(unclear) so I resit that one in July (pause) so

ehm (pause) what's the course that you do then

a GNVQ General National Vocational Qualification

(interruption) right

diff different things on like (pause) business finance European business and so it's just not like A levels that's what you do

yeah how long is it until you start the work experience then

I I start (interruption) ehm

next week is it

yep sixth of June for six weeks go back into school for a week then I finish the course

that's the end of the year is it (interruption) (unclear)

(unclear) then try and find a job or go to the college or (pause) whatever

where are you going for your work experience

down the Midland Bank for the first three weeks back in the school and then for three weeks after that going to (pause) British Telecom

oh right

which should be good you don't do anything like that in A levels (interruption) (unclear) (unclear)

no I've d I've done the eh I did one week in the GCSE year

mm-hm

well we all did

yeah that's right

I did eh (pause) can't remember oh I went to the (laughter) went to a glue factory that's right very interesting that was

yeah

well what did you do then

I went down to Natwest Bank doing all the clerical jobs making tea (laughter)

I remember we had a (pause) we had a fire alarm in that week and then the first day I was there someone (pause) burnt the floor off on one of the

(laughter)

warehouses or whatever (unclear) (unclear)

so how did you get the idea of going to a glue factory

wouldn't we all well eh (pause) I didn't have any ideas of where to go I don't think so I just asked my tutor if he had any places left on it Mr (NAME) left on the (pause) course and (pause) he looked at the list and that and says there was that and a hair salon on it so

and that's it (laughter)

yeah I made a quick choice

aye

and that was that

that's what I did actually (interruption) (unclear) choose to go to Natwest (interruption)

(interruption) yeah (interruption) uh-huh

just got the list

yeah (pause) how long is it till Mr (NAME) retires then

oh I don't know I thought it was this week

ah is it is it

(unclear) well it'll be the end of next term then yeah

yeah eh

thank God (laughter)

oh (unclear) eh (pause) don't say anything bad about Mr (NAME) then

oh right

(unclear) our friend (interruption) yes (laughter)

(unclear) (laughter)

I was just hoping you (unclear) say (unclear) as soon as possible (unclear)

(laughter)

ehm (pause) (laughter) so what are you doing this week then anything (unclear)

eh nothing I'll probably just go for a few more driving lessons

mm

do the (unclear) drive up to (unclear)

I saw you for the first time actually

when

driving past here last week sometime was it at the weekend or something

aye I don't know

I keep looking out to see if I can see you going past

aye eeh you should stay off the road mind when (unclear)

(laughter) I have

eeh (laughter)

are you just learning with your (pause) with your mam or dad is it you're not having

I'm learning with both mostly my mam I'm not having driving lessons

not having any

just go straight to the test

when is that have you a have you got a date yet

no (unclear) but I can get a cancellation any time that I want (pause) well if there is one spare that is

so why don't you learn

I thought (laughter) ehm (pause) oh I don't know I think I'll learn in the summer holidays when I've got all these exams out and everything (interruption) out of the way

mm so will you go for lessons or will your mam and like your dad drive you

(laughter) I think I'd rather go for lessons (laughter) (unclear) you know instead of testing in that thing

(laughter)

estate it's a bit clumsy to have on the first (pause) few weeks and that isn't it

so you're not doing any more sports this week or

don't think so (pause) used to go to (pause) cricket with (NAME) obviously

yes

but eh (pause) given that up now I think for this year well until the exams are over anyway

yeah

maybe go again in the summer holidays so I don't know whether is he going to go or not

no he's asked me to take over his place in it now

has he

yeah he's not interested in (unclear) so he's got his girlfriend and that (interruption) now you see

oh right I might eh (pause) I might go up to the (pause) club you know

mm

just with the MRU sometime and practise on the indoor nets eh the (pause) all weather nets sometimes

I was thinking about going to the tennis club that they've got there as well

mm-hm

it looks quite good (unclear)

eh thingie's a (pause) chairman there you know Mr (NAME) used to go to the (pause) teacher at the Chapel Park (interruption) (unclear)

oh I remember that

mm

the big man

mm-hm

(laughter)

(laughter) he's a (pause) chairman there so (pause) ehm (pause) just ignore that

aye

yeah (unclear)

the ringing (laughter)

yeah

ehm (pause) so you're not doing any more sports this weekend then

no

(interruption) you're not

don't think so (interruption) just

I I'll be going off for a game of tennis something like that

just watched the grand prix at the weekend do you watch that

no I was away camping who won

Damon Hill

Damon Hill

(unclear)

oh yes that's right I saw that in the newspaper

uh-huh yeah (laughter) eh (pause) (unclear) that quite a lot (pause) of it as you know

I would have watched it but when I went away camping there was nothing at all there so

uh-huh where did you go like

up to the Lake District

with

(interruption) Keswick

with

oh (NAME) and all his friends all the big lads (laughter)

(laughter)

(unclear)

the hard men

(laughter) and that was it

uh-huh

yeah nothing to do there at night times like just (pause) go into Keswick because we were about three and a half mile away and lived on a farm like Ashness (pause) we just went down (pause) four pubs we got turned away from because there was too many of us

