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And that's why I want to fundraise. Not for the people like me, but for those who can't gain control over the condition with the medications currently available, and who battle constantly, not only the disease itself, but from the side effects of the drugs they need to take. Deeper understanding of asthma could transform their lives.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, anyone that wants to offer support, you can do it in the following ways:</div><ul><li>leave a comment on the post so I know you read it :-)</li>
<li>ask me how the training's going, and I'll be glad to bore you about it!</li>
<li>take a look at Amy Anaruk's compilation of peoples' stories at <a href="http://breathlessness.posterous.com/">A record of breathlessness</a></li>
<li>and best of all, donate something to the cause via my <a href="http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/natashahadfield">fundraising</a> page</li>
</ul><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-12789478299546416872010-05-03T18:57:00.000+01:002010-05-03T18:57:04.198+01:00Rupert<div style="text-align: justify;">It's official, he's had the wire removed from his jaw today, and my big bundle of stripey misbehaviour has been signed off as fully recovered. So, now that the ordeal is over, some photos of the whole experience:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Day after the accident: just home from the vet's after an overnight stay. You can't see it, but he has a wire fitted around his jaw.</i><br />
<i> </i> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S98LN7bgfkI/AAAAAAAAE1A/fChPKLMA3cs/s1600/IMG_3093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S98LN7bgfkI/AAAAAAAAE1A/fChPKLMA3cs/s320/IMG_3093.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<i>Two days later, after another overnight stay, this time to have a feeding tube inserted. As a result, he had to wear the annoying collar.</i><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S98JzFdJdDI/AAAAAAAAE0I/frjQtWgRZ1I/s1600/IMG_3095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S98JzFdJdDI/AAAAAAAAE0I/frjQtWgRZ1I/s320/IMG_3095.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><i>For a week, feeding involves mixing up formula, and giving it through the tube. After a couple days when he started to become interested in food again, I was able to feed him fancy moussey stuff off a spoon. Either way, it was all messy.</i><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S98J8d-iAgI/AAAAAAAAE0Q/ecYzF5lMPpQ/s1600/IMG_3099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S98J8d-iAgI/AAAAAAAAE0Q/ecYzF5lMPpQ/s320/IMG_3099.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Finally feeling like playing again, despite the annoying collar. By this point he was desperately chasing after the kittens in the hope of a cuddle, but they were terrified of the collar, and ran away faster.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S98KXfVzdGI/AAAAAAAAE0o/wIihHJcVCek/s1600/IMG_3115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S98KXfVzdGI/AAAAAAAAE0o/wIihHJcVCek/s320/IMG_3115.jpg" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Tube and collar finally removed, he went straight after his favourite toy. Very relieved to see he can still carry things around in his mouth, despite the missing teeth.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S98KaveJivI/AAAAAAAAE0w/n5rUenjrKBs/s1600/IMG_3121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S98KaveJivI/AAAAAAAAE0w/n5rUenjrKBs/s320/IMG_3121.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Nearly 6 weeks after the accident, the final visit to the vet's today to get the wire removed. As you can see, he is restored to health, and also to his bad habits! After a day without eating because of the anaesthesia, he's getting into everything try to find more food.</i></div><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S98KiMur37I/AAAAAAAAE04/SW98XYSaBYg/s1600/IMG_3185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S98KiMur37I/AAAAAAAAE04/SW98XYSaBYg/s320/IMG_3185.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-6811383006763103202010-05-02T19:00:00.000+01:002010-05-03T17:33:53.077+01:00Venlo Bloesemtocht<div style="text-align: justify;">Second training walk today, this time in the town of Venlo, in the province of Limburg and on the German border. I had a hard time finding the starting point of the walk (the price you pay for writing down the wrong street name, and not simply printing out the map), which ended up adding almost 5km to the total walking distance. Getting directions wasn't helped by the fact that I sometimes had a hard time following the Limburgs accent.<br />
<br />
