Carry on Camping

It's a bit "Bertie Auld" for the camping at the moment, but I thought it was about time that we broached the subject of excursions away from the wall.

Camping trips to Yarrow near Peebles were a big thing back it the day.

All that was required was a few dried army rations, a hexi burner, some pot noodles, a few nude books, knives and a rake of beer and fags. Occassionally a bit of weed might be included. Sometimes we even took a tent.

Those were great weekends, getting away from the city. Seeing the stars without streetlights and breathing in fresh air.

Aye it kept you fit, especially if you had the rucksack fu' of drink.

The photo below (chored from Flikr) is definately the start of the valley. Click it for a good size enlargement.




Also found this, Cheryl Cole has discovered our best kept secret.
http://www.batistedryshampoo.co.uk/

I expect a few follow up entries on the outdoor life fellow bloggers.

Rabbie Burns 250 year old today. It's shite being Scottish? Discuss

Renton in "Trainspotting" reckoned that it was shite being Scottish.



Not so sure myself.
On one hand we don't do ourselves any favours.
On the other hand we are capable of greatness.
I don't care where you go on this planet, this must be the best ever version of most beautiful love song ever written by anyone, anywhere.
Written by a Scot.
Sung by a Scot.



Is it shite being Scottish?

Nah, is it fuck. It's a great state of affairs.

Happy birthday Rabbie.

Subterranean Homesick Blues

Back to the subject of "Gangies"

Some gangies were up in abandoned tenaments and some were in garden sheds. The real cool gangies however were underground. Take the building in the centre of the photo for example. Under it was a veritable labyrinth of cellars and rooms.

We used to have to crawl through a tiny wee window to get in (about the size of an album cover) nowadays I would struggle to get in if they took the whole windae frame oot.

I passed this way a few weeks back and looked in. It's all been converted to a "garden flat" probably costs about £200K as well.

I wondered if they had plumbed in that lavvie, which was just an old pan sat in the middle of the floor surrounded by 2 old doors and a curtain when I was last there?

Maybe they had designer workies lamps and retro "nude book" wallpaper, and who knows they may have had a bespoke kitchen table, crafted to look like a tea chest with built in frog clamps?

Probably not.

Who killed Gunga Din?

The lavvie don't work 'cos the vandals took the handle !!

Ding Ding - next stop driver

Ah the auld buses, none of thon sanitised monstrosities that you get in the capital these days with cameras, wheelchair access and heating. Not only that but I heard tell they are bringing in even fancier "state of the art" trams soon.

These old fellys were proper public transport. Freezing cold and rattly , full of carbon monoxide fumes, smoking fags up the stairs, dodgin' the fares and jumping on and off whilst still in motion. Chewing gum stuck on the velour seats, giving lip to the conductor wifies, distracting the driver by bangin' on his cab and throwing eggs oot the slidey windows at the tramps in the Grassmarket. It was all good.

Do you also mind of the photos in the bus shelters that people used to stick under the glass at the map. Who was Ada Pagan anyway?

As the Weller man once sang "reading the graffiti about slashed seat affairs"

I tell you that was definately entertainment, stuff your poofy trams and bring the auld unrelaible 2 man buses back I say.


Oh it's a great life on the Buses !!!