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And while I think on. Hoy, almcal! What happened to a Postcard from Palawan? Assuming you didn't get kidnapped of course!  Like to know how the rest of the trip went... Morning George! Sorry for the radio silence. Life has kicked me squarely in the plums after getting back. Full of lurgy and back at work, that'll teach me.... Palawan was excellent, apart from the 8 hour delay on the way home. The airport resembles a large cattle shed, in fact I think I've seen better facilities in some sheds! The island it's self is amazing though, seen the underground river, climbed Ugong rock and ziplined back down it, went out on a couple of cheap Chinese quads and broke a couple of chains attempting to do donuts, while getting covered in buffalo sh*t. Did some serious damage to the hotels beer stock, and generally admired just how green it is down there! It really is a very pretty part of the world once you get away from the city centre. The roads are interesting to say the least... You'll never complain about another road in Manila anyway! How anyone is alive is beyond me, driving down pitch black lanes in the middle of the night with no lights on. Random roadworks everywhere... we decided against doing any driving, and just be designated drunk! Id highly reccomend a trip down there, id like to go back myself and go see El Nido, and see what the fuss is about. So many places to see, so little time! |
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Last Edit: Dec 6, 2017 22:57:10 GMT by almcal
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almcal sorry to hear you've not been so good, but glad you had a great time. As I think I said, you've seen more of the Philippines than me! Hope to put that right this coming year! Just out of interest, where did you stay on Palawan. Was it any good? Anyway, the in drive to become a bestselling writist, we've now got a fancy Author's Page on Amazon, so now you can frighten the children with a pic of yours truly in glorious Technicolor! www.amazon.com/George-Bryden/e/B077Z1CTKJ?ref_=pe_1724030_132998060Sold a whole 16 now, 7 of them just yesterday, so thanks to all those who've coughed up for one. It still feels strange though!  And in other, even better news... "Dear Colleagues,
The Client will issue the NTP tomorrow, Friday 8 December as per attachment.
Please let me know who can accelerate the mobilization."Me Sir, me Sir, I can! My Mum says I can, and everything!
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Last Edit: Dec 7, 2017 21:31:15 GMT by georgeb
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Excellent news - on both fronts!
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It never rains but it pours eh??  Best of luck on both counts mate. And from a selfish point of view, be sure to keep the musings etc up to speed when the diggers etc start working. |
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Excellent news - on both fronts! Thanks Phil, it's nice to have some better news for once! Even managed a full eight hours kip last night for the first time since I can't remember! The only upside to all this has been that Madam said she wouldn’t put decorations up until I’d signed, so as least I’ve not been looking at a bloody tree since the end of October, which is the normal thing. She’ll probably just leave it up until February to make up for it though! I can also start to make plans to get my lad and grandson out for a visit. The GS will be three in January, and I've not met him yet! |
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It never rains but it pours eh?? Best of luck on both counts mate. And from a selfish point of view, be sure to keep the musings etc up to speed when the diggers etc start working. Thanks, for once I don't mind getting wet! And don't worry, there'll be plenty to come out of this one! My title is Project Coordinator and my job is to sit just below the Project Director and look after all the various technical system Project Managers (trains, power, signalling, track, etc), be the technical and operational liaison between the project and the DOTr (that's going to be the worst best bit ) and also between the project and whoever is selected to be the operator for the finished line. Then I'll be overseeing the operations for the DOTr for a year or so after it opens. Remember, the DOTr is chock full of lawyers who have zero technical ability and who have cocked up pretty much every project they've had their fingers in. Sensible for a transport department, right? To give you an idea, when Duterte became President, his Secretary for Transport stuck a guy I know in as Undersecretary for Rail due to his ..."vast experience of railways." Now, this guy was part of the consortium I was technical advisor for on Line 1 here, and his only interest (and that of his company) was where along the extension, they could build malls, office blocks and apartments. So all he know about railways was what he'd picked up at those few meetings he bothered to attend. Anyway, after 2 weeks, he resigned, ostensibly for (very justified) conflict of issue reasons, but I can just hear the cocky little t*at saying, "Well, I've taught them everything I know." And that would be about right! Anyway, first up is design review, sign-off, the production of tender documents, look after the bid process and select system suppliers and operator. That little lot should keep me busy and provide a huge fund of (non-confidential) stories. I can feel it in my water! |
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Morning George - Good things come to those that wait etc ! - Hope it all goes well
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Morning George - Good things come to those that wait etc ! - Hope it all goes well Morning Chris, thanks for the good wishes. I hope you are right, we've certainly done our fair share of waiting! Strikes me Amazon is run out of the Philippines. As a first time writer, you eventually pluck up the courage to upload a book so, by definition, you are agog with interest as to whether anyone will actually read the thing. Now Kindle Direct Publishing does a natty little reports page. How, many sales and when, that sort of stuff. Goes from 3 on the first day, 2 the second, then 4 and a gratifying jump to 7. Then nothing. "KDP reports are experiencing issues and your sales or royalties may be delayed"Ah well. |
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Last Edit: Dec 9, 2017 0:42:10 GMT by georgeb
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Bought mine this morning and reviewed it, buddy.
