Wednesday 31 August 2016

I went back to Gist had a chat with many of my ex workmates


and went for a wee drinky . There are some moments you know will stay with you and you cannot express why in words -so here are pictures

not ready

ready .


I had a great time and a real laugh as they say. I met my replacement,  better looking by far . I hope she enjoys the job as much as I did.





goodbyeee ...

Auf Wiedersehen


All the people particularly concerned I should leave

Penultimate

Penultimate day before pee wees big adventure . Tomorrow we are off. Tomorrow we will be heading for Singapore , but first I still have money to get for the taxi and am waiting for a lock for the suitcase to be delivered. Its a cable lock because the already expensive TSA lock we bought doesn't fit very well ...

Update and some travel tips . Padlocks , sue bought a TSA combination lock in Boots. The clasp is so short and thick it is difficult to use . It needs the loop bit to be 3 times the length it is and thinner because lets face it its if they want to get into your case they wont attack the padlock .

I bought TSA locks in Wilkinsons £5 for 2 key operated thinner ones, longer shank and does the job.

Because I am using a sort of sports bag I needed a chain or cable and padlock. Blacks normally incredibly expensive do a couple of padlocks for a tenner (ea) which have a cable hasp (adjustable up to 9cm) Only thing is they had none in stock so I had to pay £4.99 for next day delivery.

The lady said they will keep you updated on your order and tell you when its being delivered so I gave my E mail address and phone number .
Nobody contacted me from the delivery company and I found it in the letterbox.

I got a leaflet thanking me for signing up to Blacks web or something and promising to keep me updated . Now I have to cancel it because it will clutter my inbox with offers I don't want and updates I am not interested in.

Re luggage I think a really long trip is easier than a short one for the what to take dilemma. Basically you will never be able to take all you need so don't worry.

We have taken clothes to cover when its hot , when its cold and when its wet. they will be worn in combo depending on the weather. Also not a fan of the great outdoors but when you do a thing like this the lightweight foldaway stuff campers buy is ideal. There I have said it and will never be allowed to forget I said it

I got a craghopper padded jacket that folds up remarkably small. It was in a sale and half price £30 , .2 pairs of shorts previously on sale for £80 for £20 so another tip, shop at end of season.


Sunday 28 August 2016

There is a cat in these pictures

there is a cat in this picture. More obviously than the other picture but Palmeral Park has many wild cats. This one was jet black and beautiful. It was like watching a Panther it emerged from the bushes and then leaped from rock to rock as it crossed the stream (a nod to Ghostbusters that ) (Not the new one which I have not seen but the original and best one)



The Left Hand Cap Club


A species of beach dweller found early in the morning walking the beach with their headgear worn to the left. There is a second wimp (common name fir the species) that starts at the other end of the beach and wears their headgear on the right each group is able to morph into the other group . this behaviour appears to be orientation related because In a finely choreographed ballet each group on reaching the end of their beat reverses hats and returns to their roost




Espana

















Rolf

we were clearing out in Spain and found this . What can you say . When you look at all the revelations who can you trust? Even the people who didn't do anything seemed to cover up for the ones that did , the establishment more and more should be ashamed of its self but given the people in it they wont - its always a case od do what I say not what I do..

Backpacking

I don't have a particularly relevant picture or even a picture. Just to say I had an idea as we were backpacking to get a backpack. Sadly I think I am to be disappointed . They are incredibly expensive. Over priced would seem more appropriate . They are also strangely inappropriate as they have given the size of backpacks surprisingly little space inside. They are like the Tardis in reverse being bigger on the outside than on the inside . I took down huge great things only to find little space inside. I had a framed rucksack in the scouts it was exactly what it said. A canvas bag with pockets and loads of room. These things had so much webbing , padding , strapping and netting there was no space for content . Utility and usability has been sacrificed to design . I cant believe any serious camper would buy or use the rucksacks I saw they just couldn't.
What I want and need is a framed canvas sack with pockets to maximise space , how hard can it be ?  Bring back the Army and Navy store and the practical camping store. Things must and should progress but nowadays I find so many things change for change sake and when you got it right 90 years ago what do you do ?
For decades I had my old scout framed rucksack. I left it in tge garage and it gort wet and rotted so I threw it away , oh what a waste

More on Gin

In a previous post I said G&T was big in Spain and promised to investigate . I carried out extensive research'
I rather like this bar it is the sort of bar Hemingingway used to drink in. I don't think he drank in this one and given that there are very few bars he didn't drink in one is forced to wonder what was wrong with this bar ? Anyway est 1927 , truly Spanish so surely if the G&T stories are true here is a bar t confirm it.
well no. No exotic ingredients , no Tom cruise in Cocktail but then I am the person who could not find the Eiffel Tower so don't believe me. On the plus side it was one hell of a G&T and no wimpy measures she just poured it in


However this was in the supermercado so plainly the reports are not all wrong.




They also had these. The conversation was - (Me) what's that in those bottles ? Silence from my wife . It looks like ... 
(Mrs H) Yes it is now shut up.
But its !
I know.
They are different sizes and lengths  its not just -
WILL YOU BE QUITE.
But - I am just saying - it is isn't it ? Its ...  
Shut up now or I am leaving
So heres some pics you decide
I also had Tapas , the proper stuff with sliced jamon



Wednesday 24 August 2016

A walk in the park


This park is just outside of Alicante proper it is called El Palmeral But then aren't they all



Its Cleverley done so paths meander around it and give he impression of more area than there actually is. streams, waterfalls, pools and fountains are at every turn. There appears to be a wildcat population. Domestic moggies run wild and we saw several cats . One a beautiful  black creature , so black he looked more like a cat shaped hole emerged from the undergrowth and leaped from rock to rock across one of the artificial rapids it was like watching Bagheeera







Above - The park was full of cats one of there above can you m is in the picture above can you see it?
I have left the above to show the crap technology is I wrote
The park was full of cats one of them is in this picture, can you see it ? What it says is the result of the technology deciding to help me.

You can walk behind this waterfall , Jurassic Park style


as I said streams meander through the park, become rapids in places and are crossed by wooden bridges it is all very beautiful and peaceful because you always seem to be alone . The twists and turns keep it very private.