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Early Risers.


Mr.S.corn78

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Postcode healthcare also obtains for cancer patients. My friend was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in late 2009. His local hospital told him it was inoperable, and passed him over to oncology to do palliative things until demise. Somewhat disappointed (!) his wife did a little online research and felt certain things didn't add up. On talking to their GP, he said "Are you asking me for a second opinion?" Apparently that question has to be posed by the patient - clearly a GP is not allowed

supposed to rubbish a colleague's findings. They took the hint, asked on the spot, and were referred to Addenbrooke's, where a very different line was taken and surgery offered. Mike finally died in Feb 2012, but he'd had two good years due to superior techniques being available. There were clearly some NHS politics involved, and Addenbrooke's was keen to show they could do more for a wider catchment, including the large NHS Trust covering Mike's local hospital.

 

 

I won't go into any details but I know of two people who have found similar scenarios! My friend who is arriving home any time now to spend his final days at home is, I suspect, a weight of our local hospital's statisticians' mind. Death in hospital of course counts against the "excellence" figures. That said, I am sure he will be happier at home.

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Good Afternoon All,

 

Dry AM, wet & windy PM, temp hovering around 9oC.

 

We've had a busy couple of days finishing off clearing out MiL's flat & handing back to the landlord. This was supposed to happen last Monday but the house clearance people had to cancel due to the weather. They are volunteers and the furniture, fridge freezer & nearly new cooker have been donated to a local community project. Although it's quite sad to see her few possessions go at least some good may come of it & benefit someone.

 

Several years ago a young friend of a friend allegedly went to Amsterdam & back on his wife's passport. How he managed this when she is much, much prettier than him and called Sharon is beyond me!  :scratchhead:

 

Enjoy the rest of your day,

 

Bob.

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That was what I used but assumed perhaps it may not have worked in the US for some reason.

Thanks, Andy I'll keep that for reference - it was probably on page 523 of my Google search. Despite putting in England it always, always searches bloody American sites first. You get all these teasers - "we'll give it to you but we want some personal information, first....."

 

Best, Pete.

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I think I've done all the preparation for my flight to the US in the middle of Feb, flight, hotel, travel insurance, car hire, passport and driving licence found, airline pre flight security info supplied, ESTA renewed, all I need to do is pack and get to the airport. Following Sherry's experience I shall make sure I am wearing clean underwear. I suppose they may still require you to remove shoes for US flights so I'd better make sure I don't have socks with holes on the day I travel.

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Tony, Mike,

Someone help me. On this thread http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/67449-c2c-benfleet-station-bridge/&do=findComment&comment=926916   People are saying that the service from Shenfield is worse than the service along the c2c Fenchurch St. line because c2c run it?

Why is this? is there anyway i can find performance reports comparing the two lines? Doesn't make sense to me because there are lots more trains to and from Liverpool St. from Shenfield....

What's so good about c2c anyway?

 

Best, Pete.

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I think I've done all the preparation for my flight to the US in the middle of Feb, flight, hotel, travel insurance, car hire, passport and driving licence found, airline pre flight security info supplied, ESTA renewed, all I need to do is pack and get to the airport. Following Sherry's experience I shall make sure I am wearing clean underwear. I suppose they may still require you to remove shoes for US flights so I'd better make sure I don't have socks with holes on the day I travel.

Tony, I hope you don't come across this customs official in your travels. And that goes for Sherry too!

He, he, he...

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I think I've done all the preparation for my flight to the US in the middle of Feb, flight, hotel, travel insurance, car hire, passport and driving licence found, airline pre flight security info supplied, ESTA renewed, all I need to do is pack and get to the airport. Following Sherry's experience I shall make sure I am wearing clean underwear. I suppose they may still require you to remove shoes for US flights so I'd better make sure I don't have socks with holes on the day I travel.

I had to remove my boots - not easy to do and no chair offered but I insisted on sitting. Yes, socks might well be on view but, fear not, nothing more personal! Just watch where the hands are placed.....! Have a safe trip when the time comes.

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Late on parade, sorry.  Hospital appointments.

 

Sherry's experience is only too typical I have found.  A few weeks ago, at a certain airport with a yellow submarine in front of it....'can you get out of the wheelchair please?  No, I've just had surgery on my left hip....if we lift you out can you hop through the scanner?....I'll hop when you &^%$£g fly.....honestly 2 days post hip surgery, can you hop!!!!......where do they get them???? Grrrrr :butcher:   So my pennance was the uncomfortable intimate search, they then wanted to remove the admittedly huge dressing to see what was under it....at that point things REALLY went downhill, but the supervisor sorted it, and was mortified at the performance of the first 'security' guard.  Just what you need, scruffy fingers in a wound two days old.  #sigh#

 

/rant, sorry.

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I had to remove my boots - not easy to do and no chair offered but I insisted on sitting. Yes, socks might well be on view but, fear not, nothing more personal! Just watch where the hands are placed.....! Have a safe trip when the time comes.

Matthew often seems to get frisked but he is very ticklish and starts giggling!

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Just watch where the hands are placed.....! 

Must be why I enjoy travelling from Heathrow.....

