Saturday 28 June 2008
Sears Thunderbolt
A couple of weeks ago one early Sunday morning, the little window I have on the 63rd floor began to open and close with quite a lot of force. Enough to wake this little kid up. I wandered over sleepy eyed, only for an almighty wind to burst through again, opening the window teasingly and then sucking it shut rather abruptly.
This was a proper wind as this is a tough little window.
So I shut the window and locked the catches. I then looked out across the city. On the one side the sun was just coming up over the lake, and on the other, a fierce set of storm clouds were approaching, menacing and fast.
The rain soon hit and the ferocious wind gathered pace. In fact, I began to hear some beautiful music. At first I thought some guy next door was playing his flute, trying in vain to block out the sound of the impending storm. But, it soon became apparent that the wind was making some music of its own. It sounded quite amazing. Mother nature at her eerie best.
Then, scarily, the building began to creak and shudder. Almost like a ship in the middle of a storm. Luckily, doing some calculations, I knew that this probably wasn't the first time this building had been hit by a storm, nor the Chicago wind. And, if the building did fall it wouldn't be the worst death and I wouldn't be the only one.
So, I began to relax a little, sat back and watched as the storm floated over and hit the city. The Sears Tower got a direct hit, and not just once, hence how I managed to capture the scene on a video!!
I don't think our building was hit but then you never know. I did get a small electric shock later on, but that was nothing compared to what those guys in the Sears Tower got!! Check out the video!
This was a proper wind as this is a tough little window.
So I shut the window and locked the catches. I then looked out across the city. On the one side the sun was just coming up over the lake, and on the other, a fierce set of storm clouds were approaching, menacing and fast.
The rain soon hit and the ferocious wind gathered pace. In fact, I began to hear some beautiful music. At first I thought some guy next door was playing his flute, trying in vain to block out the sound of the impending storm. But, it soon became apparent that the wind was making some music of its own. It sounded quite amazing. Mother nature at her eerie best.
Then, scarily, the building began to creak and shudder. Almost like a ship in the middle of a storm. Luckily, doing some calculations, I knew that this probably wasn't the first time this building had been hit by a storm, nor the Chicago wind. And, if the building did fall it wouldn't be the worst death and I wouldn't be the only one.
So, I began to relax a little, sat back and watched as the storm floated over and hit the city. The Sears Tower got a direct hit, and not just once, hence how I managed to capture the scene on a video!!
I don't think our building was hit but then you never know. I did get a small electric shock later on, but that was nothing compared to what those guys in the Sears Tower got!! Check out the video!
Sunday 15 June 2008
The Swell Season
The good thing about Chicago is that there are lots of concerts and festivals. Luckily, I managed to get some tickets to see The Swell Season. I hadn't heard much of them until the days leading up to the concert but they sounded interesting indeed.
The concert was sold out on each night they were playing, so they are pretty popular here. The concert was simply brilliant and a great way to spend a Sunday evening. If you can, check out their music, it's fantastic!
The concert was sold out on each night they were playing, so they are pretty popular here. The concert was simply brilliant and a great way to spend a Sunday evening. If you can, check out their music, it's fantastic!
Thursday 12 June 2008
Back in England
After a quite surreal five months, this young, albeit slightly older looking chap was on his way back to the UK.
The last time he had been gone this long was on the intrepid explorer adventure. That final journey back from Hong Kong, after five and a bit months, and so many places, was punctured by this chap falling asleep, only to discover in his dream-like-state that he never had been away. Luckily when he woke up in a cold sweat, he found that it was just a nighmareish dream and after so long, I was finally heading home!
This time the plane set off from Chicago, over the great sea-like Lake Michigan, before flying over the farms of Michigan and then rising above the clouds. Flying overnight, on the sleeper plane, I couldn't really sleep. I think I was excited.
Soon enough, the hours ticked by and after several hours, we were finally approaching the motherland. The plane slowly sank through the clouds and there she was, the beautiful green hills of England.
We flew over the all familiar Bristol channel and a few moments later at some hundred miles per hour, we were coming into land at Heathrow!
My bro Charlie came to pick me up from nearby Twickenham to take me up to Nottingham. It was great to see him, but he was wearing a cap, which was slightly unusual. Luckily on the trip up to Nottingham he revealed all...
