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    They seem to have slowed down quite a bit with the vaccines. 35-39 age group only opening on Sunday. Could well be into August before some 20-year-olds are getting a first jab.
    "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

    Comment


      Driving an electric car these days makes me question why on earth I spent so long being an absolute nark about manual cars.

      Will genuinely never buy one again. Probably never a petrol car either.

      Comment


        Originally posted by Wombatman View Post
        With the way the Euros is setup is it possible that teams might agree a draw in their last group game in order to guarantee advancing to last 16?
        That has always been a possibility even under the old structure. You could have had a situation where a group was 4-4-1-1 going into the last game, with the two teams on 4 points playing each other.
        And the 2-2 Scandinavian draw in 2004 which froze out Italy on head to head was an example of a mutually beneficial outcome, albeit is was a fairly played game.
        But it's definitely more of a possibility now with four 3rd placed teams qualifying, and an advantage for teams who play in the groups which are last to finish.

        Comment


          Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post
          Quote of 3k + VAT for a structural engineer for our house job.

          Single-story extension + moving some internal walls around downstairs (and a retrofit but think that's out of his scope).

          Is that good\bad\normal?
          "Specification and staged sign off by Engineer. €1,500." - is on our quote if thats the same thing?

          Comment


            Originally posted by Dice75 View Post

            "Specification and staged sign off by Engineer. €1,500." - is on our quote if thats the same thing?
            sounds like it

            this guy is a mate of the architect, who is starting to piss me off with vagueness and lack of doing things he committed to do. So I'm inclined to get someone else anyway.
            "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

            Comment


              Originally posted by Emmet View Post
              Driving an electric car these days makes me question why on earth I spent so long being an absolute nark about manual cars.

              Will genuinely never buy one again. Probably never a petrol car either.
              Hopefully you wouldn't even get the chance (unless it's for vintage purposes) if we do this right
              "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

              Comment


                Originally posted by Emmet View Post
                Driving an electric car these days makes me question why on earth I spent so long being an absolute nark about manual cars.

                Will genuinely never buy one again. Probably never a petrol car either.
                I've been thinking about this a lot recently - my new standard advice for anybody learning to drive is going to be, do your test in an automatic unless you're particularly interested in old cars.

                Comment


                  The world is in a state of chassis when a bird cant feel free to ask for screwdriver without it being seen as a green light to a bloke.
                  Like I've loaned out half my toolbox at this stage and....wait a minute

                  Comment


                    Originally posted by RichieM View Post

                    I’’m on team duke. Can’t wait to get back into the office a few days a week to get a nice lunch out and have a bit of chat with my coworkers.

                    As for productivity when I’m having a very focused day work from home is much better but on a day when I’m less pushed I am going to eat a lovely dinner but a lot of work is going to be left till the next day.

                    Days when I am not 100% on the noise and atmosphere in the office compensated for the lower motivation. I can’t imagine I’m alone on having good and bad days motivation wise.
                    I think the nature of your job and personality is important in this debate.

                    I'm an extrovert and on down days I could go missing and have a lack of productivity like you say Richie. However, my job doesn't allow that as I have clients and colleagues on my case looking for things to be done which means that even on relatively unproductive days I get at least some shit done and it keeps me from having a complete write-off of a day. Like today is a day when I've found time for posting on IPB and a two hour lunch break which means I'm not exactly productive and yet I've had three client meetings and I'll do at least 6 billable hours which is all that really matters in my game....If I was in your sort of role and having to bring the motivation each day myself then I could see WFH being a challenge alright.

                    Now I know other folk who are more introverted (a few actuarial types for example) and they are finding the WFH just more suitable to their jobs. Less distractions and can sit looking at spreadsheets and running models to their hearts content. And not having to actually interact with clients as much and make small talk is a gift for them. I'd say a few of them are dreading a return to the office.

                    ‘IF YOU had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you.” Genghis Khan

                    Comment


                      Originally posted by Emmet View Post
                      Driving an electric car these days makes me question why on earth I spent so long being an absolute nark about manual cars.

