Rant of the Day v2.

[Capetonian]

Just checked :
ADULT FARE
------------------------------------------------------------
AL FLGT BK T DATE TIME FARE BASIS NVB NVA BG
LON
XSIN SQ 317 N N 15SEP 1125 N15GBRL 15SEP15SEP 30
DVO SQ 5261 N N 16SEP 1235 N15GBRL 16SEP16SEP 30
XSIN SQ 5261 W W 28SEP 1700 W13GBRL 28SEP28SEP 30
LON SQ 322 W W 28SEP 2330 W13GBRL 28SEP28SEP 30

GBP 620.00 15SEP19LON SQ X/SIN SQ DVO Q LONDVO39.26
343.52SQ X/SIN SQ LON428.58NUC811.36END
GBP 78.00-GB ROE0.764136
GBP 46.62-UB XT GBP 3.40-L7 GBP 6.80-SG
GBP 10.20-XT
GBP 754.82

FARE FOR 15 YEAR OLD
-----------------------------------------------------------
AL FLGT BK T DATE TIME FARE BASIS NVB NVA BG
LON
XSIN SQ 317 N N 15SEP 1125 N15GBRL 15SEP15SEP 30
DVO SQ 5261 N N 16SEP 1235 N15GBRL 16SEP16SEP 30
XSIN SQ 5261 W W 28SEP 1700 W13GBRL 28SEP28SEP 30
LON SQ 322 W W 28SEP 2330 W13GBRL 28SEP28SEP 30

GBP 620.00 15SEP19LON SQ X/SIN SQ DVO Q LONDVO39.26
343.52SQ X/SIN SQ LON428.58NUC811.36END
GBP 46.62-UB ROE0.764136
GBP 3.40-L7
GBP 6.80-SG
GBP 676.82

You will see that for the second example the GB tax of £78.00 is missing.


>

[OFSO]

Cleaned house and car windows yesterday of four weeks accumulation of Sahara-sand-laden rain. Same for terrace tables and chairs..........now raining again !!!!

[emjay]

Manila airport (NAIA) is actually workable for an international flight to Davao. Since Cebu Pacific moved to the better Terminal 3 where all international flights terminate, transfer is less of a hassle than previously.

[Capetonian]

The third party websites seem to be the main offenders and my impression is that claims for refund need to be made with them not the airline.

That is generally correct, the agent through whom you made your booking is responsible for claims/refunds.

There is not much point in booking through a third party as the saving might be negligible and you introduce a range of complications if anything goes wrong or has to be changed. However, if you have, or can find, a competent and professional travel agent (they do exist!) then you might do it through them.

They will often have negotiated fares which means that you won't pay any more than the published fare, even though they are marking up their nett fare to a selling level. If there is no nego fare, then they will charge you a service fee, in lieu of the commission that they used to get from the airlines. The service fees vary for many reasons but typically would be between £20-80.

[603DX]

Roll on August 27th! Then at long last, the "cold calls", the commercial radio and media ads, those irritating "siren voices" tempting folk who may have taken out loans over the decades, to claim that they knew nothing about the Payment Protection Insurance when repaying the capital borrowed, will have to stop!

"Mis-selling", my aunt Fanny!! Those who claim innocence of the fact that they were paying to protect themselves against being unable to repay money borrowed, because of illness or loss of employment, are committing borderline fraud. Yet they are trying to get back those premiums. They wouldn't expect to get back their car or house insurance premiums, when they don't suffer from car or house damage over the year!

Further to my above mini-rant, I've discovered that the "cut-off" date for this insidious campaign of "siren voices" is actually 29th August, so the rapacious toads who are trying to make us a nation of cheats will have 48 hours more than I thought. Already a note of desperation has crept into their ad spiel on Classic FM, whatever will they find to do after it all ends for them?

[4mastacker]

Can I have another rant at fekn lycra louts? Driving home today, came up behind said lout who was leaning over the front of his handlebars. I indicated to pull out to overtake and then had to brake hard as the 2@t moved sharply over to his right. His arms were resting on the handlebars and he was texting on his mobile with both hands. I managed to miss him by inches (certainly not by the door width recommended). Fortunately I've got the moment caught on my dashcam with Mrs 4ma's very sharp and loud comment '"The idiot's on his mobile". The clip is now preserved should it be needed at some time in the future.

