Sebi in the UK - Sommer 2007

2007-09-02T20:00:00.000+02:00

I arrived glad at home and will now work during the next few weeks on my blog to fill up all my missing days ...

Kind Regards
SEBI =)

2007-08-05T20:00:00.001+02:00

Because I actually went yesterday really late and pretty tired to bed, I slept long till after 10 o’clock am =)

After having a nice breakfast I quickly took my backpack and went over the nice old bridge back to Conway.
I was pretty impressed by the bridges over there - they had 3 different bridges going over the river - the first one was just for train, the second one only to walk (and costs one Pounds per day) and the third one for cars (and also people)
They build them in the style of the castle, which is located right behind the bridge :)
After I spent a bit time at the bridges I went to the castle to visit it …
- it was just amazing!!!
I have seen many beautiful castles in Austria, but none of them hade such height tower than this castle had …
This castle had about eight towers and all of them where so amazing height …
(in Austria most of the castles does just have on big tower …)
I really enjoyed it a lot !
These castle was one of few , which the king over her ordered many years ago to build, as the Norway’s were closer coming to the UK - so one they build it as a signs of power and to defined there country …
I also met an Austrian family over here and got in a dialog with them for few minutes …
- they flow just for couple of days to over here - when I heard them speaking I realised, that hey could not be from Germany - and guess, that they must come from close to Vienna … - when I asked them I found out, that I was absolutely right - they are living in Vienna ;)

Here are few nice pictures from the bridges and the really impressive castle:

After I walked a short piece on the old city walls, I soon returned to my camper van and made myself finish to leave - my next goal was a really close mountain, from which you should be able to see the next island - only if the weather is fine ;P
So on I expected that I won’t see it, because the weather over here is usually not good ;P
After I reached the feet of the mountain (see level) and stand in front of it, I decided to hike it up, to get a bit of Austrian my feeing :)
- actually I did it really extremely and so on it was more running up the hill than hiking …
A big mountain for people in the UK - but just a small hill for a guy from Austria ;P
It took me just about 12 minutes, till I reached the top …
But it was only 206 meter (679 feet) height - so one I did 2,8 height meter (9.2 height feet) each 10 seconds - I really walked the whole time on my maximum speed level ;)
- than I just kept on walking on the top, till I reached only 20 minutes after starting the final visitor point on the top …
Actually it was a bit strange - there was a cable car and a lift going onto this small hill - and on the top was a big building with a restaurant, a shop and a casino ;P
But the view was wonderful and I really enjoyed it :)

Here are few pictures:

After I returned safety to my van I quick wrote a SMS on my mobile phone to my college Trevor. He told me, that he will be pretty close to over there at his grandfather’s house on Sunday and I’m invented to make a stop over there :)
I quick got an answer and made my way to Penrhyn Bay. To drive along the coast was a real adventure - there was amazing much traffic (everybody likes to drive to the beach on weekend) and the street was really really narrow - it was on of the situations I really like to drive in, because it’s a real adventure and pretty exciting - when you just have 1 cm or less space on each side of your van =)

I actually arrived at the address, which Trevor told me, couple of minutes to early, and had to wait few minutes, till he was back with his family from the beach …
I spent about an hour over there, but decided to leave before dinner, because it was already about 5 o’clock and I had to drive the whole way back to my campsite …
Actually it was the right decision to leave a bit earlier, because I arrived way later than I expected at my home (got a bit into traffic jam) and it takes me always a while, till I’m parking perfect at my place …
So on I went after a real relaxing and enjoying day again pretty late to bed and I will tell you tomorrow, how I went up at the next morning ;P

King Regards
SEBI =)

PS: I’m not sure why, but my computer does have a small bug at the moment - while I’m typing a text, he likes to drop few signs or even whole words - that’s why it’s possible, that there are more mistakes … - I will take a look to fix that soon, because it’s really nasty!

2007-08-04T20:00:00.000+02:00

I made myself quick a breakfast, right after I went up, before I took a look at my navigation system (where I’m at the moment) and decided to pay and drive back to Chester with my van to the one hour free parking place …

I first didn’t aspect that I will really need just one hour to visit the city …
When I went out of my camper van the car, which was parked right in front of me was getting ready to leave … - and so on I quick asked the people over there, if this parking place is really free to park (because just few meters away was the stadium with a place, where you have to pay a lot for parking)
A friendly women told me, that they first thought it’s for about three hours free - but how ever, I should just keep on staying here - they parked for about five hours and nobody cared about that and checked there parked car …
So on I went into the city and planed to be back in about one hour … - actually Chester is a really nice old city, which is just a bit smaller, but as nice as York …

Here are few pictures about the Church in Chester and few other views, which impressed me really much:

Also funny - it was the first time I saw a restaurant build into a church:
(in my mind just crazy ;)

Because I like to bring my life sometimes in really dangerous situations I risked trying again to eat something from a real Great Britain traditional Paste Bakery …
Actually I didn’t take this time the same awful stuff, which I had last time (they sold it also ;)
- this time I found something, which the last Bakery didn’t had …
It’s called “Sausage and Cheese” and is pretty similar to a hotdog with just sausage and a bacon cheese on top … - I also bought a second one of the same stuff which was called “Bacon and Cheese” :)
This time it was really good to eat over there and I enjoyed it a lot !
- because it was so good I really guess this food wasn’t an invention of Great Britain People! ;P

After visiting the whole city and walking a lot on the old city walls I returned finally to my camper van after about nearly three hours - and as the lady told me, I really didn’t got a ticket because of parking to long :)
Sometimes in your life you just have to take few risks ;)

So on I went back on my rout and planed to drive to Llandudno Junction in Wales, which is a town right next to Conwy …
My colleges told me, that there is a nice castle to visit over there and also a small mountain, from which you are able to see to the island “Anglesey” …
(If the weather is good - so I expected it won’t be possible ;)
I actually decided to drive the whole way to up there along the cost and made one stop to walk about half an hour along the beautiful few of the sea at the middle of my journey.

My goal was to drive to a pretty impressive bridge going over a river (which links right after the bridge into the sea) up to Conwy - I planed to park right under this bridge :)
This street was actually a deadlock and up there was just the main bus parking and fixing station - so the whole evening long there were busses arriving and after a full check, a car wash and a bit cleaning they parked there busses into a big garage …

Here are few pictures from the sea:

