Author: Christopher-Dorset

There is a Japanese word, hikkikomori, which refers to a generation of neo-hermits. They are the people who’ve withdrawn from most, if not all, public contact and generally content themselves with staying at home. Most, if not all, their contact with others takes place online. Continue reading “People”

I shouldn’t really be shocked, much less horrified. The world has provided so many surprises recently that one really ought to be immune by now. But then… Something happens that proves that horror is still possible. Continue reading “Come back, Drunky, all is forgiven!”

For those of us resident on this, our many-splendoured sceptred isle, Continue reading “Daggy Dad vs Shifty Shorten”

One thing I like about the gym I belong to is that I can watch Netflix on most of the exercise equipment. Recently, I’ve been watching a Canadian television programme: “Under Arrest”. It follows police throughout Canada as they make arrests and deal with crimes. One thing that struck me is just how many dysfunctional people there are in Canada. The Americans are accused of having problems, a fact they don’t deny. Canada is portrayed as some sort of paradise which, clearly, it is not. Has anyone else had their eyes opened about a place that is perhaps more celebrated than it should be?

I’ve recently been following the saga of the DA and Patricia de Lille. I’m having a hard time following what’s actually going on and what the story is. There’s been so much obfuscation and mud slinging on both sides that it’s hard to sift through it all.

It seems as if de Lille is a big name in South African politics, but that she’s always been damaged goods and a bit of a problematic case for the DA from the beginning. Refusing her admission wasn’t easy, but getting rid of her has been just as, if not more, problematic. It seems as if the only one that’s benefiting from the infighting in the ANC and now DA is Julius Malema and his EFF.

Travelling to Brisbane was a comedy Continue reading “Of Laksa and Kangaroos IV”

It’s a long way from Melbourne to Sydney. The train journey took over 12 hours. It was, however, a very pleasant 12 hours. Continue reading “Of Laksa and Kangaroos III”

There is something off-putting about Melbourne’s airport. Whereas Sydney and Brisbane have trains connecting their airports to the city centre, Melbourne only has coaches. That’s fair enough, I suppose. One does get there eventually. It does, however, come off as being a bit naff. One expects that from Sacramento, from Cardiff or even from Dublin — not the second city and former capital of a major country. Continue reading “Of Laksa and Kangaroos II”

Track work between Bournemouth and Southampton. How typical and on the day I needed to get to London. There went my plans to take a comfortable afternoon train to London. It would have been convenient, easily managed. Of course I had to take a morning coach. Hey ho. I survived. As usual, I went to a small, Romanian-owned hotel in Camden, not 10 minutes from the Heathrow Express. It’s clean, they’re friendly and it’s not terribly expensive. Continue reading “Of Laksa and Kangaroos 1”

It’s a cold evening here in Västra Götaland. It is also my last evening in Sweden before I fly back to England tomorrow. Last Thursday I took a short, easy flight on SAS from Heathrow to Kastrup where I met up with the Viking and took an Öresund Tåg to Kalmar. The train ride was nicer than the flight. SAS are not the best airline, but this crew were largely from parts of Europe not Scandinavia and they did not speak Swedish. That very much annoyed me. I like speaking Swedish. They’re competent and efficient, but other than a cup of coffee or two there is little difference between them and Norwegian — save that Heathrow is a far better airport than Shatwick! Continue reading “Tempus Fugit”