tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-138007732011-04-22T05:03:11.505+01:00Tales of intrepid adventures, lists of things and commentary on pop culture by a self-effacing 21-year old explorer frustrated by selfishness, interviews and queuingJonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.comBlogger711100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1164140840624118252006-11-21T20:17:00.000Z2006-11-21T20:38:03.336Z

The last two months have passed at light speed. Before I started at the NAO, Kat treated me to a weekend in the Lake District. The weather was wet, but the scenery was gorgeous nevertheless. In fact, the constant rain treated us to come pretty damned amazing rainbows over the Lakes. We hired a car from possibly the nicest customer service attendant in the country, at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. She

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1157108246799407992006-09-01T11:46:00.000+01:002006-09-01T11:57:26.820+01:00

Goodness knows what the National Audit Office have let themself in for. In a few months time, they'll be letting me loose on the government's accounts, making sure that they've been spending our taxpayer pounds on NHS beds rather than holiday cruises in the Bahamas.I'm chuffed to bits. My presentation on Crime Rates: Are More Prisons The Answer? went well during the interview, and I was even

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1154460259339488852006-08-01T18:30:00.000+01:002006-08-01T20:24:19.463+01:00

Farewell Granddad; my mentor, my teacher, my supporter and my friend.There are so many things I wouldn't have been able to do without you.Rest peacefully, babu.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1153112514639661682006-07-17T05:52:00.000+01:002006-07-26T08:51:27.996+01:00

My first updates from Malaysia will arrive soon. I'm going to make a short post for each day, because there's lots to tell and see. So far, I've been here 9 days and the photo count is up to 910.This is what's happening; while Jason is at work, I go exploring during the day. Night-time is food city, and at the weekends we're going on road/air trips. First weekend to Cherating, second to Penang,

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1153897050737332982006-07-11T23:40:00.000+01:002006-07-26T08:42:27.340+01:00

Chinatown: home of Lewey Veeton, Ralf Lorren, and all things pirated! This is a pic from Petaling Street, where Westerners are constantly pestered to buy DVDs and fake belts. I soon got tired of this and headed off to a hawker court for teh tarik and some mushroom noodles... mmm.My 3rd full day in Malaysia, and I found myself getting frustrated with the public transport system. The "LRT" system (

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1153479916478363902006-07-10T23:52:00.000+01:002006-07-22T09:50:47.330+01:00

My first foray into KL proper, including a glimpse of those towers...I met an odd chap called Azli while drinking coffee by the side of the KLCC Gardens (which are overlooked by the towers and surroud an artificial lake). He's a highly enthusiastic photographer, and after half an hour of telling me all about his hobby, he gave me his card with a link to his photo blog. He also showed me some of

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1153480913614860462006-07-09T23:34:00.000+01:002006-07-22T09:20:56.376+01:00

Madness, utter madness.My day started with a trek through the jungle just outside KL, including a walk across a canopy bridge whose entire integrity seemed to rest on the shoulders of a screw no bigger than my little finger. The walk was really good - it was nice to get a chance to catch up with Jason and to get to know Kat a little better. They're a really lovely couple, always smiling and

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1153120088911259972006-07-08T23:54:00.000+01:002006-07-17T08:28:41.813+01:00

Having arrived at KL International and pushed through a barricade of over-zealous taxi touters, Jason picked me up and took me out for dinner with his ever-so-lovely parents and girlfriend Kat.We went to a live seafood restaurant where I tried the odd texture of eel for the first time, as well as devouring an enormous crab, washed down with a drink from a coconut. Amazingly, my stomach held up

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1153117033047401752006-07-07T23:55:00.000+01:002006-07-17T07:47:21.576+01:00

En route to Kuala Lumpur, I stopped for a few hours in Oman's capital Muscat. It was 54 degrees when we landed, and although I was only outside for 30 seconds after disembarking, I was drenched by the time we got into the airport. My first taste of how good air conditioning really feels...As well as some rubbish gift shops and an utterly confusing currency (how many biasas in a rial?), Oman also

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1152136043818737332006-07-05T22:22:00.000+01:002006-07-05T23:27:25.013+01:00

We've had foxes, squirrels, badgers, snowmen, drunken idiots, deer, and even peacocks in our back garden, but nothing quite as surprising as this...Hummingbirds are only supposed to populate the Americas (yep, climate change certainly isn't happening, Exxon...)It's wings go like the clappers, up to 80 beats per second!Keep your eyes peeled for further updates, I'm off to Kuala Lumpur on Friday...

