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Oculus Go and an Exercise Bike

Bike

Recently I purchased a Oculus Go, and I’ve been trying different things with it.

Today was exercise time. Although in the time of Covid19 lock-down we are allowed out for exercise, I think it’s often safer to stay at home, if you can. And then there’s my better half who isn’t allowed out at all for for at least several months.

So how best to keep fit?

We have a rather simple exercise bike that gets used infrequently sitting in our second bedroom. This is great for a quick physical session, but somewhat limited in the mental well-being.

Enter the Oculus Go. Let’s try a few things.

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Royal International Air Tattoo

On Saturday the girlfriend and I got up early to attend thr Royal International Air Tattoo. It’s an air show located in the massive grounds of RAF Fairford.

It’s always popular so we got up early to attempt to miss the long traffic queues. We arrived pretty early near Fairford, about 15 minutes after the gates had just opened, but still joined a queue of traffic two miles long. It took more than another hour to get to the carpark. (Then another half hour of standing to walk through the gates). Interestingly though, we had avoided the worst of the traffic. While we sat in the queues the radio station – the show broadcasts its own – said the queue was getting longer and longer, the last estimation we heard was 7 miles long.

The first thing we did was claim a good spot between the two grandstands which I think is the best position – without paying any additional chargers – to see the ariel acrobats, it’s where the pilots usually try to position themselves. It fills up quickly though.

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Spiderman 3

Watched the third film in the Spiderman series on Wednesday.

I really enjoyed it, the action was great and it was really funny in places, the plot didn’t always make sense but who’s going to let that get in the way of a good story!

I’d recommend it to anyone who liked the second one as its pretty much as good as that one. Also, its quite simple to understand what’s going in even if you haven’t seen the others – it stands up well as a seperate movie in itself, although it may actually be worth seeing the first film!

Was a rather heart breaking end to the film though..

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My week off

I finally decided that it was time to take a week off work so that’s what I did.

I was lucky enough to get an offer of accomodation in the centre of Vienna, Austria, so I spent a long weekend going around Vienna with some friends. I highly recommend a visit to Vienna as it was such a great city, don’t forget to visit the palace.

Here’s some photos and videos of my visit:

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Vienna

Also, Sharon and I made our way to Bath, England and went around the Roman Baths there. The place is also impressive, and I’d recommend the audio tour around the place. There’s some photos and videos here:

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Roman Baths

Make sure you check out the video, where you can see the steam coming from the waters. (Oh, and just so you now, in roman times the water was crystal clear. (It’s green now because sunlight encourages algea to grow in it, 2000 years ago the bath was originally undercover)

A couple of days later we visited, Longleat, which is a large stately house in a huge grounds, which includes many attractions like a whole safarii and a massive hedge maze. The safarii you drive through also has many monkeys that climb on and pull apart your car! Check out the pictures and videos here:

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Longleat

Enjoy.

Incidentally, all these photos and videos where taken on my Nokia N93, for a review on the picture quality just follow the links above. EDIT: I’ve just realised the movies have been reduced in quality by webshots so I’ll try to copy the originals to my own website. Dammit.

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Robbie Williams at "Wembly"

Sharon and I went to see Robbie Williams at Milton Keynes bowl (should have been at wembly…) as Sharon is a big fan of his.

Was a long day, got up early to get a good place and queed for several hours, then it started to rain but it was still enjoyable. Three hours later we got into the place and found a nice place looking over the stage – A good view, and some space to stretch out… then for the next 5 hours we watched as more an more people squeezed and our room dwindle down as more and more (bloody) people try and fit it to a space they DO NOT deserve. Coming in with only an hour left and sitting right in front of us. That makes me SOOOOOOOOOO angry.

Anyway…

There was also another band warming up (name I’ve forgot) and Basement Jaxx which I thought was really good. Then Robbie came out and the lights went up.

Even though I’ve never been a big fan (although I listen to most of his stuff) I thought the show was really well put together. Robbie was quite the entertainer! Lights and explosions and fire, and some songs the 150’000 people were singing a long to.

Anyway, I thought it was good, so thanks for the memories Robbie and thanks Sharon for taking me.

All was left to do now was try to get out of the car park… (I’m not driving again…!)

#flag: concert, “Robbie Williams”, “Milton Keynes Bowl”

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Robin hood, Robin hood, out amongst the trees

Sharon and I with a group of seven others went out in to the park at night to watch the legendary tale of Robin hood played out before us by the people at Creation theatre

The open air show was perfectly placed in the centre of Hedington Park in Oxford. Seating half ringed a 200 year old great oak with a backdrop of the woods and park just behind.

Then Robin Hood arrived from his battles in the Middle East and arrows began to fly hither and there. John Little fights with staffs and Maid Marion shows off her sword play. And not forgetting Fryer Tuck, Will Scarlett and Robin of Lockslys servant.

The Sheriff of Nottingham plots Robin’s downfall, tricking him into taken part in a great archery competition but his merry men fight to the last to try free him .

Meanwhile Witches and wizards of the forest battle it out for ultimate power.

Until the final show down when Robin must stop the power crazed megolomaniacs from taking over. Can he do it?

I can honestly say I really enjoyed it, it was funny, and exciting, witty but sad, well written, and well acted. I recommend going to see something like this as its a great experience – unfortunately this play has now finished, but a new one starts in November, “Arabian Nights”. I for one will be trying to catch it.

Another review here.

#flag: play, theatre, “Robin Hood”

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Red bull air race longleat

To say the least I’m Disappointed but here’s how it went:

On Saturday after a three hour drive to Longleat (about an hour more than it should have taken because of the traffic) Sharon and I arrived in a muddy field on the top of a hill.

From the Car park it was about a 20 minute walk down to the valley floor where Longleat house was, but the impressive view as you walk down is worth the walk.

Even though the sky was grey, umbrellas were up and the wind was trying to knock us over, the air was full with an excitement which made you forget the dull light that was trying to overcast the day.

Hangers had been put up for the planes just across from the 16th Century LongLeat House and the place was filling up with people. The house is surrounded by acres and acres of land and scattered around where giant inflatable cones, standing 12 feet high. Or at least they would have been inflated if it hadn’t been so Windy…

The pre-race shows were cancelled – parachute display and helicopters – because of thew wind, but my hopes were still high (as you could sense were the other 99,999 peoples) that the weather would soon change.

Even as we huddled under a unberella away from the rain trying to stop it from exploding inside out our hopes were high – announcements were good that soon the wind would fall and we’d be seeing what we came for.

Then two planes took off and flew around – at first I was impressed by the amazing flying sideways tricks they were doing, until I realized they were simply being blown sideways by the high winds.

Things were getting desperate now. Recent weather news said the wind was soon to drop so – ever optimistically – the pilots and entourage knocked on the doors of Longleat house and Lord Longleat himself declared that the race was open.

Unfortunately the miracle we were all praying for didn’t come and the inevitable cancellation was announced.

Still we’d been there five hours and I was dammed if I was leaving so early.

So, as yesterday the pilots had successfully completed a qualifying round – the award ceremony was played out and we stopped to watch.

Then all there was to do was to climb back up the 20 minutes walk (now 40 minutes long) and sit in the car for an hour until the cars could actually get through the massive amount of traffic that had accumulated.

It had been a good but highly disappointing trip. :o(

There’s always next year…

Redbull: www.redbullairrace.com
Longleat: www.longleat.co.uk

#flag: “Red bull air race”, longleat

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Early birthday present.

Today Sharon bought me a new plant for my Flat as an early birthday present. We went to have a look around “Millets Farm”.

Thanks Sharon!

#flag: Present, plant, “Millets farm”