Foreign Criminals to Remain...Thanks Mr Miliband!!

Sorry folks I must apologise.  I closed the blog down for January so that I could take Mrs Meldrew to the Caribbean on a cruise!  I did actually announce it in a comment but then if it does not interest you then you will have missed it.  Sorry...even my American cousin was asking what has happened?!

You have all surprised me because I only began this blog to rant and apparently I am not ranting alone.  Let me tell you about the cruise.  We left Southampton on 02 January and we were immediately pitched into a storm.  We endured 60 hours of Storm Force 10 or worse before we arrived at Madeira.

Our tour guide in Madeira was a German lady with a keen sense of humour who informed us that Portugal was at the mercy of the EU and the elderly in Portugal were drawing a pension of 240 euros a month.  In addition the Madeirian bananas did not qualify to EU standards so their natural fruit had been ignored!

We then sailed for the Caribbean under quite a lot of cloud and docked at Barbados. Our tour guide was great.  He explained the education system in detail which frankly mirrored the British education of the 1950's.  Consequently they had retained the eleven plus and their smartest kids qualified for scholarships to leading universities regardless of background.

Their kids all wore school uniforms, parents were punished for the truancy of their kids and surprise, surprise, crime rates are very low! In the classroom the teacher is still in control, children are taught respect and society benefits.

Barbados appears to be an exception because elsewhere there is a lot of poverty and the Chinese are avidly propping up some islands by building properties like hospitals. Generally benefits are not paid but essential food stuffs grow everywhere so nobody starves.

Back here nothing changes.  An MP introduces a commonsense Bill to prevent foreign criminals from using the Human Rights nonsense to remain in this country thus retaining the threat on the streets and predictably  the LibDems and Labour think that it is a good idea.

As usual David Cameron, the corporate leader of the country, proved that he is in office but not in power by having to rely on opponents to stifle any common sense from his back benchers who clearly are concerned about the threat emanating from UKIP.

The next time some foreign thug murders an innocent Brit then just remember that Mr Miliband thinks we should keep him in one of luxury prisons at our expense for as long as he likes before releasing him back into the community probably to repeat the process.  I cannot understand such treachery!

Holidays - The Western Isles (Part 2)

Horgabost Isle of Harris

Well I arrived back from my 'wild' camping holiday on the Western Isles in the early hours of this morning.  It was probably at least a day early but I had my reasons.  You see when you load up your car with all the means to go camping it does help if you don't lose your car keys!

When I discovered the loss I was pitched at a wild camping site at a place called Horgabost on the western coast of the Isle of Harris.  In reality it is about as remote from civilisation as any place in the UK! In the distance there were the odd cottage probably owned by Hebrides hermits but the nearest small store was at least 10 miles away.

It is beautiful as you can see when the sun shines but this is the Outer Hebrides and my first night under canvas was spent listening to the wind tearing at the tent and the rain battering away trying to get at me.  Fortunately I took a tip from the professionals and placed rocks on my guide ropes.  Nae bother Jimmy!

At this point I must pay tribute to the AA! If you are camping or disappearing into the Ullu then full cover should be mandatory.  Fortunately when the keys disappeared (and I refuse to tell anyone how they disappeared) my car was unlocked so I could still load everything back into the car before I was recovered by Callum who arrived all the way from Stornaway on the Isle of Lewis.

Callum took me to the Laxdale camp site in Stornaway where I was introduced to Kenny a local locksmith (Scotlock) who assured me that he could replicate my car key and he could. It took him over 24 hours because he also works for the Council and the Police who require him for emergencies. I did not realise the technology that goes into our car keys in this modern age but Kenny knew and by yesterday I was queued up at Stornaway Harbour fourth in line for an emergency berth to Ullapool!  

I left Ullapool yesterday at 5.30pm and via, Inverness, Fort William and Crianrannich I arrived on the M74 at 11pm.  I slept for 2 hours at the Bothwell Service Station and then arrived home at 6am this morning.  It was the drive of my life!  I challenge anyone to replicate it and I am  71 years of age.

It sounds like a disaster but it was a wonderful challenge.  It is all to easy to think 'old' and this has given me a new lease of life. I was way out of my comfort zone (in more ways than one) but I am so glad that I took on the challenge.  The camping fraternity are brilliant. I do not understand how the huge gap between them and 'Westmonster' can exist? 

It was Kenny who told me that Cameron had lost the vote on Syria as he deciphered the complexities of my car key and he watched in wonder as I did a strange wee dance around my tent! More of that later...!

