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Well, it's been an eventful couple of days in Manila. George is a gent, and a curse word beer monster! Exile in Manila we'd never have found without him, and the L.A. cafe, well... that speaks for it's self 😂. Cracking to meet you George! Next time we're in Manila we'll definitely look you up! All I'm saying is we never left, and a couple of bottles of spirits made it's way to the Table, and oh my, how friendly everyone is in here! 😂
Good health mate!
Alistair
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Frankenhealey
Club Retro Rides Member
And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death
Posts: 3,881
Club RR Member Number: 15
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Nov 12, 2017 16:03:08 GMT
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I've only been here five minutes and have already been hit up by two of the oldest "good time girls" on the planet. Pictures needed for verification  |
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Tales of the Volcano Lair hereFrankenBug - Vulcan Power hereThe Frankenhealey here |
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Nov 12, 2017 16:26:34 GMT
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I've only been here five minutes and have already been hit up by two of the oldest "good time girls" on the planet. Pictures needed for verification Pictures NOT needed here - my imagination has already got it thank you...  |
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Nov 12, 2017 17:14:17 GMT
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...by two of the oldest "good time girls" on the planet. Adds a whole new meaning to "Retro Rides"...  |
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Ich habe kein Geld!
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Nov 12, 2017 22:14:33 GMT
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Well, it's been an eventful couple of days in Manila. George is a gent, and a curse word beer monster! Exile in Manila we'd never have found without him, and the L.A. cafe, well... that speaks for it's self 😂. Cracking to meet you George! Next time we're in Manila we'll definitely look you up! All I'm saying is we never left, and a couple of bottles of spirits made it's way to the Table, and oh my, how friendly everyone is in here! 😂 Good health mate! Alistair Cheers Alistair, it was good to meet you guys as well. Always nice to share Manila's cultural side with some like-minded folk.  Friendly is one way of putting it! Hope the rest of your trip goes okay, let us know what you think of Boracay and Palawan and remember to keep an eye on Philippines Airlines flight times. Pictures needed for verification Pictures NOT needed here - my imagination has already got it thank you... Having weighed things up carefully and on balance, I reckon James has the right idea on this one. It's not something I wish to be reminded of any time soon. ...by two of the oldest "good time girls" on the planet. Adds a whole new meaning to "Retro Rides"... |
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Nov 14, 2017 11:46:01 GMT
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And trying to inject a higher tone, but not necessarily an improvement... This week it's the ASEAN Summit here in downtown Manila. The peons of the delegates arrived over the weekend and, as of yesterday, their bosses turned up. So, we've known about it for a day or two. We've had lists of road and area closures for a good few days, so can avoid places with no access (which, for me, means pretty much everywhere) around the hotels and conference centres. To help out, they declared Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday as "Special Non-working Days", although these are often difficult to differentiate from normal ones, working or otherwise. Of course and as I've mentioned, Tania is off school all week. One little bright note was an email on Sunday evening from my bank...  Wow, that's handy, huh? It then went on to list 31 branches which however, would be closed. And guess what? They are all those that I, or any other citizen of Metro Manila, could possibly use! Struck me as I was watching the news last night showing the opening ceremony with all the "leaders" on stage. never have I seen a bigger collection of the corrupt, incompetent and megalomaniac gathered together in one place. Right on my doorstep too! Interesting to note that two of the major current issues in the region, China v Everyone Else over the South China Sea, and the genocide in Burma, have been specifically excluded from the talks. However, Mr Trump said the opening ceremony was, "terrific", he also said the organisation was, "terrific", so it's all looking good then! |
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Nov 14, 2017 22:49:17 GMT
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2002. Mrs Sweetpea and I are at the airport in Calgary. "The purpose of your visit?" asks the passport chap. "A bit of wildlife watching in Kananaskis." we answer. "Are you here for the G8 summit?" he asks. A look of confusion passes over our faces. "What's the G8?" Naive maybe, but in my defence I have no interest in any sort pf politics. Apart form laughing at them. We found out about the world leaders summit a few days later when our hotel was commandeered. ("Sorry you've been moved - an important person needed your room.") The summit was being held in a ski village off route 40. But we didn't care much because we were off down a gravel road called the Smith Dorrian Trail that runs down the next valley behind the ski village. Promises of photos of moose and pika and who knows what else in mind... Off we go. Every corner of the Smith Dorrian was full of rocket launchers, surface to air missiles, troops with big guns, field artillery... Half of North Americas military was down there. Chinooks were flying up and down the valley. Followed by assorted other helicopters and jets. Mostly with big, unfriendly looking, guns and missiles on them. I've never seen anything like it. It was as if we'd bumbled into a full scale military exercise. Which is because we had. The missus and I are trundling up an down in a van with big white Canon paparazzi lenses at the ready. How could we not get locked up at gunpoint? Well I kept the camera on my lap out of sight where the troops and rocket launchers were and, to be quite honest, nobody paid us a blind bit of notice. I was careful not to point the camera at anybody or anything but, in general, everybody was fine. Until right at the far end of the road when we finally got pulled over by a Canadian Police car going in the opposite direction. "Hello sir..." "Hello officer." "Would you kindly tell me...." Oh curse word. Here we go. What are you doing down here with a pair of massive cameras... Slap on the cuffs..."Would you kindly tell me ... where we are?" "Excuse me officer... You mean you're lost?" "Yes, they sent us from Vancouver to patrol route 742 but they didn't give us a map!" By the way, Vancouver to Calgary is bloody miles - must have taken them all day to get there. Poor buggers! |
