30.11.05
Posted in
Poland
at
9:26 am
by
Andy
Yesterday I made the trip to Auschwitz in the south of Poland. Aushwitz was the largest of the Nazi concentration camps and today serves as a museum and memorial to the attrocities that went on there. Many colleagues had pointed out how horrendous it was, and others didn’t even want to go.
It was indeed very disturbing, above all the size of it all, but even visiting the different sites that made up Auschwitz I could not begin to imagine what it was actually like. As Lenny put it, this was industrialised killing.
It is quite hard to beleive that such a genocide happened so recently in europe. How were the Nazis able to get such a backing? What went through the minds of the sick monsters that carried out “The final solution to the jewish problem”?
28.11.05
Posted in
Poland
at
6:53 pm
by
Andy
I’ve been back in Poland for over a week now, yet no posts. I guess that’s where the name slack plak came from.
It’s cold here in Krakow. Hovering around 0 during the day and dropping down to -8 at nights, but the snow more than makes up for it. I’m such a kid when it comes to such things.
Work has been manic. Non stop all day, often doing 10 hour shifts, but its ok as the people here are friendly and grateful of our help (plus I don’t have to deal with any customers directly).
The evenings have been just as manic. Often starting with expenses paid 3 course dinners, followed by copious amounts of beer.
I had the pleasure of the company of the two Swedes, Mats & Lenard, and of Niel who I’d never met before. Niel is a man of my own heart. Cars and cameras. Needless to say, with us four, the conversation always reverted to horse power and handling.
Out every night (4am was our latest), on school nights, took its toll. We kept being invited out by the CAP guys, and just couldn’t say no. As a result, Friday night was a write off.
Thankfully that enabled Neil and I to take advantage of Saturday, wandering round the city center in the morning and visiting the spectacular salt mine. I’ll let my photos do the talking on that one, but you’ll have to wait as I forgot my camera data cable.
16.11.05
Posted in
General
at
2:21 am
by
Andy
I’ve not bothered trying to go to sleep, as I won’t be able to for the noise, and my blood will start to boil. So instead I thought I do something constructive.
I’ve finally managed to get most of my Mongol Rally pics up on the MongolMini site. I still need to add some of my SLR pics along with titles and text, but the bulk of it is done.
I’m expecting a bit of extra traffic, as we are due to be featured in Mini World Magazine, released today.
To be able to concentrate, I put in some ear plugs, whacked on my headphones and listened to some music. All this blocked out all but the loudest noises from outside.
I’ve been listening to a bit of Liquid Funk with Fabio, streaming from Radio 1 on line, which has put me in a much better mood.
I really should go to bed now, but I’m worried to road works will keep me up. They look as they will be there for a couple more hours as they are still digging a hole at the moment.
15.11.05
Posted in
General
at
11:32 pm
by
Andy
I cannot remember the last time I was so angry. Once again, I am being driven crazy by the road works outside. 10 hours of multiple pneumatic drills a day, accompanied by a choir of “reversing beeps”, does not keep the doctor away.
They started working again at midnight (having stopped for 4 whole hours) and will most likely work through till 4 or 5 in the morning, much like last Tuesday.
This is the 9th consecutive day they’ve been working! They work last Wednesday, which was a public holiday. They worked all day Saturday AND they worked Sunday (starting at 9am). Normally the one day of peace and quiet we get.
Words cannot describe how angry I am. I am literally shaking with rage. All of this for a tunnel (which my taxes are paying for), which will not do anything to improve the city’s traffic problems, but just shift the queues a couple of miles (And where there is traffic, there is a chorus of car horns. When will the Spanish learn that no matter how much you hit the horn, it will not clear the jam.)
Because of the road works, I am forced to move flat, which is not only a huge inconvenience, but will cost me a lot of money. All this, because the puta mayor wants to improve Madrid and have his name go down in history.
