Home thoughts from abroad:

[Mayor West]

As we descended back through heavy cumulus into Mancunian airspace we hit dreadful turbulence.I screamed as one does when staring death in the face and the passengers surrounding me in row 26-32 screamed back in fatal recognition of that undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveller may ever return. And breaking those clouds oh,to be in England and an honour and a privilege to return to her safe bosum : /

Home thoughts from abroad:

And breaking the clouds
Oh, to be in England
Now that April’s there,
And whoever wakes in England
Sees, some morning, unaware,
That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf
Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf,
While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough
In England—now!

And after April, when May follows,
And the whitethroat builds, and all the swallows !
Hark, where my blossomed pear-tree in the hedge
Leans to the field and scatters on the clover
Blossoms and dewdrops—at the bent spray’s edge—
That’s the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,
Lest you should think he never could recapture
The first fine careless rapture!
And though the fields look rough with hoary dew,
All will be gay when noontide wakes anew
The buttercups, the little children’s dower
Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower!

Is that grass always greener in foreign climes or have we all been programmed by holiday-esque Jet 2 matrixes and whelped and whipped into a fervoured vision of paradise that will break us free from life's unenviable drudgery as working class heroes.Sunsets romantic walks down the promenade emerald coloured seas or maybe just a heavy portion of Piehella and slip of the foreign tongue ? In fairness we could readily buy steak ale pie chips and peas on a tray with gravy and half a chicken and chips and full English breakfasts but only in our own quarter.If we ventured outside it reverted back to sardines fish pilchards more fish and tapas.Same with the entertainment as we had Shoe-waddy waddy Bruno and the Rodfather but outside it was just samba rumba linedancing and more incessant warbling.

So without even knowing,is that paradise we all long for on our our doorsteps awaiting continuous eye.The emphasis throughout that above poem is on the unconscious aspect of nature and our own unconscious enjoyment of it when we are surrounded by it every day and come to take it rather for granted.If we live in the hills as we both do we do not delve into its bosum intent on finding our inner self.If you live by the seaside you do not necessarily go for walks along the prom every morning.Its escapism pure and simple yet REAL beauty abounds nearer to home.

I really missed you England and our next holiday shall be in Blackpool come Easter.Better food better ambience better culture and then money permitting will be Whitby.Weather is not everything as we English folk do not do heat well.If its hot for more than a week then most of us hope for a drop of rain just to break it all up : / Seek and ye shall find.

You are such a weird poster.

 

[Two Gun Bob]

You are such a weird poster.

I ain't looking to pick no fight so ride on out Mayor West.

Mother always said if you ain't got nothing nice to say then best to say nothing at all

 

[Saddleworth2]

I ain't looking to pick no fight so ride on out Mayor West.

Mother always said if you ain't got nothing nice to say then best to say nothing at all

It's getting off topic right now so who prefers English soil to noisy brash foreign holidays..
Yes they have the sun but is that all there is to quantify quality ?

I will go to foreigner places again but not in the foreseeable future ie not for next 6 months but at the moment am so so glad to be in my own gorgeous bed drinking my own drink and dancing my own dance at my own computer station..I have to go to bed now but holidays are just that an incredible way to let your hair down dance the dance and live of that dream.Whatever rocks your world fill your boots and crack on.

We had a great time but love being back home in dear old blighty !



Please wear your seat belts and don't be a dick like Cliff eating butties whilst driving !

I love English holidays. In the last year we have had brilliant breaks in Rutland, Ross on Wye, Wensleydale, Bakewell, the Cotswolds and of course, Manchester. You couldn't find nicer in the world. Its just unique. I also love overseas holidays particularly in Europe.

Pity the English politicians are having a very good shot at ruining the place for everyone.

 

[jazzy]

Lived abroad for 6 months , I missed dear old blighty and city too much to do it again so 2 weeks in the summer with jonny foreigner is enough for me

 

[Machiavelli]

I ain't looking to pick no fight so ride on out Mayor West.

Mother always said if you ain't got nothing nice to say then best to say nothing at all

That’s why I haven’t posted yet Bob.

 

[Two Gun Bob]

Now the gin cloud has lifted I will attempt to articulate in a more user friendly fashion.We brought some Aquiller back from the local liquor store.Its Spanish Gin native to the Costa Blanca region and priced at 6 euros a litre.Standard proof at around 37.5 % but at the fiver a bottle mark tip top value.It's what you get given if you go all inclusive.Anyway we brought lots back because the bottles are plastic and traveler friendly.The savings on this represented around £200 on UK high street prices.People ask how the Spanish and our other European chums can offer all inclusive holidays for such a small price and this is the reason. Not a big fan of the genre to be honest unless it's in Mexico and branded gear.The Americans wont eat or drink crap and have a higher expectation regarding accommodation.In Lauderdale we stayed at a standard gaff on the riverfront called Hilton Double tree and it was only £50 a night.Massive room separate bedrooms fully fitted kitchen monster bathroom 60 inch TV's and this is how they all live for absolute pennies.

