An Adventure in England - Week 3

G'day again! Here's the final instalment of my awesome adventure in England! Let's get into the thick of things;

 Day 16 - Sunday 30th of September - Woke this morning feeling somewhat better than the day before. Had a bit of a lay in this morning no breakfast as we were heading off to The Halfway House east of Southend for an awesome carvery. I ended up going for a large portion again (who's going to say no to extra carvery?!). I also indulged in a nice pint of Guinness too. After the awesome feed we made our way back to Andy's for the afternoon indulged in a few more drinks and watched some TV and a film. A much needed break after the last trip into London.

Day 17 - 1st of October - Today was another very relaxed day. I had the opportunity to head into Leicester Square for a few drinks but to be quite honest, I was pretty exhausted from the trips into London. It just means next time I'm in the UK (T-Minus 8 months) I'll have a lot more to explore such as the London Eye, Westminster Abbey, West End etc. Anyway, I think I rolled out of bed at about one in the afternoon and pretty much did sweet bugger all. A good day just spent listening to music and chilling out. Isn't that what holidays are all about?

Day 18 - 2nd of October - Andy first day of vacation started today so we headed down to the Alex for a brilliant brunch that cost 4.50p! Massive breakfast too with a nice spot of tea on the side. We headed our

King of the World!

 way to Basildon for some rock climbing. I went up first and unfortunately had 

Buggered after Rock Climbing

my first experience of vertigo. I came down had a bottle of water and then went up on round 2 - made it to the top. Not sure why I had it - maybe it's because I hadn't done if for such a long time (I think that is going back 15 years now). Anyway so we were there for a good couple of hours trying our hand at the harder climbs. My forearms were absolutely drained by the end of this but hey - it was all good fun. Taking if up as part of my fitness routine when I'm back in Canada! After this we headed back down to Southend for a nice hot cup of tea and watched some TV. Tonight we cooked up an amazing vegetarian pasta dish and topped it off with a nice bottle of Merlot - tidy.

Day 19 - 3rd of October - Today we headed up to the Imperial War Museum at Duxford which is located 

At IWM Duxford

just to the south of Cambridge. The weather was reasonably cool today however I ventured out in just jeans and a tee shirt (I wonder why I kept getting strange looks). We stopped on the way north to grab a bite to eat before we made it into Duxford. The airbase is quite a massive complex with 7 hangers and a myriad of other buildings. We started our visit in the first hanger known as the AirSpace museum. Located in here is an introduction into the history of flight and also the history of British and Commonwealth aviation. There were a lot of exhibits for children and adults to play with that showed how surfaces on an aircraft work, the effect of lift and drag etc. While wandering around there was a cockpit of a Hawker Typhoon. It's amazing to see the engineering involved just for the pilot to control a plane. At the top of the hanger you can gaze over all the aircraft that are on static display in the hanger too. A few notable planes were the Avro Lancaster, the Concorde, Avro Vulcan, Spitfire and the 

Avro Lancaster

Tornado. We made our way around to the bottom of the hanger to get up close with the aircraft. We checked out a commercial aircraft from the 1950's - wow talk about leg room back then! We then made our way inside the Concorde. It really is an exceptional aircraft - the cockpit was rather small and the front window must have been pretty difficult to look out of especially when the plane was on the ground. There were stations for all the engineers, radio operators and navigator on the aircraft. Towards the back was the passenger's area and even then there was still a fair amount of leg room in the aircraft. We 

Avro Lancaster Tail Gun

finished off at the aft of the aircraft and was able to see the four massive power plants that sent this plane skywards. Simply amazing technology.
After the commercial aircraft I made my way to the tail gun position of the Lancaster. I've read a book called Tail-End Charlies which is about the experiences of being a tail gunner in world war II. It would have been a very cold and lonely experience out the back there, as most of the other positions on the aircraft were to the stern of the aircraft. We then made our way under the massive Avro Vulcan which was the British high altitude nuclear bomber. It saw service in the Falklands war in 1982 in which it dropped conventional bombs on Port Stanley Airfield. It is a massive aircraft with the bomb bay large enough to fit at least 2 cars. Simply massive. After this I checked out a 

Supermarine Spitfire

Spitfire and once again they are always an amazing plane to get up close and personal with. We made our way around past several other aircraft and came across the Rolls Royce engine used to power commercial aircraft such as the A380- It was massive. It was twice the height of me and was simply awe inspiring. I then had the opportunity to see the current strike fighter used by the RAF in Afghanistan the Tornado. Quite an impressive fighter / bomber with sweeping wings. It was a very cool sight to see. We made our way to the exit and 