                      Will genuinely never buy one again. Probably never a petrol car either.
                      It's an absolute pleasure. I haven't upgraded my car as planned last year and I'll probably wait until next year now. Looking forward to seeing what second hand electric cars will be in my price range. Won't go over 20-25k as I just can't get my head into the space for spending big money on a car* to transport me around. Happily spunking money on my house though at the minute!!
                      At least it's less then RDIII is going to be spending - I console myself with that thought!


                      *I would love to drive a Rivian truck for a day for the craic they do look amazing....
                      ‘IF YOU had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you.” Genghis Khan

                      Comment


                        Originally posted by Dice75 View Post

                        Generally agree with this but i guess like most things there are the flip side. Co-com on RTE match at the moment seems quite good for a start (hopefully i dont bbv her whoever she is)
                        Todays Co-Com on RTE is a bird from Dublin who keeps sniffling after every sentence

                        Comment


                          Originally posted by V for Vendetta View Post

                          It's an absolute pleasure. I haven't upgraded my car as planned last year and I'll probably wait until next year now. Looking forward to seeing what second hand electric cars will be in my price range. Won't go over 20-25k as I just can't get my head into the space for spending big money on a car* to transport me around. Happily spunking money on my house though at the minute!!
                          At least it's less then RDIII is going to be spending - I console myself with that thought!


                          *I would love to drive a Rivian truck for a day for the craic they do look amazing....
                          I'm putting our architect through torture assembling the tender docs with the hope that maybe it will postpone the pain of knowing
                          "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                          Comment


                            Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post
                            ooohhhh - must try to focus more on reversing. only a minute or two of that so far. Its quite limiting only having the formal lessons with no car to practice in.
                            The young fellow wrapped his mothers car around the gate pier Tuesday evening...

                            3 panels to be sprayed and a new door.

                            PXL-20210614-190410357.jpg


                            This too shall pass.

                            Comment


                              Originally posted by Raoul Duke III View Post

                              I'm putting our architect through torture assembling the tender docs with the hope that maybe it will postpone the pain of knowing
                              Starts with a 2 I reckon....
                              ‘IF YOU had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you.” Genghis Khan

                              Comment


                                Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post
                                They seem to have slowed down quite a bit with the vaccines. 35-39 age group only opening on Sunday. Could well be into August before some 20-year-olds are getting a first jab.
                                I enter that age group next Wednesday, good timing!

                                Comment


                                  Originally posted by V for Vendetta View Post

                                  Starts with a 2 I reckon....
                                  full retrofit + building a 38sq/m extension (+ all the new furnishings etc, new kitchens, bathrooms etc)....for sure

                                  if you offered me to do the job for 220k I'd probably take your hand off
                                  "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                                  Comment


                                    Helix on Monday at 9.30. Stick Waterford up your hole.
                                    His rival it seems, had broken his dreams,By stealing the girl of his fancy.Her name was Magill, and she called herself Lil,But everyone knew her as Nancy.

                                    Comment


                                      Originally posted by Emmet View Post
                                      Driving an electric car these days makes me question why on earth I spent so long being an absolute nark about manual cars.

                                      Will genuinely never buy one again. Probably never a petrol car either.
                                      Inner city driving only right? How is the range and batter charge depletion vs manufacturers numbers?
                                      Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. ~Eleanor Roosevelt

                                      Comment


                                        Originally posted by Wombatman View Post

                                        Inner city driving only right? How is the range and batter charge depletion vs manufacturers numbers?
                                        The bro was thinking of the Seat Leon (I think), which has the first 60km on electric, and then a tank that automatically kicks in when you go over 60km. But surely theres enough of a network now to make driving longer distance fine. Its a few hundred km the modern electric car can do, which is surely the vast majority of even longer trips on our small island. Like it covers a Dublin to Cork trip even without a charge, and there's loads of opportunities for charging.
                                        "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                                        Comment


