Sunday, April 30, 2006
Billy Cobham
Nic - one of the world's best drummers - check his web site and go to see him! Have fun but take your plugs
We are going Bus crazy
As we have a bus stop opposite the house, we have been taking full advantage of the new FREE RIDES for the over 60's and already we have been on the Tour bus which passes the house every half hour, doing a 40 minute circular tour fom Ryde to Ryde via Wooton and acrosss the Downs. Yesterday we did a shopping trip to Newport and it is lovely not to have to drive or pay parking fees. Cost of petrol is rising so we will be using the free bus more often.
Lovely to see the work being carried out Julian - will you be straight in July as my plans are changing from day to day and we may be able to bring June with us early (say on 20th or 21st July) before meeting the gang in Meze. Revised plans could be to get the TGV as far as Avignon and hire a car to come and see you. Wadja fink? I think Mum would be happier not to fly, but you never know.
Pompey gets out of the drop. Panic on the South Coast yesterday as Portsmouth or Birmingham were condemmed to lose Premier status. Pompey beat Wigan and B'ham lost so now Reading and Pompey will be in next year's Premier div. All gobbledegook to those of you with no decent football team. Good old Boro' hey? Trouble is I cannot even pronounce many of the names in our English football teams. At least the Rugby team are mainly English. Delaglio?
I heard Peter Grant on the redio, yesterday. What a lovely voice for a teenage Brit. I have even bought his CD I was so impressed. I can't think of the last time I bought a Pop CD. ? a successor to Matt Monro??
Can't sleep so I am down here blogging. 6 am and time for a cuppa.
Lovely to see the work being carried out Julian - will you be straight in July as my plans are changing from day to day and we may be able to bring June with us early (say on 20th or 21st July) before meeting the gang in Meze. Revised plans could be to get the TGV as far as Avignon and hire a car to come and see you. Wadja fink? I think Mum would be happier not to fly, but you never know.
Pompey gets out of the drop. Panic on the South Coast yesterday as Portsmouth or Birmingham were condemmed to lose Premier status. Pompey beat Wigan and B'ham lost so now Reading and Pompey will be in next year's Premier div. All gobbledegook to those of you with no decent football team. Good old Boro' hey? Trouble is I cannot even pronounce many of the names in our English football teams. At least the Rugby team are mainly English. Delaglio?
I heard Peter Grant on the redio, yesterday. What a lovely voice for a teenage Brit. I have even bought his CD I was so impressed. I can't think of the last time I bought a Pop CD. ? a successor to Matt Monro??
Can't sleep so I am down here blogging. 6 am and time for a cuppa.
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Billy Cobham comes to Singapore
Steve, reading the reviews on this jazz drummer, sounds like something that shouldn't be missed. He will be here in Singapre mid May, should I go?
Friday, April 28, 2006
Up tha 'boro!
"They say lightning never strikes twice but it has here tonight!" That's a quote from the ever-so excited commentator on BBC Radio Cleveland following Massimo Maccarone's last minute headed goal for Boro against Steaua Bucharest last night. In an amazing game, Boro came back from two down on the night (and three down on aggregate) to score four in a row and on to the final in two weeks (in Eindhoven, versus Sevilla). The lightning reference is because Boro were in exactly the same position against Basel in the quarter finals and fought back to win (with the bald eagle Maccarone also grabbing the winner with the last kick of the game). It's a funny old game!
All this excitement is serving as a nice warm-up for the World Cup, although we're in no rush, as we're still a bit hoarse after all the cheering and shouting last night!
Who needs Big Phil, we've got Stevie Mac!
Clive (in case you we're worried Gemma had morphed into John Motson!)
Thursday, April 27, 2006
the chantier continues
Julian is doing the electrics and plumbing and the paintings will just have to go on hold. God Forbid that he should have, at a later date, to break this very special membrane.....
So excited you are all going to be here and see it in July!
So excited you are all going to be here and see it in July!
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
splishy splashy?
A fiver for your thoughts! Who's this little cutie? Ruby brought her Mum and Dad to the Trout and was very brave when the peacocks kicked off with their mournful crying. The waitress warned us about being 'blessed' as the naughty foul like to perch over the door to the bar and deposit sh one T on unwary patrons!
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Windy weekend!
Lovely sunshine in Altea...
but it was a bit windier up on the ridge!
(If you know what I mean).
Thanks Ruth - We reckon Yves has to be...
the dude in the white cotton/linen! What's the story about his past life as a dancer?
Monday, April 24, 2006
Home again . . .
We got home at about half-seven, and we're safe, boared, tired, frustrated and hungry, but safe non-the-less.
We made quite good timing, considering we: spent two hours in "West Quay", a HUGE shoping center; got confused as to where we were supposed to go in southampton; neerly took several wrong turnings between southampton and the M4; had to turn off the M4, into Mythur Tydful, and couldn't get back on; and got lost somewere in the Breakon Beakons, as we tried to explain to dad:
T: "Hello Dad"
D: "Hello Thomas, where are you?"
T: "Dunno, we're lost, somewere in the Breakon Beakons!"
D: "Right, so are you lost?"
T: ". . . YES! I just said that!"
D: "But your in the car . . ."
T: "YE"
D: "So where are you then?"
Ah-well.
