No longer updating here for now. Take a look at my current travel blog at http://www.passthericeandbeans.blogspot.com

Yo,

Recently put my new Welder to use. When I was jacking up my Lancia, the Jacking point folded in to the car due to corrosion. The solution was to cut all the bad metal out and weld in new metal.





You can see that I cut it all the way back to the floor. This means I can weld to the floor in a similar way as the original metal was attached. To cut it out I did what I could with my angle grider, putting slices in the metal and pulling off the spot welded bits with plyers.

Next was to clean up the surrounding metal so it was easy to weld to.



I fabricated a new section from a bit new bit of steel. It was cut to size, and then the two edges were bent to 90 degrees with a length of about 7mm.

I didn't have a vice, so to bent the metal I clamped it between to other bits of steel and a bit of wood, then hammered it around the corner.





The section once it has been shaped.



I then placed the section where it would be welded to check the fit.



A wee bit more grinding to fit it in snuggly.



I then sprayed in some Zinc Weld Through Primer over the steel and onto the hole.



The section to be welded was clamped in place.



The welding was then done. This was my first time welding on a car, until now it was just scrap steel in the shed. Welding upside down was very difficult as the weld kept dripping onto the ground.

It's not pretty, but its solid.



I then ground the most blobby bits of the weld off and gave it all a coat of Zinc Primer.



And finally a coat of Hammerite, followed by some underseal.



This should now be good for the MOT. When I get a chance I will also pump some waxoyl in behind my new section for some extra protection.

So its done. It took me a long time, mostly in preperation but next time I have to do it, it should be easier with my experience. :)

Yo!

As Sarah is down staying with me at the moment we have been doing lots of fun things. Last week was Get Loaded in the Park.



This weekend we took my new Lancia on the London to Brighton run with the Lancia club.

There were about 125 other Lancias on the run. Most of the were much newer than mine, but we found a few other Betas.



The route started in Battersea Park, and took a nice scenic route through the South Downs and Devils Dyke to Brighton.

Yo,

Quick Update:


Recently went to Global Gathering with Sarah and Charles:



My Capri's water pump went, so I had to leave it in Scotland. I'll fix it when I'm up next. Needed a car in the mean time so I picked up a Lancia Beta HPE 2000IE for £230. Starting to get to like it too. Its the most modern car I've ever owned, even though its older than the Capri!



Me and Sarah are going to take it on the Lancia London to Brighton Run on Saturday the 2nd of September.

Yo,

Went to a Capri camping weekend a few weeks back. Gave me some ideas for what I need to do with my car:





So made a start by buying a welder:




And on a slightly sad note, i got my first UK speeding ticket for doing 53mph in a 30mph zone.

Yo,

Got my car running sweet now. Went to a show the other week with a bunch of other Capri's.



Been working in Manchester a bit recently, which is nice cos they put me up in the Radisson.

I've made a list of thinks which need doing to my Capri now, so here it is:

Mechanical
Prop Shaft
Wheel Bearings
Leaking Diff and Gear Box


Cosmetic
New bonnet (fibre glass)
Front wings (x-pack)
Rear Arches (?)
New Windscreen
New Drivers Door
Restore Pepper pots
New bumpers
Parcel Shelf
Foot well mats
Rear drivers side seat fold down switch
Seatbelt roll covers
New Gear Stick
Under bonnet sound proofing
White Dials
Blue Dash Lights
Recaro Seat Badges
Clean Engine Bay


Electrical
Rear Windscreen Wiper
Heater motor
Brighter headlights
Klaxon Horn

Yo,

Back in Reading now. Here's some fantastic pictures from Cafe del Mar in Ibiza:

Yo,

In Ibiza now. So far done Es Paradis twice, once for the Fiesta del Agua. Thinking about heading to Pacha tonight but not deicded yet.

Had some good beach time, some very nice dinners and driven all over the island. So far haven´t seen a fantastic sunset as it always seems to be cloudy at Cafe del Mar when the sun is setting. On the bright side, Sarah has relearnt to swim and drive on the right hand side of the road (although she just about smashed off the wing mirror).

Yo,

Leaving the hostel today, and going to stay in a hotel for our last night in Barcelona. Then its off to Ibiza tomorrow. This the highlite of today will be a visit to the museum of erotica. Yesterday we took a cable car ride and did a bit of shopping. Not looking forward to my Diners Club bill arrving.

Yo,

Had another exciting day in barcelona today. Went on the tour bus to the olympic stadium.





