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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2018 22:22:58 GMT
Nice, nice day on the Southbank.
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Post by viserys on Feb 22, 2018 6:28:41 GMT
My day couldn't be better... arrived on the sunny Thai island of Phuket.
Nothing can describe that moment of bliss when you step out into the warmth and the sun after a dreary long cold European winter.
I'm a bit miffed at Eurowings though, the "low cost branch" of Lufthansa. Low cost my arse. I paid 700 Euro for my plane ticket which entitled me to two "meals" (hah) and taking a big suitcase along. No blanket and pillow and on-board entertainment would have been another 10 Euro. Sorry mates, you can pull your low cost stuff short-haul in Europe but for that kind of money I can fly carriers like Thai Airways or Emirates (or indeed classic Lufthansa) and get a lot more service on an 11 hr-flight.
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Post by kathryn on Feb 22, 2018 10:02:18 GMT
Feeling miserable. Paid a bloody fortune for this holiday and really not enjoying it now. Spent 11 hours on the bus today, after being on the bus all day yesterday. Paragliding, glacier trip, whale watching, green stone carving all cancelled. We’ve had to abandon Kaikōura and ended up in Nelson instead - not that we’re getting to see any of it, arrived at 8:30pm and we’re leaving at 8:30am tomorrow. Will be spending 2 and a half hours on the bus and then four hours on a ferry tomorrow. We’ve been told we’ll arrive at about 6:30pm but I bet it’ll be later again. I’ve had no time to go off on my own to explore.
Yes, I know, first world problens.
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Post by NeilVHughes on Feb 22, 2018 10:28:25 GMT
Holidays, the novelty of travel wore out from me when the whole point of the holiday became getting over the hassle of getting there.
All my escapism is now limited to the Theatre and ambling between Theatres in one of the greatest Cities in the world, still gives me a glow when I open the Train door at Blackfriars looking down towards Tower Bridge. (Having lived in London for only 3 year’s may be a contributory factor)
Yesterday was a case in point, made my way to the rarely visited Bush Theatre (a gem), tube to Marble Arch, an amble to Wyndham’s followed by a walk back to St Pancras experiencing London preparing for the next day.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2018 11:53:28 GMT
If former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle couldn't defend himself from his murderer, I don't see why the pro-gun lobby imagine it's reasonable to assert that newly-qualified Miss Taylor who cries at pet insurance ads and sees the good in every 5 year old in her charge would be perfectly capable of providing armed defence under deadly duress. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murders_of_Chris_Kyle_and_Chad_Littlefield
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Post by viserys on Feb 22, 2018 12:58:30 GMT
Feeling miserable. Paid a bloody fortune for this holiday and really not enjoying it now. Spent 11 hours on the bus today, after being on the bus all day yesterday. Paragliding, glacier trip, whale watching, green stone carving all cancelled. We’ve had to abandon Kaikōura and ended up in Nelson instead - not that we’re getting to see any of it, arrived at 8:30pm and we’re leaving at 8:30am tomorrow. Will be spending 2 and a half hours on the bus and then four hours on a ferry tomorrow. We’ve been told we’ll arrive at about 6:30pm but I bet it’ll be later again. I’ve had no time to go off on my own to explore. Yes, I know, first world problens. First world problems they may be, but it's not like the money for these trips dropped like manna from Heaven, we worked hard for it and so we can expect something back for it. Sorry to hear things aren't going well there. I've booked two day-trips for the weekend, one to explore the island of Phuket itself and one out to the marine park with the "James Bond rock" - let's hope things go well. Seeing all the warnings what to do in case of a tsunami and "tsunami evacuation routes" are a sober reminder of how quickly a holiday in paradise can turn into hell.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2018 13:35:15 GMT
Joking apart, anyone who has ever used a gun knows that it takes weeks of learning just to hit a static shooting gallery target with any accuracy. To hit a moving target, i.e. a person, is military-level basic training over months. To do so in a live and dangerous situation is military-level real combat only, which even a rookie soldier finds hard to cope with at first. I think the problem is that many guns-as-defence people have this mental image of their reaction in a shooting situation: one in which they confront the attacker, bravely deal a swift blow of lethal retribution with their mighty handgun of justice and then bask in months of TV appearances and congratulations from the president. The reality is that attackers don't stand on a conveniently raised platform in a shirt saying "villain", there are terrified people between the would-be hero and the target, and nobody will stay still and allow a clear shot. And that's assuming that the real target can be identified at all, considering that there's going to be one real gunman and a load of potential heroes also wandering around with drawn guns and a shoot-before-someone-shoots-me mindset.