                                          Originally posted by Tar.Aldarion View Post

                                          I enter that age group next Wednesday, good timing!
                                          Old bollix
                                          ﴾͡๏̯͡๏﴿

                                          Comment


                                            I'll be flippin dead before I get vaccinated!
                                            ﴾͡๏̯͡๏﴿

                                            Comment


                                              Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post

                                              The bro was thinking of the Seat Leon (I think), which has the first 60km on electric, and then a tank that automatically kicks in when you go over 60km. But surely theres enough of a network now to make driving longer distance fine. Its a few hundred km the modern electric car can do, which is surely the vast majority of even longer trips on our small island. Like it covers a Dublin to Cork trip even without a charge, and there's loads of opportunities for charging.
                                              Yeah a few hundred if you are happy to tip along at a snails pace.

                                              And the opportunities for charging involving waiting a few hours ...
                                              ﴾͡๏̯͡๏﴿

                                              Comment


                                                Originally posted by oleras View Post

                                                The young fellow wrapped his mothers car around the gate pier Tuesday evening...

                                                3 panels to be sprayed and a new door.

                                                PXL-20210614-190410357.jpg

                                                And we even have proof through your posts on here of 'I told you so'. You read him like a book and didn't like how the chapter was angling.
                                                "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                                                Comment


                                                  Originally posted by Micknail View Post

                                                  Yeah a few hundred if you are happy to tip along at a snails pace.

                                                  And the opportunities for charging involving waiting a few hours ...
                                                  Is that definitely the case still? Its kinda a moot point anyway as its a year or two before all the petrol stations start switching over to power chargers. It'll arrive very very very quickly. The issue will probably be finding petrol within a few years, rather than the other way around. Wish we'd hurry up with the power generation - so much renewable energy out there to be grabbed and we're moving fast but not super fast.
                                                  "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                                                  Comment


                                                    Originally posted by rounders123 View Post
                                                    The world is in a state of chassis when a bird cant feel free to ask for screwdriver without it being seen as a green light to a bloke.
                                                    Like I've loaned out half my toolbox at this stage and....wait a minute
                                                    And you didn't even give them the tool they really wanted -boom-boom

                                                    Comment


                                                      Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post

                                                      Is that definitely the case still? Its kinda a moot point anyway as its a year or two before all the petrol stations start switching over to power chargers. It'll arrive very very very quickly. The issue will probably be finding petrol within a few years, rather than the other way around. Wish we'd hurry up with the power generation - so much renewable energy out there to be grabbed and we're moving fast but not super fast.
                                                      Right, so now petrol stations have heaps of chargers, and you still have to leave your car there for at least 30 mins to be confident of getting to the next charge point.
                                                      how many people do you see jumping to do that?
                                                      ﴾͡๏̯͡๏﴿

                                                      Comment


                                                        Look, I think hybrids will be the most common type for a good while, and actually hydrogen might be the popular choice for infrastructure rollout after that.

                                                        But full electric is only any use if you are a city only user, AND have the facility to charge up at home overnight, which not everyone (apt dwellers etc) will have
                                                        ﴾͡๏̯͡๏﴿

                                                        Comment


                                                          Originally posted by elbows View Post
                                                          Helix on Monday at 9.30. Stick Waterford up your hole.
                                                          I win so
                                                          No beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity, but I know none, therefore am no beast.

                                                          Comment


                                                            Originally posted by Micknail View Post
                                                            Look, I think hybrids will be the most common type for a good while, and actually hydrogen might be the popular choice for infrastructure rollout after that.

                                                            But full electric is only any use if you are a city only user, AND have the facility to charge up at home overnight, which not everyone (apt dwellers etc) will have
                                                            If your getting a second car it’s surely a no brainier to go fully electric

                                                            Comment


                                                              Originally posted by RichieM View Post

                                                              If your getting a second car it’s surely a no brainier to go fully electric
                                                              Not if you live in a flat or even a terraced house with no power point. Only makes sense if you live in a house with off-road parking.

