riyadhcrew

Well, this is the last day of the summer holiday for me, as it is back to work tomorrow. (Friday and Saturday is the weekend here). The only up-side to it is that 5 weeks from exactly now, we should be somewhere over Central Europe on the way to the UK. ROLL ON !!!

Just been able to log in again after 4 - 5 hours. Scotch is finished and finger nails are gone.

I'm talking about our forum The NBN

Just FYI - very intermittent at the moment

Just happened again here for a couple of mins.

Might just be the last connection into the server, because I can get other sites in the UK.

Been having intrmittent problems connecting to our forum from here in Riyadh this morning, the last one being 3 mins ago.

to the forum. Have a great holiday and then please tell us all about it.

I've hired C40s and C45s from Connoisseur and gone straight through the bridge on leaving the yard. My personal method was to stand in the centre of the boat (to the right of the wheel) so that I was in the centre of the bridge arch. If someone at the helm positions themselves at the centre of the arch, the boat will be to one side.

I am very interested in what Robin had to say about the Hybrid System and the luxury that comes with it. I am hiring Brinks Rhapsody next month and Richo's Commodore in April and will be comparing (in my personal opinion) the difference between 2 similar levels of fit-out with the different drive systems. I will be taking both boats down south for a couple of days, so fuel usage can also be looked at. Somebody has to do it and I fancy the job. lol.

All the new fangled boats have heated towel rails. A great thing for the jocks and socks.

Carol, Just sent you a donation via Paypal. Please keep up the good work - it makes me smile.

Get used to the lovely comments and banter on here, because there is plenty of it to go around. Great place to be a member of.

Q, You've been here before. Still the same.

RIGHT THEN... RUBISH - YOU CALL IT - RUBISH - RUBISH - LET'S GET THIS INTO GEAR Ow about leavin home at 9.30 of an evenin wiv your meat pies closin an fightin your way frew di twaffic for an hour to an airport to stand in line wiv 50 fousan brown peeps twyin to check in for flights. 20kg max an some of these peeps ave 6 plastic rapped boxes an 4 cases - oh ma god....... We get checked in an we wait for 2 hours befor they say "boarding please" - they don't have to say please cause we wonna go. No booze on this plane 'cause it's out of Saudi. On da big bird an off we go to chicken - or I fink it's Turkey. Land in Istabull an I say to er indoors - Av I got time for a beer an a fag???? Now comes a run through transit wif a "shoes an belt off jobby" - so the machine dont go beep beep - an down to the next gate. On the big bird an away we go. Next stop is Gatport Airwick - or summat like that. Beer in hand an 2 Scotch for the girls (they look younger than they are - really) Land at Gatwick - or should I say - hit the ground hard and oft to the pleasures of immigration. The peeps there must be hand picked from birth to be so bl**dy stupid. Wite den - wees ere. Get to the car hire desk an 'e says "you're not in the system". I say you've got 1 minute to find me - or I'll be up your a*se so fast - you won't know it till I reach your eyes. It's amazin wat a little push can do an I never touched his computer. Car loaded an oft we go. M25 is a car park - but I'm on a Saudi licence - so horn blowing an foot in the carpet an away we go. 3 hours later - in the boatyard an get fings loaded onboard. Out comes the young lad to do the "show round and trial. " Ave you been on a boat before - 'e says?". Long before you filled your first nappie - I says. Pointed end and flat end - left and right - go - stop and that was it. Sign 'ere and enjoy. NOW COMES THE SERIOUS BIT Cast off and head for the river. Left hand has a beer in it and the ash tray is on my right with a fag in my right hand. There are no planes or cars or stupid bu**ers onboard an my smile is from ear to ear. NOW TELL ME THE BROADS ARE RUBBISH!!!!!!!!!!!

A very warm to the Forum. We love hearing about experiences here.

Lovely pictures of lovely boats. A joy to look at.

Having just spent a month in Bali, which is almost all Hindu, I can imagine the ammount of colour and atmosphere that will emerge in the place. It's got to be better than the "Ghost Town" look of the existing restaurant, although I have no idea of what would happen on the moorings as water plays a major part of their ceremonies. I hope everything works out and and that everyone benefits.

The final part. The girls and I went to the beach almost every day, so they could do some boogie boarding, although 1 day, I had to call a halt as the waves were up to 2 metres high with a strong under tow. A young French kid was flipped onto the sea bed and broke his nose. A couple of guys were using surf boards with big kites (can't remember what they call it) and they must have passed by doing at least 20 knots. Anyway, lots of restaurants to try out and a few were very good. Beer is cheap, a decent wine is 20+ quid a bottle and spirits are 4-5 quid for a single shot. We tried a Michelin starred place and had a 6 course Nouvelle Quisine meal. If they had put all 6 courses on 1 plate, it still wouldn't have been enough. lol. I reckon their Michelin star came from a car tyre and the cost was wow!!! Well, it's all over now and only 5 weeks to go for our trip to the Broads GREAT. A few pics below with one I found for MM.

to the Forum Jeff. Great place to be a full member of, so get posting. lol

Calling for a take away is about as near as they would go. lol.

Morning peeps, Just arrived back in Riyadh. My wife has stayed in Indonesia for another couple of weeks, so me and the girls will have to look after ourselves. Will post something later on the last few days in Bali.

I remember the big boat at Stokesby. Always wondered how it got under the bridges at Yarmouth.

I look forward to what is coming next.

Great blog Robin. If you go for your financing option, you can count me in.