Andy and Clive Go To Spain - Part 6 (seis)

Another day, another place.
Today we visited the wonderful city of Granada.

Andy and Clive Go To Spain - Part 5 (cinco)

Today we are talking about the sudden change in the weather, amongst other things.

AudioBoo - What A Difference A Year Makes.

This time last year.....

No Snow Please. We're British.

A bit of a rant about the snow & the way that we, don't, cope with it.

AudioBoo - Dividing Line.

It's a thin line between snow & rain.

AudioBoo - That Friday Feeling.

Yes, i know it's only Thursday, but....
The holidays start here.

AudioBoo - Not So Young Anymore.

AudioBoo - Snow And Rails.

Continuing the snowy theme & going off topic, as per usual.

Snow, Snow Go Away?

So, when does the snow start to outstay it's welcome?
A snowy beach vlog.

Late Night Snow Vlog.

An impromptu late night vlog, in the snow.
Yes, us Brits are a bit weird.

AudioBoo - Snow and Trains.

They don't like each other you know!

AudioBoo: Italian Adventures - Part 2.

My second eventful trip to Italy.

A Spanish Vlog.

Recorded on holiday in Orgiva, Andalucia.

After a week in it's bag, i decided to get my video camera out & go for a walk up a dried up river valley.

I did record a couple more vlogs whilst out walking. They should follow soon.

Jog Blog (Well, sort of)

As I've mentioned in blogs before, I have been running, on and off, for over 20 years now. And after yet another lay off, this time for around 4 months, I've finally started again.
Well, I say I've started again. What I really mean is that I've actually got off my backside and gone out for a run. One run. So far.
As they say, the longest journey starts with a single step. So, I'm trying to be positive about this.
There is a reason why it's been around 4 months since I last ventured out in my running shoes. So, I may as well relay that reason/excuse (delete as applicable) here.
For those reading this who happen to live in the UK, you probably remember that we had a pretty bad Winter in 2009/10. By our standards anyway.
In February, we had another, short lived, burst of snow, here in the South east of the UK. As so often happens though, this snow fell over night. Why is that?
So, I awoke to find the streets covered in around 6 inches of undisturbed snow. I know that some people would have taken one look out of the window and thought "There's no way I'm going to try and get into work today. It's just not worth it" But, stupidly as it happens, I thought i'd give it a go.
So, I dressed up to protect myself against the elements and ventured out. There were some tyre tracks in the road, so I thought that would probably be the safest place to walk. As I could see where I was putting my feet. As opposed to the path, which was totally undisturbed.
This idea worked pretty well for a few yards. Yes, it was a little slippery in places. But, nothing that I couldn't cope with. Or, so I thought!
It was at that moment that I did one of those classic, cartoon type, slips and falls in the snow. My feet went from under me and I went up into the air and then crashed back down to earth, on my back, with a bang. It must have looked pretty spectacular. But, thankfully, for my own personal pride at least, nobody was there to winess my fall from grace.
As I landed in a great heap. My right foot ended up underneath my body and at a strange angle too. I am convinced that I was very close to actually breaking my lower leg and do consider myself to have been pretty lucky. As it happens, instead of breaking my leg, I "only" either sprained it badly, or pulled a muscle down there.
I got up, brushed off the snow, looked around to make sure that nobody had witnessed my accident and then tried to walk. As can be imagined, this was not easy. I was very tempted to turn straight around and go back home. But, I decided to press on and 'walk off" my injury. By the time that I got to the train station my leg didn't feel too bad. As with all these type of things though. As the day progressed, I started to find it increasingly hard to walk.
To cut a long story short(ish), my injury, although pretty painful at times, didn't stop me from going to work, or getting about generally and required no medical attention. Well, not in my opinion anyway.
My leg gradually started to improve, although I could still feel the injury if I pressurised it in any way. Hence the fact that I didn't even try to run on it. Even on the short bursts of jogging that you tend to do in life, I could feel a little pain at times. So, I decided to  just let it heal itself and hope for the best.
I was tempted to try running on again before my trip to the USA in April. I was planning to run with a couple of friends whilst in the USA. But, I decided against it. Just in case it flared up and ruined my whole trip.
So, that's the reason it has taken me all this time to work up the courage to actually go out and run on it properly. And, wouldn't you know it? It felt fine!
I'll admit to feeling pretty apprehensive when i took those first steps outside my door, the other day. But, I soon realised that it was going to be ok. It was all the other muscles in my legs that hurt instead!
Having the experience of running for those 20 years and also of having started running again after multiple lay offs. I realise that I need to take this all fairly slowly. So, that's what I fully intend to do.
Hopefully, I'll be able to document my running recovery, if that's the right expression, here and maybe even on YouTube as well.
As with all of these things. It's great to be able to look back on these events and remind yourself of what happened. I have old running diaries from many years ago and it's sometimes good to look back at them and remind and even surprise yourself, of some of the things that you did, or experienced.
So, watch out for "Jog Blog No.2"

Just Sayin'

That was the week that was. More adventures on the rollercoaster of life.

A Tipping Point.

I woke early this morning, at around 3.30am. I have no idea why.
Yes, i know that's far too early & i did go back to sleep later.
But, as i lay there i started to notice sounds coming from outside of the house. It took a while, which is no great surprise at that time of the morning i guess? But, i eventually realised that it was the sound of water dripping.
Nothing unusual in that you might think. But, that was not a sound i was expecting to hear.