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1149613830757711562006-06-06T18:07:00.000+01:002006-06-06T18:10:30.773+01:00

Taken during the very drunken beer festival weekend in Stock! Nick shows off his stuff...DO watch until the grand finale!Until I get some software that can rotate this, please either a) tilt your head, or b) tilt your computer screen. Best enjoyed with sound off for the first 20 seconds, due to ramblings from Dad...

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1149457492562840952006-06-04T21:44:00.000+01:002006-06-04T23:36:53.590+01:00

Milan. Where to start? Most things there are great - although the nightlife is slightly odd and in general Italians can't sit still for more than 20 minutes, which makes proper pub-going pretty much impossible. However, put two Englishmen together and this situation is soon rectified...I was in town for 5 days. Here's a short run down of each:Day 1: Arrived around midday, saw lots of people

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1148428101195864022006-05-23T22:17:00.000+01:002006-05-24T00:52:37.603+01:00

Changing priorities have left Blog Van Tango untouched for too long. Since returning home from Linz (over a month ago now) I have been making as much of an effort as possible to put off doing job applications (I'm getting quite used to being unemployed, you see) by visiting Kat, grandparents, friends and, most recently, ATP. I also had a phone interview last week which was actually quite pleasant

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1144519411776369802006-04-08T18:58:00.000+01:002006-04-08T19:03:35.990+01:00

I've just returned from an afternoon out with the Reinthalers. I've been to some amazing places in Austria, and today made me realise that there is so much more to visit. Even the most unassuming villages and towns have so much to see - today I went to a village I've never heard of, right next to Linz, that had the most amazing monastery which seemed to be made entirely of gold. We spent the

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1142972269501296282006-03-21T19:40:00.000Z2006-03-21T20:25:12.490Z

How did I get sunburnt during the coldest Austrian winter in 20 years?A Beetroot I went skiing on Sunday to Hinterstoder, and being preoccupied with the prospect of broken limbs I didn't take suncream. Wow. REALLY regretting that. The worst thing isn't the pain I get from so much as smiling or frowning, or even the loss of feeling in my top lip; it's the ribbing I've had at work! People have been

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1142634500631561432006-03-17T22:23:00.000Z2006-03-17T22:28:20.656Z

It's been a long time since I thought about how priviledged I am.Pictures speak louder than words.Get Involved

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1142618589977524472006-03-17T18:02:00.000Z2006-03-22T21:18:44.903Z

I'm coming to the end of my tenure in Linz, and it's time for reflection. Although moving out here was in some ways a pretty selfish decision, it's something I really wanted to do. I'm glad that I don't feel distant from my family & friends despite being away for a long time, and I count myself lucky to have friends that have gone out of their way to stay in touch and visit me. Thank you.In my

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1141585289810593692006-03-05T18:21:00.000Z2006-03-08T19:49:10.623Z

Another update! I have more tales of intrepid adventuring. Read on for the latest installment in Austria: Van Tango's Visit...My Valentine and I spent a delightful weekend in Salzburg - the most beautiful city in Austria and home to Mozart's birthplace. Another train journey through the Salzkammergut together gave us an opportunity to catch up and snuggle after 2 weeks apart. Needless to say,

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1140376940131158992006-02-19T18:29:00.000Z2006-02-19T20:14:59.243Z

The CastleA random meeting with Chris forms the basis of my next tale - a trip to Bratislava; and yes, what they say about the women is true... I think it'll take a while before my jaw returns to it's normal position!We stayed in the delightful Hotel Stop, where the staff have such an eye for detail that they provide complimentary blood stains with your unwashed bed linen. Pillows come in a

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1140354604495480392006-02-19T12:51:00.000Z2006-02-19T15:50:07.843Z

Right, first up it's my trip to the monastery ("Stift") at St. Florian and the "Terrifying Bed" of Prince Eugene. And no, I still don't know why it's terrifying.Rita and Wili* (the smashing couple who feed me when I'm hungry, and take me on trips that require a car) drove and I attempted to talk entirely in German, with limited success. (I still can't remember the German for "interview", so I'm

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1140352173813695622006-02-19T12:25:00.000Z2006-02-19T12:41:46.713Z

Wow, it's really been over a month since I last posted. How time flies. Anyway, I have lots to update y'all on, so I'll be posting everything in seperate posts over the next few days. Stay tuned!