(laughter)

all rowdiness in there

pubs

(unclear)

(laughter) I can't believe that

(laughter) I don't know why

talking about the grand prix remember that (pause) time we went to the RAC rally

oh (interruption) aye

down at Civic Centre (interruption) (unclear)

Civic Centre

yeah saw them all driving yeah

yeah with their lights on blinding we when they drove by (laughter)

there was that that eh that woman remember her she went the fastest for (unclear)

oh yes Louise wasn't it

Louise Aitken

aye

Jones or somebody like that wasn't it

aye (interruption) (unclear) lights flashing

then he then he knocked somebody over

(laughter) aye they were all throwing their helmets out of the car weren't they (unclear)

that's coming back up here this year you know that

is it

at Kielder forest I thought I might go up (interruption) sometime

aye go up (interruption) there

in the night time

what date's that summer holidays

no it's eh (pause) it's normally snowing (unclear) in the forest

oh yes

must be about November I think

it should be good that

(unclear)

I'd like to go and see that one

oh (unclear) be (unclear)

that's what I've always wanted to do but school's been in the way of it

mm-hm (pause) I'd quite like to have a go at something like that

mm-hm it'd be good

in fact (interruption) (unclear) this year (unclear)

(unclear) (laughter) (pause) it'd be a good experience (unclear)

yeah

(laughter) it's good that

drink my glass already

(laughter)

ehm right let's think (pause) (laughter) what about football do you watch the football at the minute or not

oh yeah I'm quite interested in it but now that there's no Newcastle on it's the end of the season

yeah

it's not that good

mm-hm

(unclear) it's all foreign countries playing (interruption) that's the thing

yeah (unclear)

I'm a bit into the gambling now on the horse racing

(laughter)

(unclear) today

you've got a horse on this afternoon

that's right

will you give us a hot tip on that (laughter)

uh-huh (laughter)

(laughter)

I says 'Cardinal Press' (unclear)

that's it

ten past two

uh-huh

(laughter)

so eh (pause) I'll watch the world there's loads of World Cup on this summer isn't there

yeah

on the telly but (pause) they've bought up every match or something (unclear) England and Scotland and everyone'll be there but

yes it's not going to (interruption) be worth watching though

(unclear)

it won't be the (interruption) same (unclear) England

no just (pause) Ireland isn't it

aye

yeah

(unclear) many people to cheer for

mm

anyway when you think about the teams like Greece and (unclear) (unclear) hammered

(unclear) (laughter)

yeah

that's not fair is it

no

no oh (pause) it's coming here isn't it sometime in the next in the European (pause) (interruption) Cup Championship ninety six (unclear)

oh the europ nineteen ninety six (unclear) to Manchester (pause) be good to (unclear) down there mind

well (interruption) there's some games in Newcastle now (interruption)

(interruption) (unclear) (unclear) (unclear) (interruption) is there

Saint James's Park yeah

which ones

I don't know

just like (pause) England would be playing there

well somebody'll be playing there yeah one of the groups has been (pause) centred up here so

that'd be good actually

yeah

I think (unclear)

eh (pause) now then (pause) (laughter) (pause) yeah that's right this GNVQ thing what do you (pause) thinking of doing after to follow on from that are you going to do the next stage or not

eh I'm not sure I'd prefer to get a job

uh-huh

because (unclear) like a lot of people are in two year courses now it's it should be like opening up all the job vacancies if not that I might consider YT training because then after two years they usually keep you on anyway

yeah

and then at least I can say I've (pause) got training (pause) like work experience there but if all comes (unclear) I'll probably go to college

mm and do the other you're not going to stay on at school and do it

no

no (pause) it's (pause) what about (NAME) and the rest (interruption) are they

oh they're all staying at (interruption) school

are they

yeah (NAME)'s mainly staying there because of the girlfriend (interruption) again

uh-huh yeah is she (pause) coming now is she you're going and she's coming

yeah I'm going (interruption) and she's coming

where's she been

ay

where's she been up till now

Westfields

(NAME) (NAME)'s

oh yeah (NAME)

yeah

mm she's been at Westfield high private school

(laughter) are they well off are they

oh well yes they are actually (laughter)

uh-huh

she's getting out of the sports car (pause) great

she's the same age as us is she

no she's a year younger her gran's they say it's her gran with the money you see and she's buying a sports car for her

her gran

her gran (pause) (laughter)

I don't know whether I'll go to university at the end of this (pause) A level thing or not

mm

ehm (pause) it seems if you do a course on something like English or Law what I'm doing

uh-huh

at A level you have to stay for about four years

that (interruption) that would be

I went to see one of those interviews you know like careers interviews (interruption) last week

oh yeah

Mr (NAME)

(laughter)

complete waste of time just get a print out on that computer that's all you get (interruption) like we used to get about two years ago

in careers right

saying if you can be a bricklayer (interruption) or a (unclear) or a racing driver or something (interruption)

(interruption) aye that's it (interruption) I got a painter and decorator for mine

did you

yeah I went 'great'

