It's one thing to be in an amazing city, it's another to be there when something big is happening. Tomorrow two American football teams will battle at wembley stadium. The Denver broncos vs the San Francisco 49ers, the latter being my team! Yes my team is playing in London when I'll be there. But today there was a fan rally. Trafalgar square was packed, I've never seen so many NFL jerseys floating around. It's a shame that it wasn't on earlier so I could be there for more. They had the 49ers cheerleaders, 49ers drum bands, hip hop dancers who put my mr bean dance to shame! They had interactive games, merchandise, and the place was rocking. Later our emotinal and sometimes crazy 49ers coach mike singeltary and former great Jerry Rice were making an appearence. Many londoners may not know all the rules, or even seen a match on tv, but they were there supporting a huge event for London! Merchandise stand was packed and you're certainly blessed with choice! I'll get my gear tomorrow night, but there is so many options and it's very pricey! Choose wisely Luke skywalker! I should get my face painted. Can't be a long night, my flight to Norway leaves at 7am!!
What a great sporting weekend. In march I had AFL, F1 and the Melbourne international comedy festival, this weekend I have man utd v tottenham and 49ers v Denver! I'm writing this as I'm hurtling across the English countryside, our first stop was Milton Keynes, the home of red bull racing, tempted to get off but I have bigger plans..... Old trafford, home of the red devils, the team I've supported my whole life Manchester United! It's hard to realize that I'll be there in about 2 hours. It's a bucket list thing to do and it's finally happening! I've got my Hargreaves jersey and my new man utd jumper (thanks mum) on and I'm super pumped. It's a big game, sold ou, and I'm very fortunate to have a ticket! It's a lengthy process to get one, then become a member, waiting for the tickets to go to a ballot where you have to apply, then about 1-2 weeks of waiting, hoping that my application will be a success. Finally I received the email, your application was successful! Two words, fuking yay!
I did what I needed to do today, washing clothes, easier said than done. No washing powder, and when I got some and did the quick wash and rinse, it wouldn't let me open to door, clothes were stuck, the machine wanted to dry then, nooo they'll shrink, open damn you!! After about 30mins I opened it, Ahhh sweet clothes freedom! Its a beautiful sunny day in London, and my weather luck continues. When will it stop.... Never I hope. My wish is for clear weather at night while in norway for the northern lights and clear weather for Switzerland, especially my scenic helicopter flight around the Matterhorn. The rest I'm not fussed about, I'm prepared for the rain.
An old friend has advised me that galaxy is the choc to choose cause cadbury has dropped the ball over here and that KFC chips will not have chicken salt! Lucky she told me that now, it was going to be a snack. What else is different?! The city is much different on the weekends, busier but no one is rushing anywhere. Still no smiles, but I'm making up for that I can't stop smiling!
And interesting side note is the characters, I could certainly add to the big book of British smiles. There was a girl wearing Gumboots, way too big and flopping everywhere, it's her style and she's happy. It's not a judgement merely an observation. And my favourite person so far is a guy I saw on the tube, stage hypnotist Kenny Craig look alike! I nearly cracked up as he walked past and onto my train. I was waiting for him to fart and then....... Look into my eyes, Look into my eyes, Look into my eyes not around the eyes, the eyes, your under, I did not just fart, repeat not just fart, it was the bloke sitting beside me, 3,2,1.... Your back in the room!
I'm easy pleased and have learnt to accept the things you cannot change, just be prepared for the unexpected. Life is going to throw a few curveballs, just be on your toes to adjust, or it will hit you on the ass.....take your base! I've already had two chicken meals so far on the trip, even my fussy pallet has adjusted.
The countryside is picture perfect, rolling hills, meadows and some beautiful estates. It just so English, I love it.
Ok, part two of today's epic!
I'm hooked! I was in awe the whole match! It's hard to put in words my feelings as I walked up the stairs and into the arena, Old Trafford, Theatre Of Dreams and one I hope never to wake up from! This us unreal, 75,000 fans in a stadium not that big, I've been at 90,000 crowd at the MCG and 82,000 crowd for Australia v Uruguay at Stadium Australia, but this blew them out of the water. Our AFL and cricket stadiums are massive the atmosphere can be lost by the sheer size! This was electric, addictive and I want to go again! I want to show to everyone just how amazing this night was! But i dont have a clue how to. There's no smiley face big enough, no english words.... Its a mixture of euphoria, realisation of a life long dream, and just a big part of your heart. I watch these guys do battle til 5am back home, and the whole tome it was hard to fathom where I was. Couldn't stop looking around, smiling and just taking every bit if atmosphere that was available shoving it in my pocket to keep forever! It was a big game for Man Utd. Tottenham are a good club and are in the champions league this year! We won 2-0!!! Our captain scored in the first half, he's a Serbian so Vanessa will be pumped that he scored, and Nani cheekily stole a goal, it was called a goal, then the sideline referee had his flag up, after a chat there was no whistle at the infringement and Nani just yoinked it and scored! The roar around the stadium was hairs standing up stuff! All through the game the crowd lives and breathes every pass, every block and every moment of brilliance! And I got to see two greats if the club, Sir Alex Ferguson and Paul Scholes! I did miss Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney and Owen Hargreaves the name and number I have on my jersey, all injured. But that would be greedy, I don't want a cherry on my cake, what I saw, felt and lived is something that I will take to my grave and no one can take that away from me...... Shaking fist...... No one! Even at the ground it was hard to understand what some of the chants were, but my favorite was "we'll do what we want, we'll do what we waaaaant, we're Man Utd, we'll do what we want!" it's so typically Man Utd arrogance! With arrogance you have confidence, and this club is always confident. I've watched many a game and if you turned off the tv with 5 mins to go, you would miss Man Utd score two goals to come back and win it! And it comes down to a confidence that they will win, and it's never too late in a game! Bit like my trip, 28 but always had that belief of being there and supporting MY TEAM!
I waited for the stadium to empty to get a shot of me with the magnificent stadium in the background! It's there for the real fans! For half the city of Manchester (the other half support man city), this is their life. They sweat on other games scores in hope that we can get some points off Chelsea and Arsenal! I heard twat and foookin git in the accent it was made for! Pride of the North!
I didn't want to leave, though I had a train in an hour, so it was kind of force majeur. The public transport was kinda poor and after walking 15 mins near the tram stop behind about 20,000 people I asked a policewoman how long will it take to walk to Piccadilly station, bout 30-45 mins! Pete couldn't have walked there in 45 minutes. It was down the main stretch, forgetting to let me know about the important left-right-right towards the end!! So as it was nearly 8pm I decided to run, not jog, or is the j silent, is it yogging?! (anchorman) I stopped briefly to check a bus map at a bus stop to make sure I was heading in the right direction. I could hear the trains but couldnt see anything that resembles a train station, so i kept running. Stopping for the map was a bad idea physically, legs haven't run for about a week and for this duration in prob about 6 degrees, stopping = cramps! Luckily if I took it at yogging pace they quickly got back into a groove that I could then run again. 30mins of running, and I'm on holidays! That'll work off that galaxy bar I'm soon to try!
I made it with two minutes to spare! Sweating, but not smelling like my Coolangatta - KL flight! So a success all round. Now turn my thoughts to tomorrow, my last day in London, NFL game @ wembley. I'll start packing for Norway tonight. What an amazing place littered with prestige and beauty that so far is unsurpassed by anything I have every experienced..... So far!
I'm so happy!! :-)
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