Adam White

I went on another bike ride with my brother today. What started out as a pleasant cycle turned into something far more eventful and entertaining:

0.1 mile: Restaurant for this evening booked. We are going to end the week where we started. A very popular pizza restaurant called Diabolitos.

1.0 mile: My brother is already starting to pull away from me. Boy he’s fit! I’m going to try really hard to keep up but everytime I get up some speed someone gets in my way and I have to start again!

3.2 miles: Along this route there is one hill. I can see it coming. I drop some gears and start peddling. But then… clunk… My chain comes off half way up the hill! Aaaaargh! I have to pull over, get all greasy putting it back on again and then go back down the hill to try again. Thankfully this time I make it!

4.5 miles: I’ve caught up with my brother again. He stopped where we cycled to earlier in the week. We decide to go on further this time and see what is further down the beach. It’s starting to look like Skegness around here!

4.6 miles: And suddenly the bike path disappears. Looks like it roads from here on in.

5.0 miles: Suddenly we’re in Germany! There are Germans everywhere and all the shops have German names! It still looks like Skegness though (I’m starting to get knackered, how far is my brother planning on going???)

5.6 miles: Trams. Two of them. Parked side by side. Just as we are pulling up onto the curb in front of one of them it decides to move forward. It nearly runs us over! We are now behind the other tram as it has also decided to make a move and it is travelling a little bit faster than we are.

5.7 miles: The tram stops up ahead so we go around it. Just as I make it past though it starts to move. Aaaargh! I now have a speeding tram up my backside and I know from a second ago that it travels a little bit faster than us. We have no choice but to pick up the pace and try and keep ahead of it. Eeeek!

6.5 miles: The tram kept stopping to let people off so we are safe. It looks like my brother is slowing right down though. Could we be stopping? Yes!! Phew! We pull up and buy a bottle of water. Ow! I’m hurting all over and I’ve still got to travel all the way back again. I’m never going to make it at my brother’s pace so I tell him to go on ahead.

9.3 miles: Now that I have cut the pace a little I am finding it much easier going. My brother is long gone and I can’t even see him anymore.

9.4 miles: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!! Ow!!!!!!!! I was approaching a blind right turn so I slow right down and keep far to the right-hand side but I meet a lady on a bike travelling on the wrong side of the cycle path and I have to brake and swerve to miss her. I send the bike skidding and my knee gets a good scratch but thankfully there was no collision! The poor lady was so startled! Hopefully she will learn from this to ride on the right side of the paths from now on!

9.5 miles: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!! What was he doing? Less than a minute after my collision I come up against a man on a bike riding left and right, alternating lanes coming towards me and he showed no sign of stopping! I skid to a halt and he rides on by me with a big grin on his face. Grrrrr!

9.6 miles: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!!! What now?!? I come up against a small group of cyclists and just as I am coming up to them the lead cyclist decides to swap lanes and chat to the person behind him. I coming to another skidding stop and he changes lanes just in time. At least this one put his hand up to apologise! What am I going to come across next?!?

11.5 miles: Through the park again and everything seems back to normal. No incidents yet. Maybe things are getting back to normal…

12.0 miles: Nope: Cramp! Ow! Ow! Ow! Looks like I’m walking from here. I wonder where my brother is?

12.4 miles: There he is! He’s heading back in my direction to find out what has happened to me. Boy have I got some fun stories to tell him. Thankfully my cramp has gone now so I’m back on the bike for the journey home.

13 miles: The world threw everything it had at me on this journey but I made it! Home sweet home. Time for a shower, an antiseptic wipe and a sit down. I have definitely earned my pizza this evening

Posted by Adam under Personal & Trips and Holidays | No Comments »

All I have heard about today is the torrential rain storms that are currently hitting England. So I thought I’d counter this with a picture of the weather here today.

Posted by Adam under Personal & Trips and Holidays | No Comments »

There I was, babysitting my two nephews (4 and 7) and wondering what I can do to entertain them. Their favourite films are ADD inducing things like Pirates of the Carribean and Star Wars. I wanted these children calm and quiet so I raided the DVDs I’d brought with me and saw exactly what I needed: A film they hadn’t seen before, one made long before MTV, a film full of colour, magic and singing: The Wizard of Oz. At first they were a bit apprehensive. Robbie carried on playing on his PSP and Jamie carried on playing me at chess. But as soon as Judy Garland started to sing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” they were hooked. By the time the munchkins popped up it was job done.

Isn’t it amazing that a film made nearly 70 years ago can still captivate children brought up on rapid fire television and Sky+. It is a real testament to the filmmakers that it has not only stood the test of time but it continues to triumph with any child fortunate enough to come across it.

As an adult watching it again I am still transfixed by the timeless music, beautiful sets and pin perfect performances. Each character is so beautifully brought to life with such passion and sense of fun that I can’t help but be drawn in. The amazing colours almost burn themselves onto the retinas but they all add to the enjoyment of the spectacle.

It is such a shame that musicals like this have been and gone. There is something enchanting about them that seems to captivate children (and adults alike). Maybe soon Pixar will be brave and bring back what we are all after.

[10/10]

Posted by Adam under Films & Personal | No Comments »

This holiday is turning into a real holiday now. These past two days I have done very little. Yesterday I only went outside to go to the shops for ingredients for dinner! I spent the rest of the day working on my laptops (yes I brought more than one!)

Today we all went to the cathedral for a closer look. To me it looks better from a distance. Up close it loses it’s charm and becomes very touristy. The inside was very pretty but the tour didn’t last long. Far too much of it was sealed off and inaccessible (although I suppose this is understandable as it is a functioning Catholic church!)

I’m babysitting this evening. My brother and parents are off out for dinner and I am looking after Jamie (7 and an angel) and Robbie (4 and hyperactive). Hopefully it will be a case of movie and PSPs to distract them otherwise I am in for an interesting evening!

Posted by Adam under Personal | No Comments »

After a lovely Sunday morning fry up cooked by yours truely we went back on the bus and up to the castle on the hill today. The views were magnificent!

Following this my brother and I decided to go for a little bike ride. Before coming to Palma I hadn’t ridden a bike since I was 14. We rode along the beach front for 5 miles in both directions. I got back sat down and nearly didn’t get back up again! It was great fun but I reckon I’ll feel that in the morning

Posted by Adam under Personal & Trips and Holidays | 1 Comment »

So, what am I up to at the moment then? Well, I’m in Palma on holiday with my mum, step-dad, brother and his family. I’m staying at my dad’s new apartment overlooking the beach. It’s sunny, 32°C and beautiful. Here is a shot of the view from the apartment balcony…

We got here yesterday and today we went on a bus tour of the city and there are some amazing buildings to see. The cathedral needs a closer inspection so expect a further post about that soon!

Posted by Adam under Personal & Trips and Holidays | No Comments »