Tag Archives: Oxford

Brighton: Southern Comfort?

Posted on by
Reply

As P.T. Barnum and countless others have noted over the years, it’s always best to “leave them wanting more”.  Oxford wasn’t able to leave me by dint of its being fairly securely anchored in place, but as I boarded the 1138 departure from Oxford railway station en route for Day Two of my holiday, I knew exactly what he meant.  I’d had a fabulous day in Oxford and could quite happily have spent an entire holiday there, but at the same time there’s something to be said for leaving a place knowing that a return visit will yield yet more of interest.  If a common theme of this holiday was to be the feeling that “I’d’ve been happy to stay there a bit longer”, then I would most certainly have chosen my destinations well.  And in any case, the chances are they wouldn’t be going anywhere should I decide to pop back again.  Yes, this “try before you buy” holiday” was most certainly a good idea, after all. Continue reading →

Oxford: Evening Standard

Posted on by
2

Back in what may be considered “imperial phase” Aberystwyth, a regular week would contain two immovable (except for when they moved, which often they did) feasts, in the form of Geek Night and Troma Night, monikers that will doubtless need little by way of explanation to those in the know, whilst proving, in equal measure, impenetrable and baffling to any “not-we” readers. Members of this second group may be reassured to learn that these two events can be summed up in delightfully-abbreviated fashion, viz: at Geek Night, we would play assorted card, board and strategy games and at Troma Night, we would gather to watch films of varying – and often dubious – quality. The former, indeed, continues in Aber to this day, which is jolly nice if you like that sort of thing. Which I very much do.

A number of the former key players at these gatherings have now left Aber and, growing up being what it is, certain childish things have been put away in favour of more mature endeavours. Well, alright, they’ve actually been replaced with equally-juvenile activities – and rightly so – but every now and then it’s quite nice to wallow in a bit of nostalgia and relive past glories. Continue reading →

Oxford: Re. Cycling

Posted on by
Reply

This is part five of #ohnohesoffononeagain. If you’re starting here, you may wish to take a step back and peruse parts one, two, three and four first. Pay no attention, however, to the man behind the curtain.

Thus far, it may be noted, my trip had featured little by way of what one may term “traditional holiday fare”, insofar as the activities in which I had indulged were not particularly holiday-specific. I mean, train journeys are all very well (yes they are. Shut up), as are random board and/or card games, but they’re very much the sort of thing that may crop up throughout the course of an average year, without the need to wrap it up under any kind of “holiday” moniker. Well, anyone thinking that is completely wrong and I was having a fabulous holiday of it all, but if it’s box-standard sightseeing holidaymaking you’re after, then hold on to your hats, because things are about to get pretty darned mental in that respect. Oh yes. Continue reading →

Oxford: Carrot on a Stick

Posted on by
Reply

This is part four of #largenumberthreatened.  If you’re starting here, you may wish to take a step back and peruse parts one, two and three first.  But be warned: you have been warned.

Two trains and three rather ludicrously-extended preludes later, I was in Oxford.  Well, as close to Oxford as anyone was prepared to let the railway go, in any case.  The pleasant thought that Arriva had now concluded its involvement in my holiday blinded me ever so slightly to the rather unassuming and, some may say, inauspicious station in which I now found myself.  Continue reading →