The standard of lavatorial humour was of a very high or extremely low standard depending on your point of view. We needed all of our reserves of humour as we reached 15,320' ( for the mathmatically minded thats Nelson's Column x 102 but without the pigeons) -where the peak reached skyward in front of us. At the hut we were regaled with cheery tales of headaches which most of us had already got, nose bleeds & vomiting. Arriving at Kibo hut at 3pm we had a further 10 hours to wait before the ascent.
Careful preparation was made as we organised the many layers of clothing that would be required for the climb. One by one we gave the others a laugh by modelling our thermal underwear, gloves, socks, & balaclavas; luxuries which for the most part the guides did not have. The instructions therefore were to go slowly but not so slowly that the guides froze!
The mountain ahead may have scared us, but the toilets reduced iron men to tears, climbers swallowing copious quantities of anti-diarrhoea medication in order to cause constipation as rapidly as possible! The stench was unbelievable.
Simon & Gareth Jones packed six oranges in preparation to set a record as the highest juggling twins. Jon Jones, no relation, purchased the last two beers in case he was thirsty at the top. Donna meanwhile hoped and prayed that extremely high altitude would finally be a cure for flatulence. Jim, the Manchester Police Inspector was the most confident but then he had done it before. Before?? Why would anyone do it twice - what sort of people did Her Majesty's Constabulary recruit?
Nothing could have prepared us for the misery that lay ahead. A period of acclimatization would have helped reduce the effects of altitude, the head aches, the nausea, the vomiting but nothing could prepare you for the hours of pain zig-zagging up the scree angled 60 degrees into the darkness. Even one of the guides was sick.
They claim that the 01.00 hrs start is because the scree is frozen - nonsense, the climb takes place in the dark because no one would tackle it it in daylight. We all made it to the top & it was one of the most wretched experiences of my life. As Cheryl Cole described it recently "horrible, horrible, horrible" - you get the picture. Now, the view was nice - but heh if you want to see the sun rise above the clouds - look out of an aeroplane. Even the descent was dreadful, seven hours of pain had numbed the muscles to such an extent that it was difficult to enjoy the scree-sliding, especially knowing that a ten mile walk back to Horumbo awaited us at the bottom of the peak. Those ten miles seemed endless even though mostly downhill, the sun beat down and there seemed many more boulders underfoot than before.
We stumbled into Horumbo huts absolutely exhausted, the congratulations of those that we passed did little to ease the pain. Exhaustion and altitude had completely taken away our appetites, we stared dead eyed across the table wondering why we didnt feel more elated. One beer and off to bed at 6.30pm for more synchronised snoring and farting.
Day five was dawning as we pulled our stiffened limbs out of our sleeping bags. The stunning views and fine breakfast (by this time we had come to regard weevils as nutricous) did little to diminish the horror of the 20 mile walk back to the gates of the National Park. The sun seemed hotter, the boulders underfoot more painful but at least it was all downhill to where cold beers & hot baths were waiting. Would there be enough Ajax left?
Close to tears the cold beers were wonderful as Jon & I came to the conclusion that there must be easier ways to raise money for charity.
Feel free to admire the guts and determination of those who reach the top of Kilimanjaro, but remember that anyone who does it of their own free will is probably insane. Jim did it twice.
In summary you trek for 3 days in ever thinner air in order to be in position to get up at 1.00am to spend 8,9 or 10 hours of misery. When completed you walk back 30 miles - insane seems an understatement! However, there are people who run up & down in a day - luckily I don't know anyone like that. Imagine!
Having finished my notes (yes this is nearly at an end) I joined the others as Winifred, our main guide, made piles of clothing for his guides & porters. Pleased as they were with our Lifestyle, BA & Coke T shirts and warm socks , it was the Coca Cola baseball caps that were most in demand. What they really needed was sweaters and decent footwear, once again we wished we had known in advance.
Exhausted, but clean after luxuriating in what now seemed to be the unashamed luxury of the Kibo Hotel we were all very emotional as our porters sang the Kilimanjaro song. We sang them most of American Pie as our method of dealing with the boredom of the long final climb had been to try & remember all the verses. We drank our beer very cold they drank theirs very warm, we passed around our Sportsman cigarettes as the sun went down.