Went out last night to a club called Razzmataz and saw Josk Wink. Lots of mad dancing was had and lots of falling over too. When we got back to the hostel some jakie scumbags came up while we were opening the door, offering to sell us drugs. The got way to close and then an american guy who was in the street said "Hey man, he just took your wallet or something". I didn´t even notice but the guy had taken my camera. I started going through his pockets but he didnt have it. Sarah was trying to tell me that he had passed it to his affiliate scumbag, but i was too busy trying to push her back inside the hostel and holding the guy who had taken the camera to take notice.

When I realised the guy didnt have the camera I held him against the wall and shouted "Policia Policia" the american guy joined in too and this seemed to unnerve them. The camera got handed back to me and I hurled abuse at them as they walked away up the alley.

Tomorrow we are going to go to the aquarium, and then maybe climb the mountain in the city and take a cable car ride.

Adios

Yo, On holiday just now with Sarah, in Barcelona. Weather isn´t as hot as I had hoped for, but still nicer than back home.



Going to do the open top bus tour for the next couple of days, then heading off to Ibiza on Tuesday =)

Yo,

Living the corporate dream just now. Working 9 to 5:30, Monday to Friday. Driving my fantastic capri to work every day and just got paid so going to buy some stuff from Halfords.

Spent the last couple of days building servers. Put together a rack with 6 Dual 3GHz Pentium Xeon Servers, each with 4GB memory and 2 x 80GB SATA drives. Exciting stuff. Here's a pic of me working hard and looking fantastic:Back at the Apple Centre in Kensington on Saturdays too, which is a nice break from playing with servers.

Got in a lot of trouble with my main job the other week. They took us to the Lake Distric for training. I got hammered and upset the coach monitor who complained to management =(.

Went down to the National Motor Museum with Duncan and Dimitry a couple of weeks back. Here's a pic of me with the next car I'm saving for:

Duncan got a TVR to drive home, but turned out to be a bit of a wreck with problems like steering wheel not being bolted on. At least it looks good:

Yo,

Back in Bracknell at work now, after a great weekend back in Glasgow. Drove up with Kirsten and Sarah on Saturday in my Fantastic new car, stopping off to see my cousin and his new baby on the way.The new Capri performed very well on the drive to and from Scotland, and it was made all the more enjoyable with by my iPod and new Stereo.

When we got to Glasgow we headed to Thai Siam for a fantastic Thai meal. Those who attended were: Me, Kirsten, Sarah, Su Yin, Ross, Anezka, Joey, Brian, Laura, Alan, Tony, JieBie, Ewan, Robbie, JonnyG.

After dinner we had a great night out at the Carling Academy with Felix da Housecat, although afterwards our hearing was seriously damaged.
Over the next couple of days I took the car to Dunoon and Aberfoyle. On the last night went out in Glasgow to the Liquid Rooms.

The drive back down south was abit of a mission. Didn't leave Glasgow until 17:30 as I had to pick up my speakers, decks etc. By the time is reached 22:00 I was nearly asleep at the wheel but managed to stuggle through. Arrived back in Bracknell at 00:30 and headed straight to bed.

Feeling very sad now as I'm back down here and I'm going home on my own tonight with no mates. But I have afew things to look forward to: Night out in London on Friday, moving into new Flat on Sunday, and another trip back up north next month to see everyone again.

Well thats me back in the UK. =(

Been back 1 week now and trying to adjust to the 9 to 5 corporate dream.

Living in a house with my aunts friend until I find something more permenant. Looking in Reading but haven't found anything yet =(

We out in London with my cousin last night which was lots of fun. Heading up to Scotland for a weekend on the 24th to see Felix da Housecat.

Other than that not alot is happening. I'm sure I will have some fantastic adentures here but at the moment I miss: being drunk every night, eatting out everynight, meeting new people from stange places everyday, the sun, the beaches, diving, the Thai people, guesthouses, air conditioning, bats, frogs, elephants, etc etc etc the list goes on.

I am now for the time being going to attempt the following:
1. Eat more fruit and fibre
2. Drink less
3. Get fit and lose some weight

Thanks to everyone who has been reading my blog while I have been away, there would have been no point writing it if no one had read it. Hope you have enjoyed it. I have lots more pics and videos of my adventures in Thailand which I will sort out and put online sometime soon.

Send me some emails people, I don't get enough these days, Beakster@elvis.com

Stay tuned for my views on life over the next few months.
-Chris =)

Yo,

In Dubai now, been here 2 days and leaving for London tomorrow morning.

