Category Archives: Musings

14th April picture of the day…

14 Monday Apr 2025

Posted by in Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Politics, Surrey, West Yorkshire

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Oh, and a cartoon. Thanks to the orange felon in the American White House the world is still taking a very surreal turn right now – and there’s no sign of the madness abating. Far from it. Trump’s on again, off again tariffs and trade war, his threatened annexation of Greenland and his slavish sucking up to Vladimir Putin look to be a farce that will be playing for quite some time yet. No-one has a clue what he’ll do next – including (it seems) Trump himself! All we do know is that America’s reputation is going down the pan at a pace faster than Tesla’s share price!

Meanwhile, here at Bigland Towers, life continues regardless of the insanity across the pond. Dawn’s back working from home this week and I’m continuing with a spring clean that seems to be getting ever more complex as I wade through stuff we’ve both accumulated over the years. Some of it will end up on eBay later this week but other stuff is being gathered together and stored in the loft as we reckon car boot sales will be a good way to offload it at a decent price for minimal effort. Well, that’s the theory, anyway!

Sadly, the run of good weather we’ve had these past couple of weeks is drawing to a close. Rain is forecast later this week, but that’s no bad thing as we’ve had a very dry year so far. Admittedly, It may impede me getting out with the camera for a few days but as I’ve plenty to keep me occupied with at home I can put up with that. Mind you, Thursday’s looking promising and as I’ll be probably be stir-crazy by then I might have a day out locally. Besides, we’re in Shropshire for a few nights next week, so it’s not as if I’m stuck here forever.

Right, it’s getting late so it’s time to go. I’ll leave you with a picture from last week’s travels. I hadn’t realised that Guildford had a Lewis Carroll connection, so I was surprised to see this charming sculpture in a park by the river Wey.

Alice and the white rabbit. With more details in this link.

Oh, I also promised you a cartoon. I couldn’t resist this Cartland illustration of Donald Trump’s posturing on tariffs and China.

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

13th April picture of the day…

13 Sunday Apr 2025

Posted by in Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Travel, West Yorkshire

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Sorry, I got a bit lost on our return from Surrey as there’s been a lot to do – hence the lack of blogs. The journey back was fine. It’s the first time when we’ve travelled to and from West Yorkshire to Surrey and back when we’ve had wall to wall sunshine in each direction – even the traffic played ball and the absence of roadworks ‘up North’ (where converting the M1 to a ‘smart’ motorway took years) was a welcome change. The only thing that made the journey a bit edgy was Yorkshire drivers who saw lane discipline and speed limits as optional.

Friday was a chance to revel in the glorious weather and adjust to being back home. Dee had the day and pottered around at home whilst I managed to get out for a walk whilst preparing to edit the hundreds of pictures I’d taken over our Southern sojourn. Admittedly, I did get chance to indulge in the Friday night quiz in our local pub and catch up with Friends.

However, Saturday saw me glued to my office as I edited picture after picture ready for adding captions -another marathon task as I identify locations and individual train workings. Now that task is done and the pictures have been added to my Zenfolio website. You can find the images in these falleries.

South-Western Railway

London Underground

Great Western

Travel images

The only shots I have left to list are the ones from my HS2 site visit. Expect those to appear tomorrow.

Today’s been rather a more active day as we travelled over to Huddersfield to see Dawn’s parents (dropping off supplies and staying for a chat) before heading back to the Calder valley and a stroll around Norland Moor, which we spy across the Calder valley from our bedroom window. Admittedly, we were up there late in the day but it’s the first time we’ve seen it so devoid of other walkers – and their dogs!

Now we’re back at home and preparing for the week ahead, which will see me based at home, catching up on lots of stuff whilst planning for future trips (we’re off to Shropshire soon). Right now I’ll leave you with today’s picture, which is a view from the edge of Norland Moor looking home.

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

Surrey sojourn – day 3…

07 Monday Apr 2025

Posted by in Food and drink, Musings, Photography, Surrey, Travel

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Welcome to another week in the political and economic madness that’s currently gripping the planet as the orange rapist in the White House single-handedly wrecks the world’s economy. I could spend a whole blog raging about the insanity that’s overtaken us thanks to Trump, but I’m going to save that for another day.