A380 Engine

checked out Richard Branson's capsule that he used to fly across the Atlantic in a balloon. It was very cramped in there and once again an amazing example of brilliant technology can be used in adventuring.
We then made our way to the second hanger which housed the current flying aircraft that Duxford is famous for. On the way I had the childhood dream come true to have my photo taken next to the B-17 used in the Memphis Belle film. It was amazing to see the B-17. Such a beautiful and sleek bomber! One side is still painted in the livery of the film while the other side has the original nose art of the Sally B. The plane was actually converted from a 

Panivia Tornado

G to an F model for the film (the chin turret was removed and additional guns were placed next to the bombardier and navigators positions in the nose). We also say the Consolidated Catalina used for patrol missions in the pacific theatre and also the German Transporter - the Junkers J-55. Inside the hanger itself was a massive collection of Spitfires, a Grumman Hellcat, several Hawker Hurricanes, another Lancaster, a F-86 Sabre, an Me-109, a P-40 Kittyhawk, a couple of P-49 Mustangs and a Corsair. Unfortunately most of the hanger was closed off but it was still cool to see these aircraft in the flesh. 
Before we made our way to the Air and Sea hanger I treated myself to a four pound motion simulator (yes, I am still a big kid). The simulator contained combat footage of 2 Me-109's taking on 2 Spitfires. The sensation reminded me of my aerobatics flight I did on my birthday a few years ago. It lasted for a good 8 minutes with one Spitfire and the Me-109 being knocked out of action. It was very fun! 
We made our way into the Air and Sea hanger which had a few static displays of aircraft used in sea operations. They included the Hawker Sea Faerie, Swordfish (a Bi-plane that was used to inflict massive losses to the Italian Naval fleet at Taranto), the Hawker Sea Hawk, Hawker-Siddeley Buccaneer and a Vampire. We also checked out a piece of the iron curtain used to protect the German Battle cruiser "Tipetz" Which was sunk in Norway. There was a midget submarine also on display and a MTB 71 (PT Boat).
Next we made our way to the Battle of Britain Hanger which was home to a few Spitfires, Hurricanes and some German aircraft and remains. There was an Me-109 and the tail section of the Heinkel 111 that was found in farmland. The exhibitions also included information on what it was like during the Blitz, and what wartime London was like. Towards the back of the hanger there was a section dedicated to the Cold War which included a few static displays of SAM batteries, a F-4 Phantom, Gloster Meteor and another Vampire on display. 
The next hanger was the conservation hanger which housed the current restoration projects that are being 

SR-71 Blackbird

undertaken at IWM Duxford. There was the shell of a Japanese Zero with extensive battle damage and rust, a Hawker Harrier, a Swordfish, a Heinkel 111, the nose of a Lancaster and the tail gun from a Vickers Wellington. Everything was static and the planes which when restored would be housed in the other hangers.
We decided to skip the 1940 operations room exhibition as I have seen these in Dover before. We made our way to the American Air Museum. On the way was the static display of a F-15 Eagle! What an awesome sight! Upon entering the hanger you are instantly awe stuck with the sight of the B-52 Stratofortress! That thing is HUGE! It is the centrepiece of the museum and rightly so. We made our way down to the floor and checked out the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane. I remember being a kid remembering how massive this thing would have been and actually it's not as big as you think it is! It was still a very cool sight to see. We made our way to 

Next to the B-52

the B-29 Superfortress that was on display and checked out the nose section. The Nordon Bombsight was still mounted in the aircraft which and it's an impressive aircraft to stand next too as well. We made our way under the wing of the B-52 and I had my photo taken next to the nose - it simply towers over you. We made our way around and checked out the other B-17 that was on display, however it was still undergoing some restoration work. I also had the opportunity to get up close with the Ball Turret used in the B-24 Liberator that

The Sperry Ball Turret

 was on display too! What a cramped location to fight a war. It definitely would have been a cool place to fight though - sitting under the aircraft you have a complete 180 degree view on the world! We checked out several other aircraft including the F-111 that has recently been retired in the RAAF and a few other aircraft that were hanging from the ceiling. Notable planes where the Curtiss and the U2 

Memphis Belle and I

Bomber. 
We made our way to the last hanger which was the land warfare hanger which housed the a collection of artillery pieces and tanks. I am not very big on land warfare however it was cool to see the following on static display - there was a German Panzer IV tank which was mainstay of the Panzer Battalions in World War II. There was also a Flak 88 artillery piece on the floor which was probably one of the best multi purpose weapons developed by the Germans. There was also a Tiger I on display which

Sally B / Memphis Belle

 was used in the film Saving Private Ryan. Also on display was a Russian T-34 which was used to destroy the Panzer Battalions at the Battle of Kirsk. Finally a Sherman M-4 was on display. A few other tanks were on display from the ages however their names escape me right now.
We made our way back towards the exit but not before stopping off to take a few more photos of the Memphis Belle on display. 
With everyone exhausted we made our way back to Southend where we went out to Cricketers for dinner. We all had an awesome Thai feed which was the best Thai I've ever tried. I had roasted duck which was just divine. Chris and Jen then joined us for a few beers before we called it a night! What an amazing day. 