As i've said in many vlogs & blogs over the past few days. We, in Britain, have been experiencing some pretty cold & snowy weather recently.

When i went to bed last night, it was snowing & the weather forecast was of plenty more to come overnight. I was even planning another little excursion first thing in the morning, to have a nice walk in the snow & to take some more photographs.
So, the last thing i was expecting to hear was the sound of dripping water. Suggesting that it was either raining, or that the snow was thawing.
I got up, peeked out of the window & sure enough, the snow had already started to thaw. Hence the sound of dripping water.

This is one of the common problems with any snow that falls in this area. It tends not to last for very long. Partly due to the salt in the air from the sea & also because we just don't normally get extended periods of freezing temperatures.
This is was has been making this recent spell of cold weather unusual. It has lasted for a long time.

What must have happened, is that the temperature must have risen, very slightly, during the night. Just enough to kick start that thawing process.
The temperature had reached a critical tipping point.
That small rise in temperature had tipped the balance between, what would have been snow, to rain, or sleet. It was just enough to start the thaw.

This got me thinking & kept me awake for some time too!

This incident proved to me just what a difference a small rise in temperature can make.

In Hastings we probably live on the very edge of that tipping point between snow & rain many times every Winter, without even realising it. Most of the time the rain wins. Over the past few days, the snow has taken it's chance.

So, if this is what happens with a very small variation in temperature. Just think what would happen if the temperature were to change by a few degrees? As predicted by all of those climate scientists.
"It's only a couple of degrees" say the sceptics, or naysayers, "What difference is that going to make?"

I may be no climate scientist. But, i have very recent experience of the difference that a very small change in the temperature can make.
Climate change may well be a global problem, especially in the years to come. But, the effects of that change will be felt at a very local level.

I certainly hope we haven't reached that tipping point just yet & that there is a way to stop us ever reaching it.
As, i'm not sure i ever want to see over the edge.

And, by the way, i never did get to have that walk in the snow this morning.

Snow Vlog

An impromtu vlog in the snowy depths of Hastings.

Snow In Hastings - January 2010

A photo video.

A Walk In The Snow.

As i have mentioned in both vlogs & blogs recently, we are having a spell of unusually cold & snowy weather, both here in my local area & throughout the whole of Britain.

Although, locally, up until today at least, we had not had too much snow. Over last night & today though, we have had quite a lot. In fact it has hardly stopped snowing here all day today. Not always heavily, but snowing nonetheless. It is still snowing as i type this.

This morning, i decided to make the most of it & go out for a walk. I had to go out alone, as nobody in the house was ready to leave, or were still asleep!
I went out at around 8am, when it was still nice & quiet & when the recent snow had not been disturbed too much.

What is it about snow that brings out the inner child in all of us? Maybe it's a uniquely British thing, i don't know? I guess it has something to do with the fact that we don't get to experience a decent snowfall very often?

Because of this, in my opinion, you really need to get out early to make the most of it & to beat the crowds.

There is something about being out & about when they are very few people around. Even though this was 8am on a Saturday morning, because of the heavy snowfall, the streets were pretty empty. Just what i wanted & had planned.

Well, i had a great time. Walking through the virgin snow, taking photo's & generally just enjoying myself.

I realise that everywhere looks different in the snow. But, there is something strangely unique about a seaside town in the snow.
Things like the pier, the amusemant arcades & rides take on a completely different look when covered in snow. Maybe it's because they are not meant to be viewed this way. They are really meant to be viewed on a warm Summers day, not a snowy Winter one.
One of the photo's that i took was of some advertising posters, encouraging visitors to visit Hastings. Naturally these posters showed the town in warm sunshine & looked a little weird sitting there amongst the snow. Hence the photo.

Also, a fishing town like Hastings, has some even more unique features that look out of place on a snowy day. Fishing boats, fishing huts, the beach & even the sea itself look vaguely unnatural with a coating of fresh snow.

Every time that we have had a decent snowfall, i have always felt compelled to go out for a walk & to take photo's because of the way that the town looks.
I don't think that feeling will ever leave me & i certainly hope that it doesn't.

One of my favourite memories of living in Hastings. Where i have now lived for over 20 years. Is of walking to work in the snow.
This happened approx 10 years ago.
I had to leave for work at around 5am & had to walk approx 2 miles into the town. The previous night had seen a heavy snowfall & when i left for work there was around 5 inches of undisturbed snow lying on the ground.
I don't think this snowfall had been predicted & was therefore even more of a surprise than it might otherwise have been.

I vivdly remember that walk into work.
I don't think i saw another person on the entire length of my walk. I had that snow all to nyself. What a great feeling that was.
Apart from that, there was that eerie quality that you get when there has been a heavy snowfall. There was a seemingly complete absence of sound. Except for the crunching of my feet on the virgin snow. No cars & no other people around to disturb that silence.
There was something really magical about that whole experience &, as i said, it is something that i will, hopefully, never forget.

It was, almost, a pleasure to be going to work at that time of the morning. Almost....

And, in some ways, one of the best things about that whole experience, was that the snow only lasted a few hours, before it all melted.
So, i was one of the few people who saw & experienced that snow, before it all turned to slush.

That might sound a little selfish & maybe it is?
But, it is sometimes nice to experience something that only you know about. Something truly unique.

How many of us can say that that has happened to them?

It's Snow Joke

Some musings on the current bad weather.