It wasn't a great day to be outside, and as a result I got drenched in a couple of heavy rain showers. Despite that, it was a pleasant walk, which had the novelty of crossing the border and taking me into Germany (meaning that suddenly everyone I came across greeted me with 'Guten Tag' instead of 'Goede Dag').</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S974dpnVZ0I/AAAAAAAAEzo/ls2F3_J2S4Q/s1600/IMG_3179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S974dpnVZ0I/AAAAAAAAEzo/ls2F3_J2S4Q/s200/IMG_3179.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S974qI6FkbI/AAAAAAAAEzw/KF7YmFxcrwA/s1600/IMG_3181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S974qI6FkbI/AAAAAAAAEzw/KF7YmFxcrwA/s200/IMG_3181.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S9749GWg7WI/AAAAAAAAEz4/GVLt49n1FTQ/s1600/IMG_3184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S9749GWg7WI/AAAAAAAAEz4/GVLt49n1FTQ/s320/IMG_3184.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S975vp4rLzI/AAAAAAAAE0A/WgLfdDdqo8I/s1600/IMG_3178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S975vp4rLzI/AAAAAAAAE0A/WgLfdDdqo8I/s320/IMG_3178.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As with last week's walk, everyone I spoke to along the way was very impressed that I'd traveled from Delft to come to their corner of The Netherlands. The organizers were so pleased to have someone travel from so far, that they gave me a special memento of the day, and also very kindly gave me a lift back to the train station at the end of the day. </div><br />
This week's walk certainly felt easier than last week's, helped in part, I imagine, by the fact that it was less hot. At the end my feet were less sore, and I was pleased to find that I'd also kept up a faster pace. Still a long way to go before I'm walking 40km, but things are going in the right direction.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="548" src="http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/31981854" width="465"></iframe> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-12068866507901933502010-05-01T19:00:00.000+01:002010-05-03T17:09:56.775+01:00Choral Evensong - 1st May 2010<ul><li>Introit: <i>Ave Maria</i>, Stravinsky</li>
<li>Responses: Neary</li>
<li>Office Hymn: Sermone blande Angelus, Pt. II </li>
<li>Psalm: 119 vv. 33-48</li>
<li>Canticles: Short Service, Morley</li>
<li>Anthem: <i>O how amiable are Thy dwellings</i>, Vaughan Williams</li>
</ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-52402824152814912872010-04-30T19:38:00.000+01:002010-04-30T19:38:22.121+01:00Oostvaardersplassen - April 2010<div style="text-align: justify;">Since today was a public holiday (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koninginnedag">Queen's Day or Koninginnedag</a>), I went with Arie to the Oostvaardersplassen. Unfortunately the weather was very dull, and there was too little light for decent photography. Still, we had a nice walk around, and enjoyed watching the wild horses from one of the hides.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S9sjZtUYDsI/AAAAAAAAEzY/sqyM3lqZrTs/s1600/2010-04-30_s002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S9sjZtUYDsI/AAAAAAAAEzY/sqyM3lqZrTs/s320/2010-04-30_s002.jpg" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S9sjb8maHDI/AAAAAAAAEzg/mod0Xfqmv30/s1600/2010-04-30_s003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S9sjb8maHDI/AAAAAAAAEzg/mod0Xfqmv30/s320/2010-04-30_s003.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-77958764784809277682010-04-25T20:47:00.000+01:002010-04-25T20:47:37.700+01:00Waterland Wandelmarathon Volendam - 23K<div style="text-align: justify;">Amongst all the emails that I received whilst I was away, was one from the organizers of the Nijmegen Vierdaagse, telling me that I have managed to get a place in this year's event. For those not in the know, this means that come July, I need to be ready to walk 40km, 4 days in a row. Time then to start training more seriously.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In order to spice up the training, particularly on the longer runs, I've decided to take part in some organized walking events, of which there are quite a number each weekend, scattered around the country.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S9SXg9-JXYI/AAAAAAAAEyo/WjY8MS23A74/s1600/2010-04-25_s006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S9SXg9-JXYI/AAAAAAAAEyo/WjY8MS23A74/s320/2010-04-25_s006.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Today took me up to the town of Volendam for the first one, the Waterland Wandelmarathon. Volendam is in the province of North Holland, on the shore of the IJsselmeer (former Zuiderzee), which meant that I took the train up through the bulb growing area this morning whilst they are at their best.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S9SXAjBP4bI/AAAAAAAAEyg/S1AeC9Z1WRQ/s1600/2010-04-25_s003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S9SXAjBP4bI/AAAAAAAAEyg/S1AeC9Z1WRQ/s320/2010-04-25_s003.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">The walk started out with a long trek through the polders, taking in a couple small villages, before following the dyke alongside the IJsselmeer for 6km to Edam and then back to Volendam. As I started at about 10.30, I think most of the walkers on my route had already left. In any case, whilst there were always one or two other walkers in sight, the route was never crowded. Only once we reached the final kilometres and the harbour in Volendam did it get incredibly crowded, due to the huge numbers of tourists visiting the town. By that time my feet were pretty sore, and I wasn't too impressed at all the people who kept coming between me and the finish!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S9Sbph3wDlI/AAAAAAAAEyw/bDCDmNDfB-Y/s1600/2010-04-25_s014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S9Sbph3wDlI/AAAAAAAAEyw/bDCDmNDfB-Y/s320/2010-04-25_s014.