gosaints
31 Oct 2003, 08:33
Got this from afl.com. Sorry if it's already been posted. Sounds like the boys are having a good time.
On the Ball in London - Part I
Luke Ball
saints.com.au
2:55:58 PM Thu 30 October, 2003
The first two days (including the flight over)
We departed Melbourne on Saturday at 7.30pm, 25th October and had two stopovers.
The first was in Singapore where we got to stretch our legs for an hour or so. We then went to Dubai, where it was 27 degrees at 5.00am. It was a pretty amazing airport, which included gold palm trees in the foyer.
As we descended onto the runway at Gatwick we suddenly had to head back up to the waiting area, as another plane decided to drive across our runway. We finally arrived safely at 12.30pm to cold yet sunny conditions.
We checked into the Manor Hotel in Datchet, a typically English village, between Eton and Windsor.
The rooms are tiny, like shoe boxes, so Bundy (Matt Rendell) and Burkey are struggling to share. Burkey had to remove all the extra furniture from the room into the foyer. He spent his first night trying to convince two players, who had their own rooms, to swap with him and Bundy. Anything an assistant coach can try and persuade them with, Burkey has tried. Fraser (Gehrig) is doing alright. He is in the honeymoon suite.
Once we had all settled in we then headed to Windsor Castle for a run, which had an amazing backdrop. As the flag was flying at full mast, we knew the Queen was in residence.
Today was a sunny day but it was still fresh. We began with an information session and then we divided up into our groups for our orienteering day and for our performing arts evening, which will be interesting. I am in the group which has to perform a song to the rest of the team.
This morning we headed to the Windsor Leisure Centre for a weights and swim session. Apparently Natalie Imbruglia works out there each morning but she was nowhere to be seen.
This afternoon we headed to Eton Fields – which is part of Eton College where Prince William and Prince Harry went to school – for a run and skills session.
Tomorrow we head into central London in our groups for our orienteering day, which should be interesting. I wonder how many of us will get lost?
Day three – Tuesday 28th
Today we headed to London for an orienteering session so that all the boys could see the sites of London – Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Marble Arch, Piccadilly Circus, Sherlock Holmes’ house, Hyde Park Corner, Lord Nelson Column, Buckingham Palace, Number 10 Downing Street and Harrods.
We all divided up into groups. We were called the Dwarfs – myself, Aussie Jones, Craig Callaghan, Allan Murray and Leigh Montagna.
We managed to lose our list of clues in the first half hour, yet fortunately we bumped into some of the support staff who were able to help us. We had to go to each landmark and get a photo for proof. Allan Murray was in each of our photos. Andrew Thompson’s group was the only one who managed to get to every site.
The final clue was at Australia House at the Strand where all the groups were met by the Assistant High Commissioner. We were then given a tour of Australia House. After the tour we headed to Covent Garden for dinner where we were joined by Daley Thompson and Tamsyn Lewis.
Day four – Wednesday 29th
Today we had a tour of the Houses of Parliament and then the leadership group had lunch at the Houses of Parliament with Lord Sebastian Coe.
On the way back on the train, a few of us were playing black jack. If you lost three games in a row, you had to perform a task decided by Milney (Stephen Milne) and Bakes (Steven Baker).
But the highlight was Nick Dal Santo, who had to take his top off and go into the middle of the train surrounded by commuters and dance for 30 seconds. Matt Maguire had to sing for all the passengers.
This afternoon we had a skills session back at Eton Fields. We then had a trivia night in the evening in our groups, with questions given by Milney and Burkey (Nathan Burke).
The trivia night was tied between my team and Harvs’ (Robert Harvey’s) team. After the trivia competition a few of us headed to the movies in Slough.
On the Ball in London - Part I
Luke Ball
saints.com.au
2:55:58 PM Thu 30 October, 2003
The first two days (including the flight over)
We departed Melbourne on Saturday at 7.30pm, 25th October and had two stopovers.
The first was in Singapore where we got to stretch our legs for an hour or so. We then went to Dubai, where it was 27 degrees at 5.00am. It was a pretty amazing airport, which included gold palm trees in the foyer.
As we descended onto the runway at Gatwick we suddenly had to head back up to the waiting area, as another plane decided to drive across our runway. We finally arrived safely at 12.30pm to cold yet sunny conditions.
We checked into the Manor Hotel in Datchet, a typically English village, between Eton and Windsor.
The rooms are tiny, like shoe boxes, so Bundy (Matt Rendell) and Burkey are struggling to share. Burkey had to remove all the extra furniture from the room into the foyer. He spent his first night trying to convince two players, who had their own rooms, to swap with him and Bundy. Anything an assistant coach can try and persuade them with, Burkey has tried. Fraser (Gehrig) is doing alright. He is in the honeymoon suite.
Once we had all settled in we then headed to Windsor Castle for a run, which had an amazing backdrop. As the flag was flying at full mast, we knew the Queen was in residence.
Today was a sunny day but it was still fresh. We began with an information session and then we divided up into our groups for our orienteering day and for our performing arts evening, which will be interesting. I am in the group which has to perform a song to the rest of the team.
This morning we headed to the Windsor Leisure Centre for a weights and swim session. Apparently Natalie Imbruglia works out there each morning but she was nowhere to be seen.
This afternoon we headed to Eton Fields – which is part of Eton College where Prince William and Prince Harry went to school – for a run and skills session.
Tomorrow we head into central London in our groups for our orienteering day, which should be interesting. I wonder how many of us will get lost?
Day three – Tuesday 28th
Today we headed to London for an orienteering session so that all the boys could see the sites of London – Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Marble Arch, Piccadilly Circus, Sherlock Holmes’ house, Hyde Park Corner, Lord Nelson Column, Buckingham Palace, Number 10 Downing Street and Harrods.
We all divided up into groups. We were called the Dwarfs – myself, Aussie Jones, Craig Callaghan, Allan Murray and Leigh Montagna.
We managed to lose our list of clues in the first half hour, yet fortunately we bumped into some of the support staff who were able to help us. We had to go to each landmark and get a photo for proof. Allan Murray was in each of our photos. Andrew Thompson’s group was the only one who managed to get to every site.
The final clue was at Australia House at the Strand where all the groups were met by the Assistant High Commissioner. We were then given a tour of Australia House. After the tour we headed to Covent Garden for dinner where we were joined by Daley Thompson and Tamsyn Lewis.
Day four – Wednesday 29th
Today we had a tour of the Houses of Parliament and then the leadership group had lunch at the Houses of Parliament with Lord Sebastian Coe.
On the way back on the train, a few of us were playing black jack. If you lost three games in a row, you had to perform a task decided by Milney (Stephen Milne) and Bakes (Steven Baker).
But the highlight was Nick Dal Santo, who had to take his top off and go into the middle of the train surrounded by commuters and dance for 30 seconds. Matt Maguire had to sing for all the passengers.
This afternoon we had a skills session back at Eton Fields. We then had a trivia night in the evening in our groups, with questions given by Milney and Burkey (Nathan Burke).
The trivia night was tied between my team and Harvs’ (Robert Harvey’s) team. After the trivia competition a few of us headed to the movies in Slough.