Interesting place to see. First thing I noticed when I got out of the airport was heat. Yesterday the peek temperature was 40 degrees. Usually when there is a breeze it cools you down but here it just makes you hotter. Stange things I have noticed is alot of guys in the full white arabic outfits walking around holding hands. I guess they are gay, but could just be a local custom.
Time works different here to. Everything opens late and closes late. Most shops open around lunch time and close about 10pm. I guess its because its so hot, but could be the solution to the old problem that has long troubled me: If everyone works 9 to 5 how can you go shopping, or go to the bank. I guess if the shops are open late people from offices and other jobs can go shopping after work.

Things here are abit cheaper than the UK, but not anywhere near as cheap as Thailand. Although alcohol is more expensive. =(

Arrived at my hotel yesterday morning. Its in the centre of Dubai but its on a very weird street. There are loads of shops on the street, but they are all harware shops. My hotel is between the door handle shop and the tap shop. Also there are no stand alone bars at all, they are all in hotels. My hotel has a very dodgey looking club called club india. There is are photos of all the girls you can get there in the foyer. Some of them are very scarry looking so I decided against visiting that club.

Had a nap after I arrived as I had been on the plane watching Star Trek and Lord of the Rings and was quite tired. Got up around lunch time and had a walk around. Booked my self on a desert safari and was picked up by a very luxurious toyota land cruiser. Headed out of Dubai to the desert which took about an hour.

Got to the desert and they driver got out and let some air out of the tyres for some extra traction in the sand. After that we drove around the dunes for about an hour and a half. Was pretty good fun and the 4x4 nearly tipped over a couple of times, some of the others got stuck in the sand and the canadian girl in my 4x4 was screaming alot.

There was an amazing desert sunset. The sky was bright purple, just like in the intro sequence of Knightrider. I tried to get a photo but by the time the 4x4 ride was over the sun was too low =(.

After the 4x4s we did some Camel Riding

And then headed to the desert camp for dinner. Dinner was good, a buffet of eastern foods. There was also alcohol available for an extonsionate price, but free soft drinks. After dinner I had a shisa with some english guys and then did some sand skiing.

Finally to finish of the Desert safari there was some belly dancing.

Belly dancing was quite entertaining. After the girl finished her show she took verious guy from the audience up for a dance in front of everyone, me included. When I finished she said thank you, meaning i was to sit down, but I was so good I think she should have sat down =) One of the english guys I met made a video of it which he says he'll email to me.

Later that night I went of for drinks and dancing with the 2 english guys and an english girl they had met at the pool.

When we went to the club the bouncer started saying something and trying to grab my hand. At first I thought he wanted to search me but turns out he was giving me a free stamp so I didn't have to pay to get in. He said "Hey man, you look cool" which was on account of my new white trousers and shiney black shirt. Way home was a disaster, taxi didnt know my hotel and all I could remember is that it was in a street with hardware shops, near a McDonalds that was opposite a KFC. Took an hour to find it!

Today I went to the water park. Was a little disappointed as I was expecting it to put the ones I have been to in Spain to shame. There was only one big slide, but some other cool stuff to, like up hill flumes. The queueing was terrible, about 45minutes for each slide and this is where I get to the thing I hate most about Dubai.

Everywhere I have been that I have queued people try to skip me! In McDonalds, internet cafe, shops, waterpark, hotel reception. Really Upsets me as the only thing I hate more than queuing is people skipping me! You cannot relax in a queue here, you have to keep your eyes open or someone will just push past you.

Example: I was queuing for a slide at the waterpark and this guy and kid kept standing in front of me. It had happened so many times I wasn't going to let it pass so I kept standing in front of them. When I did it they looked really upset for some reason. The kid kept trying to skip me so I put my arm across the railing so he couldnt get past. Just as we got to the front he tried to duck under it so I put my arm down and he ran straight into my elbow. Hopefully it will teach him but i doubt it.

There were 4 english girls in the queue also, about 10 years old. They got so upset with people trying to skip them they started shouting and screaming at all the arabs....

Running out of time here so will finish this story another day! Cya

Yo,

Still in Phuket, heading off in about 30mins to the airport to fly to Bangkok. Not the best place I have been, very commerical. I walked from the hotel to the closest ATM to get some cash and got stopped about 20 times by people trying to give me a taxi, massage, watch, clothes, suit, dvds etc. Big shock to the system after chilling in Phi Phi and Ko Phangan last few weeks.

I have however made the most of my 24 hours in Phuket. Having managed to buy clothes, a Tag watch, new shoes, had a shirt made, got drunk, played connect 4, and went parasailing amongst other stuff.



My new shirt with extra extra large collar and cuffs.