I am having to meet a friend for a 30th in Nice in September. I have a limited budget and it was too late to get the cheap Eurostar offers.
Rather than spend the night sleeping at a station I am getting a coach from London Victoria to Lyon then spending the first night there. I would like to see more of France beyond Paris, I travel through France a lot but never really get the chance to stop off there.
I am just wondering how much the troubles are likely to affect my journey to Lyon? I have not booked return travel yet as I am undecided what to do. I did really want to go to back to Spain this year so it makes sense to go to Spain after Nice but I won't get to Barcelona until 7pm so it means spending a night in Barcelona which won't be cheap so I am deciding if I should just skip Spain and get the train straight from Nice to London via Paris.
Also has anybody ever been to Nice is it as expensive as people make out? I like my beer and I am having fears that is 10 euros a pint! It is apart of the world I have never been to though so I am looking forward to that. The living costs in Nice depending on if I can afford to go spend a few days in the costa Brava afterwards or just go straight back home.
I am travelling mostly with SNCF, an SNCF coach to Lyon over night, then the SNCF train in the morning. The great thing about the SNCF IDBUS service is the coaches stop at the major train stations unlike others like Megabus that just drop you off at some random car park with no facilities.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Fri 24 Jul 15 at 13:38
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>> Also has anybody ever been to Nice is it as expensive as people make out? I like my beer and I am having fears that is 10 euros a pint! It is apart of the world I have never been to though so I am looking forward to that.
The South of France is very beautiful Sheikha and a lot of well-heeled people go there. Nice seemed pretty expensive when I went there, but that was some time ago and there may have been some relative change since then.
From memory, beer is an expensive option, and a bit nasty to an English beer palate. Wine, brandy and so on should give you more bang for your Euro.
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On the lunchtime news today the South Eastern locals are starting to mutter about the disruption on this side of the channel. The difficulty in getting around with the motorways being used as lorry parks, closed roads, and diverted traffic is costing local buinesses, disrupting medical appointments etc. etc. etc. How much is media induced complaints and promoted political pressure is difficult to call from up here.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Fri 24 Jul 15 at 14:27
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>> On the lunchtime news today the South Eastern locals are starting to mutter about the
>> disruption on this side of the channel. The difficulty in getting around with the motorways
>> being used as lorry parks, closed roads, and diverted traffic is costing local buinesses, disrupting
>> medical appointments etc. etc. etc. How much is media induced complaints and promoted political pressure
>> is difficult to call from up here.
Its a real pain. Its a pain for the whole of North / North East Kent. The traffic has to go somewhere, and all it has are roads in town not equipped for it. You can't believe the sheer quantity of cars and heavies that cross the channel till it all goes TU and jams up. Specially in peak season
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 24 Jul 15 at 14:31
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>
>> I am just wondering how much the troubles are likely to affect my journey to
>> Lyon? I have not booked return travel yet as I am undecided what to do.
Too far away to predict. To be sure tho the coach is going to be the worse option if there are still troubles.
>> Also has anybody ever been to Nice is it as expensive as people make out?
>> I like my beer and I am having fears that is 10 euros a pint!
Compared to Spain, it will give your wallet a nasty shock it may not recover from
>> It is apart of the world I have never been to though so I am
>> looking forward to that. The living costs in Nice depending on if I can afford
>> to go spend a few days in the costa Brava afterwards or just go straight
>> back home.
It is eyeopeningly classy and decadent. Every one needs to do the south of france once in their life.
>> I am travelling mostly with SNCF, an SNCF coach to Lyon over night, then the
>> SNCF train in the morning. The great thing about the SNCF IDBUS service is the
>> coaches stop at the major train stations unlike others like Megabus that just drop you
>> off at some random car park with no facilities.
Return air fair - Manchester Nice 167 quid.
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>>Return air fair - Manchester Nice 167 quid
Considering incidental costs en route, air is often the best alternative. Nice airport is some way out but there is an excellent, quick and cheap bus service to the town rail station. The return route is much longer but taxis seemed very reasonable, some 5 years back. On that occasion, I checked some of the hotels near the station, as I wanted a standby for possible later use, and didn't find prices outrageous. I would expect to find air links with Spain good.
French beer is mostly of the Eurosuds variety but there are some excellent "bieres de garde".
A propos, it is absurd that the French police can't (won't?) stop strikers blocking public routes with burning tyres.
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I don't like flying and I think that has been discussed at length on here before so lets not go into that :).
