On flights and cost

16 September

A ferry boat exploded killing a number of people in Bali. My first thoughts were another terrorist attack, and yet it seems the boat just burst into flames. Three died and 13 were seriously injured. Of the 37 passengers, three were Brits, but the report I read yesterday said nothing about them being injured. How many others on reading that report would have thought that it was another terror attack? A fair few I would suggest, and that really shows just how well such attacks can work in disturbing the minds of some people. I’ve always thought that I was fairly relaxed over the issue, now I’m wondering why.

On our way back from shopping yesterday afternoon Jan told me she had seen a video of the major operation she is having on her neck early next year. She feels that watching it makes her more relaxed over it. I’m happy not see any such video of what I had done last month. Jan moved on a wee bit; if we do get abroad again we will need to tell the insurance company about both of our operations.

I hadn’t even consider us going off again anyway, but she is of course, correct in that. Our last week away cost is £184 for both for the week. Premiums are increasing all the time so will have had gone up a good bit by now, add in the claim I made last time, plus these two operations, and I have a feeling that we will not be able to afford to go off again. Pity really, we both enjoy flying off.

Heavy hints have been dropped at times about us flying out to Bangkok for a couple of weeks. Well, we can’t afford that at all. I’ve just had a look at ticket prices from Heathrow; it’s a 22 hour flight with a three hour stop over at Abu Dhabi, including a change of flight. I’m not sure sitting for so long in an economy seat would do either of us any good anyway. The return flight is the same, the cost is £837 for the two of us, not as much as I would have thought it would be, but even so, add in spending money and we can’t afford it. The insurance for a two week stay would be huge for both of us.

But we wouldn’t do it anyway simple because of the political turmoil the country is in right now. Trish lives well out of the tourist city centre areas, but that is why we would want to go there so we could see as much of the place as we could. Being tied down to such an extent would really frustrate us both and that really is what Trish would want us to do. I don’t think she can understand why anyone would to go off looking around and taking photos.

Another place I’d love to visit is New York, but even that fairly short 7-8 hour might well be too much for us. The worry is DVT, for both of us. Again, insurance costs would prevent it, even though the return flight works out at around £361 for both of us, and that low cost worries me a wee bit too. So I suppose we will be limited now to a five days in Blackpool for the lights during my birthday week next month – if I can get Jan to agree to go back there again … … …

Team GB in Rio are doing very well again. I can’t help but admire that people you know. Not only do have some life limiting conditions for most people, but they have the courage and determination to rise above it all and win. How can we not admire them? Their determination and courage makes me feel totally inadequate you know; however, there’s not much I can do about it right now, so it’s a case of looking on in pride at what they can do.

Today’s photo …

Me n me camera

Today’s funny …

How many MP's does it take to change a light bulb?
Twenty-one. One to change it and twenty to form a fact-finding committee to learn more about how it's done.