PS  What did we do before the mobile phone and a public thanks to my wife and daughter for their back up.  They thought I was crazy and now they know that they were correct!!!

Holidays - The Western Isles

I will probably be off line for the next week or so as I am off to the Outer Hebrides for a brief holiday.  It is my intention to 'wild' camp on a deserted white sand beach while I still can!  I think that the western coast of Harris looks perfect on 'Google Earth' and it will also be quite central for further exploration.

I just hope that the weather is not impossible!  I expect rain and midgies but severe storms would probably force me back into the car.

Anyhow the plan is to walk, take photographs and relax. I will eat, drink and sleep when I want and I just hope that I am not disappointed.  Goodbye cruel world!

Norovirus on the Oriana

Tonight on the news I listened to a Director of P&O blaming passengers for the outbreak of the norovirus on their cruise ship Oriana.  It has been well documented in the mainstream media but I think that we are not being told the whole truth.

My wife and I had a wonderful cruise on the Oriana which began on 17 October and ended on 16 November.  On the third day out we learned that norovirus was on board and that people were being taken ill. I got the impression from the staff that it was not the first time.

Immediately the crew swung into action and the passengers all cooperated and although we lost some luxury items like salt cellars and other condiments the captain kept people in touch and they contained it. They put into operation an extensive cleaning plan.

Two days before the cruise ended everything went back to normal but we were surprised that they had not continued their 'austerity' programme until the end of the cruise.  P&O turn their ships immediately around.  As we got off they were preparing for their next cruise that day. There is no time for extra maintenance.

Therefore to maintain that the new passengers had brought that virus onto the ship only 10 days ago is rather disingenuous.  Clearly the ship has a problem as this norovirus has returned yet again.  Would it not be more realistic to look closely at the crew.
They are very professional but they are a league of nations from many different communities. They are also the only constant factor of this repeat outbreak.

Time for a break!

Tomorrow my wife and I disappear for 30 days as we cruise around the Eastern Mediterranean. We have decided that at our late life it is time to explore the world. We love travelling so the prospect of Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Turkey and Greece to name but a few excites us. 

I cannot believe that in something like 8 hours I will be boarding the Oriana (P&O) for a real adventure. If I get the opportunity I will report back but I have had serious lectures from my son in law (Seanie) about the difference between the Internet abroad and Wi-Fi and the cost implications!

So in my half ignorance I must be careful how I use the Internet so please bear with me. My daughter is also looking after our recently adopted cat. She already has 2 rescued cats (a veterinary nurse who loves her job) but our little Dan seems quite at home. 

You see this avid blogger is really just a person! I am not a political animal but just a member of the hard pressed public. I have my personal views about the performance of our politicians and this blog gives me an opportunity to voice them. This and my ability to write English. 

So goodbye everyone...I will be back on 16 November please continue to tune in but then I began with nothing and you all found me so perhaps it will happen again?

Holiday Time

This has to have been the worst summer ever for my close family. Tomorrow however, Mrs Meldrew and I embark on a 16 night cruise calling at many of the beauty spots in the Adriatic.

I look forward to the break before returning to rant once more at my computer screen. I just wonder what can happen to this once great country in two weeks?

Shutdown

Mrs Meldrew has packed. I am still packing. The garden has been watered. The eldest Meldrew child, the one with the law degree, is on his way down to revamp Mrs Meldrew's kitchen. The youngest Meldrew child, the veterinary nurse, is supervising her brother because she has got all the money! As the youngest I suspect that she has waited a long time for this kind of power over her brother.

The car is fully fuelled and raring to go. The 93 year old mother is now snugly farmed out to sister in law in Derby. Good luck Jane you are truly a heroine! We no longer have dogs so that is not a problem.

Tomorrow we will leisurely drive down to Southampton to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary with a Mediterranean cruise. The Great Train robbers got less but there are many places I must visit before I get too old. This is the best way to visit Malaga, Barcelona, Cannes, Florence, Rome, Gibraltar, Lisbon and Vigo.

On the way we may eat, drink and gamble too much but hell after 40 years we deserve it. Time to relax. In two week's time I will be back to continue the attack on the injustices that our political classes heap on us. I know that I sometimes go over the top but this blog is my only outlet. I have no other influence on what is happening to my country.

Millions of ordinary people have no redress to what this government has done and what the previous government began. Ted Heath took us into Europe in the 1970's and ever since we have lost our independence. Our three main parties collude and pay homage to an illegal, unaudited organisatiion which somehow has usurped power in Europe.

For two weeks I refuse to worry about it anymore... but then I will be back! Thanks to anyone who reads my ramblings. Byeeeee!