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Post by lynette on Feb 22, 2018 17:21:25 GMT
I was there today too. Yes, a nice exhibition and the audio included in price of ticket. I’m glad I saw the Royal Academy Charles 1 exhibition a couple of weeks ago. This one at the Queen's kind of finishes it off. I particularly loved the four Holbeins, tucked away in the corner of the large room... Did you catch the recent BBC4 three parter on the history of the Royal Collection? Fascinating! It featured some of the stuff on show today, like the Exeter Salt. Must be available on iPlayer, I reckon. Yes, Andrew Graham Dixon, one of my fave art bods. Great programmes.
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Post by Tibidabo on Feb 22, 2018 17:51:11 GMT
If you're eating your dinner (or tea for fellow theatre-goers oop the road) best if you look away now.
Why oh why do I always end up working with people who insist on giving a running commentary as to the colour of the contents of the copious number of tissues used in one day?😷😷😷😷😷
And, while I'm at it, another of my colleagues regularly announces that if she disappears suddenly she's very sorry, but her husband has used up all the Imodium, again.
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Post by sophizoey on Feb 22, 2018 18:25:19 GMT
I have one thought for the day: Who needs wisdom teeth?
Mine have decided to now make an appearance and its painful. Im probably going to have to have them cut out as well because there is no room for them in my mouth, I've already had teeth out because of overcrowding.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2018 19:50:00 GMT
I've never had any trouble with my wisdom teeth. All the others, however, are total bastards.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2018 19:58:37 GMT
Wisdom teeth are an utter bastard. You have my sympathy.
I've had a very nice week at a temp job. After the unholy nightmare of the last one, I'm almost suspicious that people have been...nice to me? all week. And like made me cups of tea, and fed me. And generally not been horrible.
Actually I'm working with a lot of older ladies, and I think I might end up with a gang of adopted Nans/Aunties by the time I leave.
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Post by kathryn on Feb 23, 2018 0:17:26 GMT
Nothing better than working with a group of mature ladies - you can guarantee regular tea runs and a modicum of sense.
I’ve just had a lovely pot of leaf tea with my lunch, overlooking Picton harbour, and so am feeling much better today. We only had a 90 minute drive this morning before stopping for wine and chocolate tasting and then had a whole hour for lunch! And I’ve just spent 45 minutes of it on my own - bliss! The tour group are actually all very nice, but the best part of 3 days basically cooped up with them was seriously getting on my introverted nerves.
Hopefully we are past the weather disruption - it is gorgeously sunny today - and I can get my sandals out again. We’re getting the ferry across to the north island in a few minutes, so I have to go catch the boat now.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2018 8:37:39 GMT
I have one thought for the day: Who needs wisdom teeth? Mine have decided to now make an appearance and its painful. Im probably going to have to have them cut out as well because there is no room for them in my mouth, I've already had teeth out because of overcrowding. Mine are all gone - day trip to hospital, general anaesthetic and 3 days off work, not anywhere near as painful as I expected it to be! So much better afterwards!
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Post by Stasia on Feb 23, 2018 13:14:42 GMT
We currently have -23 in the nights (and at 6:50 in the mornings when I have to wait for the bus), and it will go futher down to -26 or so by Monday. I seriously feel like my eyeballs are freezing and falling out!
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Post by Tibidabo on Feb 23, 2018 17:49:08 GMT
I like a particular store in the UK enough to forgive the ridiculous, superfluous doubling of a consonant at the end of its name. I buy clothes, toiletries, handbags, homeware, foreign yummy foodstuffs and even eau de dogette for Waggy Tibs in there.
