Finding things in strange places
I don't know why, but I always find it absolutely hilarious when I see things that are blatantly where they shouldn't be - particularly if it's been done as some sort of light hearted devilment.
We're all used to seeing supermarket trolleys in ditches and such like, but there was one scene in the sitcom One Foot In The Grave that had me in tears of laughter. Clearly the writers had tried to think of the most bizarre place one could end up. As Victor turned into his street in a taxi looking miserable as ever on the way back from another nightmare holiday, he happened to glance up, and there, perched on the rooftop was an abandoned supermarket trolley.
What triggered this off, well I just happened to notice today on the way to school a traffic cone perched on top of a lampost. I have no idea how many supermarket trolleys or traffic cones disappear on an annual basis, but they do seem to end up in the most unsusual places.
I know it's a blight on the landscape and not to be encouraged so why when I see pictures like this do I always find it so amusing:
It's the sheer ingenuity of some of these things that astounds me - you have to admire the creativity of these people. Students probably, like the ones that built the 20 foot high snowman in the middle of Banbury Road after an overnight snowstorm a couple of years ago.
On a similar topic, the owner of No 38 has still not removed that 7-up bottle from his roof. It has been there since at least 2006 to my certain knowledge, as I remember remarking upon it the day I moved in.
Which bring me to home, and even here, things end up in the strangest of places. Now Claire has a large corner unit in the bedroom which we refer to as the "Ronskaar" - no prizes for guessing where we bought that then! Anyway, every Monday I come to clean Ronskaar, which basically means moving all her bits of jewellery, various toiletries, and other assorted girlie things around to dust it. However, inexplicably this week there were two new additions to Ronskaar - a packet of Quavers and some Super Noodles. Quite how these things came to be there is a mystery to me - liewise with the tin of spaghetti hoops in the bathroom a few weeks ago.
Speaking of mysteries, Thomas Cook's website is a law unto itself. I have today successfully booked next year's holiday, but not after some strange price changes - in my favour I hasten to add.
We had decided we were to go back abroad next year - and particularly to the lovely Corralejo in Fuerteventura where Claire and I have been twice before, and I have been about five times over the past couple of decades.
We are going for two weeks in February - this took some organising - we are covering February half term but needed permission for the additional week from school. Claire also needed to clear it with work - all I need to do is ask one of my very nice DJ friends to cover my jobs for me.
Now I had decided that we would try self-catering again this year, after a less than successful foray into all inclusive last year. I also decided that we would pay the extra to get a large apartment i.e. one with two proper bedrooms. Standard apartments on holiday basically mean the kids sleep in the living room. OK when they are older but not at the age my two are.
So to cut to the chase, I find the place we want to go, get the basic price up and then choose the larger room option. An extra £400 - OK, but worth it I think. I then take that off and select the half-board option. Again that's about another £400 - tempted but decide against it. However, bizarrely I then discover that if you choose both these options, you only seem to have to pay for one i.e. the larger room = free food or pay for food = free room upgrade - whichever way round you care to look at it.
So it's large apartment and half board - go to book, get to the end of the booking process - no good! Computer says no! Something about the price changing. I knew it was too good to be true. Went to the online chat advisor, who said I had to start again. Went back to the start, grumbling, did it all again - but then another strange and favourable twist - the whole holiday basic price was now £100 less than it was before - with identical options!
So how much for this holiday altogether - well 4 seats on the plane, big apartment, 14 nights in a place where the average temperature in February is in the 20-25C range, half board, insurance the lot - all for under two grand.
And I just love Corralejo - it's nothing like the rest of the Canaries - it's simply lovely. Not tacky - and no chavs - they go to Tenerife. So glad to be going back there. And to top it all - I will be on holiday on my birthday as well!
If you have enjoyed reading this blog, please take a look at my books on Amazon (Paperback & Kindle), where you can read lots more of the same! Click here.
