It is 17:26 as I begin writing this post and I have officially landed in Newbury! I am in my flat and have just spent the last three hours getting everything unpacked and sorted. I have sent the odd tweet via my mobile, so you can read a few updates. As usual, so much to mention and so little time to blog. I am actually writing this offline on my desktop machine in my ‘study’ (very small second bedroom). However my work laptop is by my side and online via Vodafone 3G+ so I will upload as soon as I am done. My broadband should be live before the month is out at the very latest (ensuring there are no problems). On Saturday I got up around 8am and one of the first things I had to do was go into town. A few final essentials to pick up and as I knew I would have considerable bulky luggage, I drove in and parked in George Street. I was done pretty much by 10:30am and headed back home. No one was in, my Mum and youngest sister Julie had both gone into town themselves. I got ready, put on my England shirt and grabbed my Zen before heading to ASDA. I had to get some cash out from the cash point before heading to into town again on the bus. I opted to take the 32, as I would catch the evening service back as the 100 Park & Ride finishes at 6pm on a Saturday. However, in hindsight it was a mistake, as I would have to call my Dad to pick me up from town as it was a good hour wait for the next 32 when I pulled up back into Wycombe at 8.40pm. I am trying to keep a track of time but it is difficult but please bear with me. I wanted to enjoy the moment, my journey to South Africa 2010 starts here. On an Arriva Bus service from ASDA, Holmers Farm Way, Cressex, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. I am not sure where this road is going to take me but I am looking forward to both the highs and lows on the way. I was leaving early because I was meeting a friend for lunch in East London before heading back across London to Wembley for the match. Due to this I bought a single to London Marylebone and on arrival bought a single for the ‘home run’ from the stadium back to Wycombe. I was not looking forward to the journey home but that was several hours away and at the back of my mind. I caught the 12:36 from Wycombe from Platform One and it got to Marylebone. I took the tube to Oxford Circus and then changed for the Central line which took me to Bethnal Green. As I came off the tube train I looked up at the digital clock, it was 14:00 precisely. In my Facebook message, I had said I would meet up for 2pm and I was pretty much dead on time. I got above ground and called my friend outside Nico’s Cafe / Diner. My friend had had a large night and was not fit to drive so asked me walk down to his flat. As I started heading in the direction directed, he called again and asked me to get a cab to Broadway Market and he would meet me there with his girlfriend. I have never ventured into this part of London before really. Although my friend lives in Manor Park that is a little further down the line and slightly further south (if that makes sense). In any case, it was great to meet up with my friend and have a lazy cup of tea at the local French restaurant while we waited for another friend. In the end we decided to move on as it was gone 3pm and their famous breakfast was off the menu from 1pm. Instead we went to Patrice around the corner and he made up some great food for us. We then headed to the football, it was getting late and we were going to cut it fine, how fine I did not realise until much later. We were originally going to grab a cab to Bethnal Green but opted for the wiser option, we grabbed the bus all the way to Liverpool Street, from here we would get one tube train all the way to the stadium. The bus journey gave us a chance to have the great food but we finished it at Liverpool Street. However there are just no bins due to security reasons and we had to leave the rubbish on a ledge by the bench we had sat on. I felt bad about it but if Transport for London or Network Rail are not going to provide adequate facilities, they leave joe public with no choice. We then rushed for the tube but N had to top up his Oyster Card (he was down to fifty pence). We then headed in the direction of the Metropolitan Line. We could have taken the Circle line and opted to change at Baker Street but I thought it was to go direct. The platform slowly filled up with other England fans, some more rowdy (and drunk) than others. We were lucky to grab some seats, the train was packed and the singing soon started. As we came out of Wembley Park station, I noticed a group of guys dressed up as Borat. I had heard poor Borat imitations on BBC Radio Five Live, throughout the morning. Although no signs of the mankini anywhere, obviously no one was brave enough! We walked down Wembley Way up to the stadium and the sun was just started to set over in the distance. We had a bit of a walk around to Entrance B. We eventually got in and N went to the toilet while I rushed around to get a programme. The Kazakhstan national anthem was being played as I paid, I had to rush, I made it down the steps as our National Anthem started and was able to get to our seats, just before the end. We had fantastic seats, nine rows from the touch line and perfectly central opposite the dugout. My seat was the first seat in the away half of the pitch if it makes sense (photos will explain when I get sent some!). Timing could not have been better, the game was about to kick off. I had predicted six goals but all of them to England but I was satisfied with the second