Snow, Ice and Bad News

The barely sub zero temperatures and promised snow around the U.K. this week caused a little panic and if the few inches that fell this January return the country will again fall into chaos. While I awaited our fate I heard the snow was piling up in Turin (reports from my sister).

Now I hear the Channel Tunnel is crippled by the weather – an amazing failure of the system, 5 trains effected by rapid temperature change which caused an electrical failure.

With power failures and sporting postponements adding to the mix its a poor reflection on my countries ability to cope, obviously the French are to take some of the Channel Tunnel blame too.

So I now await the joys of next weeks weather, I have a drive back to the family pile for a few days over Christmas and until the the perilous morning commute. I have little fear over my own abilities on ice, but as most other drivers are less than capable I worry about them. I was close to having my front onside wing remodelled by small city car who lost control on a roundabout last January. I only mention this as my wonderful country seems unable to cope with any adverse conditions and lets be fair we don’t exactly get the extremes other countries experience.

Anyway – while the winter storms batter us, one airline folds (Fly Globe Span) and British Airway’s staff attempt to ruin Christmas for millions and ruin their employers I will wish you all well for the season and hope that everyone gets where they need to be for Christmas (even if it isn’t where they really want to be).

 

Not A Typical Englishman

I’m a member of the Matador Network, loads of great stories and pictures. One of the ones I read today got me thinking about the time I spent in Zagreb last year.

It was hot and I wasn’t feeling very well when I got off the train from Budapest, getting to the hostel I had been greeted by a very impatient woman behind the guest who had zero understanding of customer service. It wasn’t a good introduction to Zagreb and Croatia in general.

It was much later in the day before  I met some of my fellow travellers, a German and an American (unfortunately I can’t remember tier names and have lost some of my travel notes). there was the usual conversation, where are you from, going, and the other usual stories and jokes. Later the following day I was feeling a bit better and ran into the American guy again, he was heading out for a few drinks at a bar he knew of and I was invited, I agreed and we went down to watch Michael Phelps win yet another gold in Beijing.

While watching the inevitable I got chatting to another American guy, who knew the owner of one of my favourite record shops (Amoeba Music). He was of course invited to the bar too.

Sitting around a wooden picnic table outside a little shed like bar near the top of the funicular railway I was discovering a bit about a stereotypes, English stereo types. The German was shocked I didn’t like football and didn’t drink much (I don’t drink much normally these days and my current state of health was limiting that even more).

It was hard for the hard drinking football loving German to understand that English guy didn’t like football, it is a an unfortunate stereotype, drunken football fan and I hate it. I found I was surprised to be with two well travelled Americans and realised I was doing the same thing. I had a little laugh and decided not to do this again.

Now apart from trying to remove my countries stereotype, I’d like to say that everyone I met in that hostel (except the staff) were friendly and helpful. I hope I do not stereotype Croats in the future because of one experience and I hope anyone not from England reading this will not expect every English man to be a football fan, some of us like real sports!

 

Travelogues II

In my last post “Travelogues” I listed a number of famous personalities who have done TV travelogues, or similar programs, here is a quick overview of what they have done, as far as I can remember.

Home Grown

Michael Palin	Great Railway Journeys, Around the World in 80 Days, Pole to Pole, Full Circle, Hemingway Adventure, Sahara, Himalaya, New Europe and 80 Days Revisited
Billy Connolly	Journey to the Edge of the World, World Tour of New Zealand, World Tour of Ireland, Wales and England, A Scot in the Arctic, World Tour of Australia and World Tour of Scotland
Stephen Fry	America and Last Chance To See
Ewan McGregor & Charley Boorman	Long Way Round and Long Way Down
Charley Boorman	London To Sydney By Any Means and Sydney To Tokyo By Any Means
Paul Merton	China, Indian
Griff Rhys Jones	Rivers, Mountains
Griff Rhys Jones, Dara Ó Briain and Rory McGrath	Three Men in a Boat, Three Men in Another Boat, Three Men in More Than One Boat
Victoria Wood	Victoria’s Empire
Martin Clunes	Islands Of Britain
Robbie Coltrane	B Roads of Britain
James May and Oz Clarke	Wine Tours – Big Wine Adventure (France and California), Drink To Britain
John Sergeant	On The Tourist Trail
Julia Bradbury	Rough Guides, Railway Walks, Wainwright’s Walks
Kate Humble	Frankincense Trail
Sir Trevor McDonald	The Secret Caribbean
Bruce Parry	Tribe, Amazon (and some others I haven’t seen yet)
Ray Mears	Extreme Survival, Bushcraft, Wild Food, Goes Walkabout, Northern Wilderness

 

Across the Pond

Anthony Bourdain	No Reservations
Andrew Zimmerman	Bizarre World
Adam Richman	Man v. Food

If I’ve missed anyone I’m sure one my many readers will remind me.