Despite the economic clouds gathering the actual weather here in the UK has been one blessed with wall to wall sunshine. As Dawn had a late night ‘gassing’ with her niece the day didn’t start quite as early as I’d hoped, but the two of us did manage to venture into nearby Guildford by early afternoon. Both of us are fans of the town as it’s a place we’ve got to know well over the past few years. What we like is the range of shops on offer, despite it having suffered losses due to the economic impacts that have hit many places it’s not all chains and charity shops. Far from it, there’s a great range of shops catering for what’s obviously an affluent part of the country. Le Creuset outlets rub shoulders with boutiques, Barbour and Body Shop (remember them). There’s even real bookshops as Waterstones maintain a high street presence. Plus, the town has a glorious range of old buildings that make wandering its narrow streets a delight.

1683? Gosh, time’s flying…

Then there’s the restaurants.Having spent more than we intended on household and other items we adjourned to a pub beer garden to soak up the sun for an hour before eating at a restaurant we’ve frequented several times in the past. La Casita serves up a great range of Mediterranean food – especially tapas. Here’s a few samples.

Grilled sardines – gorgeous.
Prawns Pil Pil…
Beans with chorizo and black pudding

What was lovely about our gad about Guildford was the fact it was just the two of us, normally we’re here with the rest of the Platt clan, so our day was more intimate.

Now the pair of us are back at Chez Platt getting ready for different days tomorrow. I’ll be heading into London as I have a High Speed 2 railway construction media visit to attend, so expect a rather different blog. I’ll be back in Tilford tomorrow night after what should prove to be a very interesting day visiting something that’s unique to UK railway construction.

In the meantime, goodnight!

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

Surrey sojourn – day 2…

06 Sunday Apr 2025

Posted by in Food and drink, Musings, Photography, Surrey, Travel

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The weather’s been absolutely glorious down here in Surrey today, but from what I’m hearing a lot of the UK has enjoyed the same. We’ve had wall to wall sunshine and cloudless skies throughout. The only blemishes have been the vapour trails of multitudes of aircraft heading to/from South-East England airports and beyond. Of course, that will have worked the ‘chemtrail’ conspiracy loons into a frenzy but that’s the modern world for you. Logic and reason have become so passé in the 21st century – just look at America!

Back in Surrey I took the opportunity to enjoy time in my brother-in-laws garden, producing some vitamin D whilst Dawn pottered around the house doing sisterly stuff, after which we had to head into Farnham to pick up food shopping for the next few days. The main roads in this neck of the woods were chokka, whilst the supermarket was blissfully quiet compared to back in West Yorkshire, where the fact they’re only open for 6 hours on a Sunday normally generates the sort of panic buying you’d expect if it was announced world war 3 was starting first thing Monday morning!

Back at home we dropped off the shopping but picked up ‘Tilly’, the Platt family cairn terrier who accompanied us on a long walk through Tilford and on to Hankley Common, an area of sandy woodlands, small hills and a golf course which is criss-crossed by footpaths and bridleways.

We really enjoyed the opportunity to explore and soak up the sun in the company of a four-legged friend. There was a suitable refreshment stop too in the shape of the Duke of Cambridge pub which is also home to the Tilford brewery. Sadly, the pub only had one of their beers available on hand pump, the 3.9% ‘Hankley Gold’ but that was much appreciated on a day like today!

Now we’re kicking back a Chez Platt. I’m blogging whilst Dawn’s busy in the kitchen, chatting to her Niece. But, I do have company!

A rather ‘cream-crackered’ dog…

Tomorrow, the plan is for the pair of us to have a day in Guildford, browsing the shops and enjoying a late lunch. I might even have chance to get a few railway pictures, who knows? In the meantime, here’s a few shots from today.

The sandy expanse of Hankley Common.
Spring is here!
For a small dog, Tilly has a lot of stamina – and she loves Dawn!

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

Back in Surrey…

05 Saturday Apr 2025

Posted by in Musings, Photography, Surrey, Travel

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The pair of us are back in Tilford, Surrey after what was one of the best road trips to this neck of the woods that we’ve had for quite some time. Our trip was free of the roadworks that have bedeviled us in recent years and traffic was lighter than expected. We also had wall to wall sunshine all the way. I can’t think of the last time we covered such a large part of the country without the weather changing en-route.

