Polo with the Parents

I took my parents to a polo match I was playing in today, to show them what it was like for me to play and share a bit of my favourite activity in the world with them.

Of course, it was a heck of a day for me to introduce them to polo (as my mother has said she has problems watching me engage in dangerous sports), as just a few minutes into the game, one of the guys on my team came flying off and damaged his shoulder so badly that he had to withdraw from the game.

We then pulled one of the guys who was umpiring the game into actually play for us, and then later on in the game HE came off too!! It was also a rather nasty fall, although he managed to keep it together enough to get back on and keep playing, although he didn't quite play quite as agressively after that.

I must say, the game was fast and agressive, so after a certain point I just focused on staying on! I was riding two pretty good ponies (neither as good as the fantastic Recoleta), but both were able to pour on some speed when I needed it, even if they didn't quite stop and turn so quickly, and took more effort to motivate (thank goodness I was carrying a big whip!)

I scored a goal early on in the game (woo-hoo!) but even that wasn't quite enough for us to pull it out after all of our disasters, and we eventually lost by just half a goal. Yet, at least because we'd been playing for the championship, we still got a nice runner-up prize.

At the post-game asado, I ended up talking to a really nice blonde guy who had played in the earlier match, who seemed to really enjoy my company and followed me everywhere I went, but after all that's been going on with the Texan and Last Year's Chap, I just couldn't handle the thought of taking on a third! So at the point where he invited me to join him by the fire, I told him that I needed to get back with my parents to London so we'd be ready to go to London tomorrow. Too bad though, as how many tall, blonde, good-looking-yet-nice-seeming polo players do you meet?

So finally it was back to London and time to pack for Paris. I got an unexpected treat later on in the evening when a good friend of mine from Oxford called, as he had been at a friend's birthday party just down the street from my place, and wanted to stop by to say "hi". He only stayed for about 20 minutes to chat and have a glass of water, but he totally charmed my parents and I was reminded again about how lucky I am to have such nice friends who want to stop in and see me at every opportunity. Lucky me, to have such great friends.