                                                              In other news, 2nd jab done today. Woop woop!

                                                              Comment


                                                                Originally posted by Wombatman View Post

                                                                Inner city driving only right? How is the range and batter charge depletion vs manufacturers numbers?
                                                                Nah am up and down to Wexford twice a week now (WFH in a mobile home still waiting on the house to be built!). I've one of the Hyunday Ioniq 28 kWh cars, but can get 110miles @ 120km/ph out of it so don't need to stop to charge, but often choose to do so.

                                                                Find that I only ever put "enough" in at the chargepoints to get to where I'm going and then plug in there for the night. A 7 min stop @ Gorey would get me another 25/30% of the battery filled and off again.

                                                                Note that 28kWh is < 1/2 of what most newer cars have as battery capacity, though the Ioniq is very very effecient.

                                                                I think depending on your routes - there's some fantastic charging infrastructure, and also some absolutely woeful stuff.

                                                                Comment


                                                                  Originally posted by shrapnel View Post

                                                                  Not if you live in a flat or even a terraced house with no power point. Only makes sense if you live in a house with off-road parking.

                                                                  In other news, 2nd jab done today. Woop woop!
                                                                  yeah driveway basically required

                                                                  Comment


                                                                    Ugh, our house purchase has fallen through sale agreed since April, delays on the contract and the sellers came back to us yesterday to say they'd need 5% extra to proceed as the market as 'moved on'. Pretty scummy. We're not going to play that game I think. Means the knock on will hit our purchasers and our house sale might fall through as a result. Back to square one, pain in the bollix.


                                                                    Comment


                                                                      Originally posted by Micknail View Post
                                                                      Look, I think hybrids will be the most common type for a good while, and actually hydrogen might be the popular choice for infrastructure rollout after that.

                                                                      But full electric is only any use if you are a city only user, AND have the facility to charge up at home overnight, which not everyone (apt dwellers etc) will have
                                                                      I think the J curve of demand will be quicker then you think. Supply and a broad enough variety of vehicles is the constraint I see not EV range. Plus buying new and paying that initial deprecation cost for adopting new technology but with so many people on the PCP merry-go-round it's less of an issue I guess....

                                                                      We live in North west Kildare and have a Leaf and a PHEV outlander. A great combo that suits all our needs. The running costs for a family doing 36k km a year was less than €3k a year pre-COVID (that's fuel (petrol and electricity about 800), tax (120 + 180), insurance (800 for both) and maintenance (tires and filters mainly but the Leaf did need a bit more this year after putting 60k km on it). Loads of Leafs and Ioniqs on the roads around us. City users don't really get significant savings benefits at all from going electric and the electric cars released in the last 3 years have plenty of range for the vast majority of folks needs.

                                                                      Easily 1.5k - 2k p.a. cheaper than running two equivalent ICE vehicles and far more reliable in my view.
                                                                      ‘IF YOU had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you.” Genghis Khan

                                                                      Comment


                                                                        Originally posted by ionapaul View Post
                                                                        Ugh, our house purchase has fallen through sale agreed since April, delays on the contract and the sellers came back to us yesterday to say they'd need 5% extra to proceed as the market as 'moved on'. Pretty scummy. We're not going to play that game I think. Means the knock on will hit our purchasers and our house sale might fall through as a result. Back to square one, pain in the bollix.
                                                                        What absolute cunts. How is that even allowed? 2 months is fuck all tbh in conveyancing terms
                                                                        Last edited by shrapnel; 17-06-21, 17:06.

                                                                        Comment


                                                                          Originally posted by ionapaul View Post
                                                                          Ugh, our house purchase has fallen through sale agreed since April, delays on the contract and the sellers came back to us yesterday to say they'd need 5% extra to proceed as the market as 'moved on'. Pretty scummy. We're not going to play that game I think. Means the knock on will hit our purchasers and our house sale might fall through as a result. Back to square one, pain in the bollix.
                                                                          That's shit, but surely that can't be legal once the sale has been agreed, sound like they are just chancing their arm.
                                                                          No beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity, but I know none, therefore am no beast.

