My mate Tim M. took some photos so here they are credit to him for the photos.

I also took a picture of the wrist straps we have to wear during the event this shows the LAN’s that I’ve been to. I still have my i43 badge as well if I can find that I will upload another picture. I plan to go to the Iseries in the summer if I get better with my health.

Here is a picture of the Team Fortress to tournament that I was in. You can just make out my tag “bucko”.

–other stuff—

Just a bit of an update on my health. Later this month I have to go for an MRI scan as my previous posts. They want to make sure nothing is wrong with me but I’m still kind of dreading it. This LAN helped take my mind of it a bit. I also watched the avengers movie last night and that was pretty ace. I recommend going to see it. This weekend I hope to sort out my fish tank, it’s been empty the last few weeks as it has come out of storage. I’ll upload photos when it’s done and when I have a new light fitting for it. It’s starting to look good.

I know I promised more blog posts..I’m sorry! But I think you will know why you forgive me. The past 5 months or so I’ve been really ill. I may look fine on the out side but my friend described it brilliantly as an “invisible illness”. I’ve had a constant pain in the left side of my body. Rather than get all depressed about it I thought I would write a blog post about it. Next month (April) I have to go to see a neurologist at hospital as I may have a problem with my left side (upper) of my body. Some issues flagged up in a blood test and I was referred. At least I have the balls to get it sorted, but the medication I’m on (I take 3 tablets of different sorts) each day really does takes it’s toll on me. But I’m still determined to carry on and not let it get me down. I’m still working 5days a week and in the same time frame I managed to move to a much nicer flat. I really would like to thank my family friends and anyone else that’s helped me (notably lift stuff as it’s something I can’t do) so much you mean the world to me. As living on your own and being in pain can get depressing! But every one is supporting me and I’m hugely appreciative of it, it means a lot to me!

I plan to work on this web site this weekend. I have so much photography, university work and hobby based work that I would love to show but I just don’t get the time! I did manage to get a clone set-up on my computer with WAMP and plan to design and build accordingly to what I like. I’ve been saying a redesign will happen but trust me it will and there will be lots of content, lots more! Oh and I have mega fast Internet now. It’s a real treat and I will be able to upload stuff a lot more easier. At my old place I was on awful wireless and it was terrible. Now I actually use an ethernet cable it really does help!

(the area near our hostel)

On the Sunday we went to Gouda which is only about 20minutes or so away. Gouda is very famous for it’s cheese. But I also know someone that lives there from my working times in Holland. We went to meet him in Gouda centraal. Before this we both got a bit lost and found a nice port. The heavens did open! Thunder started to rumble and hail started to fall but this was probably the worst day with weather in terms of all the holiday. Strangely I met my friend in a kebab shop. I hadn’t eaten anything all day and was getting rather hungry. He was with his dutch friend as well and he seemed like a cool guy. They showed us around Gouda (hiding from the hail storms while we could) and generally had a good day. One of my favourite parts was that they managed to show us some locals they knew. It was really cool to see some old fashioned dutch streets (as Rotterdam is mostly modern). We had a joke and a laugh and it really felt like we had a nice chat with the locals. Also one bizarre scene we come across was a “British motor bike club”. There were probably about 50 “Harley Davidson type motorbikes”. They had all come to try the cheese, a long bike journey! I think maybe they go to other places as well but it was strange to see a British club there. In the evening we went back to Rotterdam Central mostly because we were waiting for our friend from Canada to appear. In the evening he did eventually arrive from his connecting flight from London. It was a pleasure to see him again.

(Gouda Cheese)

Monday was great we went to Amsterdam for the day. Did the usual tourist stuff and walked around the city. It was cool in the evening to also see the city by boat. Something that I did last time I was there. Even just sitting down in the main square for most of the day was great fun and watching the Amsterdam world go by.

(Amsterdam square)

Tuesday was a day I was looking forward to most. We went back to Wassenaar. The place I used to live. We walked around the tiny village and it felt just the same (sure a few shops had changed) but the general village community was friendly and welcoming, a nice little village that I like a lot. We even went past “Bagell Alley” and this was strange since this was the place that a lot of the previous blog posts on here were posted from and the photos.

