Grrrr!

Grrr again. I’ve calmed down now but I was fuming earlier today. I pulled in to my local service (hah! What service?) station to fill up at lunch time and when I went to pay, the guy said, quite gruffly, “Next time, you’ve got to face this way” (i.e. the car must face to office). The idea is so you can’t easily drive off without paying.

I said, “I’m a regular.”

He said, “You’re all regulars, mate.”

I said, loudly in the office, “I don’t like being accused of something I haven’t done!” He just shrugged.

So I take my business elsewhere. Jeez, I hate this. As if I would do a drive-off if I want to come back and buy fuel again! And as the fuel filler is on the left side of my car, I will only want to go to the right of the pumps, which everyone else will be queueing to do. Yes, I know you can drag the hose across, but you have to have the car in just the right position to do it and often it won’t reach and you spill fuel.

This is the third “service” station I’ve found doing this policy around here. Luckily there’s a Gull just up the road 3Km where you just naturally face the office. I’ll go there from now on. But boy! I was mad. On top of the Italian cafe making me pay up front if I sit outside! We are all being penalised for the few who do the wrong. OK, I, a good customer, go elsewhere. But soon there won’t be an elsewhere, will there?

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 Well, things change suddenly. I was in two minds about doing this cruise due to the cost for a single ticket. But one of the old school guys was around on Thursday and said count him in. He’s keen to come along and share the cabin and hotels. That’s brilliant. That makes it much more affordable. He wants to do the whole thing – staying on in Beijing, Hanoi, Bangkok. It halves the cost of hotels, already almost bargain prices in Asia these days compared to here or elsewhere.

So I’ve asked for a full quote and as soon as I get it, I’ll book. October 24. Quite excited about it.

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Definite touch of spring in the air, I reckon. And a change in the light, to the spring look. Very nice.