Hobbies

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Sounds amazing....thank you for sharing that....

i had planned a break in Italy but had to cancel as work needed me.

There are beautiful things out there to see....I’ve been told! 

Back to your question about Europe.

One thing that I will always remember is the return trip from Italy, as we approached Milan, I could see the snow capped Alps in the distance.  It reminded me of the scene from the film, Von Ryan's Express, with Frank Sinatra and Trevor Howard, where the escaped prisoners cheered as their train approached Milan and they saw the snow capped Alps.

Yes... some clubs are more 'aggressive' than others.  Generally speaking, with karate, you shouldn't get injured.  Part of learning the discipline in sparring is to stop just short of contact, or make light contact.  You have protective gear, too, that you should use: gloves, arm protectors, shin protectors, etc.  My 7th kyu grading, though, did it for me.  We had a visiting Sensei, who was - I think - 5th Dan.  He was this middle-aged guy who clearly belonged to the 'macho, Steven Seagal' school.  He had us partnering up and taking turns to punch one another in the solar plexus 'in order to toughen us up.'  I got a cracked rib out of that which left me in agony for a couple of weeks - also, bruising like I'd been hit by a bus.

What about something like Tai Chi?  I know a lot of people who do that.  Very spiritual, laid back individuals who never seem to come to any harm.  It's more about using your opponent's strength against them.  It seems more defensive than offensive.

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No my other half had the day off work so geocaching is rarely on the agenda on days like this. Doesn't stop me solving puzzles though! Look up username HHHP20.

Running a portable miniature railway (www.crtc.org.uk) and building the equipment that goes with it.

Hope it wasn't that where the snow got in the way today! 

Have a guess ;-)

I also love solving puzzles!

Had to have a look - as you'd probably expect, mine is a simple single-helix one, but for a few mm of poplar plywood that's quite o.k. really.

What is your geocaching user name? I love solving puzzles and have found my love of the outdoors and skill at puzzle solving can be combined into a single hobby. I'm currently somewhere about the top 50 in the U.K. In terms of puzzle caches found, with 1,802 of them to my name.

Hi oktanol as you mentioned the drill specific I must tell you it is a twin helix, so it drills clockwise when sliding the handle up as well as down! Most are single helix so drill clockwise going down and anti-clockwise going up.

Hi there!

I like to read a lot. Writing has also become a fun pastime for me as well. Video games and music are long time hobbies that I like when unwinding from a hard week at work!x

Much love <3

Europe!

First trip was to grand burstin hotel in Folkestone with trips to Canterbury and full day trip to Brugge in Belgium by cross channel ferry.

Hotel, large with bad reputation. Check trip advisor!!!!  It had an A wing, B wing,  C wing.   My first thought, hotel or prison?

Day trip to Brugge.  Short trip to Dover, 45 min wait for ferry, 1h 30m trip across channel, 1h 30m by road to Brugge.  2h in Brugge. Then back again.  Including long wait at passport control in Calais.  And we saw the Calais 'jungle' with migrants from the motorway.  Knackered from all the travelling in one day.

Second Belgium trip I did was for 5 days and stayed in Ostend at Royal Astor hotel. Again trip to Brugge only 40min to get there.  And trip to Dutch town of Sluice.

Third Belgium trip for 7 days. Visits to Brugge, Ghent, Antwerp, Brussels.

Germain visit was to Rhineland, nice family hotel, a converted convert, trips to Koblenz, limberg and boat trip on Rhine and a couple of other towns.  I got pick pocketed on this trip.  My fault 

Italian trip 7 days, with overnight stays at French hotel, with organised trips to Florence, Rome and Pisa.  Hotel in tourist town of montecatini termi.  Hotel Byron. A nice touch was that with key card they gave a paper slip with hotel name, address, Tel number and email. In case we got lost.

Italy was sunny and beautiful in late April temp in mid 20s c.  England was rain and around 8c at home.

To MartianTom and Elephantintheroom

Railway from lynmouth to lynton.  I walked up.

Now traditional shops in Totnes

Brixham

Dartmouth

Buckfast abbey

Minehead

Plymouth

....and what about Europe

Visited Lynton and Lynmouth with mum and dad in 1971.  Big memories of that trip... going through Cheddar Gorge on the way, then driving up Porlock Hill!  Do they still have the cliff railway at Lynmouth, which takes you up to Lynton (or vice-versa of course!)?

I could go on for hours.  But that would indicate an autistic self involved person. ( Which I am BTW).

Anyway, going back to 2013, my sister and her husband invited me to join them on their new year holiday on the isle of Wight.  That was my first experience of an organised coach trip and staying in hotels.  And first ferry trip from Portsmouth to Cowes.

That was a good hotel experience.  The Royal esplanade hotel in Ryde.  The hotel manager came onto the coach and explained to everyone the meal times etc and welcomed us.  I learnt about checking in, checking out, leaving keys at reception when leaving the hotel and why.  Keys had massive brass label attached to them.  In fact our coach party were the only guests staying in this budget hotel.  

Two of you are familiar with Devon.

First trip to Devon was to a hotel in Torquay. The Tor park  hotel.  We had organised trips to Totnes, Dartmouth, Buckfast abbey. brixham and Plymouth. Have photos of all.  Coach driver was very talkative giving us history of places and some very bad jokes!!!

Second trip to Devon was to the other side, lynton, just above the famous flooded village of lynmouth(1952) and we had organised & memorable trips to Minehead, Ilfracombe and Barnstaple.

I met some interesting people who lived near me at different times and learnt facts such why a church in Guisely near me has new stocks. Turns out that the old historic one's were stolen.

Will post a few photos later.

I love south Devon and Dorset, most of my seaside holidays in the 70s were down there. Agree not quite what it used to be but being a Midlander and not having a beach within a reasonable driving distance to just nip to I still really like the south west for my much needed summer hols. Not Cornwall though, not keen on the vibe there and its too far LOL! In recent years I've come to love the Isle of Wight too particularly the south and eastern bit.

I miss the Devon I knew then, in the early '70s.  Then, Totnes was still a traditional Devon market town, full of native Devonians and native character.  Now, it's like a cross between Richmond-upon-Thames and Glastonbury - full of rich hippies.  The village we lived in was mentioned in the Domesday Book, and had families living in it who went back many generations - including to the middle ages.  Now, virtually all of them have gone - displaced largely by Londoners.  It's an enclave of the ultra-wealthy.  It's very sad, but it happens everywhere, I'm afraid.