Thursday 24th June 2004 - Day 284/366 - Airlie Beach, Queensland to Cairns, Queensland.

I'm in Love

Now Germany have crashed out of the Euro Champs.

Caught the 9.30 bus to Cairns. During the 10 hour trip I watched the worst movie ever made officially. SIMONE. What a load of drivel.

In the evening I went to watch Harry Potter 3. I resent all the hype. This film was the worst of the 3. The acting was dire. I'm not sure about all the bits they've added and they've left out some big pieces too. The special effects are still very good, but the book was much better.

I crashed in the TV room at midnight in anticipation of the England v Portugal quarter final. I watched another terrible film. Blow Dry. Josh Harnett's Yorkshire accent was truly laughable. This hasn't been a good day for film watching.

As for the game itself. I wish we knew how to keep hold of the ball. Our players seem to lack basic football skills. If you watch most foreign teams they are much more comfortable with the ball at their feet. For us the ball is a hot potato and we seems to be forever giving the ball away with a poor first touch or bad control. It didn't help that the referee was a total homer and the Portuguese dived at the slightest contact, not least the Goalie for Campbell's goal.

I still reckon there's chance for me to get an England Cap if Phil Neville is still getting them. Actually he played quite well.

As for the game it was real edge of the seat stuff and the equalizer had to come at some point. Then going a goal down and then equalizing before the dodgy penalty shoot out on the dodgy penalty spot. At the end of the day, England just aren't good enough, but foe me Football was the real winner it was a real epic.

All the pretend fans can now go back to there little holes. No doubt they'll come out again in 2 years for the World Cup.

In my nearly 29 years on this earth I've yet to find anything that makes me feel the way football does. The high, the lows, the exhilaration and the frustrations, I love them all. I go through it every week. It's not just about England, it's about Fleet, it's about Tottenham, it's about Sunday pub Football. I just love the passion.

Over the past year I've learnt that I can live without it, but I prefer it in my life.

Maybe you think I'm a bit sad, but I'm yet to find anything or anyone that makes me feel as great as football does. Maybe football just compensates for something that is missing in my life, who knows.

I ended up getting to bed at 8.00.