In Austria

After another morning of Motorways it was back onto windy Tirol highways in Austria. The first town we came to sold us a walking map, but it's preferable neighbour said it was not selling walking medals. So on to Zirl, the next Tourist Info place we came across. Zirl has an easy walking medal scheme- 45 points for gold, 15 points for a single stamp point. After setting in to the local pension as recommened and booked by the local information centre, we went for a walk in the mountains above the town. A slight miscalcualtion meant we had to change the walk to one via the station - closed and no stamping place :-( - before showering and wandering to the local Gasthof for the mixed Austrian platter for two. Only problem with the food was- we seem to have done everything on the menu at once!

A day of Travelling

Today has been spent mainly on Belgian and German motorways, heading towards Austria. After an interesting couple of times when we found ourselves on roads newer than the map, and a quick drive through the German countryside we find ourselves in Landau, a university town with it seems only one hotel. We wandered round the town before choosing the Gasthof round the corner to eat, very German and popular amongst locals. Tomorrow we will try and reach Austria and somewhere to do some walking.

On holiday

So now we're away.

The channel crossing was quiet and uneventful, Norfolk Line is mainly a freight service so the ferries aren't overloaded with "facilities" making for a pleasant crossing. As most of the vehicles were trucks with one driver, the place was pleasantly uncrowded too. A basic canteen provided us with soup, fish and chips and cake for tea for a reasonable price, but for future reference get your food half an hour in as you miss the rush and still have half an hour before the canteen closes.

After being disengorged in Dunkirque it was a trip up the coast to the Formule 1 at Zebrugge, trying to make a 10pm deadline, only to find that these places are open 24/7.

Easy listening

A change to my normal listening patterns- Radio 3 early in the morning with Radio 2 in the evening, maybe risking Radio4 for the 6:30pm comedy slot. I miss out on current affairs this is true, but there is nothing I can do about them at present except get annoyed, so I think "Morning on 3", and "Drivetime" are what I need in todays complicated world climate.

I almost envy those simple minded enough to be able to have a clear uncluttered perspective of recent events.

Only the biggest news stories for my blog

Christopher Eccleston is new star of Doctor Who. I was really surpirsed to hear this casting on the radio just now, a weightier talent than even all the names optimisitcally bandied about by the press.

Feeling groovy

A feeling of wellbeing today, partially due to badgerbadgerbadger.com. (Thanks to Alan the Explorer and Sara the Lib Dem for recommending the link.)

The service weekend has fallen apart with 2 Explorers and 0 Scouts participating, not sure what went on with Scouts but I missed the meeting due to forgetting they didn't have use of the hall last night.

I've told my District Explorer Commissioner that I want to take a break from Headingley Explorers and have learned that James C, and one of the Beaver leaders want to come up to Explorers and help out, so that should cover my sabattical in Roundhey (helping Rose Thorne).

Busy...

In just uner two weeks I'll be off to the continent with Nicola, but until then I think nearly every day has a committment other than normal work.

I'm seriously considering giving up as ESL, due to frequently getting hassle and never getting support. I'd like to maintain my warrent as an assistant somewhere, but being in charge is just too stressful.

The weekend just gone...

... can easily be summed up as a weekend of "Quality Time".

Saturday Nicola had work on so after going to the Kirkstall Guide Depot to pick up some badges for her, I picked up some wet washing and went trundling over to Manchester to see my parents. Had a nice day talking to my Dad and Mum. Dad talked to me about my various trials with work and about the benefit so seeing the specialist, now PPP have hung me out to dry with all future consultations coming out of my own pocket.

Yesterday was spent entirely with Nicola, we watched TV in her room until midday, did some articles for various newsletters, then had lunch. Unfortunately Nicola then chose to slice her finger open on the bread knife, meaning a drive out to the minor injuries unit at Wharfedale Hospital in Otley. 15 minutes wait was obviously meant for the relatives as we were out again soon after we had arrived. But it did mean more time together as I took her to work late, and picked her up early.

Tea was toad in the hole, a new experience as previously I have never cooked this myself. I made the onion gravy a bit too beery for Nicola's taste (I'd omitted the sugar and stock), but everything else went well.

Nicola is away most of this week; tomorrow she is in London picking up her Gold DofE, and after coming back for Guides she will be going back to Birmingham to pick up another load of bits and bobs to store in the loft.

Doctor Who News

I don't know if this shows how much the new Doctor Who series is anticipated, or the higher profile writers get, or how easy it is to bang news items on to a web based news service, but there's an article on BBC News about the new writers of Doctor Who.

All the people mentioned are fans of the show and have written Doctor Who in book or audio form before.

Should be something to set the video for or even stay in for.

How European are you?

My Observer European Quiz result:

"Your heart is in Europe but your head is sceptical. You want it to work but you can't ignore the political realities that seem to militate against. You love the values and lifestyle that you think of as European - you like the long lunches, the generous welfare state, siestas, good coffee. But then there's the Common Agricultural Policy, the corruption, the budget deficits, the way all the shops are closed on Sundays"

Explorers Tonight...

... is promise and law time.

Wish me luck.

Wishing my life away

I find myself looking forward to the end of the month when Nic and I head off to unspecified destinations in Europe. This will be good for two reasons, I get to spend lots of time with Nicola, of whom I am very fond and don’t see enough, and I don’t have to think about work, or work-like tasks for two whole weeks.
I feel tired, even though most nights all I do is go home, cook tea, watch TV, and go to bed. Part of this is all the things I need to or would like to do, but don’t quite get done.

Life between holidays sometimes seems like such a treadmill, filled with things to do that need to be done now. Time without things to do is wished away watching TV or on the internet, if Nicola is not around with me. Time spent at work is not usually spent clock watching, but it often seems a necessary evil to support the rest of life that never quite seems to happen. I often wonder what would happen if I didn’t have to work- would I live a life of leisure, or just take on more and more commitments to non-paying activities. I'm giving up on being registrar of SAGGA at the end of the month, but I think I'll just end up volunteering to do other things.

Karen (Henderson?) claims to be a downshifter, a noble ideal but one I feel I’m not able to share, I naturally seem to feel that things need doing.

So thinking about these things I come up with quite a which list.

I wish I was an Assistant Explorer Scout Leader. Rather than an Explorer Scout leader.

I wish there were more people to help with the things I want to be done.

I wish Nicola would get her architecture sorted, and spend more time at home when I'm at home.

I wish I had less clutter at home.

I wish I had more time to do things. And fewer things to do.

I need more time and more space.

Too much like the real thing

On the train this morning noticed the big Tuesday story is the media storm over Dasani launch. Dasani, a product of the CocaCola company, turns out to be simply filtered and super-treated tap water. I remember buying a crate last June in an attempt to cope with the heat in 39 degree Denver, and now feel slightly cheated.

One thing that confuses me is tales of minerals being added, then being told Dasani is as pure as water gets. No surely, distilled water is as pure as water gets?