Youth Hostelling: The First 100 Years

There is a programme on BBC2 tonight at 11.20pm; called Youth Hostelling: The First 100 Years.

Documentary telling the story of the youth hotel movement, told through a collection of archive films charting the changing attitudes towards young people and the counrtyside.

Might be worth a look.

Kite & bike festival

I spent a few hours on Blackheath today at the annual kite & bike festival.

I was hoping there would be some bargains from the kite sellers, but prices didn't seem any better than on the internet; as for the bikes there wasn't to many companies selling or displaying them.

The kite displays were worth watching and also the big inflatable kites were fun.

Update to the update

So I've just arrived home and guess what is waiting for me.

Yeah; the package from Point North, so it does only take day to despatch and deliver but unfortunately nine days to process.

Update to yesterday's post

I fired off an email last night, and have received a reply this morning.

The order was despatched yesterday; ten days after ordering or nine days after receiving an invoice.

So thanks for the prompt service; Point North Fabrics.

Black hole time warp tunnel

Are some companies in the U.K. surrounded by black hole time tunnels?

It's just that I can order something from one company and have it next day (which always amazes me) or within 48 hours but another company not much further away in the same part of the country can take weeks. I placed an order on the 31st May which was processed on the 1st June but still hasn't arrived; now the big problem is that it COULD of been lost in the post but because they have a get out clause in the old favourite of 'please allow 7-10 WORKING days therer nowt I can do until Monday.

Surely in this day and age; companies are able to deliver within five days. I've had stuff delivered from Australia & the US of A quicker.

Not another gear list

I know, I know. Everyone has a gear list on the interweb somewhere, so I may as well post mine.

The list is pretty much what I would take on all the trips I do; I will occasionally swap out the TN solar tent for the Hilleberg Nallo, if the weather is going to be bad or maybe for a Winter trip. The weight wouldn't chance that much as the Solar and Nallo weigh more or less the same.

I think over the next year some of the gear will need to be replaced; as I had noticed that the my pack in starting to show a lot of signs of unrepairable wear.

Ray Mears Public Lecture

Just found a public lecture Ray Mears did recently at The University of Liverpool.

The lecture can be watched on The University of Liverpool website.

Smile

Smile, originally uploaded by londonbackpacker.

VW Kamper Van at Wareham