Journal Entries
A few things of no great importance...
Posted Aug 5, 2003
My Play Dough article (A1123390) got Scouted! 
everyone who posted random smileys to keep it alive in <./>peerreview</.>, and for all sugestions...
Can barely believe it, was only for review for a week.. 
Erm, yes..anyways...
I've started another email account as the people I've ACE'd are starting to email me, so having a seperate one makes it easier for me to work out who they are.. . The point in mentioning this just being that if you stray by my space and find the address is different, it isn't, because the other one still exists..
Next up, Congrats Lou on the shiny new badge!
I'm sure there was something else but I can't remember what it is , so more instead..
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Latest reply: Aug 5, 2003
Argh
Posted Jul 23, 2003
Well, the rest of the family is away (accept for my brother, though he's joining them in a couple of days), and I come home from the shops to find my dad's car's been burgled. 
Now I have to try and handle a police investigation on my own.
The police aren't any good either, already been told completely controdicting things. I can't secure the car either, the lock's got holes around it where it's been picked. I can't even shut the door. Really don't know what to do here 
The property's been found (it wasn't worth anything, just in a metal case), but the car's basicaly useless. 
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Latest reply: Jul 23, 2003
Over the sea from Syke
Posted Jul 14, 2003
Well, I've already had to write up lots of the week-and-a-bit's events in other threads and this is largely to spare me the typing 
First things first, help yourself to 
, 
, 
or whatever, as this could be quite a long journal entry..
Also, in case you didn't already know (possible, though unlikely) I've been to Skye, on a camping trip, so haven't been around for a bit.. Cosequently I'm very behind in replying to threads, journal entries etc. 
to anyone who might think I've been ignoring them, I just haven't been around is all..
Well then, on Friday the something or other of July (might have been the fourth, but not 100% sure on that) a somewhat nervous Unc set off to the train station armed with icreadably large rucksack and tent, wandering what she'd forgotten.. (it was scissors that time). I got to Nottingham and then got a lift to the Lakes where I stayed overnight in a friend's holiday home (the lucky thing ). There were 11 of us in the house... I had to sleep on the floor, but compared to a tent, that isn't realy a big deal..
Stopped off in Fort William on the way up to get food and fish and chips. which was good as the nearest shop from the campsite was 11 miles away.. Got to Skye (more accurately Sligachan) at 11pm the next day, and in the proceeding half hour became completely mottled in insect bites... Soon the tent was up and the Jungle Formula found, and although I looked like I had the measels 
, I didn't get bitten again. That Jungle Formula is great stuff... The tent was up, and despite it being 11.30 I still managed to get an in at the pub .
Sunday came and the wind began. Desperately putting up all the guyropes I could somehow the tent managed to stay up. It was raining as well, but we put on a waterproofs and set off to the Black Cuillins. At the foot of the mountains was a carpet of wild mountain thyme which we all had to stop and smell (something to do with the song..).
Half and hour later and the weather was worse. Most of us also had a bootful of bog by this point, and as the happynes of a rambler can often be measured by the dryness of their feet, we were quite miserable... "I don't know about you," said Mr Chicks (Mr C. Hicks, ex-student, 29ish, hardcore rambler/scrambler) "but I'm going back." We were shocked - Chicks was the most hardcore of the lot of us, and if he was giving up, then it really must be bad... we turned round and went to rescue our tents, the pegs of which were steadily coming out.
Later on about 9 of us went to Dunwegan castle (except it was spelt properly then..) where it was dryer. That evening we were able to take in more of the pub... over 60 different whiskeys and 4 real s on tap.. by the end of the week I'd had 7 different types. It was also warm and dry, so we were happy.
Monday was wet and windy. By this point we'd decided this was probably going to be what the whole week was like, so decided to grin and bare it. The same 9 of us went to some mountains I can't remember the name of which had some spectacular rock formations. At one point we had to climb up a very steep grassy slope to see a roock called the needle (for obvious reasons). This isn't of much consequence, except that I needed to get back down again, it was too dangerous to run it, so I was a bit stuck...
...at that point Mark came speeding by, sliding dramatically down the slope. Thinking that was a good way of getting down, Rachel, Tim, Paul and I threw ourselves at the slope and slid. A very stupid thing to do.. but very fun 
. Due to the wet grass and waterproofs we orked up an increadible speed, though were completely out of control, hoping we'd stop before crashing into the tourist on the path below.. Not realising the danger, the tourist just stood there, cheering us on and taking photos..
. Still, we managed to stop just in time, by crashing into Tim in my case. On getting to the bottom Paul immediately climbed the slope again in order for another go... that's how fun it was. 
Rest of the week was partly spent assesing slopes for sliding purposes..
That night was wet and windy (suprise). We had dinner in the pub. Much better option . That evening Gary and Dale took their accordian and guitar to the pub and we spent the evening getting everyone their to sing our folk songs.. It was very funny to watch the stream of people leave the pub singing away
Tuesday morning it was... wait for it... windy ... and... DRY!!!! We decided to get some scrambling in before the weather changed again... I'd never done a proper scramble before, and about 700m up had a bit of a dody moment where the rocks I was clinging to began to fall away. It was one of those moments where I was very pleased that I'm not afraid of heights.. Tim pinted out a good place to put my feet, and I made it to the top, though I now have a slight shortage of fingerprints...
