Four likely lads travel the planet

The last blog I published was at the begining of this year and although I have spent much of the time since then with my ear (and all other body parts) firmly to the grind stone, I have now put together a few trips which I feel amount to something.

1. Chasing the Cheese

Ross Dullard and myself are what you normal people like to call adrenaline junkies. We're not satisfied sitting on our bums watching Steve Quartermain tell us what some crazy cats have got up to recently to earn themselves the 'Play of the Day'. We are the sort of people who make that play.

That's why we teamed up with our new and reliable pal Fiat 'Punto' and head for Gloucester where we went to join hundreds of fellow junkies intent on throwing themselves down a 50 degree hill.

The hill was incredible. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't bounced down it. Even spectating was incredibly difficult since the weather was appalling and people were contantly slipping over and starting a chain reaction down the hill.

I was quite fortunate with my run as I got up and walked away with no injurys other than a lack of feeling in my arms and hands. Rosco on the other hand, hit the front early in his race and made it to about half way down the hill, at which point he lost control, went into a series of somersaults, twists and pikes for the next 50 vertical meters; until he smashed into the hay bails at the bottom. Sympathy was shown from the crowd in the form of "ooooo"s, "aahhhhh"s and "haha"s.

So worth it. Even if the guy with no feeling in his upper body had to drive the concussed guy all the way back to London.

2. Scandanavian Nights

If anyone has ever refused a long weekend drinking vodka; and eating eggs and pickled herring, I haven't met them. This is the theme that the Malmbergs and all other Swedish families go with for this time of year; and it is well rehearsed. I was lucky enough to be invited to join them.

Elias and Sven looking extremely happy with the booze to food ratio

Herring Cake: They say it's an aquired taste, and I managed to aquire an addiction immediately.

Actually a nicer beach than I saw anywhere in Greece. Sand! Can't say the same about the weather though.

Sven's dad's holiday house is situated almost on the most Southern point of Sweden in the seaside village of Brantevik. It is normally a laid back town where locals enjoy slow paced games of boule (bocce, see below) by the seaside.

However, once a year, the entire town completely flips out for the Eggapickning Extravaganza!! (Excuse my spelling Sven). Contestants are required to purchase an egg and then challenge a fellow contestant by whacking his/her egg onto the opponent's egg. Whoever's egg does not crack may continue into the next round.

Now don't say it isn't skill because Sven's brother Elias has won on three seperate occasions and his mate Nick has now equalled that feat by winning Eggapickning 2007.

The winning egg

3. You Dogga

Thought I might show you where me and Anne are living now while I'm on a roll. Our house is in a place called the Isle of Dogs [pause for laughter]. Nice spot though. We live about 30m from the Thames and I get to walk along the river every day to get to my tube stop.

Our Street (the Thames is behind those cars)

Our house

Our room

Our entertainment. The London marathon went almost right by our place a month ago. The legend, Haile Gebreselassie is in this photo.......Well I think it's cool.

Wow. That was epic. I'd like to thank Dullard, Sven and Anne for making it all possible. However, the biggest thanks goes to Faber Maunsell Ltd, who were kind enough to give me absolutely nothing to do today which paved the way for this blog.

Love from Liam