Remembering the sky-high achievements of Eric ‘Winkle’ Brown
February 23rd, 2016 by Roger Darlington
One of my many interests is aviation which is why on my web site I have a section on aviation and a section on aviation films.
So I was saddened to hear of the recent death, aged 97, of the legendary – but not so widely known – Eric Brown, a British test pilot known as ‘Winkle’.
This obituary concludes with an explanation of his nickname and a reminder of how the attribute which led to it actually saved his life:
He was 5ft 7in – short for a pilot – which earned him his nickname and helped save his life when in 1949 he was flying the De Havilland 108, which he called “a killer”. This was the plane in which the test pilot Geoffrey de Havilland had died three years earlier when, at Mach 0.88; the plane slipped out of control. Propelled upwards, De Havilland had broken his neck on the canopy. “He was a big man. I was short,” wrote Brown. “… This was the moment of truth.”
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Back from Kenya to find Britain divided by Europe
February 23rd, 2016 by Roger Darlington
At 5 am this morning, I landed at London’s Heathrow Airport after a near nine hour overnight flight from Nairobi. It was wonderful to spend almost a week with my son Richard, his wife Emily, and their daughter Catrin (now just five). It was Catrin’s half term and we able to spend a lot of time together which we both enjoyed enormously.
Back at home, I find a nation in turmoil – OK, a Conservative Party in crisis – over the issue of Britain’s continued membership of the European Union which is to be the subject of a referendum on 23 June. We are going to have four months of this!
As I recall, it was a Conservative Government – led by Ted Heath – that took the UK into what was then called the European Economic Community (EEC) on 1 January 1973. Again, as I recall, it was a Labour Government – led by Harold Wilson – that renegotiated the terms of membership and held an in/old referendum on 5 June 1975 (at the time I was a Special Adviser working for the Home Secretary in that Government).
At some point in the 1980s, the roles of the political parties reversed with the Conservatives going on and on and on about Europe and Labour accepting that membership is best for Britain. In 1975, I voted for the UK to remain a member; in 2016, I shall do the same (note to Boris Johnson – it’s called consistency of political principle).
If you would like to know more about how the European Union works, I’ve produced a short guide which you can access here.
Posted in British current affairs, World current affairs | Comments (1)
Chilling in hot Nairobi
February 21st, 2016 by Roger Darlington
Sunday was my last full day in Nairobi (I fly home Monday night). Even on weekends, at home in London, I always have a busy programme as I like to be active, productive, and sociable. But Sunday here in Nairobi was as chilled out – allowing for the strong sun – as could be.
On Sundays, my son Rich sometimes takes his daughter Catrin to a local hotel where there is a large swimming pool. Indeed, on our visit to Nairobi in October, Vee and I stayed at this hotel and joined Rich & Catrin for a morning swimming session.
This time, we really took advantage of the opportunity and spent five hours swimming and sunbathing. One can always purchase cold drinks and this weekend there was a delicious buffet. So I really chilled out and should return home looking a little less pale than most Londoners.
Catrin continues to be an absolute delight. She has taken to joining me in bed in the middle of the night and I put her to bed each evening so we are really spending lots of hours together building up lots of fun memories (shades of “Inside Out”) before I have to leave and return to the limitations of Skyping.
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More fun and games in Nairobi
February 20th, 2016 by Roger Darlington
I’m having some real quality time in Nairobi spending many hours each day with my five year old granddaughter Catrin. Today her parents took their dogs for a walk in a forest and then went for a couples session at a spa, while I looked after the little one.
Most of our time was spent at an amusement park next to the Muthaiga Shopping Mall. Catrin & I were here for an afternoon on my last visit to Nairobi in October, but this time she went on even more rides (including quad bikes) and bouncy castles and other endeavours (we bought an inclusive ticket) and, now four months older, Catrin went higher or faster or whatever on each experience as she has grown in height, strength and confidence. Particularly impressive was her ability to reach the very top of a really tall climbing wall.
She insisted that I join her on one ride which looked innocent enough, a roundabout with suspended chairs. But it went so fast and the chairs flew out so high and at such an angle that I was genuinely disorientated and dizzy. Granddad must be getting old.
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Lions go for a walk in suburbs of Nairobi
February 20th, 2016 by Roger Darlington
Well, if Wednesday in Nairobi was about cheerful chipmunks and a cheeky monkey, Thursday was about escaped lions and the world of mammals.
Nairobi National Park is the only national park in a capital city anywhere in the world and Vee and I visited it on our trip to the country in October. On Thursday, this city went on alert after several lions escaped from the park overnight and strayed into the suburbs. One lioness and her two cubs were recaptured, and two other animals are believed to have gone back into the park on their own accord. But it is not clear whether more lions remain on the loose. I have been hearing some funny noises outside my bedroom window early in the morning – a screaming cockerel, a raucous dawn chorus, and now ….
Meanwhile Catrin & I went to the Nairobi National Museum. Vee and I visited this place on our October trip but my granddaughter had not been before. I wondered how much a five year old would like it but we managed to spend three and half hours there.
The exhibits include a hall of the mammals with lots of full-size models, a hall explaining how humans evolved from apes, a massive collection of stuffed birds, and a snake park with venomous members and alligators and crocodiles. There is also a tropical park. In addition to all this, we had two visits to the museum cafe and three visits to the museum shop, where Catrin entertained foreign tourists and befriended the shop assistant, as well as persuading granddad to buy her another present.
Before and after the museum, our time was influenced by “Inside Out”, the animation movie we saw together in London before she moved to Kenya. Catrin – with some help from her mum – constructed a 100-piece jigsaw of the film’s characters that I brought over for her and we read the novelisation of the movie that was another present in my luggage.