Actually I got in another adventure over there, which kept me for a moment pretty busy ;P
When I parked my camper backwards under the bridge I wanted to take a look, if I stand perfect …
- in that case I jumped quickly out of my camper van and just let the engine run in neutral gear …
I quick run around my camper van and decided that I park in a perfect position …
- but when I returned to the driver’s door and tried to open it, it was looked …
- so on I quick run to the other side to check the second door - but as I expected, it was also looked up …
Normally if you travel and something like this happens, anybody who travels with you would now open the door for you … - but in the case, that I travel alone there wasn’t anybody and so I was standing out closed in front of my van and the engine was still running …
I had at this moment really nothing - my computer was running inside, my mobile phone, all my money and the second key was inside the car …
So on I quick went to the bus main station and spoke with one employee from over there …
My English got since I’m here really good - we didn’t had any communication problems at all … - fist he told me, that he will first finish his bus and right after this he will have a look, what he could do for me …
Actually we got the idea to call the AA (Automobile Association), which is a company that usually, helps with car problems …
As far as I know, they would work together with the Austrian Company I’m insured, but in that case, I would have to phone first the Austrian Company and they would organise from Austria help for me to over here …
But before we called for help, this guy started to ask me again all options, how I may could come into my van …
And actually we had in absolutely the same moment the idea to get in over the small plastic windows in the roof :)
So on I asked him to lay me a screw driver to open one of them …
He went away to search for one and returned few minutes later …
Then I climbed over the back of my van (which wasn’t hard, because there is a special fitting for my bike - which isn’t actually anymore there …)
I just needed about four minutes, till I got into my van, because the plastic window in the roof is only fixed with four screws =)
By the way: The roof has to get on the top cleaned sometimes ;P

Actually I found out, that this is a real lazy security point at all caper vans on the market … - because nearly 99% does have at least one window in the roof and they are all like my ones, because most of them are produced by the same company …
So on you can really get in each camper van in just 4 minutes with damaging nothing - if you don’t care about damaging the van I guess it’s possible to b inside in less than one minute and nobody will see you or will be able to see from outside, that someone broken into the van …

After I first turned off the engine before I quick took my keys, left my camper through the door and climbed again up, to screw the window back on the van …
After finishing this mission I was really happy, that I got out of this situation much easier that it first looked it will be.
So on I gave the guy which lend my the screw driver a really Austrian beer (which I brought with me ;) when I brought the tool back :)

After this I build my camper van ready to sleep, which took me just couple of minutes.
And so on I quickly took my backpack and stared to walk over the bridge and a bit around in Conwy :)
I’m actually a person, which doesn’t like to eat much fish, because I hate fishbone in food. I didn’t know at this time, that Fish and Chips doesn’t include fishbones - how ever - at this moment I really liked to try this stuff and took also the risk that there are maybe fishbones :P
So on I bought Fish and Chips at a small shop and it was really really good !
I sat down right infront of the harbour and enjoyed my big meal for dinner :)
As I went back over the bridge I was so motivated, that I actually just kept on walking, till I reached a church (fro which I first just saw the tower) on a small hill …
Actually it was a new church and like most of the churches over here not open to visit …
It was a pretty modern building … - and it impressed me in a pretty crazy way …
- this church was looking from outside like a jail !
There were many CCTV cameras outside, on the top of the small building part was barbed wire and many signs told me “do not go near” and “keep away”
I actually can’t understand, how you could some thing like this as church - but how ever - as long as it’s not my church, it doesn’t affect me :P

I actually returned to my van and phoned with my family with voice over IP before I went to bed …
I fist expected, that the busses will maybe wake me up in the morning, when they leave there garage - but actually they didn’t ;)

This day was really a big adventure, but also Sunday was a relaxed and nice day, which I will post soon ;)

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-08-03T20:00:00.000+02:00

Today was a pretty relaxed working day …
Everybody was already a bit in weekend feeling and so on it was really much fun :)

I decided to drive over the weekend to Chester and a bit more west in Wales … - so on I got really lot stuff like maps and folders from my colleges :)
They are all time really interested in what I’m doing over here at my weekends =)

Trevor also invented me to the house of his parents, which on the cost in Wales … - we decided, that I will write him a SMS if I’m close to over there …

As soon as I returned from work I started to prepare everything for my weekend journey - and actually this is always much work …
I had to empty the toilet, fill up the fresh water tanks and decided also spontaneous to take a last shower, before I leave my camp site …

Because I called the police yesterday about my stolen bike I got a police letter stick on my camper van windscreen … - It told me, that a police officer from the CSI Great Britain came over to take a look, if he could take finger prints of the bake from my van …
Actually he couldn’t find something and also the CCTV cameras were fare to dark to detect something about the thief …
Shit happens …

Because I had quite a lot to do and didn’t make myself extra stress I left actually my campsite at about nearly 10 o’clock pm …
Chester isn’t that far away - my navigations system told me, that I will need about half an hour - so that means, that I would need with the camper van about one hour ;P

I first pilot to a stadium and sport area in Chester, but there parking place was closed … - right next to there I found a free nice place - but a sign told, that you are only allowed to stand about an hour over there … - so one I tipped in my navigation system to bring me to the racecourse of Chester (horse race;)
But this racecourse is in the centre and so on you would have to pay a lot for parking over there … - Actually I drove a bit around over there … - and believe me - Chester DOES NOT HAVE ANY PARKING PLACES !!!
Most of the people were parking half on the street … - but actually that’s not luxurious for camping ;P
Because it was at least 12 o’clock and I still didn’t had a place to park I just told my navigation system to tell me the way to the next camp site …
- the campsite was quite outside the city - but the city isn’t that big …
I just parked my self in the front of the campsite … - it was a nice site and really luxurious - they had really nice toilets … - so on I just stick a letter into my window, on which I wrote “I will pay tomorrow morning …” and went quick to bed.
I was pretty tired and slept till short after 10 o’clock am :)

I will tell you much more about my trip at my next post ;)

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-08-02T20:00:00.000+02:00

Today will be marked as a black date …

Actually the whole day was pretty nice - the weather was good, the time in my company run by as amazing fast as usually - and when I finally returned I was so happy and full of energy, that I decided to take a small bike tour …

But then it happened …

I took on all my biking clothes (really professional ;) and took a short look at the internet, to see in Goggle Maps, where the best route over here will be (away from traffic ;)
And finally I quick decided where to go … - but right after I went out of my camper van and looked the door - I had to recognise, that my bike was gone …
Somebody cut my bike locker and stolen my mountain bike - also the locker was gone …
Actually few people my say, that’s just a bike and you can replace it easily with a new one … - but this bike was something really important to me - I got it on my 18 birthday and actually decided, to take the whole time of my life really much care about it … - that bike is something very special for me and there was kind of a love between us …
By side of that it’s pretty new - I got it last autumnal for around € 1000 (673 GBP / 1370 USD / 1442 CAD) - and that was a really good price, because we bought it right in front of the next winter - at the start price it cost in Austria € 1600 (1077 GBP / 2193 USD / 2308 CAD)

Because this bike was really something special for me I wish the thief, who stolen it, that he wound be happy with it at all !