Anyway I am drifting and all I wanted to say was we went for too long this time and the weather was average so not surprisingly are so glad to be safely back home in England's pleasant shires. Most folk I speak too say the same ...Its nice to go away but it's also nice to come back home again.The good points of the Dorm are that it has a very British feel to it and everyone speaks the mother tongue.Sunday lunches were fantastic with real proper bistro gravy and proper mash and Roasties.We even had apple pie and birds custard at O.Maras bar in the old town and was a regular haunt of ours because they had the soaps on for the other half and good WiFi for me.The prices in the Dorm are the lowest anywhere and even make Goa look sic.Uncle Ped's bar was always the starting off pub and some example prices were a bottle of Heineken a euro a bottle of Mauhon a euro a bottle of desperado my favourite tipple was only 2 euros.A double Gordon's and tonic was 1.50 a go and real baileys was only 1.50 euro a double measure.

After two or three weeks have elapsed that Sun Sea and Sangria starts to lose a little of the magic and the minds eye starts to wander for all things home.That quintessential masterpiece of undulating beauty that is second to none on our doorstep.Open our eyes we must and after an Easter sabbatical in Blackpool are to contemplate a few walking holidays.The lakes and peak district will make an excellent starting point.Nice walks a spot of fishing and country inns aplenty.We may of course change our mind after a week back here as the weather can be piss poor and products a little overpriced : /

 

[RadcliffeRick]

Disappointing that there was no daily update of the Benidorm trip this year. I always look forward to stories of penis shaped pools, drunken jocks. Bob, you must do better in future, there is not excuse as the WiFi in O'Maras bar is good!!

 

[Two Gun Bob]

Disappointing that there was no daily update of the Benidorm trip this year. I always look forward to stories of penis shaped pools, drunken jocks. Bob, you must do better in future, there is not excuse as the WiFi in O'Maras bar is good!!

Good Morning Rick and hope you're keeping well.For the record Rick is an ex pat who currently resides in K.L so knows a thing or two about life abroad.I doff my cap in homage but guess your not living the hectic pace of a fully fledged holidaymaker.Also a hotel room is non conducive to comfort and maybe if we lived in a house or villa we could more readily adjust to that alien environment. Glad you found O' Maras in the backstreets of the old town as it really is a piece of class far far from the madding crowd.I was going to post a few updates but have to remain aware of the sensitivity of other bored members ..It's not all about me and if I am to make the Moon my permanent home I have to learn to share it's bandwidth with the other visitors.Anyway what goes on in the Dorm stays in the Dorm and also don't want folk hankering I'm a little May West (weird) ...Time for work as days in the sun don't grow on trees.. Adios Amigo and take care.

 

[mancity2012_eamo]

Now the gin cloud has lifted I will attempt to articulate in a more user friendly fashion.We brought some Aquiller back from the local liquor store.Its Spanish Gin native to the Costa Blanca region and priced at 6 euros a litre.Standard proof at around 37.5 % but at the fiver a bottle mark tip top value.It's what you get given if you go all inclusive.Anyway we brought lots back because the bottles are plastic and traveler friendly.The savings on this represented around £200 on UK high street prices.People ask how the Spanish and our other European chums can offer all inclusive holidays for such a small price and this is the reason. Not a big fan of the genre to be honest unless it's in Mexico and branded gear.The Americans wont eat or drink crap and have a higher expectation regarding accommodation.In Lauderdale we stayed at a standard gaff on the riverfront called Hilton Double tree and it was only £50 a night.Massive room separate bedrooms fully fitted kitchen monster bathroom 60 inch TV's and this is how they all live for absolute pennies.

Anyway I am drifting and all I wanted to say was we went for too long this time and the weather was average so not surprisingly are so glad to be safely back home in England's pleasant shires. Most folk I speak too say the same ...Its nice to go away but it's also nice to come back home again.The good points of the Dorm are that it has a very British feel to it and everyone speaks the mother tongue.Sunday lunches were fantastic with real proper bistro gravy and proper mash and Roasties.We even had apple pie and birds custard at O.Maras bar in the old town and was a regular haunt of ours because they had the soaps on for the other half and good WiFi for me.The prices in the Dorm are the lowest anywhere and even make Goa look sic.Uncle Ped's bar was always the starting off pub and some example prices were a bottle of Heineken a euro a bottle of Mauhon a euro a bottle of desperado my favourite tipple was only 2 euros.A double Gordon's and tonic was 1.50 a go and real baileys was only 1.50 euro a double measure.

After two or three weeks have elapsed that Sun Sea and Sangria starts to lose a little of the magic and the minds eye starts to wander for all things home.That quintessential masterpiece of undulating beauty that is second to none on our doorstep.Open our eyes we must and after an Easter sabbatical in Blackpool are to contemplate a few walking holidays.The lakes and peak district will make an excellent starting point.Nice walks a spot of fishing and country inns aplenty.We may of course change our mind after a week back here as the weather can be piss poor and products a little overpriced : /

Should've gone to Bognor.

 

[Magicpole]

Disappointing that there was no daily update of the Benidorm trip this year. I always look forward to stories of penis shaped pools, drunken jocks. Bob, you must do better in future, there is not excuse as the WiFi in O'Maras bar is good!!

So it’s only us Scots who get drunk? Borderline racism. That must have been some coach trip that time I was in Manchester years ago at shutting time. Fuck me, it was like the set of Zombie Aloholicapocolypse. :)