Hello you two.Himself has finally shown me how to work this thingy !!!! Your photos are amazing .Arn't the kids in India just great ?We have some great news too.Stuart ,your father has been up a ladder to the first floor, painting a window.(to anyone who has not met Stu's dad,this is a miraculous thing).Take care both of you .As I said in my text,weare missing you. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Diane
Hi Nic/Stu, I'm glad your experiences so far have not been too horrendous. You should take up writing when you get back as your blogs are really interesting and funny. Look forward to your next entry. Surprise surprise Nic you are nearly at the bottom of our fantasy footy league but i'm 3rd. Woo Hoo!! Take care, Di.
Gez
Great to see you spending so much time with the village people in Agra.
Dwindling royalties from YMCA must have forced them into carpet production??
Looks brilliant, still jealous. At least my stools are solid, never thought of going by the train track but would do if forced.
Mum And Dad
well to update on the abernethy bodily functions: mum managed to infect Autumn, Neil and Gemma, thankfully all fine now!!! Dad has had man flu, but esaped the dreaded bug, blame it on having alcohol in his veins!
news from the 'cul-de-sac', Wendy (not aunty that would be a miracle of modern science) has had a little boy weighing in at 7lb 14oz called Lee, the Queen is over the moon.
Stu will be glad to know we have purchased a favourite tool, a new Dyson, it's all right love don't worry, you can have a go when you get home. Mail is stacking up but don't worry I haven't read the ones in brown envelopes from Denmark, only the more interesting ones from 'special' outlets!!
Now for the 'soppy bit',I went to my friend for tea the other day and her hubby is in Kathmando, she showed me some pictures of base camp at Everest and am imagining you looking at the hills of the Himalayas feeling like you can touch the stars. Thinking of you both and sending a big kissxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Susie Sue
Hey you guys - i'm not on on your blog update list. Looked at the photo's from India though excellent. Have fun but take care. xx
Jimbo
Guys - sounds awesome, I am very jealous. Loving the fact that you have avoided sharing too much toilet talk with the world. Very soon it will resort to "Where are we going to eat and how many times have we been today?" The topic is definately a leveller!
Anyhow, heywood is up to his usual banter, get this sob story on his birthday:
N.B. All others bar Stu, I advise you to stop reading now - a little dull!
"True story if you have time…..When I was around 5 or 6ish, we moved areas from the North East to Lancashire. Dad gave the school I moved to my wrong date of birth and I spent 6 months in class above my age group. It was horrific; I had an awful teacher who constantly picked on me and openly 'roasted' me in front of the whole class for being thick and not been able to do any of the work. In the meantime, I was wondering why on earth I had suddenly gone from generally doing OK in my old class, to doing so badly.One-day the headmaster pulled me out of the class and told me what had happened. I went back to my teacher and when I told her she broke down in front of all, sobbing (out of guilt or relief I can only assume). The following day I was in the year below (or the year I was really supposed to me in).
It suddenly occurs to me that maybe I was held back a year and I'm really 32………….s**t… I've never actually seen my birth certificate."
He also said this:
"I'm having a great day….I've just learnt =PROPER() function in excel……saved minutes of work"
You know you miss him. Going for a pint tonight to talk helicopter theory and treadmill physics.Have fun! Jimmo
Andrea
I didn't notice Stuart down on one knee infront of the Taj Mahal that 'great symbol of love'? Does this mean you're not engaged yet?
Appologies to anyone reading the blog for Nige's essay!!
Mum
am managing to fight thru not being able to talk to you by imagining your exploits and imagining 'lady nicola' being subjected to toilet indignities and suffering without her lotions and potions!!!
now comes a soppy parent greeting: I thought I would empathise with you and get a dose of 'delhi belly'.
lots of love and kissess mum and dadxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Nige
Stu/Nic,
Hope you are both well and by your account taking full advantage of the free indian colonics, good saving Stu!
Went to the match on sat the full report to follow, again our experience was very similar to yours without the train journey tut tut etc we arrived in in 05 silver Astra so you could maybe draw some comparisons. We parked near'ish the ground(stu a good spot for when we have the season tickets) in a small settlement called Beswick not a manchester suburb you may struggle to call 'the cream of manchester'. Like yourselfs we saw the poor kids with brown faces walking the streets but they were not happy to have their pictures taken more bothered about giving the 'chirp' AHH s***TY CITY as we walked by - chucked some pennies at them but in all fairness they gave as good as they got showering me with sharpend 50p's. Did'nt see any nice ladies that wanted to cook us any food which was quiet lucky as I expect we would have suffered a similar outcome as yourself if we would have eaten round there!
As they Spainish say Ariverderchi + Win try using your phone to answer calls.