I would love to take a pneumatic drill, and dig up the road outside the his house at 4 in the morning, but if I did it would only be a question of time before the Police arrive. At this point, I’d like you to note that the Police refuse to come to our aid as this is a “social problem”, and there for nothing to do with them.
So here I am, left with a non existent social life (I have to plan my sleep around the workers), looking for a bearable flat in the shortest time possible (but that is a whole other rant).
08.11.05
Posted in
General
at
4:19 pm
by
Andy
I got home from the Pub Quiz last night to find the road works that have been the bain of my life lately still going on at 1 in the morning… Pnuematic drill ‘n all.
A few low flying eggs and my irate girlfriend having a go didn’t stop the workers working till 4:30 AM!!!! They started up again at 7:30 am.
My girlfriend missed a job interview as she was unable sleep last night. It is all making me very angry. The council here have the audacity to state that they have to work through the night as the disruption to traffic during the day would be too great. WHAT ABOUT THE 100s OF RESIDENTS?
They are building a tunnel linking one of the motorways to the end of my road. A project that is estimated to take two years…
view from my bedroom window
It is getting absolutely ridiculous. The only day we get off is Sunday, as they work through Saturdays as well.
Originally I didn’t want the hastle of moving flat again, but after last night for the sake of my sanity and health I have no choice.
07.11.05
Posted in
Spain
at
3:36 pm
by
Andy
I’ve been wanting to tackle the highest peaks of the mountain range north of Madrid for some time now. Yesterday I finally got round to doing it.
Espe, Klaar, Pete and I set off relatively early on Sunday for the mountains. We parked the car at Puerto de Cotos and set off on foot.
We were walking for about 7 hours, but to be fair we had a slow pace and many breaks. Still, we reached the following peaks during the day, Dos Hermanos (2269 m & 2284m), Risco de los Claveles (2387m) and Peñalara (2429m).
We couldn’t have asked for better weather. Clear blue skies, warm sunshine and zero wind. Perfect. I still find it quite bizarre to be able to walk in the mountains in November in a t-shirt.
An excellent way to spend a Sunday. I must do this more often.
05.11.05
Posted in
Diving, Travel
at
10:40 pm
by
Andy
Since returning from Mongolia I’ve been pretty busy. Only the last week or two have I been able to catch up but that is only because I’ve been on call with work…
I was flown out to Krakow for two weeks with work having only had 2 and a bit weeks back in Spain. No complaints, as I see it as a free opportunity to travel.
Krakow is a great little city, and the people we were working with were great, giving us a few excellent nights out on the town, in several of the underground bars and clubs.
On my way back from Krakow I was able to get a flight to London, and then drive my new car (my sisters old car) down from England to Madrid. Espe flew into London to meet me and we set off the Saturday morning.
We took it quite leisurely, taking three days to complete the trip. The highlight of which was driving through the Pyrenees on some fantastic roads, crossing 5 mountain passes in the process.
The following weekend Espe and I went down to Valencia for the weekend to visit her family. Food (including Espe’s parents excellent Paella), drink and rest. A nice quiet weekend at last.
And the weekend after that? Well I went down to Mazarron to visit Chris and go diving. I was accompanied by Espe, Philippe and Ana. Espe and Ana finished the weekend as newly qualified PADI open water divers, and Philippe and I got a couple of dives in as well.
03.11.05
Posted in
General
at
5:48 pm
by
Andy
I’ve recently returned from Mongolia having taken part in the 2005 Mongol Rally. What a phenomenal experience that was. We drove 9500 miles in an old Austin Mini from London to Mongolia crossing 13 countries in just over a month. You can read all about that on our rally site: www.mongolmini.com. I’ve well and truly been bitten by the travel bug again. I need to start saving so I can get away again.
So why have I put together this site?
Well, primarily as a personal diary of what I’m up to. Since I moved to Spain 3 years ago, I’ve always been doing something. Secondly I’ve been wanting to share my experiences and photos with others. It will take me a while, but I will be getting up a selection of my travel photos along with anything else that interests me.