It all makes a change from my usual activity on the regulation of utility sectors …
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Cheerful chipmunks and a cheeky monkey in Nairobi
February 18th, 2016 by Roger Darlington
Here in Nairobi, it was 30C again today. But at least the day started a bit later with my granddaughter Catrin not waking me up until 6.45 am.
Catrin & I spent the afternoon at Westgate Shopping Mall. On 21 September 2013, the Islamist terrorist group al-Shabaab attacked the mall and 67 people were killed in the assault. But it has reopened now and it is a bright, clean, and hopefully safe location.
The highlight of our visit was seeing a movie: “Alvin And The Chipmumks: The Road Chip” – something of a contrast to my last visit to the cinema which was to see “The Revenant”. Catrin loved the film which has lots of humour and dance music. As the final credits rolled and the music continued, she went to the front of the cinema to do a dance routine and the cleaners who came along were so amused that they flashed their lights around her to create a disco atmosphere.
My son Rich and his wife Emily do not have many opportunities to go out alone, so I was pleased to be able to baby sit – sorry Catrin, child mind- while they went out for dinner in a restaurant. Before leaving, Emily asked Catrin: ” Is it OK if granddad looks after you this evening?” She responded simply: “Super OK”.
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Some tough rules here in sunny Nairobi
February 17th, 2016 by Roger Darlington
So I left London on a morning when the temperature was – 1C and here in Nairobi, visiting my son and his family, it is around + 31C. That’s not all that’s different – here there is my granddaughter Catrin now aged just five.
She was so excited to see me again that she woke me up at 5.30 am. We had to go downstairs and chat and play games. By mid afternoon, I could barely stay awake, but we were playing more games and Catrin was confusing me by changing the rules. So, in a game of Snakes & Ladders, she insisted that you went up snakes and down ladders.
When I protested, she insisted: “This is my game. So I’m in charge and I make the rules. The rules are ‘No falling asleep. No going to bed.’ ”
But, in the end, I just had to grab an hour’s sleep on the bed to remain functional. Catrin keep going though. After dinner, I gave her a bath and washed her hair before reading her three stories and laying down with her until she was asleep. Where does that girl get her energy?!? As for me … zzzzzz
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Back to Nairobi to see my son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter
February 16th, 2016 by Roger Darlington
Six months ago, my son Richard, his wife Emily and their daughter Catrin relocated to Nairobi as a result of his work. Two months later, on the occasion of Catrin’s half-term, Vee and I visited the family and I wrote up an account of the trip here.
Four months on, Catrin now has another half-term, so this week I am returning to Nairobi, this time alone. Catrin is now five and, while we talk on Skype, I am really looking forward to seeing her again. I think she’s looking forward to the presents I’m taking …
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My film reviews of (most of) the BAFTA winners
February 15th, 2016 by Roger Darlington
It was a really good Valentine’s Day evening yesterday. Vee and I – celebrating our 34th such day together – went out for an enjoyable Italian meal at a local restaurant.
Then we returned home to watch a two-hour broadcast of the BAFTA film awards. Stephen Fry was terrific as the compere, Rebel Wilson was hilarious in her cameo, and (largely) the awards went to a diverse and well-deserving range of talent.
“The Revenant” garnered Best Film, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Cinematography and Best Sound – see my review here.
“Max Max: Fury Road” took Best Costume Design, Best Make-up & Hair, Best Production Design and Best Editing – see my review here.
“Spotlight” won Best Original Screenplay -= see my review here.
“The Big Short” won Best Adapted Screenplay – see my review here.
“Bridge Of Spies” won Best Supporting Actor – my review here.
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” took Best Visual Effects – see my review here.
“Inside Out” won Best Animation – see my review here.
“Amy” took Best Documentary – see my review here.
“Brooklyn” was Outstanding British Film -see my review here.
Now I need to see “Room” which won Best Actress and “Steve Jobs” which took Best Supporting Actress.
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Poor Christchurch hit by another earthquake
February 14th, 2016 by Roger Darlington
Three years ago, Vee and I visited Australia and New Zealand and had some time in Christchurch. My account of the trip noted of the city:
“Christchurch has been utterly changed, and will experience still more change, as a result of the devastating earthquake of 22 February 2011 which killed 185 people and severely damaged the business centre and the east of the city. We had a short coach tour of the city and our tour director Mark, who grew up in the city, spelt out the extent of the destruction and the challenges of reconstruction. We had a stop of of about 40 minutes next to the Canterbury Museum and Roger & Vee took the opportunity to walk down to Cathedral Square, which is shielded off by railings, so that we could see Christchurch Cathedral which suffered such terrible damage that it may need to be completely replaced.”
Some American friends of ours are currently in New Zealand on holiday and a week or so ago they were in Christchurch. In one of their regular reports, they commented:
“On Saturday, Angela (our innkeeper) drove us to Christchurch’s famed Botanical Gardens and from there we walked to Cathedral Square to meet a “free” walking tour led by a young man who worked for tips. The two-hour walk was interesting and focused on the areas most hit by the devastating earthquake on February 2011 which was just about everywhere. One hundred and eighty-five people died, but thousands more were severely injured and traumatized.
Christchurch was considered New Zealand’s most “English” city and nearly all of the old buildings with their unique architecture is lost. Five years later, Christchurch is still in rebuild mode. Construction activity is accelerating but the process is slow for lack of skilled workers, materials, etc. To fill the need for quick housing and temporary buildings, the government turned to shipping containers. Now, Christchurch, once known as the “Garden City”, is the “Shipping Container” city. An entire shopping area for example, called “Re-Start” has been created out of shipping containers.”
Now we have the report that a further earthquake has struck Christchurch today, but fortunately it appears that nobody was killed or injured.
Posted in World current affairs | Comments (0)