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Nov 21, 2017 19:04:29 GMT
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Just to keep the spirit of this forum section, one or two look like they've been modified as well. And not for the better if you ask me! Modified? ...any more facelifts and it will have a moustache or more along the lines that it's been ragged,shagged and debagged? |
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Nov 22, 2017 22:04:20 GMT
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2002. Mrs Sweetpea and I are at the airport in Calgary. "The purpose of your visit?" asks the passport chap. "A bit of wildlife watching in Kananaskis." we answer. "Are you here for the G8 summit?" he asks. A look of confusion passes over our faces. "What's the G8?" I feel your pain... Don’t know if I’ve told this on here before but back during the height of the Russian – Chechen war, I was working in Copenhagen and lived, Monday to Friday in the Radisson Scandinavian there. The Danish government, being such nice people who felt that a chat over a coffee and biscuits could sort any problems out, invited the outlawed (in Russia’s eyes) Chechen government over for that very thing. No problem, but… They put them in my bloody hotel! So I arrive from work on the Monday evening to check in, to find armed police and soldiers everywhere, rough looking, burly men in long coats speaking foreign, “You can’t use this elevatior, it’s reserved” etc. They were very suspicious that I was checking in with only a small briefcase, until the manager explained that I had the same room every week, and left changes of clothes there which were laundered over the weekend for me. Wonderful. Get to the bar and am told that as none of the delegation are deemed worthy of credit, the hotel had emptied the mini-bars before their arrival, so there was a bunch of scruffy guys (presumably the creme de la creme of Chechen society) sitting morosely nursing their glasses of flat coke for hours, that they had to pay cash for. Presumably the Chechen Icky to Danish Kroner rate wasn’t very good. Can’t use the toilets, “Out of bounds.” Have to go 20 floors to the room for a pee. Tuesday and there’s even more ugly, burly men in long coats and the atmosphere is, to put it mildly, strained. You had the feeling that both sides were now supplying burly men. The bar staff, all good friends by then, were not happy bunnies and were trying to work out whether the stainless steel cupboards and fridges under the bar would stop high-velocity rounds. We moved to drink at the opposite side of the bar to a) be able to see into the lobby and b) have two lots of cupboards/fridges to hide behind. Very early the following morning I got a call from the ex, asking if I was okay. On enquiring why, was told she’d heard on World Service that the Danish army had gone in with the police at 2am and arrested the entire delegation! Seems that nice Mr Putin had got on the phone and said, “If you don’t sort this lot out there’ll be the rumble of T72s coming up Hans Christiansen Anderson Boulevard by Friday.” And that was that. Peace and serenity then returned to a very unpleasant couple of days. After that, whilst I didn't always get a lot of say, I used to take a great interest in the current affairs of where I was being sent. Didn't stop me from winding up in Bangkok for both of the red-shirt riots though! |
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Nov 22, 2017 23:01:09 GMT
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Just to keep the spirit of this forum section, one or two look like they've been modified as well. And not for the better if you ask me! Modified? ...any more facelifts and it will have a moustache or more along the lines that it's been ragged,shagged and debagged? Bit of both unfortunately, JB. The grannies were over to hit you up before you'd got your first beer, the "other gendered" lurked in the shadows (easy, just avoid the shadows!) and the top totty sat aloof, watching the grannies getting shot down before showing any interest. Time before when I was in, we had a Manila Virgin with us who, after a while, decided to go to the loo - very shadowy - and shot out like a cork from a bottle. As expected, a ladyboy was trying to massage his shoulders whilst he was having a pee. He was a bundle of nerves. Oh, how we laughed! |
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Brings a hole,(sic) new meaning to ," I love you longtime"....😝
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skinnylew
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 5,703
Club RR Member Number: 11
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Nov 24, 2017 21:51:09 GMT
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Wow, that Chechen story is crazy, like one upping someone who says 'I slept though the storm of 87' |
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Brings a hole,(sic) new meaning to ," I love you longtime"....😝 D'you know, disappointingly, I've never had that said to me yet? "Hellowhatyournamewhereyoufromwhereyoustayyoubuymedrink?" Many times, but "Lub you long time"? Not a once! Wow, that Chechen story is crazy, like one upping someone who says 'I slept though the storm of 87' Remind me to tell you about the time Madam and I were locked in our hotel with the front doors chained and padlocked, with a pile of burning truck tyres outside in the middle of the road, streets full of Thai army... Free bar though. |
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MiataMark
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,971
Club RR Member Number: 29
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Nov 26, 2017 10:55:58 GMT
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I was on a business junket to Bali when they had riots, 2000?, we were on a jeep 'safari' and couldn't get back to the part of the island where the hotels are. Saw some burning tyres and the rioters had uprooted palm tress and blocked the roads, ended up stranded in a 5 star hotel that was empty as the guests were stranded at the airport.
