Stones

Another holiday snap from Rhodes.

These stones, obviously, have rolled for even longer than the English 'musical' group and are certainly much more interesting.

Seaside rock

Another holiday snap from Kalathos Beach at Rhodes.

Metamorphic rock... changed by heat and pressure, Mr Alves said at Southend on Sea High School for Boys. The website I just looked at says says heat, pressure and chemical process.

Too big and heavy to bring home, though I really wish now I had tried.

The rubbish roadshow

Given the amount of rubbish that lies alongside the roads these days, it's good to see someone doing something about it.

This scene on the A35 near Poole, though, seemed a good indication of why it doesn't happen very often. The bill for getting two guys to pick up some litter must be quite impressive.

The scene, involving a near-stationary convoy of five vehicles unfolded like this:

Van 1, with lane-closed warning on the back...

Van 2, with lane-closed warning on the back...

Van 3, with lane-closed warning on the back...
(these are three separate vehicles - blow the pictures up and check the registrations)

Vehicle 4: Truck with lane-closed warning on the back and heavy-duty bumper...

And finally... the action: the guys picking up litter, accompanied by vehicle 5.

So the picking up of roadside litter by a couple of people seems to require five vehicles and five drivers.

Might there just be a slightly more cost-effective way of enabling a two-person litter pick?

I have one suggestion – which is not facetious, but I am sure would stand no chance at all of being taken up: conduct the operation entirely on the verge, with two people picking up litter and another using a quad bike and trailer to take it away.

Country Rhodes

Here's a holiday snap from a week spent on Rhodes.

The day we got to our luxury coastal hotel (Atrium Palace at Kalathos - very nice: lots of pools, lots of marble) it had a perfectly tidy sign at the entrance. The following evening, out for a look around, we discovered it had been modified in the manner shown above.

Greeks always seem to have been very enthusiastic drivers.

For the benefit of anyone thinking of going to Rhodes, here is my considered opinion:

Overall, there are more attractive Greek islands. However... in terms of history it's fantastic. On what other island would you be able to see something like the acropolis at Lindos and the medieval fortified town of Rhodes itself?

As a footnote, 36 hours or so after getting back, I am still wondering: the idea of a holiday as something from which you return refreshed... where did that come from?

Presumably it pre-dates air travel, and certainly charter flights that get in at three or four in the morning.

As a second footnote: if you have been to Greece before, but not for a few years, forget the idea of Greece as a cheap holiday destination when it comes to food, drink and all the rest. It isn't any more.