The Best/Worst Place

I recently took a trip with the Legend to a part of the world that is very strange. If you travel in Kent towards the Marshes and then venture even beyond that you end up at a reclaimed part of the world that boasts loads of special scientific interest because of its geomorphology. I’m not sure what that means but basically it’s quite a special place. So, we have an area of land that is scientifically important so what should we do with it? Let’s place a nuclear power station there – it’s close to the sea and there’s not many people living nearby.

Dungeness Map
Dungeness Map

Some other things to point out, which bother me a little. There’s an airport close by, about 4km according to the map above. This seems a little bothersome. Then there’s also a massive army weapon training area close by, again within about 4km. I know it’s desolate on those ranges because I’ve been there and shot at things. Nuclear power, weapons and aircraft. Nothing much happening there, very little to see!

Nuclear Power - Dungeness
Nuclear Power – Dungeness

There is a strange desolation to this place. It was sunny but windy when we went and you get an idea of how it must feel in a storm. It’s very open and, if I’m allowed to be horrible, feels quite backward. It’s the sort of place you wonder if you need to carry cash or whether cards will work.

I Needed A New One!

A Barmah Hat Bought In Australia in 2006
A Barmah Hat Bought In Australia in 2006

This hat has served me well. After being bought in Australia it has travelled almost everywhere I have been. It has protected my head and absorbed sweat in many countries and atop a few mountains. But, the years have taken their toll and it was time for a new hat.

Barmah has as seen better days
Barmah has as seen better days

The leather is old and crusty, has holes in it and leaches brown dye onto my scalp. I searched for a new hat. I ended up getting a kangaroo leather hat from the same company, and in the same style. Why would I go changing things? I also have a few extras to make this new hat better. I’ve got a chin strap for when it’s windy and I have some conditioner for treating it. Hopefully this won’t leave the hat “sweaty” of dye.

New kangaroo leather Barmah hat
New kangaroo leather Barmah hat

The new hat hasn’t yet been worn outside because it’s been raining in classic England style. I’m looking forward to getting this stylish head-topper out in the sun and all weathers.

Engineering Marvel

Had a lovely day trip to London Biggin Hill Airport today and got shown some amazing things. Private jets, small and large, helicopters, small and medium and then some second world war fighters, all small. It was a great day. I think I’m a little warm in the face from the sunshine though.

Such A Lovely Rotor Head
Such A Lovely Rotor Head

I think I’ve become a bit of a fan of helicopters. I used to only really enjoy aircraft with afterburners, maybe I’ve grown up a little?

Only The 'Copter Used By T Cruise
Only The ‘Copter Used By T Cruise

It Gets Too Hot

When I use my phone in the car it can get too hot and shut down some of its services. On hot days with direct sunlight my phone will refuse to charge, especially if I am using a Sat Nav service on it. I don’t tend to run my phone at a low charge level but I also don’t want to damage it by making it too hot. I clearly needed an aircon unit for my phone and so I looked online. There are fans that could work but they won’t attach to my Quadlock kit – which I am not changing. So I tried to make a toilet roll tube ventilation shaft to feed air from the blowers on the dash to the phone, this did NOT work!

So, I wondered if I could find some flexible purpose built tubing to feed air to the phone. I ordered some from Amazon and then spent a while thinking how to fix it to the right places without damaging the car. After about a week of ponderance I came up with a small hole in the tubing to fix the device to the Quadlock holder and then cable ties to hold it to the air vent on the dashboard. My phone now stays lovely and cold. But, in classic British style, the weather hasn’t been that hot recently. I’m sure it will get that way sometime soon so I’m quite chuffed at my bodge job.

A solution to iPhone overheating
A solution to iPhone overheating

CCF Camp HLW

I have just returned from a lovely week on summer camp at RAF Henlow. This is the third camps we’ve run there, mostly because it has a dedicated cadet block and we know our way around. We did plenty but we couldn’t do the usual Saturday through to Saturday as the block was booked by Beds and Cambs Wing [the gits], so we did Monday through to Sunday.

Phantom at Wattisham Station Heritage Centre
Phantom at Wattisham Station Heritage Centre

The week was your usual busy with the following taking place:

  • Indoor sky diving
  • Visit to the Army Air Corps at Wattisham
  • DCCT Rifle Training
  • Imperial War Museum Duxford
  • Military Intelligence Museum at Chicksands
  • Weapons training
  • Weapons drill
  • Falconry
  • Meal out at The Airman
  • American Military Cemetary
  • Nuclear High Ropes and Zipwire

I had a great time. It was lovely to see Theresa again along with spending time away with the staff from our section. I spent the week driving around a Mercedes Sprinter Minibus which had light steering and very soft brakes. I almost went through the window when I got back in my own car!

American Military Cemetery Cambridge
American Military Cemetery Cambridge