If like me you find yourself committed to a foolish mission try and find companions as good as Peter Blakemore, Donna Brackenbridge (now Jones), Simon & Gareth Jones, Jim Landsborough, Alan Ditchfield and yes even JJ - Jon Jones.
The pain was on Kilimanjaro - the joy was on September 24th 1992 when over 70 terminally ill kids took off for Florida. Between us we raised over £70,000 but thats long spent but Destination Florida are still hard at work.
http://www.destinationflorida.org.uk/
Shiv - if you got this far .................. good luck xx
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
Thursday, 1 October 2009
Kilimanjaro - part two -Local Colour & Calabash
After lunch a couple of us struck out for the local village to check out the night spots for later. "Jambo" " Jambo" "Jambo" everyone that we passed called out this cheerful greeting as we began to appreciate the poverty that surrounded us. The contrast between our designer trainers and their assorted shoddy footwear, mostly flip flops with paper thin soles was no more marked than the contrast between the smartly dressed children at the village school and the vast majority of cherubic children too poor to attend.(Australians please note flip flops is the quaint pommie expression f0r thongs)
Sitting in a local's hut with its dirt floor and the walls papered in pages of Time magazine from 1979 our own preoccupation with bigger and better houses seemed very shallow. Still with the amount he charged us for the Calabash of banana beer he will soon be in a position to improve his condition!! (The calabash tree produces large spherical fruits, up to 50 cm (20 inches) in diameter, the hard shells of which are useful as bowls, cups, and other water containers when hollowed out.)
Later that night, in fact for most of that night the banana beer reaped its revenge again and again and again - no wonder the locals all looked so thin.
BA or British Airways as it was probably called then is amongst the finest training organisations in the world and it showed in the preparation taken by Donna, Alan & Gareth. My problem of the night before was solved instantly with a tablet followed by a vitamin replacement programme. Later in the day JJ was also to benefit as his bleeding leg was delicately treated with antiseptic wipes, he had been trying to catch a monkey. Don't ask or tell David Attenborough!
Apart from Jon's wildlife adventure, day one was a pleasant start to our trip as we climbed up to 9000 feet. (nb for 'climb' think gentle stroll upwards) The children that we passed wanted pens, sweets, chocolate, pennies but if none of these were available a watch or camera would do. If ever you go to Tanzania take a couple of gross of biros - we wished we had. The kids had to settle for Lucozade Sport Glucose tablets, no doubt causing their parents some concern unable to explain their suddenly hype-active offspring!
By 9000 feet the price of beers and Coca Cola had trebled and we could hardly wait to see how much they would be at 15000.
Occasionally, we would pass actors from horror movies like "The Undead" , " Tales from the Crypt" and "Days of the Living Dead". Tanzania's film industry had clearly been hiding its light under a bushel for far to long. Later we were to learn first hand that these were not actors but climbers who had made it to the top. "I no longer feel like a human being, I have no body" explained a Swedish woman. At this stage the beach in Mombasa sounded like a much more attractive alternative.
Whilst having dinner Arnold Schwarzenegger's twin crawled past on his knees - the sight of his wrecked body had JJ and I sprinting back down the hill, Mombasa bound. The BA crew leapt into action, captured we were huddled into our cell measuring 8' x 8' with guards stationed on the two spare bunks.
Day Two had been a pleasant prospect after a couple of beers but this feeling of well being had completely dissipated by breakfast, when we started to climb up through thick rain forest, fifty foot trees covered in moss. It was a long, long day. Six and a half hours may not seem that long, but trekking from 9000' to 12000' under a blazing sun that made short work of Factor 25 and even Alan's baby sun block makes it a very long day. The lack of sleep did not help but the continual sucking of our Glucoze tablets kept us going as we tried not to think what they were doing to our teeth.
Apart from the rain forest and ridges and ravines covered with heather and rocks and a brief terrifying glimpse of the peak the scenery was rather uninspiring and wildlife consisted of a few lizards and brightly coloured birds - not a Giraffe to be seen. Certainly no herds of Wildebeast.
