Update + The Big Hill

I'm just back from going to Barton for Easter and fetching my beautiful blue bike so I thought I'd do a quick update. It's going to be quick firstly because the new series of Gavin and Stacey is on in half an hour, and secondly because I'm very tired having biked up the big hill from Machynlleth for the first time. By saying that, I don't mean I actually biked up. I biked to the bottom of the hill, and then wheeled my bike up, stopping several times to rest and pant on the way. I love my bike, but I'm sure that once I've done that a few times, I will hate it. I was so puffed out by the time I got home that I actually felt sick, and carried on feeling sick for about half an hour. If I ever do get up that hill without getting off the bike, I'm going to have a party.

The train journey from Mach to Burton on Trent is really nice - a pretty quick and also pictoresque 2 1/4 hours to Birmingham, then half an hour to Burton on Trent. The trains weren't at all full so there was no problem with my bike.

The first couple of weeks at CAT have been really good. I have:
- cleaned out a boiler with a wire brush
- assisted in making electrofusion-welded pipe joints
- lagged said pipe joints by cutting little bits out of some yellow foam and fitting it round the pipe
- been sent to First Aid with bright yellow stuff coming out of my nose due to dust from said yellow foam
- learned how to operate a mini-digger and used it to fill up a wood chip container
- done quite a bit of tidying round the site
- learned a lot about how boilers work
- been introduced to about 500 people, about 5 of whom I can remember their name
- started thinking about my project and learning about solar water heating
- performed a dance dressed in a bright yellow padded waterproof, white hardhat and blue overalls with 5 other engineers
- walked for an hour and a half to get to the pub

And in my spare time I've been studying and playing spider solitaire. A pretty full couple of weeks all in all!