So one I went back into my camper van and changed my clothes back - to go straight after this to the reception of my campsite …
This camp site is handled by two young girls, who actually bought it just couple of month ago … - they are pretty nice …
I told them what happened and so on I got full access to there CCTV (closed circle TV) and they helped me phoning the police …
Actually there CCTV system records about a month backwards - so it’s maybe possible to see something … - there energy plug connector of there computer was actually broken (which didn’t affect the CCTV system - it was still recording - but you weren’t able to take a look at there cameras, because the second computer didn’t work …
So on I quick took my little Swiss penknife (I always have as technical engineer with me ;) out of my pocket and fixed there plug connector…
I played a bit with there cameras, but actually I couldn’t see something …
They finally told me, that tomorrow an expert will come, which looked up for them couple of times on the cameras and they will ask him to search for something happened at my camper van …
So on I called the police - and the girls helped me a lot in spelling few things right ;)
The police office woman on the other side of the phone line was really nice and spent a lot of time with my report …
(now it’s the second report I did over here … - it’s not online right now … - I lost my walled on my first working day)
I also told them, that they will may be able to find finger prints on the camper - because it is a bit dirty at the back side, you actually wont be possible to retrieve the bike without touching the van and finally (the important thing ;) it didn’t rain during the last two days …
(witch does not mean that you will find so on nice weather in Great Britain - it’s always cloudy ;)
How ever - the police women told me, that she send my report and a request to take finger prints to the right department - but it will be there decision, if they will finally really come and search for prints …
After all this stress I went to take a shower, eat for dinner and now I’m writing this post for today, right before I will go to bed …

I actually plant to visit on the next weekend the city Chester by bike … - as it looks like I have to walk …

I’m not sure, if and at which time I will leave tomorrow … - but I guess my post tomorrow will come pretty late or too late ;)

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-08-01T20:00:00.000+02:00

Today was really nice and not heavy at all =)
Guy pieced me exactly at 8:30 am up and we went to George …
The National Distribution Centre (NDC) of Brammer is the largest storing place they have … - the NDC holds a comprehensive inventory of over 150,000 individual products !
It’s an amazing new and with the best and newest height technical equipment build 80,000 sq big place, which opens in 2001 - so it’s really new ;)

After a coffee George went with me around and showed me, how there whole system works … - really interesting :)
They have over there two vertical circle round cranes, three really long mini-cranes and another big one (which fits EU-pallets ;)
All the cranes are driving controlled by computer, picking the item you need and bring it to you …
The long horizontal cranes are able to store to there left and right … - the whole system works with scanners, which will tell the computer we which item will be needed …

Here are few pictures:

The NDC stores nearly all things and send them finish packed for the customer over night to all the Brammer locations …
- so if any other Brammer location needs items and products they will be over there at the next morning :)

They also build (and a few parts are still in work) a new workshop over there - at this place they will show there employee and also there customers, how there products are working and hat they are for … - this room is brand new =)

Here are also few pictures of there new workshop:

After the tour we went back and finally the meeting went on, after another coffee ;)
It was actually quite interesting - they just spoken about few problems they have to take care about, at the point in there computer system, where they calculate the price for selling there products …

For lunch George invited Guy and me :)
We got really good sandwiches from a small store above the street …
He also bought a pretty good stuff, which I never had before …
- normally we like to put this stuff (pork paste) in Austria on bread at dinner … - but over here they baked it in a cake … - I never thought about a combination of these two things - but it’s tasting good :)

Here is a picture of it:
Actually it was planned, that we will return to our company after this, but a girl in the Sales & Service Centre, which is also in this building had a problem and it took more time to fix it as Guy aspect it will take …
(it’s still not fixed ;)
It was so late, when we returned, that we straight drove to George, from where Guy drove me back to my camp site …
So on I had much luck and my working day ends an hour earlier :)

If there is enough time, I will take a look, if I may be able to start today to cut the movie about my journey up to here … - I already found a really nice software, which will cut all the 4800 pictures I took each half minute together to a really short movie :)
On the other hand I still have to write a few e-Mails and I also have to start planning my journey for the next weekend.

Kind Regards
SEBI =)

2007-07-31T20:00:00.000+02:00

Today was really nice - I went on in my big project and got another big Step forward …

Now this program turns to get really comfortable to book holiday as employee :)

At my home way I had to walk about 3 minutes more, because my bus wasn’t able to take the last corner to my bus station.
Over there happened a car accident, but as far as I know nobody got hurt …

Here is a picture:

I spent nearly the whole evening in answering E-Mails and writing people …
After a long shower (about half a our - the new showers over here are really nice ;) I went as late as each day to bed …
But this time t was actually not too late, because I know that I will have an extra hour of sleep at the next morning :)
George and Guy decided to take tomorrow with them to the National Distribution Centre (NDC) of Brammer - which is really huge (you will read more about this at the following day ;)
So on we planned, that Guy will piece me up at the entry to my camp site at 8:30 am and drive with me to George … and then we will both drive with George to the NDC, which is about a hour away …

You will hear more about the NDC tomorrow =)

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-07-30T20:00:00.000+02:00

I only slept about 5 or 6 hours, but it must have been a really deep sleep … - because I actually waked up 5 minutes to early …
Amazing - I didn’t yawn the whole morning long, which I normally like to do each 5 minutes ;P
I was the whole day long really relaxed :)
Maybe it was because of the full moon or something else - I don’t know, but it was nice to be really relaxed after just few hours of sleep ;P

My working day run by as fast as usually - it’s just amazing, how fast the days are over …

As soon as I returned back to my camper van I started the mission “fill up the fresh water tanks”
- usually I fill them up each weekend, but because I didn’t so at the last one, I had to do it on Monday …
It took me much longer, as I expected it will take me …
So one it was about 9 pm, when I started to cook myself something for dinner …
And actually I went again far to late to bed ;P

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-07-29T20:00:00.000+02:00

Today I went up after 10 am :P
- so on I was really relaxed fort he whole day ;)

I already got during the few last days in contact with Nadia from Austria - she goes one (school) class level under my one … - we know each other from many school project, parties and trips organised by the school …
As I told her during the last school days about my trip, she swear me to visit me, if it’s possible ;)
She flight just for this weekend with her family to over here, because they got an invention for a big weeding …
It was a Pakistan weeding a she told me, that it was absolutely like in a typical Bollywood movie :)
Because the weeding goes sooo long there was just time to meet at the afternoon …
I actually decided to drive (with the bus) a bit earlier into the city to visit a bit more … - so on I took the bus number 100 and drove over the Trafford centre into the city.
Just at that moment, when I arrived at the Trafford centre (which is a big shopping centre - I have been over there few weeks ago - really nice and impressive - it’s half of the way to Manchester centre) she called me with her mobile phone and told me to meet at the Trafford Centre (she actually didn’t know, where this exactly is ;)
It was quite funny, because I just answered: OK - I’m over there :P
It took a couple of minutes, till they also arrived - it’s not really easy to find someone else in the Trafford centre - and not really helpful, if the other person never been to over there and so on don’t know, where the place you try to describe over the phone exactly is ;P
But I soon combined, where they actually could be at that moment it this really big shopping centre and so on I went over there and soon find them …
We first shopped around 2 and a half hours, which was really much fun - it was also much fun, to speak again real Austrian German ;)
After finishing shopping we went to the big bus station over there (around 16 gates - really big ;) and took the next bus into the centre of Manchester … (it was the first time I took a 2 levels bus here in England - because at my home road are few small bridges and so on they are not able to drive into my direction ;)
When we arrived here the most shops had closed already (because of Sunday after 5pm ;)
- but actually that wasn’t a big problem, because the city of Manchester isn’t that impressive - everything is build modern and new and it’s a city like much other once …
My colleges at work already told me, that there isn’t much going on in the centre of Manchester … - we just walked relaxed through the city and made a short stop at a panorama observation wheel, which took Nadia and me 4 rounds up to the sky, to see over the whole city …
After this we went to a just 2 corners away placed Hard Rock cafe (we found it during the observation wheel drive ;) and stopped over there to eat dinner …
Her mum invited me and it was really nice, to eat in such a cool place (with so good music in the background ;)
After this it was already pretty late (around 9pm) when we decided to move on …
Actually I quick bought a real Hard Rock head cap for my self ;)
If anybody needs something from a real Hard Rock store - just tell me soon per Mail, because I probably will also make a stop in the Hard Rock Cafe at London :P
-but please notice that usually have pretty high prices on everything ;P

