The Twits by Roald Dahl

The Twits by Roald Dahl
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What do old age pensioners get up to? Most of us see them as little old ladies going shopping and looking after the grandchildren. But what of the selfish ones that decide to shun the rest of Society? Dahl’s short tale describes the old habits of two such people; the very novel tricks they play on each other; and their treatment of outsiders; all with attention to detail of personal hygiene. There is plenty of entertaining background information about each character; apart from Muggle-Wump’s family and the friendly roly-poly bird who becomes Muggle-Wump’s hero towards the end of the story. The antics of the Twits come undone when Muggle-Wump courageously gets his feathered friends get together to take their revenge on the Twits with hilarious results! This si a tale of sure imaginative brilliance; and I shall have to dig out my sequel to this story that I wrote as part of an English assignment.

View all my reviews

Breakfast at the Orchard Hotel, Paddington

So I soon set myself up for a comfortable night at the hotel. I had a comfy bed with a TV in a room that wasn’t too hot and wasn’t too cold. I dozed off quite quickly but still woke up in the early hours owing to a force of habit. Rather than jump straight in the shower; I treated myself to an hour of TV before I realised that I really should get going if I’m going to make it to Chiswick on time. In the end, I was only five minutes late in leaving; though it would have been great to get everything ready to leave first. Down I went to breakfast; which was actually in the cellar and not signposted; the receptionist had pointed me in the general direction the night before; but I didn’t realise it was hidden downstairs. The Polish breakfast waitress was a bit confused that I was on my own; didn’t she realise that they had single rooms? But I soon got myself to work on cereal and toast; and even made a quick job of the deli meats on offer by making my own ham and cheese toastie. Then it was off upstairs to throw everything into the rucksack and to quickly check out and head to the underground. Thankfully the hotel had a ‘drop and go’ system; making checking out as quick and painless as possible.

The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Even though this book is part of a trilogy of five; the first is still the best and also holds its own as a stand-alone story. Maths, physics, philosophy and science all come together in this tale of a quest to find a grand unified theory. Along the way we are introduced to new technologies and alien cultures all with their own philosophies and values which Arthur Dent must take into account in order to survive his new surroundings. Dent is aided by the mysterious Ford Prefect who has more experience of the universe and shares the role of guide alongside The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. They are helped and hindered by machines with genuine people personalities; who also struggle to come to terms with the world around them. The only downside is that the characters don’t have any goals to aim for other than to keep moving and be prepared for their next destination with a towel in hand.

View all my reviews

Pride of Paddngton at the Pride of Paddington, Paddington!

My last pub of the day was the Pride of Paddington, a short walk away from the station itself. Outside there were lounge tables while inside was a hustle and bustle of young people enjoying a drink. I had a brief look at the food menu and noted the prices were expensive compared to the portions that were being served; considering it was a locals pub not far from the station. I opted for the Pride of Paddington Best Bitter (4.1%), a rebadged beer but I couldn’t discover what brewery it was from. I’m now guessing it’s Fuller’s London Pride; but I’ll be very disappointed if it is. There were large long tables abound; clearly this pub was designed to cater for groups; with a circular table by the window for students. No sign of the Cask Marque certificate, and again, not the greatest of atmospheres to cater for the solo drinker. I thought it best to let sleep overtake me and headed back to the hotel; passing the Sawyers Arms with a tinge of regret. Now that the evening was drawing in; it looked more inviting as a locals pub; but common sense prevailed as I had a bigger day of ale tasting ahead of me.

The Fib and other Stories

The Fib and Other Stories by George Layton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I acquired this book in mysterious circumstances; we were staying in a village hall as part of a hands-on farming weekend as part of our youth club. I had some trouble sleeping on account of too many people in the hall; and so I came across this book on a shelf sitting next to me. I instantly fell in love with Layton’s tales; as from the first reading I recognised them from being read out at a school assembly. The book itself somehow made it into my rucksack; and it’s been at home ever since. We follow the story of our young hero as he grows up through childhood; from his boyhood innocence of cookery and his transcendence of bereavement through to the abandoning of his childhood den and his first date. Along the way we meet his characterful friends which shape his actions and opinions; all told in an innocent first person narrative which makes this book very enjoyable indeed.

View all my reviews

Greene King Rumrunner at the Beerhouse, Paddington

I had a few more cask marque pubs on my list to do before retiring for bed, and one of the pubs on my list was the Beerhouse inside the station. I was hoping for a long bar covered with handpumps at the end of platform eleven; but what I found was a unit similar to the food stalls on the platform; only this had the advantage of having to go inside. Once in though, the surroundings were very comfortable; and even though there were only three real ales available; the Rumrunner I tried from Greene King was in excellent condition. There was a thin atmosphere with just a few other sole people occupying tables with newspapers and laptops while supping their pints. I wondered if it was a quiet time of the day for them now that there were fewer trains departing as the evening drew on. Clearly this is not a pub that attracts locals; and it looked that the staff were preparing to finish up the day by belting out dodgy tunes as loud as possible.

Truman's Somerset at the Dickens Tavern, Paddington

After checking in, food was the next priority and so I headed back towards Paddington station in search of substance. Along the way I passed the Dickens Tavern which was the longest pub in London; so it would be a shame not to go in. I hovered at the bar to ask if they were still serving food; then thought better of it and found a table as after all; his was in the capital. It also meant capital prices; as a pint of the local brew from Truman’s was £4.35; and this had increased from £4.26 since July when a friend of mine visited and also noted the price. But the burger was well received with dips; onion rings and thick chips; and the Blonde Somerset beer was in excellent condition (you'd expect it to be for that price).  My table was in a high stretch part of the corridor; and beyond led a set of steep steps down to the lounge bar and the pool table. The licence also has a good sense of humour; a movie quote was put outside the gents which said; “Remember; short and controlled sharp bursts”; Corporal Hicks; Aliens; 1986. Brilliant!