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1137238286564202082006-01-14T11:11:00.000Z2006-01-14T11:34:01.796Z

I paid a visit to the city centre this morning, and a couple of things struck me as odd.Firstly, in the electronics chain "Saturn" which offers a reasonably large selection of music, I spotted a David Hasselhoff CD in the "Beste Rock" section. This was done shamelessly and completely without irony.Did you know that Hassel the Hoff single-handedly ended the Cold War?Did you know that Hassel the

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1136402262462281222006-01-04T19:14:00.000Z2006-01-06T21:29:19.496Z

I've arrived back in Linz to huge amounts of snow! Apparently it's snowed solidly for the last 3 days. It doesn't stop the Austrians from going to work though does it?? Humph. Photos will appear when I get a chance to take some!Update!Here are the photos, as promised - although unfortunately the snow has receded slightly. These were taken on my way to work this morning - it's dark because I get

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1135974419736725922005-12-30T19:50:00.000Z2005-12-30T20:47:26.883Z

It's the end of the year (crumbs, this one has gone quickly), so I feel duty bound to force my views upon you! Best stuff of the year coming up, but first, here are the things that have been rubbish/ boring/ repulsive...Family Guy: The Movie - How someone can turn a pant-wettingly hilarious and offensive cartoon into 75 minutes of puerile crap is beyond me. A clip show consisting of Quagmire

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1135972032748911862005-12-30T19:35:00.000Z2005-12-30T19:47:12.773Z

We made a snowman!The cheeky smile, spiky hairstyle and silly arms were all inspired by Tom. ;-PCongrats to everyone who managed to have snow fights this week. I had a particularly amusing snow fight with Tom - I was wearing old shoes with no grip, so whenever I wound up the ol' throwing arm, I fell over face first - thus creating what is known as a "snow drunkard" on the ground.Why is coal the

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1134331781070997552005-12-11T19:50:00.000Z2005-12-11T20:50:26.643Z

The time has come for me to return to my beloved Blighty. I fly back on the 16th of December (hopefully to a heroes reception) and I stay until the 3rd of January. This means that I'll be around for the usual carnage on Nick's birthday / New Year's Eve / Silvester - whatever you want to call it, I can't wait! It'll be great to see everyone while I'm back, I hope that you'll all be available for

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1134247379300309122005-12-10T20:18:00.000Z2005-12-10T20:42:59.326Z

The existence of yet another national holiday on the 8th December (see previous post) meant that I've had a long weekend spent mostly in Vienna. On Wednesday after work, Rita (a friend of a friend of my parents, who happens to live in Linz!) drove me to her daughter's (called Alessa) flat in the city where we stayed until Friday. It was great - we went to a party in a student residence where the

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1133903430391107202005-12-06T20:54:00.000Z2005-12-10T16:35:30.063Z

Well, there I was, sitting quietly at my desk this morning, minding my own business, when suddenly... BAM! Someone put a strange marzipan figure in front of me. "What the devil is that?", I exclaimed, because it did indeed look like a small devil. "Das ist KRAMPUS!" warned my assailant in a mysterious voice, before disappearing behind her desk with a puff of smoke."Come out from behind the table

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1133724844905407972005-12-04T18:32:00.000Z2005-12-04T19:34:06.090Z

The Main Square, some lampposts and a pointy roof.My latest expedition took me to Prague, which is incredibly beautiful (in a gothic way!) and practically gives away food and drink. In one bar we went to (that's myself and some Austrian friends; Mario, Kathi, Max and Eva), I paid less than 50p for half a litre of Staropramen - cripes. In the supermarkets, you can pick up the original Czech

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1132864182670695832005-11-24T19:41:00.000Z2005-11-24T20:31:36.540Z

(The Tower Of Leaves) Too busy to write full length entry - have to finish some applications & prepare for my trip to Prague tomorrow, but will endeavour to post properly next week! Here's a quick summary of what's been happening;Trip to Vienna with Kat and a few Austrian friends (inc. Mario & Kathi who are super-nice and have been looking after me!) which was ace - lots of Punsch and lots of

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1128169788486866862005-11-12T17:25:00.000Z2005-11-12T16:25:52.993Z

You might have seen this series on a set of birthday cards. They're absolutely bloody hilarious! Go to the Violent Veg website for further (and less tasteful) laughs! Previously...

