Saturday, June 5th

First off, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! You're what, 30? Of course :)

Apparently this morning I woke up hysterically laughing. Felix and I slept in the camper van in the driveway, which had like 4 different beds in it (I NEED to get a camper for when I road trip across the U.S.). It is all a but hazy, but according to Felix I just woke up laughing so hard hard and so loud and then when I actually woke up, I was just really confused lol. Go figure. I remember dreaming that I was partaking in a civil war reenactment and that I was hiding from the Confederates on atop a play structure in the middle of the woods. Through some amazing acrobatic feat, I somersaulted off and landed. Then something funny happened and I woke up laughing. All in a good night's sleep I suppose.

Anyway, we got to the beach about half past 8, and Felix and Rob went to sign in. Naturally, I had brought my trainers and couldn;t resist but to go for a run to the farthest pier that I could see. It was just too pretty out. Well, I ran there in about 35 minutes, which is probably about 4.5 miles. I got there and it was b-e-a-utiful..well, until I realized the sun had fully risen and it was pretty hot and I had to run 4.5 miles back... Least to say, Im still alive, so obviously I made it!

Rob and Felix completely dominated all competition in volleyball for their first couple of matches. Guy and his twin (but not identical brother) also came down and hung out for the day. Nat and I are basically one in the same (Arianna, you would love her!), so we got along great. Nat spent a couple of years in the U.S and in S. Africa, but went to Bath for her undergrad. She is in Lboro now on a work placement year with a pharmecutical company. She played club Vball at Bath and knew a bunch of the guys on the team who were there. Like Lboro is a hub for track and rugby, Bath is a hub for beach volleyball players, and it was fun meeting some players from the Great Brittain beach vball team (Megan-- you would have LOVED it!). Kerry, Rob's GF is also so sweet and nice. She is a phys ed teacher at a nearby elementary school!

After a long day at the beach and a semi-sunburn later we went back to Rob's house and showered VERY quickly and then headed to his mom's house for a BBQ because it was his sister's birthday. We arrived and it just so happens that his mom owns a baking company or something-- but she was very good at cooking and the food and desserts were all so delicious. It was SO nice to enjoy a fabulous home cooked meal. Nothing can beat my mom's cooking though-- I like her spaghetti w/ dad's meatballs the best :)

After his mom's BBQ we went to Rob's friends house because his brother was celebrating his 21st birthday. And by house, I mean huge ridiculous out of this world on the coast house, and by burthday party I mean catered party with a live band and open bar party. It was extravagant and if it was his 16th would probably be on the MTV show sweet 16! haha. It was grand. His friends are very well off, but very well educated and polite, too. What you think of when you think "Proper English Gentleman". Rob's friends that I met were named Charlie, Sam, Tom, and Simon. I think they could have had a TV show for the 5 of them because they all have such different personalities, yet they are all just as nice and friendly and polite, and of course, really good friends. Nat and I even "shook" on a promise to go sailing on Sunday in one of their yachts if the weather was nice enough. They have sailed all their lives and I either Sam or Charlie (maybe both) are on the GB champiosnhip sailing team. Simon even promised us a joint bday party for me, Nat, Kerry, and himself (all June birthdays I think) in July! I think both were just drunken promises on their part though ;) Hopefully not!

We left about 1am and got to sleep at like half past 1. What a day of meeting AWESOME people!!! Up early tomorrow though so..more to come! Enjoy the pictures.


L to R is Guy, Rob, Kerry, Nat, Felix, me