And so its off to Switzerland again this weekend. I fly out on Sunday, which means I get a whole day to myself in the one of the world's most ugly cities.
While this would not normally be a cause for celebration, I am rather looking forward to it. A Swiss girl I met whilst in Amsterdam has enthusiastically agreed to my tentative suggestion to meet up. I can only hope that her appearance is as I remember it, and my memories are not being blurred by a little too much 'coffee' from the coffee shops.
Knowing my luck she'll turn out to be a sheet metal welder called Hans. Beggars can't be choosers, I guess.
I should also stop going out for drinks with members of my family. I end up agreeing to things that I really shouldn't (or really should, depending on your point of view.) Last night saw beers and an impressively bad chinese meal consumed in the company of cousin Ian. The chinese meal is a story in its own right - we ordered a bottle of wine.
It turned up already open.
It only occurred to me this morning that was not a good sign, and the bottle was most likely filled with the dregs from the night before.
We drank it anyway. With all the antifreeze in it I'll be sorted for my trip to Whistler; no chance of this boy freezing now.
But as usual, I'm digressing. Ian (who I think I've mentioned in the past) chucked in his comfortable job and went off round the world in a sailing boat as part of the Clipper races back in 2001. The deal is this - you pay a sum of money and you get a place on one of the yachts. Experience not required (in fact, no experience is preferred) - they train you up and then around the world you go.
Through beer-tinted spectacles, this sounded an excellent idea. And when I returned home (slightly worse for wear) I signed myself up. It was only in the morning that sobriety kicked in and thoughts such as "You'll be away from home for lots of months - what about First-Born?" and "There's a good chance you might get killed doing this" began to weigh heavily against "You've no mortgage, no debts and who wants to buy a house anyway... Why not?"
But what an adventure. The 2005/2006 race is too soon. I'm giving serious thought to the 2006/2007 race. With the backing of my cousin (doubtless seeking a vicarious adventure of his own) I apparently stand a good chance of being selected.
Yet again, what to do... at least this time I've got a good year to be indecisive.
