I generally stop in one of the ibis, decent value and the rooms are fine. Easy walking to anywhere in town from either although the one on Princess Street probably more suitable

I got a £200 gift card from work for John lewis, not my go to shop for anything but Ive gotta be happy with that!
We don’t tip our customers nor they us (50/50 split NHS/Universities) but my phone/email is on 24/7 365 for them if they need me, which they often do and appreciate.

All this George Clark talk reminds me that on Tuesday night this week at the 40th anniversary Viz comic show at The Stand Newcastle with Chris and Simon Donald and a couple of the other cartoonists, Mr Clark was in attendance. As was I. Though not with him.

Gino Di Campo
Gordon Ramsey
idris elba
generic 1 show presenter
shane richie
fringe winkleman

it was

Being on submarines comes down to character a lot of the time, you’re either ok with it or you’re not.
I would never put people off by saying they are small and cramped, V boats are huge, T boats are smaller but not tiny and the new Astute boats are decent size.

They do have a certain smell about them, worse if you’re a back afty. Its just a place of work, most of the time you don’t know if you are moving. You get up go to work and when you are finished you might go to the gym, watch a film, study, read etc.

Jobs wise, I was in communications, but any engineering role is an ideal career and can lead to some fantastic opportunities whenever you leave. Lots of my mates are now senior engineers at BAE and within the nuclear industry. There is a lot land based roles as well, not at sea all the time although a couple of friends who are still in 25+ years are saying its getting a bit tougher due to reduced numbers.

Anyway, being told to make a decision in a few hours is not great and I wouldn’t advise it.

FWIW when I joined I didn’t get told I was going on subs until they put the train ticket to Plymouth in my hand! Even then it was 6 months before they decided I was up to the task.

Just remembered White101 comes from the accommodation block and room I had at Faslane. It may have a new carpet since I left but I imagine its still pretty crap!

Would be terrible if all those billionaire russians and wot not had to leave London because of this crime spree….

My good lady just did the Invisalign teeth straightening thing £1500 over 12 months. A bit of 3-D modelling then gum shields for about 5 months, they straightened remarkably quickly, then a permanent fixture behind her teeth. She’s well chuffed, took a bit of getting used to, but regular trips to the dentist for next set of gum shields and checks meant everything has gone fine.

We’ve had Lab and LD but nothing else since a faux newspaper (I use the term loosely, as in as loose stool) from BXP in the summer. BXP aren’t even standing here.

On a slightly different angle the Con hopeful is from Amersham some 275 miles away, a friends nearby constituency has a similar situation where the Con is listed as home address in Westminster and Chelsea. I really don’t get that at all. All other parties have local people standing, is it like a crap secret santa thing the tories do? Congratulations you’ve won a town you’ve never heard of or been to and its a no win situation!

I can recommend Harry Pearsons recent book about spring races in Belgium as a pre trip read to get you in the mood. The Beast, The Emperor and The Milkman.

My G3 is still going strong, 4 yrs old in Feb. My work iPhone 6S+ is same age and looks like its about to draw its pension.

Tuesday in the supreme court will be interesting.

I’ve always washed mine on a 30 with my other bike kit probably once a month, however I recently bought a giro foray with mips helmet for my road riding and I sweat buckets more because of the plastic liner in the helmet. Not fun when out riding, I’ve tried riding with a buff over the noggin to mop up the excess but gets a bit tight due to my apparently melon sized skull.

I have a 4 yr old Yeti, 2ltr diesel, tows a caravan no probs, seats come out to make it into a small box shape van if I want, plenty boot space for me.
I use it for work and did 18k last year, rarely dropping below 53mpg other than when towing.

I do like the look of CX5 but the costs were too much when I was buying last May.

We play occasionally, but I do feel that the prizes kinda reflect society/peoples comments about it being a poor peoples tax.

1 person with a massive amount at the top and all of the other ‘winners’ get enough to play next week.

Even the advertising is typical of the language used by politicians today telling us how lucky we are, ‘30,000 of you were winners tonight’ yeah cheers, 25k people won £2.50 and 5k won £9.70. Winners indeed.

try being gluten free and paying for a beer. Its classed as premium everywhere you go. Even in Newcastle I can be paying £4.80+ for a pint (if lucky enough to get something on draught) or more likely a bottle or can.

Its quite possible 20% of NHS services are already outsourced, that doesnt mean we should welcome with open arms US companies who will immediately increase cost and reduce services to the public. As somebody who worked for a US owned company they are only interested in profit.

You need to make the link between Trump the money maker, Banks the insurance man, Farage the conduit for brexit and the sale of the NHS. It all adds up to money and not for the public who need the services.

I had this conversation the other with my OH, she said she would feel quite comfortable going to a comedy gig on her own.

As a side note, we had tickets to see Henning Wehn years ago at Whitley Bay playhouse, instead I trapped a nerve in my spine and spent 4 days in hospital

+1 for the Harrogate Tap and the Old Bell.

I always thought he would be in there for eternity, now I wonder if he wont get whisked off in some form of extraordinary rendition to the US where he will be embraced by the orange one

I currently have a 30yr old VW T25 and have been looking at going to a bigger white box on wheels but the prices are as such I have been seriously considering a caravan.

If I had the time skills and space self converting looks a great way ahead but I have none of them so will need to pay for the convenience of someone already having built something!

My van is in great condition and was imported from Germany in 2010 but I am looking for more comfort and space that the van currently offers. Fortunately my car has a tow bar and decent pulling weight so the caravan route may be the way ahead, more bang for ya buck is winning over at present

Good luck to you, my daughter started her’s today and reading this thread I know what tonights phone call will bring!

