Aylesbury, England

[be-bop]

"I know. Between this and the giant spliff I jst smoked, I arnt half got the raging munchies".

Is that you hogging the spliff again, yer supposed to pass it around

[glatt]

Our free commuter paper this morning had a little thing on an art exhibit in Aylesbury. I was all like "Hey! I know someone there."

Have you had a chance to see it yet, Sundae? It's at Waddesdon Manor.

[Sundae]

I should go, shouldn't I?
Tickets are only £8.
I might see how generous Mum is feeling - there's a Christmas Carol evening on in said gardens on the 8th December.

You know I have never been to Waddesdon Manor.
Everyone I knew from that side of town (when I lived very near by in the village of Quainton) had already been. School trips and woth visiting Aunties and Grandmas and picnics ad nauseum. Ditto Claydon House. The 'rents have been to show other people around though.

Throw a stone round here and you hit a National Trust property. Or a setting for Morse or Midsomer Murders. We're so replete with the picturesque it makes us lazy.

[glatt]

I know what you mean. We've never taken the kids for a tour of the White House, and that's even free. Or the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, where they make the money. Or Archives, where the Declaration of Independence is.

The list goes on and on. No excuse really.

[Lamplighter]

You need out-of-town visitors to precipitate such trips.

[limey]

That's one of the reasons I love visitors coming to my island.

Sent by thought transference.

[Trilby]

Originally Posted by limey

That's one of the reasons I love visitors coming to my island.

Sent by thought transference.

I'm there!

[Sundae]

We'll go together one summer, Tril - I promise.
You would adore it.
We'll get Limes to drive us from one set of stone circles and standing stones to another, spot deer and seals, eat clotted cream and make mischief with Limey's loveable cats.

Oh and stay in a B&B not the bunkhouse as I'll be rich by then I tell, beyond my wildest dreams!!! Anyway, you haven't lived without a full cooked UK breakfast.

Sad that Arran is at its best when John Barrowman is not in Glasgow. You'll have to make a second trip to experience him. Pantomime I mean, yes, it's panto you have to experience. And The Alamo for Christmas.

[Trilby]

again: I'm IN!


There are three places i want to see before I kick- your place, Sundae; limey's island (with side trip to Ireland/Scotland natch) and Iceland. I want to go to Iceland because they consult the fairy folk before making a road or building something. If the fairies say no dice, they have to build elsewhere. I admire that sort of civilization.

[Sundae]

We have to think of a real way to achieve this rather than fantasy.
Maybe when we get to 92 we can appeal to a feel-good show by Oprah's daughter.

Damn, that's another fantasy.

[Big Sarge]

I have been to Iceland and the area we were in was just flat and cold with a constant twilight. I was really bummed

[glatt]

I spent 26 hours in Iceland in the summer of 1983, and the area was flat and cool, and sunny until late, late, late. I liked it. Except we drove a little too far and ended up sleeping in our rental minivan near some bubbling mud pit, and had no dinner or breakfast.

We had flown Iceland Air from Luxemburg to NYC and the stopover in Iceland was either 2 hours or 26 hours. Your choice. But your checked bags had to stay checked. So we didn't have any of our camping gear and had to just sleep in the car.

[Sundae]

Were you a tourist, Sarge?
Probably not

I'm saving Northern Europe and Japan until I have major ducats.
One of my dreams is to see the lights, but my goodness Norway is expensive.

My bro and SIL are cruising to Alaska next year but I don't have to kill them because 1) they're not going far enough to see the Aurora Borealis and 2) they're not going South.

Even more than the Northern Lights I want to see the Aurora Australis because I am obsessed with the voyages of Scott and Shackleton. 'Specially Scott. On my Top Ten of books is The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard.

And I tell you, if you have the desire for knowledge and the power to give it physical expression, go out and explore.

If you are a brave man, you will do nothing: if you are fearful you may do much, for none but cowards have need to prove their bravery.

Some will tell you that you are mad, and nearly all will say ‘What is the use?’ For we are a nation of shopkeepers, and no shopkeeper will look at research which does not promise him a financial return within a year.

And so you will sledge nearly alone, but those with whom you sledge will not be shopkeepers: that is worth a good deal.

If you march your Winter Journeys, you will have your reward, so long as all you want is a penguin’s egg.

[limey]

Is that where the "nation of shopkeepers" phrase comes from?
Anyhoo, you're all welcome, whenever.

[DanaC]

No, that phrase dates back to the mid eighteenth century I think.



[eta] first used by Adam Smith in the 1770s according to wiki :P