The day my son arrived in Milan terrorists blew up the railway station. My daughter and son inn law, fitness fanatics arrived in Boston in the wake of the Marathom massacre.When I changed trains in Milan to go to Paris some oaf put me on the wrong train and I finished upin the Hook of Holland but the romantic trip my producer went on was a major disaster,
So far the greatest advert for ilidays at home was the nightmare of my old producer,sHe has kindly recalled th detail of his mini-cruise to Bilbao, intending to visit the Guggenheim museum
Having invited 'a lady' along for the trip [a discounted last minute bargain four- day P&O mini-cruise from Portsmouth] we disembarked at Bilbao with some 6 hours ashore before needing to return to the ship. Caught the train running from the dockyard and were soon enjoying the delights of the city. Friends had asked if I could get them some rolling tobacco so whenever I saw a 'Tabac' I popped in and stocked up. What with various other diversions we realised that time had flown and so without getting as far as the Guggenheim we had to hurriedly jump on the train back to the docks. Walking from the station around the corner we sensed that the pavement seemed to be moving under our feet but then realised that the massive 7 decked ferry was slowly moving away from the quayside . . . with our luggage + passports on board!
The dockside booking office [having previously rehearsed with others in the same predicament I'm sure] offered to speak with their contacts in the Brittany Ferries office in Santander who kindly reserved a cabin for us but at the full going rate, which was multiples of the cost of the original passage. The only way to get from Bilbao to Santander in the short time we had to catch the boat was by taxi which by fat chance was parked just outside the office! After a hair raising journey and a jaw dropping taxi fare we just about made it, literally minutes before they drew up the gangway. The customs man wasn't impressed at the 9 kilos of contraband baccy in my holdall but he did allow us to board.
Without even a toothbrush between us, 'the lady' went in search of necessities whilst I made for the bar and as soon as the steward drew up the portcullis, pleaded for a stiff G&T. "Ohh!, I really needed that" I said, "What time do we get back to Portsmouth?" After a long blank stare he replied "It's Plymouth were bound for,sir." "But my car is in ......" He didn't think it likely the captain would change course.
At passport control in Plymouth two HM Customs officers without warning suddenly jumped out from behind a screen and took us into a room. They'd been tipped off by their friends in Santander; after long inquisition and my insistence that we were committed smokers [neither of us were!], they eventually relented and with a stiff reprimand we were allowed to go. A couple of weeks later a letter arrived from HM Customs & Excise saying that my details had been recorded and if I ever did that again . . .etc., etc.
The journey by train to Portsmouth was long and again expensive. I've never been out of Wales since.
(The only trips I have enjoyed have been on the Flying Scotsman. One when I ran away from home to Edinburgh on a platform ticker. The second was when thje. Flying Scotsman was bought by a millionaire businessman.....? He went bust and no wonder. He used it to give splendid parties.None better that the Fest to celebrate the 150 th anniversary of the Blenau Festiniogg Railway..Pre- train champagne buffet and free drinks all the way to Blenau Festiniog when I gought my first drimk. At Victorian prices.
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ROLF HARRIS GUILTY OF SEX CRIME
Of course he isn't but sixyty amiable years he has devoted to making us happy, his great talent as a painter and his all round reuptation as a good bloke might never have happened. The hint of pedearasty will cling to him like an offensive smellt
Why? To give newspapers an extra patagraph to titilate their readers.
I am not sure if he has been charged,he certainly has not appeared in court, no ev idene has been brought against him, nor any given to disprove the worst c harge a man could face. Nor has any sentence been passed. I have never thought much of British Justice nor could I agree withose people who thought our policemen were wonderful. I grew up in a police family who coulve wandered unchallenged into Ali Baba's thier jars
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