Yes, I'm a nerd - so shoot me

Ah, there's nothing quite like fulfilling a fantasy - which is what I accomplished today.

Whenever I mention to anyone that I want to see Wales, and Cardiff in particular, I tend to get the same question: why?

Why? I'll tell you why! It's because this is where the new series of Doctor Who is made, and I want to see the locations where it's filmed!



Let's head back a number of years to my childhood. Year four of Primary school. My family had just moved back to Newcastle after living in Tuncurry for a couple of years and I'd started at a new school. It's always a tough thing to do, but thankfully I met several friends who, I'm very proud to say, are still friends today. One of them in particular - and he knows who he is - is still one of my closest buddies today.

I can still remember it clearly: for some reason, our class had to spend the afternoon in one of the other classrooms. I dutifully filed in and sat down with the only two people I knew, Alex and Christian. After a bit of chit chat, Alex asked me if I liked Doctor Who. I can't remember what my answer was, but my honest answer looking back on it would have probably been that I'd never really seen it that much, but liked what I'd seen. My memory is shot to pieces these days, so I could be wrong.



I guess this was a sufficiently positive answer for my friends as one of the novelisations was quickly shoved under my nose and I got reading (which was what we were supposed to be doing in this double-sized class). I can even remember which book it was: Planet of the Daleks, one of Jon Pertwee's adventures. You see, it had a pretty big impact on me that I can still remember to this day.

You can probably guess the rest of the story: Drew likes book, watches more of the show, reads more books and is totally hooked - and also kicks off a lifetime love of science-fiction and horror. It's been this way pretty much ever since too; ever since, I have always had a soft spot for the Doctor and his adventures through time and space.



Closer to the present: a few years ago, while I was writing for the magazines, I co-authored an article for What DVD about the 40th Anniversary of Doctor Who - an article I still think is one of the best I've ever written. In it, I made a wild prediction: later that year (2003), there would be a big announcement made about the future of my favourite science-fiction series.

Guess what? I WAS BLOODY RIGHT!

Later that year it was announced that Doctor Who was finally making its return to TV, almost 15 years since its last appearance. Naturally I was over the moon - not just because I'd predicted it happening, but because... well, the Doctor was coming back!

I'll admit, I am a little biased, but I am absolutely thrilled with how the new series has turned out. As a fan, I've always had to put up with the smart-arse comments about the dodgy effects, the wobbly sets and the tacky acting - but I never really let it get to me simply because I absolutely love the premise and the stories which, in the end, is really what it's all about. This time around, however, the show has been blessed with it all: visuals, effects, actors and stories. It's a perfect blend and I'm proud to announce to the world that I'm a Doctor Who fan.

Cut to the present: after accepting the offer to come to the UK, it quickly dawned on me that I'd be able to spend a bit of my time location spotting. You see, the new series (and its less than stellar spin-off, Torchwood) is now filmed almost entirely in Wales - a lot of it in Cardiff, the capital city - so I thought it might be a good excuse to come over to this side of the country and have a look around.

Which is exactly what I did today!

I arrived in Cardiff last night at around 10pm - completely pooped and extremely hungry. I'm staying in a hostel just over the river from the Millennium Stadium, which has been used as a set a few times during the filming of the first two series. After a few drinks, some food and a big sleep, I woke up ready to visit some of the sights I've seen on the small screen.

Imagine my disappointment walking around Cardiff city and not seeing anything. I hate to break it to anyone, but Cardiff is not the most exciting place I've been to. It's remarkably small for a capital city (it's roughly the same size as Newcastle, if not smaller) and there's not much around to look at. I chanced across a shopping centre that was used in one episode, but I was quickly becoming quite disenchanted with this leg of my journey.



After buying a new pair of pants to replace my mud-stained ones, I thought I'd take a trip to Cardiff Bay to see if there was anything there worth seeing. The girl at the hostel warned me there wasn't really a lot to see there, so I was braced for the worst.

On the contrary - it was the motherlode!

It turns out that most of Doctor Who (and Torchwood in particular) is filmed in Cardiff Bay, not the city itself!

Hopping off the bus, I was greeted immediately with the astonishing Millennium Centre and, more importantly, the entrance to the Cardiff branch of the Torchwood Institute! It's a good thing my camera is digital, I would've wasted a hell of a lot of film just on this one monument alone.



Wandering around the area was a Who fan's delight: I walked along the pier where Mickey and Rose talked about getting a room for the night; I walked down the very same flight of stairs that the Doctor hurriedly escorted his captive female Slitheen down; I saw the restaurant they ate at; over the bay I could see the area where Elton had once again discovered the TARDIS; not only did I see the main entrance to the Torchwood Institute, but I also walked past (at first, not realising what it was!) the "fake" entrance - there are so many areas around that have been used on both shows it's crazy.



After marvelling at it all for a while, I wandered up to the visitor centre and picked up a Doctor Who location guide (the Welsh seem justifiably proud of their association) as well as information on a museum exhibit showcasing some of the props and monsters from the show. You can guess what I spent the next couple of hours doing.



I'm sure there are plenty of people reading this thinking I'm nuts, that I should be out seeing the "real" sights of Wales rather than wasting my time on immature and childish pursuits. To you, I say: you're wrong.

I had so much fun today, it has truly been one of the most exciting days for me for this entire holiday and I am extremely glad that I did it. The last year or so has been quite difficult for me, so taking the time out today to forget all about my worries and, instead, reverting back into that bewildered little kid I used to be has made a tremendous impact on me.