On the TGV

Leaving Londres ;

Caught up with Toad Slayer,Harold and the newly married Mrs Tina  from Chinchilla on their junket to the old Dart was great went and looked at he Abbey ,Eye ,few other touristy things ,

Was the Birthday of Guiness yesterday so that was a bit of a celebration. Was sitting in a resturant in Kingscross having a pint and bumped into the first Aussies of the trip who have a vineyard near Ballarat called Quionhill so when any one is that way the wine is good and the food superb so I am told.

Had lunch with one of our white Africans fiancée, which was great, gave me a bit more insight into his mentally state, which is similar to mine not far from the sane. First day of rain today, even had a haircut.

London was good enjoyed my time but was very much ready to leave and be on the way to Provence currently on the TGV sitting in Paris at Marne La Valee’ Chessy having taken the Euro star to Lille in France seems to take no time at all and then changed to the TGV for Avignon

You just hope on these f####g fast trains and you are there no searches no hassle only way to go .Sit down have a croissant glass red and u are there don’t even feel the speed .no bumps just a smooth ride. Sitting on the top deck viewing the French countryside, which at present is flat and full of potato farms. But alas is now rolling hills as we are south of Paris on the way to Avignon. The g must be pronounced as I had my French corrected by the ticket clerk in Lille.
Just like being at home with my English?? [Ladies whom I know]

The speed of the trains in the other direction doing the same 200 miles and hour is a pronounced feeling for me and you would not want to get the tracks mixed up. There appears to be a red train that goes even faster as it passes you at the various stops

The Bordeaux is pleasant with a full flavor leaving a pleasant taste on the Pallet the roll left a lot to be desired yet what does not fatten will fill.

Train is starting to fill a mixture of every body from around the world kids ,oldies, youngies and me

The coutry side is green and lush  lot of towns and industry which u expect on a rail line .The odd river ,lots ploughed fields and a geberal feeling of contenment and realy totally chilled.

Bordeaux enforced nap and the country side is spectacular vineyards fat Charolais ,fat sheep , hay ,crops ready to harvest ,stone houses ,hedges for fences ,rivers ,small lakes, ponds and a range of large hills in the distance to the  very much the tour de France scenery .

Just pass through a tunnel in the Hills and drop into a lush valley shrouded din rain ,looks cold outside that will be nice, over a river and the green intensifies , crops better, another train passes so fast  it appears as one window all 20 carrigages.the rain appears horizontal on the window then you remember you are doing 320ks and hr so it should make a noise as it hits the window,still large rolling hills separated by fertile valleys quite extraordinary to me any way every one else seems asleep .

Avignon unbeloeiable such a change from London the palace is so soft in appearance everything round and majestic not square and harsh like the British ones a realy striking difference nonthe les formidable the cathedral light and welcoming and a very peaceful place two lots of god bothering by yours truly in 4 days.

Hickory dickory doc

A Birds eye view

The west must feed its own as well?

Front gate 

Avignon

Viaduct and the Rhone

Bit tight

Short one end

The duck liver pate and scallops roasted have put a new meaning to food and how its cooked finished with a red berry and passion fruit Graton unreal,and of course a local red,

Cold and free

The Old Dart/21/09/2010

Sitting on a train on the way to London from York  where I have done the tourist bit walked the wall ,up a castle tower,down into the Iviking village which is under the city where it was found during building construction it is amazing .Beautiful gardens and trees along the river .Yorkshire food festival was on so lots of good fresh food around.Plent of pubs to have the odd ale which is of course mandatory to do  when on holidays sat in the local reading the paper just chillin and must admit first time for a long time just done nothing.

Got of the plane from Nairobi 6.30am into town on the train met up with my mate Jill at the Farmers Club had not seen her for 17 years.

Bought a shirt and off we went o Wolverhampton races where she had a horse running and then onto Maltby to her place got there about midnight I guess so was a bit tired and the next morning was the worst hangover I have had in a long long time.but soldiered on.

Off to Jills apartment in Filey on the beach near Scarborough a small place like heaven just so good.The sanity was certainly back in the grey matter .fantastic weather ,sea just magic .the food at the Vic just like home ,the lobster out of the water and into the pot just bliss after goat and chicken. Great time great company. Thanks heaps Jill

Jills view to the right and the left

So now on the way to London have a look around and the off to Avignon  on Friday on the Fast train so that will be an experience to look forward too. Hopefully couple more people to catch up with in London.

Train system here just great go any where regular ,reliable, not that cheap but there are the off peak specials.Realy nice to have afamiliar language around even though the broubh can be a bit hard to understand my hearing is not getting any better so may be will h ave to look after it a bit better.

The freedom we have here and at home is now something I will never take for granted and makes me appreciate what we have and the sacrifices made by our compatriots to ensure we keep it that way.

The South Sudanse fought a twenty year war to obtain what they called freedom but are still a long way away. You just can’t go any where there without being hindered ,stopped at a checkpoint for money or a lift by a drunken soldier, Unobtrusively go through security at airports , stopped by police on a Friday who want beer money.

To be able to just go anywhere when you like do what you like and no one causing deliberate obstruction in the name of security [baksheesh] is a right we need to treasure. I have been trying to put my finger on what it is that I miss about Aus and I think this is it the freedom to enjoy our own country and I think above all maintain our personal freedom.

All to himself at Filey

Filey Jills Flat the yellowish colour at the end

 Those of you who have known me for a while know the value I put on my own space and the dislike I have for the invasion of it and the fundamentals of personal freedom that I may at some stages push a little to the extreme. [Some may call it selfishness and you could be right] I think the loss of that freedom is the hardest thing about living in the Sudan not the heat, remotness, mud dust and blood sucking invertebrates, But the inability to be free to go when and where I want to.

York ambience

What Sanity

6/12/2010

Insanity/dexterity/determination or just stupidity

The realms of insanity flashed past the eyes the rolling and dilated pupils became sore from the mornings frustrations of not the whole truth.

 Or the originator of the fallacy note knowing the difference between a truck leaving and thinking about it which here can be a thought for a month or two.

The Arab paymaster doing his impersonation of a Government tax official “Cheques in the mail I am from the Government and here to help you”

It rained last night 27mm,have not slept again, the newly spread gravel did not have time to be rolled the old mud pile is like a thousand pigs had a rave party last night my boots got sucked off, the rotocoms [leveling machine] cradles holding them together were broken in the container, the loader gets bogged dragging them out .the hammer head flew off and then it had a trip all of its own into the tundra, go to the store to get another in the hammer section just find 3 more handles why? Mr last has one of his afternoon mental lapses and unfortunately the sheep dog voice is heard for a few miles he is repentant at least, blood pressure is high ,slip in mud. container door jammed ,flat battery on truck, out of gas, it rains with no clouds, Kobus tells me it is Monday

But alas lots of butternuts ,beans, the corn is up, new beans up in 3 days [we will be the bean capital of the world] drugs arrive for the clinic at Maanga we sending our Nurse to operate it as it was just a building and a thought!

[Kids were getting sick some nearly dying  some will . Couldn’t let that continue to happen spoke to Governor and we have joint venture with the state government so maybe the school next if we can keep them healthy.]

Fathers day remembered, Dockers win , Wallabies win ,Ticket arrives for Nairobi flight  8 sleeps?? sanity will prevail.

All good?