                                                                          Comment


                                                                            Originally posted by ionapaul View Post
                                                                            Ugh, our house purchase has fallen through sale agreed since April, delays on the contract and the sellers came back to us yesterday to say they'd need 5% extra to proceed as the market as 'moved on'. Pretty scummy. We're not going to play that game I think. Means the knock on will hit our purchasers and our house sale might fall through as a result. Back to square one, pain in the bollix.
                                                                            Unlucky Paul. The rising market brings out the worst in people.

                                                                            I often think there should be a non refundable deposit payable by both sides to cut this shite out. All the risk is on the purchasers side and if you walk away you lose your deposit and they can do this with no consequences....
                                                                            ‘IF YOU had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you.” Genghis Khan

                                                                            Comment


                                                                              Plug in Hybrids are a balls of a job, it will be running on petrol so often that then has to carry about the weight of all the now-useless electric gear. If you are are fastidious enough to plug it in all night a full EV would make more sense anyway.
                                                                              Next door neighbours swapped an estate and a leaf to an ID4 and they head away visiting relatives down the country regularly and are happy out.
                                                                              Crap ton of money being thrown at Wrightbus in the North around hydrogen, will be tough for electric to get any foothold in the Plant Machinery sphere, Public Sector paying for hydrogen supply network for busses could create a groundswell of support for Lorries, diggers, cranes etc.
                                                                              Low fee Euro/UK money transfer, 1st transfer free through my referral
                                                                              https://transferwise.com/u/bfa0e

                                                                              Comment


                                                                                Originally posted by ionapaul View Post
                                                                                Ugh, our house purchase has fallen through sale agreed since April, delays on the contract and the sellers came back to us yesterday to say they'd need 5% extra to proceed as the market as 'moved on'. Pretty scummy. We're not going to play that game I think. Means the knock on will hit our purchasers and our house sale might fall through as a result. Back to square one, pain in the bollix.
                                                                                ugh. that's incredibly shitty behaviour.
                                                                                "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                                                                                Comment


                                                                                  Originally posted by Micknail View Post
                                                                                  Look, I think hybrids will be the most common type for a good while, and actually hydrogen might be the popular choice for infrastructure rollout after that.

                                                                                  But full electric is only any use if you are a city only user, AND have the facility to charge up at home overnight, which not everyone (apt dwellers etc) will have
                                                                                  My brother recently drove to Belfast from Swords and back on the same day in a fully electric 2016 Nissan Leaf. No problem Nidgy, Hes lucky enough that his job has recently installed 5 electric points in Citywest so he mostly doesn't even need to charge from home(he doesnt even have proper power point at home just the standard drip charge from a plug. He did say he was on tenter hooks a bit but he knew of a few refilling spots on the way. Glad to say he didnt give any thumbing strangers a lift either!.

                                                                                  Comment


                                                                                    Neighbour accross the road had some workmen in a couple of weeks ago working on his fence post in his driveway, I thought he was getting electric gates.

                                                                                    Came home the other day to see a brand new model 3 Tesla sitting there plugged in.

                                                                                    Think I'll run a key up the side of it with the envy.
                                                                                    I hold silver in tit for tat, and I love you for that

                                                                                    Comment


                                                                                      Ugh Paul, gutted to read that, the scummy bastards.
                                                                                      I hold silver in tit for tat, and I love you for that

                                                                                      Comment


                                                                                        Originally posted by shrapnel View Post

                                                                                        Not if you live in a flat or even a terraced house with no power point. Only makes sense if you live in a house with off-road parking.

                                                                                        In other news, 2nd jab done today. Woop woop!
                                                                                        Critical selling point for high end apartment blocks that all the underground spaces have charging points going forward I bet.

                                                                                        Comment


                                                                                          Originally posted by Lazare View Post
                                                                                          Neighbour accross the road had some workmen in a couple of weeks ago working on his fence post in his driveway, I thought he was getting electric gates.