Horumbo huts were a welcome sight and we almost broke into a run only to find accomodation that made the previous nights seem quite sumptuous. Eight of us crammed into the hut, simultaneously removing our boots, the local striped back mice made a hasty exit! It may have been the altitude, it might have been the diet including the delightful millet porridge - whatever - its affects were such that the mice did not return and Donna vowed never to share a confined space with seven men.
How many get to the top, can Donna stand the smell - this and more will be revealed in part three...............................
Sitting in a local's hut with its dirt floor and the walls papered in pages of Time magazine from 1979 our own preoccupation with bigger and better houses seemed very shallow. Still with the amount he charged us for the Calabash of banana beer he will soon be in a position to improve his condition!! (The calabash tree produces large spherical fruits, up to 50 cm (20 inches) in diameter, the hard shells of which are useful as bowls, cups, and other water containers when hollowed out.)
Later that night, in fact for most of that night the banana beer reaped its revenge again and again and again - no wonder the locals all looked so thin.
BA or British Airways as it was probably called then is amongst the finest training organisations in the world and it showed in the preparation taken by Donna, Alan & Gareth. My problem of the night before was solved instantly with a tablet followed by a vitamin replacement programme. Later in the day JJ was also to benefit as his bleeding leg was delicately treated with antiseptic wipes, he had been trying to catch a monkey. Don't ask or tell David Attenborough!
Apart from Jon's wildlife adventure, day one was a pleasant start to our trip as we climbed up to 9000 feet. (nb for 'climb' think gentle stroll upwards) The children that we passed wanted pens, sweets, chocolate, pennies but if none of these were available a watch or camera would do. If ever you go to Tanzania take a couple of gross of biros - we wished we had. The kids had to settle for Lucozade Sport Glucose tablets, no doubt causing their parents some concern unable to explain their suddenly hype-active offspring!
By 9000 feet the price of beers and Coca Cola had trebled and we could hardly wait to see how much they would be at 15000.
Occasionally, we would pass actors from horror movies like "The Undead" , " Tales from the Crypt" and "Days of the Living Dead". Tanzania's film industry had clearly been hiding its light under a bushel for far to long. Later we were to learn first hand that these were not actors but climbers who had made it to the top. "I no longer feel like a human being, I have no body" explained a Swedish woman. At this stage the beach in Mombasa sounded like a much more attractive alternative.
Whilst having dinner Arnold Schwarzenegger's twin crawled past on his knees - the sight of his wrecked body had JJ and I sprinting back down the hill, Mombasa bound. The BA crew leapt into action, captured we were huddled into our cell measuring 8' x 8' with guards stationed on the two spare bunks.
Day Two had been a pleasant prospect after a couple of beers but this feeling of well being had completely dissipated by breakfast, when we started to climb up through thick rain forest, fifty foot trees covered in moss. It was a long, long day. Six and a half hours may not seem that long, but trekking from 9000' to 12000' under a blazing sun that made short work of Factor 25 and even Alan's baby sun block makes it a very long day. The lack of sleep did not help but the continual sucking of our Glucoze tablets kept us going as we tried not to think what they were doing to our teeth.
Apart from the rain forest and ridges and ravines covered with heather and rocks and a brief terrifying glimpse of the peak the scenery was rather uninspiring and wildlife consisted of a few lizards and brightly coloured birds - not a Giraffe to be seen. Certainly no herds of Wildebeast.
Horumbo huts were a welcome sight and we almost broke into a run only to find accomodation that made the previous nights seem quite sumptuous. Eight of us crammed into the hut, simultaneously removing our boots, the local striped back mice made a hasty exit! It may have been the altitude, it might have been the diet including the delightful millet porridge - whatever - its affects were such that the mice did not return and Donna vowed never to share a confined space with seven men.
How many get to the top, can Donna stand the smell - this and more will be revealed in part three...............................
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
Kilimanjaro - not a bottle of champagne in sight!
I was not always a Grumpy Old Grocer back in the day I was a reckless, devil may care type of grocer and thats how trouble starts............................... now sit back as I take you to a land far away - so far that Majestic is a word that describes mountains and Guiness is drunk warm.
Apart from the Air Tanzania bakewell tart, things were were going far to well. We had all rendezvoused (can that possibly be correct?) on time even JJ.. The traffic flowed on the M25 - well it was a long time ago, our free seats on Air Tanzania were available and the flight took off safely and on time.
