Important Admin announcement

[Pete Thomas]

As some of you may know, I'm off to do a fundraising trek in the Andes very soon. A big thank you to those who have sponsored me. More info on the Blog about the trek and the training regime. (I may even be abale to update it from time to time if I can find an Internet Cafe up there. (I suppose that would be an Incanet cafe - boom boom).

My mother-in-law is very kindly popping down to Sunny Southampton to look after the kids but I've decided it would be unfair to ask her to moderate the forum. The Breakfast Room will stay open, but no new registrations will be taken until The end of this month, and I may not be around much to contribute or answer PMs, however the forum seems to have developed a life of its own and I know can function perfectly well without me.

Mr Lucky is about to go into production so should be available in about 4 weeks.

(BTW donations are still being taken, I've nearly made the target but you can still donate on the justgiving site for a few weeks after I get back, at which time I will start a new fundraising scheme in aid of some different charities!)

 

[ken]

Best wishes for a safe and enjoyable trip Pete.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Thanks Ken, I'm hoping we don't fall off the Andes. I just noticed on the trekking website that this is categorised as "Tough", next year I'm toying with the idea of Kilinajaro, category "Extreme".

Oh, and congtaulations on 700 posts!!!

You'll be overtaking me soon, Spanish Telecom allowing.

 

[Saxlicker]

Good luck Pete, Mrs Pete & all,

May the force be with you!

I'll mentally share your blisters!

 

[Pete Thomas]

Ken wrote:
Not sure if your doing a 'group' trek Pete, but there is a sponsorship flyer in my local pub for someone who is doing the same thing this year. If you are in a group see if there's any Brit's from El Campello amongst em.

Are you taking any music with you... pan pipes?, Xaphoon?... would be nice.

btw: if you are taking an e-mail device (mobile phone, pda) and want any trip news put in a forum message, take my e-mail with you and I'll gladly post any message for you.

I'll look out for the El Campello team then, if so I can grass you up as the midnight mountain saxophonist. No saxophone ( I was asked that on the blog too), I can't deal with putting a nice alto in the hold and they sure as hell won't let me take a horn as hand luggage in case I hijack the plane with it. (Yes I could - give me the plane or another chorus of Giant Steps). I'm probably going to come back with some pan pipes (from soprano to contrabass), nose flutes and a peru flag for my son Jim. Maybe a Llama or two also.

I'll also gladly email a message for posting, but I think Peruvian telecom may not be quite as state of the art technology as Spanish Telecom. I can't deal with mobile phone email anyway so it's all going to be down to internet cafes anyway.

Thanks for the support

 

[Pete Thomas]

Saxlicker wrote:
Good luck Pete, Mrs Pete & all,

May the force be with you!

I'll mentally share your blisters!

Thanks.

Although we have plenty of blister defeating technology (AKA moleskin and Compeed), there are unlikely to be the sort of comfort inducing Hampshire pubs we've got used to on the training in the South Downs.

However I hear that there is a local (and legal) remedy known as "Coca leaves", which proabaly helped the Incas gain some ground over the Conquistadores for a while.

 

[Bobby G]

All the best for the Trek, Pete. Hope blisters and saxophone withdrawal symptoms aren't too much of a problem.

Keep chewing the leaves and regards to the High Llamas.

Cheers, Bob

 

[Pete Thomas]

Saxophone withdrawal symptoms are never a problem. I play better after a break from it (have a love hate relationship with that instrument anyway) so will be quite happy with panpipes, condors, llamas, etc. but not blisters. They area pain in the arse. No, let me rephrase that...