It is costing me £40 to get to Nice from London, plus £35 for an Ibis right opposite the station in Lyon.
I am not a fussy beer drinker so I am happy with what ever is the cheapest.
When I was in Paris last month I was really amazed how many pick pockets were standing outside Gare De Nord in full view of the police. It seems the French police are too busy fining coach passengers for not wearing seabelts than to deal with the massive immigration and crime problems.
I am well used to busy parts of London and you simply do not get the same problem with beggars and pick pockets to the extremes you get in Paris.
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Allow yourself plenty of time for your visit. I love Nice, and have walked there twice on the GR5 from St Gingolph on the southern shore of Lac Leman. Plenty of cheap hotels several blocks back from the prom, easily found on sites such as Travel Republic or Booking.com
I could happily spend a week in Nice....great museums such as Chagall, Matisse, Modern Art ( I like the Yves Klein stuff) train journey along the coast via Monaco to Italy, and a stunning 2.5 hour rail journey on a small private line to the small town of Digne in the mountains. This line runs from a tiny station slightly to the west of the main SNCF I think, but easy walking distance. Just google for info. Ferries to Corsica as well I think if you want to extend the trip.
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>>a stunning 2.5 hour rail journey on a small private line to the small town of Digne in the mountains
I think the same line may carry on as far as Grenoble, single track, the scenery looking very attractive from the Route Napoleon above. I drove this way a few years ago, en route to Nice and then into Italy.
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Agree about the pick pockets in Paris.They used a razor blade to cut my cote.Hard to notice in a crowded lift on the Eifel tower.
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Pretty seedy outside the main SNCF in Nice too. After a two week backpacking trip south from Modane and being a little mucky they didn't come near.
But you definitely need to keep your wits about you
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I go to Nice quite a lot - find a quiet bar and you'll pay €4-5 for 500ml. Even restaurants aren't desperately expensive (maybe €8?) and wine is nearly always cheap in France. Thanks to Greece beer on the continent is getting refreshingly affordable. Go to Monaco and you'll pay 4x that.
IMHO Paris is more expensive than Nice.
Also, you do know that you can fly from Manchester with Jet2 (or Liverpool with Easy)? Takes just over 2 hours, the approach into Nice is awesome with a low level visual turn to avoid Cap d'Antibes, and the airport is literally walking distance from town.
Don't pack swimming trunks, the beach sucks.
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Unfortunately FF the OP is very reluctant to fly. Many people are, and they have my utmost sympathy. When not walking into Nice via the GR5 I always fly Jet2 out of Leeds Bradford. Dirt cheap when booked in advance, great views of the Alps, Paris sometimes and as you say a wonderful approach.
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>> find a quiet bar and you'll pay �4-5 for 500ml.
It's true that doesn't look expensive. But I wonder whether a quiet bar is what the Sheikh and his mates will be looking for. It's a 30th birthday Rosbif junket don't forget.
If they do find a quiet bar it won't stay quiet for long once they arrive I hope. National pride is at stake here.
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>> >>I was really amazed how many pick pockets were standing outside Gare De Nord
>>
>> Out of interest, how did you know they were pickpockets?
If you can spot a pick pocket at first glance he is a very bad (and poor) one indeed. As for "loads of them" there are simply not that many bad pickpockets, they move onto other crimes.
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>> I don't like flying and I think that has been discussed at length on here
>> before so lets not go into that :).
Its something you need to get to grips with, avoid it and it wont go away.
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He doesn't need to, unless your job needs you to its easy to avoid flying. No one has to fly anywhere.
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>> He doesn't need to, unless your job needs you to its easy to avoid flying.
>> No one has to fly anywhere.
He wants to travel to europe, he is forced to spend 30+hours on a coach, his destinations are limited, large chunks of his holiday time are spent on awful transport.
Under those circumstances don't you think it would be a good idea to get over an issue?
true no one has to fly anywhere, so don't go anywhere.
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>> Under those circumstances don't you think it would be a good idea to get over
>> an issue?
>>
>>
I agree he should but doesn't need to .
>> true no one has to fly anywhere, so don't go anywhere.
>>
Other modes of transport are available to travel. Not as accessible as flying or useful but still there.
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>> >> true no one has to fly anywhere, so don't go anywhere.
>> >>
>> Other modes of transport are available to travel. Not as accessible as flying or useful
>> but still there.