The lack of problems added to that awful sense of foreboding that had been with me since that fatefull day in June when I agreed to this foolhardy adventure. "It seemed a good idea at the time" has been one of my most frequently used phrases. It did not apply in this case, it had never seemed a good idea, not even through a mist of cheap Portuguese wine.
At least in those early heady days there was the prospect of boarding the plane as a non smoking, slim, finely honed athlete. As it was I stubbed out my Marlborough, finished my third pint of Harp lager (note the product placement all you PR types) and urged my portly frame to ignore the passenger travelator as my only concession to last minute training.
I knew I was in trouble when the others, except JJ to whom training consisted of drinking high alcohol beers & smoking Camel lights,took me up Snowdon. Jim,Simon,Gareth & Alan, all marathon runners & Donna a very, very fit looking blonde (not sexist purely factual) were a frightening sight as Peter Blakemore & I emerged from my car on a freezing cold September morning. They & Peter did this sort of thing for fun, they had all done it before. Why? This was dafter than golf! What sort of weirdos had I become involved with?
Snowdon was not my cup of tea - that is what is known as understatement, it was only by concentrating on Donna's perfectly formed derriere that I was able to tackle it. They all enjoyed it, but then they don't have my intense fear of heights. 3000 feet was positively life threatening. I was not reassured to learn that Kilimanjaro was over six times as high.
Still if I could finish my Bakewell tart - a mere mountain should be no problem.
"You British are charging Tanzanians £18 to enter your country so we must too" a line that must have worked on many unsuspecting Brits. Indeed even as we were threatening to ring the Tanzanian High Commission, Air Tanzania, British Airways & Mary Whitehouse (it was a long time ago - Google it!) an Indian man on a British passport was handing over the last of his sterling. Our fellow climbers worked at Manchester Airport & were able to repudiate this official's claims however he was too well prepared even for them "Manchester is not in England"
With some help from Air Tanzania we were able to escape the aiport without paying but were pleased that we would be flying back from Nairobi.
By comparison negotiating the transport to our hotel was no problem taking no more than one hour to agree a price followed by 30 minutes to change some travellers cheques. The wad of notes gave us some idea what life must have been like in the Wiemar Republic when you needed a wheelbarrow full of money to buy a loaf of bread. (An idea subsequently adopted by Robert Mugabe!)
Planning permission for Kilimanjaro International Airport was probably not a problem being situated in the middle of nowhere. They had certainly made plenty of provision for pilot error as it was a considerable distance fron Mt Kilimanjaro. Africa's highest mountain rises majestically (see-I told you) from the plains of Africa piercing the clouds with its snow capped peaks. This was not however the first thought of those amongst us that did not regard marathon running & mountain climbing as normal pastimes for the sane!
Once the fear subsided, we were able to adjust to the fact that we were actually in Africa, the safari bus bumped its way along finding every pot hole with uncanny accuracy, we passed numerous Tanzanians waiting by the roadside for nothing in particular. Men & women carried everything on their heads, items of every shape & size. Later we found that our state of the art, ergonomically designed back packs would receive the same treatment. So much for the design centre!
Despite charging like a wounded steer the hotel was devoid of some of the more obvios creature comforts. The specially packed packed complimentary toilet requisites consisted of half a bar of soap & a carton of Ajax scourer.(Under 50's - Google it)
Find out what happens next..............when I get round to finishing this tale of daring in years gone by
Apart from the Air Tanzania bakewell tart, things were were going far to well. We had all rendezvoused (can that possibly be correct?) on time even JJ.. The traffic flowed on the M25 - well it was a long time ago, our free seats on Air Tanzania were available and the flight took off safely and on time.
The lack of problems added to that awful sense of foreboding that had been with me since that fatefull day in June when I agreed to this foolhardy adventure. "It seemed a good idea at the time" has been one of my most frequently used phrases. It did not apply in this case, it had never seemed a good idea, not even through a mist of cheap Portuguese wine.
At least in those early heady days there was the prospect of boarding the plane as a non smoking, slim, finely honed athlete. As it was I stubbed out my Marlborough, finished my third pint of Harp lager (note the product placement all you PR types) and urged my portly frame to ignore the passenger travelator as my only concession to last minute training.
