Random Diary

This is a bit of a catch up Blog, as I have been on Holiday and got lots to tell you, about all sorts of different things.  I am going to do it diary style.

 

Saturday 8th of May – Celebration of Steam at the Historic Dockyard.

 

H and I decided that we would go down to the Celebration of Steam, not sure what it would entail, but we had a great day.   Our £12 ticket, got us entry to HMS Warrior, which I had wanted to go on for ages, a Harbour tour on a

Traction Engine

boat, where we got to see part of the British Navy that is docked in Portsmouth.  As well as this there was a collection of traction engines and steam powered memorabelia including the world record holding fastest steam car in the world, which took the record by going nearly 150 mph.

 

There was also an Ale and Sausage Festival where we had a local tipple and an Ostrich burger.  Which I can say is very nice.

 

Monday 10th May – Natural History Museum – London

 

As we were flying to Riga Early on Tuesday we had decided to stay at Stanstead the night before which gave us the opportunity to go to London.

The Natural History Museum Dinosaur

  We had wanted to get to the Natural History Museum for ages and it didn’t disappoint.  It is spectacular but we could have done with having more time. 

 

After a swift meal in China Town we headed to Wimbledon to meet with May-Z who unfortunately wouldn’t be there for my birthday.  We had some great conversations about professional quiz-masters among others.

 

Tuesday 11th May – Riga

 

We flew to Riga from Stanstead on Ryan Air.  It was ok.  It was also my Dad’s birthday, so happy birthday to him.  I will write more about Riga in another Blog, but it was great fun.

 

Saturday 15th May- FA Cup Final

 

Pompey were in the FA Cup final, after a turbulent season with Relegation administration, numerous owners and players jumping ship, we had battled our way to Wembley. 

 

We defended brilliantly in the first half and were saved by the woodwork on 6 occasions and went in at half time 0-0.

 

Daring to dream in the second half, we had a penalty, which Kevin Prince Boateng scuffed and was saved, and then Didier Drogba scored the winner.  Not what the fairytale deserved.

 

Sunday 16th May – World Twenty-20 and Gigs.

 

Well done to England, World T-20 champions.  It was a brilliant final, with all parts of our team on fire.  Bowling was economical, Craig Kieswetter and KP were on fire, and we were finally steered home by Paul Collingwood and Eion Morgan with 3 overs to go, a huge margin in this form of the game.  To beat the Aussies was the icing on the cake.

 

As soon as this had finished I rushed out the door to go and see North Atlantic Oscilation at the Joiners. The Sarah Griffin Band were great, the Rebs were average and NAO were probably the best band that I had seen this year.

 

There you go, brief, but good.  I will catch you up on Riga later.  

Brief Interlude

Sorry to disrupt the Safari blogging, but one of the reasons it has been taking so long is that I have been watching the ICC Twenty-20 World Cup.  This has been taking place in England, and despite another poor showing fromm the England Mens team, this has been a fantastic tournament.

There have been simultaneous tournaments for men and women, and Englands Womenas team have won their second tournament this year, after the 50 Over world Cup, so incredibly well done to them.  They have played brilliantly well all tournament and are deserved winners on home soil.

The Mens Tournament was won by Pakistan, a country where cricket is almost a religion, and a country that has been starved of success and international cricket due to terrorism.  When it first started, T-20 was seen to favour the batsmen, with long slogs over the boundry being the key to success.  This final showed how untru this is, the 2 best bowling teams were in the final, with Sri Lanka’s line up of Mulithiran, Mallinga and Mendis enough to scare any batsman in the world.  Equally though Pakistans, especially Umer Gul, Abdul Razzaq and the 17 year old Aamir.  The final was a great affair, with Pakistan running out deserved winners.

Now to get cricket back into their country.

Excitement

Evening all.

I have just watched the first game of the Indian Premier League where Kolkata Knightriders have just anihilated Bangalore Royal Challengers.  An absolutely brilliant display by Brendon McCullam hitting a world record score of 158 off of just 73 balls was the highlight as Kolkata reached 220-3.

Bangalore came into bat, and I thought they would have stood a good chance of making a game of it, but how wrong could I be.  With a collapse that England would have been proud of managed 82 all out, with their 2nd highest scorer being Extras.

Anyway, the reason that I am excited is that I always like new sporting events, I remember being fairly extited when the Ruby Super Leage started, and I don’t even like rugby league.  This is a bit special though, as its an entirely new concept.  There are 8 franchises, who each bid for players in a secret auction.  MS Dhoni went for the top price of 1.5million.  All of which goes to him for the 14 games that he could play.

Yes the money is bringing in the big guns, but I am so disappointed in the short sightedness of the English Cricket Board  not letting our players out there.  Playing with the best in the world for 6 weeks will surely improve them more than having rain stop play in Glamorgan. 

Luckily for me one of my favourite players Dimitri Mascarenhas (Got to support the Hampshire boys) is out there, the county have let him go, and all for the better, it will really help his international chances.   Even better he is in the same team as another Hampshire player Shane Warne.  So come on Rajastan Royals.  Now there is something that I never thought I would be saying.

Anyway, Dheli tomorrow 4pm on Setanta.  I’ll be there.