(interruption) (unclear)

which I quite understand because I said I liked all the outdoor (interruption) activities

yeah (laughter) (unclear) painting and decorating (interruption) outside

well never mind

so I don't know if I went to university may be a bit of a waste of time

yeah I'd prefer to get a job mind (unclear)

even if you go there's no guarantee you'd get a job when you come back so

if I got offered a job mind I'd take it straight away

mm-hm

because there's not much going

well it depends (laughter)

mm

relatively (unclear) toilet cleaner

well (laughter) (unclear) (pause) want to save up for a little car (pause) (unclear) get me from A to B (pause) that'd be good

some people that went to university that we know down there I'll not mention any names

(laughter)

but he went to university for about four years and he came back (pause) about eighteen months ago and he hasn't got a job at all yet and then his brother who's a year (pause) older than me he just stopped in the middle of his A level course and got a job on Midland Bank and he's getting assistant manager or something

uh-huh

now he's on about fifteen thousand a year so

yeah

I don't know whether it's worth it or not

no I wouldn't (interruption) say it was

maybe not

not to do that so anyway why why did you say you were giving up cricket too much work

well yeah I'll I'll do it I think in (pause) seven weeks is it end of this term

yep so you will be (interruption) going (unclear)

just get my exams out of the way probably I think yeah

it's just yous were good weren't you oh apart from that time yous collapsed

uh-huh (unclear) (interruption) (unclear) first ball ducked (unclear) (unclear)

yeah (unclear) (unclear) (laughter)

(laughter)

had to (unclear)

that was at (pause) county ground wasn't it at Northumberland

mm-hm

yes were you there

no I wasn't

you were at one of those games weren't you

eh I was at one

yeah

I don't know whether you won or (pause) did you

(laughter)

it was tight I know that

I can't remember probably not I would have remembered if we had

aye (laughter)

I would go to that (pause) international match you know at Jesmond that they have every year the England versus The Rest Of The World

mm-hm

I would go to that (interruption) quite good

are you interested in (unclear)

yeah

what (unclear)

even though The Rest Of The World always win

oh (laughter) anyway it might be a change (unclear)

(laughter) ehm (pause) (laughter)

what did you do over the bank holiday

oh nothing 'what did you do over the bank holiday' hold on a minute ehm (pause) very little I took the dog out to (pause) (laughter) we took the dog up on the walk on the forest there oh that's right the dog yes you've you've got a cat haven't you

mm-hm

(unclear) that's the end of that (laughter)

that's right (laughter) (pause) called Gaby

how many have you had you've had about three haven't you

oh we've had three but they've all got (pause) knocked down and killed in the same place (pause) you know

I (unclear) that yes (pause) how long have you had this one

two year now still classed as a little kitten she's tiny

was that the one that (pause) changed its (pause) gender half way (interruption) through (unclear)

no no that was Sophie no it wasn't ehm

I remember ringing up one day and saying

it oh no (interruption) that was Harry

Fred's Fred's Katie or something like that

(unclear) Harry Holly (interruption) became a Harry (interruption)

(interruption) that's right (interruption) uh-huh that's right

because we discovered something that's right (laughter)

how how long how old was it it was about

it was about (interruption) (unclear)

twenty five or something like that (laughter)

(laughter) I think it was about three year old when we discovered (pause) so (pause) Holly became a Harry (laughter)

you paid close attention to that cat (laughter)

(laughter) poor thing still you take your dog down the golf course do you

yeah

and nick all the (interruption) golf balls (laughter)

my golf ball finding machine yes (laughter) uh-huh

yeah until we lose them all up on the reservoir well you lose them all

well the (unclear) (laughter)

(laughter) three hits (laughter)

I haven't played golf for a long time actually I'll have to go to the (pause) golf course if we go up to Gosforth or something

John Jacobs

yeah (interruption) (unclear)

(unclear) actually driving range

mm-hm

I like going upstairs because then like when you hit the ball it goes further you see

makes you feel as if (interruption) it's gone further uh-huh (interruption)

(interruption) yeah (interruption) I'm a good player (laughter) (pause) pitch and putt (unclear)

ah

oh yeah that's right playing golf that's when we went with your dad and my brother wasn't it

mm-hm

was it it seems to me (interruption) that

two three two game wasn't it

yeah

with you (pause) and my dad wasn't it

mm-hm

yeah that's right

that's right

you won (pause) I think

by one stroke was this

yeah something like that

it was your dad doing all the work mind I was (pause) not very good (laughter) (pause) (unclear)

met my old piano teacher in the village you know a couple of weeks ago remember her

oh from (interruption) Chile isn't it

used to live along there

yeah yeah

South American maniac

(laughter)

I haven't done that for about (pause) six months now

why not

I get sick of the (pause) practising an hour every night or something she wanted me to do can not be doing that a waste of time

I must admit I can't I would couldn't be bothered to do that yeah I prefer to concentrate on like sports and

twelve quid a week in the end she used to charge

(unclear)

or was it ten it was too much anyway

yeah

and she moved through to Darras Hall or whatever it was so

she must have been making some money off it then

uh-huh

(laughter)

