Brighton!

First time to Brighton and I cant see it… I’ve just arrived and were staying at someones house who I’m not yet aquainted with all this and I’ve got to be home by about 5…

Up early then…

Yikes!

London city & the nice man…

I arrived in London yesterday and I swear its taken me longer to get round it, than it has taken me to get here!

I have met up with a guy who private messaged me and let me stay at his, he runs an art space which is sometimes used as a gallery but more as a performance venue. Today I am there helping out and in return will be getting a lift to Brighton, then its a matter of popping to see some people who have invited me and getting back to university before 7 to whack my work up!

Thats a scary thought!

Feeling a little bit hungover as thats apparently the only way to see the sights of London, Drunk!

Now off to makes some brews see what I can do to help out, and hopefully pop across the road to a community centre and see what these kids are doing spray painting that wall! ha

London

Just got to london, after a very strange night. Manage to get some lovely well deserved sleep in though!

I’m going to head to my hosts recharge all my batteries, in every sense of the word and then I’ll fill you all in.

Londons big! Bigger than I remember, can I hitch round it?

Ha!

What happens in Luton…

Well the story of Luton is a wondrous one!

I had been hitchhiking all day and not getting much luck and obviously that was all about to change! Just as it was getting dark and I assumed my cries for help via internet channels were going unheard so i’d have to bed under a bridge for the night, oh wait…

To the rescue the nicest Dutch lorry driver pulled up and said he was delivering to London on his route, fantastic. maybe I could join his route!

Little did I know he would have a required stop over before London! Whats this law?

Now he turns out to be a lovely man, very chatty but I do not want to share a cab with him for sleepy time! Needles to say we had a few brews, I don’t drink brews and by midnight I was fast asleep on the spare cab bed!

Next morning bright and early, after the legal sleepage requirements, we set off for Chelmsford, I have to wait near the industrial estate entrance and then I get picked up to drive into Lambeth! smart… (I did get worried I’d been dumped on an Essex industrial estate)

Wouter you are a legend, and as awkward as that was your welcome on the 17th like I said, you can have your own bed if you stay too!

Luton…

Will update this when I get somewhere to rest, anyone going London way?

London Bound…

I have just left my home for the night and very cosy it was too. After finding the homeless shelter and plucking up the courage to make my way in I received an email from couchsurf.com. One of the members had messaged me back and said he was in the midst of decorating but I could stay in his spare room, unfortunately it had no bed. Accepted.

 

I was met by Richard Creswell, a 38 year old ex postal worker, who now runs his own business as a personal trainer. Just as he said his house was in chaos and the furniture was stacked in piles everywhere and covered with sheets. The room I was given was actually bigger than my own at home, no bed but stacks of couch cushions to make one.

 

We sat up talking for a while and I explained the project which prompted him to make me a packed lunch for today, thanks for the bed, the food, the directions and good luck on sunday.

So im heading to London I am thinking to get there I am going to have to stop of at other places too, unless anyone knows anyone going my way?

Northampton

Wow…

So I stood at the side of a road which I assumed would get me straight to Northampton, it didn’t. I couldn’t understand why i had been hitching for 6 hours and no one would stop! after making the decision to continue, I thought maybe this is a sign not to do it!

When I’m hitching (after 5 minutes of nobody pulling over) I start to think, ‘I’ll give it 10 more’ you never know the lift could be the next car. 6 hours later and I’m still having this thought! Luckily I persevered and a group of lads stopped, they kindly explained the road goes to leicester and they could take me that far. Of course I jumped in and off we went.

I didn’t know for certain, but I was sure I could smell alcohol and I realised I might have made an error, luckily after chatting for a while the alcohol turned out to be hand wash. phew! Mark, Jimmy and Tamps had all been training for the polar circle marathon and turn out to be really cool guys.

By the time we approached Leicester, I had been offered a lift the full way to Northampton and this finds me here, I am currently waiting for anyone from couchsurf.com to get back to me and see if I can sleep some where nice,I think i’ve missed Britains Got Talent and probably coronation street too, will John ever get caught, and does Britain?