I knew I was in trouble when the others, except JJ to whom training consisted of drinking high alcohol beers & smoking Camel lights,took me up Snowdon. Jim,Simon,Gareth & Alan, all marathon runners & Donna a very, very fit looking blonde (not sexist purely factual) were a frightening sight as Peter Blakemore & I emerged from my car on a freezing cold September morning. They & Peter did this sort of thing for fun, they had all done it before. Why? This was dafter than golf! What sort of weirdos had I become involved with?
Snowdon was not my cup of tea - that is what is known as understatement, it was only by concentrating on Donna's perfectly formed derriere that I was able to tackle it. They all enjoyed it, but then they don't have my intense fear of heights. 3000 feet was positively life threatening. I was not reassured to learn that Kilimanjaro was over six times as high.
Still if I could finish my Bakewell tart - a mere mountain should be no problem.
"You British are charging Tanzanians £18 to enter your country so we must too" a line that must have worked on many unsuspecting Brits. Indeed even as we were threatening to ring the Tanzanian High Commission, Air Tanzania, British Airways & Mary Whitehouse (it was a long time ago - Google it!) an Indian man on a British passport was handing over the last of his sterling. Our fellow climbers worked at Manchester Airport & were able to repudiate this official's claims however he was too well prepared even for them "Manchester is not in England"
With some help from Air Tanzania we were able to escape the aiport without paying but were pleased that we would be flying back from Nairobi.
By comparison negotiating the transport to our hotel was no problem taking no more than one hour to agree a price followed by 30 minutes to change some travellers cheques. The wad of notes gave us some idea what life must have been like in the Wiemar Republic when you needed a wheelbarrow full of money to buy a loaf of bread. (An idea subsequently adopted by Robert Mugabe!)
Planning permission for Kilimanjaro International Airport was probably not a problem being situated in the middle of nowhere. They had certainly made plenty of provision for pilot error as it was a considerable distance fron Mt Kilimanjaro. Africa's highest mountain rises majestically (see-I told you) from the plains of Africa piercing the clouds with its snow capped peaks. This was not however the first thought of those amongst us that did not regard marathon running & mountain climbing as normal pastimes for the sane!
Once the fear subsided, we were able to adjust to the fact that we were actually in Africa, the safari bus bumped its way along finding every pot hole with uncanny accuracy, we passed numerous Tanzanians waiting by the roadside for nothing in particular. Men & women carried everything on their heads, items of every shape & size. Later we found that our state of the art, ergonomically designed back packs would receive the same treatment. So much for the design centre!
Despite charging like a wounded steer the hotel was devoid of some of the more obvios creature comforts. The specially packed packed complimentary toilet requisites consisted of half a bar of soap & a carton of Ajax scourer.(Under 50's - Google it)
Find out what happens next..............when I get round to finishing this tale of daring in years gone by
Thursday, 24 September 2009
Every little helps - at last a deal worth taking
Whilst Sainsburys rave on about their Charlie La Feet Champagne - allegedly half price, they also feature G H Martell a Champagne that they have actually stocked in a lot of their shops for quite some time - they may even have sold some at £29.99 - their current asking price altho last week it was £10 off. I certainly know buyers of this tipple at £16 - £19. The full blurb on GH Martell at the end.
But here's the deal Tesco also have it at................. wait for it................. yes HALF PRICE ! In store its £13.40 ( Will JS have to fire their Champagne buyer or merely part the Martell Rep from his reproductive gear?? ) Now before you rush off to get those double club card points - its only £12.80 at Tesco Wine By the Case.
Free delivery on orders over £99, so 6 bottles of Champagne = £76.80 + 6 bottles of NZ Sauvignon Blanc(lots to choose from around £4.75 - £5.50) Total bill around £106 Delivered + Club Card Points + whatever credit card points scheme. Nice
Even better those nice folks at Tesco have missed me being around so they sent me a £15 coupon. Well every little helps........................
G H Martell Information ( eat your heart out Charlie! )
This is an elegant, crisp, full flavoured Champagne, rich in fruit with lively bubbles.
A classic champagne with a sophisticated and elegant palate.
