J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by AllyG

Na fuma ku London (Ch'Bemba)

If we're all trying to compete with the tower of Babel

I'm afraid we chose the shoe-box after a quick look at the half-term prices.

Ally

Ian,
I'm very sorry, but - I forgot to say that my vomit-making journey in Force 10 across the Irish Sea was at the end of June.

Before that, I had been thinking of going on a cruise. Now, however, I can't even think of going on a ship without feeling distincly queasy. The only good thing about it was that the kids were fine. I made everyone take sea-sick pills (including me), and the kids had a great time amusing themselves with trying to walk across the deck as it lurched up and down like an out of control roller-coaster. It was like trying to climb Everest on the 'uphill' side of the waves, and then like flying as she plunged downwards, and there was a nasty sort of corkscrew twist in the middle.

Bandit, we travelled on the Eurostar just as they finally started running almost normally again, and they omitted to tell us that the train would be leaving 10 minutes early and arriving 15 minutes late. Luckily though, I am always anticipating the worst, and I phoned a few days ahead to check on things, heard about the new schedule, and we caught the train okay.

Ally

I wouldn't try getting a ferry during the winter months - but that's just me.

A couple of years ago I took my younger daughter and some friends over to Ireland for the weekend, for her birthday party. It blew about force 10, and they cancelled the fast cat and we had to go on the slow ferry, and I felt horribly ill. It was just the same on the way back. I thought I was going to die. And it wasn't just me. I was surrounded by *** and the toilets were truly disgusting.

If it was me, I'd head for the tunnel every time.

Ally

Dave Mac,
Thanks for the gondola and insulation board explanations. I should think the difficult part of insulating an existing ceiling is working out where the rafters are through the existing plaster and plasterboard (by making a series of little holes?). I'm not sure I could do it by tapping the ceiling.

Ally

It's not actually the getting married bit that's expensive. We got married 25 years ago by special license and it only cost £12. It's the ridiculous parties people have afterwards, and the stupid clothes they insist on wearing etc. etc. that are so expensive.

But I still don't see why on earth anyone would want to get married on a killing machine - they might as well get married in an abattoir.

Ally

Ian,
I'm pretty sure they've just lost their minds.

I had a look at their best places in the world to get married in, and HMS Belfast was 8th. I've been on HMS Belfast several times, and I can't imagine why anyone would ever want to get married on her. And for those that don't know, she's a whacking great old battleship moored on the Thames in the middle of London. There must be some far more romantic places in the entire world.

Ally

Well,
I think the whole article was garbage - maybe the real guy was ill with a stomach ache or something and the mail boy wrote it and he'd never been ski-ing.

I've been to Borovets and it definitely shouldn't be third - it's not even that cheap any more.

And I rang Crystal and the cheapest holiday all season to Courchevel was on the 2nd Jan and it was £1058 for 2 people self-catered. The cheapest hotel was £1670 for 2 people. And the cheapest Feb half term was £1560 per adult. So I don't know where they got their figure of around £500 per person for a catered chalet.

Why don't we all e-mail the Independent and ask them about it?

Ally