Anyway its getting late and I need to scout around to find a suitable resting place, homeless shelter or anything unless I get a miracle message! or one of you knows someone in the area…

 

Nottingham

I arrived in Nottingham at about 9am this morning after being in contact with a delivery driver who offered to bring me across, I did have someone who had invited me here, but as it was such short notice and so early I thought I should move on.

I’m heading to London and with hitchhiking being quite unreliable in terms of arrival times, its best to keep going whilst the lights with you.

Its not as green as I thought and there aren’t as many men in tights as I thought still its pleasantly surprising. I love travelling to these different city’s and comparing them with Manchester, its strange and naive to think that Manchester is where the life is, because in every city the same goes on. Manchester is still my favourite though ha ha

Got to say the busking living statue man (dressed in white) is significantly better here in nottingham, he actually stays still. I got chatting to 2 lady’s on a bench and they bought me an ice cream after I told them what I was up to!

Realisation suddenly set in, I’m back to virtually begging, looking for a bed and arranging transport by standing at the sides of roads. The shame, but the people I meet and the experience is worth it!

surely?

I’m off again!

Apologies to everyone for being unsure with regards to what I plan to do next. For those of you who don’t know I have been told I am unable to continue with my project due to legal reasons. The institute has understandably decided they cannot be seen to condone anything that may put me at risk. The institute has a duty of care to enforce and if seen to be allowing this to happen would be responsible if anything should happen to me.

It is ironic that the initial intent was to rely on people to sustain me and the project, which in order to be successful would need for me to trust and be trusted, however the nature of todays society, which we have created for ourselves is that of a paranoid one, and fear of litigation resulting in numerous risks to the detriment of those held accountable.

I have been told with 2 weeks to go until I am assessed and graded for my degree course, the project will not be marked as that would show legally the institute condoned my actions. I have thought very carefully about what this means and have decided to go ahead anyway and further develop this project responding to the external influences, both positive and negative.

It is important to note that I do not blame any one person, or think the decision to be unjustified. I cannot understand why a statement to waiver the institutes responsibility is not sufficient, perhaps I will find out.

I have been invited to Nottingham tomorrow and will continue as usual. I ask you to remain patient with regards to the footage and photography, there have been issues regarding consent to use it, not from those who it portrays but from the institute itself. I will release all of this on the 27th June when I have graduated.

Anyway as before, if you know anyone who’s around, or want to invite me anywhere get in touch, lifts would be nice, but I will continue to hitchhike too.

Maybe I’ll see you soon!

Some issues and some positivity!

I can confirm that I nearly cried today when I saw peoples work going up in the Holden gallery, as I walked round lending a hand to those who needed it. It was even more disheartening to see the space I had been allocated given to someone else. Its all sorted now though I seem to have a space that makes more space in terms of the work and the way in which I’m thinking of presenting it. It was also acknowledged today that my work was not a spectacle and that through seeing what I have worked on throughout the year, it is clear this is something I am passionate about.

I am really getting more positive about the whole project and with the help of some fantastic tutors and university staff, I have been able to rationalise my ideas a little more.

I am interested to challenge this decision though, could I live in the university until I graduate as surely everything I do in terms of getting this show up, is a direct result of the university, they are condoning these actions?

I could be maimed on my way in next week, would it not be best for the interest of the institute we all stayed on the premises. I also wonder how the clash of interests work in terms of creative freedom and the boundaries which have been highlighted through this decision. As a paying customer, surely we are not getting the full product if these boundaries are not flexible. Maybe I am wrong. What I am certain about is this is not isolated to this institute and is an interesting issue, we are striving to do better, and then meeting boundaries which have been set by such institutes because of the society we have created.

What other opportunities are being missed?

How far does this reach?

Can we ever reach our full creative potential?

I would like to point out whilst I have been downhearted and struggling with how to move on from this set back, I have NOT blamed anyone and am remaining positive, if anything this is exciting. It could have been timed slightly better, leaving more time for maneuverability, such is life! It has to be okay in the end so here goes…