Jason xx
We're all used to seeing supermarket trolleys in ditches and such like, but there was one scene in the sitcom One Foot In The Grave that had me in tears of laughter. Clearly the writers had tried to think of the most bizarre place one could end up. As Victor turned into his street in a taxi looking miserable as ever on the way back from another nightmare holiday, he happened to glance up, and there, perched on the rooftop was an abandoned supermarket trolley.
What triggered this off, well I just happened to notice today on the way to school a traffic cone perched on top of a lampost. I have no idea how many supermarket trolleys or traffic cones disappear on an annual basis, but they do seem to end up in the most unsusual places.
I know it's a blight on the landscape and not to be encouraged so why when I see pictures like this do I always find it so amusing:
 |
| This country! |
 |
| Unbelievable! |
I remember going round Flambards, a theme park in Cornwall a few years ago, with a re-creation of various Victorian houses and shops, plus another section focused on Britain in the Blitz - well worth a visit. There were old shops with all the old brands and packaging, lovingly restored - and scales for weighing out produce. And also a pub - which on the day I visited looked just like the one in the picture but with one slight addition - a modern bottle of Tango on one of the tables. Now if I had photoshop, I could have re-created this, but it just looked so out of place, again it had me in hysterics.
 |
| A pint of mild, port and lemon and a Tango please! |
On a similar topic, the owner of No 38 has still not removed that 7-up bottle from his roof. It has been there since at least 2006 to my certain knowledge, as I remember remarking upon it the day I moved in.
Which bring me to home, and even here, things end up in the strangest of places. Now Claire has a large corner unit in the bedroom which we refer to as the "Ronskaar" - no prizes for guessing where we bought that then! Anyway, every Monday I come to clean Ronskaar, which basically means moving all her bits of jewellery, various toiletries, and other assorted girlie things around to dust it. However, inexplicably this week there were two new additions to Ronskaar - a packet of Quavers and some Super Noodles. Quite how these things came to be there is a mystery to me - liewise with the tin of spaghetti hoops in the bathroom a few weeks ago.
Speaking of mysteries, Thomas Cook's website is a law unto itself. I have today successfully booked next year's holiday, but not after some strange price changes - in my favour I hasten to add.
We had decided we were to go back abroad next year - and particularly to the lovely Corralejo in Fuerteventura where Claire and I have been twice before, and I have been about five times over the past couple of decades.
We are going for two weeks in February - this took some organising - we are covering February half term but needed permission for the additional week from school. Claire also needed to clear it with work - all I need to do is ask one of my very nice DJ friends to cover my jobs for me.
Now I had decided that we would try self-catering again this year, after a less than successful foray into all inclusive last year. I also decided that we would pay the extra to get a large apartment i.e. one with two proper bedrooms. Standard apartments on holiday basically mean the kids sleep in the living room. OK when they are older but not at the age my two are.
So to cut to the chase, I find the place we want to go, get the basic price up and then choose the larger room option. An extra £400 - OK, but worth it I think. I then take that off and select the half-board option. Again that's about another £400 - tempted but decide against it. However, bizarrely I then discover that if you choose both these options, you only seem to have to pay for one i.e. the larger room = free food or pay for food = free room upgrade - whichever way round you care to look at it.
So it's large apartment and half board - go to book, get to the end of the booking process - no good! Computer says no! Something about the price changing. I knew it was too good to be true. Went to the online chat advisor, who said I had to start again. Went back to the start, grumbling, did it all again - but then another strange and favourable twist - the whole holiday basic price was now £100 less than it was before - with identical options!
So how much for this holiday altogether - well 4 seats on the plane, big apartment, 14 nights in a place where the average temperature in February is in the 20-25C range, half board, insurance the lot - all for under two grand.
 |
| February never looked so good. |
And I just love Corralejo - it's nothing like the rest of the Canaries - it's simply lovely. Not tacky - and no chavs - they go to Tenerife. So glad to be going back there. And to top it all - I will be on holiday on my birthday as well!
If you have enjoyed reading this blog, please take a look at my books on Amazon (Paperback & Kindle), where you can read lots more of the same! Click here.
Jason xx
Sounds awesome!!
ReplyDelete