You'll not get a bus or eurostar to America. Ok there is a cruise liner, but I don't think he is geriatric yet.
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I agree Z. I have no comprehension of how it must be like....an acquaintance of mine will not fly, yet loves cruising with his wife so they always sail from Shampton. It rules out cruising anywhere far afield which is sad.
I flew at an early age with my parents...Viscounts, Dart Heralds, Avro 748s and loved every minute, even wanted to be a RN helicopter pilot but fell well short of the required standards!
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One day he will fly somewhere and will be full of regret that he hadn't done so before and for all the missed time and opportunties.
But nothing here will convince him and its his choice, its just a shame.
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>> One day he will fly somewhere and will be full of regret that he hadn't
>> done so before and for all the missed time and opportunties.
>>
>> But nothing here will convince him and its his choice, its just a shame.
>>
Most big airlines do excellent fear-of-flying courses. (EasyJet and BA are just two that spring to mind).
Even if you don't plan on flying in the near future it's probably worth giving one of them a shot, if only because the day may come when you need to get on a flight in a hurry (I've done it when a close relative had a heart attack and I didn't feel up to driving) and a nervous breakdown in the airport will not help.
Besides, after you've paid for a beer in the departures lounge, anywhere in France will feel cheap. :-)
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I always use the Yorkshire Premier lounge at LBA for any flight departing from late AM onwards. Decent food and unlimited beer & wine. Two hours in the lounge with friends, papers etc is money well spent although I stay reasonably sober!
I regularly catch the 06:15 KLM to AMS for my USA flights and cannot understand drinking lager at 5am. Yuk.
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>> I travel through France a lot but never really get
>> the chance to stop off there.
>>
The answer to that is parked outside your front door depreciating in the street. Once you bite the bullet and do it you'll never look back.
>> I am just wondering how much the troubles are likely to affect my journey to
>> Lyon ?
If you take your car you can take an alternative crossing, problem gone.
Bonus: you can fold the rear seats flat and bring as much beer, wine, whatever takes your fancy from all the off the beaten track destinations your sense of direction takes you.
OK, not gonna happen but I keep saying it in the hope one day...
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"If you take your car you can take an alternative crossing, problem gone."
Dover - Dunkerque (usually a bit cheaper than Dover - Calais) should be OK. Well, I hope so, as I'm planning to do that in September.
However, it won't beat the coach on price. Fuel is pretty much the same in France as in the UK.
I don't recall Nice as being that expensive. Stayed there a few years ago in an Etap hotel (now Ibis Budget, I believe) and eating out was not too dear. Mind you, inland away from the popularity of the coast is cheaper. In general, coastal Provence is a bit pricey. Just pop in to Nice and then spend time somewhere else - there's plenty of choice!
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The cost of the coach via IDBUS from Victoria to Lyon Dieu is £20. Now I've never done the crossing at night so I am going to write off any chance of sleeping during the night due to the crossing, although I suspect by 3:00am we will on the ferry. Perhaps the Eurostar was the better option although that did involve sleeping/not sleeping in St Pancreas.
Do the ferries run all night?
I will have a good night sleep in Lyon to catch up. Still undecided if I should go back to the UK or head to Spain after Nice.
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"Do the ferries run all night?"
Yes.
"Still undecided if I should go back to the UK or head to Spain after Nice."
Up to you. France will be pricier, but you won't have to travel so far. As I like France at least as much as Spain, I know what I would do.
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As I mentioned earlier, lots to do in & around Nice, so don't rush to leave the place. Think I was paying around 50 euros a night for B & B in a nice comfy hotel back from the front.
The Corsica ferries sail to four destinations on the island I think, and crossings take between 4 & 6 hours. A nice mini cruise!
Enjoy
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>> I will have a good night sleep in Lyon to catch up. Still undecided if
>> I should go back to the UK or head to Spain after Nice.
>>
Italy!
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Fuel prices are £1:1€ at the moment. The exchange rate is not though. I paid 114.9 in Calais a couple of weeks ago, noticed it was 113.9 in Germany tonight. Using the car is never going to be the cheap option though it certainly is the most flexible
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I was waiting for Italy to be mentioned but I am not sure where I could go, I am not sure if I would be in the mood for a city break as such. What are the living costs like in Milan which is about as far as I could get?
Are there any good coastal towns in Italy worth visiting? My friend wants a visit to Monaco but that is my idea of hell. I am not taking smart shoes and shirts etc with me.
