Dog suicides:discuss? I suppose the limited options open to depressed dogs means that they have to resort to leaping off bridges. They have no access to prescription drugs with which to overdose or shotguns, whilst little dog-paws find the process of tying a noose too difficult. Equally there is no Dog Samaritans and even if there was, dogs can't use phones (except "Listening Dogs" employed by deaf people who alert their owners when the telephone rings; which raises the point of why deaf people have telephones?. Maybe I dreamt the whole thing up). Either way this is a rather fascinting subject. I'm sorry I missed the program.
As a site note Hi Neil. Have been enjoying your blog. Dan and I are arriving in Wellington on 25th October 2006, so look us up when you return. I saw the following TV programme is on tonight and bizarrely thought of you. Bit like your sense of humour...I think
WEDNESDAY 18 OCTOBER
The Dog Suicide Bridge: Stranger than Fiction
8:00pm - 9:00pm
Five
A Scottish community claims that dozens of their pet dogs have committed suicide from a local bridge. Residents of Dunbarton, near Glasgow, claim that since the 1960s at least 50 dogs have jumped to their deaths from Overtoun Bridge. Most recently, five dogs leapt to their deaths within six months. Dog psychologist Dr David Sands PhD examines theories ranging from dogs being disturbed by nearby military sonar to a reported paranormal presence on the bridge.
WEDNESDAY 18 OCTOBER
Documentary
The Dog Suicide Bridge: Stranger than Fiction
8:00pm - 9:00pm
Five
VIDEO Plus+: 7754483
Subtitles
Followed by five news at 9
1/4
A Scottish community claims that dozens of their pet dogs have committed suicide from a local bridge. Residents of Dunbarton, near Glasgow, claim that since the 1960s at least 50 dogs have jumped to their deaths from Overtoun Bridge. Most recently, five dogs leapt to their deaths within six months. Dog psychologist Dr David Sands PhD examines theories ranging from dogs being disturbed by nearby military sonar to a reported paranormal presence on the bridge.
Spelling I am concerned your spelling seems to have improved. This makes your blogs much less interesting to a spelling / grammar pedant. I perked up when I saw 'labrinthine' but feel you let me down badly by spelling correctly and using it in the right context.
Regards to Dan.
Apologise just caught up on your blog while sitting in my sussex hovel waiting for the arrival of the now overdue first born - apologise for not making the leaving do - quite a few excuses but i'll spare you the details and me the effort of writing them down.
as a brief critic i was saddened to hear you were slightly under the weather on arrival in NZ (have you considered taking some time off?), bemused by your boast of having decision making powers and even laughed a couple of times (well once) then i thought hold on this is still the work shy fop I know and love and it’s a long way to go to crash a car i managed to do it on the bottom of the M1 (had to substitute fried chicken for a dead pig though)
Glad to see your keep up the spirit of the Grand Tour alive look forward to reading more
Tom
ps: nice one on the lady front ;)
the mystery of a ruin is in our mind Hi Ho..Enjoyed your pictures I spent three months earlier this year exporing NZ and missed that area...Take the Trans Alpine RR and get off at Aurthur for more great shots. South Island has mystery Gold Mines and wonderful isolated light houses...... I will be heading back to Nelson early December and plan to do French Pass..and keep on sharing, you take great photos..
Deco schmecho Impressive earthquake trivia Mr Garner. Glad to hear you are being the narky Englishman abroad. Take advantage of the fact you will never see these strange bar dwelling Deliverance-ites again and adopt a different personality/life story/set of comical lies with each one. Thus you can become a con artist par excellence while travelling. A sort of modern apprenticeship in phoney baloney. The culture shock is a tricky beast, especially so in a country where they speak English, one is suprised by how much it grabs you by the er...ball bag. I found the best way is to revel in your Englishness by talking about Princess Di in a Noel Cowardesque drawl. Eventually the whole population will come round to your way of thinking and you will have cured your culture shock at the expense of 3m Kiwis. Keep up the good work.
hiya hey frambuesa hows it going wow looks lovely out there? what u been up too? u working in a farm?wats food there like? hope its not as bad as dans!!!!hahahahah w r fine increasing family baby 2 on the way! anyway hope u hear from u take care lots of love kiki from huescaaaaaaaaaaaaa xxx
Wow New Zealanded Out Having forgot to llok at your blog for several weeks i've just ran the gauntlet and read all of them! Excellent photos wish i'd got a record of my diminshing hairline, aah remember the good ole days sort of thing, when a comb was a thing of use and not just a cruel reminder... anyway looking good hope you did the Vacation thing and boasted on how far the car jumped! Quite exhausted and slightly jealous of your travels though pleased that you've yet to really exert yourself! no change there then.