half performance after a stuttering start in the first. The goal fest I had hoped for did eventually happen. Just a shame the performance was so disjointed in the first half. I left pretty much a happy customer, said goodbye to my friend as he headed towards Wembley Park and I joined the queues for the Chiltern Railways northbound services. Not sure why but it felt like it took much longer to get onto a train than in previous visits. Although when I eventually boarded, it was not as busy as I had expected and got two seats all to myself. I got into Wycombe at 8:40pm and walked back up to the station but then saw on the display that the next bus home was not until 21:40, meaning I would not get home until 10pm, so headed towards the library and called home to get my Dad to pick me up. The fun part of the weekend was over, I had to start packing for the big move today. I watched an episode of GREEK and then went to bed around midnight ish (early by my standards) and had only packed one box and even that was minor (audio CDs). I convinced myself that I would get up early and get everything done before Charlie arrived at midday. Although originally the master plan had been to just pack up the computer and that everything else would have been done the night before. Oh well, the best laid plans and all that. I got up just before 8am and for some reason had left my radio running during the night. (I had heard the start of the Japanese Grand Prix) but switched it off (or at least put the volume down a few minutes into the start of the race). I had loads to do and after a quick breakfast of toast and tea, I started. I packed my clothes to begin with and then decided to shower and get ready before packing the car and getting some diesel. The hunt for a working air machine took me to Morrison’s in town. I parked up my car up the road and then began to dismantle my computer before boxing everything up and putting in the lounge. Not that much really, all things considered. I could have taken a lot more but what is the point of just having more junk in my flat. I would rather have just what I need and spend the odd weekend I am home to sort things out. Charlie surprised me with a call at 10:37am and informed me he was on his way. About an hour earlier than expected but I was pretty much ready. He pulled in around 11am and reversed his big van onto my drive. I call it a van but it is really a mobile showroom with two baths on display. My boxes, chairs and bits were placed around everything to securely pin all my worldy goods down. Charlie offered me his old television, now that he had upgraded to HD! Fantastic, gives me something to watch in the lounge and means I can put off the TV purchase for a while, even though there is a model I have my eye on. We then drove back to Charlie’s flat in Woodley. On the by-pass I over took him from the Handycross Roundabout and he did eventually catch up but with a Aston Martin convertible on his backside! We came to pick up Annie but also now throw the television into the van and head off. It was midday. We got to my flat around thirty minutes later and began the unloading process. Or rather Charlie did the bulk of the work and Annie and me just supervised. Everything was dumped in the lounge and then I just sorted out a few things in the bedroom and study. We then decided to head into town (it was Annie’s first time in the town). We opted for a cup of tea and sandwich at Costa. Before we left, Jenny called me on my mobile. She thought she might have caught me before I left but she had not. She had a gift for me and left it by the pot plant outside my (now parents) front door. As we walked into town, I got out my E65 to text Pav and let him know I had officially landed in Newbury. While we started talking about phones, Charlie noticed a phone on the floor. We were going to hand it in at the police station but in the end I kept it waiting for someone to call (and they did while we were in Costa). “Hi, it’s not John, he’s lost his phone! I found it!” Not the best way I’ve started a conversation (plus it had a rather loud Hawaii-Five-O theme tune!). A little later John called me to collect the phone from my flat an hour or so later. He was very thankful, he was very lucky. He let slip that he was a referee for a game at Victoria Park (just behind my flat) first thing in the morning and had dropped the car when walking back to his car. My deed of the day, much like last Sunday! We had a light lunch at Costa and then Annie and Charlie dropped me off at my cousin’s house. I quickly gathered my things and headed back to my flat. The mission was big, but first I had to get all my clothes out of the car which was a few trips. Then I started systematically one room at a time, starting with my bedroom and the bed. Then it was time to setup the computer in the study before moving onto the lounge. It did not take that long and then my landlady arrived to go over a final few things before I headed out to M&S at BP Connect to get some food, the full food shop will have to wait until tomorrow night after my visit to the gym. I am annoyed I did not get down there today but it would have been a push to squeeze everything in. Right, it is 20:38 as I come to close this blog entry. Looking forward to Stephen Fry in America then will watch an episode of GREEK, then read a chapter of The Adventures Of Huckleberry Thin (getting quite close to the end now) and then sleep. Another busy week in the office ahead. I will try and blog again before the week is out and try and upload some photographs as well to FlickR.