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1131311602218616012005-11-06T21:10:00.000Z2005-11-06T21:14:11.560Z

I think Skype might just take over the world. Now, you can click on the "Call Me" button on the right sidebar, and if you have Skype installed, it will phone me, for free! Hooray!Download the marvellous Skype here!

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1131275750879468292005-11-06T10:28:00.000Z2005-11-06T21:14:55.050Z

My seemingly random choice of places to visit in Austria took a downward turn yesterday. It's not that Graz isn't interesting, it's just not interesting enough to warrant a 6 hour return journey on the train. It's very like Linz in style, although Linz is much cleaner, has nicer scenery and the buildings are less crowded together. Graz was a "European Capital of Culture" in 2003, and I struggled

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1130967073514008412005-11-02T21:24:00.000Z2005-11-03T19:30:36.760Z

Mmm, I seem to be getting a little homesick. Here is a list of things that I miss about England; Pinching Kat’s bottom, Drinking tea & watching “Friday Night with Jonathan Ross” with family,Watching football in the Euston Flyer,Using the word “cock”,Eating burgers and drinking G&T in *real* pubs,Seeing (good) live music,Dancing to music that isn’t sung by Melanie C or

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1130799949792732312005-10-31T22:07:00.000Z2005-10-31T23:07:32.273Z

One of the benefits of living in a Catholic country is that you get a LOT of national holidays, and not just on Monday either! (Did you know that in Ireland they get the day off work for Hallowe'en??) In the last week there have been 3 national holidays, 2 of which I have been able to take off work, and most of the days in between are basically holidays because no one comes into the office.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1129916549618499312005-10-21T18:19:00.000+01:002005-10-31T21:16:09.593Z

It's been another busy week here at De Keyser towers ( 'y' s are getting very difficult for me to type - the German keyboard is all mixed up! ë s and ö s where there should be 'l' and 'p', 'z' where there should be 'y'... inconvenient to say the least) with work and work parties. Unfortunately I haven't spent much time in halls with my friends... I think this is what happens when you get a job.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1129388823387880102005-10-15T16:02:00.000+01:002005-10-15T16:07:03.400+01:00

I feel great ambivalence towards cobwebs. When I see them, I admire their intricacy and beauty. When I walk into them, I get more angry than when I'm put on hold for customer services. You know that annoying feeling, when, for the rest of the day you feel like you have spiders crawling over your head?Today, I hold enormous hostility towards them. I must have walked into 4 already today. Does

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1129147228215352452005-10-12T20:33:00.000+01:002005-10-12T21:00:28.280+01:00

What an ace weekend - Kat came to visit and I showed her all the sights of Linz! That took about 25 minutes, so we spent the rest of the weekend in bars and restaurants, eating gargantuan amounts of cake and drinking litres and litres of Sturm.I've been instructed not to write too much about a certain girl on this page, but I will say that I miss her very much and that I'm looking forward to

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1128538594552689932005-10-05T19:29:00.000+01:002005-10-05T19:56:34.560+01:00

Right, that's it. I'm taking everyone to the Munich Oktoberfest next year. I went this weekend, and it was INCREDIBLE. Imagine 14 enormous Big Tops full to the brim of Germans in lederhosen, breeches, silly hats and corsets drinking vatloads of beer, singing ridiculous songs, jumping around like clumsy lumberjacks and generally misbehaving!And this was just one of the tents... I travelled to

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1128122085424209592005-09-30T23:34:00.000+01:002005-10-01T13:15:22.196+01:00

Solar City is a strange place - it's a new self-contained "mini-town" being built on the outskirts of Linz. All the buildings look futuristic, and it's partly powered by solar energy. Nearby is a lake, where I took lots of photos. Other photos are from Linz centre. Enjoy... (Apologies for terrible pun)