 

[Rogerb]

Safe journey, Pete, watch your step 🙂

Be glad I'm not with you, I tripped over the garden hose yesterday, fell gracefully into the flower bed and broke my 600 Euro specs 😡

 

[Bobby G]

Rogerb wrote:
Safe journey, Pete, watch your step 🙂

Be glad I'm not with you, I tripped over the garden hose yesterday, fell gracefully into the flower bed and broke my 600 Euro specs 😡

Ha! Should have gone to Specsavers 😉

No problems with hosepipes here, you'll be shot on site by the local authority for merely owning one, never mind using it. And this during the wettest drought since records began 😡

I agree about having a bit of time off from playing, but too long and I start to get rusty - I've been playing sax almost exclusively for over two years, and played some guitar for a couple of hours recently. It wasn't bad, I loved doing it, but my playing was definitely a bit below par, and my fingers really hurt at the end of the session >.< I'm ok taking a couple of days off from sax-playing, but I don't want to go to Cornwall (on Friday ) without one, even though it's only for a week.

Cheers, Bob

 

[oliver_bentley]

"the wettest drought since records began"

lol I like that, its like "we have one every year, we'll be dammed if this year is going to be any different"

"but dad, there's a tropical storm going on outside."

"I dont care, we're having a drought and thats final. Now go and empty all the water butts so we have to drink the dew off the grass in the morning like we always do"

As for coming back to sax after a while I know what you mean. Having been ill earlier this year, I came back to it after 3 weeks, and it felt and sounded so much better. I know its psychological and that I may have even been a bit worse, but an occasional break does wonders.

Not quite sure you have to go climb crazy mountains though Pete, you could just leave it in its case for a week or so.

Good luck and hope all goes well for you all the same

 

[Pete Thomas]

See You in a couple of weeks, you all behave yourselves. Meanwhile a message from the President.

(Apologies to Private Eye and small dogs)

 

[spike]

All the best to the pete family
have fun in the Andy's
have heard a cup of hot cocoa leaves before retiring is very relaxing.

a word to the pres. -
My jack russel likes to pee on small bushes.

greets - spike

 

[Pete Thomas]

spike wrote:
All the best to the pete family
have fun in the Andy's
have heard a cup of hot cocoa leaves before retiring is very relaxing.

Thanks - I'm back now and news of the trek a bit later.

BTW it's not "cocoa leves" in peru but "coca leaves". The first thing I got in the hotel lobby was a steaming hot cup of coca tea. Helps with the altitude sickness.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Probably not.

 

[spike]

Hey, come on Ken, the spanish conkered, big deal el conquistadoro muchos grathias style - Peru - and took over, without so much as an excuse me, by your leave, it's the Spanish inquisition the whole Ela-Coca take-away chain - it's a herbal remedy, good for altitude sickness, old age and bum notes, and you live on the top of a Spanish Peru facing hill, you are incareligious, blow down a long tube with pearl buttons after sundowners - El Kenny Ingleesh - you surely don't need an excuse . . .

read about the Venezualen Diplomat who pulled a coca leaf trick in the UN?

 

[ken]

Spike :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

I 'conkered' once, I had a twelver. I had to soak it in vinegar for a week and then put it in mum's oven at gas mark 6 for half hour.

Haven't heard about the Veniswaylien... whad he do???

 

[spike]

Conkers - I still collect 'em every year but it's difficult finding an opponent, these germaniacs prefer to eat 'em, moronis that is.

And it wasn't Chavez of Venezuala , my newspaper got it wrong - Twas El Presidente Evo Morales of Bolivia who held up a Coca leaf whilst addressing the UN, in protest over the U.S. coca policy. Even the U.S. Embassy in Bolivia recomends the medicinal effects of coca tea to travellers, for the relief of altitude sickness, fatigue and stomach disorders. Apparently Coca tea is served regularly to visitors at the Embassy.

 

[Pete Thomas]

From Wikitravel (Bolivia):

I've heard the US has developed a fungus that destroys coca crops. If it spreads throughout the coca regions it will be disastrous for a centuries old culture as well as countless innocent farmers scratching a living. It's just a cup of tea!

 

[Bobby G]

It'd make more sense all round to have Fair Trade coca leaf tea available worldwide, wouldn't it?