Edmund
We made quite good timing, considering we: spent two hours in "West Quay", a HUGE shoping center; got confused as to where we were supposed to go in southampton; neerly took several wrong turnings between southampton and the M4; had to turn off the M4, into Mythur Tydful, and couldn't get back on; and got lost somewere in the Breakon Beakons, as we tried to explain to dad:
T: "Hello Dad"
D: "Hello Thomas, where are you?"
T: "Dunno, we're lost, somewere in the Breakon Beakons!"
D: "Right, so are you lost?"
T: ". . . YES! I just said that!"
D: "But your in the car . . ."
T: "YE"
D: "So where are you then?"
Ah-well.
Edmund
Back to Wales
After a lovely three days plus two days travelling, Cathy and family are returning home today. It was certainly nice to have them with us and we will miss them. Thanks to Steve too, for putting off his return to Oxford in order to give us all a lovely day at Totland. Saturday we all got sunburned as we were out in the sun all day in Ryde. Yesterday was a bit overcast but we didn't let that stop us from going to Puckpool.
May starts next week, which starts with the Mayday Bank holiday and is quickly followed by Edmund's 15th BIRTHDAY on the 2nd. Thomas has to wait until 4th August for his 13th birthday. Kate puts up with both boys, even at 10!! Supermum Cathy looked after us all beautifully. Bye now.
May starts next week, which starts with the Mayday Bank holiday and is quickly followed by Edmund's 15th BIRTHDAY on the 2nd. Thomas has to wait until 4th August for his 13th birthday. Kate puts up with both boys, even at 10!! Supermum Cathy looked after us all beautifully. Bye now.
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Not Peter, but Steve
Hi, Nic
Steve came to see us on Thursday 14th April and stayed with us until Cathy came with Edmund, Thomas and Kate on Thursday 21st May. We were able to enjoy a day out at Totland Bay (where some of shots were taken) on Friday before Steve caught a late ferry. Mum and I left them to call in at Yarmouth for a cuppa and they fooled about on Yarmouth Pier - hence the other photos. On Saturday, we went to Ryde with Cathy and the children and visited Flamingo Park, where there are all breeds of water fowl, including three massive pelicans, pink flamingos, penguins etc., as well as some meercats, beavers and wallabies. The sun was out all day and we got very scorched. Who would have thought about that in April. Today was cooler and we went to Puckpool Park to play Crazy golf and enjoyed the day. Sadly, they leave at 10.30am in the morning, but we all had a lovely time.
We, too, enjoyed your lovely photos, Pete, which reminded us of our trip up the Sierra Bernia. Have a good day - love fom Dad
Steve came to see us on Thursday 14th April and stayed with us until Cathy came with Edmund, Thomas and Kate on Thursday 21st May. We were able to enjoy a day out at Totland Bay (where some of shots were taken) on Friday before Steve caught a late ferry. Mum and I left them to call in at Yarmouth for a cuppa and they fooled about on Yarmouth Pier - hence the other photos. On Saturday, we went to Ryde with Cathy and the children and visited Flamingo Park, where there are all breeds of water fowl, including three massive pelicans, pink flamingos, penguins etc., as well as some meercats, beavers and wallabies. The sun was out all day and we got very scorched. Who would have thought about that in April. Today was cooler and we went to Puckpool Park to play Crazy golf and enjoyed the day. Sadly, they leave at 10.30am in the morning, but we all had a lovely time.
We, too, enjoyed your lovely photos, Pete, which reminded us of our trip up the Sierra Bernia. Have a good day - love fom Dad
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Today's buy found by accident in Waitrose.
label says...the apellation Cotes du Ventoux covers the vineyards on the southern flank of the Mountain and is made by french winemakers Celine Perrin & Delphine Bistac. Is Bedoin south of the mountain?Lovely photos Pete.
Fortalesa on the Sierra Bernia
The weather finally spliced with my available holiday time, so we managed to get up onto the Bernia above Altea Vella where Mum and Dad stayed at Sonata's house some months back. The cloud kept threatening but eventually the sun got the better of it and we enjoyed a good tramp to the old fort built by Filipe the Second back in the 17th Century to forewarm of maraunding Ottoman pirates. Nice views and what a great drive we had inching our way up the mountainside! Oh for a nice Honda CR-V or something, (the Citroen didn't appreciate the inclines)
Friday, April 21, 2006
Supposing ... Computers are deliberately wasting our time
by Charlie Brooker Friday April 21, 2006. Fantastic article from todays Guardian...
"According to Parkinson's Law, "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion" - ie if you give me a maximum of seven days to tidy the house, even though it should only take two hours, I'll stretch those two hours across the week, tidying in slow motion and taking plenty of coffee breaks, because hey, that's human nature.
This is what happens if you work from home: you get trapped within a fuzzy prison of your own construction. "Sorry, can't come out tonight. I'm supposed to be finishing this thing," you say, but then you stay in all evening, pottering about, channel surfing, standing in a corner repeatedly rubbing your head up and down the wall like a depressed polar bear; doing anything apart from "finishing this thing". And this cycle repeats for days on end, until finally the deadline lurches up, grabs you by the scruff of the neck, and forces you to knuckle down and complete it.
Like I say - human nature. Computers, of course, are far more efficient than humans. Nowhere is this more apparent than the field of time-wasting. You might blow a whole hour sitting on the loo reading a month-old Sunday supplement till your legs go numb, but that's nothing next to the swathes of your time your computer can piss down the drain.