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Yet to purchase mine George - the wife holds a Amazon account and am duly informed it will be one of my festive gifts
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Bought mine this morning and reviewed it, buddy. That's very kind, thank you! Yet to purchase mine George - the wife holds a Amazon account and am duly informed it will be one of my festive gifts Probably just as well, wouldn't want to be blamed for you skiving of from getting that kitchen finished! |
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At 08:00 hours on Friday I have been invited to the project office to sign my contract with the client, thus bringing to an end nearly two years of drought. Of course, before the Lord giveth, he first taketh away. And so it came to pass. See, when we moved into the new place, there was only one parking space, i.e., mine. So Kuya John asked around for somewhere to stick Madam's Fortuner. There being no handy bonfire available, he struck a deal with some local likely lads to park in front of an empty house for the princley sum of eight quid a month. Until yesterday that is. "Bing-bong" goes the doorbell and, as Madam is heading for the shower, I am directed to answer. There is one of said likely lads pointing in the general direction of where the Toyota is parked. On rounding the corner, I espy the thing hitched up to one of Metro Manila Development Authority's (another fine Philippine oxymoron) tow trucks with 7 assorted guys, only one of which spoke any English. Of course, I should learn some more Tagalog but as I've only just got my rendition of "You have lovely boobies" down pat, after nearly 4 years, this could take a while. But I digress... Now, to me, seeing this piece of trash disappearing up the road would class as a Good Thing, but my gut told me that Madam may not quite see it in the same light. It appears that after six months of parking in the same place, that a scrawled notice saying, "No Praking" which had mysteriously appeared on a piece of plywood, was an official sign, giving them the authority to remove the vehicle and issue a fine. So negotiations started. Of course, being a White Guy, I'm on a loser to start with but... Their opening gambit was Peso5,000 and they towed it and we'd have to go to the pound to get the car and to pay the fine. I opened with two grand and I'll move it. After a lot of to-ing and fro-ing, we settled on 3,000 (50 quid-ish, or 60 bottles of San Mig at Exile prices) and I'll move it now. So I did. And guess what? they forgot to give me a receipt! I reckon if Madam had dealt with it, we'd have got away with 500-1,000. Bloody expensive shower!  |
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Last Edit: Dec 13, 2017 9:48:18 GMT by georgeb
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hopeso
Part of things
Posts: 349 
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Dec 13, 2017 10:23:18 GMT
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Just love reading about your exploits.
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Dec 13, 2017 10:56:30 GMT
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They had obviously got wind of your pending employment George and knew that you could now spread the wealth a little !
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Dec 13, 2017 11:05:45 GMT
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They had obviously got wind of your pending employment George and knew that you could now spread the wealth a little ! It would have been nice if they'd waited until Friday and I had a little to spread! |
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Dec 13, 2017 11:19:04 GMT
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Just love reading about your exploits. Buy the book then, there's loads of 'em!Sorry I have a feeling there's plenty to come. |
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Dec 13, 2017 12:09:37 GMT
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One thing that I can now look forward to is moving. Isn't it nice to plan again? We took this place as we needed out of Tondo ASAP, due to drug/family issues, we’d just sold a house there, so had some cash and this was going cheap and available immediately. However, there have always been issues… 1) Plumbing is curse word – cheapest everything. I spend half my life replacing washers, or with my hands in the three toilet cisterns and, well, I’m too old for that stuff! 2) Electrics the same - without the washers and cisterns - obviously. 3) Our landlady lives next door. This shouldn’t be a problem but… She specifically asked that we didn’t drill into the walls. No issue for me, but then her son then spent a solid six weeks drilling into their walls with associated noise. Even worse, he managed to make a 12x6” hole in Tania’s bedroom wall, just over where she sleeps. Peeper? I dunno. I said nothing, just filled it. Live and let live. Then she sends me an e-mail two weeks ago saying she’d had a complaint about “constant” shouting from our house all week “day and night”, which was disturbing the complainant’s tenants who were studying for their bar exams. There was only me and Tania that week, Madam was away. I’m on my own all day as Tania is at school. I know I’m getting on, but even I’ve not taken to ranting to myself all day. Let’s ignore the fact that she’s forgotten the weeks of noise we’ve had and that failing the bar exam means less lawyers… The complainant? Ah, she’ll be the friend of the landlady’s maid, who tried to rip us for Peso2,500 a month for garbage collection. “Give me 2,700 and all taken away.” Spoke to the little old lady with the wooden cart, “200 Peso a month.” Saw the landlady two day ago. "Cynthia, can I have a word?" Door slammed as she ran away. They don't do face-to-face. 4) Parking. ‘nuff said. So February/March will see us on the move again. I want to be a bit further north to be near the new project office, but we still need to be within school bus range for Tania. Last time we had to go quickly, but I was looking at a couple of places up Quezon which were doable, but availability wasn’t fast enough. One had parking for five cars. That’s what we’re looking for! And it means a whole new bar hunt. It IS more fun in the Philippines. |
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jamesd1972
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,920
Club RR Member Number: 40
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Dec 13, 2017 12:49:54 GMT
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Good luck with the house search George, garage with a workshop the aim ?
James
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Dec 13, 2017 13:08:03 GMT
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Good luck with the house search George, garage with a workshop the aim ? James Eventually, but that's for our own place. realistically 2018/19. In the meantime and a while ago now, I was offered a '60s Falcon which had been "upgraded" with a 2.0L Toyota engine (now dead) that I understand still isn't sold. So, Plan A. Move Somewhere to put motors. Get the '38 'finished'. See if the Falcon is still up for grabs. If so, grab it. Store it. Buy somewhere outside of Manila. Stick V8 back in Falcon. Smoke it for a while. Die happy. Sound like a plan? |
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eurogranada
Europe
To tinker or not to tinker, that is the question...
Posts: 2,556
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Dec 13, 2017 14:09:26 GMT
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This stuff just keeps on entertaining!
Thanks for keeping it up!
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