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1128119361052153292005-09-30T22:48:00.000+01:002005-09-30T23:33:02.133+01:00

A lot's been happening so this post is a bit of a medley...I think this is the best picture I've ever taken. I laughed for 20 minutes when I took itDuring a random wonder around Linz, I took these pics. It's a very beautiful city, but it's very quiet apart from Friday and Saturday.The Danube I like walking over the main bridge. It's really busy, but I find it peaceful looking out along the

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1127852937329410462005-09-27T21:08:00.000+01:002005-09-27T21:35:23.530+01:00

On my way back from a business trip to Germany today (info and pics later!) I thought I'd read through my phrasebook to look for some of the words I'd heard during the conference. My attention was immediately grabbed by the "Romanzen" (romance) section. Sub-headings included; "asking someone out", "pick-up lines", and "getting closer". Here are some of my favourites from the "getting closer"

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1127597300134672342005-09-24T22:16:00.000+01:002005-09-24T22:28:20.140+01:00

Had a wicked day today - went to a flohmarkt this morning at 6 with some friends from halls, and bought... A kettle - 90 cents A chopping board - 10 cents A toaster - €2 A frying pan - €5 A grater - 10 cents A pot - €2 8 plates and 1 mug - €2 Almost a whole kitchen for €12, less than £10! Bargains to be had everywhere - there was an old gramophone player I wanted to buy, but I

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1127413673692252842005-09-22T18:02:00.000+01:002005-09-22T19:41:50.986+01:00

Crikey it's been a busy few days. I started work on Monday, the people are really nice but they don't have much work for me at the moment, so I spend a lot of time reading company literature and surfing the net. VA Tech have just been taken over by Siemens so everyone is very busy. I'm picking up a bit of German small talk. I've got a business trip to Germany next week to train some Americans,

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1127064206168489132005-09-18T18:21:00.000+01:002005-09-18T18:23:26.170+01:00

Here's my new address!Jon De Keyser,Room 140,Internationales Studentenzentrum Julius Raab,Julius Raab Strasse 10,A -4040 Linz,Austria.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1126986406647698872005-09-17T20:29:00.000+01:002005-09-17T20:46:46.703+01:00

Cripes! Somehow I've managed to get free internet in my room! So Austria blog post nummer eins is underway sooner than expected. Flew over on RyanAir - surprisingly good for a budget airline! Comfy seats, smooth flight, hot stewardesses...I touched down in Linz to be greeted by the local AIESEC community, including a guy called Mario who I've been in touch with over the last few months. They even

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1126977803590576782005-09-17T18:22:00.000+01:002005-09-17T18:23:23.596+01:00

I have arrived in Linz! I'll post some pics when I get my own internet connection (I'm in the AIESEC office at the moment)

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1126881244682720202005-09-16T14:49:00.000+01:002005-09-16T15:35:49.506+01:00

Partying(Unfortunately, these are the only pics that I could salvage from the party album of blurry wine glasses and smudged faces that weren't explicit, obscene or rubbish)Well it's been a crazy, busy couple of weeks! It all started when I had the genius idea of starting a new job, moving to Austria and having a party all in the space of 9 days.Thank you to all of you who came on Saturday night,

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1126291254613629112005-09-09T19:39:00.000+01:002005-09-09T19:40:54.616+01:00

Check out this blog. I'm in awe of some of the photography and reporting of this guy. Incredible. Click the link.Eye Of The Storm

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1125273733173852272005-08-29T00:51:00.000+01:002005-08-29T01:02:13.180+01:00

Hooray for England not being rubbish at cricket anymore! I've had requests to add Freddy Flintoff to the "My Heroes" section, but I'm just too plain lazy to do it. I'd rather sit in the garden and watch a giant caterpillar eat a tree, drinking scotch on the rocks thank you very much....are you in?thisguy is leaving us for home. London will be a much less interesting place without him. We'll all

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1125273072019888302005-08-29T00:44:00.000+01:002005-08-29T00:51:12.026+01:00

Here's a photo of the most enormous caterpillar ever to be found in Essex. The size of a human finger, it can devour entire trees in mere seconds. Do you have one in your garden? Check the caterpillar identification website!Disclaimer: caterpillar not guaranteed to devour trees. It's probably more likely to turn into a moth, so don't hold your breath.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1125226780777580642005-08-28T11:44:00.000+01:002005-08-28T13:04:10.363+01:00