I saw tanks, and a harrier jet and plenty guns even one belonging to JRR Tolkein, plenty uniforms and helmets and that kind off equipment. I didn’t go there with any expectations of the place, I just went and read about peoples lives and experiences of war, the build up and the aftermath.

The thing that struck me the most was the similarities to certain movements here and in Europe today and the way some people are making capital out of misinformation and the politics of fear.

A bee flew in my helmet whilst heading downhill in Pateley Bridge recently, trying to get it out at 25mph was not easy, painful sting right near the vein on my temple.

I don’t usually ride with my camera on (unless making rad MTB cuts of course), however last night has got me thinking again. I was out for a 25 miler on the roads, nice enough night dry at the time but was close passed then cut up by a citroen. Close enough for my elbows to contact his rear window and c pillar.

I was on the same road as him for around another mile and at every light and junction he made sure to park in the bike lane (where there briefly was one) on sit almost or the curb unlike all other traffic that came by.

Anyway the moral of this tale is, if your going to be a **** driver don’t get yourself a vanity plate K100LES cos I will find you with my particular set of skills (sales and marketing, but hey ho) and take revenge etc etc

Cheers for the info, quite like the look of some of the Treks at Tramuntana, never tried Di shifting. I shall check em all out and get booked this week.

last September I passed by one of the rowing clubs on the Tyne and saw the 20 strong female crew posing naked with their boat for the annual calendar shoot, on the way back the chaps were out posing. Strava shows my slowest ever ride along that section was on that day…

I also once cycled past an elephant standing in a field, odd thing to see in Gateshead on a Sunday morning.

If there is decent wifi yes, but you cant download for offline watching to the mac as it does not currently support netflix

My work 16 plate Berlingo lease is up on 18th June, 32k miles not been a problem, I can fit both my road bike and Camber in the back with a little gap for mattress and sleeping bag, did this on a trip to Ireland in Jan. Very practical. Going to miss it. Have just bought a Yeti as a replacement. Going to miss getting changed in the back of the van in carparks and laybys.

My campervan started first time yesterday after sitting since late September on the drive, brought a smile to my face. 30 years old this year and turned over no problem. It felt great cos I thought I was in for a tough day in the engine bay.

*MOT and service next week could still return to haunt me but for now, I win!

Aesthetically the CX-5 wins for me, but the prices are very high still for 4-5 yr old cars, Quashqai’s are 2 a penny up here in the north east so plenty to choose from 2nd hand but not as practical boot wise I thought. Yeti’s are holding prices despite the new Karoq coming out. My previous car (2.5yrs ago) was a Passat estate and before that Mondeo estate, so dealing with the smaller boot is something I am going to have to deal with especially after a Berlingo van.

Test driving/garage visiting starting Sunday.

Been given a £500 pm allowance in my wages for a car when the lease on the current company van ends in June.

Not sure what route to go, tempted more by second hand and getting a loan rather than new and leasing type options. As I will be using the car for work I will need decent milage allowance, 15k-17k per year and some of these leasing options don’t appeal because of that.

Only found out on Tuesday so not got to long to think about things.

some bits still closed up top, i didnt really enjoy going round especially after the spill everything felt like a struggle.

There were a few puddles in places but it wasnt so bad. My lack of miles this year didnt help and a touch of terminal manflu

Well in the end didn’t leave Warrington till after 2 and ended up at Gisburn. Where an unscheduled interface with some slippy rootage and a log led to a couple of painful ribs, nonetheless a fun afternoon.

I must get to Whinlatter in the next few weeks, trouble is not much work in that direction for me and biking on the work clock is always the best of riding is it not?

Degla is back on the radar as is other northern Welsh riding as my customer at Bangor is looking for some visits.

Off to Sheffield area on 19/20th so will have a look at Grenoside.

cheers all.

Only been on the road bike years ago round that way. That sounds like an idea, i shall investigste

I am head of sales and business development for my company, we have 3 full time staff and a PT book keeper.

I am responsible for

Sales
Business development
technical support
logistics
stock control
procurement
invoices
conference and exhibition organising
account management
supplier manaagement
marketing
social media management

I average 50 hours a week and drove 2740 miles last month.

I have a citroen berlingo van not a repmobile and shiny suit. This does allow me some biking whilst working up and down the country, which always helps in dealing with the stress and pressures, being encouraged by the 2 other guys in the company to take my bike is also good. Dorset next week!

My previous company had a large amount of smarmy, money grabbing, problem causing sales reps who only seemed to be to kiss ass, climb the tree and grab cash leaving in their wake a trail of disappointed customers and sales support teams to pick up the mess.

I have no staff, I notched up £600k+ in sales last year up from £500k year before. Our customers procurement teams regularly pay way over the due date forcing us to run very close to bust, this causes us all a lot of sleepless nights.

At the same time I love the job because of the customers and being involved with the work they do is a privilege and something I enjoy hugely.

I am paid £10k less than I was in my previous job.

Some days are feel like absolute torture and others are worse.

Next week I meet the new owners, a much larger US firm, and welcome the chance to discuss my salary and the transferring of some of my responsibilities to the US.

But I would chuck the job in a second and try something else, just as soon as Jnr finishes Uni next Sept there is a good chance I will.

Cheers Johnny, I doubt the aero advantages available will make any difference to my riding style or speed!

Whats the difference between elemnt and elemnt bolt?

Probably looking for a little bit more than the mini, 520 sounding good. Look at 820 but don’t fancy touchscreen.

Slightly different fine for me, I appealed a parking ticket with Nottingham City Council in September, just got a notice back to tell me its been rejected.

I get 14 days to pay they get nearly 5 months to lull me into a false sense of smuggness that Ive won…