Ray Sizer's blog
English hospitality and Tiger for tea
I'm lying in bed as it is getting lighter outside and thinking it is nearly
time to get up. I turned my phone of last night so I didn't get any calls or text messages from those pesky aussies that have no idea what time it is anywhere else in the world.
I finally turn the phone on to the beeps of
messages coming through and look at the time. Its only bloody 4.15 in the morning and it already getting light.
I finally got to bed at 11.30 pm last
night after sitting up and talking with my hosts Jenny and Peter Haigh.
Peter had to come and save me last night after I got slightly lost on my way home after getting off the bus at the wrong stop. I was walking down a street at 11pm it didn't look familiar.
To hell with my pride, HELP come and save me Peter.
It finally got dark at around 10.30 last night making the days very long and the nights short. There is a very long dusk and dawn over here at this time of year.
Last night I sent all my pics, audio and blogs through via a WiFi network
that we had organised to be connected to in the media centre.
It took a while to get connected but worked in the end even if it was a bit slower than I had expected.
The media centre is huge. In the photographers area
there are 130 work stations. There is one marked for the Shepparton News which sits proudly beside major papers from around the world.
Yesterday the temp reached over thirty degrees here making it warm on the course and sticky at night. It was hard enough to sleep with the warmth, even harder after all the Coca-cola I had drunk yesterday to keep myself awake.
It is supposed to be even hotter today with thunder storms predicted
for the weekend.
Yesterday on the third hole Jarrod was playing and a guy walked up to him and asked if he new Ray Sizer and he was pointed in my direction.
His name is Larry Evans and is a good friend of Pam and Maurie McKellar from Shepp. Spent time talking to Larry through the day. He is a member of a golf club nine miles from Royal Liverpool.
A school teacher by trade and is on summer holidays till September. Being a golf nut his wife gave him a day pass to the Open for everyday.
Hope to catch up with Larry through the week. Maybe
even may be able to talk him into getting a round at his club next Monday before I leave. I was hoping to get a round in the media day on Monday at Royal Liverpool but have been politely told that there are no available tee times.
Who said the New York Times should take precedence over the Shepp
News.
I had a look at the merchandising store on course yesterday. I thought the Commonwealth Games were big, but nothing compared to this. I ended up buying two replica pin flags, two course posters and three ball markers and it came to 54 pound (130 aussie dollars). I wanted to buy a cap but couldn't bring myself to part with $48. The price seem to be comparable in pounds to what we would expect to pay back home in dollars.
Out of bed at 7.15 after planning the days events.
Down stairs to the shower. The Haighs house is a small two story house which is comfortable but small compared to the size of our houses. The shower has got me beat. Yesterday I had a cold shower, today I had one that was too hot.
Apparently there is a switch to turn the heat on and then you have to turn the dial to get the temp right. You have to turn the dial further than the marks on the box that is on the shower wall. What ever happened to simple taps. Tomorrow morning I will succeed.
Full English breaky consisting of juice, beans, mushrooms, sausage, bacon and eggs with toast.
Off to the course by walking to the park and ride that is about 1 km from the house. Slight problem, that park and ride is not open yet. Walk to the next one which is about 3km down the the same road which is narrow with little shoulder. Survived the road and onto a double decker bus to the course.
The crowds are starting to build. Tiger Woods was out at 6am again and I caught him on the 18th for a couple of pics. I was going to ask him if he wanted to come back to the Haigh's for dinner and a beer but had a little trouble getting close enough to ask. Will try again tomorrow.
From the crowds today it is going to be bedlam getting around for the rest of the week.
More soon.
Ray
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