BACK IN PARADISE

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SUNSET OVER THE INFINITY POOL AT 'EL RIO Y MAR' RESORT

It's good to be back in the land of smiles, clean air and cleaner water!

Of course, the last week in England had to be accompanied by an attack of gout, and a near death experience within the first two hours of being back in UK from the continent.

It was a 550 mile trip in the end, from Bremen to the middle of Kent in Uk. The reason for this is my penchant for getting lost whilst trying to ride the old A roads of Europe instead of the boring motorways. Never mind, it's all great fun, and I am a serious fan, these days, of getting lost!!

Poor old Mumsy had stuck herself in a nursing home for a few weeks, due to the problem she has of falling over and breaking various things inside, she's a little old, so, never mind.

I passed by her home after arrival in UK, and having overcome my initial obstacle of the Dover roundabout, felt that I had returned completely to left hand road driving.... Unfortunately, I left the home, which is on a small village road, driving on the right--fortunately I was still, of course, obeying speed limits--scaring the shit out of a poor lady coming the other way on the same side as me. We missed each other and I hope my waves as she passed by were interpreted as an apology for being a complete dickhead, and not as a gesture of defiance or worse. I was so worried about what I had done, that I almost turned around to give chase and offer a dinner for two or something, to make up for my idiocy. I made a split second decision that she might have felt I was trying to overtake her with an idea of finishing off what I had tried to do on the corner a few seconds ago.

Moral of the story--don't ride 550 miles in 10 hours, drink 2 beers on a ferry and think that you can immediately return to left hand driving after 5000 miles of driving on the right!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shaken, but more worried about the lady's mental health, I continued, without incident, another 50 miles to my lodgings, thank you so much Paul Langley, for what turned out to be 8 days.

Thanks also to Graham Winter who put me up for the last few days of my gout-ridden stay in UK. Graham runs the only Philippine dedicated travel agency in the UK, and if anyone feels like coming this way, he has personally stayed at every resort/hotel on his books, so can give first hand info. The new website is coming soon, but his agency number is 00 44 2071830378 , and I will hopefully have a link to his new site when it's up.

So, the flight back to Manila with Gulf Air, for a change. As usual, a pretty ok plane to Bahrain, a pretty average meal and a pretty poor scratched tv screen. Then, of course, the middle east airports, crowded with filipinos going home, and a really old plane with no tv's, no music in my seat and nice staff. Back to Emirates I think, next year. However I got the one way ticket for 340 quid and had an exit seat on both legs, which makes up for a lot, being able to stretch out and not having someone's dandruff falling in your food as you eat off a miniscule table with arms tucked in like a stuffed chicken!!!

Here's a couple of my mates who I saw when I descended on Puerto Galera after being rescued, lost, wandering around the Manila airport car park, by another mate we all know, Sean the Fishing Guru. Thanks for saving my life again Sean. Hope you make it back from the Dominican Republic with all appendages......

These two drunken bums are what ZZ TOP will look like in about 10 years, each competing to become Puerto Galera's Father Christmas, with all the kudos that involves. Actually, neither want to do it anymore due to the small minded pathetic bastards who believe that these guys make money doing something they love, which is helping the kids of the town to have a bit more fun on Christmas Day. Up yours, or worse, all of you that prevent good men from helping others!!!!!

Carl Broqvist on the left, co-owner of Rock n Roll Bar on the pier, and Alan Anderson, boatbuilder from Delaruan, otherwise known by me as Delaralan. Two of the best!!!

That's all for now, folks.

So many thanks to all who put me up, and who put up with me, during a fantastic trip.

More soon................