News From Under the Bridge

strewth

2009-07-31T22:10:00.002+01:00

here is the map of my swim. golly.

Mt Rainer

2009-07-27T21:31:00.002+01:00

Today I got an e-mail from a colleague from our New York office who wants to reattempt climbing Mount Rainer next year, which I believe is the highest mountain in Northern America (after hearing about my channel swim). He asked if I'd be up for joining him. At higher than K2, now that would be a curious challenge. Worth mulling over maybe. Haha, but maybe I will.

Photos

2009-07-27T21:09:00.011+01:00

As promised, a vast array of photos. Fill you're boots!

Josephes

2009-07-22T20:59:00.002+01:00

I blog today from the comfort of my tent in Prutz, Austria.

Here I am kayaking and recovering from my swim, getting my thoughts into perspective, and trying to work out what the next great adventure for me will be.

Its great here. Water levels are sweet, not too high, not too low, company (Harry "the gimp" Jones and James "Pie" Wardle, amongst others from the UK paddling fraternity) is freat as always in these kayak hotspots.

So far I've not paddled a lot. We are having difficulty hitching lifts to do the shuttle, which limits our paddling to one or two rivers a day, but you can't knock the beauty of these Austrian valleys, with the Giarson gorge (and the famous "Garden of the Inn gorge") a particular highlight. Sheer, unadulterated beauty. I don't know a huge amount about life from a kayakers perspective, it being just a hobby of mine, but I do know its unique and special. Very few people get to see the world from this point of view.

Tomorrow we leave Prutz and head to the Crazy Eddies campsite in Heyming, which is in the Oetz valley, Now that we've done some nice grade 4 warmups its time to move onto the 4+/5 rivers and really start testing our paddling again...it takes a few days to get back in to it since, living in London, I just get rusty!

All thats left to say is that Jospehes, the familiar pizzeria in Prutz, has not been credit crunched, and still serves excellent pizzas, and that the fabled Josephe (N.B. this is confirmed as NOT actually his name) recognises us from when we were here two years ago.

Its amazing how wild a night you can have in a town the size of Prutz, with essentially just one grungy bar!

Pictures of this and my swim to follow soon. Perhaps even a video or two.

Post-swim blogging

2009-07-22T20:47:00.002+01:00

So finally I've done it, attemted (and failed) to swim the English Channel. Although failure is potentially a bit too strong.

I swam to within 3 miles of the French coast, where me and a collection of 6 other swimmers were met with a freak random tide, which forced us back out to sea, At this point I had one and a half hours swimming time left to the shore. I swam on for another three hours and didn't move an inch (well, I moved sideways). I'll post the map up here when I can, with some pictures. The facts remain below:

- I swam for 13 hours and 45 minutes, from 5am to 6.45pm.
- I swam 24 miles
- On that day, my projected swim should have been 22 miles but for the freak tide
- 9 swimmers set out
- 3 relay swimmers got to France, no solo swimmers did. two gave up in the first three hours.
- Th fastest swimmer got to within half a mile of the French coast (15 minutes swimming), and had to turn back because of the tide.

All in all, I'm proud of my achievement, in actual fact I swam further than the channel. The bitter fact is, though, that I didn't swim the channel. Regardless I will hold my head high. I did something extraordinary, and mind boggling, that is a long time swimming. It doesn't make me special, and ultimately I failed, but it wasn't my fault and I could have carried on forever - I was forced out of the water by my pilot because success at that point had become impossible.

I'll always look back on my swim with a tinge of frustration and emptiness - for all the physical strength that it has proved, it wasn't a channel crossing, and that victory will only ever be conclusively in my head. I think I'll have to go back one day and try again. With Eric Hartley and my mum and dad, who never left the side of the boat in all that time (although mum will have to admit to partial sea sickness).

Also on board were my erstwhile companions Harry and Max, of paddling fame, and Millsey, who is an inspirational figure anyway for all he's achieved in his life.

One day I'll write in more detail about how it feels to cross the channel through swim. This has been quite an adventure, and whilst I don't have closure one it, and am left with that terrible frustration, I have proved something, I'm not sure what - in actualy fact I didn't find the ordeal too difficult, although my shoulders will argue otherwise.

I'm not Ranulph Fienes or James Cracknell, or Scott and Amundsen. But I know now that I can do some great things, and that I can't stop at the channel. I'll do it again one day, but only to close off a box I already know now that I can tick. Maybe I'll do a 2-way crossing - for some reason just one way doesn't seem a challenge enough any more.

Crossing the channel is not racing across the Atlantic or doing transglobal expeditions. For me, though, it will do just fine!

Denial

2009-07-13T15:06:00.003+01:00

We chugged out to sea at 2am this morning with the hope of being able to start the swim, but the conditions were just too bad - big waves and pitch black = not good bedfellows.

Nonetheless we must press on - looks like Thursday is the next best day, so toes crossed for that. In the mean time I'm on call. Like a doctor. Or a prostitute.

Final Thoughts (part two)

2009-07-12T17:15:00.003+01:00

If you are on here looking for updates from my swim then check out www.twitter.com/dankipswim. Videos are being posted around too..

This morning I got the call from Eric the pilot saying its almost definitely happening this evening. Which is a bit crazy...waiting for the final definitve go ahead, which I'm expecting in half an hour. Blimey. I've mainly been eating spaghetti.

Yesterday I went down to Dover for one last swim (one and a half hours). It was fine, and probably just what I needed, but on the way back we stopped off at Samphire Hoe, which is the beach that I set off from. This was the first time that I have stopped and looked at the channel since I agreed to do this. And probably something I should have done beforehand, although with hindsight it is good that I didn't because there is no way that I would have agreed to do it.

The one thing that struck me, and struck me hard in a kind of breathtaking kind of way, was the sheer vastness of it. You can just about make out France, and that is fine. But its the vast stretch between the Atlantic and the North Sea thats the problem. Just a great big maassive body of water...that I need to try to swim across, in a couple of hours.

Probably best not to dwell on that for too long actually...I'm sure it will be a pretty unforgettable sunset.

Much more constructive is to leave with this quote, which I think is appropriate, from a great man and adventurer, and generally quite deep and philosophical - but I guess thats probably the best thing to be now...a bit philospophical:

"The sea's only gifts are harsh blows, and occasionally the chance to feel strong. Now I don't know much about the sea, but I do know that that's the way it is here. And I also know how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong but to feel strong. To measure yourself at least once. To find yourself at least once in the most ancient of human conditions. Facing the blind death stone alone, with nothing to help you but your hands and your own head."

See you on the other side.

Final thoughts (part one)

2009-07-10T19:22:00.002+01:00

So here I am on a slightly more sombre friday night than usual. Max is arriving this evening to come on the boat, with Mark, Harry and Gemma joining us on Sunday night. Still, TV has been worse on a Friday I suppose.

I left work today to an awesome flurry of good lucks and messages of support, which has been great, with special mention to a particularly awesome card from my manager and some ace e-mails from relatives. Guess I'd better bloody do it.

This weekend I'm doing final prep with Max, who is going to be my pacemaker when the times get tough. We're heading down to Dover tomorrow to do an hour or two, and then stock up on the final bits of food, which has already been mainly sorted, but just checking the last details, sorting out communication so that we can beam video and photos back to England so the fine folks at MEC can watch should they want to. Although, assuming we go Monday (looking likely now), I'll be over half way through by the time everyone gets to work.

Thats right. Kick off at 12.30 am...Christ.

So the rest of this weekend will consist of "getting in the zone". We'll probably go watch Bruno because it looks brilliant, but then some David Walliams on youtube, and Into the Wild, which has some great inspirational quotes in it.

On the subject of Bruno, here's a funny thing:

I'll write one final thought before I go, but for now...come Monday I guess I'll be one of the many failed, or the successful few.

Pictures.

2009-07-04T18:56:00.006+01:00

Here's some pictures from last weekend's seven hour session. Look out for the slow but sure deterioration in general wellbeing as the hours go by.

I also met Eric my pilot today, he's pretty legendary, and in the last week we raised 2k through a BBQ and awesome raffle. So, in the last week before the swim everything has come together nicely, with a cheeky 4 hour swim today, thats it for my marathon swimming until the big day...

Then never again. never. no!

2 Hours

3 Hours

4 Hours

5 Hours

6 Hours

Greasin' up.

