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blog2-6, originally uploaded by lukeo01.

Always crazy, always happening and always fun for the tourist and local alike.

blog2-3, originally uploaded by lukeo01.

A typical scene from the square mile that is the City of London.

blog1, originally uploaded by lukeo01.

This is my street in London during the global financial crisis. An unfortunate position for many people. Almost every street in London had this scene. House after house for sale.

S&M cafe, originally uploaded by lukeo01.

Another cafe that I passed each day in the City of London. The first time I saw this I was a little shocked, a little excited and a little of where the hell am I. Advertised as the traditional British breakfast. Then realised the S is for Sausage and the M is for Mash. I laughed and felt a lot better.

Last year I spent a lot of time in London and Europe. I have been very slack of organising photos, but as I do, I will include a few of them.

During my time I worked in the square mile that is the City of London. Every morning I would walk past little this little old deli which resides in an area that somehow avoided fire, a war, a recession and property development, to keep some of the original charm of London.

All in a Darwin weekend.
We started our Darwin trip with one simple goal: hovercraft in Darwin. So if you have seen the previous posts you have realised that there are no longer hovercrafts in Darwin. Which comes somewhat of a shock to me.  But that small set back was not going to stop the adventure.
Replacement fun: start with scooter hire, follow with amphibious vehicle, throw in crocs at kakadu and finish with a wave pool and you have yourself a great weekend in Darwin.

This is not to say it went smoothly 100% of the time but that’s the adventure part. One of the obvious highlights was picking up the famous NT Stubby in the Darwin airport.  I love Darwin and will certainly be back.

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Originally uploaded by lukeo01

I have been to Rodeo’s, ice hockey, football and even watched some hurling, but a rollerderby can compete on the physical level of all of those. What is also true is that looks are also important in this sport. It could definitely be my next big spectator sport in addition to the ice hockey.
Look out for Whip It, the rollerderby movie.
If you get a chance I would recommend going to a game if you get a chance.

Originally uploaded by lukeo01

I start to strap into my full body armour and I wonder if this is a good idea.

I am at a segway rally day just outside of London. After we navigate through some forrest, we arrive at the office and are promptly given helmets and body armour. Hmmmm…. my body armour is a bit dirty, which tells me that someone has needed to use it earlier that morning.

I have been on a road segway before and my confidence is high. The offroad variety stands very tall, but handles as I expect. We are put through a variety of skill test and then its time.

Into the mud we go. The rally track is small, but has a number of obsticles, little hills, s bends and some puddles. As the condifence grows, so does the speed. 10 laps later I finish the rally having a great time. However the question I have to ask myself is why the hell am I wearing body armour?

Joust0120

Originally uploaded by lukeo01

Is that a man taking his knight for a walk? Indeed it is.
That amongst many crazy things happen at a Jousting competition I found out.
As it turns out, Jousting did not die out in 16th Century, but lives today through the every populate movie ‘A Knights Tale’, and of course a very much real Jousting competition. ‘King Henry’s Tudor Joust’ was filled with Medieval sports and exhibitions and people dressed in the costume of the day.

The highlight of the day was obviously the Jousting. Although I thought initially it would be with Nurf Lances, it was in fact very real lances, which looked quite painful when thurst at the body on a horse travelling at speed. There guys really much be crazy. I suspect that many of them would make great Cowboys at a rodeo.

On further inpection there is a International Jousting Association set up for modern day Jousting which has strict guidelines for the quality and authenticity of jousters’ armour & equipment. So here I was thinking this is a crazy once off affair, may infact be a common sport in the UK.
Be sure to look out for a Joust in your area.