(The supermarket C1000 I used to go to once a week and the Internet café that I used to go practically everyday)

We then proceeded into the camping and bought a day ticket and this was about 19 Euros. I immediately went to the reception I used to work at. Spoke to the girl there a bit saying “I used to work here etc..” and then started to ask if people I know might still be here. This was unexpected, found out two people I know were on the camping still working. After going round the tikipad (famous in Holland) and theme park we met up with them and had a few drinks. It was cool to see them again and go in a “traditional” dutch pub. Unfortunately the “Tappery Plain 14″ (often refereed to as the “tap”) that I spent many of drunkly nights in 2009 had turned into some sort of wine/posh bar. So posh I didn’t dare to go in with the bank balance slowly going down hill. However it was great to see it all again. In the evening we got back to Rotterdam and went to a Jazz bar and I met up with my tent mate again. When we said goodbye I also met his Dad, his Dad was ace good to meet him!

(The Live area entrance and my home used to be down this pathway and a picture of some of the accommodation I used to work on)

Wednesday our last day, we went to the Rotterdam famous bridge. It’s pretty amazing. I will end the holiday with a photo of the bridge. Certainly worth a look at in real life if you ever get the chance to stop by Rotterdam.

(The famous Rotterdam Bridge)

I’m now on another holiday from work and just relaxing this time. I can’t really afford to go any other country. But I have some stuff planned and have done a lot already and will save this for another blog post.

About the blog, a new theme is in development but I’ve only programmed one php page (index.php). I have a long way to go. I’m just really really tired recently from work and the cycling. Also my graphics card just died so that has annoyed me (but it was a 4year old 8800GTS). I’m on my 2nd PC now so will have to transfer some data over. When I get time. But at least I have managed to start work on the theme. It’s fun just diving into notepad++ after work chilling and writing some code because it’s all finally starting to come back to me.

I also did some bike maintenance and have a new back wheel and seven speed cassette cog. It’s much more smoother now cycling to work. And changing gear doesn’t feel like a tank starting up.

I’m trying if I can find the time to upload my University work and favourite selections of my photography. I just haven’t had time to do this recently. I plan to create a new sub domain for this area and will create a post so you can go to this link. And it will also make it easier for me to show people the stuff I have made rather than hunting around the blog. So I will keep you all posted on how the changes are going . I’m tempted to develop my own theme rather than customize a ready made one as well. But I’m still deciding this! If time pro-veils.

So with the refund I’ve been going a bit crazy cooking some really nice meals and just generally enjoying having free electricity! .

Also I’ve booked another holiday! Rotterdam on September 16th, going with my mate Tim who I know from Uni and plan to meet 4~5 people there who I know from my various previous travels. It was about £310 all in, absolute bargain for 6 days! Really can’t wait. And I love it how my insurance cost me £8. Is it me or is holiday insurance cheap and really easy to just buy it at the end of ordering your flight? It really does save time.

Don’t have much else planned but someone I know in Northampton wants to have a catchup, should be interesting for a weekend soon!

The wonders of having a £1 meter in your flat. That’s a life long lesson learnt, make sureyou ask the landlord who the electricity provider is so you can compare rates if you are on a pay and go meter. It doesn’t bother me I can afford it but if I move to a bigger flat it will be the first thing I check and ask about now I don’t want to be stung like that, for electricity I have to pay a £1 a day! Good job I turn off absolutely everything when I go to work!
[/rant]

Here are some pictures for you all to see. I will upload some more when I get more time.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13756921@N04/sets/72157626719239771/

Just a quick update. I’ve booked a holiday to Rome! I’m going to see my friend for 6days at a camp site. And be a customer at Eurocamp! OMG, it’s who I used to work for last year in Italy. It’s going to be strange going as a customer and not working, when you have seen how it all works behind the scenes! I will be staying in a tent (kinda like the ones I used to live in abroad). So should be fun and warm. I will certainly be uploading photos to this blog when I can!

Also last weekend I went to i42 http://iseries.multiplay.co.uk/i42/, see some pictures here!

I will upload some more photos when I get some time but it was awesome, had lots of BBQ’s, Beer and fun Lanage! I also watched the movie thaw last night. It’s a pretty interesting film and lots of sci-fi stuff, really recommend it!