As promised, more info on my trip abroad (it's as much for myself as it is for you, I'm struggling to come to terms with how quickly it's all happening!).Following the recent(ish) merger of Siemens with VA Tech (a large Austrian technology firm) I will be restating the accounts of VA Tech and establishing a new reporting system. Yawn. Well, I wanted to travel and this is the only way I can afford

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1124456416741839692005-08-19T13:58:00.000+01:002005-08-19T14:00:16.746+01:00

Right, it's been decided. I'm going to Austria. For 6 months. Eek! I leave on 17th September. More info when I get it...

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1124398963832776732005-08-18T22:02:00.000+01:002005-08-18T22:27:55.353+01:00

Yo La Tengo played at Koko on Tuesday night, when ambient beach music turned into noisy eccentric electronic punk! "Speeding Motorcycle" was especially brimming with psychotic energy, persuading Kat & Jon to dance around on the balcony with reckless abandon (but don't worry, we wore shin guards). Support act (and intermittent collaborators) "The Scene Is Now" were ace.The Crowd (tm) But wait, I'm

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1124184956423362692005-08-16T10:35:00.000+01:002005-08-17T15:21:18.546+01:00

15th August - Family Trip to Southend.Highlights include; Throwing pepper over Tom, Arguing about where to park, Eating cockles, Playing "crazy" golf, Going to an Italian restaurant. So there it is, the definition of being English - going to the seaside and eating out a restaurant instead of enjoying some fish 'n' chips on a windy beach, competing to see who can get the most sand into

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1123753603771967032005-08-11T10:40:00.000+01:002005-08-11T10:59:01.823+01:00

Ha! If you're bored, do this thing;Go to Google.Type in "[your name] is".Click "Search".Pick your 5 favourite results! Thanks to Jay for the idea!Sadly, most of the results I found relate to Lil' Jon, the crunked-up buffoon rapper. Here goes;Jon is syrup sippin'. (what?)Jon is ready to get wild on the road. (we all knew that)Jon is moderating a BOF on RIA's at Etech on Tuesday the 15th of March.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1123596971507227842005-08-09T14:55:00.000+01:002005-08-09T15:26:50.526+01:00

There've been some mighty fine album releases this year (Sufjan Stevens - "Illinois", Low - "The Great Destroyer", Roots Manuva - "Awfully Deep" and both Bright Eyes releases to name but a few). I didn't think it could get much better... until "The Heartlight Set" popped through the letterbox yesterday. It's quite an astonishing album, combining melodic pop with unsettling lyrics, as was the

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1123371158040902292005-08-07T00:32:00.000+01:002005-08-07T00:49:59.216+01:00

So I've been in London (away from my beloved laptop) for the last couple of weeks, working and lazing around in equal measure. I have become excellent at frisbee. I have seen Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which is funny, odd and has the rare effect of making you feel genuinely content for a moment. Fantastic Four, on the other hand, is the worst film I have ever seen (tm) - if you have

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1122416131415704722005-07-26T22:18:00.000+01:002005-07-26T23:22:49.980+01:00

This very day, The Raveonettes played an intimate show for shoppers in Fopp, Covent Garden (the best shop in the world, for those who haven't already been). This means that I saw the delightful Sharin Foo, who is half Danish, half Chinese and hot! Some good pics on The Raveonettes website. The tracks they played today were all from the new album, "Pretty In Black".Ode to L.A.Love In A Trashcan.If

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1122412691396694712005-07-26T22:11:00.000+01:002005-07-26T23:20:48.366+01:00

Well I've been working in London for the last week or so, so blog updates have been few and far between. But now I'm back behind the Van Tango desk, ready to relate tales of joy to you all. First up, Team Haircut organised a trip to Camber Sands at the weekend. Here are some of the things we did;Drank beer,Played frisbee,Watched the sky,Had a barbeque,Got wet.A right proper knees-up

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1121875196621661602005-07-20T16:59:00.000+01:002005-07-20T17:19:50.610+01:00

