Simple Things

[Traditionalist]

CIA?

I am still British so it would be MI6 I think.  :tongue2

I have been visiting some of the oilrigs that my company works on and they are scattered far and wide over the Rocky Mountain region. I am getting pretty fed up with the standard hotel rooms here in the USA. Most hotels don't have bars or restuarants. Pretty soulless boxes really.

Last day here in the office and going to have a week off. Then off to Colorado (and civilisation) the week after. Proper chip shop and Indian restuarants!

For a while I thought travelling around the world first class would be great, but I soon got sick of it. I didn't even get to see much of many places, mostly just the inside of various banks and various hotels sometimes for weeks. I regret it rather a lot actually, I could have spent the time with my wife. Of course there is little point in regretting things, what's done is done.

[zeolite]

For a while I thought travelling around the world first class would be great, but I soon got sick of it. I didn't even get to see much of many places, mostly just the inside of various banks and various hotels sometimes for weeks. I regret it rather a lot actually, I could have spent the time with my wife. Of course there is little point in regretting things, what's done is done.

I know exactly what you mean Mike. When I was working on the offshore rigs all I saw were airports and heliports before getting on the rigs. At least these days I get to see the miles and miles of boring prairie in between the rigsites! To be fair there is some stunning countryside here and my trip to Utah for example was fascinating and I really enjoyed that.

The big problem here is the food. I try to avoid the fast variety and as I have not really embraced Mexican it does limit me somewhat, I could kill for a decent bacon roll or Scotch pie.

[Traditionalist]

I know exactly what you mean Mike. When I was working on the offshore rigs all I saw were airports and heliports before getting on the rigs. At least these days I get to see the miles and miles of boring prairie in between the rigsites! To be fair there is some stunning countryside here and my trip to Utah for example was fascinating and I really enjoyed that.

The big problem here is the food. I try to avoid the fast variety and as I have not really embraced Mexican it does limit me somewhat, I could kill for a decent bacon roll or Scotch pie.

That shouldn't be too much of a problem, try here for some stuff;

http://www.britishfooddepot.com/

http://www.britishcornershop.co.uk/

http://www.britishfoodshop.com/

http://www.britishfoodshop.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?Search=Yes&sppp=150

it is a bit dearer of course, but what price contentment?

There are a few others like this but I don't know them. You have to try them out to see what they are like. A mate of mine was in seventh heaven when he got pork pies and some sliced white bread ( Mother's pride as I recall) as well as a few other things.

[Inchlaggan]

it is a bit dearer of course, but what price contentment?

Bang right there Mike!
£17 for 3L of Ribena (plus delivery), £6 in Tesco.

[Traditionalist]

Bang right there Mike!
£17 for 3L of Ribena (plus delivery), £6 in Tesco.

Yes, I know, but for many it is a taste of home, and they don't really care what it costs as long as they can get it. It's not something you would do every day, just now and again.

I have known quite a few ex-pats who were simply overjoyed to get some stuff. For a while quite a few of them hung around british forces bases just to be able to get some British food.

You can't really appreciate the craving unless you have experienced it. To you a scotch pie isn't very important, or HP sauce, and a lot of other stuff, you just take them for granted, you would only miss them when they are no longer there. For more than a few people it is also a relief from "this foreign muck"

Also, the price in Tescos is irrelevant, you have to pay what it is worth to you, and the economy in various places differs massively. Paying 20$ or 20 € for something might be of no consequence at all to somebody living in a particular place. If you want lemon curd or golden syrup on your toast then you have no other options anyway.

Simple things are not necessarily cheap.

[Fishtales]

Expensive but might be worth a look.

http://www.scottishgourmetusa.com/category/smoked-fish-and-game-birds

[Allan Crawford]

i actually prefer sleeping in a tent and shitting outdoors, these are my simple things :lol:

Me too, sounds like heaven especially with a cup of tea 
As it is I've had about 7 days off in 7 weeks with no end in sight, the only one happy about it is the chancellor and I'm off no danger to any type of fish 
On the plus side I have managed to tie a few flies 

[burnie]

its therapeutic because its taking you out of a world we are not really comfortable with to one that we were actually designed to live in.

You mean you go fishing in a pub??

[Inchlaggan]

You mean you go fishing in a pub??

Fishing in a pub... that's an idea I could sell!

[13Fisher1]

For a while I thought travelling around the world first class would be great, but I soon got sick of it. I didn't even get to see much of many places, mostly just the inside of various banks and various hotels sometimes for weeks. I regret it rather a lot actually, I could have spent the time with my wife. Of course there is little point in regretting things, what's done is done.

Agree with what's been said about travel, ive spentlast 12 yrs travelling for work around he globe seen some interesting places and industries but yes mostly hotel,client site and airports so time at home is precious for me whereas before this then I guess I took it for granted.

On the British food thing, recall when living in Florida for couple of yrs there was a "British Butcher"
Down in Ft Lauderdale where you buy mince pies, square sausage, bridies etc...... So big treat was a visit down there.   The most nostalgic Highland Games I ever attended was in Miami which brought a tear to the eye as well selling Irn Bru and crunchies etc!