As soon as we went out of the cafe we took a real English taxi (they are sooo cool =) to the Oxford railway station in Manchester.
Over there I quick decided with my PocketPC how I will probably find my way home (because Nadia and her family just had to take the train …)
I quick found out, that I just had to take the next train in about 20 minutes (there train goes at the same station, but just another 20 minutes later…) to Warrington (where I have been yesterday with my bike ;) and from over there I know, that there will go a bus into my direction …
Actually I didn’t know at that moment, if the bus will be still in service at night, but if not I just had to walk about 10 km ;P
Didn’t scare me, because I know the way already (from biking) and I had enough equipment (warm cloths, highbred led flash lamp and a lot of other survive tools ;) with me …
But when I arrived at Warrington my adventure luck was myself (like so often before;) faithful and I got the last bus, which went at that night into my direction …
(the next bus went on 6:30 am ;)
I actually had to drive quite long, because the bus drove to Altringham (which is the other and of this bus service) over the motorway and back over my town …
So one it took me nearly about another hour to return to my usual bus station …
But the time runs by pretty fast, because I started to talk with the bus driver lady …
I actually gave here at the end the internet address of this blog - I wonder, if she found here way to read this online ;P

It was really nice to walk this night my usual home way over the Warburton Bridge … - no traffic - just night with few clouds (but not much) and the full moon shining really bright above me :)
He was nearly as bright as my flash lamp - and that’s really really bright ;P
It was the perfect ending of a perfect day =)

So on I returned at about 11:30 at my camper, but it took me till 1 am till I really fall asleep …

Tomorrow I will tell you, how I did at the next morning, when I had to woke up like usually at 6:30 am ;)

Kind Regards
SEBI =)

2007-07-28T20:00:00.000+02:00

Actually I didn’t watch the movie yesterday, because I decided to take a long shower :)
And when I returned from my shower I got in contact with few people from the campsite …
It was already dark when I returned, and so on I turned my flash lamp on … - when I passed a camper one man opened the window and asked me, which flash lamp I have, because it’s so bright =)
We talked a bit and actually it ends that they two invited me at there camper and so on we drunk few beers at there camper …
I presented them Austrian Beer, which is usually much stronger than the beer from over here is it …
For one of them it was too strong ;P
- the other one liked it a lot =)

After I returned pretty late to my camper I slept really long until 10 am …
When I went up I made myself a nice breakfast and spent a lot of time at the computer …
It was 3 pm, when I decided to make a tour with my bike - I decided to ride to Warrington, which is about 8 km away and visit the old centre over there …
Actually I had so much fun with riding my bike, that I returned to my campsite many hours later and when I took a look at my bike computer he told me, that I cycled 36,5 km (22.7 miles)
It was a really nice trip and I enjoyed it a lot !
I saw many beautiful buildings and went quite a long time around in the centre of Warrington =)
And I also found out, that British people like to go on Saturday evening to church ...

When I returned I cooked my self Tortellini and now I will go on and have a shower, before I will write all my emails and go to bed …
I’m pretty tiered from my trip, because I didn’t ride my bike since a month and so on this trip was really an adventure …

The weather is still nice - there are all the time clouds in the sky, but actually I didn’t rained - and I’m really happy about that :P
I hope it will hold like this … - but the sky already got closed of clouds, so it’s just a question of time, until it will start again to rain - I'm pretty sure, that it will start soon :P
Because I’m in the UK - it’s always raining ;P

Tomorrow I will hopefully tell you how the centre of Manchester is, because I plan to visit it ;)

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-07-27T20:00:00.000+02:00

Today was pretty quiet … - everybody was already in weekend feeling ;P
And also my college next to me, who works together with me on my project wasn’t in today (he went to a weeding of a friend …) and also John (my boss;) left after one hour into holiday - he will actually be on holiday fort he whole next week …

In the morning I got a nice resent from Trevor (also a collage of me;)
He brought me a big “Wallace & Gromit” DVD Box …
Actually we spooked yesterday about these movies - they are a typical British BBC television commercial … - like “Family Guy” is it from the US …

So one I will now make myself finish for bed and watch one of these movies =)

I’m pretty tiered, because I wrote last night till 0:30 am SMS texts …
I probably will now limit my self a bit, because I got today my first mobile phone bill - which goes till 6th of June 2007 and went up to € 43,50 (29 GBP / 60 USD / 63 CAD) …
And I know, that I didn’t wrote as much texts before that time then I did after the end of the bill … - so on I will probably get another big bill next month …
A text message cost me over here about € 0,27 (0.18 GBP / 0.36 USD / 0.39 CAD)
- which is at least pretty expensive …

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-07-26T20:00:00.000+02:00

Because I went to sleep last night pretty late - actually much to late ;P
I was pretty tiered in the morning … - but a morning-coffee waked me up ;)

When I went out of bed (actually a bit to late ;) and made my breakfast one safety device was killed by electrical energy, as I toasted my toast …
So one I fixed it quickly - as technical engineer it just took me few seconds ;)

Today was pretty interesting - I reached a point at my project, which made it even more interesting as it is already :)
So on my time run by so quickly, that I had to go home, after taking a short look at my watch :P

Actually there wasn’t much else going on this day …

The weather is still really crazy !
Mostly doesn’t rain, but from time to time (probably each half an hour) a really short rain comes by - it starts every time from one second to another and goes for couple of minutes - after these few minutes it stops again in just few seconds …
But during the few minutes of rain, you have really good chances to see a fish swimming by on eye level - it’s just amazing, how much water comes down in a second !