Over here you can hand over money and then agree to positive vetting by the security services who then hand you a card saying that you're perfectly safe. You can then skip the lines...

 

Best, Pete.

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Tony, Mike,

Someone help me. On this thread http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/67449-c2c-benfleet-station-bridge/&do=findComment&comment=926916   People are saying that the service from Shenfield is worse than the service along the c2c Fenchurch St. line because c2c run it?

Why is this? is there anyway i can find performance reports comparing the two lines? Doesn't make sense to me because there are lots more trains to and from Liverpool St. from Shenfield....

What's so good about c2c anyway?

 

Best, Pete.

C2C despite their excellent record for punctuality haven't been shortlisted for franchise renewal although that is all up in the air now anyway thanks to the WCML renewal saga. I think C2C may have a problem due to their owners having surrendered another franchise elsewhere. All I can say about C2C is that they have plenty of trains that seem clean, they have loos, and they have been punctual. On the few occasions when the power lines have come down they seem to get a bus service going quickly too. Last train out of Southend is a bit early (23.10) for some people! I thought the ivory white livery was a bit dull compared to the previous electric blue on the class 357s but one gets used to it.

I should imagine anyone from Shenfield (though my friends in Brentwood prefer the C2C line!) travelling to London would use the Liverpool St line. Anyone from Southend would probably  go C2C.

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I'm not sure if  mentioned turning up at LGW once on a trip to Dyce with my two elderly parents - one in a wheelchair and def, the other one with cataracts. The security control chap asked for their passports. "Passports?" says they? We don't have one. After much deliberation my father presented his Hampshire library card. They boarded the flight with no further ado. I suspect some Elderly Risers need to put on a couple of decades before they can look suitably harmless. :)

 

Andy

Edited by AndyB
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I'm not a frequent flyer (I've done it once).
I didn't even realise I'd passed through security.
Perhaps I took the wrong door.

Given that it's so exciting maybe I should try it again.

Edited by BoD
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C2C despite their excellent record for punctuality haven't been shortlisted for franchise renewal although that is all up in the air now anyway thanks to the WCML renewal saga. I think C2C may have a problem due to their owners having surrendered another franchise elsewhere. All I can say about C2C is that they have plenty of trains that seem clean, they have loos, and they have been punctual. On the few occasions when the power lines have come down they seem to get a bus service going quickly too. Last train out of Southend is a bit early (23.10) for some people! I thought the ivory white livery was a bit dull compared to the previous electric blue on the class 357s but one gets used to it.

I should imagine anyone from Shenfield (though my friends in Brentwood prefer the C2C line!) travelling to London would use the Liverpool St line. Anyone from Southend would probably  go C2C.

Think I'll keep quiet, I'm on a hiding to nothing......

Thanks, Tony.

 

best, Pete.

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Think I'll keep quiet, I'm on a hiding to nothing......

Thanks, Tony.

 

best, Pete.

To be honest I don't see how a company could fail to be a success running the London, Tilbury Southend service with the geography (rather flat!) and customers needing to get to London. The first few off peak trains are busy too, but it does get rather deserted during the day.

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To be honest I don't see how a company could fail to be a success running the London, Tilbury Southend service with the geography (rather flat!) and customers needing to get to London. The first few off peak trains are busy too, but it does get rather deserted during the day.

I think there can be problems - not of their making, obviously - in the Barking area with the Tottenham & Hampstead pushing freights their way, en route the Tilbury Loop. It may be that c2c and NR have got a better understanding than seemed to be the case in BR days in that area - or there may be fewer freights!

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I think there can be problems - not of their making, obviously - in the Barking area with the Tottenham & Hampstead pushing freights their way, en route the Tilbury Loop. It may be that c2c and NR have got a better understanding than seemed to be the case in BR days in that area - or there may be fewer freights!

This may make a bit of a difference! The only freight we get on our bit of the line is the very occasional train going to the former MoD site (now Qinetic). Usually a Class 66 with a few  wagons. At Barking you can still see Ford related traffic. There may be other stuff but I don't hang about stations much.

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I think I've done all the preparation for my flight to the US in the middle of Feb, flight, hotel, travel insurance, car hire, passport and driving licence found, airline pre flight security info supplied, ESTA renewed, all I need to do is pack and get to the airport. Following Sherry's experience I shall make sure I am wearing clean underwear. I suppose they may still require you to remove shoes for US flights so I'd better make sure I don't have socks with holes on the day I travel.

 

Money?

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Money?

Thank you. Some real money would be a good idea. I suspect I may have thought about it before I went but I can add "get dollars" to my to do list now. When I went to the US last I made sure that I had enough cash for a tank of fuel and a meal just in case we were somewhere that didn't take cards.

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I can well imagine some unpleasant treatment from airport security. However the words poorly paid, poorly trained, probably given targets for finding 'unsuitable people' it almost seems inevitable.Mind you the drug smugglers are up to all the tricks and pregnant women , invalids and no doubt other sensitive cases have all been used to try to con the airports. For a long haul air travel probably makes sense but if you can make the journey part of a break (or just get a bit of benefit from a business trip) train travel seems so much more pleasurable.

 

Silly thought would a few dogs treats left in my pocket confuse the sniffer dogs?

 

Don

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