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You don't have to go far into Italy, the coast beyond Monaco along to San Remo and Imperia is pleasant with small coastal villages, marinas, and beaches. All backed by the mountains with many more villages to explore.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Fri 24 Jul 15 at 22:26
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>> city break as such. What are the living costs like in Milan which is about
>> as far as I could get?
Not sure what others think, but having been there (by train as it happens) I see no reason why you would want to go anywhere near the place.
Turin, however is a much nicer prospect.
Nice to Turin by train is between 5-6 hours and 25 quid.
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 24 Jul 15 at 22:28
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>> Not sure what others think, but having been there (by train as it happens) I
>> see no reason why you would want to go anywhere near the place.
>>
>> Turin, however is a much nicer prospect.
>>
>>
I agree with Zero. Don't like Milan at all.
Trains in northern Italy very good, Bologna is beautiful and it's only an hour further to Venice.
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>>My friend wants a visit to Monaco but that is my idea of hell. I am not taking smart shoes and shirts etc with me.
You wouldn't like Monaco, its horrendously expensive and damned boring if you haven't got money to spend.
It also takes more than smart shoes and shirts to get you in anywhere you'd want to get in.
Although to be fair I haven't been there in 7or 8 years.
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I'm not rich or posh and I enjoyed a day wandering around Monaco a couple of years ago - just looking, taking photos. The old part is nice. Had a chuckle at a young guy in a Rolls who got stroppy when told he couldn't park in front of the old palace.
Stared at the cars in front of the casino and the yachts in the marina.
Had a coffee, found a snack - not cheap, but it didn't break the bank. An experience, anyway.
I certainly did not wear anything expensive - a short-sleeved not-designer shirt, cheapo shorts and the old North Face sandals I've worn for years.
Last edited by: Observer on Sat 25 Jul 15 at 01:26
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>>North Face sandals
Posh git.
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>> >>North Face sandals
>>
>> Posh git.
Please, don't tell me, not grey socks as well?
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>>Are there any good coastal towns in Italy worth visiting?
Take the train from Nice to San Remo but be prepared for a long walk out of the mountain at destination, as this is where the platforms now are are and the travellators rarely work. (The charming old station on the waterfront is long gone.) I can't comment on normal prices as we went self-catering but the few restaurants are pricey and surprisingly poor in offerings. Local buses and coaches are cheap, however, especially with the various travel cards available. I didn't like driving on the frantic Via Aurelia on an earlier occasion.
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"Posh git."
I don't think I'm posh, but that's only my opinion. Can't see what North Face has to do with it.
"Git" - an insult, albeit a mild one. No FM2R does those from time to time, I notice. Dunno why.
You, sir, are a prat for calling me a git.
And for Zero's benefit (he's another one who likes to cut people down to size if he decides they deserve it) I never wear socks of any description with sandals. It spoils the tan on one's lower legs.
I'm not sure why comments supposed to say that you don't have to be posh to enjoy Monaco have come to this. Anyway...
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SQ 4 LB
>> I'm not sure why comments supposed to say that you don't have to be posh
>> to enjoy Monaco have come to this. Anyway...
>>
Of course, I don't know, but I assumed that it was meant to be robust blokey humour? Barrack room, or changing room humour, if you prefer.
Last edited by: VxFan on Sat 25 Jul 15 at 17:43
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I read it as just that too...and I'm female!
Pat
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Seems to me that it's about time the French really got to grips with these illegal immigrants.
Looking at the video clips it looks as though they are mostly young men, seeking to get to the U.K., which they, rightly or wrongly, see as a land of milk and honey.
(Although I can see the French giving them citizenship, E.U. passports, just to move them on and sniggering as they legally come to the U.K.)
If they are, however unlikely it seems, REAL refugees they are supposed to stay in the first safe country they come to.
That ain't the U.K.
I suspect they are illegal entrants to France, as well as to other E.U. countries they have traversed in their journey.
What is it about "illegal" that people don't understand?
Time, perhaps to get tough, round 'em up and ship 'em back across the Mediterranean.
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Can you imagine the reaction from the French if they were going the other way and we did nothing to stop them?
Pat
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"posh git"
Better not mention my new Ecco Sandals then..!
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I think you misunderstand, my apologies.
You said you were not posh and explained by saying that you wore north face sandals; presumably meaning that you find old north face sandals not posh.
I was trying to intimate that I was even more not posh, so not posh in fact that I thought wearing old north face sandals was actually posh.