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-07-25T20:00:00.000+02:00

Today Guy (my college) and I drove with George at lunchtime to Altrincham …
Actually we did the same like each lunchtime, but we just decided to use this time a different super market ;P

My project is still really interesting and goes so far good on …

Today I decided to start my mission “wash my clothes” and so one I’m pretty busy :P

The weather is still ok - mostly it’s raining, when I’m not outside and I’m pretty glad about that =)
Actually today it only rained at 5 am, but I don’t want to tell you so far, that it didn’t rain the whole day long … - because over here in Great Britain it’s possible, that it starts to rain really badly in just a few seconds …

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-07-24T20:00:00.000+02:00

Today was pretty stressful …
I didn’t fall well asleep last night and so on I was the whole day long pretty tired …

I decided to start today a new mission, as soon as I returned from work - I call this mission: “Cut the first time of your life your hairs by yourself” :P

I’m glad, that I could use the new bathrooms today, which they build at this campsite during the last five weeks …
Actually they are not really finished - but everybody uses them already …
At the fist few all the toilets and showers are looking pretty nice and modern, but as you take a closer few (with technical engineer eyes ;) you soon see, that the architect must be pretty dumb …
- they build few things, which are just not working or just working a bit wrong …
They build three showers, but there water pipes are not working right …
- the first shower is much to cold (whatever you turn on)
- the second one is perfect
- and the third one is far to hot (also if you just turn cold water on)

I took the middle one, after I finished my hair cuttings …
Actually the hair cutter engine, which I bought right in front of this trip, is perfect and a really good quality, but because I cut the first time and I wanted to make sure, that they are really ok, it took me an hour to cut them.
But now they are really perfect :)
I also spent another half an hour in the shower, because I like showers, where you are able to take the shower head from the wall - and the other old showers at this camp site don’t give you the option to do that …

So one I’m right now cooking my self something to eat and right after this I will hurry up, to come to sleep, because it’s already pretty late …

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-07-21T20:00:00.001+02:00

It took me till 10 o’clock, till I really got up in the morning … - I quickly made myself a nice breakfast and because of the weather was nice I decided to visit the city of York today.
Till I had my breakfast the camper van, which parked right next to me started went away - I took just an short view out of my door and saw a woman driving this van … - she just wave her hand and smiled, like I did it at the same moment :P
It was quite funny, because we bought parked next to the stadium to save the charge of parking at a camp site … - we had really absolutely the same idea ;P

Here is a nice picture of my place:

After I finished my breakfast I made my self ready to go … - I took my green rucksack with me and also (because I’m in Great Britain ;) my umbrella :)
The bus station was just above the street and so one I got a pretty good connection into the city …
The first thing I did, when I arrived at the big main bus station was to go to the traveller information, to get a first map of York.
So one I quickly decided, in what I’m interested and what’s probably nice to visit …

My first stop was the big Muenster in York, which is a Roman Catholics cathedral …
The first thing I did over there was taking a picture of the entry inside - I never seen cash desks in a church before …

- actually I took an all inclusive student ticket, to see the inside of the church, the tower and the basement.

I first started to visit the church, which took me over an hour, because it’s really big and I joint a very interesting guiding tour …
After finishing that I went to the basement and saw the treasury of the church.

When I returned to the tower they already had closed - I first thought, that they would probably just have there lunch break - because a sign said, that they will open up again in about 25 minutes …
Because I saw so far enough of the church I decided to go and visit now the rest of the city, to return later again to the tower …
So on I did - I went through the old really beautiful city and bought myself something to eat for lunch …
I bought a special food (no since, how to call this stuff) at a store called “The Cornish Pasty Bakery” - it was kind of a sandwich with cooked chicken and paste inside …
- a sign in front this stuff told me, that it’s old British traditional food …
So one I was really exceeded to taste it …
And I have to say, after all the bad and worst stuff you often here about the British kitchen - this was absolutely - really absolutely the worst thing I ever eaten in my whole life !
- each airplane food would have been a much better choose …
DON’T EVER TRY BRITHISH TRATISIONAL FOOD
except you plan to poison yourself :P

After finishing this awful stuff I went on with my tour and went on the Clifford’s Tower, which gives you a really nice few over the city …
I walked nearly the whole day and went from point to point …
After a little shopping tour in a supermarket I went again to the cathedral tower, to check, if they opened already - but the sign over there told me again, that I have to come in back in 25 minutes …
So I planned to be a bit earlier over there at my next try :P

- so on I went back into the small streets and started to search for a pharmacy shop, because I catch a chill at my neck in the last few days - and so on I felt, that I would otherwise loose my voice pretty soon …
After asking a police woman I found a nice Shop and bought few drops, which where absolutely the same like in Austria - but they where just in a other case - in Austria we call them “Ribini” - they are black candy’s, and help you to find your voice again …

So on I returned this time a bit earlier to the church tower …
But actually when I arrived over there a long people line where right in front of me … - I just joint the line, but as soon as I did so a (old and pretty nice guy) staff member told me, that he counted already 50 people and he don’t think, that they will let me in …
I just smiled and told him, that I will give it a try - I had anyway more than enough time …
Just few seconds later Elisa, a nice girl from Spain arrived at the people line and so one the old staff member and I explained to her our problem about the maximum of 50 people for the tower …
Actually we didn’t stop to talk … - we talk the whole time - till we reached the entry of the tower …
It was really funny, because they stopped to let people in right in front of me … - but that wasn’t any problem for me, because Elisa and I just went on the side to sit over there and went on with talking ;P
- it was really nice, because so on the time run by really really fast …

Elisa is usually travelling with few friends - they all stay together in Edinburgh and are part of an English school program - so on they have to go to school each day …
All here friends weren’t able to motivate there self - but she decided to take the train to York and visit this wonderful city …

We spent actually so much time at the tower, that they went to us and told us to move, because they planed to let the next people up ;P

After visiting the tower we decided to visit the Museums garden, which is a really nice place to relax a bit …

Actually I had planed to go this day out at evening to visit a real British Pup, because I didn’t till there - I just never found enough time …
But because I felt a bit sick (at my neck and my voice) and I’m just not able to motivate myself to drink alone a beer - I first decided on the early afternoon, to drop this idea …
So one I was really excided, as Elisa presented her idea to go for a drink into a traditional British Pup to me …
It was the perfect end of a wonderful day :)

Here are few pictures:

After I brought her to her train I had to wait almost an hour on the next bus, because I missed my one just about 5 minutes …
But actually I arrived well at my camper and cooked myself a nice dinner …
I soon went to bed, because walking the whole day long made me pretty tired …

Tomorrow you will here about the National Railway Museum, which is amazing - I liked it so much, that I spent about 4 hours over there :P

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-07-20T20:00:00.000+02:00

Today was really nice :)

My Boss invented my college and my to a pretty good lunch :)
- It was a restaurant located at a golf place and the food was pretty good :)

After I finished my work and went back home, I build down my campervan and made everything finish to go …
- it actually took me till 8 o’clock, till I had finishing everything … - I filled up my freshwater tanks and emptied all waste water tanks …
I installed all my technical equipment, which is now working right ok :)
Also my TomTom works again =)

So on I started my big travel into the night, because it already started to get dark …
I drove so far without any problems … - I first choose a Park&Ride site as goal, but I found out, that this idea won’t work, as soon as I arrived there about two hours later …
They closed that site over night in a special way - they just set over night a height level of your car, which was pretty low.
So I couldn’t drive into the parking site, because my van was far to height … - but all the small cars, which didn’t drove out, till they closed where free to go … - good idea of the park site management - but not really good for me ;P

