Winter Holidays (but no Christmas)

Finally that's my exams over (it took long enough) and I can relax. Both of my exams started at half 6, and as it's winter here, it's properlly night time by then, so it feels like going to the cinema or something. Exams here are en masse, in a giant hall which resembles an aircraft hanger, with at least 10 different exams going on at once, some with hundreds of students, so the place is packed. A squad of invigilators spread out to their respective focus areas, and announcements warn of a zero tollerance policy, e.g. if caught with a mobile phone you could recieve "a minimum of zero" (which sounded to me like a pretty empty threat, but not tempting fate, I left my phone at home). Then after the exam they evacuate everyone out of the nearest available exit like there's a fire (perhaps there were a lot of little fires and I just didn't see them). Makes a big change from what I thought would be my last exam ever: a Robotics exam upstairs in some converted house off university avenue, two years ago (my it's been a while).

For a bit of a celebration of the holidays I went to see Bill Bailey perform  yesterday. Even though I had to go on my own, I got chatting to a few people, so it wasn't too bad. The show was great, a few old favorates, a few new, he didn't do so much messing about with the music as I would have liked, just a couple of well known songs on strange instruments and a kraftwork re-imagining. He did 2 encores and left, the house lights went up and everybody started flitering out. I got outside before deciding to nip back in to use the loo, and Bill was back on stage doing karaoke of "la bamba" and teaching everyone the words! After that he went on to do "Midnight in Parlament Square" too. I almost missed that whole section. The people who left in front of me definitely did. Suffice to say after that I didn't leave until roadies were dismantling the set.

On my first day of holidays I got my new bike a service, so now the seat's the right height and the handlebar handles were replaced etc. I took it out early this morning, early as in 7am (a few minutes before sunrise, so I got to see that happen), when the plants in the parks were still slightly frosty and breath hung in the air. Bracing was the word. I pedalled hard and only my hands got cold, gloves are needed (as was a crash helmet, I just found out they have compulsory helmet laws, no wonder people were staring at me, had to shell out for a helmet on ebay). I cycled south into the park that borders the city centre, then stayed in the park, travelling clockwise around the city back to where I started from. Took me a couple of hours (I got lost a few times, ending up in housing estates), sure I can pin it down to an hour with practice. I'll bring my camera tomorrow for picturesque dawn photos.