                                                                                          Came home the other day to see a brand new model 3 Tesla sitting there plugged in.

                                                                                          Think I'll run a key up the side of it with the envy.


                                                                                          The gat might be safer.

                                                                                          Comment


                                                                                            Thats rough Paul. We were extremely lucky buying as there was a 6 month delay due to Probate on their end and price went up by close to 20% in the 2005/06 bubble boom but they honoured the deal for some reason. Hope it works out for ye.

                                                                                            Comment


                                                                                              Cuntish behaviour on the surface . However is it bad business for them to not try get as much as they can ? Who knows how they are leveraged. Devils advocate as I really do think its appalling and shows a distinct lack of integrity. . Tough cutthroat stuff.

                                                                                              Comment


                                                                                                Originally posted by Dice75 View Post
                                                                                                Thats rough Paul. We were extremely lucky buying as there was a 6 month delay due to Probate on their end and price went up by close to 20% in the 2005/06 bubble boom but they honoured the deal for some reason.
                                                                                                Integrity. Some have it , some wouldnt know what it was if smacked them in the face.

                                                                                                Comment


                                                                                                  Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To... View Post
                                                                                                  They seem to have slowed down quite a bit with the vaccines. 35-39 age group only opening on Sunday. Could well be into August before some 20-year-olds are getting a first jab.
                                                                                                  There are a lot more 35-39 year olds than 60-64 year olds, for example.

                                                                                                  Comment


                                                                                                    Originally posted by 6starpool View Post

                                                                                                    There are a lot more 35-39 year olds than 60-64 year olds, for example.
                                                                                                    Sure. It seems slower even that the 40-49 age group though, which is (I think) our largest age cohort. Must be some supply issues.
                                                                                                    "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                                                                                                    Comment


                                                                                                      Originally posted by ionapaul View Post
                                                                                                      Ugh, our house purchase has fallen through sale agreed since April, delays on the contract and the sellers came back to us yesterday to say they'd need 5% extra to proceed as the market as 'moved on'. Pretty scummy. We're not going to play that game I think. Means the knock on will hit our purchasers and our house sale might fall through as a result. Back to square one, pain in the bollix.
                                                                                                      Would it be worth asking your buyers for 5% more and just going through with the deal? By the time you organise another house you want to buy, and people to buy your house you'll end up paying more anyway.

                                                                                                      Comment


                                                                                                        <China Trip 2003 - Part 2>

                                                                                                        I arrived in Beijing in the middle of the night into a huge, deserted terminal and walked straight through visa control with zero fuss. That was a pleasant start I thought. I found a taxi outside, just as you would at any normal airport and using maps, fingers and bad pronunciation I got the driver to agree to say he knew where he was going and slumped on the back seat watching the night city whizz by via broad boulevards and endless tower blocks until the driver entered narrower and narrower streets and eventually we were essentially down a one-car wide track. I could have been up a boreen as far as I could tell.

                                                                                                        I got to the hostel and collapsed into a deep sleep.

                                                                                                        Next day I awoke and had a kind of 'English' fry at the hostel but it was fairly ropey though I did think it was nice of them for trying.

                                                                                                        I went straight out for a wander, armed with a map and my Lonely Planet and the culture shock hit me strongly. I'd only ever had this type of physical sensation once before when I emigrated to Vancouver as a 21-year-old, never having been further than Paris or much outside of the six counties at all in fact.

                                                                                                        I was in the middle of a hutong - bascially a little, narrow laneway in the middle of the city, often with ramshackle buildings where family life rubbed up against raging, seemingly unfettered commerce cheek by jowl. Hutongs were something I would learn a lot about over the coming days and weeks and come to love.

                                                                                                        I wandered around for ages. Agog. Trying not to stare too much like a tourist.

                                                                                                        It's key to remember that this was 5 years before the Olympics but I was already aware the Chinese were planning to use it as a launching pad onto the global economic, political and sport scenes. Big changes were coming and I could see a significant creeping western influence.

