07 November 2007

Strange UK Laws

Strange UK Laws - and how they were ranked in order of ludicrousness in a pole on British TV.

  • 1. It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament (27%)
  • 2. It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British king or queen's image upside-down (7%)
  • 3. It is illegal for a woman to be topless in Liverpool except as a clerk in a tropical fish store (6%)
  • 4. Eating mince pies on Christmas Day is banned (5%)
  • 5. If someone knocks on your door in Scotland and requires the use of your toilet, you are required to let them enter (4%)
  • 6. In the UK a pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants, including in a policeman's helmet (4%)
  • 7. The head of any dead whale found on the British coast automatically becomes the property of the King, and the tail of the Queen (3.5%)
  • 8. It is illegal not to tell the tax man anything you do not want him to know, but legal not to tell him information you do not mind him knowing (3%)
  • 9. It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament wearing a suit of armour (3%)
  • 10. It is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls of York, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow (2%)
  • 14 September 2007

    Cerne Abbas Giant

    Over the August Bank Holiday in the UK we went for a walk around the Cerne Abbas Giant. Debate rages about how old it actually is, but it certainly is impressive!

    We headed East out of Cerne Abbas village, then across the fields towards the Giant.




    It was a pretty steep climb up Giant Hill.



    You can't see much of the Giant from the top of the hill, so we decided to head North, then across the valley floor for a better view.





    The area is actively farmed.



    Approaching the Giant from the North.




    The final port of call was the car park at the bottom of the valley with a great view of the Giant. Homer Simpson was clearly visible, together with a stupid 'Fathers for Justice' protest.


    We then return the Cerne Abbas village and had a lovely pub lunch. The Giants Tipple isn't half bad!

    28 August 2007

    NZ Photos - No 1

    First in an occasional series of photographs from our trips to New Zealand. This picture, which I've always called the 'Inkwell' for obvious reasons, was taken on a tour of the Wai-O-Tapu 'Thermal Wonderland' south of Rotorua on 18 November 2001.

    16 August 2007

    Te Anau to Queenstown

    I've always enjoyed this video on YouTube of the drive from Te Anau to Queenstown. Whenever I've tried this the camera's fallen off the dashboard!