[ian16th]

Windscreen wiper blades!

In the UK, do Halford's still sell just the rubber?
I remember buying the rubber by the inch, and threading it into the metal part of the blade.

Reason for rant; I've just had to replace a 21" complete blade, at a a cost of R80.00/£4.33/US$5.61.

Most of what I threw away was perfectly serviceable.

[Capetonian]

Can I have another rant at fekn lycra louts too :

Riding 4 abreast on a main road which has a cycle track, but are they on the cycle track? No.
Do they move into single file to allow cars and a bus to pass? No.
Loathsome w@ankers.

Windscreen wiper blades. I once bought a length of the rubber to thread through the brackets on the perfectly serviceable mechanism. More trouble than it was worth and the result wasn't very satisfactory as it was low quality rubber. We reckon to pay £25-30 to replace a set of wipers (just the front ones, I never bother with the back one until there is a risk of it scratching the windscreen.)

[ian16th]

We reckon to pay £25-30 to replace a set of wipers

Maybe there is a business opportunity, shipping wiper blades twixt SA & UK?

Mine were regular Bosch ones, I didn't check on their country of origin, and I left the packing at the shop.

[Ex-Ascot]

FROGS

[603DX]

Ex-Ascot, whilst I appreciate the humour of the squashed Frog image, I have to admit ambivalent feelings about relations with the French. You see, I married into an ancient Guernsey family, which has believable lineage back to the 1066 period. Thus my late wife had Norman French antecedents, and when William the Conqueror came over to England with his forces, he picked up a number of Guernseymen to join him in the imminent battle (at Battle) - which we lost, as everyone knows.

A popular but "tongue-in-cheek" toast at some social gatherings in the island is: "To England, Guernsey's oldest possession!", and when toasting HRH QE2, the toast is often "Le Duc" (of Normandy), because that is one of our Queen's many titles relevant to Channel Islanders.

This situation means that my two daughters and my son have traces (small, I'm sure) of Norman French DNA/genes within them, and my seven grandchildren are similarly endowed ... `

[CharlieOneSix]

I managed to graunch my mower blade rather badly and couldn't straighten it. A genuine Honda blade is quickly ordered online at a good price and before the cut-off time for delivery the next day by the ever reliable DPD.

Next day, no delivery. The supplier didn't dispatch it. It comes the following day. The invoice is for the correct part but the blade is the wrong one for my machine. A picking error they say. Now out of stock but will dispatch when available.

I immediately drive 30 miles to the nearest Honda agent who has them in stock as I need to get grass cutting as it's shot up with the fine weather - about an acre of bitty bits to cut around trees etc, can't use the big sit-on mower. This blade is 30% more expensive but it's the correct one. Get home intending to cancel the original order but an email has arrived saying it's now in stock and has been dispatched and a returns label is included for the incorrect one. Out of stock to in stock in three hours?

So the following day I now have two new blades. Saves me urgently ordering one next time I cock things up and graunch the blade.

Two days later another new blade arrives from the original supplier. WTF? I email them saying it has unexpectedly arrived but I already have the replacement they sent. Another four days have passed - I now have three genuine Honda blades. Nothing heard from the original supplier - probably too embarrassed to put me to the trouble of returning the last one. It's here if they ask for it but I've done my bit by saying it's arrived. Up to them now.

[ian16th]

Ex-Ascot, whilst I appreciate the humour of the squashed Frog image, I have to admit ambivalent feelings about relations with the French. You see, I married into an ancient Guernsey family, which has believable lineage back to the 1066 period. Thus my late wife had Norman French antecedents, and when William the Conqueror came over to England with his forces, he picked up a number of Guernseymen to join him in the imminent battle (at Battle) - which we lost, as everyone knows.

A popular but "tongue-in-cheek" toast at some social gatherings in the island is: "To England, Guernsey's oldest possession!", and when toasting HRH QE2, the toast is often "Le Duc" (of Normandy), because that is one of our Queen's many titles relevant to Channel Islanders.

This situation means that my two daughters and my son have traces (small, I'm sure) of Norman French DNA/genes within them, and my seven grandchildren are similarly endowed ... `

Isn't this how the Channel Islands avoid having to answer to Parliament?