Failed humour, what can I say.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Sat 25 Jul 15 at 13:40
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Sandals... Hmmmm....anyone heard of xeroshoes.co.uk apart from me? The Amuri z trek are brilliant lightweight sandals, perfect for letting the dogs breath after a days walking whilst in camp, or just for use in hot weather. Minimal support though, so I wouldn't recommend all day use. For more substantial support, although quite heavy, I use Chaco's, perfect for river activities or simply walking around in.
The only sandals I have worn these past 6 weeks are my Amuri Z Treks. About £40 in the UK, but if you look at their website, fill in an order but do not finish, you might get a pop up or email offering 10% off.
Just my two cents worth
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Talk about posh.Most I've ever payed for sandals ninety five pounds.Tryed them on without looking at the price very comfortable.Ecco Danish made according to the shop.Problaby last me for the rest of my walking live.
Last edited by: Dutchie on Sat 25 Jul 15 at 17:07
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Well Dutchie, at that price I hope they do. If you find them comfortable, it's worth spending a bit more and cosseting your feet. My £40 Xero Amuri sandals might only last a few years, maybe longer, but my £35 Chaco's are still going strong after six years.
I pay £70 for Salomon trail walking footwear and they rarely last two years, but I find them exceptionally comfortable (XA Pro Ultra) and I consider them worth every penny.
Happy walking
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Sandals?
Looks like we've got a bunch of Hipsters on the forum.
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Yoghurt knitters more like.
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>> Sandals?
>>
>> Looks like we've got a bunch of Hipsters on the forum.
>>
More like people who are confident enough to wear what they like and are comfortable in and don't give a stuff what anyone thinks. I have four pairs of sandals and only wear socks with the ones that are like perforated shoes.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Sat 25 Jul 15 at 20:34
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>> only wear socks with the ones that are like perforated shoes.
The nephew has some of those. Horrible looking things, and made of plastic or rubber so have to torture your feet.
White all-leather moccasins, expensive or very expensive depending on source, are cool shoes in my book. They can take rural conditions too, and they get mellow with a bit of mud and dung on them.
Yes, you can ponce around in the country.
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>> The nephew has some of those. Horrible looking things, and made of plastic or rubber
>> so have to torture your feet.
The only plastic or rubber shoes (or sandals) that I have are the car washing wellies. Apart from a pair of flip flops used as summer slippers and they have fabric straps.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Sat 25 Jul 15 at 20:50
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I have some Salomon trailies....lightweight, ideal summer wear as you say they wear out. I rarely wore any other footwear one summer...excellent
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It's 41C down in the Central Valley early next week. Sandals are my go to footwear after my flop flips fell apart yesterday ( chewed by dog).
Teamed with Haglofs shorts and short sleeved REI trail shirt, with wicking properties, it's the perfect summer apparel.
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People don't seem to wear Jesus Creepers anymore. They are my favourite summer shoes.
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Well done those pilots. I hope there weren't too many nervous flyers on board. I'm flying into Schipol Thursday afternoon with Delta, and suppose the winds have abated by now.
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The women who have to scream when the pilot applies full power for a go around are a pain. They look a bit sheepish when the captain explains that the plane that landed in front of us was a bit slow getting off the runway and she was going around while he sorted himself out. I suppose flying is like driving in that respect, don't fly (drive) into a problem and become part of it.
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I think I have an answer to the Calais Migrant problem.
Attempting to enter the secure area, or to stow away on vehicle or truck is already an offence, but there appears to be no consequences for trying. Repeatedly.
So with the 15 million that the UK is throwing at the issue, and a similar amount from the French, build a new court & Prison within sight of the complex. There are 4 thousand gathered there, the prison needs to be capable of holding 3 thousand.
Adjust the penalties for breaking the law to a blanket three years, arrest those who try, find them guilty or not and jail them.
Its all perfectly legal and moral, There is no abuse of human rights going on, and the migrant issue will disappear from the area before the prison gets half full.
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There is a flaw in that idea.
The French want them out of France, but they don't want to actually have to do anything.....and there is the problem.
Cure that and you have a solution.
Pat
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I see the PC-ists are now complaining about the PM using the word 'swarm' to describe a vast horde of immigrants trying to get across the channel. How pathetic.
Earlier this evening, a BBC local news reporter described a "swarm" of supporters going into Portman Rd to see the Ipswich team. Should I complain to the BBC about such inflammatory language used to describe football fans?