Day 20 - 4th of October - Today I lacked any amount of energy. I was supposed to head up north to Colchester however I opted for a relaxing day in Southend. Ended up heading out for lunch at the Alex before sending off some postcards and then chilling at home. Not much else happened I ended up having an early night to recharge the batteries.

Carvery!

Day 21 - 5th of October - My last day in the UK... Today I made my way up north to Billericay on the train then Chris, Jen and myself headed off to the secret (well not so secret any more  Cold War bunker. The bunker itself was set on a farm which you could have blinked and missed if it you were not looking for it. The bunker itself was set 3 floors below ground, encased in lead and reinforced concrete. The audio tour took us around the facility which would have been used in the case of an Atom Bomb or Hydrogen Bomb being unleashed on London. It was quite scary to think that this facility was still in use up until 1994 and can be re used if necessary. The bunker itself can hold up to 300 people from memory for up to 3 months. There was all sorts of facilities in the bunker including medical rooms, radio rooms, accommodation and bathing facilities. The complex had continuous filtered air and the temperature and humidity was constantly kept level. The most scariest thing about the bunker was the laws that could be used by police and military if a bomb was to be unleashed - and they included being able to execute people due to radiation poisoning as a means to end suffering. To think that the English had this you can only imagine what other countries like the US have. We finished up the tour and made our way down to Billericay for a few pints at the White Hart before making our way to Basildon for a carvery dinner (yes another!). I opted for the King Size portion again and

 stuffed myself silly. We then went to the arcade for a drink, some pool and 2p machines before I headed back down to Southend to have a few drinks down at the Alex with Andy and Emma. Was not a very late night but all in all was a fun night out!

Day 22 - 6th of October - Headed out for breakfast this morning with Chris, Jen, Emma and Andy at the Alex. Indulged in the mega breakfast again and then we made our way to Heathrow. Said our goodbyes and reminded them that 8 months I'll be back for round two! Made my way through check-in and security with no problems before I made my way to the departure gate. My flight was pretty ordinary to say the least, a very rude family in front of us with a screaming child, but the couple next to me were nice enough. Ended up drinking red wine with them until we landed - very fun! Oh and I finished The Grey Knights omnibus! Awesome read. Unfortunately the rest of the adventure turned out to be pretty sour but I wont go into that. Let's just say I am already considering a move else where!
So there you have it! I had such an amazing experience in the UK and I can't wait until I go back. That is three weeks of my life that I'll never forget! Now it's back to reality to find a job and start saving for the next 4 months of travelling. I plan on heading down to the US in the coming weeks so stay tuned for another update.
Until next time - Hooroo!

~Matty

An Adventure in England - Week 2

G'day again from merry ol' England! It's been another amazing week over here in England. The weather has been getting cooler but at the same time it's been pretty amazing. Anyway let's get into the thick of this!

English Beer Garden

Day 8 - Saturday 22nd of September - Woke this morning to another chilled out day. After the epic carvery dinner we had the night before we pretty much decided that we would relax around the house. Watched a bit of TV before we decided to head up to Stock to check out Chris and Jen's favourite pub - the Bear. It's a neat little pub with a pond in which some cool ducks are just paddling around doing their thing. It was lush sitting out in the sun while we sunk a few beers. Headed back home and chilled out for the rest of the evening.

Day 9 - Sunday 23rd of September - Ahhh another lazy Sunday morning. I indulged in my normal morning cup of tea (note to self: must find some PG Tips when I get back to Canada...) before we started to get ready to watch the Manchester United v Liverpool game. Fortunately United one this time and it was a pretty good game. We then headed down to the Red Lion (weather was horrible) for a few pints before a few of Chris and Jen's friends turned up for a curry. I had myself an awesome mixed tandoori grill while everyone had the usual chicken tikka masala or korma's. After dinner we went back to the Red Lion to sink a few more beers before we all decided to call it a night. Made our way back home as it was an early start for me the next morning. All in all was a great night - good friends, good food and good drink! No need to say anything more!

Day 10 - Monday 24th of September - Today I made my way up to Birmingham! Caught the bus from Billericay and made our way very slowly up towards the west midlands. Allow me to say this - while I don't mind coach travel as it is sometimes a cheaper alternative to trains or flying... sometimes it's just quicker and easier to just pay the extra 20 quid and get there quicker. 6 hours on a coach with uncomfortable seats is not my idea of fun! Anyway enough of me indulging in having a moan! Made my way to Birmingham to meet up with an old Final Fantasy XI buddy. Made our way across town pass the bull ring and Queen Victoria Square before heading up to Weoley Castle. Met Mat's family, indulged in a few beers before we made our way down to his local for a few beers. Of course being a Monday evening it was University Student night and every pub had a quiz. We ended up going to the Goose and chilled about drinking and listened in on the quiz - funnily enough one of the questions was "Newcastle is located in which Australian State?" In which I promptly yelled out across the bar "Ask me I'm Australian!" I got a few laughs gave the answer away to the table near us! Fun times. After our beers we went back home, played some video games before we I decided it was high time I got some sleep!