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S9SbslCjpyI/AAAAAAAAEy4/1sK4eEfo3_M/s1600/2010-04-25_s015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S9SbslCjpyI/AAAAAAAAEy4/1sK4eEfo3_M/s320/2010-04-25_s015.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S9SbuY6StYI/AAAAAAAAEzA/-TB66dYs8rg/s1600/2010-04-25_s027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S9SbuY6StYI/AAAAAAAAEzA/-TB66dYs8rg/s320/2010-04-25_s027.jpg" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S9ScIzbdAzI/AAAAAAAAEzI/BdRqUsiPuok/s1600/2010-04-25_s035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S9ScIzbdAzI/AAAAAAAAEzI/BdRqUsiPuok/s320/2010-04-25_s035.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">All in all a good walk, though one that's left me slightly terrified of the final 40km distance!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="548" src="http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/31212074" width="465"></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-40606904272896496682010-04-21T17:32:00.000+01:002010-04-21T17:32:51.223+01:00India (16) - Home againAfter all the build up, a very uneventful flight, in which I somehow managed to get one of the prime seats. Arrived in Amsterdam this morning, to deliciously cold air and a sunny sky. By 9 o'clock or so I was home and reunited with Rupert, Zephyr and Rasha, who looked very pleased to see me. Rupert looks fantastic, and it's hard to believe he's the same cat who was wearing a nose tube and lampshade not so long ago.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-68449928951842886572010-04-21T16:55:00.009+01:002010-04-21T17:29:31.408+01:00India (15) - Coming home? Or not?<div style="text-align: justify;">Despite the fact that we had nothing planned today, we were all up early, fretting about the flight situation and the fact that we were likely to be stuck here for the next 10 days. As soon as 9 o'clock struck, we were back on the phone to KLM, trying about 4 numbers before we finally managed to get to speak to someone. At the end of the conversation we weren't any further along - they'd call us back later with some information (we never did hear anything back from them). </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We could have had our city tour, but with minds only on the flights, we hung out in the hotel room instead, glued to BBC World and busy with our photos and blogs. Since we didn't want to venture too far whilst we were waiting for KLM's call, lunch was the hotel's buffet, a tasty and extravagant affair. Just how extravagant, we realized when we got the bill at the end!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S88nR5Za2EI/AAAAAAAAEyI/pytO5x2Q9Oc/s1600/nh-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S88nR5Za2EI/AAAAAAAAEyI/pytO5x2Q9Oc/s200/nh-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S88nWflJtuI/AAAAAAAAEyQ/mUEMidENgSU/s1600/nh-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S88nWflJtuI/AAAAAAAAEyQ/mUEMidENgSU/s200/nh-2.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S88nah_0K5I/AAAAAAAAEyY/jKCFQE502kA/s1600/nh-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S88nah_0K5I/AAAAAAAAEyY/jKCFQE502kA/s200/nh-3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">After lunch, a surprising and very welcome call from our local agent. Apparently he'd spent the morning at the KLM offices, 40km out of the city, and managed to persuade them to put us on the list for tonight's flight. If the flight was going, we'd be on it. We began a little tentative packing, but didn't want to commit ourselves til we heard back from him. At 6 he called again - the flight was running and he'd pick us up around 9.30. To be doubly sure, we rang KLM and they confirmed.... we're on our way home.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Checked out of the airport at 9, with some amount of shock at the bill we'd manage to run up in just 24 hours - internet usage, laundering enough clothes for a 10 day extension to our trip, phone calls to KLM and of course the buffet all added up! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The airport was in total chaos. Queues of people lined up outside the terminal, trying just to get in the building. Without being able to show proof of a ticket, you weren't allowed in. So the first stop was the ticket office, to get an updated copy of our ticket. Our agent fought through the clamour of people trying to get the representative's attention, and had a long, and slightly worrying looking discussion with him. Then we were beckoned into the ticket office itself, whilst the KLM rep checked the computer. The result - nothing but our original booking. He checked the flight list - no mention of our names. Our agent shouted, the rep shouted back... the reality was, we were getting nowhere.