I think so she used to get about fifteen (pause) kids you know and one old man (pause) (laughter) I don't know whether if he learns the piano or not (laughter)

you said she was like a secluded woman wasn't she

mm-hm never came out

kept herself by herself

yeah all the curtains were drawn

mm it's like the grass was dead long on the outside no one lived there it looked like

she was a bit eh

strange

yes (laughter)

(laughter) to say the least

I know

anyway what do you reckon about Mansell's crash

well I well I've never been a big fan of him like but eh you have to feel sorry for him crashing all the people getting killed in the racing at the minute

yeah

it's a bit dodgy every time you watch it you're a bit nervous

mm

it's not that good really

(unclear) I'd be a bit frightened going round them corners hundred and fifty mile an hour then (interruption) somebody come right up your backside and (unclear)

they want them to reduce they want them to reduce all the speeds now so

aye

I don't know whether that might spoil it though

but does that count for the Indy Five Hundreds and all then

no I don't think so

well just the Formula One

it's boring that though that Indy just (interruption) going round in circles and that

yeah round and round and round yeah (pause) it's still like (pause) it's thrilling when you're in the car though

yeah

to go two hundred and two mile an hour around the thing very frightening that

it'd be quite good actually but (pause) I can just imagine the family if you went out and did that every weekend (laughter) all your (interruption) wife would have white hair (unclear)

(laughter) (unclear) (laughter)

couldn't do it

good insurance policy mind

mm-hm yeah

yeah (pause) (unclear)

so what kind of car would you get if are you going to get a car when you've (pause) if you took your test would you get a car straight away or what

ehm no I'd (interruption) probably just drive my mum's

could you afford it (laughter)

no I couldn't afford it no (laughter) I'd probably just drive my mum's car the Polo

the Polo yeah

it's a nice car it's quite nippy

it's just got the wrong engine in it (laughter)

yeah that's it (laughter)

(laughter) is that illegal is it (laughter)

no it's (interruption) not (unclear)

I don't know whether I don't know whether I would get a car or not

mm-hm

it would have to be a cheap one

(unclear) I we I was considering sharing with my two brothers

uh-huh

but then I saw it like (NAME) would have it all night (NAME) would drive it to school and from school (interruption) and stuff (unclear)

yeah

I wouldn't get my hands on it so

so is he going to learn then or what

who (NAME)

yeah

no

no (interruption) just (interruption)

(interruption) he hasn't bothered (interruption) no he hasn't bothered sending away his provisional he can't be bothered you see

oh I haven't done that I must admit I will though as soon as I get round to it

(laughter) as soon as it was my birthday I sent away for mine

(interruption) uh-huh

it only took a week to get it

November fifth

yeah (pause) bonfires

when did you start driving then (interruption) (unclear)

oh I didn't start until January

oh I was going to say (interruption) (unclear)

I think (pause) oh no it wasn't January it was it would have been coming up to March because the car was bumped

was it

hit the front of it (unclear) (interruption) icy weather

(unclear)

no (laughter)

(laughter)

(unclear) all the icy weather when (NAME) went down the hill next to college went bang into the back of a van his fault that we had to pay the seven hundred pound like the driver (interruption) (unclear)

(unclear) (unclear) in the ice shouldn't it along the (interruption) end of that street there it's quite (interruption) entertaining

(interruption) mm very (interruption) (unclear)

I sit here at the window (laughter) all hours of the night and (interruption) you see my face 'yeah there's another one' (laughter) it's like a ice like a like a pond a frozen (interruption) pond at the end of (unclear)

(interruption) (unclear) (interruption) yeah (unclear) yeah

(unclear) three hundred and sixty degree spins on it

it's like when we used to have the cottage in all the bad weather like we had about like three foot walls and all the snow used to cover all (interruption) the (unclear)

that was at (pause) Allenheads (interruption) Allendale

Allendale

yeah

Ninebanks where it was

(interruption) it was all right

it was nice place a nice place to get rid of like get away from it all

did you own it did you or did you rent it

mm well we owned it for about like for abou about three year and then we just gave it back to them

mm-hm

and they bought it back and we just rent it

mm

it wasn't worth it in the end because it was (pause) to and from and like we (interruption) couldn't get away much

so you went up there enough yeah

yeah

mm-hm

it was just like a second home but now we my mum wants to take it back up again that

bet it was good up there

it's mm it's nice and secluded apart from the odd farm around

yeah

it's good you can take your motorbikes your quads

uh-huh

go across fields

yeah

it's good

we know people up there (pause) up the up right at the top of the hills there right across the other side of Allenheads

aye

two fairly old people

mm you see some youngsters hit like backpacking along

mm-hm

they'd come in like and they would stay in your byre for a couple of days yeah

stay in your

your byre

byre oh yeah that's right

the barn

uh-huh

although the cows would be kept next (interruption) to your tractor (laughter)

yes (laughter)

it was good mind because you'd go across to the farm all day

mm-hm

just like go in the hay hay like (pause) barns but then like if we did that we'd have to help out muck out the byre you see

yeah

which wasn't very nice (laughter)

who was it that used to own that place like was it some (pause) relations or just friends (interruption) (unclear)

oh no just when we moved up there we saw them because we were looking for a dog

mm-hm

when we came over and like we just introduced ourselves then we're just (pause) good friends from then on have (unclear) friends

mm

(laughter) it was good it's good because like they lend you their quad you see when you go up and like you can go in their fields and one of the fields is where like the mines there were about four mines hit (pause) in the war

mines

mines the eh (pause) bombs

oh right I thought you meant like pits no uh-huh

oh there is (pause) mines at the top (interruption) small mines (interruption)