 

Travelogues

I’m off to Manchester soon – on the train for a gig. Its not really ambitious travel, but until my long weekend in Italy next January and my drive home for Christmas it’s all I’ve got.

As much as I am looking forward to all three (yes I am looking forward to my trip to Manchester,  its a break from the norm, a railway line I haven’t been on and it’s been a while since I’ve been down the curry mile for a meal. Plus last time I went to Manchester I didn’t have time to check the food in China Town.

Its at times like this I tend to turn to books, magazines, various internet site and yes – what has been refared to as my “whopping electronic canvas suitable for opening a small-time cinema“; the TV.

I have been reliving Mr Palin’s Travels (I have lost count as to how many times I’ve seen them now) it got  me thinking about who else has done a travelogue. I’m not going to look at Pilot Guides/Globe Trekker here – suffice to say I enjoy it.

Well Billy Connolly, Stephen Fry, Ewan McGregor & Charley Boorman, Paul Merton, Griff Rhys Jones (with and without Dara Ó Briain and Rory McGrath), Victoria Wood, The Children In Need 80 Day Challenge Team, Martin Clunes, Robbie Coltrane, James May and Oz Clarke, John Sergeant, Sir Trevor McDonald, Julia Bradbury and Kate Humble are the only one I can think of for now. I’ll add Bruce Parry and Ray Mears to the list as their shows are about travel and/or different cultures.

Our American cousins who are lucky enough to have the Travel Channel – have the likes of Anthony Bourdain, Andrew Zimmerman and the ever hungry Adam Richman amongst others to watch.

Unlike many “critics” I am by no means going to rip these people apart, or their producers why would I – they provide me with entertainment, escapes, inspiration and fuel my dreams. Those that think not another famous personality (I refuse to use the “C” word) getting to travel, funded by someone else’s wallet – good for them – if I was in their position I would be sending letters, faxes and emails to every producer and television company I could to get them to pay for me to do something like this – who wouldn’t?

As far as comparisons go everyone of the names above (with the exception of Bruce Parry and Ray Mears) are going to be graded against Mr Plain – the only one I feel can compete is Billy Connolly, although Stephen Fry does come close too. For those who are music fans consider this – there is only one drummer worthy of being the best ever and no one with any sense can argue with this – Animal. There is only one man who can come close to him – Keith Moon. Like all other drummers, there is yet to be another travel presenter who can compete.

So please just enjoy the show – have a little escape and wish it was you doing it.

 

The Last Leg

All good things must end, and with some drama and sea sickness Jose Lawrence & Shane Richie attempt to doge a hurricane (Bill) and race to get back in time to make the 80 days target.

So how do you spend your time on a transatlantic voyage, on a cargo ship. Options are limited and I suppose after you have counted the containers, engines, pipes and watched your wake for a while and spotted the local wildlife your a bit stuck. Not with a film crew and two celebrities, you make a cheesy soap opera.

Meanwhile a rescue plan is put into place, a ship to ship transfer just off the Lizard Point, boat to Plymouth and a train to London. Sounds simple… well to disembark you need a rope ladder and the captain, can’t stop. He just moves course a little. Its all dependant on good weather.

Its at this point you realise a few things, a solo 80 day attempt does not have the power of the BBC behind it and (as I predicted) in earlier posts both sea sickness and the ocean crossings are the most important parts of the trip and you have no control over either.

Off the cargo ship and its the last day, with only 17 hours the most beautiful racing yacht and the most wonderful Dame Ellen MacArthur at the helm. I cannot emphasise enough how much respect and admiration I have for her. It would be nice to see her with longer hair though. There is only one thing I rather do (and have less chance of completing) that a solo circumnavigation of the globe in a racing yacht.

The whole team is at the reform club to great them,  just a note here – no one met Mr Palin.

The journal and the carpet bag are now both up for auction…  as I type this the journal has just flown past £20,000 (there goes my chance of owning it) and the carpet bag making a good start at £3,000.