Showing 1 - 9 of 9
Shaking off the laundromat blues
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 26/03/2023
» In last week's item concerning boutiques I wondered whether their influence could extend as far as the world of laundromats. My thanks to reader Jenifer Divine in Hamburg for informing me that in the German city's St Pauli district there is a laundromat dedicated to Jimi Hendrix which just about gives it boutique status.
There's nothing wrong in shedding a tear
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 25/09/2022
» I admit to spending the best part of Monday afternoon stoically trying to fight off the teardrops -- and almost managing it. I was watching the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on TV and for an ancient Brit like me it was emotionally exhausting. Please excuse me for the sentimentality.
A country so different to anywhere else
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 22/08/2021
» The dramatic events in Afghanistan inevitably sparked memories of my own brief experiences of the country more than 50 years ago while on an overland trip from London to New Delhi and beyond.
The golden age of the 'Hippie Trail'
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 08/09/2019
» Travelling long distances overland has always captured the imagination and it seems the passion still remains. Three Land Rovers stopped over in Bangkok earlier this week in what is being called "The Last Expedition" which is taking on the more than 14,000km journey overland from Singapore to London.
You can't beat a well-written excuse
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 18/03/2018
» Following last week's item concerning "wobbly spelling", I would like to thank an Australian reader for sharing his experiences when he was the sick leave clerk at a large railway workshop. He received all sorts of weird and wonderful spellings of illnesses from employees.
Let me hear those balalaikas ringing out
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 09/07/2017
» It's not often I can remember where I was four days ago, let alone four decades, but 40 years ago this week I was standing in a very damp Red Square in Moscow.
From Lord Buckethead to 'Bus Pass Elvis'
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 18/06/2017
» One of the few entertaining aspects of the recent British election is the variety of characters that run for office, invariably representing parties with daft names. It serves as a reminder that politics doesn't have to be a total bore. These eccentrics were particularly noticeable in the constituencies in which the "big names" were running. It was enough for BBC television anchor David Dimbleby to sniff that the election "seems to attract every, Tom, Dick and Harry".
Taxis' long, winding road
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 09/09/2012
» In an attempt to resolve the problem of Bangkok taxi drivers who refuse to take passengers, the authorities have announced there will be 1,000 baht fines for uncooperative cabbies. All the passenger has to do if a driver refuses to go anywhere is to remember the licence plate number, the colours of the taxi and the driver's appearance or take a photo or record a video clip.
Welcome to the land of queues, please stand by
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 18/03/2012
» One thing the current immigration woes at Suvarnabhumi have highlighted is that no one likes to stand in queues, be it at airports, banks, buffets or bathrooms.