(interruption) yeah (interruption) (unclear)

but like where the bombs hit

uh-huh

like it's all like (pause) bumps and everything you're allowed to go in (unclear) and things like that it's good

too bad if there's one still there

mm yeah it's good to watch the lambing season actually

mm-hm

(unclear)

(unclear) it would be one of those places where you can do (pause) see them

mm-hm

there was some herd of deer or something like that I remember

mm

being born

that's right you (interruption) could see

(unclear)

you could see deers foxes when you used to go to the windows (interruption) (unclear) down the field

uh-huh yeah

it was nice

it was like when we went off on holiday in the Highlands

mm

beside the Cairngorms there we saw a massive (pause) deer and stuff in the forest outside the door

(interruption) mm-hm

it was quite good apart from the dog

(laughter)

chasing the rabbits all the time they never work out that they can't catch them

talking about wildlife when we went away camping this weekend you know we we were sitting around the bonfire anyway there was half the site was on the farmer's land but we had his permission it was only a little fire and like we were telling ghost stories

mm

yeah and then the night after that (pause) we eh went up walking on the fells with wor torches and that and like do you know when you see all the documentaries about the sheep and like the animal's dead but like been (interruption) ripped open and that

mm-hm yeah

there's three sheep exactly like that and we were wondering what was doing it all because it couldn't have been a fox (unclear)

all ripped up

mm-hm

(laughter)

they were they (unclear) their insides and stuff and like there was they were big sheep so it couldn't just have been one animal it was horrible that and then we went down to the lake and there was a dead sheep in there

was there not supposed to be some (pause) thing around (interruption) (unclear)

like a black (interruption) panther or something yeah

black (pause) puma or something around (interruption) (unclear) (unclear)

was it then we had the lads came (unclear) 'there it is' (interruption) yeah

(unclear)

(unclear) (unclear) so everyone was frightened that night

I don't know what it is

(laughter)

some kind of panther has it escaped from somewhere or is it supposed to be breeding around here or something

I don't know I think (interruption) it was supposed to be escaped or something

I don't know how it is (unclear)

maybe I (unclear)

maybe you nearly met it

aye that's it

(laughter)

there was a cave me and (NAME) went up to you know we were too frightened to go in anyway with seeing all the dead sheep so we just walked away

(laughter)

because we were collecting wood for the fire (pause) (interruption) it was a good weekend though

(unclear) some axe murderer you know you caught him or something and a thousand pound reward

well we got a fright because there was somebody shouting at us so we had to put the out the fire quickly because we didn't know who it was to get away and then he just says 'oh is Thomas there' after eh everything had been put out so we had to set it all back up

(laughter)

it took us ages to get it going again (pause) God sat there until about two o'clock in the morning just telling us ghost stories and things (pause) (unclear) then find wor way back down all the steep hills and that

sounds like my idea of hell

(laughter)

who was it all these people from (pause) (NAME)'s friends (unclear)

yeah (NAME)'s friends like (NAME)

oh yeah uh-huh

(NAME) didn't go he's too much of a poser he couldn't (unclear) in the wild

(laughter)

(laughter)

(unclear) but it was really packed out mind Keswick

was it

oh yeah like inside Keswick we couldn't get anywhere so we had to go to Ashness Farm

mm-hm

but it was nice right down the hill you saw all the owls and everything kestrels (pause) all the nights you could hear the owls hooting

mm-hm

it was good do it again definitely yeah

did you go into Keswick like

yeah we went into Keswick (pause) for wor breakfast English break mind you the prices were ridiculous really expensive and ehm (pause) we went into obviously for the pubs

mm-hm

(unclear)

oh (unclear) yes

I mean I wasn't drinking or anything (interruption) (unclear)

no no just watching

yeah

uh-huh

but it was (pause) it was good

uh-huh

bit over priced though

did you see that car showroom there's a car showroom at Keswick with all (pause) old cars Cars Of The Stars

oh Cars Of The Stars yeah we walked by it but we were all bankrupt on the day that we went on Monday

mm-hm

ay so like we went through and we couldn't afford it to get in because we thought it was going to be free so we just had to go by it was all like supposed to be James Bond cars (interruption) (unclear)

it was (unclear) they were driving round displaying when we went up

were they

yeah (pause) good

yeah we went through and like it was a big poster advertising it

mm-hm

(unclear) James's bo James Bond's car (unclear) side (interruption) and (unclear) (interruption)

(interruption) mm-hm (interruption) you get some things like (pause) Del Boy's car you know that

(interruption) (laughter)

three wheeler thing

aye the Robin Reliant

uh-huh (unclear) everyone

(laughter)

ehm (pause) excuse me

so are you going away on holiday this year

nope that was it we had the week up there (interruption) and Scotland in (interruption) April