What did change was the flora, the South is more advanced when it come to spring, with leaf-growth far more in evidence. That said, there’s an explosion of Hawthorn blossom, with the white flowers providing a gorgeous display right across the country, in a welcome sign that winter’s over. Now we’ve settled in to Bigland Towers in exile, ready for the next few days of our Surrey sojourn.

As tomorrow’s Sunday our activities will be restricted to staying local. We’ve some shopping to do and a dog to walk, which will get us out and about. Not so much me you understand. I’ve always led an active life, but poor Dawn spends much of her working day chained to a desk. For the next few days those shackles have been broken. No doubt I’ll be taking the camera with me tomorrow, so expect a fresh picture or two. In the meantime, here’s today’s, which is a closer look at something we’ve been seeing all along our route today…

Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna).

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

I’m back…

04 Friday Apr 2025

Posted by in Musings, Photography, Politics, Travel

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Please excuse my absence from blogging but it’s been for a number of reasons – including my mental health – otherwise I’d have been typing a stream of invectives regarding the orange rapist in the White House and a few pertinent observations regarding his fascist apologists her in the UK.

But, fear not. I’ll be back next week when I have more time to spleen vent – bigly.

This week’s been taken up with sorting out stuff at Bigland Towers and making plans for the next couple of months. Tomorrow the pair of us head down to Surrey where we’ll be based for several days – giving us both an opportunity to relax, do something different and also catch up with old friends. Whilst we’re in that neck of the woods I’ll be doing an HS2 site visit to have a look at an unique structure which has never been seen on a UK railway before.

So, there’s lots of blogs to look forward to from tomorrow.

In the meantime, here’s today’s picture. One of the other things that’s kept me busy this week is scanning old slides. Here’s one.

Sunset from the bottom of a beer glass seen at the famous Galle Face hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

28th March picture of the day…

28 Friday Mar 2025

Posted by in Musings, Picture of the day, West Yorkshire

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Spring has certainly sprung here in the Calder valley. This week we’ve had a run of sunny days which has only been broken by a few desultory showers today. That’s rather problematic as we’re having a very dry year so far which is leaving the ground dry and reservoirs low. I suspect we may be in for a summertime hosepipe ban and fires up on the moors.

Back at Bigland Towers life’s plodded on. I’m still in the midst of a deep spring-clean whilst also trying to get some work done. That’s not easy when much of my office is packed away! On the positive side, I have managed to get a few more old slides scanned and added to my Zenfolio website. You can find which galleries they’re in by following this link.

Hopefully, I’ll have all my re-arranging done by next week. I need to as the pair of us are off to base ourselves in Surrey for several days. That’ll allow me to look at some rail projects in that neck of the woods. In the meantime there’s plenty to be getting on with here.

Right, today’s picture. Hmm, what to choose? Well, I’ve not exactly been active with the camera this week, far from it – the slide scanner’s seen more action. Tonight, after work I popped up to my local pub to enjoy some good beer, join in the Friday quiz with friends – and sample the free pork pie…

Cheers!

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

26th March picture of the day…

26 Wednesday Mar 2025

Posted by in Memory Lane, Musings, Picture of the day, Politics

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Can we please stop living in ‘interesting times’ as I’m struggling to keep up with the deluge of batshittery that’s coming out of the USA nowadays. The latest revelations about a ‘signal’ chat group and the top ranks of the Trump administration is positively surreal – as it watching those members (including the head of the CIA) blatantly lie in front of Congressional Committees. OK, I’m old enough to remember when such stuff was the grounds of resignations and dismissals, but this is 2025 we’re talking about, where senior politicians lying through their teeth is seen as absolutely normal. And it’s not just any little old lie either. These people have neither shame nor honour. A fact that seems to be sinking in as many Americans who’ve served their country in the military know – and are articulating, loudly. Will it change anything? It’s difficult to tell as it’s obvious Trump and his administration have no shame. The only question is how much damage they can do to the USA before they’re ejected – one way or another.

No wonder Europe is girding its loins for a future where the USA is anything but a reliable ally. And it’s not just Europe. Conversations I’ve had with friends in SE-Asia suggest that part of the world is thinking along the same lines too – they’re just keeping their heads down.