They owe allegiance to the Crown, not Parliament.

[Ex-Ascot]

603DX with the greatest of respect they are a pain in the butt here and trying to buy up the island. It is all because of this film which was shot here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Blue

They are arrogant, ignorant, don't tip, refuse to speak anything apart from frog, noisy, have no respect for the local people their customs and religion. They think that our remote village and house is a tourist resort and they can just wander into our courtyard to take photos and pick grapes or olives. Clamber over our ruin and just throw stones off it for fun. They walk into a taverna and ask for tap water and one Greek salad for four. Or even sit down at tables at a taverna for a rest and order nothing. They shouldn't be allowed out of frog land. There is a very good reason that a few years ago a World Tourism Organisation survey found them to be the most hated tourists in the world. Please come here and witness it. You, would be very welcome along with your only very slightly tainted family.

[Pontius Navigator]

C16, probably not worth carriage and restocking.

Bought some tree stuff from Amazon, then found some other with better reviews. Cancelled the surplus one, keep it they said and refunded price.

Years ago, b4 WWW, ordered 8 metres DPC polythene. They delivered 8 rolls. Could hardly lift the stuff. Loaded 7 rolls in my VW Polo which sat down on its springs. Took them back and they said we wondered where they were. I said I have kept one for the trouble. Not a blink. 34 years later I am still using it.

[603DX]

`
[/quote]
Isn't this how the Channel Islands avoid having to answer to Parliament?

They owe allegiance to the Crown, not Parliament.
[/quote]

ian16th, that is indeed the case. Put another way, the islands are "similar, but different" to the mainland UK. As a result of the chequered historical records, that's the way the cookie crumbles.

[603DX]

603DX with the greatest of respect they are a pain in the butt here and trying to buy up the island. It is all because of this film which was shot here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Blue

They are arrogant, ignorant, don't tip, refuse to speak anything apart from frog, noisy, have no respect for the local people their customs and religion. They think that our remote village and house is a tourist resort and they can just wander into our courtyard to take photos and pick grapes or olives. Clamber over our ruin and just throw stones off it for fun. They walk into a taverna and ask for tap water and one Greek salad for four. Or even sit down at tables at a taverna for a rest and order nothing. They shouldn't be allowed out of frog land. There is a very good reason that a few years ago a World Tourism Organisation survey found them to be the most hated tourists in the world. Please come here and witness it. You, would be very welcome along with your only very slightly tainted family.

As you describe them, they sound an absolute shower! Thanks for the invitation, but a visit just to witness appalling behaviour by those people would not be rewarding, I fear. And my family are fine individuals, I'm proud to say, well mannered, well travelled, and a souce of much pleasure to me in all respects!

[Capetonian]

.............. I have to admit ambivalent feelings about relations with the French. You see, I married into an ancient Guernsey family, which has believable lineage back to the 1066 period. Thus my late wife had Norman French antecedents..........

This situation means that my two daughters and my son have traces (small, I'm sure) of Norman French DNA/genes within them, and my seven grandchildren are similarly endowed ...

The Normans and the Bretons prefer to be thought of as that, and not as French. They are proudly different, which makes travelling to that part of France a delight, in fact we are going to St Malo and the Channel Islands next week.

In fairness to the French, the worst ones are those who stay in their country, believe that France is the centre of the universe, and that everything French is best. Those who take the trouble to travel beyond the borders of the hexagon tend to be detribalised and somewhat less ill-behaved. In many places it is the British who take first prize for foul behaviour.

[Ex-Ascot]

We have a Breton friend here, she is absolutely crazy but very entertaining. And, yes the frogs do not get drunk and cause trouble but we are too remote to get that type of tourist here.

A rant on behalf of a Greek friend here. He has been selected from the electoral roll to be an official in the village election office. 18 hrs no pay.

[Hydromet]

The Normans and the Bretons prefer to be thought of as that, and not as French. They are proudly different, which makes travelling to that part of France a delight, in fact we are going to St Malo and the Channel Islands next week.

After visiting that part of the world 12 months ago, I'd heartily concur. Friendly people, even the police (to whom I only chatted socially, to practice my schoolboy Ffronch, for the first time in nearly 60 years.)