Zidane y va maniacer

Well, I'm not in Australia quite yet but this time next month I will be feeling like death following 24 hours onboard an aluminium tube breathing recycled air and drip fed stomach cramp inducing airline food. Can't wait! To wile away the time before then I have been to visit the family down in the southwest of England. On Sunday we braved the crossing of the Tamar and followed numerous caravans and old cars to Bedruthan Steps on the north coast of Cornwall. It's one of the most fantastic places ever, dramatic Cornwall at its best and so clean and pure that you forget you're actually in the same country as London. It's great to get one last taste of beloved Cornwall before I go away.

It was also the World Cup Final of course this weekend. It was at Bedruthan where I was admiring mysterious football related writings in the sand. Amongst them was "Zidane y va marquer". I'm not too hot on my French but I guess it means something like "Zidane is going to go a bit loopy". I also briefly spotted "Allez les bleus" just before the tide came in and washed it away. As I was stood right next to this, the tide also tried to wash me away. For one moment this was just a little scary but I escaped with some sodden shoes and tide marks on the bottom of my trousers.

Well, as you know, France got a dodgy penalty, Italy hardly played for the last hour, Zidane did go a bit loopy and for once the Azzuri did well in a penalty shoot out. Looking back at all of those penalties (even that of Trezeguet), it makes you realise how lame the England penalties were a few weeks back. France decided to substitute all my fantasy world cup players (am I the only one who feels Henry may have wimped out so he didn't have to take a penalty??) and Zidane lost me points for going mental. It wasn't a great night, whilst I didn't really mind who won, as you can see there were several French supporters in the house...

Sacre bleu!