SteveT

Fairylamb wrote:- Yeah I'm surprised about the complaint about the handle height - he does do a lot of walking though - maybe needs to adjust his buggy pushing gait! My biggest complaint of buggy pushing was the height/length of the handles which always gave my back grief, and that you seemed to have to shuffle your feet as there was not enough room to pace out. I frequently spied other guys useing the left handle with their right hand so they could walk and pace out offset to the buggy. I am five foot nine.

I'm glad you liked it LuLu Too, but do you not think that there just might be a smidgin of truth..............

I have recently been putting up fat balls into a container, in my haste I took them out of the net bag before dropping them into the holder and the birds wouldn't touch it then I dropped in a couple still in the net bags and they were all over it. My conclusion is they have been conditioned by the packaging, a bit like us really.

Go straight down to asda they are selling new bikes with 18 gears and centre pull brakes for ?50.

It is the desire of women to get pregnant and breed is the greatest problem, if that was subdued we would not be over populated, because all a man wants to the most part is sex.

m7post wrote:- " economic system based on perpetual growth " - in a limit space / environment it simply make no sense at all does it. I think a certain Marxist fellow said it first and wrote a book about it too.

Start with the basics, the boots. Go to Decathlon or an equivalent store and buy a great pair of boots, mine were a ?100 five years ago. Wear them every day full time morning till night for two weeks non-stop before getting to the plane. That is the only way you know you have broken them in and not your feet, also your legs get used to coping with heavy footwear. Get a compass, carry it around your neck as if it's the key of your door and do not leave it back at the camp. I remember when I was walking with a dozen guys when we got lost over the moors and night time was fast approaching and everyone had a compass back at the camp, it was my first time and my father had given me some cash to 'get one and always keep it with you' I was the only one with a compass on that trip, it saved us from a very precarious night on snow covered fells. If you are buying a rucksack take some heavy stuff to put in it to see how they feel when loaded, spend all morning trying every possible combination to make sure it fits your back and carries the weight well, the rucksack which makes the pack feel the lightest is the one which fits. You may have to go to several shops to find the best one for you so take it as seriously as your boots and do not be fobbed off with 'its all we've got' go somewhere else. If you know any ranger scouts they are expert at this stuff take one with you if you can. A small bright torch is a must and some variously sized plasters can be useful too. A lady friend always took a ball of string which she made a washing line of and hung her clothes out each night, as she was petite she carried the minimum clobber to save hauling the extra weight, and washed what little she did take regularly. A bar of your favourite smelling exotic soap, after a hard day a good wash can put some life back in and the fragrance takes you back to a softer more decadent civilization, which is great after a days grind through the bush. If you are going somewhere hot take a big hat to keep the rays from burning you up. When I went through the northern part of the sahara the most useful piece of clothing was a poncho, which could be used as a blanket at night, and during the day when folded it became a padded seat between me and the most uncomfortable camel for six hours. Take a long lightweight scarf, which can be wrapped around to cover your head and face this is useful in some religious regions and it also helps to keep the flies and mosquitos off. Do not have bare legs they are just not used to it in many areas. If you have to have cholera jabs etc take them on a friday night because when I had my jabs for the far east I was in a sweating, aching all over fever, for two days and nights and I was still a bit wobbly at work on the monday. I remember having to take some tablets for a month or two after arriving back here. Going to souks and medinas (markets) was fascinating, but my experience was somewhat different to a blonde lady I travelled with, who was groped when right in front of me, it was packed with people so I never saw it happen, just travel in groups and stay close together. Food and drink is vital, do not have ice cubes as they are made from water from who knows where, and drink seven up or coke or a green coconut if it is opened in front of you, do not have one which is already opened they are a risk and warm, an opened one specially for you is cool and uncontaminated. Eat only hot cooked food and you should be safe, but cannot vouch for the quality and taste. Fruit which you peel is okay too and you can get a basket of exotic fruit really cheap. Bartering is an art to do well, and you have to barter for everything, even a box of matches they wanted a fiver for unless you barter, it was fun to start with but becomes a chore when you are tired hungry sore and pissed off with the world. If there is an item you like and want and intend to bring back with you as a memento of the hols, pick it up stare at it intently, turn to the seller and praise it highly and then put it down, he will make you an offer and you will look away politely and shake your head but do not speak and he will come down in price you may have to do this several times until you feel you have got the price you intend to pay. This all takes time and I remember when I last visited Tunisia I had seen a bag made of goat skin with long hairs hanging from it and I thought it would look kind of interesting when shopping rather than a plastic bag, it took around 20 minutes to get it for a pound fifty from 28 quid. The way the west works is you do business and then you play, in the arab countries they play first by inviting you in to their shop and giving you a sweet tea before they start any business dealings, just a small thing but it makes more sense to it all when you understand the workings. Have fun!

I spoke to a professor of economics some years ago and he said that this country could sustain 4 million people, above that figure we need to buy massive imports of energy. Doesn't much matter what we do we are only 60 million if we died out tomorrow the world would still be hugely over populated. What India China America Africa and Europe decide is vital though.

Rabbits.......mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm delicious.

Maybe she has no teeth left and cannot absorb the nutrients.

KirstyH wrote:- last year it was 3 weeks earlier (March 8th) and the year before that it was 25 February! That is what I call interesting local knowledge KH. The birds are nesting later this year too.

Ruffers you are a genius. Thank you all for your valuable input.

Who would have thought it was soooo complicated for such an obvious feature.

It seems like you have me taped Brendan:))

KK wrote:- why are you aiming that comment at me? Well you caught her out KK and she needed to reclaim some dignity even though you hadn't poked the expenses forms under her nose. That (expenses form) remark was all my doing Amina Graham so please read the post again, and I think it deserves an apology to KK as she is a completely innocent party in your non-advertising campaign for the 'Dems.

Is ED truly comparable with Stoke Newington? When I lived in North London SN was considered to be a dangerous area.

Since having to wear glasses my reading quantity has reduced so I purchase talking books often in cd form. In the car I insert a cd and it waits in the same position when I last switched it off. My cd players at home all go back to the start and I have to trawl for the right place. My question to you high-techies is, do they make one that remains at the place where one last switched it off? if there is such a beast can you tell me the make and model? Thank you in anticipation Steve.

MP wrote:- See KLM, Sabena, Swissair, Maersk, Alitalia, etc as examples of what happends when it all goes wrong - they all went bust, a few of the brands have been brought back, but not as new, small airlines, not as major players. In this global circus BA cannot compete and are deluding themselves if they think they can compare with Cathay Pacific, whom in my opinion are better organized, give more leg room, are cheaper, and provide superb consumer service, other than those few minor points there is little difference.

set

Coo KK, you are as astute as ever, of course no connection, personal interest, or expenses forms.

I understand that Tigers wife has been practising her swing with him:))

When do you think middle age begins? sooner than you think, and it ends during mid to late fifties, after that when you hit the 60's you are old and achey and travel is a burden, and sleeping in your own bed at night becomes important. You cannot stray more than 250 yards from a flush toilet and everyone you ever knew has moved away or died. Do not worry most of you will not see it as the big blue flash will remove all hardships. By mid sixties one becomes depressed at the miserable outlook of the inevitable future, as what future you once had is positively behind you.

The growth should not extend beyond the boundary of the property, and if Southwark get involved they charge you for doing the maintenance the owner should have carried out, I believe.

My dunnock pecks around under the peanut and fatball holders I've never heard it a squeek out of it. Trust me to get a deaf mute hedge sparrow.

Michael 'Micklewhite' at the Elephant, Cane to the youngsters.