What a contrast yesterday! First going up to see Mark and Gabriel at their amazing house on the edge of town. I suppose when you have a barbecue in your garden, manned by a chef, with waitresses delivering drinks to the tables, things have worked out well.

The contrast then was the pub on Botchergate in Carlisle, where I shared a bowl of chips and several pints of Guinness, with a very hung over Paul. He had gone to a party as the bear from Bo selecta the night before, having to first buy a teddy bear, cut it's face off and unstuff it so he could fit inside its skin. Sick, I call it! We watched a very unexciting game between Liverpool and Arsenal which just confirmed both teams will struggle this season. As I was sat waiting for my train, Chantal rang and I missed the train. I didn't know Beverley was waiting at Penrith station! It was worth missing the train just for the experience of what happened next. Two young lads approached us outside the Griffin Hotel where we were having our final beer. They were 'well oiled'! These guys explained that they were from Durham and had come to Carlisle for some action. Well I've been to Durham and believe me, you could go anywhere and find it exciting after that town. They explained that they had police tags on their ankles which expire at 8pm. One of them showed us his tag, it was like wearing a medal to him, he was very proud of it; a definite 'chick magnet' too! They wanted to pick up a bird for a "quick shag" and "score some charlie". We pointed them down Botchergate, telling them that everything they dreamt of was in the next few pubs and all the girls were up for it. Not entirely true, but it gave us time to escape as they thanked us and ran towards their dreams. I had already started to imagine the unfortunate girls walking past with their prams in 9 months time, one saying to the other, "who were those guys anyway?". The other replying, "I dunno, but he could only get one leg out of his pants cos of that big bangle thing on his ankle". "Was one called Charlie?"

Arriving back in Penrith Beverley had been very patient so I took her for a slap up, no expense spared meal from the 'Little Chippy', which we ate sitting on the bandstand wall.

I went to the doctors this morning, I had started to develop another rash on my inside leg around the groin area. I was trying to explain that the rash was also near the base of my spine, I traced my fingers from there, around the curve of my bottom to between my legs, and said, "I'm not sure what you call that area?" She replied, "Well I call it my bum crack"! I burst out laughing and said, "so do I". She gave me a prescription for some cream that contained an 'anti everything'. The guy in front of me at the chemist paid £49 for his prescription! I used my exemption card for the first time and it was nice to get it free; a little perk in everything hey?

Julie e mailed from the University. My transfer from the 'Adventure & Media' to 'Wildlife & Media' has been approved. Great news, the latter will be physically less demanding yet I will still get to do the photography, filming and creative writing. I am back in with a chance now, that's if the bone scan results go my way! Still over a week to wait, it's impossible to put it out of my mind but I try and keep busy with other stuff and enjoy every day.