Cool

Teehee

2009-07-01T20:07:00.000+01:00

As promised

2009-06-30T20:05:00.003+01:00

Here is also a short kayaking video I made from Uganda, we're going back there this Christmas so its a taster. PLUS I'm going to Austria/France in three weeks, and I have photos from Dover harbour. These will be going up soon. Bonza.

2 weeks and counting

2009-06-30T20:03:00.000+01:00

Haha, last weekend I swam 7 hours on Saturday and 6 on Sunday in Dover Harbour, so I'm about in the right place and only have one long swim left to do in my life ever, which is the swim...

THEN last night I had my fundraiser, to which everyone in the world turned up, and made me feel loved and important and we raised a ridiculous amount of cash!

Brilliant!

Lunch time blogging

2009-06-25T13:04:00.003+01:00

Work is a bit quiet. The quiet before the storm in fact, since July is due to be a bit crazy with Q4 briefs coming in. So I'm going to blog.

Today all the pieces for my fundraising BBQ came together thanks to the huge efforts of Beeky (trading director), Nisha (another exec) and Amy Creasey my manager. We have some amazing prizes to auction off including a holiday (!!), DVDs and selfridges vouchers...but there's loads more.

Anyway the BBQ is on the roof terrace of the Doggetts Coat and Badge

This is good because it is overlooking the thames, near work and actually quite nice despite its looks. We have Specific Media paying for the BBQ, Yahoo paying for drinks and Myspace bringing a DJ.

People here at work seem really supportive and up for it so hopefully it will give me a big boost for my target.

In the mean time, tonight is the NMA awards, which is one of the big award dos for digital advertising. With two weeks to go, this is the last big blow out for me. Then its head down, and swimming...and then Cap Griz Nez.

2.5 weeks

2009-06-24T21:50:00.003+01:00

With sort of two and a half weeks to go, here's an update.

Last Saturday I pitched up to Dover harbour to do a swim, but having done 12 hours the week before I wasn't really in the mood, and the rugby was on.

So after 2 hours I sort of gave up...I wasn't tired or cold, I just couldn't be bothered. Which ultimately is worrying three weeks to go I suppose, but I'll go back this weekend and do 12 hours again, I have to...

I'm also meeting Eric my pilot this weekend, which should be interesting. In the mean time, to remind any happy readers what I also get up to in my life in a time before swimming, I'm uploading a short but significant video I made of my paddling adventures (off to Austria in three weeks!), starring my trusty companions Gimpy, Max and le Pie. Fun.

Knights of Columbus that hurt!

2009-06-14T19:57:00.000+01:00

2 days. 6 hours each. 36k.

GET IN!

Another day, a new motivation

2009-06-08T22:44:00.002+01:00

Having spent the evening trying to reconvince myself that this swim is doable I came across the video of David Walliams and his attempts. He went through almost exactly the same doubts and thoughts as me...the pain of people always talking to you about it just when you had found five minutes of your life to think of something else for a change, the sheer overwhelmingness of the challenge.

He did it, and in 9 months. I'm fit and determined, and I bloody well can too if it kills me.

Same old same old

2009-06-07T19:39:00.002+01:00

Another weekend, another chunk of my life spent ploughing up and down Dover harbour.

This week, much more successful than a fortnight ago (which struck me down with an evil lurgy taking two weeks to get better).

4 hours on Saturday followed by 2 today - 2 that should have been 4 but for a terrible pain in my joints that made it a bit unsafe to continue. My shoulders and arms were fine but my hip joints completely seized up...

Bit worrying, but apparently its all very common and nothing a good ibuprofen can't fix, mainly a result of the muscles seizing up in the cold.

I'm pretty confident I can do the 6 hour qualifying swim now, and that I could have done it on Saturday. The cold bothers me less every time, but it will be the cold that gets me (if anything does).

Next week will be a new start - the conditions were bad this week, I was thrown around like mad by the surf and turf. Given how much better this week has gone than two weeks ago (which destroyed me completely, I couldn't move), I'm optimistic for continued improvement. Right now, despite a still crippling ache in my hips, I feel right as rain, and up for more, so thats a significant improvement.

alpine goodness

2009-06-03T22:54:00.003+01:00

This week all my good kayaking friends make their annual pilgrimage to the French alps to ride some of the hardest and classic gnarl on offer in the world.

For the first time in YEARS I will be here...swimming...working...

This makes me sad on a whole new level.

BOOOOOOO!

Destroyed by Dover

2009-05-25T16:51:00.002+01:00

This bank holiday weekend I was in Dover swimming.

Saturday - 3 hours, Maxim after 1.5hrs.
Sunday - 3 hours, Maxim after 2.

I've spent the rest of the weekend being dead to the world. Despite the cold I really think I've managed to pick up heat stroke. All my joints are aching and the salt water has destroyed my throat externally and internally. I couldn't make Monday's sessions.

Yet I don't think its because I was tired. Sunday was really really cold, and they deliberately didn't give us supplements. And Saturday was relatively easy. So whilst Sunday really was a struggle, I think its more a reflection of the temperature and the whelts on my neck...

We'll see...I now need to recover in a bit way so I can hit it hard this Sunday, hopefully with a four hour swim (and a 5 hour the next week...with a 6 the following and my qualifying swim the following...)

Ugh, effort!

BBQs and Beer

2009-05-18T21:59:00.003+01:00

Here's a thought.

Tomorrow I'm wandering down to the local work watering hole (The Rose and Crown) with our Head of Digital Trading (otherwise known as Beeky), who is going to help me to set up a nice fundraising event for my swim.

Now here's the thing. Obviously charitable stuff, giving, and all that is great. No less because these charities I'm swimming for are amazing. However its never really sat well with me. I've always been of the opinion that I wanted to do something for charity - and these in particular because they mean something to me. But there are only two ways I can justify it to myself. Firstly by doing something truly worthy of the money (and, well, I guess I thought swimming the channel was worthy...). The other is by providing people with an opportunity to have a bit of a nice jolly and donate a bit in return.

Which leads me to the fundraiser. We ask people to pay 10 quid a piece.

In return they get a night of free drinks and a BBQ, and (hopefully) a bit of time off work. Our media partners turn up to help pay for the drinks. In return they get some profile raising in the agency, tick their CSR box, and generally have a nice laugh with some of the senior folks over at MEC.

I reckon it'll work. I guess it comes down to how much legwork goes in to getting people down there.

With Beeky helping, though, and a few other senior bods, I'm pretty hopeful....

Sprinting

2009-05-18T21:45:00.005+01:00

Well much to report, its been a while. Since last time I've played (and won the bowl) in the media industry Nabs 7s, alongside my fellow MEC employees as well as a few cheeky ringers. As per this time last year it was a great wheeze and much the same stuff to report as last time.

Other than that though life has carried on as normal. I've torn it up in Dover harbour again. This time a mighty 2 hours at Freda's request, in the still cold 11 degrees. More and more I get used to the cold though. In fact by the second hour it really didn't bother me. Although I must confess to a slight pain in my shoulders, which is a little alarming, but probably nothing a few pain killers can't fix.

Looking forward to getting some serious hours under my belt over the upcoming bank holiday weekend, which will see me there Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

More excitingly, though, yesterday I took part in the Eton Supersprints, which was my first ever triathlon experience. And I must say they are a great deal of fun. 400m swim, 20k cycle and 5k run - so a sprint course rather than the standard triathlon.

I opted out of using a wetsuit because it just didn't make sense in the context of the channel, and actually the 4 extra degrees and inland lake offered me made all the difference. It really was like a nice warm bath. And other than the respect (puzzled looks?) that the escapade offered me from my fellow wet-suited competitors, offered a much quicker transition.

The cycle was windy and long, and probably where I lost most of my ground. That said, I finished a respectable 4th, which I was very pleased with, weighing in at 1 hour 12 minutes in total, which is about 3 minutes less than my target (although 12 off the winner of my category...but he came about 5th overall so kudos to him).

I will be doing more triathlons. They are great fun. Before getting in to that, though, there are channels to swim.

Dover

2009-05-03T17:42:00.003+01:00

Today I trundled off to Dover for some serious saltwater action. Well, not that serious. This weekend marked the beginning of the outdoor swimming season for those of us who aren't completely tapped. Anyway I have to confess to being a bit nervous. One day I'll write about all the things that this channel swimming business has taught me about myself.

For now, rest assured I was nervous. I knew little about this Dover swimming lark except that is was the best way to prepare for a cross channel attempt, that it was run by a living legend of the channel, Freda Streeter, and that it is in Dover harbour.