I'm not talking about crashes, freezes, or hangs - but rather the endless stream of finickity little tasks a computer will set you without warning. The tiny hoops you have to jump through before it gives you what you want.
Install this driver. Now update it. Now update it again. Register to login to our website. Then validate your membership. Forgot your password? Click here. Now there. Fill out this form. And this one. And this one. Please wait while TimeJettison Pro examines your system. Download latest patch file. Please wait while patch file examines own navel. Remove cable. Insert cable. Gently tease USB port with cable. Yeah, that's it baby. That's the way. Now show us your bum or I'm deleting your inbox.
Maybe it's all deliberate. Maybe the computers are simply preparing us for the sort of life we can expect when they finally rise up and enslave us. They won't make us work in salt mines or use us as human batteries, no: they'll have us endlessly downloading and installing drivers for their own sick amusement.
My pet timewastin' hate is when two or more programs start fighting for your attention: when a bit of multimedia software repeatedly asks you if you want to make it the default player for all mp3 files or whatever, and you say "no", but nonetheless each time you start it, it asks you again and again, like a toddler in a supermarket pestering mum for chocolate, until eventually you give in and click "yes" - at which point another program sits up and says, "Hey! I thought I was your default player?" in a slightly wounded tone of voice, and embarks on a similar campaign of harassment, until you come to dread clicking on an mp3 file at all, or even going near your computer for that matter, for fear of being sucked back into the argument.
In any sane world, the people who wrote that software would be beheaded on live TV. In ours, they're trillionaires. I've said it before and I'll say it again: our world is bollocks."
*Totland Larks - What flavour ice cream you have?
signed Jealous of Oxford!
"According to Parkinson's Law, "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion" - ie if you give me a maximum of seven days to tidy the house, even though it should only take two hours, I'll stretch those two hours across the week, tidying in slow motion and taking plenty of coffee breaks, because hey, that's human nature.
This is what happens if you work from home: you get trapped within a fuzzy prison of your own construction. "Sorry, can't come out tonight. I'm supposed to be finishing this thing," you say, but then you stay in all evening, pottering about, channel surfing, standing in a corner repeatedly rubbing your head up and down the wall like a depressed polar bear; doing anything apart from "finishing this thing". And this cycle repeats for days on end, until finally the deadline lurches up, grabs you by the scruff of the neck, and forces you to knuckle down and complete it.
Like I say - human nature. Computers, of course, are far more efficient than humans. Nowhere is this more apparent than the field of time-wasting. You might blow a whole hour sitting on the loo reading a month-old Sunday supplement till your legs go numb, but that's nothing next to the swathes of your time your computer can piss down the drain.
I'm not talking about crashes, freezes, or hangs - but rather the endless stream of finickity little tasks a computer will set you without warning. The tiny hoops you have to jump through before it gives you what you want.
Install this driver. Now update it. Now update it again. Register to login to our website. Then validate your membership. Forgot your password? Click here. Now there. Fill out this form. And this one. And this one. Please wait while TimeJettison Pro examines your system. Download latest patch file. Please wait while patch file examines own navel. Remove cable. Insert cable. Gently tease USB port with cable. Yeah, that's it baby. That's the way. Now show us your bum or I'm deleting your inbox.
Maybe it's all deliberate. Maybe the computers are simply preparing us for the sort of life we can expect when they finally rise up and enslave us. They won't make us work in salt mines or use us as human batteries, no: they'll have us endlessly downloading and installing drivers for their own sick amusement.
My pet timewastin' hate is when two or more programs start fighting for your attention: when a bit of multimedia software repeatedly asks you if you want to make it the default player for all mp3 files or whatever, and you say "no", but nonetheless each time you start it, it asks you again and again, like a toddler in a supermarket pestering mum for chocolate, until eventually you give in and click "yes" - at which point another program sits up and says, "Hey! I thought I was your default player?" in a slightly wounded tone of voice, and embarks on a similar campaign of harassment, until you come to dread clicking on an mp3 file at all, or even going near your computer for that matter, for fear of being sucked back into the argument.
In any sane world, the people who wrote that software would be beheaded on live TV. In ours, they're trillionaires. I've said it before and I'll say it again: our world is bollocks."
*Totland Larks - What flavour ice cream you have?
signed Jealous of Oxford!
Totland Larks
One lick and it's LURVE!
Guess the Advert! We're on the pier at Yarmouth we are!!
Time and Tide wait for no man.
Some of us are fresh from the Hairdresser.. not the usual one.. very nice too!
it say All Beauty is of God
Two Minghella Toffee tubs with Flake and curly tube biscuit for
Kate and Thomas, Strawberry tub for Edmund and two teas please
Guess the Advert! We're on the pier at Yarmouth we are!!
Time and Tide wait for no man.
Some of us are fresh from the Hairdresser.. not the usual one.. very nice too!
it say All Beauty is of God
Two Minghella Toffee tubs with Flake and curly tube biscuit for
Kate and Thomas, Strawberry tub for Edmund and two teas please
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Fwd: Yahoo! Picks - April 16, 2006
Julian says ooer! Oooeerr Indeed
April 16, 2006
Postcard From Provence
Want to spend a year in Provence, but don't have the money or vacation time? Allow the paintings of Julian Merrow-Smith to take you on a virtual journey. Through his near-daily posting of small oil paintings, you can measure the march of the seasons and light through the Provençal countryside. Winter brings portraits and indoor still life, spring months overflow with fruit and flowering landscapes, and summer's sea views and bright skies lead to the fiery colors of fall. After gazing at only six months' work, the luscious stills of food or the enveloping landscapes may send you to the grocery store or the nearest airline ticket counter. And if you must capture a piece of Provence to brighten a dusty little corner at home, each new painting is for sale—if you're quick enough to battle his email fan club. (in Visual Arts)
train plane trane plain oh which is it?
