The name's Banks, Paul Banks

I've always thought I'd make a great James Bond but I really need some advice on how to play the role. If only there was someone who has played James Bond, right here in Vancouver who I could ask....

Anyway, we went to Gav's last night. Andy came but had to leave early in order to spend time rummaging through my underwear. We do still see Andy but he just seems to miss out on all the photo opportunities. Well I'm sure he had fun last night... with my underwear.


It's not often that I surprise myself with how good looking I actually am, but I think this picture is great. Look at me, I'm stunning. And it captures my strength and vulnerability in one picture. The perfect qualities for playing James Bond. I think I might even send it off to American Eagle for their next advertising campaign. So if you want a good picture of yourself, go to Gavin's toilet and point your camera at the mirror


Gav even has table football in his house. I kept my unbeaten run going by defeating Ian and then me and Simon destroyed Liz and Ian. Liz could only play with one hand though


Ian then sent Liz outside to think about her poor performance


While he picked himself back up with some home made cocktails. Disgraceful behaviour, not what James Bond would do


Simon using the typical Sunderland tactic of pushing the opposition in the back


Gav's audition as the next Bond villain didn't go down too well


Whilst Ian had mastered his Ernst Stavro Blofeld impersination


We had saved the day again and everyone could celebrate


The following afternoon I played Simon at tennis. He had just splashed out on a $5 racket from the Thrift store and wanted to try it out. It worked a treat as he pushed me to 5 sets.

I eventually won though with a score of 6-1, 6-0, 6-0, 6-0, 6-1.

However after tennis, walking on a small quiet road in Kits to Dairy Queen, a man walked out infront of us from a house to his car.

Yes, we saw Remington Steele himself, Pierce Brosnan

Hang on a minute, why didn't I ask him for some tips on how to play James Bond.

The Light Fantastic

Fireworks should always be controlled by people with experience and who will make sure they are safely let off. Otherwise people may get hurt and injure themselves.

So it was with this information we wnet to the first of four fireworks nights here in groovy Vancouver (that's what the SWAP email calls it anyway). Over a couple of weeks, 4 different countries will be competing to produce the best and most exciting display they can possibly conjure up.

Last Wednesday saw the first of these as Italy got the competetion underway. The fireworks themselves were set off in English bay, but we mnaged to find a small piece of beach across the water and still got a spectacular view. There were some great firweorks but they missed an opportunity to send up one that exploded into the shape of the World Cup.

Well it's China tonight,the masters of the fireworks. Stay tuned to see if their display went out in a bang or just fizzled away.

Luckily they waited for the sun to set before the display started. Smart thinking that is


The first attempt to find a spot to sit was met with defeat. Our view was blocked by a tree


All by myself, don't wanna be all by myself, anymore


This picture captures the darkness within me. I would have been the perfect Batman. Damn you Christian Bale


There I was trying to watch the fireworks when suddenly these people ask to have their picture taken with me. Can a man not get some peace and quiet. And they smelled as well


The sun finally sets and the fireworks can start. Hooray


So many colours man, woah


Mama mia


Aaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhhh

Farenheit 451

With record breaking temperatures hitting every country and city in the world, people have been asking, what's going on with the weather? Here's my theory. First of all you can forget global warming, that has nothing to do with it. The answer lies with the devil. You see the devil has always wanted to take over the earth, yet it is too cold for him and his minions to live at a comfortable level. Stuck deep undeground Satan often watches TV thinking just once he would like to go to the beach, paddle in the sea or take a walk in the park.

So how could he make the planet warmer. Basically he bought every heater he could over the internet and set them all up at the centre of the earth. Then by turning them all on at the same time he would heat up the earth gradually bit by bit every year until the surface was warm enough for him to make his grand entrance.

Maybe I spent a bit too much time in the sun yesterday but come August 15th 2018, he will come for us all. You have been warned.

Anyway, yesterday it was about 35 degrees here in Vancouver. It involved having a barbacue, going to the beach, swimming in the sea, you know the score by now.


We spent the afternoon covered in shade at Ian's babracue. It was so hot, if the sun touched your skin, you would die


Jade has returned for a few days before going back to Australia and then back to London a few months after that. I know she finds my blog funny so I'll have to think of something to make her laugh. Erm... yeh... well... Can't actually think of anything to say right now... Sorry... Don't know what to say... Hang on I've just remembered this great joke

An Englishman wanted to become an Irishman, so he visited a doctor to find out how to go about this. "Well" said the doctor, "this is a very delicate operation and there is a lot that can go wrong. I will have to remove half your brain". "That's OK" said the Englishman. "I've always wanted to be Irish and I'm prepared to take the risk".