Much to my surprise as I turned up (5 minutes late), the shingle beach that marks the West section of the harbour (between the two main ferry ports) was crawling with scantily clad people applying grease and gathering around a a small group of wisely looking people.

Literally 100 people, all there to swim in the harbour, mostly in preparation for some kind of crossing, or in support of crossers.

More to the point, everyone was extremely friendly. All doing crossingd for their own personal reasons, massively approachable and interested in your own take on a crossing.

Which kind of reminds me of kayakers, only these people are slightly more unhinged.

So after a brief scold for being late (and missing "the parade"), Freda set me off to the West wall - roughly 1k - for a 25 minute swim. At first the cold made me feel desperately out of my depth, as it did in Banyoles, but after a few minutes of "right, well, I'm in this now, so I may as well keep on swimming and see where it gets me" I seemed to acclimatise.

5 minutes later and I accidentally caught myself enjoying myself.

And 10 minutes later I started breathing every 4 strokes instead of gasping every second, and feeling the sun on my back, and actually every bit as comfortable as I've ever been in a pool. Whats more I wasn't bored, and a certain amount of excitement crept into my head. I was in the channel, in the last stages of my year's training. This was what all the gym sessions were about, and the boredom in the pool. This was cool.

OK, so it was only 25 minutes. But for the first time the cold just wasn't an issue. And, on going for a coffee with a few fellow swimmers (one of whom was going in the same tide as me - 13th July - found out that things (to adapt the D-Ream tune), can only get warmer!

Brilliant.

The next session was at 12, and a 45 minute slog. Again, though, this was all ok (although coldness is much worst without the sun on your back). This time I smashed out a 3k swim, which is spot on where I want to be, and whats more, had some company as the solo swimmers including the guy who is taking the same tide as me, swam along together.

Two things encouraged me as I drove home that day

1. I dealt with the cold much better than many of my contemporaries.
2. I could have done much much more.

AND IT GETS WARMER!!

The smell of Diesel crept over me as I regained my more fine senses...

Nice.

Back tomorrow for more! Freda, what a legend!

Jollies

2009-05-02T18:06:00.005+01:00

The kind people at Paramount Home Entertainment, purveyors of fine dvds and top online advertising campaigns, kindly treated me and my work friends to a night out at Comedy Store a few weeks ago.

Going to comedy is one of my favourite London things to do. You are pretty much always guaranteed a good time, and this was no exception. That chap up there is Tim Clark. Gosh he is talented. Its pretty hard to describe but he based his whole act around the audience that the compere (also very good) picked out. And he tore them apart. A weird, but brilliant act, and I laughed so hard.

A week later I went back with friends for Impro night. Again, fantastic.

This is something I will do again.

2 months to go

2009-05-02T17:46:00.002+01:00

Today I bought a laptop, signed up for the London marathon and generally decided that if a bloke can walk it after getting hit by an RPG then I can bloody well swim the channel.

Tomorrow I'm going to start my swimming in Dover Harbour with the channel swimming legend that is Freda Streeter. Now I'm in the final countdown, it seems nothing else really matters.

Banyoles

2009-03-28T09:26:00.002Z

At this point I feel I should apologize for my typos in my last post. It is hard using a Spanish keyboard.

I'm on my third day at lake banyoles. The weather has finally turned to cloud,but not before I had a cheeky 2k lake swim. The water is so cold,the challenge ahead,it seems,is a huge one. Blunder. When we arrived I went on a massive run, then yesterday a swim,weights and a 3hour cycle into the mountains which killed me. I have to say the cold alarmed me.I need to put on weight. So this week while it's free and flowing I'm trying to eat to put on a stone, just to prove I can. Whilst I was a bit daunted at first, now more than ever I know this swim is doable.

More from Spain

2009-03-25T17:35:00.003Z

Here again. This is a useful bar related excursion while I wait for dinner to be served. Tomorrow I´m heading into the mountains to swim, so the holiday is over. I really like Barcelona, I´m just about Gaudi´s out today, having visited pretty much everything he´s ever done and grabbed a cheeky snooze in pretty much all his buildings.

I particularly like the Parc Guell, which has a fantastic view over all of Barcelona from the top, spent a lot of time sleeping there today.

I have truly trod the earth over the last few weeks and must have covered most of Barcelona by foot, which has been tiring in flip flops, but the only way to do it when theres SO MUCH SUN!!!

Amusingly they also have an Arc De Triomphe, but aren´t quite sure what triumph is that they are celebrating...apparently it now just stands as a tribute to the endless Spanish optimism...which is as good a reason as any I guess.

First thing tomorrow I´m off to the airport to meet with the others going in to the mountain, and then this time tomorrow I´ll be knee deep in my week of hard toil in the sun. I actually am rather looking forward to getting back in to it. All this Paella and beer has not only hurt my wallet, but also (no doubt) my waistline, and I have to confess having a few days without a swim or a jog has felt very strange. Therein lies the road to addiction.

Anyway off to grab a beer and read a few pages of my book (Life on the High Teas...In Dearch of Middle England...its very good).

See you soon.

2009-03-24T10:36:00.001Z

Theres not actually any rain...

The Rain in Spain

2009-03-24T10:31:00.002Z

OK, so bear with me while I try to master this keyboard and have no photos yet.

This is my first lone travelling experience, and I have mixed feelings about it. Its easy to meet people, who are all fun and mostly American. Its actually great fun, with some top quality alone time aswell, which is nice when you want to fall asleep on a beach with no suntan lotion on. Paella is really nice, and this nifty youth hostel "Kabul Backpackers" is actually, despite its name, really good. Its about 8 quid a night, with lockers, breakfast AND dinner (if you get there on time).

Here they go out at 2am. Since normally I´m thinking of going to bed at that time its been a struggle, but I soldiered on. The clubs are a bit mental. Packed to the brim and horrendously expensive, but a lot of mad fun.

Anyway these are the few quiet fun days before the channel swimming storm. I´m hanging out in Barcelona while I wait for the Lake Banyoles crowd to arrive, where I´ll start some mental swimming for a week. I feel pretty bad not doing anything while I´m here, but I guess a week off can´t hurt.

The Kooks just came on. They´re rather good.

Looks like I´ll get kicked out of here tomorrow which is a bit sub optimal because I need to stay in Barcelona until Thursday, but I´m sure I´ll be able to sort something.

Off site seeing today, whatever that means - I should probably check out the sites that there are to see. But first, Paella!

Gulp

2009-02-22T13:27:00.003Z

Set up my facebook page for my Channel swim ahhhhhhh. Now everyone knows. Shite.

Welsh reunions..

2009-02-22T10:38:00.004Z

Last weekend I went to Wales for my birthday. We hired out a bunkhouse and, arriving late Friday night after a particularly heinous day at work, proceeded to generally enjoy the great outdoors. The basecamp, despite the name, was actually really nice. Warm, cosy, well maintained and comfortable. Well done National Trust. Although we spent most of our time away from it.

This weekend particularly was full of faff. Maybe its because we're getting old. We feasted on bacon sandwiches in the morning, and after an above average level of mincing moseyed on down to Plas y Brenin, where we picked up a boat for one of our group and set about paddling the upper llugwy. Its a fairly easy stretch, with about two grade 3/4 sections in it, but there was such little water around (amazing given the recent snow and rain) we had little choice. The two drops were fun though.So we moseyed on down, and then went to buy chilli for dinner - real man chilli, which was as always immense. Then I opened some presents (including an excellent gyro ball and an amusing framed picture of me and my mates) and we all watched the video I'd put together of our paddling last year, which was well received. Then we drank. Text book.

The next day we struggled out of bed where the excellent frank prepared us some fine pancakes and waffles. Cheers Frank. Nutella is key. Then we went on a walk to swallow falls

I gyro balled the whole way, but only because I'm cool like that (thats 2.5 hours of solid gyro balling!), and then we went back to the bunk house, cleaned up, and commenced our 7 hour journey back. This was mainly because we had an argument with the sat nav and someone stuffed up the M6.

Wales is, like all these places, great. We watched the rugby in a pub there which at first was quite a nerve racking experience, but eventually Wales were convincingly winning, so it was mainly embarassing (although somewhere I'm quite pelased with how we played). There were also a few other Englishmen propping up the ranks. Wales is pretty, cold, full of things to do and a total change from London, which you never quite appreciate until you get out in to the hills. Its just a shame that this weekend was ruined a bit by bad traffic! I still had a fantastic time, though, and it was brilliant to have everyone back together again in one place. Cheers Kate for the brainwave, Pie for the projector and everyone else for coming (especially Adam who is now essentially global).