Which is better for travelling to Europe I wondered,
so googling PLANE V TRAIN popped up this article from the Daily Mirror Mar 12 2006
"VIRGIN Trains have fired the first shots in a war against low-cost airlines, offering a free first-class ticket between London and Manchester in exchange for your old airline boarding pass.
Rail operators on key routes from London to other cities in the UK and the Continent are fighting back against the likes of easyJet and Ryanair wi th competitive fares.
Trains, they say, are also an altogether less stressful experience, offering city centre to city centre travel, no lengthy check-ins and security queues - and reduced fares for kids.
And as worries about global warming heighten, trains are a more environment-friendly way to travel than airlines.
But are they really able to compete against the low-cost airlines? To find out if the train really does take away the strain, Travel Editor GILL WILLIAMS tested six routes for price, times and hassle factor..."
LONDON TO BRUSSELS
PLANE: £118.70, 3hr 35min
THE PLANE: British Airways, leaving Heathrow 2.05pm on Mar 31, returning 3.15pm April 2.
FARE: £89.20 return plus £26 Heathrow Express and £3.50 on bus from Brussels airport. Total: £118.70
JOURNEY TIME: Heathrow Express 15min, check-in 90min, flight time 70min, plus 40min to collect luggage and get to city centre. Total: 3hr 35min.
UPSIDE: Frills, including newspapers and snacks. User-friendly website www.ba.com DOWNSIDE: Heathrow Express expensive.
BOOK: www.ba.com
TRAIN: £89, 2hr 50min
THE TRAIN: Eurostar leaves Waterloo at 3.40pm on Mar 31 and returns 3.56pm April 2.
FARE: £89.
JOURNEY TIME: Check-in 30min, journey 2hrs 20min. Total: 2hr 50min.
UPSIDE: Station in city centre, so you'll have time for Sunday lunch before you return home. DOWNSIDE: Slow online bookings. BOOK: www.eurostar.com
VERDICT: Train is much faster AND cheaper
LONDON TO LYON
PLANE: £224.95, 4hr 30min
THE PLANE: EasyJet from Stansted on Mar 31 at 6.25pm, returning April 2 9.35pm.
FARE: £189.70 return, plus £25 Express and £10.25 bus fare to Lyon centres. Total: £224.95
JOURNEY TIME: 60min train ride from Liverpool St to Stansted, 90min check-in, 60min flight, plus 60min to collect luggage and get to city centre. Total: 4hr 30min.
TRAIN: £154, 5hr 58min
THE TRAIN: Eurostar leaves Waterloo at 1.41 pm on Mar 31 and returns at 1.45pm on April 2.
FARE: £154.
JOURNEY TIME: Including check-ins, 5hr and 58min.
UPSIDE: Stress-free travel, no luggage restrictions and you can sip French wine watching the world go by. Change trains at Lille (although
UPSIDE: Frequent services, easy online booking.
DOWNSIDE: No frills, waiting at airports.
BOOK: www.easyjet.com
VERDICT: Train much cheaper but hour and a half longer
LONDON TO PARIS
PLANE: £230.90, 4hrs 15mins
THE PLANE: easyJet from Luton to Charles de Gaulle airport leaving at 2.25pm on March 31, returning April 3 at 5.05pm.
FARE: For one adult and one child the fares total £179.40 (no reduction for kids). Kings Cross to Luton train £32.90. Bus into city £18.60. Total: £230.90
JOURNEY TIME: 60min train to airport, 90min check-in, 60min flight, 45min bus to city centre. Total: 4hr 15min.
UPSIDE: Charles de Gaulle closer than Orly.
DOWNSIDE: Pricey, lots of messing about.
BOOK: easyjet.com
TRAIN: £177, 3hrs 10mins
THE TRAIN: Eurostar from Waterloo at 3.11 pm on March 31, returning at 3.19pm on April 2.
FARES: Adult £127 return, child £50 return. Total £177.
JOURNEY TIME: Including check-in, 3hr 10min.
UPSIDE: Fast and efficient way to travel, stress-free and good child fares make this the easiest way for families to travel from London to Paris.
DOWNSIDE: Avoid rush hours at Waterloo.
BOOK: www.eurostar.com
VERDICT: Take the train, it's easier, quicker and cheaper
BIRMINGHAM TO AMSTERDAM
PLANE: £275.03, 3hr 50min
THE PLANE: BMIBaby leaves Birmingham at 3.20pm on Mar 31, returning 6.20pm April 2.
FARE: £265.46 plus £5.30 train fare to airport and £4.27 train rides to and from Amsterdam. Total: £275.03
JOURNEY TIME: 15min from Birmingham New Street to airport, 90min check-in, 75min flight and 50min to collect luggage and get to city centre. Total: 3hr 20min.
UPSIDE: Fast.
DOWNSIDE: Pricey.
BOOK: bmibaby.com
TRAIN: £174.40, 9hr 8min
THE TRAIN: Combination of Virgin Trains to London, Tube to Waterloo then Eurostar to Brussels and Dutch rail train to centre of Amsterdam.
FARE: £174.40.
JOURNEY TIME: 9hr 8min.
UPSIDE: A fordable, no baggage restrictions and a pleasant way to travel for a longer holiday.
DOWNSIDE: Lots of changes - too much travelling for a weekend.
BOOK: 08705 186 186
VERDICT: Train is cheaper but much slower
GLASGOW TO LONDON
PLANE: £98.04, 4hr 30min
THE PLANE: Ryanair from Glasgow Prestwick to Stansted leaves at 5.40pm on March 31, returning at 4.05pm on April 2.
FARE: £67.64 plus £25 Stansted Express to London. Train to Prestwick £5.40. Total: £98.04
JOURNEY TIME: 45min to airport, 90min check-in, 75min flight, train to London 60min. Total: 4hr 30min.
UPSIDE: Good website, frequent flights.
DOWNSIDE: No frills, airports miles away from town and lengthy check-in.
BOOK: www.ryanair.com
TRAIN: £94.10, 5hr-plus
THE TRAIN: Virgin Trains Glasgow to London Euston, travelling out mid-afternoon March 31 and returning Sunday afternoon April 2.
FARE: None of the advertised one-way cheapies at £17.50 were available so had to go for a Saver ticket at £94.10 return.
JOURNEY TIME: 4hr 30min on Friday, but longer on Sunday due to engineering works.
UPSIDE: 14 audio channels and chargers for mobile phone. Upgrade to first class at weekends from £10 one-way.
DOWNSIDE: Engineering works at weekends.
BOOK: virgin.com/trains or 08457 222333.
VERDICT: Train is slightly cheaper but journey's longer
LONDON TO MANCHESTER
PLANE: £106.50, 3hr 5min
THE PLANE: BMI from Heathrow at 3.20pm on Mar 31, returning at 2.20pm on April 2.
FARE: £74, plus £26 Heathrow Express and £6.50 train fare to Manchester city centre. Total: £106.50.
JOURNEY TIME: Heathrow Express 15min from Paddington, 90min check-in, 65min flight time, train to Manchester Picadilly 15min.
Total: 3hr 5min.
UPSIDE: Some frills.
DOWNSIDE: Expensive.
BOOK: www.ebookers.com
TRAIN: £57.10, 2hr 15min
THE TRAIN: Virgin Trains Euston to Manchester Piccadilly, leaves 2.05pm on Mar 31, returning 2.11pm on April 2.
FARE: £57.10.
JOURNEY TIME: 2hr 15min on Friday (3hr on Sundays).
UPSIDE: Fast and cheap with plenty of choices of departures (two trains an hour). No restrictions on baggage.
DOWNSIDE: Lower fares at £12.50 each way sell out very quickly.
BOOK: virgin.com/trains or 08457 222333.
VERDICT: Train much cheaper and q uicker
so googling PLANE V TRAIN popped up this article from the Daily Mirror Mar 12 2006
"VIRGIN Trains have fired the first shots in a war against low-cost airlines, offering a free first-class ticket between London and Manchester in exchange for your old airline boarding pass.
Rail operators on key routes from London to other cities in the UK and the Continent are fighting back against the likes of easyJet and Ryanair wi th competitive fares.
Trains, they say, are also an altogether less stressful experience, offering city centre to city centre travel, no lengthy check-ins and security queues - and reduced fares for kids.
And as worries about global warming heighten, trains are a more environment-friendly way to travel than airlines.
But are they really able to compete against the low-cost airlines? To find out if the train really does take away the strain, Travel Editor GILL WILLIAMS tested six routes for price, times and hassle factor..."
LONDON TO BRUSSELS
PLANE: £118.70, 3hr 35min
THE PLANE: British Airways, leaving Heathrow 2.05pm on Mar 31, returning 3.15pm April 2.
FARE: £89.20 return plus £26 Heathrow Express and £3.50 on bus from Brussels airport. Total: £118.70
JOURNEY TIME: Heathrow Express 15min, check-in 90min, flight time 70min, plus 40min to collect luggage and get to city centre. Total: 3hr 35min.
UPSIDE: Frills, including newspapers and snacks. User-friendly website www.ba.com DOWNSIDE: Heathrow Express expensive.
BOOK: www.ba.com
TRAIN: £89, 2hr 50min
THE TRAIN: Eurostar leaves Waterloo at 3.40pm on Mar 31 and returns 3.56pm April 2.
FARE: £89.
JOURNEY TIME: Check-in 30min, journey 2hrs 20min. Total: 2hr 50min.
UPSIDE: Station in city centre, so you'll have time for Sunday lunch before you return home. DOWNSIDE: Slow online bookings. BOOK: www.eurostar.com
VERDICT: Train is much faster AND cheaper
LONDON TO LYON
PLANE: £224.95, 4hr 30min
THE PLANE: EasyJet from Stansted on Mar 31 at 6.25pm, returning April 2 9.35pm.
FARE: £189.70 return, plus £25 Express and £10.25 bus fare to Lyon centres. Total: £224.95
JOURNEY TIME: 60min train ride from Liverpool St to Stansted, 90min check-in, 60min flight, plus 60min to collect luggage and get to city centre. Total: 4hr 30min.
TRAIN: £154, 5hr 58min
THE TRAIN: Eurostar leaves Waterloo at 1.41 pm on Mar 31 and returns at 1.45pm on April 2.
FARE: £154.
JOURNEY TIME: Including check-ins, 5hr and 58min.
UPSIDE: Stress-free travel, no luggage restrictions and you can sip French wine watching the world go by. Change trains at Lille (although
UPSIDE: Frequent services, easy online booking.
DOWNSIDE: No frills, waiting at airports.
BOOK: www.easyjet.com
VERDICT: Train much cheaper but hour and a half longer
LONDON TO PARIS
PLANE: £230.90, 4hrs 15mins
THE PLANE: easyJet from Luton to Charles de Gaulle airport leaving at 2.25pm on March 31, returning April 3 at 5.05pm.
FARE: For one adult and one child the fares total £179.40 (no reduction for kids). Kings Cross to Luton train £32.90. Bus into city £18.60. Total: £230.90
JOURNEY TIME: 60min train to airport, 90min check-in, 60min flight, 45min bus to city centre. Total: 4hr 15min.
UPSIDE: Charles de Gaulle closer than Orly.
DOWNSIDE: Pricey, lots of messing about.
BOOK: easyjet.com
TRAIN: £177, 3hrs 10mins
THE TRAIN: Eurostar from Waterloo at 3.11 pm on March 31, returning at 3.19pm on April 2.
FARES: Adult £127 return, child £50 return. Total £177.
JOURNEY TIME: Including check-in, 3hr 10min.
UPSIDE: Fast and efficient way to travel, stress-free and good child fares make this the easiest way for families to travel from London to Paris.
DOWNSIDE: Avoid rush hours at Waterloo.
BOOK: www.eurostar.com
VERDICT: Take the train, it's easier, quicker and cheaper
BIRMINGHAM TO AMSTERDAM
PLANE: £275.03, 3hr 50min
THE PLANE: BMIBaby leaves Birmingham at 3.20pm on Mar 31, returning 6.20pm April 2.
FARE: £265.46 plus £5.30 train fare to airport and £4.27 train rides to and from Amsterdam. Total: £275.03
JOURNEY TIME: 15min from Birmingham New Street to airport, 90min check-in, 75min flight and 50min to collect luggage and get to city centre. Total: 3hr 20min.
UPSIDE: Fast.
DOWNSIDE: Pricey.
BOOK: bmibaby.com
TRAIN: £174.40, 9hr 8min
THE TRAIN: Combination of Virgin Trains to London, Tube to Waterloo then Eurostar to Brussels and Dutch rail train to centre of Amsterdam.
FARE: £174.40.
JOURNEY TIME: 9hr 8min.
UPSIDE: A fordable, no baggage restrictions and a pleasant way to travel for a longer holiday.
DOWNSIDE: Lots of changes - too much travelling for a weekend.
BOOK: 08705 186 186
VERDICT: Train is cheaper but much slower
GLASGOW TO LONDON
PLANE: £98.04, 4hr 30min
THE PLANE: Ryanair from Glasgow Prestwick to Stansted leaves at 5.40pm on March 31, returning at 4.05pm on April 2.
FARE: £67.64 plus £25 Stansted Express to London. Train to Prestwick £5.40. Total: £98.04
JOURNEY TIME: 45min to airport, 90min check-in, 75min flight, train to London 60min. Total: 4hr 30min.
UPSIDE: Good website, frequent flights.
DOWNSIDE: No frills, airports miles away from town and lengthy check-in.
BOOK: www.ryanair.com
TRAIN: £94.10, 5hr-plus
THE TRAIN: Virgin Trains Glasgow to London Euston, travelling out mid-afternoon March 31 and returning Sunday afternoon April 2.
FARE: None of the advertised one-way cheapies at £17.50 were available so had to go for a Saver ticket at £94.10 return.
JOURNEY TIME: 4hr 30min on Friday, but longer on Sunday due to engineering works.
UPSIDE: 14 audio channels and chargers for mobile phone. Upgrade to first class at weekends from £10 one-way.
DOWNSIDE: Engineering works at weekends.
BOOK: virgin.com/trains or 08457 222333.
VERDICT: Train is slightly cheaper but journey's longer
LONDON TO MANCHESTER
PLANE: £106.50, 3hr 5min
THE PLANE: BMI from Heathrow at 3.20pm on Mar 31, returning at 2.20pm on April 2.
FARE: £74, plus £26 Heathrow Express and £6.50 train fare to Manchester city centre. Total: £106.50.
JOURNEY TIME: Heathrow Express 15min from Paddington, 90min check-in, 65min flight time, train to Manchester Picadilly 15min.
Total: 3hr 5min.
UPSIDE: Some frills.
DOWNSIDE: Expensive.
BOOK: www.ebookers.com
TRAIN: £57.10, 2hr 15min
THE TRAIN: Virgin Trains Euston to Manchester Piccadilly, leaves 2.05pm on Mar 31, returning 2.11pm on April 2.
FARE: £57.10.
JOURNEY TIME: 2hr 15min on Friday (3hr on Sundays).
UPSIDE: Fast and cheap with plenty of choices of departures (two trains an hour). No restrictions on baggage.
DOWNSIDE: Lower fares at £12.50 each way sell out very quickly.
BOOK: virgin.com/trains or 08457 222333.
VERDICT: Train much cheaper and q uicker
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Here's one for you, only a Merrow could do this,
the one on the right is a Doc Martin, the other is not, that's our office carpet in the background, didn't actually notice until stepping out for lunch.
At least they are a left and a right shoe,
Like the pot ezappy,
Jen, if you're reading this, tomorrow when you tie my shoe laces for me, don't forget to check the shoes.
Monday, April 17, 2006
Frog it?
Was this a bargain for ezappy at £2?
We stopped off at a blowy car boot sale in Chale as most people were packing up, but the item grabbed my eye.
Airfields we've known
Imappy and ezappy had an interesting afternoon and evening yesterday talking about old Chinnor and old Haddenham. From familiar locations, we ended up loading Google Earth and checking out the family's current territory: Nic and Jen's Singapore, peter-poppet and Jan's Orapa & Alfaz del Pi and Julian and Ruth's Mont Ventoux all in glorious satellite detail like in the film Patriot Games! (well not quite.. the detail is patchy and confined to topological features, but in Trafalgar Square you get a bird's eye view of Nelson's hat!)
Blogger- "Wasn't that the film you were in with Harrison Ford Steve?"
Ezappy- "Funny you should ask me that but yes Harrison is in most of the films I've been in actually..."
Blogger- "hep hem..hmm nnnyes!"
Cathy Julian and Nic were all born over the road from what was RAF Thame.
Some of us in those days would dis-appear all day up to larks. We used to leap off the roof of said control tower onto a pile of rubberised straw bales and make camps in the air-raid shelters that Martin Green had not been in and 'marked'!
By the 60's all that was left of the MOD installation apart from a number of rat infested air-raid shelters and a ruin of a control tower was a pile of old aircraft wings tyres and radio parts that resembled Nash's Totes Meer!
One fabulous day in 1962 was marked by the arrival and landing of an actual aeroplane, a Handley-Page Herald!
Giclée - according to Wikipedia
Giclée is the use of the ink-jet printing process for making fine art large format digital images. The term — from the French verb gicler meaning "to squirt, to spray" ...
go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giclee for more.
go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giclee for more.
Happy Easter you all
Happy Easter you all. We are back at work today (Monday) but I hope you are all still enjoying your lovely long weekend even knowing how misearble we may be at work. (Mentioned work twice now so as to remind you all that at work, you might be working tomorrow, back to the palette knife and the grinding of ochre etc.)
We had a nice day yesterday looking for the Air Museum which we eventually found at the airport that Jen thought it may be at, but I didn't. So we drove around from airport to airport (we have about 4) until we found it. Heh! when the Brits left Singapore they took all their aeroplanes with them, buggers right!, can you image, an indepedent Country without a sniff of any air defence. Anyway, their mates at the Singapore Flying Club lent them a few old Censnars to get the airforce airborne and now we got FXXX somethings and choppers too.
Funnily enough the high light of the day for the children was not the full size aircraft with buttons locked away inside, but the interactive display of nothing very interesting with buttons that you can press till dawn.
Here, we suffer from internationlism, you know, birthdays are spent beating a small horse stuffed with sweets, and Easter is spent playing mahjong (something of a cross between bridge and dominoes) and hunting eggs, not eating chocolate. So I secreted small Cadbury's eggs around the house which the children found for me and I ate, good one eh!
We also played cricket but in the living room, Claire is very difficult to bowl out, and Daniel thinks it's very funny you can just put the bat on the daddies chalk mark on the floor and the ball just hits it instead of the wicket.
Anyway, back to drawing,
Love Nic & the Family
We had a nice day yesterday looking for the Air Museum which we eventually found at the airport that Jen thought it may be at, but I didn't. So we drove around from airport to airport (we have about 4) until we found it. Heh! when the Brits left Singapore they took all their aeroplanes with them, buggers right!, can you image, an indepedent Country without a sniff of any air defence. Anyway, their mates at the Singapore Flying Club lent them a few old Censnars to get the airforce airborne and now we got FXXX somethings and choppers too.
Funnily enough the high light of the day for the children was not the full size aircraft with buttons locked away inside, but the interactive display of nothing very interesting with buttons that you can press till dawn.
Here, we suffer from internationlism, you know, birthdays are spent beating a small horse stuffed with sweets, and Easter is spent playing mahjong (something of a cross between bridge and dominoes) and hunting eggs, not eating chocolate. So I secreted small Cadbury's eggs around the house which the children found for me and I ate, good one eh!
We also played cricket but in the living room, Claire is very difficult to bowl out, and Daniel thinks it's very funny you can just put the bat on the daddies chalk mark on the floor and the ball just hits it instead of the wicket.
Anyway, back to drawing,
Love Nic & the Family
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Easter Sunnyday
Well, not quite what was promised as the blue skies have not been cooperating when it was time for walkies, but here's Jess in front of Bell Peak (Puig Campana), better known as Benidorm mountain. Hey, I know Benidorm is a cliche to most people but I've been surprised by its pleasant climate and pretty scenery. The temperature on Good Friday was very pleasant at 10pm as we watched the Catholic processions through the old town...