The operation went ahead but the Englishman woke to find a look of horror on the face of the doctor. "I'm so terribly sorry!!" the doctor said. "Instead of removing half the brain, I've taken the whole brain out". The patient replied, "No worries, mate!!"


It's amazing how Ian's shirt and glasses look instantly more stylish on me


"You can be my wingman anytime" A classic recreation of Top Gun


We decided to invade Andy's room as we missed him so much. Only to find ET had taken up residence there


"The most fun Andy's bed has ever had" Ian Pope
This picture just never stops being funny


After becoming Ian I then decided to try my hand at becoming Andy. I can even pull off the cowboy guitarist look


We then headed down to Kits beach. Click on the picture to get a closer look at the raft we spent a while jumping off


Gav could finally celebrate, the Scottish reinforcement had arrived. Someone should have told them they could have flown


Me, Simon, Gav and Ian after our trip to the sea. And remember what happens at sea, stays at sea


The day was completed by a meal somewhere, can't remember where it was and then a trip to the cinema to see Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest.

It's Sunday now, just see what the weather's like outside.

Might stay in today

Shut your folking face uncle folker

Welcome back to Previously on 24, your first stop for entertainment.

After a few days of less than perfect weather, the weekend saw the sun come out in force again. In fact, just in time for the 29th Annual Vancouver International Folk Festival. Now Gav had already got his full weekend pass ages ago but myself and a few others managed to join him on Saturday.

It wasn't what you would consider a sterotypical folk festival, it was more like a world music festival. Bands of all genres and musical styles took to the various stages to strutt their funky stuff. From scratch DJ's to Reggae, no musical corner was left untouched.

It was full of hippies though, trying to save the world and bring out your positive energy. It also involved a lot of old people dancing, which was wrong in so many ways. Apart from Mr Festival of course.


The event took place in Jericho Park. Using our Bunac cards we all manged to get in as students. This did require some explaining though


Tent No 7 saw us watching "The No Luck Club". Some scratch DJ's. They liked people asking questions. The hard core folk community objected to their performance last year. Hippies hey?


Not a great picture but "The No Luck Club" brought with them some break dancers. That guy in the blue t-shirt in the distance was one of these. Trust me


In the mind of Ian Pope. What is he thinking you ask. Not even Ian knows


With the festival being next to the beach it means we could take a little break from the folk heavy action


The new tourist Canada publicity shot


The main stage getting ready for the evening's entertainment


Mr Festival, dancing like the child of the forest he is


Unlike Chris and Ian


Enjoying the view from the side of the stage where we couldn't actually see anything


Chris looking for a way to escape from...


The old people dancing. Look at them strut their funky stuff


The crowd gathers to listen to some bands nobody has ever heard of. I doubt even the bandmembers themselves knew who they were


The final band of the night. Can't remember their name, at least they played something uptempo


After the festival we went to The Naam. Vancouver's best 24 hour vegitarian restaurant. It's the only time I've qued to get into a restaurant for 40 minutes... before finally being seated at 12.25 am. And then waiting another 20 mins to be served a glass of WARM milk. This picture is of my festival wristband


The ghost of Gavmas past. Look kids, this is what happens if you smoke too much

Funtime with Laura and Paul

Have you ever just had one of those crazy nights, a night that will live with you forever, a night that will change who you are and what you stand for. A night where you finally realise what life is all about, a night where all your problems seem to slip away, a perfect night.

Last Friday wasn't one of those nights.

Instead I stayed at home with Laura. Witness the crazy things we did.


Ever since Laura moved into the house I have noticed a build up of dirt and rubbish. It's hard trying to clean up after her


I bet Laura $10 dollars she couldn't blow up the air mattress without the pump. Whilst using a hair dryer this is my desperate attempt to stop it inflating


The hair dryer was a poor substitute for the real pump


Laura doesn't like her picture being taken


This picture is freaky. See how she has no leg in her jeans. It's just totally flat. She's a witch, burn her


She may have managed to pump up the mattress but she ain't getting $10. Her mistake, no legally binding contract


Laura studies the video she bought from her charity shop. Yep, a crazy night was completed by watching "The Pelican Brief". Over two hours long and not a single talking pelican. What a con


This is what I came to Canada for, crazy, completely off the wall type of nights. It's lucky I had the folk festival to chill out at the next day.