So after a chilled 3 weeks of all things non-military it was back into the RMAS factory but fingers were crossed that I would only be in Lucknow for another 3 weeks before getting back on course. But not before Weeman rang me asking if I fancied doing an “adventure” race the Sunday before getting back on course. Thinking it would merely be a 10K jog through a couple of trees and along a nice and level gravel track. However what it actually entailed was a 10K race from hell. The clue was in the name Brutal 10K. IT involved 5 water crossings all of which required the breaking of 2-inch thick ice, lots and lots and lots of hills and the last 2K was all over sand dunes. I still being fat and unfit from firstly not having done much exercise since breaking my wrist and also stuffing my face over Christmas struggled to say the least finishing with a very mediocre 1 hour dead and placed 70 out of 250.

First thing first on a Monday was a uniform inspection before heading off to the gym to get back into the rehab and burn off all the Christmas pounds. Due to a shake up in staff it meant all the guys on return to training had nothing to do until 11:30 so it was over to the NAFFI for a coffee and cookie and make chit chat about everyone’s Christmas leave. Come 11:30 it was time for the first PFA of the term – and a we were to find out what we would be doing every Monday morning. First things first was as many press-ups possible in 2 minutes and having not done any in 6 months and the surgeon telling me I wouldn’t be able to do any for another 4 months I was a little sceptical how many id manage, 69 were cracked out followed by 65 situps. On to the run. My last 1.5 mile run time was down to 8.05 minutes but considering again that was 6 months ago and when I was over a stone lighter I wasn’t holding out much hope. 9.21 minutes later I crossed the finish line in a gasping, wheezing mess. Still a pass is a pass.

Tuesday involved a quick run first thing in the morning then we were lucky enough to be invited down to HMS Ark Royal. This is the air craft carrier that has been recently decommissioned by the government a good few years early meaning that we no longer have any carriers in the sea. But considering we don’t have any planes that can fly off them any way its not as bad as you’d think. On turning up at the ship we got a good 2 hour tour all around the ship and also an hour on HMS Victory, Lord Nelson' ship he sailed in and commanded the british fleet from to win the battle of Trafalgar.

The tour around was by some miserable old geeza who had clearly been giving tours far longer than he cared to have but none the less he knew all the info. We went through to Nelson’s quarters, around all the living quarters for the sailors and pretty much every other knook and cranny he could fit us all into. Ship building has come on some what since those days - for starters if your over 5ft 5 then you were doubled over trying to get through doors, down stairs. On the upper decks we were shown the exact place where Nelson was shot in the shoulder which turned out to be a fatal injury. Considering the distance away of the enemy's ship, the conditions and where Nelson was located to say it was a lucky shot to hit is an understatment. We were than taken down in to the lower decks and shown where he was operated on and then where he died. They also have the same barrel that after he had died they but him in and pickled him in Port to preserve his body so he could have a proper buriel on land instead of just being thrown over board like all the other sailors would have been.

Towards the end of the tour around Ark Royal a number of us were used as demonstrators for a fire control. This involved 5 of us with fire hoses pretending to fight a fire which in effect meant the 5 of us looked like complete berks and entering what can only be described as the first stages of hypothermia having made sure each and every one of us was soaked to the skin. The evening involved dinner in the officers mess, or ward room if you’re in the Navy, on board Ark Royal then a few beers in Pompey.

Wednesday morning back to camp first thing in the morning for 3 days of gym in the morning and then gym in the afternoon. But luckily Lucknow being what it is it meant I got most of the weekend off! Friday eve straight up to London for what can only be described as one of the worst comedy shows I have ever been to. Sunday was early doors back to RMAS for Colours to chapel. Before heading into chapel we had an inspection from the platoon commander in our No.1’s. t turns out there was still a substantial amount of dirt marks on the back of my trousers from last term resulting in me picking up a show parade. Brilliant.