The ubiquitous tuk-tuk makes Asia work. Just a motorised Rickshaw, a driver, a bench seat for 2 passengers and an engine. No doors, no safety belts, no baggage space, no in car entertainments but what a lot of fun.
The warm air blows around you, when stuck in traffic you can strike up a conversation with the people in the tuk tuk alongside you. [Read more…] about Tuk-tuk: My Transport Of Delight
No, not Orlando Gibbons’ anthem of John the Baptist, but another John who served his community in Sri Lanka for 15 years and what happened to him next.
Who was John?
Three cities, Kandy, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa form the three angles of the Cutural Triangle.
Kandy has Temple of The Tooth, Anuradhapura is the site of an ancient kingdom dating back to 600 BC and is the site of arrival of Buddhism about 200 years BC. [Read more…] about The Cultural Triangle Of Sri Lanka
This was a big wedding even by Sri Lankan standards.
Some 480 guest met to celebrate the nuptials of Pavithi Weerasinghe with Udara Rajanayake, both physics graduates from the University of Peradeniya. [Read more…] about Sri Lankan Wedding
Sunday morning in Kandy, Sri Lanka, time to walk out around the lake looking smart, long trousers of course; only tourists wear shorts. On an energetic day we walk to town but this means braving ‘The Tunnel’.
The tunnel is dark, damp and has deep drainage channels on both sides. Water drips from the roof and there is barely room for pedestrians and cars. [Read more…] about Kandy Lake vs Chandler’s Ford Lakes
During my time at Southampton General Hospital we always had a junior doctor from Sri Lanka in training. Some of them worked with me and many became friends.
After retirement my wife and I decided to go and live in another culture for a while; Sri Lanka was the obvious choice. What was it like? What happened to us? What are the differences compared with Chandler’s Ford? Here are a series of blog posts for anyone interested. [Read more…] about Dispatches From Sri Lanka
I promised to give a breakdown of the costs of my holiday flying a glider.
The glider is a Duo Discus, 2 seater and near the top of the range in terms of performance.
I travelled down alone but came back together with my co-pilot and the glider in its trailer. [Read more…] about Gliding Holiday Costs
It is not only gliders we see flying at the airfield at Santa Cilia in Spain.
Here are four other types of flight.
The Spanish army brought their helicopter for the troops to practise abseiling down from 50 feet up. [Read more…] about Not Only Gliders
A clear blue sky with not a cloud is sight suggested a difficult day of soaring. Thermals are usually under clouds and if there are no clouds, are there any thermals and where are they?
Thermals are large bubbles of warmer air which rise from the ground. If you have ever watched a lava lamp you have an idea of how they work. Unlike a lava lamp you cannot see the bubble. [Read more…] about Soaring The Pyrenees
After a six-hour drive through France and Northern Spain beneath low cloud and many showers of rain, I passed Pamplona and the weather changed. The cloud broke up and the sun shone from a blue sky. The weather improved over the next 50 miles to Santa Cilia.
Met with my colleagues who sadly had not been able to fly as the wind was blowing at 27 knots [Read more…] about Sharing The Sky With The Vultures
Holiday – No Holiday? That is the question.
All set to go gliding in the Pyrenees from a small airfield called Santa Cilia. We stay in the village in a typical stone Pyrenean house run by a wonderful lady called Toya. She looks after all the glider pilots and many pilgrims who are walking the trail to Santiago de Compostella. [Read more…] about Holiday – No Holiday?
At St. Boniface Church this morning, a large wooden cross decked out with daffodils was brought in to the church. It was a beautiful scene.
As the music director Hugh Benham explained in this post, during Lent at the parish church, a large wooden cross is on display, and on Good Friday the altar is bare. Symbols of the Passion are laid at the foot of this cross [Read more…] about Easter Day – from Tragedy to Triumph
I’m pleased to tell you that Richard Stock completed the London Marathon in just over 4 hours yesterday.
This is a remarkable achievement for somebody who had never run a full marathon and indeed had never run over 20 miles!
Richard ran the marathon to raise money for Ovacome, in memory of my daughter, Dr. Lisa-Jayne Clark, [Read more…] about Richard Stock: Fundraising for Ovacome
I took this photograph of a Pacific Gray Whale recently in the San Ignacio Lagoon off the coast of Baja, Mexico.
Gray Whales often approach the Panga (boat) when they want to seek human interaction. They are happy to be stroked and petted as they come alongside the boat. They will even tease with a splash, a spout of air or a head butt! [Read more…] about Eye Of The Pacific Gray Whale
Last week I sold my beautiful glider and feel sad about it. Now I have to find another one. Gliders are owned by syndicates of 2-12 people to share the expense. There are 3 of us and we decided we would like a dual seater rather than this single seat Ventus 2cT. We are currently negotiating for one.
It is not like selling a second hand car because there are no defects that can be hidden. [Read more…] about Selling Glider
Linda Read from Chandler’s Ford never stops doing crazy things.
What has she done in the past 15 years? Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, a 100-mile trek along the Great Wall of China, parachute jump, flying a microlight plane, paragliding off a mountain in Turkey……
In March – April, Linda will be trekking to Everest Base Camp. [Read more…] about Linda Read: Fun, Passion, Living Life To The Full
Chandler’s Ford Today is the product of passionate people from Chandler’s Ford.
I’m inspired and challenged by many of you.
Web designer Neil Duddridge from the company SO53 came to my rescue last summer. He took over the site and [Read more…] about Neil Duddridge: The Man Behind Chandler’s Ford Today (With Huskies)
