Arcticterntalk.org

The blog of a travelling psychiatrist and football lover. Who happens to be a halfway decent photographer. Takes a cynical view of the world

Archive for the tag “vacation”

29 Sep 2012

Reflections of Dublin


In the last 24 hours I have seen and met more strange people than in the preceding 6 months. An overnight trip to Dublin is to blame. Where to start? Well why not with a taxi driver who clearly had adult ADHD. He spoke at me the whole journey that was sadly longer than it should be due to the hideous friday evening traffic, shouted at various other cars and vans relating to perceived driving crimes against him, asked me to look at the strangest cars and have me compare some Avensis with some Passat for some reason………Impulsive, hyperactive and judging by his driving inattentive as well. Then there was the woman in my meeting who looked exactly like Margaret Thatcher, younger version around 40 years, but splitting image. Put her in Madame Tussauds and there would be no difference.

Then there was the large woman at the airport. Her waist size was over 100 inches. I noticed her because she was unable to sit in a chair without taking up 2-3 seats and I hoped vehemently that she would not be seated next to me on the plane. In fact she was a few rows ahead and spilled out at least 12 inches into the aisle and was unable to put down her armrest in the aisle.

But the food must also be mentioned. The traffic in Dublin was appalling, taking over 90 minutes to get from the airport to the city centre. But greater was my horror when I saw my proposed menu for dinner. Included were raw beef, squid, goat and rabbit. These are not foods that regularly grace my table, the cat maybe but not mine. Luckily the magic word chicken popped up and all was relieved. Thats French restaurants for you.

Overall, Dublin is not a bad city but is is very busy and seriously lacks the Irish charm that might be associated with Cork or Galway. I feel that I can say this being Irish, and anyone who doubts this can trace my family history back to and well beyond Charles Kendall Bushe who was Lord Chief Justice in Ireland in the mid-1980’s. He is written about in James Joyce novels and is described as morally perfect. Well something like that anyway, but I would say that.

Should you visit Dublin? In my view yes if you have lots of money or others are paying, but no if you want charm and to see real Ireland. Others may and do disagree. The streets were full of folks celebrating Arthur’s day, the annual celebration of Arthur Guinness. Well maybe that is a good reason to come along but bring a full wallet and watch out who your taxi driver is.

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28 Sep 2012

British Airways First Class Lounge- Reflections in a wine glass


After a good many life years I have finally got to be allowed into a first-class lounge. I will not bore you with the details as to why but it is a curious place. Hundreds of bottles of wine and champagne but with hardly anyone drinking. Most travellers are sitting or lying around with varying degrees of pained expressions that suggest terminal constipation. Maybe there is a rule that ” though shalt not smile in first-class”. Or maybe the butler does it for one?

Big chairs, huge piles of newspapers and magazines, uncrowded ( but there again who in their right mind with a life to live wants to be flying out of Heathrow on a friday evening?), lots of biscuits ( few less now that I have arrived) but no smiles and eternal warmth .

Curiously there are two life size horse statues guarding the way in and numerous other artistic efforts.

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23 Sep 2012
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RIP Hedgepig the Hedgehog


Hedgepig lived in and arguably dominated my study for the last year. He rarely bothered to get up and communicate with me in the day but at night would spin round on a massive hamster wheel and make other peculiar noises. He ate crunchy cat food and mealworms whenever these were available. To be honest not an awfully cuddly type of pet as he reversed whenever picked up. He used to huff angrily at anyone invading his territory a large cage but eventually called a truce and rarely bothered to spike anyone. Most of his life he lived in a red slipper and today he was buried in the garden in his red slipper. He was a tame hedgehog not one “caught:.  I think he is an African Pygmy hedehog? He was given to us for safekeeping about 18 months ago when his owner went over to Mexico. We will miss him, a more photogenic hedhog there will never be.

 

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25 Aug 2012
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What a bad day in Cayman looks like!


No sign of wind nor rain nor hurricane Issac this morning.

This is what a bad day on Grand Cayman looks like

Bad day in Cayman

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23 Aug 2012

Grand Cayman Turtle Farm. The debate – a great place to go and no-one forces turtle burgers to be eaten


There is an inherent danger in listening to people. People have differing and sometimes odd views on any topic. Our plan to go to the Turtle farm was challenged when we heard rumours that visitors were almost forcibly encouraged to eat Turtle burgers ( they are on the menu here), that there was rampant cruelty to turtles and that it would cost 50$ each ( presumably in Cayman Dollars, so US Dollars 60$).

Over a large and some might say excessive breakfast, we decided to go as we have the hire car ( and they are not cheap) and we would take a chance. We were right. The turtle farm is a great place to go. No-one cared if we went anywhere near a restaurant there, the total price for 2 adults and a child was 92$ US ( and that trust me is cheap for Cayman Islands and is about the cost to watch a Brentford home game) and we saw nothing to worry us at all regarding turtle management. What we did see however was amazing.

A huge lagoon with depths and shallows was nicely set up with various land areas to allow swimmers, with snorkels and masks ( free by the way) to swim around if we wished from 11 am to 2.30pm. One swims with turtles and loads of fish. The turtles swim close to you. My worrying finding was that turtles swim faster than me. So my chances for Rio Olympics have gone, but maybe those for the turtles remains. This was the best 2 and1/2 hours of my holiday. Then there were education centres, pools where the turtles could be watched and handled.

Lastly if you plan to go this is the only place on Grand Cayman that asks for Photo ID when using a credit card. An unusual but occasional occurrence abroad. For some unspecified reason using an American Express card gave a 20% discount. So a positive plug for Amex

Turtles

More turtles

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04 Aug 2012
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Cycling from London to Istanbul for Charity. Please support these students!


A week ago on 26th July 13 students from the University of Exeter commenced a 4500km cycle to Istanbul. Why? To support Help for Heroes. Many of these students had just completed their degree and graduated 2 weeks before. Somehow they found time to train,organise and generally prepare for this strenous trip. Aside from the obvious physical aspects there were numerous other planning aspects to consider. For example how to spend as little as possible on the trip, as this would reduce the sponsorship amounts for the charity. So, they spend most nights in tents and some nights in cheap hostels. The van they were donated is not of the Formula 1 category and rather like a beached whale is not deemed well enough to migrate the Alps, so will go around and meet the cyclists on the other side. To date they have reached Lyons and are having a well deserved rest day. My son Charles Bushe texted that he had spent a good day but things like washing needed to be done. They will have finished and be back in UK on September 8th. They deserve as much support as is possible. Even if you can only donate £1 then please do so and also importantly please pass on this message so that others can donate.

They are all good folks and already it is clear that they have bonded well together and are supporting each other when needed. For example the first day of their cycle down to Folkestone the temperature was well into the 30’s C, and there were obvious heat problems. A couple of them have had minor injuries such as a fall and tendonitis but they all keep going.

The links are below.

http://www.justgiving.com/Charles-Bushe  for Charles

 

for the others they can all be accessed here.

http://www.justgiving.com/teams/London-Istanbul2012

 

So, even if it appears a very small sum of money do please donate and help them to collect a decent sum for Help for Heroes. Do not forget that all the weather we have had here they have had too and have continued to cycle! Even Charles 11 year old sister has donated 5£ of her pocket money. Charles also gave up his olympic tickets to see the weightlifting to go on this cycle. Many thanks and again please pass this on to all that you know.

Charles and his 11 year old sister, who donated £5 of her money!

 

 

 

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