Word, bo, holler Hello Mr Garner! I send greetings from the mean streets of East Sussex. What super duper photos and words...sounds like you are having a mega, wicked, large, in the area time of things down yonder. I hope you are enjoying your escape from Beccles (much like the film of a similar title, I will call you Neil Plisskin) and all the wide open goodness. Congratulations of crowbaring in Fozzy Bear and Ray Mears, two of my all time heroes, who bear (arf arf) more than a passing resembelance to one another. Looking forward to the next installment of Carry on Kiwi. Love and kisses from the Northern Hemisphere.
Negative buoyancy I too have the same problem with staying afloat; much effort, little reward or chance to take a breath I find. Is this a gentic defect our folks neglected to tell us or are we just very dense, physically speaking, of course.
You gave in to the mammals Hi neil, good to see your photo's and know what your up too! Just the whales to see now! Hows the driving going? Come on neil, i want photo's of whales now.
Take care, sx
You lucky bugger. I am so jealous, I really would love to see dolphins in the wild, but alas I think it will be a long time before this happens as I don't think any have swum up the Waveney recently!! I hope that you are still enjoying yourself and that you are missing Beccles too much!!!!!!! Thanks for the birthday card, only joking. Becky is due to drop at any minute, so I am getting very excited, but obviously not as excited as them. I wish you well on your travels. I will stop rambling now. Love Jenny. PS Chris says "Hello".
Looks fantastic Wow Neil you really have made the right choice i wish i was so brave.
The photos look amazing, i'm loving the designer stubble!
Have a great time and speak soon
Jealous Its wet and Windy - lovley for summer - the world cup was pants - Wimbledon not much better - looks like you are having an amazing time over there - scenery is grand looking - sounds like you need more carrots!! Enjoy!!
Move over David Bailey! Lovely photos Neil, very arty, marvellous, even awe-inspiring! Looks a lovely place, sorry the pub outings aren't up to much. You can't beat a Karaoke night! Perhaps you could pencil-in the 'Wednesday-night-Quiz-Night' for a bit of mid-week entertainment, catch up with 'ole Kang and Skip over a Fosters!
various tittle tattle cracking photography neil, you can see that all those years of landscape training has not gone to waste. Ferns, hairy ball plants and my favourite, The Knobbly Tree all in one go! Outstanding. Perhaps you could chart your adventures through foreign shores purely based upon the best vegetation? Seriously though, that blokes garden looks great and Matauri Bay is not bad either, though its a shame that Tania couldnt have made a bit more of an effort whilst on her way out.
take it easy!
Nice Photo's You really should do this photography lark more Mr. G. Spiral and Green Leaves are beautiful. Scenery is stunning! All waterfalls and Green things. If I were you though , I'd tell that ugly bloke to get out of camera shot whenever you take a picture. He's spoiling it for me slightly. Chat soon! Dan
Photos and all that Jazz (piano) Neil, if you are still struggling to get pictures from your camera, i can send you some - i could just photoshop your head onto mine in the appropriate place. the offer is always there.... glad to hear you are managing to get around and sample the music scene - you will be pleased to know that when you get out of the both Auckland and Wellington the staple music diet is ROCK! so grow that mullet and cut the arms off your best shirts!! - Have a great time in Kerikeri, I believe they have a pianist competition coming up? is that part of the draw for you?
Site unseen Neil,
Regardless of jet-lag you really should know the difference between 'site' and 'sight'. I hope I'm not going to have to spend the next year or so correcting sloppy English.
Fantabulous... Neil mate, Good to hear you are doing fine over there. I have to say, I apologise sincerely for not being able to make it (even a bit)... for your leaving do. All the best my man! Yet again, you have impressed meself by doing the brave thing of wondering around the world with no worries. How I really envy that. My adventure had yet to go that far, but I have to admit right at this very moment, wondering around some foreign landscape with new culture apart from Londoners seem so much more appealing than sitting in an office from sun rise to sun set..!
YOU B***tard!
Good luck and keep writing.
Lovelt to hear from you This is such a good idea....I look forward to you future installments....I'm thinking that the oil storage depots of the antipadies could be a theme?
I have just arrived in New Zealand where my plan is to travel around without a care in the world. It will be just like The Littlest Hobo, except I'm not a dog and I refuse to help kids in trouble. ... full info
Julian
non-member comment
you can take the man out of the landscape...
excellent photo caption! Always enjoy a landscape related parody!