Now on to the match reports.
Nic Liverpool scraped a 2-1 win over the toffees at Goodison.
Stu - This took me hours to write this morning.
Manchester City v Birmingham City
Saturday October 20, 2007, 3pm
City of Manchester Stadium - Att: 45,688
City remain unchanged for the visit of Birmingham, which means Rolando Bianchi is deemed not fit enough to make the squad, while Michael Johnson is by Sven-Goran Eriksson. Star of the show last time out, Elano, returns from Rio after the international break and goes straight back into the side.
A couple of changes on the bench see Andreas Isaksson replace Schmeichel and Gelson Fernandes is handed a place amongst the substitutes.
The Match
Well, well a three o'clock home start for City as they look to make it six Barclays Premier League wins at CoMS on the spin, this time against Steve Bruce's Blues.
Manchester's City had an early scare just a few minutes in after Joe Hart picked up a contentious back pass from Corluka.
The England U21 stopper asked referee Dean what looked to be three times if it was safe...but he picked it up and paid the penalty. Not quite the ultimate one though as Jerome's resulting free-kick inside the box caught Ireland on the way over Hart's bar.
Ten minutes in though City sprung to life. A lovely turn from Elano 40-yards out gave him the chance to play Petrov in, but despite latching on to it, the Bulgarian speed merchant couldn't quite finish.
Elano was clearly showing no ill-effects from his trip to Rio as a second fine piece of skill after 15 minutes earnt him a free-kick. Cue the chants of 'Shoot', to which he duly obliged and won a corner.
And it was from that corner Sven's men could have taken the lead. Petrov's low on was flicked on at the near post before making its way through the Birmingham defence and to Corluka at the far post - his return ball appeared to strike Kelly on the arm - but no penalty was given.
After that the game seemed to drift a bit with maybe the Blues themselves unused to starting a game at 3pm! On 34 minutes, Birmingham's biggest and brightest threat, Cameron Jerome ran at the City defence before firing a low drive that forced Hart into a routine save.
The big crowd had brought big expectations with them after the previous home results, and supporters should have known that a Steve Bruce side would be stubborn, but the deadlock was finally broken on 37 minutes.
Michael Johnson had a tussle with Muamba on the right touchline and despite away protests for a foul Johnson touched the ball to Ireland. He then helped it on to Corluka inside the box who found Elano and the cool Brazilian took a touch before guiding a low left-footed shot in beyond Taylor.
It was Elano's fourth goal in three home games, but as the cliché states, you are at your most vulernable just after a goal and Birmingham almost proved it.
After dancing into the City penalty area, Olivier Kapo thought he had one after a touch from a Corluka, but as the Croat lost the ball Kapo struck for goal and forced a fine full-length stop from Hart.
Manchester's City just edging it at the break thanks to that man Elano again.
HALF TIME: City 1-0 Birmingham
No changes at the break as the Blues look for the same again to equal the best home start since 1957 by clocking up six home league wins.
Manchester City started the second half the brighter of the two with early pressure in the pursuit of a second goal and came close with a couple of dangerous corners from either side of the pitch.
With 15 minutes played of the second 45, Sven's men still looked the most likely as Petrov stung the palms of Taylor with an effort from an unthinkable range.
Georgios Samaras came on after 65 minutes for the hard-working Mpenza and almost created a second goal with his first action. A bustling run pulled two defenders towards him and as the ball broke it was Elano who lashed the ball over from 20-yards.
Moments later it was a heart-in-the-mouth time up at the other end as Palacios went down in the box and the whistle blew...luckily for City it was for Mike Dean to book the Honduran for a dive.
It wasn't long before Elano had the crowd 'ooo-ing' again after Petrov's precise ball in-field, the new magic man of Manchester set his sights and sent a right-footed drive sizzling past Taylor's post.
City needed a second goal to finish the Birmingham resistance movement and it was their best yet that nearly pulled them level. Palacios' great turn saw him free Kapo down the left and his fine delivery was met by Muamba six-yards out and somehow Joe Hart's instincts kept the ball out of the net.
Javi Garrido picked up a booking as City looked to break on 84 minutes. He just overran the ball and slid in to his cost. It was a tense ending as even the most biased Blues fan might accept Birmingham deserved a point for their efforts.
Steve Bruce thought he was playing again with two minutes left as he strode on to the pitch following a tackle from Johnson, which earnt the youngster a booking, as things were heating up towards full time.
Elano came off to his now customary ovation with a minute left giving Gelson Fernandes a chance to sample the atmosphere first hand. The young Swiss international could have even had a goal if Samaras had played him in, but it didn't matter, City had made it a perfect start from their first six home league games.
