Punting a punt isn't easy at all!  On the river Cam, punts are out everywhere in this summer.  As a Cambridge student, it would be such a good feeling to be able to punt a punt on the Cam.

 

To punt, a stick is struck to the river bed and used to push the punt forward.  In theory, to turn left, strike the stick to the left so that your feet will push the rare part of a punt to the right and subsequently turn left.  In practice, it is very difficult.  It is because the resistance of water is huge when you try to lift up and re-strike your stick.  Therefore, it is more common to use the stick to steer the punt after each strike, and correct the direction of the punt.

 

Crashing is inevitable.  When two inexperienced punter heading towards each other, crashing is the general result.  The more you are afraid to hit, the more likely you would hit the other punt.

 

Another danger is the stick would be well possible to get stuck in the river bed.  When this happens, you have very little time to pull it out.  If you hesitate in the split second, you might probably fall in the river.  The depth of the river Cam varies very much.  It could be deeper than your height under some bridges, such as the Mathematical Bridge in Queen's College; it could also be as shallow as only a feet.

 

But it is great fun.  The first time I punted, I crached to the banks, other punts and bridge piers, i.e. everything possible to be crashed into.  The second attempt was exciting.  I was hit by a tree, and punting along a 'famous' zigzag route but with less crashing.  When I finally master it last night (yes, night punting after 10p.m.!), it was such a great fun!  Try it my friends!

Meeting the Prince of Wales is indeed very unexpected.  As you may already know, and in case you don't know or don't care, the Prince of Wales is Charles Philip Arthur George.  I think meeting him did change my view upon him.

 

Internationally, maybe to the Chinese to be more specific, he is most famouse for having an afair before Diana's death, having a handsome and popular son Prince William and the other naughty son Prince Harry.  Maybe less people know that he is the 21st person who holds the title of Prince of Wales in history, the first Prince of Wales who went to university after school instead of going straight to the army, the first Prince of Wales who was awarded a degree (2.2), the first English-born Prince to make a serious attempt to learn Welsh.

 

I met him very briefly under a completely unexpected circumstance.  I attended the Cambridge Overseas Trust's invitation to overseas scholars in Cambridge at Trinity College.  Prince Charles was a member of Trinity College, as well as a primary trustee of the Trust, and hence, he came to give a short speech of encouragement and congratulation.  I was not keen at all to meet this Heir to the Throne.  In my mind, he was just an unfaithful husband that live in an outside world and knows little about the poor and the hard-working people.

 

However, meeting Prince Charles did change my view somehow.  He is just a man that have all the basic needs that all the others have to fulfill.  He is much more close, humourous and friendly than I expected, and he was one of the person that strongly believes and encourages the scholarship should be also open to Chinese students.  Now there is a thought.  Although he is still living an outside world compared to mine, at least he is trying to be involved with us; He is trying to make a difference in the UK, though whether he succeeded in making one is another issue.

 

The Prince of Wales is closer to the society than I thought.  Maybe because after the death of Diana he had more public space and air to express his political, educational, and social views.  And my biggest hope is that, if next time he comes, please come with Prince William.