Swimming in the Pyrenees

2009-02-12T00:12:00.003Z

While we're on the subject of training, I've just booked flights to Barcelona to go on a weeks training in the Pyrenees mountains with SGCBC. So thats a week dedicated to getting myself ready for the channel, but also ticking my 6 hour cold water swim. I'll blog about how it goes with some pictures, in the mean time theres some news - I hope to do a small amount of sight seeing while I'm there too, and mix up swimming in Banyoles lake (where they held the Olympics) with circuit training, running and cycling in the mountains.

Plus, because I'm on a training camp with the kids I coach rowing to on weekends, I'll be eating like a horse and maybe doing a bit of coaching/chillax while I'm there.

Watch this space I guess..

Oops

2009-02-11T23:53:00.003Z

Wow, its been ages since I wrote on here, which is rubbish because it needs to actually have a function if I'm going to do this.

Mostly I've been swimming and eaten alive by Chlorine, although in my spare time I've rediscovered the brilliance of London fringe theatre, going to see Shades and Duet for Two, both of which were brilliant. Shades is part of the young writers programme at the Royal Court, and afterwards they gave a Q and A session, which was really very interesting. Go see it, its really well written. Duet for One was also great, brilliantly acted if a little intense.

Duet for One was part of my Byzantium Arts Society reunion from school, which was a club I was part of back when I was growing up which took us to fringe theatre in London. If anyone from SGC is reading this you should go, Mr Witter still runs it, he's great fun and has a very reliable taste for theatre. Its also a good opportunity to see some really old faces.

Having said that, I don't go to the theatre enough, and haven't for a long time, so now I will. Its such a great way to learn more about things.

Anyway, on to swimming. The recent snow has hampered my training a bit, but I'm getting back on track now. I'm going to put down two weeks worth of training here.

Firstly, in case any one is interested in what a cross channel swimmer spends his spare time doing, and secondly, because its being monitored by Tim Male, so since I have to write it down anyway, I may as well write it down here.

Monday - Cycle (3.2miles) 1 hour run (13km)

Tuesday - Weights:
Dumbell Press (28kg per hand (15 reps), 30kg (12 reps), 32kg (10 reps) 34kg (8 reps)
Dumbell curls (4 sets of 15 reps - 14kg per hand)
Pull downs (65kg (15) 70kg (12) 75kg (8) 75kg (8)
Pullups (4 sets of 10)
Situps (4 sets of 20)
Pushups, feet elevated on yoga ball (4 sets of 25)
Yoga Ball leg curls (4 sets of 20)

Cycle (3.2 miles)

Wednesday - 3.2 mile jog (25 mins)
- 5k swim, front crawl (25 lengths warmup, 1on, 1 off.........10 on, 9 off, 9 on, 8 off, 8 on......1 off, 1 on, 35 lengths warmdown)
- 3.2 mile jog (25 mins)

Thursday - Repeat swim from Wednesday

Friday - Repeat weights from Tuesday, 3k swim - 25 lengths off, 10 on, 25 off etc to 3k)

Saturday - 20k cycle.

Sunday - Rest.

The next week is a variation of this theme. Currently working on building my strength and doing hard work in the pool whilst tired to get my body used to low energy reserves.

We'll see how it goes.

Snigger

2009-01-16T20:40:00.002Z

For other brilliant virals like this youtube "Trojan Olympics". Go on.

New Year new stuff

2009-01-11T18:07:00.002Z

With the New Year comes the last six months before my big swim. News: forDementia are hopefully going to distribute my charity money through one channel, which would be a massive help.

But unfortunately with the new year comes the realisatio nthat a full week off won't do anyone any good, with my running time down to a terrible half hour instead of an hour on the first day back. However, I've been at the gym pretty much all the time since and am hopeful that tomorrow all will be back to normal.

For the next two weeks I will be recording everything I eat, and everything I do in the gym/pool in all its detail to show Tim Male, with whom I coach rowing at St Georges College, Weybridge as a part time hobby type thing. Tim rowed in the 2004 GB Lightweight sculls in Athens, so knows his stuff. With him I'll be developing a proper training schedule to see me up to the big swim, with proper food intake as well.

Hopefully...

Uganda

2008-12-29T12:35:00.011Z

Was amazing. I was there for two and a half weeks in September, and experienced far too much to write about it all (a handy scrap book from my travels resides in my room, which gives a much more detailed, daily description...). Herein lie the highlights.

My time in Uganda fell into three parts - The NRE campsite in Jinja, which is the second largest city in Uganda (behind Kampala); the Hairy Lemon island (slap bang in the middle of the Nile); and Murchison Falls, which is a game reserve, and the largest piece of white water in the world.

All three areas were very different from each other, with my time being spent for a week at the NRE, 3 days at Murchison, 5 days at the Lemon and the remaining time back at the NRE.

I may as well start with the NRE. This is situated on the banks of the Nile near the source, with a brilliant bar overlooking the Nile:

The view from the NRE bar.

This is the first bit of White Water you encounter on the Nile - large volume, but fairly forgiving rapids (grade 5 raft, I'd say 4 kayak). The eddy lines were the biggest issue, sucking people under for some serious down time, but all in all the rapids were very friendly (although there could certainly be consequences). This section consists of the backchannels (WidowMaker, Brickyard, Escape Hatch, Blade Runner) as well as the main rafting channel (Ribcage, The Hump, Bujagali Falls, 50:50, Total Gunga - what's left of it - Surf City, Silverback). All these are special in their own way (although Brickyard - called this for a reason - inflicted some serious damage on my boat). The highlight, though, is unquestionably Silverback - huge wave chains with a long smooth slide lead in - regardless of ability you're pretty much guaranteed to get a decking.

Bujagali Falls

Enough about the paddling though (immense as it is). The NRE is a place for rafters. People on day trips, who aren't traditional white water enthusiasts and are popping in for the day. Consequently every night at the NRE is a party. Hard core, mad, funnel style partying. So much so that we couldn't stay more than a few days. But the people are great and mad, and the paddling of course is classic. The campsite itself is pretty basic - Dorm with bunk beds, geckos, bar. We eat chapattis from the chapatti shack out front every morning and often would eat in the makeshift restaurants in the village as well: The traditional method of getting kayak from getout at Silverback, back to the campsite, is by boda - rusty scooters through the jungle paths, with boat on your lap. Its great fun, but probably not entirely safe - thats part of the adventure, though.

Fortunately there is the Hairy Lemon to remedy the craziness of the NRE. An island plonked in the middle of the Nile, with minimal power (gas and solar), rainwater shower and the mighty Nile Special - probably the best play wave in the world (apparently). The only way to get the the island is by local boat transport (dugout canoe), and as a result all meals are catered for in buffet style set menu (often comprising the local delicacy of rice...beans...rice).

However, its the Nile Special that the Lemon is all about. This runs at its best in the evenings, with a nearby wave (the Club) running in the morning. So we paddle out to the club every morning, ride it for a few hours, go back for lunch and a read, and some class 5 R&R, ready to battle the mighty Nile Special in the evening until dark. The Nile Special needs to be towed on to unless in really high water. This involves holding onto a rope set up at a vector, until you get into the meat. So balance and some sheer bloody mindedness are very much needed. Took me a few days to master, but once mastered it looks bloody cool (see trailer for Year of Gnarl).

I never managed to master playboating, although am very close to pulling off a bow stall. Its not really just the paddling that Uganda is about, though. The place is incredible. The smell (burnt charcoal), the people, the community of paddlers. Uganda is one of the friendliest, gutsyest places I've been, where people invited us into their own impoverished homes to get to know us and have dinner with us. You can be a cynical as you like, but the place has an effect on people - you need only spend a day doing Soft Power (the local charity set up by visiting paddlers) to see it in effect.

Yet at the same time whether a country so very far from our Western way of life can ever be truly modernised (in terms of carbon emmissions, cleanliness, technology). Maybe it can - I think one day it will be somewhere, not Western, but a level of development unique to itself. As one of the locals who fed us one night wisely said - we are poor, so poor, but at least there is peace, we can move.