It was a little hairdressing accident. Apparently his trimmer broke halfway through cutting his own hair in the late hours of the night before. Luckily, he found another trimmer in the early hours of the morning, but, unfortunately, this too broke (some hair eh?!). So, the hair was partly shaved at the front, but intact at the back! The result was quite a good Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon impression, perhaps somewhat fashionable at a fancy dress party, but not so much in broad daylight!!
After catching up on stories and tales on the motorway we stopped off at a service station. Less of the Wendy's, Taco Bell and Burger King here, this place had an M&S, and a missed M&S at that. I quickly raided the sandwich shelf, going straight for my egg cress sandwich. One wasn't enough, so I had two.
It was a beautiful sunny day and we arrived late morning in Nottingham at the all-familiar family ranch.
Much of the day and the rest of the weekend was spent catching up with family and friends as well as eating cakes and supping tea in the garden. Quite the English experience!
Sadly though, this wasn't all cakes and tea. It was also a work related visit, so I headed down to HQ in Malmesbury for the week and caught up with a few people from the office. The good thing about Malmesbury is that it is quintessentially English and situated in the Cotswolds, not far from where I grew up.
Some were shocked to see me looking so rugged. Apparently I left a boy and returned a man. I am still trying to work that one out! I mean, I didn't look that young did I?!
The final weekend was spent in London near Richmond Hill with my brother Charlie and the now pregnant Jo!
It looks like another Swinbourne will be causing some mayhem soon!! And gladly so. I could do with some help.
Talking about mayhem, I also caught up with close friends in London for numerous quite epic stories from the past and present! It was great to see them.
The last time he had been gone this long was on the intrepid explorer adventure. That final journey back from Hong Kong, after five and a bit months, and so many places, was punctured by this chap falling asleep, only to discover in his dream-like-state that he never had been away. Luckily when he woke up in a cold sweat, he found that it was just a nighmareish dream and after so long, I was finally heading home!This time the plane set off from Chicago, over the great sea-like Lake Michigan, before flying over the farms of Michigan and then rising above the clouds. Flying overnight, on the sleeper plane, I couldn't really sleep. I think I was excited.
Soon enough, the hours ticked by and after several hours, we were finally approaching the motherland. The plane slowly sank through the clouds and there she was, the beautiful green hills of England.
We flew over the all familiar Bristol channel and a few moments later at some hundred miles per hour, we were coming into land at Heathrow! My bro Charlie came to pick me up from nearby Twickenham to take me up to Nottingham. It was great to see him, but he was wearing a cap, which was slightly unusual. Luckily on the trip up to Nottingham he revealed all...
It was a little hairdressing accident. Apparently his trimmer broke halfway through cutting his own hair in the late hours of the night before. Luckily, he found another trimmer in the early hours of the morning, but, unfortunately, this too broke (some hair eh?!). So, the hair was partly shaved at the front, but intact at the back! The result was quite a good Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon impression, perhaps somewhat fashionable at a fancy dress party, but not so much in broad daylight!! After catching up on stories and tales on the motorway we stopped off at a service station. Less of the Wendy's, Taco Bell and Burger King here, this place had an M&S, and a missed M&S at that. I quickly raided the sandwich shelf, going straight for my egg cress sandwich. One wasn't enough, so I had two.
It was a beautiful sunny day and we arrived late morning in Nottingham at the all-familiar family ranch.
Much of the day and the rest of the weekend was spent catching up with family and friends as well as eating cakes and supping tea in the garden. Quite the English experience!
Sadly though, this wasn't all cakes and tea. It was also a work related visit, so I headed down to HQ in Malmesbury for the week and caught up with a few people from the office. The good thing about Malmesbury is that it is quintessentially English and situated in the Cotswolds, not far from where I grew up.
Some were shocked to see me looking so rugged. Apparently I left a boy and returned a man. I am still trying to work that one out! I mean, I didn't look that young did I?! The final weekend was spent in London near Richmond Hill with my brother Charlie and the now pregnant Jo!
It looks like another Swinbourne will be causing some mayhem soon!! And gladly so. I could do with some help.
Talking about mayhem, I also caught up with close friends in London for numerous quite epic stories from the past and present! It was great to see them.
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