So, I bought a few things online the other day and at the last minute chucked in a rubber non-slip mat for the shower, as ours was looking a bit mouldy *ahem* grubby. It arrived and looked really smart. I popped it into the shower this morning, got in and......well, I honestly thought I was standing on a bed of nails! I had to keep completely still because every time I moved I was in total agony! Looking at the small print on the packaging I now notice it says 'massage mat' which, in retrospect, is probably badly translated from Chinese and should actually read 'torture mat!' Youch! Now where did I put those flip-flops?
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Post by Tibidabo on Feb 23, 2018 19:00:50 GMT
"John Lewiss" has always confused me, too. Pleased I'm not the only one. Ha! That's where I've gone for a quick replacement so I can click and collect at Waitrose tomorrow. (They've just introduced a £2 charge for this which is a bit rubbish.)
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2018 19:22:37 GMT
"John Lewiss" has always confused me, too. Pleased I'm not the only one. Ha! That's where I've gone for a quick replacement so I can click and collect at Waitrose tomorrow. (They've just introduced a £2 charge for this which is a bit rubbish.) This is related/unrelated but I'm currently working opposite a Waitrose, which is going to be detrimental for buying lunchtime treats. But also I plan on fleecing them for as many "free" coffees for as little money spent as possible. Meanwhile my adopted Nan #1 today made me giggle by informing me another colleague will be 'wanting your life story, don't you listen to her' when of course, 3 days in Nan #1 already had my life story and then some (and me hers naturally).
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Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2018 16:29:24 GMT
Driving home this afternoon I passed a field with a huge mound of earth in one corner. The southwest side of the heap was entirely covered in sheep, presumably because the dark soil made it the warmest place in the field. I found it strangely amusing.
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Post by musicallady on Feb 24, 2018 18:46:50 GMT
Today has been spent on the sofa wrapped in my thick fleece trying to fight off this horrendous cold.
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Post by showgirl on Feb 25, 2018 12:23:53 GMT
I was thinking about the cold weather and the usual advice to keep an eye out for elderly neighbours when it struck me that apart from one other slightly older couple, OH and I are, so far as I know, the oldest residents in our close.
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Post by Tibidabo on Feb 25, 2018 16:05:28 GMT
I normally manage to cope when I get caught up on a tube train with half a country of football morons. I realise they are not interested in me and usually manage to ignore them. Not so today. I honestly thought I was about to have a stroke. They are SO intimidating with their beery breath, vile stinking coats, foul-mouthed chanting and jumping up and down so hard I honestly thought we were going to derail. Why can't someone put a marshall on the trains for us normal folk who are minding our own business? Better still, why can't they all just p%ss off?
I did get my own back slightly on one pair when they managed to somehow coherently ask if the train I was getting on went to Wembley and I may have lied......
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Post by tysilio2 on Feb 25, 2018 21:15:30 GMT
I washed my car! I really don't know what came over me.
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Post by TallPaul on Feb 26, 2018 13:26:01 GMT
New headphones est arrivé, and not a moment too soon. I appreciate the lower orders have to work for a living, but do they really have to make so much noise on the cobbles with their clogs, as they rush to and from t'mill?
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Post by kathryn on Feb 27, 2018 10:11:19 GMT
Well, today I did a very stupid thing. I got up at 4:15am to hike the Tongariro Crossing. Don’t ask me why - I have no idea, I wasn’t going to do it originally! It’s a 6-8 hour 19km hike up a mountain side, which really should have been enough to put me off, and then the guide rejigged everything so we could do it today as *the weather was too bad yesterday*, which should have been a red flag.
It rained for about 5 out of the 6 hours, we ended up absolutely soaked through and freezing, I fell over 3 times on the downward section following ‘the devil’s staircase’ (and yes, it is that bad), and the cloud was so thick that we didn’t see the glorious views that make the hike famous. It was miserable.
So now my legs, knees and bum all ache. And we have a full day again tomorrow with a 7:30 am start, including abseiling into a cave. Madness.
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