I could go on about it for ages, but I won't. The final leg of the trip was at Murchison Falls. This is a game reserve a day away from Jinja. We camped in the Red Chilli campsite, with a tropical storm the first night (causing a tent collapse) and warthogs tripping over guide ropes the second. The safari was, of course, brilliant, but I have to say the grass was a little long for game drives (I suppose I've been spoiled by living in Botswana), and the roads too predefined. However, it is definitely fantastic to see those animals in the wild. Murchison Falls is also an awesome site to behold - the point where the whole of the Nile pours into a channel 10 meters wide. The sheer force of water is terrifying.

The trip was made in a Toyota Delica - a great 4 wheel drive vehicle. It clearly struggles a couple of times, but with our trusty driver (the Ugandan traffic system is a rule unto its own, and we, quite frankly, couldn't hack it).

I could talk about Uganda for so long, but not here - it would be too boring and long. But visit. Even if you're not a kayaker, visit. The people are great and the country is magic. Of course, my trip would have been nothing without the people I travelled with (my trusty steeds Max and Harry) and the people I met out there, notably Bina, Fringe, Scrots and Niamh, our old paddling friends. But also Alex (Harry Potter), Hugh, Andy, Darren, Andy Wickes, Martyn and Sam Ward and co. And of course our kayak guide friends, Ibra, Rueben, Ian and Jarod. Legends all.

Into 2009

2008-12-28T21:34:00.005Z

Wow. Last post on the 25th Oct. Ages ago. I've been quite busy preparing for my swim, and various other things. However, after a MAMMOTH Christmas holiday I have started putting together my big video from my kayaking travels in 2008.

Its a long process given the amount of footage I have (Uganda, Slovenia, French Alps, and UK paddling), but I'm getting there. Here's a taste of some of the footage I have..

In other news I'm now swimming every day (around 5k a day), with plans to do a Lake Windermere swim at some point in the next few months as I get alarmingly near to the big swim (13th July). I'm going to try to start updating this blog more often now as I approach the official launch of my swim campaign, but for now this will have to do (although I plan on writing up a spiel on Uganda before I go back to work).

All quiet..

2008-10-25T17:47:00.003+01:00

Ah! So much to do, so little time.

I return from Uganda, which was amazing, refreshed and ready to get sorted for swimming the channel. I'm hitting the gym every day now, and feeling fit and fresh, but not much to report, although I'd like to write a bit about Uganda...

Anyhow this is here because I've linked here from my justgiving page and I wanted to write some updates on how its going, why I'm doing it etc...but I will do that some other time.

Moved into London, and time just seems to disappear!!

Maybe its because I'm a Londoner...

2008-08-23T12:40:00.003+01:00

So it looks like I'm finally going to take the plunge and move city-wards. For now I'm camden bound, stripping me of all my money and rendering me utterly poor...but the house is nice and my friends I'm living with are ace, so it will be quite an adventure (hoping to get the balcony room...). And its a walk from work (!!).

In the mean time I'm yet to sort out my charities for my swim :(, but training progresses in earnest, with my first long distance outdoor swim this weekend (hopefully in Dover harbour, if not - on the Thames...uch). Really this week has been hard - work has taken its toll, with some late nights and missed sessions. Hoping to get back on it next week, I guess it was never going to be plain sailing.

This is on my Christmas list, thats for sure.

Anywho check out the photo of what I saw outside the Royal Festival Hall yesterday. Brilliant - a bearded band playing some classic 70s swing, while a whole range of people danced in the square as crowds gathered and others looked on...in the middle of the walkway. Kids, elderly, chavs, professionals. All just dancing in the sun. Love it.

Moving pieces.

2008-08-16T11:16:00.003+01:00

Another day, another weekend update on my channel swimming antics...this week I've secured the very helpful advice of recently established channel legend Sophie Wright, who I knew from when I was at school (crikey!). Sponsor her (18 hour!) successful swim/read all about it here. She has generally made me feel much more happy about how I'm getting on, and my chances of success. This weekend the plan was to do a five hour open water swim, but alas, it has had to be constrained to the pool. Next weekend it is.

Gym work continues as normal, although I was bad and missed out a day. I'm sure I'll pay for that. However, feeling fitter than ever before since I left college so hopes remaining high.

Also this week (largely thanks to Sophie's help) I established contact with the CSPF, with whom the plan is to take part in 5-7 hour swims in Dover port for the next few weeks before I hop off to Uganda to ride some gnarl and pick up some parasites. I wil lalso be checking out the open water club at Weymouth - the race is on now to get as much open water swimming in as I can before the onset of winter.

Charitable efforts have also continued, with my first steps into sorting out the three charities and getting my just giving page set up. Priority for next week is to get this up and running (the gift aid is a bit complicated because it is split between three charities), and then begin organising my support team, which already seems to be taking shape anyway - details soon.

In other news, isn't the olympics great?

Shivering timbers

2008-08-08T19:30:00.001+01:00

Its official...I will be escorted by the good ship Pathfinder (yaar). A three hour pool swim down, a four hour to go tomorrow, and my preparations have got off to a flying start. I shall have it up to 6 hours cold water by Uganda (three weeks) - mark my words.

Watch this space.

Swimming Progress...

2008-07-19T15:41:00.002+01:00

Ok so its all getting under way now... the charities are chosen, the deposit is paid on the pilot boat (well, almost), and I now have approximately 11 months to prepare.

Lots of great fundraising ideas coming in from all walks of life, which is exciting, and this really is shaping up to be a year to remember. Unfortunately (although...its not really I guess) I'm having to think seriously about what I get up to over the next year...where does this leave my paddling? I'm off to Uganda in a month or so, whoch needs some serious preparation, and I'm planning a trip to southern Africa next March, not to mention Scotland at New Year and the alps again next summer shortly after the swim, so this needs thinking about, since channel swimming is looking to be quite the undertaking.

In the mean time though I've started doing triathlons (not in a wetsuit, which makes me the only one), and will shortly embark on a serious weight gain programme. I don't really want to put on weight. eugh. Soon this will develop into a full on channel swimming adventure site, with some paddling thrown in, but for now I'll leave you with the charities, all of which really do mean something to me in one way or another, so this is awesome:

Help for Heroes

For Dementia

NSPCC.

Very exciting. See you round.

Hairbrainery

2008-06-29T18:56:00.002+01:00

Recently my company has put forward the proposition that they will fund someone for doing something brave (one of the qualities they like to inspire in their employees). For some curious reason I proposed they fund an attempt by me to swim the channel.

And they agreed.

So now I have to do it.

July 2009 is the date, and we're going to raise money for various charities which I will confirm when it is all set in stone, but excitingly our target is £10,000, which would be amazing.

From now I'll be blogging about my experience until July 2009, as its bound to be a time in my life I'll want to remember, so pop in and check how I'm doing from time to time if you fancy it. More information will be available at my fundraising page soon:

www.justgiving.co.uk/ohgodimswimmingthechannel

Pain and Goats Cheese

2008-06-29T17:55:00.012+01:00

Ah the bridge. I have been away so long.

And much to report. Not least my latest kayaking adventure in the French alps, where the levels were hooning! Being the rather silly chap I am me and my friends (Pie and Harry) decided to hop on the Lower Guisane as our first river, fresh from a 14 hour drive and certainly not heeding the wise words of most people out in L'argentiere claiming the levels were at a record high. Of course doing silly things like that is only going to end one way. A meaty working in the first big stopper of the day and I was out once again - this time taking a thorough pounding as the fast flowing river flung me into a number of boulders below the surface (normal levels sees these in full view). Fortunately I managed to hold on to my paddles and beach myself on a boulder, but it is easily the worst swim I've ever had.

Really I'm lucky I escaped with a lost boat for 24 hours and a temporarily gammy leg. Lesson learned.

However all in all the week was excellent. I was always nervous about returning here. Last year I saw a nasty accident happen to someone close to me, and had been really quite worried about how I would feel coming back - losing my boat on the first day certainly didn't help. But the French Alps is a beautiful place, with cheap food, a good variety of rivers and fantastic company (special mention has to go to our Northern friends from Slovenia, Tom, Jonny and Keano, and of course Scottish Chris, Lucy Huddart and Luke Farrington - even if he can't do one handed press-ups).