(interruption) oh in Scotland (interruption) do you do skiing (interruption) there did you

no we went up the s ski lift thing you know but we didn't have any skis so (interruption) (unclear)

oh that was worth it then (unclear) (laughter)

(laughter) there's good views at the top (interruption) with

take your black bags and slide down

watch the (laughter) watch the people going underneath you know the chair lift with their legs dangling

yeah

quite (pause) good go up about (pause) a kilometre and a half like that

mm-hm

freezing cold and it's a bit scary but would have been better if we'd skied down but

yeah

(interruption) (unclear)

how did you get down then

we turned round and got back down in the chair

is that what (unclear)

mm goes up and round that (unclear)

what is it like two seater chairs (interruption) (unclear)

just two chairs going up with your (pause) legs dangling over the edge and then you just jump off at the top or you keep (laughter)

so it was covered in snow

mm

oh oh who was it that had got knocked over was it you when you went up skiing wasn't it and like the thing hit them and sent them down

in Italy

uh-huh

yeah (interruption) that was that was

(unclear)

what was that about five years ago (interruption) with the middle school

oh yeah in childhood (unclear)

yeah (pause) ehm (pause) eeh I can't remember what happened I hit my head off of a big block of (unclear) ice I don't (unclear)

mm

well it would have been a big block of ice but it was just snow yeah me and (NAME) went up (pause) I think on that trip (interruption) (unclear) yeah

yeah

uh-huh

you see I wanted to but I went to La Rochelle with the school instead

yeah

that was a good laugh mind

what was that like good was it

oh (interruption) yeah

with (pause) Miss (NAME)

Miss (NAME) Mr (NAME) and that

mm-hm that's right

it was certainly good oh but getting back to the skiing trip I heard a little rumour about someone in a cable car (laughter)

(laughter) yeah mm-hm well it was the first time I went up wasn't it the first (laughter)

(laughter)

the first day we went up I (pause) I thought that it'd be all right we'd just get up and put the skis in the little (pause) holder thing on the outside when we went up we were only about twenty metres above the (pause) the hill underneath (pause) and then it stopped and we were like stuck for about ten minutes and the wind was blowing all good from side to side (unclear) 'oh bloody hell that's our hard luck' we were all perfectly calm you know nobody minded the fact that I threw up (laughter)

(laughter)

that's eh (pause) (interruption) it was

and (NAME) was trying to jump out wasn't he

yeah

and (unclear) (interruption) over (unclear)

it was stuck it was actually wasn't meant to happen like that and we were stuck for about ten minutes every day we was up and it stops for about twenty seconds so that people can get on if they want to but this stopped for about ten minutes

(laughter)

happened to me the first day that we were there like (interruption) (unclear)

how long did you go for eight eight days was it

eight days uh-huh it was good skiing

yeah

awful holiday but good skiing (laughter)

(laughter)

it was awful awful hotel actually

so which teachers would have went with you then

there was two eh (pause) eh Mr (NAME)

mm-hm

and (pause) (NAME) was it (NAME) (interruption) (unclear)

oh Mrs (NAME)

I think it was a (pause) we met her (pause) this year didn't we when we went back there

uh-huh it was good

so where are you going this year then anywhere Spain

no (pause) I don't think we will be now I I think mam and dad want to go away for Christmas like try Christmas say in Tenerife or (interruption) Spain again

oh right uh-huh

I said that I wouldn't fancy going away for Christmas Day they're on about leaving on Boxing Day

(interruption) mm-hm

go out for a couple of weeks but my mam saw one in the (pause) news in the (pause) travel agents today for tomorrow leaving Tenerife for two weeks for ninety nine pound and that was ehm (pause) self catering and it was named apartments

mm

so that would have been good (unclear) she's trying to get my dad talked into it

(laughter)

you know just for them to go away (unclear) it was their anniversary yesterday (interruption) (unclear)

when's this for not at Christmas this summer you mean

yeah

or at Christmas

this summer

summer yeah

it's for tomorrow (unclear)

I wouldn't like to go away at Christmas some people do always go to a hotel for Christmas dinner and everything but

no I wouldn't

I'd rather have a (interruption) (unclear)

I like Christmas Day in the house

yeah

because they some family come up and (pause) celebrate with you

well (NAME)'s boss went to Australia for Christmas a couple of weeks ago his son lives out there and they're having (pause) turkey on the beach and everything (interruption) and ninety five degrees weird (unclear) (interruption)

(interruption) (unclear) (interruption) yeah I like the snow and the cold for Christmas

(unclear)

I couldn't stand being out in the sun

no

well I could stand it like but (laughter)

(laughter) I don't like sun that much I prefer snow

yeah I prefer snow at (interruption) Christmas time like

yeah

(unclear) (unclear)

mm-hm

I'm looking at this clock I'm like (pause) hoping that my horse has came in (interruption) (unclear) (laughter)

(unclear) (unclear) two forty was it or two ten

two ten

oh right yeah

so I'm hoping that like I'm fourteen pound richer now fifteen sorry (laughter)

