Definitely Maybe Oasis Break Up

Where were you when Oasis broke up? Its like mans first game of golf in space, I can remember it so well. So the lads have finally split up (about time some of you may say). Thank god I saw them twice this year. The last gig in Cardiff in June was great although a lot of urine was being thrown around.

Still its a shame I did have some great times at their gigs and enjoyed their early albums. Tate came over for dinner last night and we tipped back a few bottles of suds and chewed the fat about the old days. What came first the Stage Door or the Square Club?

Bank Holiday weekend today, we cant decide which traffic jam to join.....

Tate me and Jen (I am wearing an Oasis tee -shirt weird)

Archive Photo August 2005 (Dai passed in June 2006)

U2

U2 22 August 2009 Millenium Stadium

Where the Streets Have No Shame.............................

What a fantastic night, we met in Tiger Tiger for a meal and headed to the stadium just in time to see the 135 minute set. We all had different gate passes but we managed to blag our way in. At the end of the night Bono came out after the gig and joined us for a song (Rocket Man) he is tiny but a lovely guy. Thats him on the left in that repo style bike jacket.

Set List
Breathe
No Line on the Horizon
Get On Your Boots
Magnificent
Beautiful Day with Land Of Our Fathers and Blackbird snippets
Mysterious Ways
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For with Stand By Me snippet
Stay (Faraway, So Close!)
Unknown Caller
The Unforgettable Fire
City Of Blinding Lights
Vertigo
I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
Sunday Bloody Sunday with Oliver's Army snippet
Pride (In The Name Of Love)
MLK
Walk On
Where The Streets Have No Name Desmond Tutu Speech
One
Bad with "40" snippet
Encore:
Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
With Or Without You
Moment of Surrender
Rocket Man

After the gig we walked back to Tony and Caths....thats another story.

Oxwich 15th August 2009

Saturday Camping in the Gower

On Saturday afternoon we went down the Gower, I had managed to get a late cancelation at Nicholaston Farm on the coast by Oxwich. It was a busy site and was full up although we managed to get a pitch in the top field at the top of a slight incline (£19) with electric. The weather was OK and we unpacked the Bongo and used the throw up tent for all our stuff. We realised that we need to buy some leveling blocks as every time I opened the fridge the contents fell out. Still you learn a little each trip. We are also going to get a small easy put up awning.

We went for a walk on the beach it was lovely the tide was right out and groups of people were lighting fires. We got back to the campsite had a snack and the kids went to sleep. We kept rolling to the side of the van and Alix woke up at 2-00am with a headache. Dan slept through the night and we got up and had another walk. The beach was empty and there were only a few people on it at 11-00am. We got back had a snack and started to pack up. Suprise suprise it started raining and we just got the roof and tent down in time.

We got home around 3-00pm after stopping off at McDonalds in Swansea. We had a great time and loved Oxwich Bay. I think it is so quiet because it is hard to get too through the sand dunes. There is no car park nearby and you can only access it from certain camp sites or a small parking space half a mile away.

Maroon

Got a wave from Maroon Bongo today in City Road. My three weeks off in July seems like years ago, I am getting itchy feet and need to get the Silver Surfer down to the coast.

Oh Dear

Jen reversed into a post at Langland Bay. Its not a lot of damage just a small dent and some paint has scrapped off. I took it really well as it could happen to anyone couldn't it .........

Busy weekend Paddington and Bristol

Thursday and Friday the 6th and 7th of August
Went to London Thursday night, got into Paddington around 7-00pm it seemed very busy got the tube to Notting Gate and realised why it was pouring down. Got the Central line to Holbourn and you couldn't get out of the station as it was so wet. I did hear that some lines and stations were closed due too flooding. I ran to the hotel and got soaked. I met a guy at the bar called Ian who worked for Manpower, he was planning to get a VW California (33k) when he retired. He hadn't heard of Bongos but liked my pictures or so he said. Had a meal and went to bed early.
Friday morning was better, I was able to walk to Westminster and had a busy day but managed to get the 16-15 train and the Coryton connection by one minute.



Saturday the 8th of August
Jen worked last night so I took the kids out all day and tried to book a campsite near Bristol. No luck the nearest one I could find was in Ross. We decided to book into an Ibis instead (£39) and left the kids at home. We wanted to get an early start to see the Banksy exhibition in the Bristol Museum. We arrived in Bristol at around 8-30 and were about 200th in the queue. By 10-00am there must have been 3 thousand people there waiting. It was at least a five hour wait from the back. We were in by 10-30 and out by noon. It was very good but I think its a little hyped by its success.

My birthday

If you planning on getting me something for my birthday, then this is the very man for me
http://www.easylifegroup.com/products/757.asp

Wild Camping and campfires

This is a good site, there is one in Chepstow we might try soon

http://www.thehappycampers.co.uk/campsites/

A free campsite guide

http://www.ukcampsitefinder.co.uk/


An Archive photo Yeovil Orange Box 12-05-09

The Caravan Club V The Caravan and Camping Club

Tried to book a site in Bristol for a future trip, not as easy as I thought. Some sites will only let you on if you are a member of the caravan club (£40) a year. They do except vans.... It all seems a little bit snobby to me. There is a caravan and camping club which sounds more friendly but you cant camp on caravan club only sites. Tried to blag my way onto a site in the middle of Bristol but no luck in the end.

I have realised that you need to plan ahead, especially if there is something going on in a place, its like hotel rooms I guess. There is a web site called pub camping (£30) which gives you access once you have paid to a list of pubs where you turn up tell them you have a camper van and if you spend over £20 at the bar (food and drinks) they will let you stay in their car park overnight. No facilities are provided and some land lords will only do it if you show them a Porto potty, as they don't want you urinating their fine lager against the wall.

Another option is rough camping, where you just turn into a lay by and sleep, this is frowned upon in the UK and is risky. I guess you could just drive around and find a nice street like Cyncoed Road and just park up late and sleep in the van, not a good idea to put the roof up though. I thought about a 24 hr Asdas as well, just turn up do a small shop and get your head down...toilets and cafe on site...

Sunday

Spent all day Sunday putting the dry gear back in the bongo, watching people in the street leaving for holidays. The sun was up and I got burnt on my neck. I dont think it will be hot for long though.

You can check out anytime you like but you can never leave

Up early today and determined to make the most of it as Dan wants to go home. He has done his two nights as planned but wont stay for a third. He's not upset he just wants to stick to the plan. We make a pack lunch and head to Treyarnon Bay (we stayed in the YHA here in 2008 for Wendy's wedding). We had a nice walk and play on the beach and went to the Youth Hostel for some refreshments.





From there we drove to Padstein, we found a parking space (I must have spent over £20 on parking these last two days) and walked into the town. We had a great time, Dan was very good and didn't try to jump in the harbour. We eat our lunch and looked for Ricks establishments... We found his cafe and his new bar "SteinBecks". In one shop Dan went behind the shop counter, it looked part of the shop. Some miserable woman told him off, so Jen drawing on all the skills she has learnt from self help books, conferences, study days and spending hours with other parents with disabled kids almost told her where to go, but the woman backed down... I must say all the shop owners and workers looked really miserable... if you don't like it why not go and work in a call center....

From there back to the holiday home, packed up and headed back. We took a detour through Bodmin and got home around 7-00pm. We did about 500 miles and the Green Hornet was no problem although it is now losing a little water and oil. When we got back we unpacked and waited for Tate and co. They got tied up cleaning and packing so we will have to see them next time.