Having manned up and got back on the horse I thoroughly enjoyed some of the gnarl that was on offer - the Middle Guil of course, and the brilliant Ubaye Racecourse. With the levels being so high everything was big, bouncy and pushy, with some epic holes to be avoided. On resetting my holiday after my unfortunate start we looked into building up to the bigger rapids, with much better results. First the sunshine run, then the Upper Guisane (actually a lot more fun then I remembered in these levels), the Briancon Gorge and the Upper Ubaye from Thules. The Ubaye Racecourse was a classic bouncy run, with a few surprises and fast paced, big volume stuff. Finally, I retackled the Lower Guisane - that classic Alpine favourite. And it really deserves the title. I certainly wasn't ready for it on the first day after so long away from paddling. The levels had dropped the second time, but not significantly: this was a river where you had to be places, and laziness was punished, as my good friend Max Coney found out, receiving a thorough working and subsequent swim. Rescuing his boat was horrendous.

Many stories to tell - most of which will be saved for my paddling video I'll put together at the end of the year. On the Middle Claree (why paddle it? It is evil) Harry acquired some nice forehead stitches. At St Clements James (Pie) took a tumple across some boulders and ruined his knee. The banter was ruthless and the drink flowed. After writing my boat off as lost we heard she was still in the Lower Guisane - we ran to rescue her only to see a bunch of Liverpudlians running off with her. We quickly secured her and she lives to fight another day (sort of). It was a week of stories and lost boats, and I think its fair to say that we weren't the only people surprised by the water levels this year.

I can't wait to meet with everyone again in Uganda this September.

Whilst I love some of the rivers of the French Alps, I think thats it for me for a while now - I'm off to discover new things and perhaps relive some old things. Next year for me is the Austrian Alps, with maybe a smattering of Italy, which is a brilliant place.

Pictures to follow.

Slovenian Moonshine (auf haus!)

2008-05-28T21:42:00.006+01:00

Not sure if I mentioned this, but I went kayaking in Slovenia (in a town called Bovec, nestled deep in the Alps) a few weeks ago. Not much to say (photos from the weekend can be found here), other than that the place is very special - unlike any other Alpine country I've been to (I spend a lot of time in the alps as the kayaking there is awesome). It is an area of completely unspoiled natural beauty, without deforestation or over-development. The food is cheap and tasty, and the people (although not as fluent in English as we have arrogantly come to expect) are friendly, if insular.

The river is the Soca - a small river which can be completely covered within two days. It is a fairly tame, pleasant weekend of paddling, with gorgeous views deep in the crystal clear valleys, and quaint old school wooden bridges crossing the forest-lined rivers. The boulders in the river are some of the biggest I have ever seen, but easily avoided. Forgiving one incident when me and my friends were threatened with people trafficing, the long weekend passed without incident (bar one swim on a grade four section below syphon canyon - the grade 5+ section below the slalom course).

Whilst levels can be unpredictable, we got it just right, and it was high. My undoing came on the third section of a long and tiring day, and with the curse of the second run. Carelessly I fell behind a boulder which had a nasty stopper curving round behind it. After wrestling with the hole for about a minute I bailed, prefering not to get dragged under the boulder (which is where I could see my tail heading). Error noted: big volume, laziness and large boulders: not good bedfellows.

Eastern Europe needs exploring further...

Full video to follow

Pineapple Cake and other adventures

2008-05-28T21:16:00.006+01:00

Last weekend I went to a "Sea Kayaking festival" in South Wales (Pembrokeshire). I found out about it through a friend who works for the National Trust (by all accounts a pretty impressive organisation). I was a little sceptical at first, thinking sea kayaking the domain for bearded ones. Indeed, on arriving my worst fears were confirmed on seeing an alarming array of families and people with beards. We wisely went to the beach and had a BBQ in the sun, which was perfect.

However, on waking the next day (having been told off for excess noise after 10.30 on the campsite), and securing ourselves some sea kayaks, my very ignorant and wrong preconceptions quickly faded. Whilst sea kayaking (in the rain and wind) is essentially hard work, the coast (particularly in the Pembroke area of south wales) is amazing. The guys who were kind enough to lend us their kayaks were legendary and up for some top quality banter, and the pineapple cake my mate's mum packed for us was epic. It was a really different and unique way to spend a bank holiday and I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else.

The whole day was topped off with a great local band who played some accoustic guitar while we chatted and drank cheap port from Aldi (class). It was just nice to be in the warm with friends after quite a tiring day battling the elements, listening to some quiet music.

Hmmm. Perhaps I'm getting a little old...this is worrying.

Check out the National Trust - its a fantastic resource that is available to us all and certainly not as well used or funded as it should be. Special thanks to Kate for organising the weekend.

Travels

2008-05-11T18:03:00.005+01:00

Coming Soon (well...not that soon): Slovenia.

As promised here with the trailer from my skiing holiday earlier this year, the full adventure is now online for viewing (probably only of interest to those who actually went...but then that's something). This forms a new video section from the bridge, which I'm hoping to add to relatively frequently, depending on whether google plays ball.

NABs 7s

2008-05-10T19:20:00.002+01:00

Two weekends ago I also played in the NABs Rugby 7s. Its a great day out for a good cause, and we (courtesy of a few cheeky ringers) got to the semis of the bowl, beaten by the winners, MPG (above). This sort of thing is a really nice way to make work more than just work. Its also a great way to meet other folks from the industry who I don't see often enough. Next year I'll play again (although 7s is very hard), and next year I'll have trained. And its always good to have a tussle (and beat) DLKW, our very good Morrisons friends from across the bridge. Cheers guys.

Lovemarks.

2008-05-10T18:52:00.003+01:00

So two weeks ago I went to the Institute of Director's Annual convention. It was ace. Forgiving the largely uninspiring Gordon Brown speech (and, to be fair to Gordon, I did find it hard to connect with the entrepreneurs too), it was a day filled with very inspiring, interesting and informed people. The list of speakers for this year can be found here. I do wonder whether it doesn't sound terribly ignorant to say something like "uninspiring Gordon". He's certainly more interesting than I could ever be in a similar situation, but the fact remains that, in a day filled with approximately ten speakers, the PM is the only one whose points I cannot remember. Of course I took notes, and my full reflections will be up here when I've found the time to type them up, but that says something doesn't it? Judging by recent events I'm in the majority, too.

However, the day was fantastic and I was very grateful for the opportunity (courtesy of MEC). Hats off have to go to Kevin Roberts. Probably because he is from advertising and so was most relevant to me, but he was engaging, amusing (Willie Walsh got it bad) and the Saatchi lovemarks philosophy (to paraphrase, which is entirely inappropriate for such a thing - making emotional, engarging connections with consumers, who, in this cyber age, hold all the cards - brands can't just shout at people) is an intriguing twist on what everyone in the industry is thinking.

Full reflections on the day to appear here soon, but in the mean time, if you can wang going next year, go. Bob Geldof also knows his stuff.

That Old Chesnut...

2008-04-16T20:27:00.001+01:00

Just because its brilliant.

All quiet at the bridge

2008-04-12T11:57:00.002+01:00

Nothing much to report at the minute. However I have been busy getting back into rugby and planning an adventure of some sort. The pictures from Waterloo keep coming too. Perhaps they're on to something. Also moved into online at work, which is proving fairly interesting. Watch this space...(if you want)...

Changes

2008-03-20T21:08:00.006Z

Every day (not weekends) I pass through waterloo station one way or another. I've decided to keep a record of the paper headlines there.

That admitedly sounds a little odd, so I shall (briefly) explain myself. So everyone know we're entering a "tough financial year" where deserts are going to overtake the country and the remains of cars are going to be scattered on roadsides. So maybe thats going to happen and maybe its not. The papers seem pretty sure it is.

One of my pet hates is irresponsible journalism. So maybe this is irresponsible journalism - you know, sensationalist stuff exaggerated to sell papers. But then maybe its a daily reflection on the ever-increasing plight of our financial institutions. I'm hardly an authority.

But what I do know is that keeping a record of this serves a purpose either way:

If we're heading a big financial crisis then I'll have a record of the sensations at the time of the build up (you know, the kind of pictures they show in history books about the 1930s Great Depression).

If we're not then I'll chuckle at how the newspapers got a bit overexcited (again).

It also adds something else to the daily commute. The one problem is that, Waterloo being as it is, the likelihood is the Evening Standard will bear the brunt.

Snow, Skis and Cheese

2008-03-12T22:23:00.004Z

Last week I went skiing in Switzerland. Here's a taster.