                                                                                                        I picked up some English language newspapers, cautiously found some spots to eat and got my bearings. Out on the main boulevards I saw more police who tended to stand around on the pavements at junctions looking a little bored. I wouldn't call it a big security presence but it was somewhat reassuring and there was a very peaceful, tolerant, respectful vibe. It felt really safe.

                                                                                                        I got a few curious looks but nothing to worry me. Mostly it was just a big city buzz, albeit with a very unique flavour.

                                                                                                        Yes people spat on the streets. Everywhere. A defining sound of that time is people clearing out the green loogers from their lungs. It simply wasn't anything people thought twice about. As a (then) smoker I had some sympathy. It was late winter/early spring and still very cold but not FREEZING, with some very early buds showing on the tress in the parks I would visit. The weather would certainly have tested more than a few constitutions over the winter I'd say.
                                                                                                        \
                                                                                                        My first sightseeing trip was to Tiananmen Square which was a short drive or a decent walk away. I soon discovered the 16th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party was in session - a rare but very important event in the history of the country. Hu Jintao had been elected the year before and China's place in the world was definitely changing. Tiananmen Square is colossal and quite awe-inspiring.

                                                                                                        Must have taken me an hour just to wander around the periphery. There was a few Chinese tourists taking photos under the famous portrait of Mao but apart from that it was pretty deserted and again a fairly discreet security presence surprised me. It all felt very 'normal' and touristy albeit out of season.

                                                                                                        Within a couple of days I had visited the Forbidden City - an incredible place, one of the most impressive things I've ever seen - with an audio journey bizarrely narrated by Roger Moore (the 70s 007 was HUGE in China apparently) and a few other temples, of which there are a LOT - the Temple of Heaven was the next most impressive.

                                                                                                        I also got a bus out about 50 miles to, a then, very quite part of the Great Wall (Badaling - now insanely popular) and walked up huge, steep blocks, almost one third of the height of me, surrounded by barren hills and blue skies and followed by a little old lady trying to sell me some tat. The whole way.

                                                                                                        She literally climbed to the top 50 meters behind me the whole way, smiling at me every time I turned round. My legs were shaking on the way down it was that serious a walk. I wondered how many times a day she did that.

                                                                                                        It's to my eternal regret that I never gave her a few quid for all that effort.

                                                                                                        I met a couple of Swedish girls who were on a week-long adventure (staying at my hostel) and hung out with them in the evenings visiting one particular street that had a number of bars you could hop around and which was favoured by expats. Again, all surprisingly normal. The culture shock was wearing off quickly.

                                                                                                        I wanted to go to a punk club I'd heard of but it was well out in the suburbs and my intel wasn't great so I didn't try in the end which I also regret.

                                                                                                        I heard about a meeting of foreign journalists somehow - I think through a free sheet in a pub somewhere and went along to that. Everyone was cool and I met Clifford Coonan, the soon-to-be Irish Times China correspondent. We went to a nightclub after the pub and I might as well have been in London's west end - very glitzy, pop-techno soundtrack, rich Chinese kids.

                                                                                                        Met the son of a diplomat and he tipped me off to a few spots for the next few nights. Clifford Coonan's da showed up a couple of nights later on a visit to his son. That night I met a western Kung Fu afficionado (from Sweden also I beleive) who was a regular in Shaolin and was making one of his pilgrimages for 6 months to train. His tales mesmerised me and I hatched a plan to visit the legendary seat of Chinese martial arts. More on that anon!

                                                                                                        While all this was happening I had a couple of significant medical maladies. While diving on theGreat Barrier Reef a couple of weeks earlier the pressure had slammed the wax in my ear deep into my brain/ear drum and I was almost deaf. I was a danger to myself closing the street cos I couldn't hear people around me or traffic properly so I bit the bullet and went to the Sino-Japanese Friendship Hospital (the first SARS hospital). They gave me some drops and decreed I should come back in 3 or 4 days which delayed my departure out of Beijing.

