Roland Ladley's Blog, page 24

And … breathe

I have included the usual Korean catch up below, but I couldn’t let today pass without a few words on the Biden-Harris win in the US elections. For all of us here, but me and Bex in particular, it’s been quite a few days: the ups, downs and then the final realisation that the man – just a single man – who has blighted our lives over the past four years, will no longer be the menace he has been. Sure, in the end it was straightforward, but at one point we thought Trump might win. At that point, I sincerely believed it would be the end of democracy in the US – emboldening politicians like Johnson and Gove here in the UK. That may sound dramatic, but I really believe that to the case. If Trump was given a mandate for a second term, he would only get worse.

Well, he hasn’t. And, in the same way I think Trump is the worst of men, Biden is among the most decent. And Harris too. Let’s hope so. If nothing else, it will good to listen to President who speaks in full sentences, without the need to insult, ridicule or upset. Thanks goodness.

[image error] could do with these posters in the UK

And, I’ve finished the book – still no title. Every year my plan is always to close it by Christmas. This time I’d hoped for ‘by the time we got off the plane at Heathrow’. Well, here I am three weeks early. It’s 132,000 words … not all of them in the right order. I love the plot. I just need to edit the hell out of it. I’m going to work on the last three chapters over the next week, and then let it settle until January. My next job is to get Of Black Bulls and White Horses out there. That’s for release before Christmas … it never stops.

Anyhow … what have we been up to?

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[image error] another day, another coffee

D + 24

Hopefully today the earth resets its axis …

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D + 21

Getting into a routine – no baby …

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D + 17

Sshhhh. We’ve escaped.

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D + 12

Yes, it’s still the internment diary

[image error] we’re still here …

D + 9

Part 2: the diary of … aged 58.5

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D + 5

The diary of a late middle-aged man: 58.5

[image error] the view is worth it?

D + 2

We made it …

OK, so we’re here. I’m actually sat up in bed in our hotel room – remember this is a small room which we are not allowed out of for 14 days – and it’s 3.30 am, 7.30 pm your time. I was flat out, but C couldn’t sleep. We are, if you like, sharing the pain.

[image error] at T2. We wore these masks for almost 24 hours … slept in them on the plane. You got used to them in the end

I am scribing our experience first hand on Instagram for two reasons. First I have 480 followers who are probably not in the slightest bit interested, but I’m subjecting them to it anyway. Second, because there will be a few travellers out there who might be interested in what it’s going to be like. It may help.

So, today, rather then recount our story of how we ended up in Gulag Ramada, I’ve copied and pasted my Instagram story below. It’s hardly prose, but it does paint a picture. And, if you want to follow me on Instagram (it’s like this with more photos and, thankfully much shorter) then look for @rolandtheauthor and follow away. [If you’re interested in politics and have a Twitter account, you can do the same there … it’s all pretty left of centre stuff, but you wouldn’t expect anything else.]

Anyhow, I’ve got to chalk a day off on the wall now …

Stay safe.

[image error] one-fifth full …

D – Day.

Almost there …

I’m really looking forward to coming back home. We have a lot of things to do, and, whilst I complain about the British weather, I do love the winter. We are already talking about spending New Year in Doris somewhere and, covid willing, heading to Chatel for some skiing and then onto the continent in late Spring in Doris.; C is talking about doing a stint at a dog’s charity in Spain. We are very lucky to be able to even consider that. We know. I’ve said to C on more than one occasion that in 2021 we are going to go crazy. We have a limited time on this planet and we must get the most out of it. Crazy … we’re going to go crazy. I hope you hold us to it.

[image error] we said cheerio to Jen and James last night

My team building day went as well as I could have hoped for. I planned a combination event with some icebreakers, a participatory presentation, some individual work and a team exercise. I got an email straight back from the boss saying, ‘it was a really great session, with good discussion’. I don’t think I can ask for more than that. I have to say I was absolutely exhausted at the end – and we had pals Kenn and Mikki around for supper (in the garden under a gazebo) afterwards. I can’t imaging I was great company. But it’s another thing I now know I can offer. Which is great. I’ve also had three calls with staff at the school in Hampshire. So that was fun.

[image error] socially distant supper

In among all that I’ve been writing and C’s been packing. Two-thirds of our load is baby stuff (I’m not kidding). At least we’ll have empty cases on the way back.

The writing’s going well. I’m over 50k/120k words in and the story seems to be holding together ok. I’ve had a couple of nice reviews through in the last few days, which always helps with motivation. But nothing back from the people I sent Of Black Bulls and White Horses to. I’m not surprised. I have my proofreader on standby from 20 November to give it a run through … and then publication by Christmas. I’m really hoping that with two week’s enforced isolation in a hotel in Seoul I get most of it done. Or … I’ll watch a lot of Netflix and scroll through Twitter.

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Off to Mary’s tomorrow to dump the car … and then a late afternoon flight on Monday. Next time I write something we will be incarcerated. Hurrah?

[image error] we are the world’s best packers

Stay safe.

Good news!

[image error]calm after the storm

The great news is the Focus passed its MOT. It is 14 years old, it’s travelled close to 100,000 miles and, yet again, has sailed though. [The advisories are the same as last year (I must get them fixed).] I took it to the shabbiest garage in a poor area of Bristol (they were the only ones who had space at short notice) and they were fab. Chaotic? Yes. Helpful and chatty? Yes, also. Anyhow, over the past four years the Focus has taken us to Chatel four times without missing a beat and done 70,000 miles. And all I’ve had to do is replace the rear shocks and the front discs and pads. Perfect.

We are that much closer to heading off to South Korea – that’s Monday. Between now and then I have a big day tomorrow. It’s a six-hour stint with the MOD team. Team building wasn’t on my preferred list of things I wanted to do – my main aim was to provide leadership mentoring and coaching (which, BTW, has started up again with the school in Hampshire – four slots this week). I have run leadership courses before … which seems to work well. But team building? How hard can it be?

The good news is I have designed the day around what I know of them. I have been working with them since last December, so I think I know what they need. We;re going to focus on ‘trust’, which I think is central to any successful team. I think the fact that we’re doing it remotely adds complication. It would be very easily to fill the day with ‘activities’, if we were working in a conference room (blindfolded delegates wandering around an assault course guided by the calls of their teammates), but we’re not. So we shall see. I will, of course, let you know.

[image error]I cut the trees (again)

And that will be it, I guess. We have some admin to do. Army pal, Kenn and his girlfriend Mikki, are coming over tomorrow night for an outside supper. We’re up with Jen and James on Friday night and then, next stop Seoul. We’re leaving the Focus at Mary’s and getting a taxi to Heathrow on Monday. It’s … exciting?

Oh … and I thought you’d enjoy the photo below of C having her haircut – in a socially distance fashion. The lady is from across the road. She’s Iranian … and lovely. It’s a first for C who’s a bit particular about who and how her hair is cut. Again, I will let you know.

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Stay safe everyone. And maybe, by the weekend, we’ll be clearer as to whether or not His Orangeness has been sectioned. Because, let’s face it, he’s not sane. Is he?