A Rabbit in the Headlights

2008-03-12T20:31:00.004Z

So yesterday at work I got to reading an interesting article by Ann Longley (coincidentally one of our strategists). It was her White Paper called Nowhere to Hide, and it was all about CSR in the digital age. Its a bit out of date (2006), but its really good stuff. It got me thinking.

The basic premise (or my understanding of it anyway) is that digital communications (the Internet) open companies up to the scrutiny of its customers. There is nowhere to hide (get it?). Essentially people can find out whatever they want from the Internet with the means and determination. Cool. So all that's pretty obvious I guess. But what does it mean in our world of media and advertising? Just that companies can no longer get away with "greenwashing" - throwing an advert out there saying that a percentage of their profit goes towards growing a tree. There are loads of examples (not always green related - take HSBC's attempt to withdraw overdrafts from students without warning. The internet frenzy about that ethical bypass forced them to reconsider). Increasingly CSR is important, and consumers are increasingly wise to the wool. Unfortunately advertising alone is no longer enough. If you are going to do it, you'd better make sure you do it properly.

Which, and this is the crux of the matter, got me to thinking about the new Budget announcement today. I don't want to get too political on the Internet, but politicians generally are always banging on about green and going green and climate change. Which is, I suppose, great (personally I am yet to decide where I stand on the issue) - it can't hurt (or can it?). Creating a green zone around Heathrow and London, fuel and car tax levies. All good stuff if green is your objective. But really, I will carry on paying for fuel because when I use my car I need to, so tax increases are not doing my carbon footprint any good. And God knows the public transport isn't up to scratch (yesterday I waited half an hour for my train to work because of wind - go to Switzerland and tell them that).

I can't help thinking that these announcements (and really, was there anything much more imaginative than hey - lets raise tax on car users and stop plastic bags) are just the talk without the walk. If the government was really serious about green, then how about tax breaks on low energy light bulbs, or reduced rail fares (mine went up above inflation this year), or taxes imposed on corporations that leave their lights on at night. How about scrapping ID cards (most people I meet seem to be against them) and building some wind farms. You know, helping people go green as well as stopping them from emitting.

But maybe I'm wrong. According to the BBC's tax calculator I benefitted from the new budget, car and all, so maybe I should quit my whining and have a boiled sweet.

Fact vs. Morality

2008-03-07T21:10:00.003Z

Something unusual that made me angry - Phone Rage on channel 4 the other day. It was pretty funny I thought for some light post-work viewing, and made some good points. But something in the bottom of my stomach went when I saw the call centre outpost in Capetown, and the way that it "trained" its township staff to be more "English". Fair point - if you are going to use call centre staff in South Africa you should definitely be sure they know the British way of life. But is it acceptable to say things like "what we are teaching you now makes you a more employable person" when they are essentially teaching them to be something other than what they are - native South Africans. How arrogant.

Well they're probably right. From a purely capitalist perspective I suppose South Africans from townships are more employable if they learn how to be "English", simply because its another employment market (and a good one!) that they can go into, and in that sense its brilliant. But really, doesn't something stick about the whole principle? Maybe it was because the teachers were excruciatingly patronising (but then their teaching methods were met by extremely blank expressions...), because facts are facts - the call centres were offering much needed jobs (a good thing!!), and if you are going to set up a British call centre in South Africa successfully, you'd better make damned sure the call centre staff sympathise with the English (which is, of course, where we run into the morality issue I suppose).

But how would you like it if someone tried to change the way you talked and justified it by telling you that it was good for you?

Hmm, I shall ponder on this some more...

Tatties and Neeps

2008-02-24T17:06:00.009Z

Ah Scotland. Home of the Clachaig and cool pretty stuff.

Here is where I spent my Birthday weekend, in Glencoe, and my first white water adventure since starting this blog. Alas, there was no water, but we still managed to have the customary levels of fun. Starting with the Clachaig, of course, champion pub and ale house extraordinaire. Here we sat, drank vicious ales and listened to local Scots thumping out a wide and exotic range of tunes. What a great place - a pub in the middle of nowhere, where all the locals go, sing, grow beards and make merry. Brilliant.

Then the paddling. For our club river - the Arkaig (an "easy and scenic bimble"). This is true, but its a great club river - short, with one suitably challenging grade 4 which was made all the worse by a semi-heinous strainer for the unwary. We could chuck our less able paddlers down it (with varying results) and all bar one (who got stuck on the tree by her helmet strap) generally had a good time, swim or no swim. This is soon followed by a few bits of nice general bimble, culminating in a big lake, where certain members of our group chased sheep.

Great fun.

Then back to the Clachaig. Here we did much the same as before, although this time full of chili (courtesy of our bunk house stove). My good friend James (or Pie as we call him) suffered the humiliation of being challenged to a drinking contest with a local. In his efforts to refuse only more banter was drawn upon him, and ultimately the pub started singing about it. Awesome. Awakening with a traumatic hangover, there was nothing for it but to head out in search of gnarl. Again a quick run down the Arkaig with the club (much less epic this time, and a great opportunity to get the more intermediate members of the club doing some safety cover), and then off to do the Spean Gorge before home.

Now the Spean. Its all very picturesque, although potentially not the "pit of hell" the guide book describes. Lots of bridge remains and jutting rocks, its pushy in places, with one or two rapids that are a real blast. Unfortunately the Spean regularly proves to be my nemesis. Its a great run in low water because the rapids can be pretty technical and Headbanger in particular runs really nicely. Its a short rapid that has a double drop into two big holes, the bottom one of which piles into an undercut, with a semi-nasty siphon to the left. If you don't run it properly you'll either get sucked back into the hole or head straight into the undercut. Me, in my juice (although that's not an excuse) took a one way trip to backloop, and (having suffered a nasty headbang last year and no fan of undercuts due to an experience I witnessed in the Alps last Summer) bailed without hesitation. Max and Harry, the other two of my regular 4-man paddling group, however, styled it as always. I remain bitter.

From here the river gets quite fun, with lots of blind corners, and one rapid in particular - The Witches Cauldron - provides some pretty hilarious amusement as you round a corner, go over the drop and suddenly find yourself confronted with a boily mess that generally just plays around with you a bit. Then the constriction - a boat-width gap - and a few little grade 3/4 bits that are a good laugh (but to be treated with respect).

All in all a great river that still manages to upset me about half way through. Maybe next year. The Spean images aren't from the trip, but you get the idea - I'll get round to putting some of the video footage of the trip up here when I've edited it.

Scotland is a huge wilderness of stunning beauty and you should go there.

Yorkwards

2008-02-18T19:33:00.009Z

Last weekend I went to York (and Scotland...more on that to follow). York is great.

I was only there for a few hours but I had a walk round my favourite places and had a think about why I like it so much. Of course I went to uni there so have some awesome memories of it, but its also different to everywhere else. Its text book beautiful, but not just in the walls and the minster and the shambles, the usual tourist spots, but also the little nooks and crannies that not everyone knows about. If you take a moment to listen to whats going on around you in York (which most people wouldn't do, be honest), you'll hear a brilliant blend of bustling mainstream city centre (with its HMV, La Senza and Topshop) mixed with a crucially unique local feel. I may be wrong, but I would have thought that it is few big tourist towns (and as far as that goes, York is one of the most intensive if not biggest) where you have to wait to get into Subway to get a baguette because a local is having a hearty gossip with the manager in the doorway. Thats like the ultimate contradiction: Subway, pretty much as faceless-non-local-produce-high-street-giant as you can get becoming a hub of local gossip of the sort you'd only really get in Greendale.

Maybe that was a one-off, they probably just knew each other, but just take a walk down the main high street and its filled with an international food festival, mixed with a marquee for a Jorvik medieval knight-off!! That's the sort of thing York does well, and it happens pretty much every weekend. Then wander down Stonegate and take a look in the old school shops selling poster ads from the 30s and swords, or a cocktail bar selling every spirit under the sun: all pedestrianised, all cobbled and all with the minster looming over the overhanging upper floors of the close buildings. Watch the mad variety of buskers busking because they have a talent for it and clearly have a laugh doing it, or go stand on the balcony next to the City Screen and just watch the river and the people on it. Thats if you don't fancy popping into the Yorkshire Terrier to try some local ale brewed just a couple of streets away, or nipping into Rafi's to have a chat with the guys that run it: you'd see them out and about anyway so maybe not today.

One of the Gatehouses at the entrance to the museum gardens, the poster invites anyone to a local debate on green issues, which anyone can go along to, you just turn up.

