Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category

Today was an interesting day. I have booked and payed for my 2 day Scuba Diving Course (PADI Scuba Diver), and we visited the capital Valleta… you may have guessed… it was ‘Death Ride to Valleta’!! Buses did it again… what a ride. The shopping was actually crap and the most money I spent was kitting Emma out with some spa treatments at the resort. Much to my disappointment there were no ‘Extreme’ colonic irrigations on offer and she did not take to well to my suggestion that she needed all of the beauty treatments! The purpose of this expenditure is twofold. Firstly, I forgot Emma’s birthday present and felt the need to provide something. And second, it means she has less to complain about my 2 days diving. An update tomorrow should be colourful!! Apologies for mistakes here, I have been in the bar!!!

Didn’t do very much today… pretty much stayed around the resort. I did plan on using the Gym but that went out the window as after just two days I started to approach the end of ‘PREY’ a book by Michael Crichton, and felt I needed to bring it to a close. If you have not read this… you should, you will be hooked. The copy I read had been read twice before and I was warned that when you start reading it… you wont stop, I now add my own warning to this!

My next book is by Francis Chichester, ‘Gypsy Moth Around the World’. I think this will be fascinating story of his voyage around the world in his custom built yacht that he fights with just as much as he does the sea! Will post how well I get on with it after sitting in the sun tomorrow!!!

A bus to the market? Sounds normal… not in Malta, it should be described as ‘Death Ride to the Market’. Bloody looney bus drivers think they own the road and dont worry about the consequences of proving it. I have never been in a bus sliding around a corner before… dont get me wrong, it was fun to look back on, but bugger me what a fright, personally I would rather sit on the bonnet of Dave’s car through the lanes just after I get out of a vat of oil!!
Buses are indeed famous here, I nearly bought a T-shirt that said Malta Bus on it and a cartoon picture of a bus with a smile… the potential to create my own ‘Death Ride to the Market’ brand was tempting! After the market we found a Mc Donalds so I felt safe in there and enjoyed the chicken burger! Did nothing else today except listen to a god aweful live band in the bar. This experience was probably worse than the buses!!!

The most shocking thing about Malta is the total lack of colour… almost all brown. I am told it is very colourful under the water and I will be having a look at that while here.

What a day, Emma and I get up at 5AM (actually I got up at 5.30AM) after only a few hours sleep. Luckily she was no where near by to get me up earlier! This lack of sleep was the result of getting in some dutch courage at the pub the night before and being there till throw out!!
Off we go to the airport for 6.15 to find out the plane has been delayed for an hour. I suspect the wings have fallen off and take great pleasure in telling Emma that if it happened in the sky we wouldn’t need lifejackets!

Finally get to Gatwick and head straight for check-in, no rush required. We are told that we need to wait till 45 mins before the flight leaves before we could check-in as we were on standby and there were only 5 seats left (24 the previous day) so off we go to gadgetshop and other random shops. 1.5 hours later, back to check in, 3 seats left and we need to get to the plane quick as it is now boarding!

In Malta we find the only place in the world where the roads are worse than Guernsey. We take an expensive Taxi trip to the resort and later find out that we should have tipped the Taxi driver 10%..ooops. Last problem of the day… Emma’s new shower gel bottle gets exploded in her bag, so some fun with bubbles and then a very slippery floor. We have a look at the resort and head to the bars. A few drinks were needed before getting some much needed sleep in our very small single beds!!! Lets see what happens tomorrow, we have decided to take a bus!!!

Home at last. I have spent the last 9 days in Cape Town, South Africa. Another trip with no internet access, I was unable to keep this site up to date with news of the things I had seen and was doing. The highlights were…

1. The Sunrise over Africa… most spectacular with every colour you can imagine.
2. Combat flying in a Huey helicopter… very exciting and also very scary.
3. Cage diving with Great white sharks…hmmm.. ’nuff said

There was a lot of great weather, the landscapes were astounding and I even got to see the whale! Shame their wine is not that good!

Another trip… I arrive home from Bulgaria and 3 days later I am departing again… this time for 8 days in South Africa. Might be interesting. I am taking my camera this time so I will be able to get some shots of Table Mountain and hopefully some whales!!! I fully intend to look an arse by shouting ‘Whale, Whale’ if I see one. Anyone that matters knows what I mean!!!

After the night in Herm the crew of Mystere prepare for the voyage back home to Guernsey. High tide was at 08:52 (9.8m) so by about 10:00 water levels are getting a little low! However, everything is ready for the homeward journey, engine is warmed up, ropes uncoiled, sails ready to be hoisted as soon as Mystere is clear of the harbour, all that needs to be done is pulling the anchor…
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Yet again I am sitting in an airport. I was on my way to the bathroom when I noticed this free internet cafe in the BA Club lounge and felt it would be rude not to have a play! If anyone is interested, I have a new idea for the design of this website. I now realise that Gringod has been preaching more sense than ever… why did I not design this site in an object oriented way? For one, I didn’t know how to at the time but for me to change the design could be time consuming… better get the consultants in!!!!

Finally… I have managed to get online again. I have been nearly two weeks without any spark of an internet protocol… even my WAP phone would not connect from lands afar! Finally, I am back… I will be adding some interesting news soon so dont go far!!!

So anyway, back at the hotel using Editplus on my laptop to write this with an English keyboard! I am now seriously considering starting an article about this trip. Just the highlights for you today then… I have bought Taxi 3… yes GrinGod… 3, what a bargain… this means I now need to get some speakers for laptop to appreciate it, quite amazed to see what looked like Sylvester Stalone in it at the start, speaking French of course. As for my plan to buy an iPod in France… not a chance, they obviously dislike Apple computers as I can find nothing here made by them at all… except an iMac in a service station for Internet access that had broken… why didn’t they have a PC?!?! We didn’t get to go Karting as our favourite circuit in Poitiers is closed, apparently the guy has lost his licence and might be in prison. Managed to wash the cars aswell today, it’s good to keep them nice! Coming up this evening… Futuroscope laser show and Megalaser (a game which involves running around and shooting people with laser guns!).

So… at Futuroscope and trying to type on a french keyboard. This is not an easy task to be fair. I am planning to start a proper write up and will start it off as an article! Better go!!!

It looks like we will be heading off to France today… the weather has improved and the wine and cheese will be flowing. If I put something in the Gallery I will post a note here!

I am currently in Croatia… it is 35 degrees, It was 33 yesterday in Slovenia! It is reported to be 38 degrees in Serbia where I am going for the rest of the week tomorrow (Wednesday). Shame I wont get a tan sitting in an office!!!!