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1990 Mazda MX-52012 BMW 118i (170bhp) - white appliance 2011 Land Rover Freelander 2 TD4 2003 Land Rover Discovery II TD52007 Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon JTDm
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Nov 26, 2017 12:01:31 GMT
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Well, it's like this... I was in Bangkok for the first round of protests but, to be honest, it wasn't that bad. I used to be there for two weeks every month over nearly two years, so had a reasonable feel for the place. One time I was due to go over and it was kicking off again, Madam wanted to come with me so she could, "Do some shopping". Having experienced the last trouble, I wasn't too concerned. So off we set. The company booked me into a hotel on Soi 15, Sukhumvit Road, opposite the Sheraton as my usual stay, the Landmark, was off limits. I thought nowt about it. Should've rung some bells, maybe? We'd been there a day when it really kicked off. Sukhumvit Road was barricaded by both the army and red shirts, with Wireless Road as no-man's land, Lumpini Park being the red shirt stronghold. We were "encouraged" by troops not to venture further. I always listen to guys with guns. The protesters set fire to tyres all over the place, including outside our hotel (purely coincidence) apparently it was the Sheraton they wanted to pi55 off, but it added to the local colour. Made many roads impassable though, if you could even find a taxi. First time I'd ever seen Sukhumvit quiet! Siam Paragon, where Madam hoped to spend all my Bhat was burned out, along with many other buildings. Sniper fire was doing some damage but no-one admitted who was shooting. There was a curfew at 7pm, which didn't matter as, at this point, we were locked in our hotel anyway. They kindly said that as we were their guests (of which they had precious few) all the drinks were free. We didn't complain. Then the army went in with personnel carriers and stuff, the shooting started and it sort of went to rat poo. Things kinda settled down a bit after a day or so and the hotel opened its doors again, but there was nowt open. One funny/tragic story. After a week, I finally got to our office there, when I got a call from Madam. She was in a bit of a state, reporting she'd nipped out for something to eat and heard a huge bang. Apparently her and several others were sheltering in a friendly 7-11 at that point. I told her to stay put until police/army said things were okay and that I was leaving for the hotel. She was happy to oblige me! Turns out it wasn't anything explosive, but a tower crane had collapsed in a building site opposite, which was the bang. Unfortunately, it killed the operator as well.  So several days drinking for free, hardly any mobile signal, no internet, half day at the office, then back to Kuala Lumpur ('cos they needed me there) with all Madam's shopping money intact. Not too shabby. No, it hasn't put us off and we go as often as possible. We love Thailand! |
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Nov 26, 2017 12:25:51 GMT
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I was on a business junket to Bali when they had riots, 2000?, we were on a jeep 'safari' and couldn't get back to the part of the island where the hotels are. Saw some burning tyres and the rioters had uprooted palm tress and blocked the roads, ended up stranded in a 5 star hotel that was empty as the guests were stranded at the airport. Yeah, interesting isn't it. Bali is a bit different because of the religious thing. In Thailand it was a purely internal affair, so foreigners weren't really in any danger, as long as we kept away. Luckily, I've never been anywhere that I was. Except Jamaica of course, but that's normal! "Berris, (the driver who picked me up from Kingston airport) why do we not stop at red traffic lights?" "Because mon, it'm dark and if we do, ya get shot." "Okay, carry on." |
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MiataMark
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,971
Club RR Member Number: 29
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Nov 26, 2017 15:18:23 GMT
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Bali was odd as the people there are the most peaceful (rioting aside) that I've ever come across.
There was also the time I was in Moscow and was convinced I'd been hijacked by the taxi driver, just about to jump out of the door when I realised he's just taken a short cut, could have been a bit embarrassing. Makes a good ice breaker story for presentations though.
To set the scene it was early 90's, I think, and the taxi's were allocated at the hotel entrance by the mafia (or at least that's what it looked like).
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1990 Mazda MX-52012 BMW 118i (170bhp) - white appliance 2011 Land Rover Freelander 2 TD4 2003 Land Rover Discovery II TD52007 Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon JTDm
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Nov 26, 2017 18:35:46 GMT
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"Berris, (the driver who picked me up from Kingston airport) why do we not stop at red traffic lights?" "Because mon, it'm dark and if we do, ya get shot." "Okay, carry on." I never realised Kingston on Thames had an airport! |
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Last Edit: Nov 26, 2017 18:37:10 GMT by dodgerover
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Nov 26, 2017 20:34:00 GMT
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"Berris, (the driver who picked me up from Kingston airport) why do we not stop at red traffic lights?" "Because mon, it'm dark and if we do, ya get shot." "Okay, carry on." I never realised Kingston on Thames had an airport! That's why you should never go south of the river....... |
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Needs a bigger hammer mate.......
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Ax GTi Turbo