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">If I'd been on my own at that point, I think it wouldn't have been long before I'd have given up and left the airport, but our agent was made of sterner stuff, and having promised us that we'd be on the flight, was determined not to let us down. Somehow he managed to persuade the security agents to let us into the building, despite not having a ticket for the night's flight, and once inside he proceeded to do battle with every KLM representative he could lay his hands on. The net result, after an hour or so, we got our names put onto the wait list. After that, it was just a question of sitting down in a corner, and waiting until 12.30am when the main check in closed. One by one we watched other people from the list being called over, the question was, just how many free seats would there be. Eventually our agent came over and handed us the departure cards to fill in. The first moment where I really thought there was a chance we were leaving. Another 10 minutes and a lot of discussions, and we were beckoned over for check in! We'd done it, 5 minutes and a lot of typing later, and we were clutching on to boarding passes like our life depended on them.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The main hurdle over, we took our leave of our extremely diligent travel agent. Only thanks to his efforts were we able to leave just a single day behind our scheduled departure date (and yes, I do feel rather guilty about all the other people there who have already been stuck for longer), rather than being stranded for the 10 days KLM promised us.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Eventually, after getting passports, boarding passes and hand baggage tags stamped multiple times by immigration and security, we left India at 3am. A fantastic holiday, and one that fortunately wasn't as marred as it could have been by an unwanted extension.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5469842902742425013.post-54934676975163816962010-04-19T21:00:00.019+01:002010-04-21T14:00:01.669+01:00India (14) - Bandhavgarh to Delhi<div style="text-align: justify;">Waiting, waiting and more waiting has been the theme for the last couple of days.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We finally left the resort for Amaria train station just before it got dark last night. I thought I was getting used to Indian traffic, but our first non-city ride at night proved otherwise. The cars and trucks don't have rear lights, the cycles have no lights, so as we drove along the windy roads, cyclists kept looming out of the darkness at the last moment.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S8170kmb6PI/AAAAAAAAEyA/OMFt7jClXD4/s1600/IMG_3154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S8170kmb6PI/AAAAAAAAEyA/OMFt7jClXD4/s400/IMG_3154.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once at the station we had a wait of over an hour. A little bit tedious, but I kept myself occupied counting the trucks on all the freight trains that went by (Dad has taught me well). End result - all coal, all 58/59 trucks. Arie also gave a group of young lads a tiger slideshow on his laptop. It was obviously well received, and when the boys moved off we kept catching the word 'tiger' in their fast Hindi conversation.<br />
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Once the train arrived we had to run down the platform with our bags to try and identify our carriage. A hasty goodbye to Major, our hardworking driver of the last fortnight, and we were off. Then the challenge of trying to identify our places (all in different sections), when every section was curtained off and half the occupants were already sleeping (the train has been running for 2/3 days already, apparently).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S816heCzHcI/AAAAAAAAEx4/iTq1RVZSnmE/s1600/IMG_3156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oBu6l-LI6Rk/S816heCzHcI/AAAAAAAAEx4/iTq1RVZSnmE/s320/IMG_3156.jpg" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The train was not too uncomfortable, and the air-conditioning was very welcome after we'd done without for the past couple days. But the ride was long. Awake at 6am, there were still 8 hours to go until arrival.. in the end it was another 10 hours, as we made a couple unexplained long (1hr) stops along the way.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The original plan for the afternoon was a city tour of Delhi, followed by the transfer to the airport. However, as the agent meeting us straightaway confirmed that our flight was cancelled, we asked to find a hotel first and cancel the tour. A good plan, as it started raining on the drive. This time, not the budget hotel we started out at, but a flashier place with internet and a swimming pool.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the room we promptly got the internet working and started scanning flight options to Madrid, Rome, Athens. Lisbon and anywhere else we could think of that wouldn't be affected by volcano ash. The results weren't promising. A couple cheap options flying with Uzbekistan Airlines through Tashkent which would have still left us stranded in Athens (no good train links there), or a couple exorbitantly priced options through Dubai and Jordan. Arie managed to get on the phone with KLM only to be told that they could fit us in on the 30th April.. a 10 day wait. That pretty much dampened our spirits, so we went for dinner in the hotel (expensive, but very good) and drowned our sorrows in a couple bottles of beer (Arie, Marcel) and a double gin and tonic (for me!) before going to bed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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