So on I just parked for a few seconds at the big Tesco parking site, which was just above the street … - I walked again just few steps to the Park&Ride site, to take a look, if they really locked it, or if I’m would be able to just open the gate and drive in there - but it was locked and watched by an camera ;P
So on I had to search for something new, because at the Tesco parking site they had really big signet, which said, that you are only allowed to stay for a maximum of three hours and it will be checked automatic by all there cameras (and they really had a lot of cameras around there Supermarket ;) …
I quickly took my computer and searched for a place, where I will take a next try ;)
I still had the whole time two backup plans - first one was just a small street close to a highway and the second one was a caravan park, which would had closed already, but I’m sure, that it would be possible, to park thought the night in front of there gate …
How ever - I actually searched my computer for some places, where you could find probably a parking site - and actually I found out, that the horse race ground of York is just few minutes away - so I drove over there ;)
As I arrived there I didn’t had to dive inside there ground, because I already saw a camper van standing right in front of there … - I quickly parked myself in front of him and went soon to bed … - till now nobody told me to leave and I also didn’t got any parking tickets - I hope it will hold on, till I will leave ;P

Actually it was about half past might night, when I finally went to sleep :P
But I then slept very well =)

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-07-19T20:00:00.000+02:00

Today I finished what I begun yesterday - I finished the design of my new project and we send the PPT presentation, which I created to the management …

Today I was still pretty tired, because I went also yesterday far too late to bed …
How ever - 2 coffees did a good job and I didn’t fall asleep till work ;P

After my work I went a little bit shopping to a really big Tesco in Altrincham (next to the big bus station, where I have to stop each day :)
I bought everything I will need for the next weekend, because I’m planning to drive to York, which is about 145 km (90 m) away.

Now I will make myself a big sandwich and after dinner I will probably clean up my camper van a bit :)

The weather is at the moment really good - it sun came out and it got about 24°C (75°F) - which is for over here pretty hot ;P
But actually they already send warnings in newspaper and radio that a thunder storm is on its way to Manchester … - so it will probably be pretty rainy on the weekend …

I will probably post tomorrow my day a bit later than usually, because I will drive right after working to York …

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-07-18T20:00:00.000+02:00

Today I was really really tired - much more tiered than yesterday …
Just because of going to late to bed ;P
- actually it took me till 11:30 pm, till I fall asleep ...
How ever - the coffee in my company hold me during my day awake ;P

Today I got an invention by my boss for lunch at Friday :)
I started today with the design of my new project … - was quite hart work …

Right now I started the cooker, to cook myself anything for dinner …

I will try today to go much earlier to bed than yesterday ;)

Sorry, that my post today isn’t really long, but actually today didn’t happen much …

The weather was in the early morning (I heart it about 4oclock in the morning starting raining) bad, but till I waked up the sun came out and now it’s quite good =)

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-07-17T20:00:00.000+02:00

Today I was at all pretty tired, because I went yesterday far too late
to bed …

But how ever - it wasn’t actually any problem at all - I’m allowed to drink as much coffee as I want for free at my company :P

My project is running well at the moment, but I got allready a new one …
The management had the idea to offer there employee the option, that they could spend a few Pounds automatically from there payment for a relief organisation.
So on they need a new website in there intranet, on which you could see all the different relief programs, the employees could choose to help …
Because this project is just a few days old and a really important operation fort he management, they now need a first design till the end of this week … - so I will work from now on at this program and it looks like I will also have to write it later …
So on the holiday request database project I’m writing right now will take a short brake, till I finished the design of the new project :)

Today it rain during my lunch time and so one I walked with my umbrella and a college to Tesco - to by a banana :P
but how ever - we more walked, because of the relaxing factor, when you can walk a bit at the fresh air …

My bus route worked today really well - but actually I just had to drive half of the rout with the bus, because a college drives at his home way through Altrincham and he always takes me with him, when we both leave the company at the same time :)
(and that’s nearly each day ;)

I hope the weather will hold now, but actually I don’t really believe in this hope …
- because I didn’t hade 24 hours without rain, till I arrived in Great Britain :P

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-07-16T20:00:00.000+02:00

Today started with a beautifully sunny morning … - but as I expected it won’t hold, it started to rain in the afternoon …

Actually it just rained from time to time and I’m lucky, that I didn’t got wet at my home way :)

This day run by really really fast (it’s getting faster and faster :P )
- and actually there wasn’t much else going on …

At my home way I started a conversation with a lady in the buss, which I meet each day in the morning … - probably I will speak from now on also in during my way to the company pretty much English ;P

At the evening I first wrote pretty much small E-Mails :P and phoned haven hour with GTalk with voice over IP for free with my family :)
So on I heard, that my little sister Veronika arrived healthy in the US :)
She will be over there for about a month (I think so ;)

Now it’s after 9 o’clock pm and I will soon go to bed, because I got waked up one hour to early this morning … - I timed because of a time miscalculation the alarm clock of my mobile phone one hour to early :P

You will here from me tomorrow ;)

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-07-15T20:00:00.000+02:00

Jap - I’m really lucky - all my clothes survived yesterday at my first cloth-washing-day :)
It took me about two hours …

Today it’s raining from time to time …
I walked today to a small shop, which is just about 10 minutes away …
- Actually I have been over there a week ago - but at that time they had closed and now I wanted to take a look into this shop …
It’s really really small, but they have few nice things - I just bought a box cookies :P

I now cleaned up a bit and made all my bookkeeping, to see how much money I have left …
I also typed in my computer all the bills I got during the last week - I always like to do this in a professional way, when I’m travelling around in the world … - so on I can tell later, how much did the whole journey cost me :)

Right now it started again raining …
I will go and fill my fresh water tanks up, as soon as it will stop - which will be probably about in 15 minutes ;)

After this I have to make myself (like each day) something for dinner ;P

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-07-13T20:00:00.000+02:00

Today it rained nearly the whole day long …
In the morning the weather wasn’t that bad … - but during the day it got more and more worst …

My day started pretty good and my working time run by as fast as usually …
At lunch I drove like normal with Guy to Tesco, to buy two bananas ;P
Actually I shopped this time a bit more and bought everything I will need for the weekend :)

This day we had a special meeting at 4 o’clock … - it was a meeting for the whole company (but actually they spited the people into two meetings) to tell there worker, how good the company is going and that the business is pretty good and everything ok :)
The presentation was given by Ian, who is the Managing Director of Brammer UK Information System Organisation. (in which I’m now in ;)
I already had contact with Ian during my application at Brammer and it was nice to meet him.
The presentation was pretty good and told us, that the business goes really good at the moment … - Brammer is still Europe’s biggest company at this branch.
The presentation started a bit too late and so on I finished my work day a bit later than usually at 5:20 pm …

My way back home was really crazy - but I will tell you tomorrow, how crazy it really got … - I’m now just tired and will soon go to bed ;)

Here are two pictures, which I took three days ago:
First a picture of my campervan :)

And another Picture from me in my work clothes :)

King Regards
SEBI

2007-07-12T20:00:00.000+02:00

Actually I had much luck !
I told you yesterday, that I forgot my umbrella at work, and I thank Good, that it dind’t rain at today’s morning =)

My work is still really interesting !
The time runs so quick at work - it’s amazing …
Yesterday I went like usually at lunchtime with my colleague to Tascos, which is a big super market …
I always bring for lunch a toast, which I create each morning with me, but I like to buy at Tascos one or two bananas and it’s nice, to walk a bit in your one hour lunch break …

Normally I’m driving with Guy, which my colleague sitting right next to my table over there … - but he hadn’t time yesterday and so I went with Andrew and Trevor to Tascos … - we walked over there (it’s not really far away ;) and talked really a lot !