Today – apart from observing the political shit-show – I’ve been busy at Bigland Towers. Operation ‘Spring Clean’ has suffered from what the military call ‘mission creep’ – so I’m knee-deep in boxes, books and all sorts of stuff that been packed away for ages. It’s an exercise which has provoked a lot of memories as I go through stuff that’s been boxed away for years – going right back to my teenage years. Most of the old books that have been in limbo for 15 year have found temporary homes at a local charity shop. But I couldn’t resist holding on to a couple – just for old times sake and the opportunity to re-read them again after so long.

One of them is today’s picture. Checking the inside cover I realise I’ve had this Michael Moorcock book since 1974, so – over half a century. I owned most of his books (and one of his albums) but now it’s time to let go and let someone else enjoy them. I’ll keep this one for now to enjoy somewhere on my travels before releasing it. Hopefully, whoever finds it may enjoy it as much as I did, even if they don’t understand the times it was written in. In some ways, they’re no more bizarre than the ones we’re living trough now.

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

25th March picture of the day…

25 Tuesday Mar 2025

Posted by in Indonesia, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Travel

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Apologies for the last couple of days absence, but life has moved into a new phase now I’ve finally shaken off Covid. Yesterday morning I used the last of our latest batch of test kits and found (much to my relief) that I was clear – which meant that I could go shopping and interact with a clear conscience. I know most people don’t bother nowadays, but I know how vulnerable some folks still are, so the last thing I wanted to do was spread what’s still a nasty bug.

My first day of freedom coincided with lovely sunny weather – although the wind-chill made you appreciate we’re only just into spring. Even so, it was lovely to get out and about. Even supermarket shopping seemed a treat! What was an even bigger treat was being able to pop into my local pub for a pint and a natter with some of the regulars, early doors.

Today (Tuesday) has been much of the same apart from the fact I’ve been back and forth between home and a local charity shop. My office ‘spring cleaning’ has turned into something much bigger. I’m now having a complete clear-out of stuff from the cottage, especially stuff that’s sat in boxes ever since I moved here from London in January 2010. I’m ditching boxes and boxes of old sci-fi books, many of which I’ve had since I was a teenager. I’d always hoped that, one day when I’d retired, I’d have chance to re-read some of them. But it’s not to be. I have other plans now. Instead, the local Hospice will benefit from their sale. The clear-out is throwing up other memories too, some of the stuff (if I have time) will end up on eBay but right now I’m knee-deep in boxes and crates.

Right, time to go. I’ll leave you with today’s picture, which is from an album I’m hoping to finish scanning in the next couple of days.

A view of a coconut palm during a glorious sunset, taken as I walked back down the 44 harpin bends in the road down the volcanic crater of Lake Maninjau in Sumatra in August 1998.

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312

22nd March picture of the day…

22 Saturday Mar 2025

Posted by in India, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Politics

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As it’s Saturday I’m finally catching up with myself – hence two different days blogging…

I’m back to being stuck at home after a dose of fresh air and exercise yesterday. Whilst Dawn enjoyed a well-earned lie-in I sneaked out of bed and into the office to work through one of my old slide albums in order to get it ready for scanning. It’s one that got put to the back of the queue because it was a bit of a mess. It contains old slides returned from my Lonely Planet days, plus odd bits that had no homes as well as a selection from the very end of my slide-taking days in 2004 just before I went digital. I’d never got around to editing and collating them, so they’re a bit of a voyage of discovery as I try to identify when they were taken. Slides were a bugger in that respect as there’s no in-built EXIF data the way there is with digital. I have to rely on paper records to try and identify when they were taken. With some of them I haven’t got a clue. 22 years is a long time to think back. However, today I did scan a mixed batch which had been labelled. Next up will be a selection from Greece in 2003/04 which will take a little more sleuthing. Whatever, I’m happy to have chance to restart this project which has been stalled for quite some time. To my amazement, although my Nikon Coolscan’s been dormant for the best part of a year it fired up straight away and performed impeccably. Here’s one of the results.

This shot was taken in Sudder St, Calcutta way back in March 1998. Lynn and I were having breakfast just across the road at ‘Curd Corner’ when I spotted this guy having a bath on the street after having washed his clothes which are hanging up on the line behind him. The juxtaposition with the election posters behind set the scene.

I’ve a small favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this or any of the other blogs I’ve written, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course – although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab! – but the revenue from them helps me to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site (which isn’t cheap and comes out of my own pocket). Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/
Or – you can now buy me a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/paulbigland68312