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I would imagine not many people take notice of a local reporter in Ipswich in comparision to the PM. Nor do politicians, especially PMs, mispeak that often.
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Unbelievable. The boss and I heard it while in the car, we spent 5 minutes trying to think of acceptable synonyms. Swarm seems a good choice.
Among the definitions offered by Chambers is "a throng of people".
Oxford dictionaries online offers "A large number of people or things" and gives the example
"a swarm of journalists" which seems appropriate.
Reminds me of all the people who only knew one definition of 'slut'.
I had been warming slightly to Burnham, but he said "Confirms there's no dog-whistle these Bullingdon Boys won't blow." Seems he has tinnitus.
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Mountains & molehills.
NOUN: a large number of honeybees that leave a hive en masse with a newly fertilized queen in order to establish a new colony.
synonyms: hive · flock · collection
VERB: move somewhere in large numbers:
synonyms: flock · crowd · throng · surge · stream
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>> I see the PC-ists are now complaining about the PM using the word 'swarm' to
>> describe a vast horde of immigrants trying to get across the channel. How pathetic.
No but I am going to take you to task, 5,000 is not a vast horde
>> Earlier this evening, a BBC local news reporter described a "swarm" of supporters going into
>> Portman Rd to see the Ipswich team. Should I complain to the BBC about such
>> inflammatory language used to describe football fans?
Certainly Portman road never gets a "vast horde" either
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"Certainly Portman road never gets a "vast horde" either"
You're a clever chap, Zed, how long is a piece of string?
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>> "Certainly Portman road never gets a "vast horde" either"
>>
>> You're a clever chap, Zed, how long is a piece of string?
You are not talking string, you are trying to make it into a ships hawser.
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>>! see the PC-ists are now complaining about the PM using the word 'swarm'
The Refugee forum is one such group complaining. Perhaps they could explain by what definition a group of people who have crossed France from other EC countries and are trying to get illegally into a 3rd EC country are "refugees".
I believe the complaints started from Corbyn and a couple of others from the Labour party. Way to get support, fools!
In this case I suspect that it will cause more people to drop onto Cameron's side.
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It is a callous remark by Cameron he couldn't care less what his speech writers make him say.
The French should go into these camps and take the women and children out.Whatever the situation of these people they are in a mess.We are just lucky to be born in reasonable civilised countries.
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>>We are just lucky to be born in reasonable civilised countries.
True. And perhaps these people were born in "Bad Country 1". So they escaped to "Good Country 1" and should be supported in doing so. In fact, Good Country 1 should be supported by Good Country 2 - 99 in helping these refugees. Both financially and politically and also by agreeing to share the burden.
But then the ex-refugees left "Good Country 1" for no better reason than they didn't like it all that much.
Now they are in Good Country 2 and again trying to leave for no life threatening reason, trying to illegally sneak into Good Country 3. They are not escaping Bad Country 1, they are trying to migrate from Good Country 2 to somewhere they prefer.
And that's looking on the upside, ignoring the possibility that they may also be a bunch of free-loading scroungers after an easy life.
So why should we sympathise then? Because surely that is simply economic migration?
If we need to take the child out to protect it, then we should imprison the parents for endangering it.
If the woman is endangered, then she is either a free-thinking idiot, or we should arrest her husband for mistreating her.
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>>It is a callous remark by Cameron he couldn't care less what his speech writers make him say.
Don't be silly.
Cameron's speech was designed to appeal to the emotions of the voters, which it successfully did, so the opposition needed to pick holes in it. Since what he was actually saying largely appealed to the voters, the opposition couldn't argue with the message, so they went for the language in a most sanctimonious, hypocritical and politically correct way.
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"Whatever the situation of these people "
In a couple of weeks time, some friends will come to stay for the weekend and we've invited a dozen and a half of their old colleagues round for lunch. The garden would physically hold a hundred or so souls, but we had to draw a line at 18 because we don't have any more chairs, there wouldn't be enough food, and there aren't enough toilets.
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We are saved.
Dave has sent in a sniffer dog or two and opened up MOD land to park stacked lorries.
Rejoice, rejoice!
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>> We are saved.
>> Dave has sent in a sniffer dog or two and opened up MOD land to
>> park stacked lorries.
>> Rejoice, rejoice!
Beats Nigels hot air.
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>> Dave has .......
Oh, the PM. For a minute there I thought I was getting the blame for something (again).