Today my way home was pretty good, because Andrew (other Andrew then the first one ;) took me up till Altincham - I saved about 20 minutes, because going by car is much faster than going by bus ;P

At the afternoon it started raining again, but it wasn’t that bad … - just a little bit …

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-07-11T20:00:00.000+02:00

I don’t know exactly why, but my Internet is still going really slow :(
I hope it will soon change, because I took two pictures, which I would like to upload soon …

Yesterday was really stressful … - I choked myself a good dinner, after I arrived at half past six at my camper van.
I started right after I finished eating with writing my blog …
It took me nearly an hour, to publish my post yesterday, just because my internet was sooo slow …
Because of that I didn’t had time, to do the dishes and clean up my van …

Today I got a better home rout and so on I saved nearly one hour - I used that time to eat, do the dishes and clean up the whole camper van …
- now I start with answering emails - and probably this will take the rest of my evening :P

The weather today was pretty ok - it just rained a bit in the morning …
I forgot my umbrella at work, so I hope it will not rain tomorrow morning ;P

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-07-10T20:00:00.000+02:00

Hi to everybody =)

Today started again pretty cold - just like yesterday :P

Actually my work is so interesting, that this day run by really fast ...

As I went back after work, I got a nearly perfect bus rout …
-but just nearly ;P
The second bus (I have to change bus once) didn’t come, so I waited about 20 minutes, till I got a bus into my direction …

I don’t know exactly why, but till today my internet access is going really slowly … - it’s horrible … - from time to time it’s also breaks total …
I guess one of the internet radio station is broken - maybe a light killed it , last night …

I now cooked myself a nice meal, as soon as I arrived at my camper van.
I already had a short call to my family (using GTalk :) to tell them, that Merissa (from Canada - I met her few years ago at the KONE Camp in Finland) and another girl from Scotland will arrive in two days at Vienna :)
It sucked, that I’m not over there right now, but I will meet her maybe t the end of my journey in Frankfurt am Main - we will see … ;)

Now I’m really in stress, because I spent so much time at the phone, that I have to hurry up with do the dishes, taking a shower and making my self ready for bed …

You will (hopefully ;) here about my life tomorrow ;P

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-07-09T20:00:00.000+02:00

Today I had to stand up (like each day ;) at 6:30 am …
Because it rained during the night quite a lot, it got really cold - it only had about 10°C (50° Fahrenheit) outside …
That made me getting quite fast awake :P

I arrived 10 minutes to late at my work, because they closed a street and so on the bus went a longer way around the street building site, but actually it wasn’t any problem, because I have anyway flexible working time ;P

The day went by really fast, because I’m getting a better used in the stuff I’m writing and it’s really interesting and cool to write and work in MS Web Developer :)
A workmate (I met him today the first time, because he was in holiday at last week ;) took me along for half of my route (till Altringham) - where he dropped me off at the police station … - I went over there, because I lost my wallet on last Monday and wanted to report this …
After I did it I perfectly reached the next bus, and so on I arrived fortunately at my campervan :)

The weather started pretty good in the morning, but I soon know it won’t hold during the whole day (I’m in Great Britain - it must rain at least once a day over here :P ) - and so on it started to rain in the afternoon …
Now it stopped again, but I don’t think, it will stay for a long time dry ;P

Today I will go soon to bed, because I’m pretty tired - to concentrate a total of 7 hours a day makes you really tired ;P

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-07-08T20:00:00.000+02:00

I went up today after 10 am and decided after I had a comfortable breakfast to go shopping at the Trafford shopping centre, which is really big :)

Over there I bought some new sandals and some food (toast, bread and a little packkage of milk from England).
I also brought a box of tissue, because I ran out of them ;)

After a meal at Subway (btw.: never ever eat at an English Subway -> it taste not nearly as good as normally -> I really didn’t enjoy it ! :P ) I took the next bus …
It got to a small adventure, as I realized, that the next bus had the right number (I needed a bus with number 100), but my bus drove into the wrong direction …
So actually I travelled around in whole Manchester, till I got to the end station, where I had to wait 25 minutes, till the next bus (with number 100 ;) took me to my place …
It was quite interesting, to see this area - I used the bus trip as a sightseeing tour ;P

Now I wend back home and spent a lot time in answering mails ;)
I will now quickly eat dinner, take a shower and go to bed early, because tomorrow I have to get up again at 6:30 am - which isn’t very easy ;P

Today the weather wasn’t that bad … - the sun shone a lot and it got soon pretty warm :)
But at evening the weather turned again in typical British weather ;P
A short electrical storm came across and it started to rain again - so on the air get cold again - at the moment it only has about 13°celsius (55.5° Fahrenheit) outside - brrr ;P

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-06-30T20:00:00.000+02:00

We actually just slept about 3 or 4 hours, till we woke up again and decided to go on with our trip …
So on we started the van and went back onto the highway …
Few hours later we made a first stop to eat something - but this took us just about 15 minutes …

Actually after a long time we got closer and closer to Belgium …
We made a last stop at the border, to fill up our tank again - but actually I found out later, that the fuel is not much expensive over there - just few cents …

It was quit funny at this gas station, because as I took the diesel tube and put in into the campervan a mans voice asked over the speakers for number 5 to come into the shop … - so I went over there and asked him, why he want me to come into the shop, before filling up my van.
He told me, that I’m not having a German or Belgium car registration number and so on I have to pay before filling up my van.
I didn’t know, how much I will need to fill in (because I just planed to fill up, till my tank will be full) - after I told him this he answered, that the police is standing right behind the shop and I should not have the idea to drive away without paying ;P
- crazy … - how ever - I filled up and went back into the shop to pay … - after paying the shop employee explained me, that the police won’t go over there behind people, which does not have a German or Belgium registration number, because they are not allowed by the law :P
So on they had in the future really often the problem, that people from Netherlands filled up over there and just drove away, without paying - because they known that ;P
I asked him, if they can’t just accuse them …
He told me, that they tried it couple of times, but they never won the fight and so one they just changed there system … - now everybody, who is not from Germany or Belgium have to pay first, before filling up there cars :P

We soon went back on the highway and got pretty fast close to Brussels and into a bad traffic jam.
Anna tried to phone a friend over there, to pick there up, but he didn’t go on the phone and so on we decided, to drive thought Brussels and visit the Atomium (pretty cool building :)
Brussels isn’t really big - not nearly as big as Vienna … - but a nice small city …
We drove a bit around - just for sightseeing - Anna showed me the house, she lived in a few (I think) years ago …
After this we quickly took a break at the Atomium - we didn’t go into it, but it was really nice, to stand under it - it’s a amazing building =)

Here is a beautiful photo of me in front of the Atomium:

and another picture from Anna - with closed eyes ;P

and just the amazing Atomium ;)

