A series of unfortunate events. Cancelled trains, flat car batteries and Danbury Hill...

Let me say, first of all, that despite everything I am about to tell you we had a really good weekend, just a few hiccups along the way shall we say?

Bad thing number 1: On Friday afternoon I get a phone call from Katy My train has been cancelled...luckily this was followed by an explanation of her plans for alternative trains via here there and everywhere it seemed, but she arrived with us, all be it about an hour and a half later than she should've done.

Satuday afternoon after lunch we headed off to London, we went in the car so that we could leave any bags from our retail therapy at Westfield Stratford in the car whilst we were at the 02 Arena seeing Olly Murs.  Good idea you'd think?  I bet you think you know what is coming next don't you?  I bet it's not what you think, well...not immediately anyway!  We headed back to the car before the show to drop off the one bag we had managed to acquire (disappointing shopping trip!) and [Bad thing number 2 coming up...]the boot wouldn't open.  This wouldn't have been too much of a worry at that moment in time if we could've got into the rest of the car, but the remote was having no effect at all.  After my genius suggestion of trying to get into the car the old fashioned way and actually using the key we were in, but now came the task of working out what was going on, was it just the remote? One quick glance at the dash and it's flashing lights told us that wasn't the case, it looked like the alarm had been going off. I hopped out of the car to take a look to see if there was any damage to the car, but there was nothing.  Meanwhile Mum had attempted to start up the car and all that did set off the alarm again, and you could only stop it by keeping your foot on the brake...Brilliant!  Time to call the AA out now then?  Whilst Mum was on the phone to the AA the realisation hit her of what had happened, she'd left the headlights on for the last 3 hours and the battery had run flat...(On hearing this news my Dads first reaction was didn't you hear the beeping?...) We were very lucky though, after first being told that the AA were very busy in the area and it could take up to two hours the man arrived with us within 20 minutes, telling us that the roads were dead and there was nothing going on- interesting!  So after sitting in the car running it for a while we headed back into the 02.

We had a great time, Olly even came right out into the audience and walked right past the row in front of where we were sitting (I have a video but it's really not worth posting it!).  At about 10.30 we headed out of the arena into a good few inches of snow... fantastic. Bad thing number 3, not too helpful when you've come in the car I'm sure you'd agree.  Thankfully when we got back to the car it unlocked and started up fine so there was no issue there.  The thing is the M11, M25 and A12 didn't appear to have seen any grit, despite the overhead signs that were telling us other wise "Salt Spreading" they said, but bearing in mind the road was totally covered I really fail to see how we were meant to believe that one!  There were cars slipping and sliding everywhere, and as usual the idiots who over take you thinking they can do better and then are inevitably the ones that cause you problems up ahead.  The real issue comes when you want to get back to Maldon, given the choice between the back roads or going through Danbury you're not really left with a suitable option!  In hindsight we'd have gone for the back roads though I think!  After already having been stuck and pushed once near the start of the hill we had to slow down after the car in front got stuck, predictably leaving us stuck too.  We struggled for quite some time, but we eventually saved by a lovely couple that live in one of the houses on the hill.  They had been going out for the past 2 hours helping people and we were just one of the cars they'd helped on their way that night.  With 4 of us pushing the car we eventually made it to the top and were on the way home once more.  It wasn't until we were turning into our own road that we got stuck again, but we dug ourselves out with the shovel Dad had sent us off with earlier on and got Dad to come and give us a hand and we eventually made it home.  From all the news reports we were the lucky ones, there were people stuck on the M25 for 6 or 7 hours that night, and people stuck in the 02 overnight because the underground had ground to a halt.  The extra hats, gloves, scarves and socks I'd taken with us don't seem so silly now, we may have needed them!

On Sunday Katy headed to Witham with her brother, she was meant to be seeing all of her family, but the roads were just too bad for them to be able to head down from Norfolk.  Once she'd gone we had a lovely walk down to the Prom in the snow and I think now our series of unfortunate events is over.  They do say things come in threes don't they?

Scarily enough this time next week I'll be in Granada!  Mum is coming with me for the first few days whilst I get settled in, but by Thursday I'll be on my own again and truly starting the second half of my year abroad.  I'll be out there until the end of June, and unlike when I was in Brussels and could easily hop on the plane or the Eurostar I don't plan to come home, it would take too long for it to be worth it bearing in mind I'd have to leave on a Friday and be back for classes on Monday morning.  I've already got plenty of weekend plans though so the time should fly, I've hopefully got a friend coming out to visit in March, and then I'm planning on going to Gibraltar, after that I've got a holiday booked in Majorca with some of the girls from Uni, following that 2 trips to Cordoba and Seville before my parents and my Nana come out for the week that covers my Mums birthday and my 21st!  After that it's just something like 6 weeks to go and I know at least 1 or 2 more people that want to visit Granada as well as having exams to do.  I've not even gone anywhere yet and I have planned out most of my time right up until the end!

Sorry for the long post and that some of it may have bored you to death!  But to be honest...lets think about what sparked you to read this in the first place?  Is it your boundless interest for what I'm up to or just mindless procrastination any way?!

The 40th Post

I feel that reaching my 40th post should be some sort of momentous occasion, but quite frankly there isn't a whole lot to write!

I know those of you that are not equally counting down until "home time" will be quite bored of this but -

I'M GOING HOME IN 2 WEEKS FROM TODAY!

Ok, it's out of my system now...

Tuesday was Saint Nicholas Day and as he is the saint for children here in Belgium we were paid a visit by him and his little helpers in one of our classes giving us fruit and sweeties, slightly random but another "cultural experience" I guess?!  Talking of cultural things, I understand it's nice to say bon appetite to someone when they start a meal, and my flat mate always says it when she sees me eating, by the other day I was walking down the street taking the very final bite of my croissant when a random passer by wished me bon appetite, I was a little bit confused... maybe I'm the only one that finds that slightly odd?

A box of M&S, yes, you heard it, M&S Mince Pies has turned up in my kitchen, I want to know where my flat mate got them from! Ahhh it's the simple things you miss...!

This weekend Jenny and I are off on our very last weekend away, this time to Lille to see the Christmas markets and just to generally be able to say we went to France for the weekend.  Once we get back I'll have been to Luxembourg, Spain and France as well as having seen various places in Belgium and having popped back to England for the weekend.  I some how don't reckon I'll be travelling as much from Granada but I am hoping to see as much of Spain as I can.

Oh and this is about as productive as my lecture got today: