A little trip to Paradise

So what with rain predicted for Tuesday I took an early start at Penhale

(taking 73 minutes for 7.7km - on my previous visit - 22 years ago(!) - I took 67 for 10.7 on M21E - 3.2 mpk faster! which would have got me second place on the equivalent course in 2010)

and went to EDEN

Very very brilliant indeed - so good I became a member and will be going back as soon as I can... and here is a cashew nut (be careful - the skin will burn your skin - learned that one in Grenada - OUCH!)

but I had to hunt a bit for the cocoa...

The rainforest biome had sections for all the various regional variants - amazingly realistic and convincing - it took me 20 years to complete my visits to the world's rainforest zones - save your money and the carbon-footprint and just go to Cornwall

Tamar Triple - Perranporth

A short walk from the very nice camp site at Tollgate Farm to Perranporth
- trying to up my daily average step count for "Team MT Athletic" in the GCC   and looking for fish and chips...

Apart from the number of folks surfing there was nothing at all impressive and quite a lot depressing about Perranporth - while the chip-shop staff were entertaining and were entertained by talking with "The man that built the CurlyWurly machine" the fish and chips were sadly disappointing

Highlight was this rather nice "Saint" Volvo

What happened to my meths?

After a year of storage in a (cheap copy of a SIGG) the meths for my trusty 30 year old Trangia was full of bits... more than that after making a cup of tea - the remaining fuel set into a gel:

At least it still burned OK...





But what caused it to go like this?

I can't see how any reaction between the aluminium and alcohol* could have occured at room temperature (if at all) - so the current theory was that the lacquer had become detached from the inside of the bottle (hence the observed floating bits) - and then the subsequent heat caused this to dissolve in the alcohol and form a gel.




* On research I find


"
One of the drawbacks of methanol as a fuel is its corrosivity to some metals, including aluminium. Methanol, although a weak acid, attacks the oxide coating that normally protects the aluminium from corrosion:

6 CH₃OH + Al₂O₃ → 2 Al(OCH₃)₃ + 3 H₂O

The resulting methoxide salts are soluble in methanol, resulting in clean aluminium surface, which is readily oxidized by some dissolved oxygen. Also the methanol can act as an oxidizer:

6 CH₃OH + 2 Al → 2 Al(OCH₃)₃ + 3 H_2"

British ARDF Championships - Surrey, 21st-23rd

Started with a "special" variant of Fox-Oring - nothing at all marked on the map, 20 micro transmitters to find - all on the same frequency  - everybody coped - even the German contingent who initially struggled to accept the lack of "normal rules"

Celebration meal at "Ye Olde White Hart" in Frimley

Days 2 and 3 at Star Posts

We will have to change the handicapping - it seems you can only win if you are over 60.

yes - that is it - prize giving over - and no you cannot keep Basil

I was just drifting off to sleep when I heard an accent I recognised...

A colleague from Somerdale was being interviewed by BBC Radio 4

This is the factory I worked at for 10 years
This is the factory that Cadbury decided to close
This is the factory that Kraft said they would (hope to) keep open (if practical)
This is the factory that Kraft decided (they would have) to close
This is the factory we are replicating in Poland - I go back on Monday


You can listen to "Somerdale is our Longbridge" on BBC Iplayer

Why Nokia stopped making the 6310i and will never make an modern equivalent

By common acclaim the 6310i is the best 'phone that Nokia ever made - even though it is many years obsolete you can still buy refurbished models for £99

Problem for Nokia is that it was too good - I have had this one for six years - 543 hours of talking.  In the same time my cousin has got through 4 "modern" phones.  If you were in the Nokia marketing department - what would you do?

...and interesting trip and a very big cocktail

I went to Poland for 12 days - I was given the choice of flying out and back every week or two weeks on and one week off.   What with The Volcano and all that I chose the latter.

This visit included 3 days with a high fever - culminating in a visit to Dr Bogusz (interesting name but only 100 PLN per consultation - I helped him with his English and he listened to my coughing (Kasel)) - which got me two days working from the hotel and then back in the factory.

At the end of it I rewarded myself with a very big...

The ladies at Hotel Jakub Sobieski have a book with a long list of cocktails - problem is all the German engineers ask for is "Zwei Bier Bitte!" - so I decided to help the staff maintain their skills current.

12 More Days in Poland...

04:45 Bank holiday - May 3rd and another trip to Poland - at least they sent the company limo.

Black SAABath has some new fans...

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Trouble is the little darlings are now concerned that I am poor - as I have such an old car...

Winchester Cathedral

My first visit in 40 years... and they still have not got the organ working properly...
  

I did remember the story of the "Winchester Diver" (William Walker) - the pool in the picture is natural spring water flowing at its natural level through the lower levels of the cathedral (it's a Gormley)

Eyjafjallajoekull

Lots of folks were stranded by ash from Eyjafjallajoekull - the company sent a bus out from the UK to bring us home...

I checked the proposed timings with my Polish taxi driver - and decided to risk a dash to the airport instead...  there was a gap in the clouds and we were away!

Remembrance

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I have walked past this 100 times - and never thought you could go in - sort of assumed it was locked up except for civic functions.  This time the door was ajar...

A look at the records book tells the story...

4 entries cover 1951 to 1999 (Suez, Malaya, Korean War, Cyprus, Falklands, Northern Ireland, Gulf War 1, Gulf War 2 and so on)

While there are 9 for 2007-2009 - which is pretty much just Afghanistan

Local school children have left messages...

....

Easter Monday in Sussex (Uppark and Pagham)

At least it is a CADBURY Kraft-bury egg!

Stones, Slipper limpets and Some waves are bigger than others - Pagham Beach

Peace and Quiet (and a bag of crisps - in fact I think it is mostly the crisps)

A visit to the Aldershot Crematorium

Mum's ashes are somewhere here - approximately that is - the crematorium's marking scheme is not very effective.

Magnolia Cambellii - what an improbable tree

Magnolia campbellii at Winkworth. 

Out of "My Little Pony" crossed with the Barbie Aisle at Toys-R-Us

Poland and the Pedestrian Crossing

In Poland there are many pedestrian crossings.

These are normally placed at road junctions and blind corners and other places where it would normally not be safe for a pedestrian to attempt crossing the road.

The pedestrian crossings are marked with black and white stripes on the road.

What does this mean for car drivers?

It means that there are black and white stripes on the road.

Will cars stop for pedestrians on the pedestrian crossing?

Certainly - but only if the car breaks down while on the crossing

What is the recommended method for using a pedestrian crossing?

Walk about 50m further down the street - this will give you an extra 2.25 seconds of sight and reaction time (assuming typical speeds of "speed limit + 50% in towns and cities)

Will drivers slow down or attempt to miss pedestrians in the process of crossing a side road or entrance to a car park or garage?

Certainly in specially designated "urban living zones".

At all other times the driver has right of way - the driver will not slow down nor try to avoid the pedestrian (I have had this officially and three near misses in three days proves it)

Will colleagues turning into company car park slow down or give way to runners crossing the entrance to the car park?

Certainly not - though when you hit the back of their car as they sweep past you - then they will stop - but only to check for damage

What is the personal advice from the health and safety officer?

Do not run in Poland.  Certainly do not run near any road.  Do not walk to lunch - take you car like everybody else (it is 600m)

 A lucky escape!

Lowest point of the year (physically if not emotionally)

 

Useful sign - we still had a long way down to drive

This nice man sold me some lovely flatbread - my hotel was so overpriced I decided that it would be sandwiches

Australian couple - "Take a photo and email it please" - the gent is an artist, here is his impression...

read about it at Ashleigh Manley 365

Time for me... (officially [dead] sea level is -422m)

That is Israel on the other side - will have to wait until my passport is about to expire