Don't you just love it when you clear out your room and find some forgotten little gems under a pile of old birthday cards? Ah, nostalgia. Here are some of the more "interesting" ones...The infamous birthday present from Elise, which I was duly forced to wear for AN ENTIRE EVENING in one of Dover's delightful public houses. A maskof the late Bob Monkhouse, from the V Graham Norton show (FYI - my

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1121607754770537442005-07-17T14:42:00.000+01:002005-07-20T17:57:04.680+01:00

Hello there! Thursday and Friday saw the class of '02 graduate from the LSE - "the best students I've ever seen" according to a source high up in the LSE administration. The ceremony itself was not as painful as expected, with Howard Davies giving a mildly amusing speech, and Mem consequently giving him a hug on stage. However, the ceremony was blighted by the introductory music - 90s trance

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1121256294405211962005-07-13T12:51:00.000+01:002005-07-13T13:04:54.410+01:00

Celebrations are in order - I survived 3 years at the £$€ (LSE), and have emerged victorious with a 2:1, despite various lecturers attempting to sabotage my degree with their ineptitude and general laziness. To those of you who also survived the experience, I salute you, and hope you will join me in renouncing everything you learned about investment banking, hedge funds, and networking to pursue

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1121093337335594312005-07-11T15:32:00.000+01:002005-07-13T12:39:04.933+01:00

I have returned from Edinburgh, having fought my way through the anarchists using a caber and pots of haggis. Here are some good things about Edinburgh;Excellent signpostsBagpipe players on every cornerBeautiful sceneryMore scotch tastings than you can shake a stick atPedestrianised streets full of bars! A pic of the Sir Walter Scott monument on Prince's Street.

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1121039443784058422005-07-11T00:31:00.000+01:002005-07-11T00:50:43.786+01:00

Dear all, you will no doubt be aware of the sickening events that occured on 7.7.05 in London. Please join me in sparing a moment of thought to those who face anguish and agonising waits as the victims are identified, I can't even begin to imagine how terrible it must feel.Please consider making a donation to the London Bombings Relief Charitable Fund, found on the Red Cross website. You can make

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1120250602912319342005-07-01T21:40:00.000+01:002005-07-01T21:43:22.916+01:00

Goods news everybody! The magnificent Brian Wilson is recording a new Christmas Album with his band!

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1120169403881566512005-06-30T23:10:00.000+01:002005-07-01T09:40:49.663+01:00

Could it be Linz?So this is the place I could be heading to for my foray into the European workplace - on the Danube and with a healthy electro club scene by the looks of it! Here's a lovely website telling you all about the delights that await me (and you should you decide to visit and take advantage of RyanAir's ludicrously cheap flights)Linz, Austria

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1120129400276622142005-06-30T12:03:00.000+01:002005-06-30T23:35:25.926+01:00

ohh my, I've just been to see Sage Francis at Cargo in Old St. - he was quite special. Sage is angry & opinionated and he wants you to know it - check him out at Sage's Website!Sage: without enormous beard

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1120088739277886742005-06-30T00:42:00.000+01:002005-06-30T23:37:43.510+01:00

Following an inspired idea by monsieur d barrett, a large mixtaping extravaganza is occuring this summer. The premise - make a CD of music you like and that you think other people should hear, and send it around to your friends!Become involved at Haircut Central.Also, make sure no Killers or Starsailor tunes appear, or bad things will happen to youj

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1120058137247447232005-06-29T16:15:00.000+01:002005-06-30T23:40:27.033+01:00

So it's decided: Brian Wilson is King. His Glastonbury set will be remembered as one of the greats - how perfect that the sun should appear to welcome him to Worthy Farm. With the sun shining, the mud disappearing under a carpet of straw, and classic pop song after classic pop song coming through the PA, all memories of the storm on Friday morning were washing away in a sea of surf anthems and

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13800773.post-1119225091763986272005-06-20T20:49:00.000+01:002005-06-30T00:48:54.000+01:00

That's right, we're here at blogger.com to celebrate a wonderful, life changing, awe-inspiring event. What that event is has yet to be decided. But make No Mistake - it's going to be Big. You can feel the sweat from the palms of the critics just waiting to jump on the bandwagon. You can see the nervous glances from one to the other - they know this is going to be huge. So the question is, what

Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03751807658635140436noreply@blogger.com0