Take saddle off of seatpost; find an odd bit of scrap metal that sits nicely on top of the seatpost; use a hammer drill on “hammer only” setting to apply lots and lots and lots of impacts to the top of the seatpost . . . if you’re lucky the seatpost will gradually start to move; once you’re broken the bond you stand a decent chance of being able to pull it free.

Current model 3 door Cooper S here (4 cylinder 2 litre turbo, 17″ non-run-flats, optional variable damper control); much easier to drive quickly and more comfortable/civilized than the Toyota GT86 that preceded it.

Have you tried doing a Google Images search ? – might spot something that’s close without having to get the name exactly right.

Somewhere different to eat – in the covered market in the city centre there’s a recently-opened Vietnamese/Thai café upstairs on the Mezzanine called @Kitchen – reasonably priced, and excellent food. Can be very busy at lunchtime (perhaps as a result of it being ranked #1 eating place in Plymouth, according to Trip Advisor) but its worth the wait.

If you use a solvent-based stain remover to shift the stain then don’t put it directly onto the stain – if you do as the solvent spreads out it’ll carry some of the stain with it and you’ll end up with a ring-shaped stain. Apply the solvent around the stain, so that it works in towards the stain from its edges.

Is this enough for you ?

Used to be a source of great summer amusement watching coach loads of t-shirt wearing sweaty tourists pile into the lower cable car, knowing that in a while they’d be huddled together shivering as the top cable car emptied them out at 4000m+.

Cold. Into a very low sun in a crystal clear sky. Too many drivers peering through badly de-iced windscreens. And at least one of the Schools on my route was back.

Very impressed so far with Prestige Stone Quartz fry pan – very non-stick, and super easy to clean with just a bit of paper towel.

Higher resolution versions available here to download @ 1 euro per map area, but again in Russian.

Not the most obvious source but might give you what you need.

Anything by Zarges; bomb-proof, but not cheap.

For warm in February try NE Vietnam or northern Laos – before their northern neighbours spoil things.
As far as “best ever destination” is concerned then Tajikistan would be hard to beat – a real sense of wilderness, and some of the most hospitable and humbling locals that I’ve every had the pleasure of meeting. Would go back there in an instant, although getting around there in February could be a bit tricky

Is there any reason why you don’t send your passport off to the London Embassy and get a visa before you go ? – in the last few years (before the visa waiver scheme) I’ve done this several times and they usually turn the application round pretty quickly (within a week).

Fitted a Samsung single oven about 6 months ago – very impressed so far. Heats up really quickly and cooks very evenly. Touch controls and digital display are very easy to use. One of my better purchases, bought from ao.com

Hope One is quite a good backup light – uses user-replaceable AA batteries which should have a very low self-discharge rate (so batteries will still work after 12 months of lying around in the bottom of your bag).

Amazon still have Nikon Coolpix A available for under £300 – definitely worth a look – have captured some lovely images with mine.

Last time I flew Emirates the bike went as part of the standard baggage allowance (which was around 30kg). There were some size limits too but a bagged bike was well inside these.

Lightweight/aircrete blocks are not often left exposed to knocks and bangs because they’re comparatively soft and easy to dent . . . or are you looking for a “lived in” effect ?

MOT reference document – Sections 1.7 and 1.8 relate to headlights.

Toyota C-HR

Was offered it by Toyota on a GT86 but got better cover for less than half the price from ALA; ALA offered a worthwhile discount to members of the owner’s forum. Will get it again on next new car.

Eden has a local food festival running on Friday 9th to Sunday 11th – get in as part of your entry ticket to Eden itself. It is expensive to get in (£69 for a 2+2 family ticket or £62 if you buy it online) but there’s plenty to see and do, and they’re not fussed if you take your own picnic in (which helps with the finances).

If you’re going to include a “Glossary of terms” then see if you can sneak in an odd one – such as “Pterodactyl: a winged reptile, believed to be extinct”.

Have used Laptopsdirect.co.uk several times in recent years and they have always been amazingly quick to deliver the goods whilst still offering lowest prices.

Route I’d use on a summer Saturday would be Exeter > A38 > Plymouth (Manadon Junction) > A386 > Torpoint Ferry > A374 > just past Polbathic > A387 > Looe.

Local branch of The Money Shop[/url] gives the best rates available around here – worth a look if you have a local branch.

How about a pair of these ? – look to be reasonable value.

An Alfa 4C Spider. In red. Painfully pretty, but completely impractical.

Might be worth looking for replacement wheels for a Brompton ? – think they’re 16″ . . . SJS Cycles do a selection.

May make him more susceptible to picking up a sinus infection which can be extremely difficult to treat (sinuses are infection-friendly warm, moist cavities with poor air circulation and comparatively poor blood supply).

Alpkit Kitbag 30 is a simple but strong cordura duffle bag that might be worth considering @ £40. Doesn’t come with a shoulder strap so worth budgeting an extra £5 for their Strapp strap.

Also happens to make a truly glorious and evocative noise 🙂

Could be worth talking to a Toyota/Subaru dealer about a GT86/BRZ – there’s a lightly refreshed version due out soon, so there could be deals to be had on any remaining stock of the current model. I’ve had mine for nearly 4 years now – has been 100% reliable, surprisingly economical, and is always a hoot to drive.

These guide books[/url] are quite good if you fancy doing a DIY trip in France.

@ BillOddie – Also worth a look – Roberts Stream 107 – built-in recharger for internal batteries (takes 6 @ AA NiMh) makes it nice and portable too. Plenty loud enough unless you want to shake the walls.

Link

Work with a bloke who spent some time there in 1994 – not sure he’d go back there though . . . . . probably because he spent a few weeks stuck in a gully near Mt Kinabalu and nearly didn’t get out alive.

Good deals on Yetis at the moment because there’s a new revision due shortly.

. . . or Jeremy Kyle ?

If you’re buying “new” sleepers then they’ll probably have been treated with a safer “eco” preservative. Reclaimed used ex-railway sleepers will have been creosoted which, as others have said, is not good (from a H+S perspective).