G. H. Martel, established in 1869 remains a family run company. It is the 7th largest Champagne house producing 8 million bottles per year. In the north east of France, the Champagne region is one of cool temperature, which produces high levels of acidity in the resulting grapes which is ideal for making sparkling wine. The perfect balance of fruit and structure is attained by blending across vintages from Grand and Premier Cru vineyards, with secondary fermentation in bottle to make the wine 'bubbly'. Three years of bottle ageing enables flavours to fully integrate.
Source:Sainsbury web site
But here's the deal Tesco also have it at................. wait for it................. yes HALF PRICE ! In store its £13.40 ( Will JS have to fire their Champagne buyer or merely part the Martell Rep from his reproductive gear?? ) Now before you rush off to get those double club card points - its only £12.80 at Tesco Wine By the Case.
Free delivery on orders over £99, so 6 bottles of Champagne = £76.80 + 6 bottles of NZ Sauvignon Blanc(lots to choose from around £4.75 - £5.50) Total bill around £106 Delivered + Club Card Points + whatever credit card points scheme. Nice
Even better those nice folks at Tesco have missed me being around so they sent me a £15 coupon. Well every little helps........................
G H Martell Information ( eat your heart out Charlie! )
This is an elegant, crisp, full flavoured Champagne, rich in fruit with lively bubbles.
A classic champagne with a sophisticated and elegant palate.
G. H. Martel, established in 1869 remains a family run company. It is the 7th largest Champagne house producing 8 million bottles per year. In the north east of France, the Champagne region is one of cool temperature, which produces high levels of acidity in the resulting grapes which is ideal for making sparkling wine. The perfect balance of fruit and structure is attained by blending across vintages from Grand and Premier Cru vineyards, with secondary fermentation in bottle to make the wine 'bubbly'. Three years of bottle ageing enables flavours to fully integrate.
Source:Sainsbury web site
Monday, 7 September 2009
Just as I predicted ....................... so no surprise then
On August 15th I predicted that it wouldn't be long before we saw an 'unbelievable offer ' on Charles Lafitte obviously a real label as an English person wouldn't call it La Feet - would they - although as i remember it I did say I smell an offer coming!
Well imagine my joy when I walked into a Sainsbury's store today to find -yes,unbelievable but true - Sainsburys can now offer this product at half price. Truly amazing.But spare a thought for the poor punters that actually paid £28 a bottle, well ok spare a thought for the one punter, no ok spare a thought for the consumers who fleetingly thought about buying a bottle .
Needless to say there were plenty of other silly claims & maybe one day we can get Trading Standards start to take an interest?
One nice deal - a genuine one is the Concha y Toro Cab Sav 2007 at £4.65 which does normally sell ( thats "sell" in the sense that people buy it!) at £6.97. Not a bad drop & probably better than their "half price" Shiraz.
Well imagine my joy when I walked into a Sainsbury's store today to find -yes,unbelievable but true - Sainsburys can now offer this product at half price. Truly amazing.But spare a thought for the poor punters that actually paid £28 a bottle, well ok spare a thought for the one punter, no ok spare a thought for the consumers who fleetingly thought about buying a bottle .
Needless to say there were plenty of other silly claims & maybe one day we can get Trading Standards start to take an interest?
One nice deal - a genuine one is the Concha y Toro Cab Sav 2007 at £4.65 which does normally sell ( thats "sell" in the sense that people buy it!) at £6.97. Not a bad drop & probably better than their "half price" Shiraz.
Monday, 31 August 2009
Another "pop" at Sainsburys - and why not!
Well i may have smelt an offer but Charlie Lafitte (sounds like an East End boxer) is still lurking at £27.99 ready for his big day - but for now its that well known Etienne Dumont down from £27.99 to £17.99 to £13.99 wow - how low can they go?
Well in my opinion pretty low!
£27.99 would be £1 more than Lanson Black Label which has been around since 1760 (insert your own 24hr clock joke for good old (did i say old?) Etienne.
Also £1 more than Mumm Cordon Rouge the red ribbon a sign of quality for 120 years and myfinal comparison ........... at £27.99 it would be £9 more than Sainsburys Taste the Difference VINTAGE 2003 Champagne.
But wait maybe I am being unfair and Etienne Dumont has a heritage, lets check out the label.