Jan and I watched as the older girls stayed at home and baby-sat. It's nice to be able to get out on our own together sometimes. Easter has been a nice welcome break. Unfortunately, like the rest of the family most of us are down to our last Cream Egg (actually I'm all out), but hey, we're Merrow-Smiths....and anyway, I caught a whiff of a news report that said cocoa products are good for keeping the cancers at bay! Not so sure the heart poeple would endorse that approach but I back it all the way. Jess is going for a run in the morning she tells me. Not me though. Cricket yesterday gave me serious cramp and off I went hobbling round the living room in the dead of night stuffing myself with sea salt and bananas! It works mind you. Took a really good diving catch to make up for my slogger for two runs batting debacle. Never mind, at least there's always next week assuming it doesn't rain. Oh no, that's England, I forgot.
Will try to Skype anyone who is listening tomorrow morning. TTFN.
Lovely Easter Break
Yes, you are right Clive - It was the Fleur-de-lis. So glad you are enjoying being sic-sic-sic.
Clive, have you managed to work out Julian's reference to giclee? I looked it up in the Oxford bukshonerry and nothing there. Steve thinks it is a French word - Google agrees!
We are salivating as we look through local old photographic books of Thame, Haddenham and Chinnor. Dad is having fun remembering where he grew up.
Clive, have you managed to work out Julian's reference to giclee? I looked it up in the Oxford bukshonerry and nothing there. Steve thinks it is a French word - Google agrees!
We are salivating as we look through local old photographic books of Thame, Haddenham and Chinnor. Dad is having fun remembering where he grew up.
Back from lunch...
well I had lovely roast beef lunch and C had a tasty steak & old speckled hen ale pie and we shared a white chocolate & baileys creme bruleee v.nice. Grandad the Merry Miller might be the same place you & Grandma visited as its just along from the aerodrome/Wootton. Steve said on his road map it shows that it was called the Fleur-de-Lis. Next village along is Gozzards End and the 'Black Horse'. Glad the weather has been ok for you out there we had sun, rain, hail and now a pink sunset.
Back home now and we've now joined in with the rest of you and treated ourselves to a cup of tea and cadbury's creme egg - mmm 2 left though...only small aren't they...
Happy Easter everyone!!
It's nice and warm and sunny today! Good job we've got a fridge! mmm...chocolate! have fun! xxx
Rain, Rain!
They forcasted sunshine, but gues what? IT'S RAINING!! :(
It's all wet & misrable, and everyone's geting a bit upset.
Happy Easter! - Edmund
It's all wet & misrable, and everyone's geting a bit upset.
Happy Easter! - Edmund
Lovely sunshine today
TODAY WE ARE MOSTLY EATING CHOCOLATE.
AFTER THAT WE HAVE GOT THREE MASSIVE STEAKS TO EAT AND WINE TO DRINK
AFTER THAT WE HAVE GOT THREE MASSIVE STEAKS TO EAT AND WINE TO DRINK
All gone I win!
I finished first!
hmm now I've got nothing left for the rest of the day!
Weeks with no sweeties, and this morning
..I'm like Alfred Molina..
at the end of 'Chocolat'.
How am I going to fit into my 'gunters' at this rate?
Julian's name for tiny inappropriate german male swim-wear...'GUNTERS' ping!
At least I'm not rolling around in it like the Compte or Sister Assumpta!
hmm now I've got nothing left for the rest of the day!
Weeks with no sweeties, and this morning
..I'm like Alfred Molina..
at the end of 'Chocolat'.
How am I going to fit into my 'gunters' at this rate?
Julian's name for tiny inappropriate german male swim-wear...'GUNTERS' ping!
At least I'm not rolling around in it like the Compte or Sister Assumpta!
Former eating places
Grandma and I used to go to the Greyhound,(?East Hendred) which we called the doghouse, as a dinner treat, and sometimes to a pub in Cothill name unknown but near the aerodrome. Those were the days. 1953!!
Happy Easter - Daffodils are out.
Clive & I are off for lunch at the Merry Miller at Cothill nr Abingdon today. We're meeting Steve, Elaine (C's Mum & Dad) and Steve's brother Stan (who lives near Biggin Hill so not so far from June).
We did very well yesterday to avoid the chocolate eggs in Oxford. Particluar as Thorntons is situated very close to Millies cookies - the air was very heady!
The sun is warm and bright here in Iffley hurrah - Happy Bank Holiday! What's everyone else up to?
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Friday, April 14, 2006
Can you read this?
Courtesy of Clive's friend Fiona!
Olny srmat poelpe can read this.
cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!
Olny srmat poelpe can read this.
cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!
oooooh!
do I like the look of that cake, Grandad!! I love maltesers! hee hee! :P
EASTER HOLIDAYS HA HA! Last weekend we had a (rather) late birthday party for Beth. It was a fancy dress (and sorry no photos taken!!) and a sleepover. We had a water balloon fight outside inc. hosepipe, played games and watched a bit of a movie before bed. Next day we went for a walk down to the nearby farm and then went over to one of the girls' house for a swim! Kinda nippy but all good fun!
Enjoy easter everyone. lotsa love xxx
EASTER HOLIDAYS HA HA! Last weekend we had a (rather) late birthday party for Beth. It was a fancy dress (and sorry no photos taken!!) and a sleepover. We had a water balloon fight outside inc. hosepipe, played games and watched a bit of a movie before bed. Next day we went for a walk down to the nearby farm and then went over to one of the girls' house for a swim! Kinda nippy but all good fun!
Enjoy easter everyone. lotsa love xxx
Gentlefolk of Kent
Mum and Dad outside their country house-Lullingstone Castle, which is only two miles from East Hill and about 1 from Eynsford in the Darent Valley.
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