A bizarre own goal from Sami Hyypia gave the Blues a half-time lead, but two second-half spot kicks including one in stoppage time ensured a dramatic return to winning ways for Rafa Benitez's side.
Everton ended the game with nine men, Tony Hibbert and Phil Neville both seeing red for their penalty offences.
Neville wrote in his programme notes how he'd seen everything in Merseyside derbies. He spoke too soon.
The Reds kicked off their 22nd lunchtime fixture in just over two years without injured trio Daniel Agger, Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso. The hosts, meanwhile, were without last season's match-winners Andy Johnson and Tim Cahill.
The travelling Kop began the game in high spirits despite the recent dip, throwing around balloons made from Tesco bags a cheeky swipe at Everton's new stadium plans.
The first chance fell to their boys on five minutes when derby debutant Yossi Benayoun ghosted in behind the Blues' backline before teeing up Andriy Voronin, whose low shot was blocked by the legs of Tim Howard.
Everton were seeing more of the ball, but it was Liverpool, with Gerrard playing more centrally than the teamsheet suggested, who were playing the better football. Voronin and Benayoun, in particular, were taking up some great positions between the lines.
It took Everton 22 minutes to threaten, Leon Osman capitalising on a loose ball from Javier Mascherano before forcing Pepe Reina into a fingertip clearance.
Yakubu had a gilt-edged chance on the half-hour mark but his attempted scissor-kick from the edge of the six-yard box was akin to taking a chainsaw to a twig. Still, the home side were starting to get into their stride. Minutes later Victor Anichebe headed narrowly over from close range.
The nearest Liverpool game to breaking the deadlock in the first half came on 34 minutes when John Arne Riise hit a low drive from 35 yards. Unfortunately, a wicked deflection sent it narrowly wide.
Then disaster struck when, amid a goalmouth scramble, Hyypia's mis-hit clearance hit the roof of the net. A more bizarre own goal you're not likely to see this season. It was the first time a Red had scored an OG against the Blues since Neil Ruddock in 1997.
It was Everton who started the second half the brighter, but within seven minutes the game was turned on its head.
Voronin sent Gerrard racing clear, the skipper making his way into the box before being hauled down by Hibbert. Mark Clattenburg had no hesitation in awarding a spot kick and giving the Everton right-back his marching orders.
Up stepped Kuyt, who tucked coolly into the left-hand corner of Howard's goal to record his first league goal of the season. Game on.
Everton had a penalty shout of their own just seconds later when Lescott appeared to be obstructed by Steve Finnan.
The game was really starting the open up, and Riise should have put Liverpool into the lead on 57 minutes when Kuyt cut a fantastic ball in from the right. Next Voronin forced a fine save from Howard from seven yards.
Yakubu hit a powerful snap-shot just wide from distance on 66 minutes though Pepe Reina looked to have it covered.
With the match finely balanced Rafa Benitez shuffled his pack, replacing Benayoun with Ryan Babel and, to the surprise on many, giving Lucas his derby debut at the expense of Gerrard.
The young Brazilian had big shoes to fill but he made a great start when he fed Voronin clean through down the left. Sadly, the Ukrainian dragged his shot harmlessly wide.
Minutes later Momo Sissoko really should have bagged his second goal in a red shirt after finding himself with acres inside the box. He won't want to watch his left-footed effort on Match of the Day this evening.
By this stage it was all Liverpool but chance after chance went begging until Lucas hit a fantastic stoppage time shot which Neville dived to palm off the line.
Kuyt hit the same spot with his pen and the travelling Kop as well as Stevie G on the sidelines went wild.
The History Club's Report-
A late penalty call for a Jamie Carragher indiscretion nearly silenced them - but thankfully it's the Fields of Anfield Road which will be echoing around Stanley Park tonight.
Ave Shields
Well, when I found out that I'd missed you two again I was downhearted!! but after reading about your adventures so far, it's really cheered me up!! I thought I was doing well travelling round Barcelona!! Keep enjoying every minute & look forward to your next installment xx
Aunty Wendy
SOOO JEALOUS OF YOU TWO, I SHOULD BE SENDING YOU THIS IN GREEN INK!!! YOU KNOW YOU ARE KEEPING EVEYONE ENTERTAINED WITH YOUR EXPLOITS KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.. LEWIS HAMILTON IS RUNNING IN TWEVLTH PLACE AT THE MO. LOTS OF LOVE TERESAXX
Jo Eaton
Excellent writing Mr Howarth- we need to hear your real opinions though! We are sure the lonely planet have seen enough to sign you up! Talk about the food, the insects, the heat! We want the truth! Keep teh tales coming - we miss you! xxx