                                                                                                        I also had a toothache so had to go to the dentist and get a filling - which fell out about 3 months later but did the job for then. This cost - plus a couple of other unexpected dips into my bankroll would nearly derail the adventure later on - would come back to bite me in the ass.

                                                                                                        I went to the only all-night bar in Beijing, run by some kind of ex-pat who had married some high-up military lady which enabled him to get this unique license - a kinda test for the Olympics I suppose. The occasion was Celtic vs Barcelona which Celtic won 1-0. I was the ONLY person in this giant barn of a bar and I ended up giving the owner my Celtic jersey to hang on the wall cos he kept hounding me for it and I was rubbered. He gave me a load of free shit which I left in the bar due to said rubberedness, getting a lift back to the hostel with a very sceptical cab driver in the morning light. They kept the whole place open just for me which was nice.

                                                                                                        When I went back to the hospital to have my ears syringed after I had used the drops i will never forget the sound of my rubber soles squeaking on the terrazzo corridor - it was like I was plugged into an ear trumpet the size of an Alpine horn - I felt I could hear everything in the universe!

                                                                                                        I ate in some incredible small restaurants where I simply pointed to pics on a menu or at what other people were eating. Peking duck was my favourite. Simply out of this world and a real art form. Went to a tea ceremony which was pretty boring TBH.

                                                                                                        The underground was easy to use. There were a few McDonalds and KFC which were popular with I guess the burgeoning middle classes and I ate in them a few times as its hard to eat 'Chinese' three times a day every day - sometimes i just craved western food.

                                                                                                        I also picked up a Chinese 'friend' who I was initially very suspicious of but who just wanted to practice his English so we had a couple of meetings and he took me to see his uncle who was a printer/caligrapher with a cool workshop and I got a bit of calligraphy done (for free - he wouldn't take money) and tried to delve into China's past with him which he as kinda reluctant to talk about so I didn't press too much. I learned much more about China from foreigners than I did from there locals sadly.

                                                                                                        But after about 10 days, with a new tooth, sparkly new hearing and a some great experiences (as well as couple of tales I couldn't tell on a public forum ) I was ready to move on. My visa was for a very strict 30 days and I was already one-third of the way through. I decided to skip Shanghai - who needed another big Chinese city in favour of Xian, the beginning of the Silk Road.

                                                                                                        Coming up were some epic journeys both to, and through, the heart of China.

                                                                                                        <to be continued>








                                                                                                        Last edited by BennyHiFi; 17-06-21, 18:43.

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                                                                                                          Originally posted by Hectorjelly View Post

                                                                                                          Would it be worth asking your buyers for 5% more and just going through with the deal? By the time you organise another house you want to buy, and people to buy your house you'll end up paying more anyway.
                                                                                                          I hear what you are saying but for me a deal is a deal, and I just can't go down that road. It's an upsetting business but on the other hand we'll find somewhere else in the end, even if not as nice.


                                                                                                          Comment


                                                                                                            Originally posted by Hectorjelly View Post

                                                                                                            Would it be worth asking your buyers for 5% more and just going through with the deal? By the time you organise another house you want to buy, and people to buy your house you'll end up paying more anyway.
                                                                                                            It's a good point. If the prices have actually gone up 5% then it might be just repulsion that is stopping you stumping up the unfortunate increase (as undesirable as the behaviour is).
                                                                                                            "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

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                                                                                                              Originally posted by RichieM View Post

                                                                                                              Critical selling point for high end apartment blocks that all the underground spaces have charging points going forward I bet.
                                                                                                              I can only imagine the disaster that is the electrical infrastructure that is currently in Dublin city centre. And there's likely zero chance the ESB are being proactive enough about this impending massive increase in load.

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                                                                                                                New site post! Phew, Benny's big China post just made the cutoff.

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                                                                                                                          Hopefully people will start seeing this version soon! Sorry about the lost days content.

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