The veiw from the top of the Cuillins was spectacular, green mountains, blue sea, red scree (and grey sky). We stayed there for some time, but then needed to go down a 400m scree slope... Once I got the hang of it, that was great fun . You sort of have to stand sideways and surf on the scree 
... Climed a further 2 peaks making the total assent about 1250m... quite a lot .
Wednesday was wet and windy... Very achey after the previous day 5 of us went back to Dunwagen to go on a boat trip to se the seals. There were loads of them, and lots of pups. We then went to a coral beach for a paddle. Was spectacular... the whole beach was made up of bits of coral .
Thursady was... wet and windy. STill, now recovered mostly from Tuesday, loads of us (well, 12) went off to do a cliff walk. Was a good walk, a lot of it was spent trying to trip each other up.. My waterproof trousers are now completely ruined though
Friday was wet and windy. But this wasn't important, for it was Caroline's 21st birthday We spent quite a lot of the day playing hide and seek.. Had dinner in the pub again, and didn't leave until about 1.30 am
Went back to the Lakes on Saturday, where it was hot, sunny, and dry. 
Got back to Hemel on Sunday after a very haphazard train journey, first train was very late so missed all connections . Was a great holiday however so I didn't really mind
-----
Anyway, am back now and ready to post to everyone who's helped with the groups, especially Helly 
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Latest reply: Jul 14, 2003
Unc's London Adventure
Posted Jun 30, 2003
As promised, here's my meet report. In case your reaction this is 'Meet, what meet?' I mean the h2g2 back to basics summer party. 
Got a train to London, not the one I intended to get, the one before it, which was so late it was there as I got to the platform. Consequently, I actually ended up in London far earlier than expected. Somehow managing to get the right tube I ended up in Leicester Square where some woman tried to tell me how cold it was, and how could I possibly manage to live with the climate? I proceeded to explain that actually, it was very hot, and in the sun I was finding it too hot. Somewhat disgruntled she went on to say that asylum seekers we taking over, and was pleased that she didn't have any grandchildren. Can't please them all I s'pose 
About this time Kilty phoned to say he'd be late after having to work until some ridiculous time in the morning. By this point I'd already heard that stupid clock thing go off once, and didn't want to hear it again, so got the tube to Hyde Park Corner. Hyde Park was packed - there was a Bon Jovi concert, so there were thousands of people in tour t-shirts. Somewhat lost, I started wondering Hyde Park, and after about an hour decided to eat my lunch. More wondering and I realized I couldn't remember where in Hyde Park I was meant to be going. I was at the Band Stand at this point, and just as I was getting completely confused, I spotted some people in h2g2 t-shirts. Bit of a give-away really. 
So, at half 2 I met MaW, who's in the same archery club. Also soon found Kat (captain Jedi Girl) and Whoami?, who I'd seen around site. Whoami? gave me a postit note to write my name on, as I was one of practicaly everyone who hadn't thought to wear a name badge . I also saw the meet 
(as asked by Existential Elevator). Soon Abi showed up (very nice she is too , and just after 3 I met Kilty. All was set for a good day. About an hour of meeting people, including Researcher PSG who we spent the rest of the day talking to, the italics had finally persuaded us that we did want to play softball, and not just lollop in the shade.. We won twice, lost once. Teams weren't exactly equal, but hey. Kilty scored an excellent home run too . Eventually, about 5.50, the call to the pub was too strong, so off we went.
Unfortunately the pub was a plub , another for us to conquer when we can be bothered. Subjected to loud music and watered down we still managed to have a good time. We also managed to mention Game Addicts many times as well.. I got a h2g2 pen, very nice it is too . Then it was the quiz, based on entries in the EG. I got the 'My Little Pony' question wrong, but on hindsight, that's probably a good thing.. We came joint third (me, Kilty, PSG, Uncle Heavy, Emily and possibly somebody else..), but only the winning team and runners up got the sought after h2g2 t-shirts .Instead, I'm now the proud owner of a h2g2 
mat. About 10 Kilty and I left for the tube station, and I managed to get back to Euston without getting lost. Then I found out that I could only get as far as Watford Junction, due to engineering works 
. Ah well, there were alternative arrangements at Watford and I got home eventually, at about 12. Meant it only really took 2 hours to get home, but that's twice as long a it took to get to London.. Was very tired at this point 
Now that's one long journal entry
Just as an extra note, I should perhaps mention that I'm going to Skye on 4th July on an unofficial Ramsoc (uni of Nottingham rambling society) camping trip I don't actually know when I'm coming back however, as I'm completely dependent on lifts. Latest is probably the 12th however, absoloute latest the 13th. If I can get home sooner than that, I will, because as much as I like rambling there's a limit to how much I can take .
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Latest reply: Jun 30, 2003
Slapton Ley
Posted Jun 20, 2003
...beadlet anenomies are not randomly distributed on the litoral zone, hydraulic conductivity is greater in silty and sandy soils, and valarian islands do not follow the basic principles mendelain genetics...
You can't beat fieldtrips for pointless studies..
unfortunately using 42 each time for a random number doesn't count either
Anyway, the Queen's Arms sells nice real and I paseed all my exams
Quite a good week really
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Latest reply: Jun 20, 2003
Laura
Researcher U216863
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