Last edited by: VxFan on Fri 31 Jul 15 at 16:43
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>>For a minute there I thought I was getting the blame for something
Hardly, you got all "Violet Elizabeth" last time.
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>> Hardly, you got all "Violet Elizabeth" last time.
:o}
She's my favourite character, apart from the ever-lugubrious Douglas.
Do people still read William books? They should. Fine reactionary childhood stuff.
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>>Do people still read William books?
I don't know about children, my two weren't all that struck and they are normally avid readers of everything.
As it happens about 3 months ago I read the entire lot, one after another. I really enjoyed them and they brought back many memories of when I read them the first time.
And in case you think that's sad, I then started reading the Biggles books; I am currently at No. 88 which, if you were wondering, is called "Biggles Scores a Bull". I am equally enjoying them.
Jennings next.
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Ah Biggles!
My reading of choice pre teens. The scene where Bertie lies covered in blood while pretending to have been eaten by a lion will for ever stick in my mind
From "Biggles in the Jungle" I think
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>>From "Biggles in the Jungle" I think
Indeed it was, Book No 23 as it happens.
My favourite is "Biggles Buries a Hatchet" when Biggles and Erich von Stalhein reconcile and become friends after Biggles rescues him from prison. Later they go off together to save the female German spy that Biggles fell in love with in the First World War.
Am I getting sadder by the day?
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>> Am I getting sadder by the day?
No doubt FMR, but you're not alone. We all enjoyed Biggles and Worrals in our day.
Anyway I think I out-nerded you with the detailed memory of Richmal Crompton's somewhat facetious oeuvre...
I love pulp anyway. Patrick O'Brian, Hornblower for grownups... and nearly anything by Elmore Leonard.
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Thsqueam and thsqueam until he was thick?
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>> Thsqueam and thsqueam until he was thick?
That was Violet Elizabeth Bott's oft-repeated threat. She would add menacingly: 'I can.' She had a sneaky goody-goody elder brother called Hubert, William's arch-enemy. William much preferred Violet Elizabeth although she was only a little girl. She had guts and entertainment value.
Douglas was an invariable prophet of doom, trying gloomily to keep William in check.
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>> "Whatever the situation of these people "
>>
>> In a couple of weeks time, some friends will come to stay for the weekend
>> and we've invited a dozen and a half of their old colleagues round for lunch.
>> The garden would physically hold a hundred or so souls, but we had to draw
>> a line at 18 because we don't have any more chairs, there wouldn't be enough
>> food, and there aren't enough toilets.
>>
'Ware gatecrashers!
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"'Ware gatecrashers!"
Yes - this is what worries me ........ the 15-year old guard-labrador isn't up to licking people to death any more; she will neither see them, nor hear them!
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>> www.breitbart.com/london/2015/08/01/britain-facing-food-shortages-thanks-to-calais-migrant-crisis/
Gosh, Imagine what it will be like when we leave the EU and France puts lots of official aggravation in the way...........
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In a twisted (join Labour for three quid to vote Corbyn") kind of way it would help the EU "NO" vote if France were to give these illegal economic migrants French passports, so they could legally swarm here.
Last edited by: Roger. on Sun 2 Aug 15 at 11:15
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>> In a twisted (join Labour for three quid to vote Corbyn") kind of way it
>> would help the EU "NO" vote if France were to give these illegal economic migrants
>> French passports, so they could legally swarm here.
>>
Even if all 5 thousand of them crossed over tonight in one wave, it would affect you personally not one jot. Apart from getting angrily red-faced and apoplectic about it.
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"Even if all 5 thousand of them crossed over tonight in one wave, it would affect you personally not one jot."
Precisely - that's only 1,825,000 per year
;-)
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>> "Even if all 5 thousand of them crossed over tonight in one wave, it would
>> affect you personally not one jot."
>>
>> Precisely - that's only 1,825,000 per year
>>
>> ;-)
With operation stack in place, you can't move 1,825,000 people through Kent in a year.
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Rats,
As you're using IDBus, have you taken a look at IDTGV? They're either cheaper last minute seats on regular TGVs, or dedicated TGVs on busier routes. You'll often get the cheapest seats last minute if you're a bit flexible on when you travel (just a hour's change can halve the fare around peak times)
You may get a cross country IDTGV to pick up the train into Spain south of Bordeaux.
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The troubles in Calais and September eurotrip - Armel Coussine
