herfiehandbag

Probably, as with the old outfit, this is for " greeting on boarding", and then they will change into a more practical outfit.

Nonsense, I am certainly not a "Christianophobe" (if that is a word), in fact I am a Catholic. I just find the crossover between the evangelical movement and a particularly intolerant form of radical right wing politics disturbing.

He has been described as "the main architect of the fake elector scheme". He refused to certify the election of Biden, and continues to claim that the election was stolen. He is an evangelical Christian whose views on many social matters would make Attila the Hun look like a wimp.

Have they reimbursed all those who had tickets on flights they cancelled?

Are we bringing in any revenue? No? File 13!

Just in case anyone is interested, and with the Mae Sai/Takilech option closed, here is the score on the border at Chiang Khong. As of yesterday 25th October. Bus from Chiang Rai "downtown" bus station to Chiang Khong. These (red) buses run half hourly departing on and half past the hour. Some run via Wiang Chiang Ring, some via Phaya Mengrai. They claim to do it in two hours - try three! Bus fare (pay on bus) is B90. The fares have recently gone up from B70 - which led to some pretty pungent comments from the locals! The buses are ancient, and the road surface is often "corrugated" - I guess from overloaded trucks. Fiendishly uncomfortable ( I have a crippled foot which reacts badly to every jolt and jar) they sail past the actual junction for the border and deliver you to the market in Chiang Khong 4km further on - from where a tuk tuk driver (one of those ancient motorcycle trike affairs) will take you back to the border for a further B120. If I had known I would have got off at the border junction - mind you I bet the driver wouldn't stop! The border itself is quite straightforward - stamp out, shuttle bus B25 across the bridge. Laos immigration insist on a visa on arrival, for which you now pay B1900. If you tell them in and out they will do all the stamping at the visa office! B25 bus ride back, stamp into Thailand and there is a Songthaw back to the bus. Be aware the last bus back to Chiang Rai leaves at 3 pm, if you miss it there is a van service. I missed it (reason later) and they charged me B300 for the van ( I speak enough Thai to negotiate) but some on the van were apparently charged a lot more ( the negotiation for one couple started at B1900 for two)! I had a bit of a problem. I had all my previous visa and extension in my old passport, which was still valid until next year but was full, but had the corner clipped. The IO insisted on stamping me out in the old (no longer valid) passport. Laos immigration would not accept that exit stamp, and presented with my new passport turned me away. I went back to Thailand and the IO said he couldn't do anything. Eventually I found a senior officer who reluctantly agreed to transfer old visa and extension to my new passport, then back to Laos, all smiles, in and out, free bottle of water for the inconvenience and back to Thailand. A bit of a grilling from an IO who wanted to know why I was no longer using a Multiple Entry type O, ( he didn't know about the new rules) and then was worried about the fingerprint biometrics ( both hands are crippled by arthritis so I can't use the finger pad! Eventually he stamped me in! Too late for the bus though. Anyway, not as easy and a sight more expensive than Tachilek used to be! Going to look into the 3 month single entry option from Savannakhet - don't fancy this every couple of months!

The whole Ethiopian/Sudan famine was a complex business, essentially the result of corrupt ruthless politicians, a continent wide scourge. The whole Bob Geldorf Band Aid business was in some, many ways controversial, but I firmly believe it was a force for good. I remember reading the account of an Irish nurse, working with the dying children in one of those terrible camps, talking of her emotions at first hearing and then seeing the RAF C130s come out of the dawn light with desperately needed food and medicines. I am not perhaps as hard bitten as I would like to think, and that account has stayed with me. Maggie Thatcher had told the Ethiopian dictator that the flights were coming, and that if he made any attempt to interfere his air force would be destroyed within the hour. A lot of people don't like Thatcher, and whilst I sometimes sympathise if not agree with them, she made a typically bold and brave decision in this case. Many lives were saved. Africa is in many contexts a basket case. Corrupt politicians and their gangs/clans run many of the countries. I do believe, infuriating as it may be for some who see that, and controversial a view as it may be, it is incumbent upon the West to help their peoples. If you are a believer it is the Lord's work, if you are a Humanist then it is simple humanity.

Well I've been to Sierra Leone and Kenya. Both have the potential to be wonderful places to live, both I believe were at one time great places to live. Both have nice people. Sierra Leone was destroyed by a debauched savagery of politically motivated drug and diamond gangs. When I was there it was just starting to painfully drag itself out of the filth it had been left in. One of the few things I give Blair credit for was that he had the guts to effectively, quietly, recolonise the country and start to rebuild it. It had, probably still has, a long way to go. Kenya, again a lovely place, nice people, ruthless corrupt politicians have left it hopelessly enmeshed in the Chinese debt trap, from which, (like poor benighted suffering Sri Lanka), there seems no way out.

Since there are, what, half a dozen or so " girly bars" in all I think we are fairly safe, don't you?

So Trump threw teddy out of the pram and stormed out of court! Laugh - I tell you, I nearly bought a round!

Yes, yes, yes, that's all very well, but what are the temples like? As I recall, the best known one, Angkor Wat, doesn't even have a roof any more!

I should have said marriage extensions are subject to scrutiny further up the chain of command, and have to be signed off by a senior officer - sorry about the confusion.

Retirement extensions are much simpler, sorted at the local office, often same day (depending on the a gent's contacts). Retirement extensions are subject to scrutiny further up the chain of command, and have to be signed off by a senior officer.

Ah, but the British Submarine Captains course/exam does not begin with "Do you know who I am?"

And of course, the Admirals will be able to gaze upon it's awesome sleek shape as they park their new Mercedes, before wandering off to play a round of golf on the newly refurbished course behind their submarine force HQ!

They will end up with a submarine, which will spend it's life tied to a jetty.

That is either a dodgy photoshop, or one humungeous gurt submarine!

Bad luck, you sound, basically, broken but mendable. Get well. I agree with you, the government hospitals are good.

I suppose that it is better than tripping over a nose stud and breaking the road!

I know, I used to.

I assume ( and yes assumption is the mother of all cock ups) that most young married people will be working, and thus qualify for a B visa.

Extensions remain entirely possible, you can either satisfy the requirements or, perhaps more pertinently, please the "system" by using one of their "agents". It does seem a rather random date to introduce such a change - 24 October - without any prior notice! Must have heard on the grapevine I was going there tomorrow! Luckily I haven't bought the bus ticket yet. Plan B I suppose...

It is possible to suffer from " neuropathy" ( damage to nerves) as well as or rather as a side effect of an orthopaedic procedure. Of course I am not a doctor, but I do know, it happened to me.

Oh don't worry, no doubt those specialising in forensic diagnostics from undated photographs of a bloke in a comfy chair will be at full throttle!

Well let's be honest, would you take anything that valuable with you when surrendering to custody?