After making a few photos, I brought Anna to the main train station … - she already had known the time, her train will be over there - but as we got over there it took us couple of rounds around the main train station, till we fount a place to park …
- it also rained a bit and so on we searched for something pretty close to the door …
In Belguim it’s like in nearly each big city - it’s always hard to find a parking place in the centre …
Actually we found one and recognised, that we only had about 5 minutes left, till her train will go.
So we each took a big case and a suitcase and started running - we reached the train in the really really (really ;) last second - there wasn’t time left for Anna to by a ticket - she just jumped in and as soon as I dropped the cases into the train the door closed and the train went on …
Anna bought her ticket later at the train guard - and so one she soon got to her goal, which was Amsterdam :)

After this stressfully running I went relaxed back to my camper and started over there to install all my technical equipment, which I needed, to find out of Brussels ;)

Actually I found my best way really easy with the help of my navigation system iGO out of the city - it was much easier then I first thought it will get …
On the way out I stopped again at a gas station, to fill up again - I had enough fuel, but it was pretty cheap over there :P

So I now drove alone on into the direction of my car ferry - I fast got closer and closer to my goal and because of I felt at that moment pretty good (but I only had about 4 hours sleep ;) I decided to drive till I will reach my ferry …

After few stops for relaxing I reached at about 8:30 pm the boarder to France and about 10pm my car ferry harbour.
I asked over there, if I’m already allowed to drive in there special car-on-loading harbour, but they told me, that I have to wait till at least two hours before my ship will go …

I reserved my ferry form Dunkerque (in France ;) to Dover for 8:01am on Saturday 30^th June 2007 :P So I had to wait like a lot of other cars on there big parking place …
Because I got tired till over there and it already have been after 10 pm I decided to just park at the truck parking place (which was a bit closer) - over there were already few other campers and I just parked my van next to them :)
Then I wrote quickly a SMS @ my home, that I arrived healthy at my ferry and went (pretty tired :) to bed.

Tomorrow you will here, how I slept one hour longer than planned (but I still reached my ferry) and how my travel went one in Great Britain ;)

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-06-29T20:00:00.000+02:00

Anna and I finally took off =)
We took a little bit later off, as I expected - actually around 9 pm …

At the end everything was really stressful, because my checklist didn’t find an end
There was each time still anything to do …
But finally I did the last things, which I had to do - I fill up the fresh water tanks and installed my mountain bike on the back of the camper van :)

My journey got a bit more exciting as I diagnosed one day in front of departure that half of my technical equipment (Notebook, Pocket PC, GPS and a few other things) crashed, so that they didn’t want to work anymore together …
I first expected to have free internet in the UK - but the USB socket stopped working … - how ever - I known, that I will find a way to fix all these problems ;P

I quick installed my web cam in front of the van (I’m happy, that this technical stuff still worked :), because I planned to take each half minute a picture, so that I can cut it later together to a short movie - I will place it on this blog, as soon as I finished the cutting :)

And finally Anna and I took off and drive through the night ...
I had (only :P ) 1896,3 km (1178.3 miles) of route in front of me =)

At the moment we are pretty close to Frankfurt am Main, where we decided to make a longer stop and sleep a little bit … - we are bought really tired - only a lot of Coca-Cola and Red Bull helped us, to stay awake …

We actually had a small accident after 387 km (240.5 miles), but that didn’t take us much time …

A small red coloured Mercedes delivery van (from Germany with the number WU HH140) passed us at a route works section, where the street got a bit smaller - he went to fast and too much on our side and so on our mirrors crashed …

At that moment Anna drove the van - but it wasn’t her fault - it was the Mercedes drivers fault and he also admitted this immediately, as soon as we both hold on at the side …
Because only our mirror got broken and we all where really tired at that moment, we fast decided, to let him just quickly pay our mirror and then everybody can go on with there tour.
Actually I always bring a reserve mirror for this van with me - and they are not really expensive - so on I can fix it by my one :)
Only the glass of the small wide angle mirror on the left side has got broken, so it was really no problem to bring the situation to an quick end - and so on we went just 5 minutes later on with our big tour =)

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-06-28T20:00:00.000+02:00

Todays evening I will (hopefully :P) start my big journey to Great Britain …

I already finished all my planning and I also booked a car ferry weeks ago.
Actually I got a pretty good price - it will only cost me € 56,- (USD 76.30, CAD 80.00 and GBP 37.95 ;)
The ferry will take me up in two hours from France to Great Britain over the north see …

Two days ago I finally changed my route the last time, so that my cousin Anna can drive with me till Brussels (capitol of Belgium) with me.
That will give me finally the option to be a bit faster than I planned, because we can take turns in driving this big van :)

I plan to take off between 6 and 10 pm. We will drive through the nights (and make brakes to sleep on days), because that will keep us away from the possibility to get into bad traffic jam ;)

Today I’m the whole day busy to get my campervan finish … - it’s pretty stressful, because I didn’t had as much time as I expected last week to finish everything … - my school was longer stressful then I planned it will be :P

I will (hopefully ;) write you in my next post, how I finally took off from home ;)

Kind Regards
SEBI

2007-06-27T20:00:00.000+02:00

Hi an welcome to my blog =)

Over here you can easily be up to date,
how I’m doing right now in the UK :)

This blog is managed in English, because I have many friends from the US, Canada and the UK, who also like to read all the daily stories about my big adventures …

I’m probably not the best English writer you know, but I’m working on it,
to get it to a professional level :)

So if you find any really hard mistake (could be a wrong use of tense or just a wrong spelling ;) please tell me as soon as possible … -> in that case just write me an e-Mail to sebisoft.at@gmail.com
- but how ever - I’m always happy about new e-Mails
- so please write me anyway ;P

To explain short, in which big adventure I’m right now:
Half year ago I started to search for a summer job, because I have to work a total of two month behalf of my school education.
To make my work more exciting I asked always for a nice job in any other European countries (except Germany, Italy and France), because I plant to connect my work experience with training my English in a professional way =)

So I requested few companies and also Brammer Austria, for which I once wrote their whole website - it’s only available in German, but you can take a look anyway: just click here ;)

Few months ago my Austrian boss Karl Mühlbauer told me, that he can maybe organise a nice job in the UK for me. That sounds more than good to me and so on I started to translate my resume into English to send it with an English written job application up to Great Brittan :P

During my spring break, when I stayed for an exchange student program with my school class in San Francisco, I got a first answer from John Cutts =)
- just take a look:
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Hi Sebastian,

I am delighted to advise that BRAMMER in the UK are able to offer you a summer work placement in the Information Systems department, based in Manchester.

At your earliest convenience, please can you telephone me so that we can discuss your preferred dates and make the necessary arrangements for your stay in Manchester.

Regards

John Cutts
Head of Information Systems
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As soon as I returned safety from (the beautiful :) California, I took my phone and called John, to get more information about my work offer …

In the following weeks I worked out all the details - where will I stay, how do I come over there and what will I need for my journey ...

I soon decided that it will be the best way for me, to take my grandmothers old camper van to travel up over there - because then I will have the option to travel a bit around on my free weekends and see a bit more of the UK than only Manchester :)

I started to plan all these things and got in contact with Liz Latimer (very friendly person :) of Brammer UK Ltd., which helped me a lot to find a nice campsite over here.

This blog will start with the day, on which I started with the camper into the direction of Great Britain :)

Hope you will have much fun, with reading all my stories !

Kind Regards
SEBI