More gubbins (as per request)

Okay, some regular visitors are getting impatient - I'll have to start thinking of a few topics to discuss rather than just recounting my days, especially the ones like yesterday when all I did was go to the gym and the supermarket. Today's photos is part of one of the Inca trails in the high Andes, note the snow-capped mountains in the background, stunningly beautiful.

Today I had a really pleasant day out with my mum, we decided to try and see a few local attractions over the summer, so went to a nice village called Selbourne to visit Gilbert White's house. I hadn't a clue who Gilbert White was, but learned that he was an 18th century clergyman and naturalist who wrote a really famous (in the botanical world, anyway) book about the natural history of the area, and his house and gardens are open to the public, also housed there is a small exhibition about Lawrence Oates who was the bloke who left Captain Scott on the ill-fated Antarctic expedition in 1912 saying that he "might be some time" and left the tent, walking to his doom in the hopes of not holding back the rest of the party. Anyway, all rather interesting, and some lovely gardens with large melon plants and some unusual plants for sale of which I bought a few for my garden. I am obviously getting old if this is the sort of thing I am enjoying!

My recent application for a new credit card has been successful, so the fact that I'm still waiting for appraisal payments and stuff shouldn't affect my cashflow too much as I can stick everything on it at a 0% rate until I get back into regular payments. I also realised whilst looking at doctors.net.uk that I have accumulated several thousand ESR points - like their loyalty scheme, you get points for doing targeted surverys and the like, and I seem to have done a couple recently and have enough points to get 60 quid's worth of Amazon vouchers. Bargain! Can't think of what I'd like to spend them on yet though, as I'm trying not to buy more books until I've got rid of some of the ones that are cluttering up my house. Might wait til nearer Christmas when all the box sets start coming out.

So, we're in to the last few days of this year's Big Brother. In the past I've been determined not to watch it, but have always been an avid viewer by the end, but I've not watched it as much this year. I like the start when you see the contestants, but can't be bothered with watching all the highlights, as now they are mostly a load of media-wannabees and I get annoyed. Nikki is way too unstable and shouldn't have been allowed in in the first place, and it's been obvious from the start that Pete is going to win. Suppose at least he's been the most genuine and likeable person out of the bunch, and won't be able to get a mainstream TV job due to his Tourette tendency to shout out "wankers" on a regular basis. Some of the funniest moments have been when other housemates have been arguing and he's come out with one of his tics, and then realised that it was appropriate in the context. Wankers, indeed!