New Birmingham Library

Victoria Square - Council Chambers

Day 11 - Tuesday 25th of September - Unfortunately today's weather really didn't permit us to do anything all too dramatic or exciting. We started off with an awesome breakfast before we decided to head back into Birmingham to check out the city. Our first stop was obviously a pub in which we indulged in a pint before we made our way into town. We checked out some cool architecture around the place, the war memorial was a cool sight and we went back to Queen Victoria Square. There is some cool architecture there and the the alleys are cool - very Victorian era. We went back to the bull ring again and checked out some of the shops and grabbed a bite to eat before heading back out for another pint on the way home because the weather was ordinary. We made it home and stopped off at the off license for another 10 pack of Carlsburg. The rest of the afternoon / evening was video games and beer like proper nerds! All in all was a great time which we topped it off by watching Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete. Fun times!
Day 12 - Wednesday 26th of September - Today it was time to say goodbye to Mat and his family and make my way back to Billericay. Was awesome seeing him and spending time up there. Next time I'm over we'll need to arrange an epic gathering of all the fellas to celebrate the good times of old. Made our way back down to the bus stop and said hooroo before making the 6 hour trip back to Billericay. It was interesting to note on the way back through this time we saw a lot more of Cambridge this time. It's a very nice city and I could only imagine what it would be like to go to University there. It's definitely a place I'd like to check out again on my next adventure north.
We made our way back to Billericay where I was met by Chris and Jen. Headed back home and then I grabbed a chippy (Haddock and Chips) and watched the football - United had a win in the League Cup over Newcastle which was all good. Night ended with some more TV before going to bed.

Day 13 - Thursday 27th of September - Today we made our way back to Southend-on-the-Sea so I could stay with another mate Andy for the rest of my adventure. I got to indulge my gambling addiction to the 2p machines (yes they are addictive.... in the fun sense!). We had Wimpey's for lunch before we checked out the beach, went for a drive to Leigh-on-sea and then headed off to a little pub and had a beer before Andy got back from Portsmouth. We met up with Andy and then headed off to Emma's before making our way to the Alex for some pub food and a few pints. Quiet night but fun at the same time!

Day 14 - Friday 28th of September - London again today! Had a chat with Andy's housemate Dan in the morning and had one of his awesome cups of coffee. I bought my all day travel card for London - it came in at a ridiculous 20 pound 70p. Anyway made my way to Fenchurch Street then caught the tube up to Liverpool Street to meet Neil. Ended up finding a cool pub around Liverpool Street and just sat around and chatted. Walked to another pub with the wonderful rainy weather of London and indulged in a bite to eat - I had myself an awesome steak with chips, mushroom and salad. Yum! I had to make my way back to Southend as we were heading out to the Alex again for another drinking session. Had an awesome vegetable lasagna before we headed down to the Alex to meet some more of Andy and Emma's friends. Had myself even more beers before last drinks were called and made my way home. What a great night!

Canary Wharf

Inside O2 Arena

Outside of O2 Arena

Day 15 - Saturday 29th of September - Not the greatest morning in the world - woke up feeling pretty ordinary after last nights drinks. Andy and Emma were in about the same state as well. We ended up making our way back to London again. We caught the train the Limehouse then walked to Canary Wharf. Caught the river cat to O2 Arena and checked out the inside - it's pretty neat! After that we were going to take a cable car across the Thames however the line up was ridiculous so we legged it to the underground and caught the tube north to Camden Town. It's a really cool alternative part of London - lot's of markets and food stalls. It's where a lot of the punks hang out and all sorts of cultures. I had a cool time looking around. One shop caught my eye was Cyberdog which was all cyber-pubk styled clothing - very neat! Almost bought a shirt but at 27 pounds it was a bit rich for just a shirt. We had some lunch (I had my Japanese fix) before we kept looking around. We ended up making our way back to Southend and cooked up a delicious Mexican dinner which we were going to indulge in board games, drinks and dvd's however everyone was too wrecked to do anything! The night ended quietly and all in all it was another awesome day in London. 

Cyberdog in Camden

Camden Town art

So there you have it! Week 2 completed and only 1 week left in this amazing country. This coming week sees us head to Stonehenge, Duxford and probably London again to do the Eye and also check out St. Pauls Cathedral. Possibly some other random adventures in the mix too. That's it until next time! Stay tuned for week 3!

~Matty