And so it arrives....

Yup, this is the baby which came in the "post" today. And yes, it looks just like this mugshot I "obtained" from the website where I ordered it online.

And it's the 1st bike I've bought for myself, ever. The story of how it got home though.. now that is a bit painful.

I decided (because a collegue [t] suggested it ) to have the bike delivered at work because I had thought no one would be at home to sign for it, and me taking off time from work to receive a delivery is not a good idea, every hour I aint slaving it, means I don't get paid for it.. the curse of the contractor, not complaining thought.. just saying.

So I fill in all the details on the online order form, and organise everything and then it was sit and wait. And so today was a stunning day out in London ( 26 degrees C, good warm weather), so much so that my boss (who has just gotten back from the Carribean) decided that it was time to go to the other pub that they've been talking about since I started there (almost 2 months ago).. Young's Founder Arms.. good place. Just (about 40 metres) outside the Tate modern, on the river side... very nice place to just hang out and have a pint or two on a great day outside like was today.

But I digress. So as we're about to leave to the mystery pub I get a call that there's a delivery for me down at the bottom of the building. This is a bit of a problem, cause there (I eventually found out) are three places that packages can be left... and this not helping cause I don't know where the pub is and the boss is keen on getting going.. eventually find out where it is, see the box, ask the guys when they close up for the day and he says around 17:30 is their clock out time.. so having seen that package is there ( and it be big, but we'll get to that).. we're off to a great pint of something new (my idea of going to the pub lately is to try a pint of something new everytime.. makes for interesting chit chat).

Eventually get back to the office around 15:00 (ya, was a good lunch), worked hard till 17:00 and packed up and down to the bike pick up. Got there, and it hits me.. this thing.. is big.. and that's just the one side of it, the other side.. it's heavy. Let not the alloy composite fool you, this baby, to carry.. is heavy.

So, being a complete twat as well, I start lugging the thing down to Southwark station, which is 5 minutes futher from me than Waterloo is. However, my thinking was that at one of the biggest hubs in London it would be somewhat more difficult to organise getting on a train than at a tiny little station which is a way more accessable [t]. And in all honesty, my thinking wasn't all off, what it was off about though was the walk down to Southwark.. it's far, especially carrying this thing.

Got a guy on the way though to help me carry it down to there. Get to the station, and the platform, and guess what.. train is empty enough to actually put the bike box inside without say sorry 16 times. Got to Canary Wharf, walked out with it, and got another guy offering to help carry it out of the station.. godsents the lot of them :) Walked across the road to the bus-stop, waited about 5 minutes, got onto the bus.. and a few stops later I got off, and walked another block home with big box.

All in all, it's been a while since I was that full of sweat from just carrying something. I did however set it all up, hooked in the front wheel, still need to adjust the disc brake on the front wheel though, but hopefully I'll do that 2morrow evening after getting a decent kit from Decathlon (sport megastore in Canada Water).

That however aint the only thing I've splashed out on for myself though. Me and Grieks went to Argos over the weekend (ja it seems lame, but is one of those things that had to be done, at least once :). And I got myself this number.

Yup, nice watch, bit big for my arm though.. going to have to take the beefing up fairly serious. But the exercise regime planned makes me think I'll be able to fill in a bit... maybe :)

Need to still organise a helmet and a few other things.. but I'll be posting about that over the weekend.. between the GP and other stuff happening.

Think this is a long enough post.

Hope all back home have a great weekend.

Greets to all
Z