(laughter) put the radio at three o'clock

(laughter)

before you go

I'll be praying when I get (interruption) (unclear)

mm-hm

my mam's watching that for me anyway on the telly if it's on

oh that's right mm-hm

(unclear) you should consider getting Sky actually you haven't got it have you

no (interruption) no

no it's good mind all the films you get and plus you like what is it Star Trek

mm-hm

yeah it's got all that on

yeah

have you seen the new series Babylon Five

well no I haven't i it's on Channel Four now isn't it

mm

it looks a bit of a copy so

yeah that's what (NAME) said as well

it's bad quality I watched the first part of the first one it was like space invaders

aye (interruption) that's right

the s the you know you get good graphics on

yeah

Star Trek and that but (pause) it's just like little beepy things (interruption) (unclear)

I must admit I'm not very much into Star Trek and that like

oh it's quite good

not the

not the old one

no

that's pathetic but the new (laughter) the new one's all right

is the new one with the man with the (pause) bald head is it mm mm Jean-Luc Picard (interruption) or something like that

uh-huh that's it

(laughter) you get (NAME) talking about him all day

yeah

and Doctor Who and

he was a (pause) Shakespeare actor or something

mm-hm

and mam went to see him before he went to (interruption) America

oh yeah

Patrick Stewart up here

mm (pause) so you went to see a musical or something did you with your mum last week or something

sorry

(interruption) (unclear)

no it was it's like a (pause) classical concert type of thing my (pause) mam's friend (NAME) she lives down there you know her you've seen her in the white car she goes round with (NAME) sometimes

I've seen (NAME) before

aye you she lives down at the bottom of Carl Street she's eh she comes here sometimes and she's in the (pause) Northumberland not the northum North of England choir or something

mm-hm

so she was taking part in this big concert for the first time so we all went and supported her and (pause) my mam had a coughing fit and

(laughter)

she went eh (pause) she went to Australia singing in this choir and she sang with Pavarotti in (pause) Sydney

oh that'd be good

master of choir I don't know how (laughter) for about three month paid

(interruption) paid (interruption)

(interruption) not bad is it (interruption) I know

(laughter) I want to be a choir (unclear) (laughter) (unclear) just we watched that Sister Act last night with that choir it was on Sky

Whoopi Goldberg

(interruption) Whoopi Goldberg (unclear)

I hate her

oh she's excellent I think

ugh (laughter)

great personality

(laughter)

it would be amazing to meet someone like that

yeah it would actually yes

it's good that

so amazing that I would avoid it like the (interruption) (unclear)

(laughter) I think she's a good actress

on about talking about Pavarotti on about that opera trip you didn't fancy going on that from school did you (interruption) on Friday

oh no

no

couldn't really spare the time because we had to get wor portfolios in by then

mm-hm

so

leaving at what was it leaving about nine and getting back at four in the same morning

four in the morning

oh I couldn't stand that

(interruption) (unclear)

and then a four hour opera in between

mind you it was not bad because you got it all for a pound all your travel and the tickets

that was what was it (pause) just for the sake of it it was Midland Bank sponsored

uh-huh

wasn't it yeah

what was the show called again ehm

I don't know I'd never (interruption) heard of the opera

it was a strange name wasn't it

eh it wasn't a well known one it was Jose Carreras wasn't it that was in it

you said the English teachers didn't know anything about it

the music teachers

music teachers

(laughter)

oh mm

yeah I don't know what it was

I haven't heard about that one mind either

I haven't heard about anybody that's come back either was (NAME) on it

yeah

oh he's back then to have another crack

(laughter)

at it or something is he

couldn't stand the like six hour bus down

no

and back

they had to sit on the floor when they got there as well

yeah

they took the seats out of the stalls (laughter) and made them sit on the floor (unclear) God awful

it would have been a good experience mind

yeah

to see the show

mm-hm

but again it's just the bus (interruption) (unclear)

if it had been staying overnight I might have gone but

yeah

(unclear)

would be good

like that Leeds trip we went to well I went to with my English class to see that play that was awful

was it

do you not remember that a couple of months back

I remember you going

leaving at six o'clock at night and coming back the same night got back about two o'clock

in the afternoon was it or a morning

(interruption) night

afternoon night

six o'clock at night we left to get back two o'clock two and a half hour show in between (unclear) screaming up and down to get back for the deadline oh

(unclear) and you came back to school the next morning didn't you

uh-huh

(interruption) (unclear)

I think I was the only one

yeah

said 'come back' and everybody else thought 'sod that' and I still went

(laughter)

oh what a mug

you should have tried to stay off (interruption) (unclear)

I know

I would have been flaked out (interruption) at two o'clock in the morning (interruption)

(interruption) mm-hm I was (interruption) I think the whole day was cancelled I just went home I can't remember

mm-hm

something like that

(unclear)

(unclear)

that's (unclear) your English teacher cancelled hers quite a lot didn't she

mm-hm that's right

Miss Vowels

yeah

what an appropriate name for English (laughter)

I think it's (NAME) actually I've been calling her Vowels for all year she hasn't said anything so

(laughter) (pause) so what lessons have you taken A level

(laughter) ehm (pause) English Literature ehm oh God I've forgotten French and History they're all going okay (pause) apart from History