Its not that York is local that makes it great - loads of places are "local". Its that it blends being a massive tourist hub, and a highstreet that I'm reliably informed caters for the most obsessive shopaholics, with an intimate, private and friendly atmosphere where you can just enjoy being in the company of people who jealously love their city. To me, York will always feel like home, and I only lived there for three years. My great sin was going to Subway when there was so much on offer - hog roasts, paella, kebabs (proper kebabs), wurtz. But then I like a good subway on a hangover. Even if all this local stuff doesn't take your fancy, the museum gardens will. Go sit there (with or without subway), watch the world go by, and think about how best to summarise your day.

Cradio

2008-01-20T11:32:00.000Z

This week I also went to Virgin Radio. Whilst I didn't notice it until I left, its quite cool that their building claims "Virgin Radio: Purveyors of the finest Rock 'n' Roll" - which I suppose they are most of the time. But that slogan fits in to the whole ethos of Virgin. Its a pretty light hearted, fun place to be. The relatively small reception area has some wacky sofas in it and framed photos on the wall of various stars, none in particularly serious poses. In the basement where a board room and a few studios are, there are paintings of various artists (Noel Gallagher, Debbie Harry), mostly grafitied with moustaches and the like. Their "zoo" (as they call it) is a small but funky bar where the live acts play on the radio - somehow the sound gets through to the studios and the acoustics are allegedly perfect. The zoo also doubles up as a social area for staff. And next to the zoo is the main board room, which is totally different from your standard board room: the chairs are very comfortable and there's a fake fireplace with awards and the like on it, above which is are two great photos of Bono sitting in a chair. The carpet is thick and it feels more like a lounge than a meeting room. The studios are pristine, well kept and shining new (apparently nothing short of the building collapsing can stop broadcasting from the basement).

So its a pretty impressive (if small and devoid of natural light) place. But the ethos carries on into their offering as a business. They have the bigger picture, and don't stop at radio. In a way they work as part creative agency, part radio station. The entire station is run from that building, from broadcast to sales, and this gives them an enormous resource to call upon for media solutions. On top of this, they offer out their contacts in other industries (The Sun was given to me as just one example) as a way of finding cross-platform solutions, or just getting a good bunch of thinkers together to thrash out some ideas. Like most stations they'll design and produce creative, but they will also allow the creative to be used elsewhere without commission. The one overriding impression that I left the building with was that Virgin Radio is a friendly and creative place to be, where the employees all share the same (slightly geeky) interest in radio and the type of music they play. Of course the ethos is designed in part to attract business in a market that continually struggles to compete with the BBC, but its a very positive, refreshing and two-way approach to the standard sales pitch.

It will be interesting to see what happens when SMG eventually offloads Virgin.

Special thanks to Nic and Tom at Virgin for arranging the morning for us.

Cloverfield: something new

2008-01-18T20:31:00.000Z

One of the great perks of my job at MEC is that I sometimes get to see some cool stuff. Last night I went to the press screening of Cloverfield. For anyone reading this who doesn't know (where have you been?), Cloverfield is one of a new series of cinematic experiences that are cropping up all over the place that seems to be coined as "immersive cinema". Its about a cinema experience that goes beyond just watching the film. I shall explain (briefly):

The first we heard of this film was a suprise trailer at the beginning of Transformers. Before long, clues were popping up all over the place. No one knew what the film was called beyond 1-18-08 (the suspected release date), but two websites linked to the film (now no longer functioning) were soon online. Users had to solve puzzles to get access to clues. Although Abrams later said the sites had nothing to do with the film, that wasn't necessarily true. Regardless, http://www.slusho.jp/ soon cropped up, an artificial brand that can be seen in the background of the teaser and features in Alias. There was nothing much to this website other than creating the illusion of a genuine product. More followed: http://www.1-18-08.com/ had a load of photos (some from the film), which, when shook with mouse, revealed a series of farewell messages and a japanese message, which translated was a recipe for pizza containing a secret ingredient - deep sea nectar, the same type of stuff that can be found in slusho). A quick google search would have led you to http://tagruato.jp/, a Japanese drilling corporation.

A release date, an interview with Lizzy Caplan and a proper trailer later, Paramount still hadn't given anything away at all to be honest: a few more slusho adverts and sites, a poster or two, but really we never knew more than what we always did - a monster attacks New York - but everyone carried on looking anyway. Weeks before release the Tagruato website released a statement claiming one of their oilrigs had been mysteriously sunk. Finally, a new website of Manga comics was online, reportedly useful for the first five minutes of the film.

Then I saw a screening.

Cloverfield is pretty special really: in fact its a sensational film. Its not a classic, theres nothing beyond it being a pure monster flick, but films don't have to be about the deeper meaning. Sometimes they can be timeless simply because of the aesthetic performance, and this film is an assault on the senses that you could never have predicted, it grabs you, violently, and won't let you go until the credits roll. But more than this, that kind of marketing is the future. What's so great about it is that I was being advertised to without even knowing it. In fact, I, and millions like me, actively sought out the advertising to try to work out the film. There is no way I wouldn't pay to see the film after all the build up. And what's even greater is that, after watching the film, I was rewarded for my efforts: little nods and winks to the internet frenzy throughout the film. Thats not to say you wouldn't enjoy the film in its own right, but because I followed it from its first Teaser Trailer to the Manga comics, my experience of the film was that much richer. So this no longer becomes advertising for advertising's sake: this is a two way conversation with the brand and consumer, and by not just agreeing to consume the adverts, actively persuing them, my experience of the product was better.

This goes around the industry all the time: interactivity, engagement, conversation. The fact of the matter is, though, that people don't need to watch ads anymore - they can just ignore them by going somewhere else. The brands that will survive this increasingly dire situation are the ones that give something back, the ones that become more than just a sales message. Cloverfield did it. The Dark Knight is doing it. Of course thats easy with films. The big question is how to do it with everything else?

As for Cloverfield. You will never have experienced this before.

A funny thing...

2008-01-13T17:44:00.000Z

I wasn't exactly looking forward to going to see The Sound of Music the other day. It was a Christmas present for my mother, but definitely not something I would normally go to. Don't get me wrong, I have a real interest in theatre and all that jazz - I try to go as much as I can, particularly working in London - but I don't think that the Sound of Music is really aimed at me. This was with Aoife Mulholland, one of the Marias from the popular BBC programme How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria. My mum, like all good mums, didn't miss an episode so it seemed an obvious gift. The show wasn't busy, and my worst fears were confirmed as I looked round the theatre at the young children and mums and grandparents.

I have to confess, though, that fifteen minutes into the performance I started to enjoy myself. Alarmed, I decided to make it my mission to discover why this was. By the interval I was smiling broadly and happy to stay in my seat. A small audience, a show very much aimed at mums and kids...it didn't make sense. Then it hit me. As an ex Eng-lit student I suppose I'm meant to dissect these things and find them mass-market and too linear (Nazis are bad, singing nuns are good), but its a tried and tested formula. Unavoidably the singers were great. I'm no expert, but I couldn't (and wouldn't ) sing like that. The children were ace and the sets were great. The songs are catchy little sing-alongs that everyone knows. So: good story, good sets, actors that are clearly having a good laugh. Its a classic musical that's been around for ages, and pure escapism. I challenge anyone who is remotely interested in the arts to watch it and not have a good time.

yBlog?

2007-12-16T18:18:00.000Z

So this is it: my fledgeling attempt at blogging. Yes, just like everybody else, I've started one. As my good friend Lucy (http://lucylangdon.blogspot.com/) wisely said in starting her own recently, blogging is about as common nowadays as blowing your nose. Which it is. So why bother? Who cares? Well, probably no one. But I do. I've just finished an English Literature degree at university in the unforgettable town of York, which is just the best place in the world for so many reasons. Now I work for a media agency called Mediaedge:cia. Thats pretty much all I've ever wanted to do since starting university and its pretty much cracked up to be everything I'd hoped, which is great: I meet lots of interesting people and get to do plenty of interesting things.

The flip side of working is that you don't really get a lot of time. Weekends are precious, evenings are short. So life flies by and its easy to miss the best bits. And this is where my blog comes in. This is a place where I can chronicle the best bits; some of the truly awesome weekends I have away; the best times that I spend with my friends (who are definitely the most precious thing I left uni with); and (hopefully) a brief smattering of some of the genuinely brilliant and inspiring ideas and cool stuff that flies around advertising.

These are the by-roads, favourite hollows and certain points from my book.