Double Dose

Second bout of jabs received today. Another dose of rabies in the right arm and hepatitis a & b in the left. The latter did smart a bit this time and drew blood. I survived though as I am solid.
Didn't tell nursey I felt a bit funny last week so its my own fault if I suffer in the next few days. Look forward to it.
Next set of disease fighting doses are in two weeks and I think I have to go again after that.
Only waited ten minutes in the waiting room after my ordeal this time, and it was only that long because I was reading an interview with Gary Monk.

Rabid response

Oh and I have been feeling pretty rough all week and I blame it on the injections. Could have just had a cold cause that's what it feels like.
My arms have felt like they are hollow and just had all my powers drained.
The gallons of birthday beer didn't really help last night.

Saxo sacrificed

Sitting on platform 2 of Newport train station, my car gone forever.

It was another step on this splendid trip. My MOT, insurance and car tax all runs out next month, so it made sense to get shot of the wheels before I had to splash out all this dosh. Coupled with the fact my gears were knackered , the front tyres were tired, and the drivers door won't shut in the cold, I just had to get rid of my 4 wheel fendered fiend.

My uncanny directional skills got me to carcraft in Newport in perfect time and I found Nigel in the cavernous car filled hangar.
You see I couldn't be arsed to advertise my car in the conventional manner and have the inevitable scrotes coming round the house, so I used webuyanycar.com and did it the easier though less lucrative way.
They took the 2k mobile away for a once over and the news wasn't good, if not unexpected. My gearbox was bolloxed, which did explain why my gears were rougher than Anne Widdecombe.
So Nigel deducted the cost off the asking price and after some hard bargaining from me didn't budge an inch.
So it was goodbye to my car of five years. Easy like! They were even good enough to drop me off in my car (he seemed to be having trouble with the gears) at the train station.

Now I might be the nerd of the future with this geeky computer phone but I can't hope to compete yet with the train spotting posse who have just ambled passed. They are eagerly spying the visitor at platform 1.
The first bloke looked like a cross between Oliver Reed and Esther Rantzen, with a dash of Terry Nutkins. He pulled out his little red notebook and scribbled the details of some carriages full of rocks.
Maybe I have him wrong and he is a geologist.
Then he showed how the trainspotting kit has advanced these days with the production of his impressive camcorder. Should make for great viewing after countdown.
His counterpart was the more traditional baldy with raincoat. He didn't look too impressed with the wagon full of rocks. There's no pleasing some people.

Ok, I am aboard the train now. Facing the wrong bloody way cause I couldn't be arsed to walk down the train past staring heads and just grabbed the first seat.
I am in Mrs. Southgate's seat to be exact who has booked it between Bristol parkway and Neath. A quick scan around shows she is nowhere to be seen. All evidence points to another poor victim of the intercity creature of doom who strikes in the darkness of the Severn tunnel. I thought that wasn't tomato sauce splattered on the window.
Either that or she thought 'bollocks to this I'm facing the wrong freaking way, and there has been a terrible condiment explosion. I'll shall therefore sit in an alternative seat.'

So this is providing invaluable practice for my journal keeping while travelling at fantastic speeds. The perfect environment to hone my log recording skills. The Port Talbot back drop doesn't really help though.

Innoculating the traveller

Ok. I promised I would update you on my jabs.

I reckon the worst part is the waiting room. I accept it isn't going to be full of the happiest bunch but I wonder if the receptionist has ever cracked a sodding grin in her life.
There is nothing like a scowling, smacked ass, stern faced trout to cheer you up when you are awaiting something you wish you weren't waiting for to start with.

So I waited, head down incase I accidently looked at someone and started a fight. The granny with the patch on her eye looked liked she'd been in a few scrapes and was probably lethal with her extendable walking aid.
The pre-jab entertainment wasn't entirely lacking. You have a simple choice when you get the 'call.' It's simple when you know how. The intercom buzzes, the name is said, and then the room number. Easy! No.
You see the devious bastards have provided a choice of 2 directions. Depending on what number is called you go left or right. As an experienced visitor to this doctor dwelling venue I could not be caught out. Therefore I could sit back and watch the others tumble into this trap of ridicule. Three chose incorrectly and had to make the walk of shame back past the internally smirking gathering. I had to pretend not to notice. Smugness would suffice.

So I eventually got my call. She tried to catch me out by changing from room 7 to 6 half way through her annoucement. Even that wouldn't send me the wrong way matron. Try harder next time.
I opted to have the rabies shot, just incase I am attcked by a deranged tortoise or a mental gnu.

This was delivered first in the right arm. It was a really pretty colour. Sort of pinky I think. And no it didn't hurt. I ain't just saying that to be solid. There was a slight smart, akin to a pinch from a juvenile crustacean but that was it. I was waiting for the horrific stabbing agonising pain but it never came. After watching 24 last night (spoiler alert 4 Rory) I had prepared to take a black and decker through the bicep.
Maybe I am as hard as nails. Bauer would take awhile to get me to spill the beans.
Hepatitis A and B were pumped into my other arm and that was it. No shot in the ass and no horrendous agony.
I was prepared to take some torture to go on my amazing trip, but it wasn't to be.
However, I have to go back for another two visits for the rest to be shot up. Maybe I ain't got off as lightly as I thought. Could there be a sting in the tail? Literally.

But it wasn't over. I was subjected to the worst part of this pre-travel experience after the jabs.
I wasn't allowed to leave for 20 minutes incase I collapsed in a heap, or started frothing like a muppet. So it was back to the waiting room of doom. I contemplated sneaking out, but I was too scared incase matron was watching. I suppose it was for my own good.
Only one loser chose the wrong room direction, but I was bored of that game now.
Luckily I found a travel magazine about a geezer who went from London to Hanoi in Vietnam entirely by train. I didn't get to the end cause my time was up and I wasn't hanging around, but he seemed to be having a terrible time on trains full of misery and nutters!
I thought it sounded great.

So as I write, several hours later I don't seem to be suffering any side effects. My arms are both aching, but this is only providing a nostalgic return to my childhood, and the severe dead arm punches I would take from my brother. Happy days.

So on to the next stage of this epic adventure. I have to sell my car as I can't take it where I am going, so it is off to Newport in the morn where Nigel at webuyanycar.com will hopefully take it off my hands. Cheers Nige.

Oh and we have a meeting in the afternoon to work out where the cowing hell we are going. Marvelous.

Lovely Introduction

So it begins.

Well not really cause I ain't going for ages like. This is the introduction to the tremendous travelling tales of me. A journey like no other across the planet.

I will be joined by a loyal band of other travelling type people on this intrepid voyage of discovery. Who knows what we will encounter! The only certainties are that we will meet Germans, I will lose some socks and we will all end up with massive beards (Kelly might disagree).

The current estimated departure date is June. That might seem a long way away, but it will take me that long to pack my bag with 87 pairs of pants. At the moment our first destination is gay Paris (doesn't sound quite the same unless u read it in a French accent).
I will endeavour to provide regular updates via this marvellous phone/NASA super computer. I am therefore hoping most of the globe is covered by wi-fi, or this is about the only thing u will ever get to read. Which might not be a bad thing.

Judging by the clicking noises this keyboard makes while I am creating this composition, I would not be at all surprised if my travelling companions smash it to a thousand pieces by the time we get to Dover.

So against all odds I will produce an enthralling log (sounds lovely) to make you feel you are all with me on this epic adventure. The pre-trip fun begins with my several inoculation jabs next Monday.
So tune back in soon to see where Nurse Nash sticks her needles.