(interruption) yeah

History's the worst

who do you get Miss (NAME) isn't it

uh-huh and (NAME) (pause) Mrs (NAME)

mm

I got what did I get in those last exams I got (pause) Cs in (pause) English and French and N in History

(laughter) (interruption) yeah but (unclear) that N (unclear)

I'm not sure what the N means but it doesn't sound very good

that N for (pause) history did you say

mm-hm

that would have been what mark in GCSE? that would have been something like a C wouldn't it

D or something like that

(unclear)

it's a big step up to A level

mm

but that I think N means none (pause) not (pause) not good (laughter)

(laughter)

non non classified or something it goes A B C D E (pause) N

yeah

it doesn't go right (interruption) (unclear)

it doesn't give you much

J K L it's not right that far down you know and then you get U under that is

(unclear)

rubbish (laughter)

(laughter)

unclassified

(laughter)

I don't know what the difference between non classified and unclassified is but one's obviously better than the other

if the teacher likes you you see (laughter)

yeah

(unclear) course I was considering taking next year was Law but when I (interruption) found out the school that Miss (NAME) took it at (interruption)

(interruption) Law (interruption) a GNVQ Law type of thing or a

yeah

oh right uh-huh probably be quite interesting

aye (pause) I don't know whether I could (pause) see it through though talking about Law every day

well I don't know

I'd prefer to take Travel

get well paid in Law

yeah

mm-hm Travel and (pause) Touring is it

(interruption) Tourism

sorry tourism yeah

or Travel and Management or whatever

what is that like do you get to travel or do you just learn about it (laughter)

you get to go abroad like after the course well during the course you get to go abroad for about a month I think it is (interruption) I'm not too sure

mm-hm

and then after the course (pause) I was reading about it and the person went to Connecticut in America to study there because (pause) she had a qualification

mam lived there for a year

(interruption) Connecticut

not Connecticut in America for a year it was eh (pause) Minneapolis or somewhere

mm-hm

or New York

I'm not sure whether I'd like to go to America now

not (interruption) now

not Florida (unclear)

no

(unclear)

find you're an English tourist and (pause) you'd gunned down

all right (laughter)

lovely

(laughter) give them my money and you think you're let off

mm

bye

(laughter) (pause) mm well (laughter)

what what does the GNVQ do what do you do with it altogether is it consistent

it just (pause) different lessons that you wouldn't be allowed to take (pause) like when you're younger just business finance (pause) because they don't think you can understand it you see (pause) at school so it's business finance European business customers and consumers

mm

it's different things like that it's good it's only a one year course that I'm doing this year though so (pause) (unclear)

what's it equivalent to a year one A level or something is it or (pause) one (interruption) AS or something (interruption)

(interruption) one (interruption) one AS I think

uh-huh

or two AS (pause) I don't know I'm not quite sure

it's probably more useful than what I'm doing actually because I never I don't know a thing about business and you know (interruption) (unclear)

that's that's the thing with GNVQ you get like a wide

mm-hm

thing like business and everything and European style

I get a wide (pause) how Napoleon's hairstyle went (interruption) and everything you know really useful stuff (interruption)

(interruption) (laughter) (interruption) yeah aye (pause) that's it

ehm (pause) we're starting to flag a bit now

mm-hm

(unclear) what do you think you'd like to see yourself doing in five years' time

retiring (laughter)

(laughter) aye no eh winning the pools

five years time well if I went to university I'd only just be getting out in about five years' time (pause) hopefully getting a job I'd like to do something Englishy kind of based publishing or something like that and then what will you do in five years time you'll probably be

(unclear)

(unclear)

mm

probably be (pause) head of a firm or something in five y you'd have been working for ages

aye I'd be I'd prefer to be working abroad

(interruption) mm-hm

somewhere like Spain and that I wouldn't mind whether it was like (pause) a respectable job

that's right Mrs (NAME) said that like we could do a (pause) we would be in line for doing a travelling French course

mm-hm

sometime after this if we didn't want to go to university straight away we could take a year out and (pause) do a French

mm-hm

year thing working somewhere in France that'd be quite interesting

it'd be (pause) good to see how people like work (interruption) abroad

mm-hm

if it's the same things like this

see if you can understand a word they're saying to you (laughter)

just agree with them (laughter)

(laughter) 'you're sacked' 'yeah it's all right'

I could work for my dad's company actually (interruption) I (unclear) I could

(interruption) mm-hm I (unclear) (unclear) (laughter)

(unclear) (laughter)

what has he got something like (unclear) has he got some link with Spain has he (unclear)

yeah he's got his own business

oh yeah

I was led to believe it's it a nightclub but it's not it's not a like architect business but like they design all the pubs that are over there

oh aye

it's called Twenty Twenty so that's (pause) quite good

is that what he more or less what he does there is it like (interruption) interior design and that mm (interruption)

(interruption) yeah (interruption) it's just if anyone wants any work done they give it to like the company that's there they fax it out whatever they want done and my dad decides whether it's worth doing or not

oh right

and then he gives the go ahead sends some plans down