Well no it doesn't ! However the French label tells us ( warns maybe ) that in addition to the Pinot Noir grape it uses Pinot Meunie "variete plus rustique" somehow that translates as " perfect for all occassions - ready to drink or keep........."
Remember the First Cape full price £7.99 well its no longer on offer and so its gone back to its full price .....................£6.99 !! So you see we have pre sale normal & post sale normal but there will probably have to be a price increase before long so they can make it half price again. Lovely.
Say something nice about their offers. OK 2 cases beer for £15 either Stella 18x284ml or Budweisser 15x300ml. Fantastic but you wont win the Bud competition - it closed 24th August.
Beer is crazy cheap- hope they paid the duty.................
Well in my opinion pretty low!
£27.99 would be £1 more than Lanson Black Label which has been around since 1760 (insert your own 24hr clock joke for good old (did i say old?) Etienne.
Also £1 more than Mumm Cordon Rouge the red ribbon a sign of quality for 120 years and myfinal comparison ........... at £27.99 it would be £9 more than Sainsburys Taste the Difference VINTAGE 2003 Champagne.
But wait maybe I am being unfair and Etienne Dumont has a heritage, lets check out the label.
Well no it doesn't ! However the French label tells us ( warns maybe ) that in addition to the Pinot Noir grape it uses Pinot Meunie "variete plus rustique" somehow that translates as " perfect for all occassions - ready to drink or keep........."
Remember the First Cape full price £7.99 well its no longer on offer and so its gone back to its full price .....................£6.99 !! So you see we have pre sale normal & post sale normal but there will probably have to be a price increase before long so they can make it half price again. Lovely.
Say something nice about their offers. OK 2 cases beer for £15 either Stella 18x284ml or Budweisser 15x300ml. Fantastic but you wont win the Bud competition - it closed 24th August.
Beer is crazy cheap- hope they paid the duty.................
Friday, 21 August 2009
The full "I smell an offer" posting
Happy hambone was right
Well my friend the Happy Hambone(must learn how to say that in Italian) - & when I say friend I mean the old fashioned sort - he's not even on Facebook! Anyway he was in Sainsburys & his eyes were drawn to a "Half Price" offer on Sauvignon Blanc @£5.99 & just as he was thinking wow, golly gosh what an opportunity he paused, contemplated and muttered "bastardi di menzogne" This , I suspect, is not a compliment.
If Roc St Vincent were really half price then it would mean that normally it would sell ( sorry be offered for sale) at £11.98 or as they claim £11.99.Further investigation reveals a Calvet " Limited Release" Sauvignon Blanc also French, also 2008 but on offer at £5 with a normal price of £5.79 and then whats this?........................................... Sainsburys flagship label " Taste the Difference" the brand where they put their considerable reputation behind & one you can count on for quality. Taste the Difference Sancerre full price £11.99 - the same price as Roc St Vincent. Really? Makes you wonder.
Well I went to check it out & sadly there is much more nonsense in the wine department make believe pricing land. First Cape South African Chenin Blanc claimed full price £7.99 & yet in the same store First Cape South African Sparkling full price £5.99 -something smells wrong. Especially when you discover that Majestic's most expensive Chenin Blanc costs - yes £7.99 & thats from a legendary producer a claim that mass wine makers First Cape would not make.They have the McGuigan Estate 2008 Shiraz at £3.99 which is a very good deal but genuinly half price?? - well Majestic offer the McGuigan Signature 2006 Langhorn Creek at a £7.99 full price makes u wonder.NB Dont worry i am going to have a go at Majestic sometime soon.But finally Moet & Chandon in JS at full price near the Charles Lafitte at £27.99 - my nose tells me we will soon see this at either £10 off or of course "half price". Wow, golly gosh or bastardi di menzogne???????????
Well my friend the Happy Hambone(must learn how to say that in Italian) - & when I say friend I mean the old fashioned sort - he's not even on Facebook! Anyway he was in Sainsburys & his eyes were drawn to a "Half Price" offer on Sauvignon Blanc @£5.99 & just as he was thinking wow, golly gosh what an opportunity he paused, contemplated and muttered "bastardi di menzogne" This , I suspect, is not a compliment.
If Roc St Vincent were really half price then it would mean that normally it would sell ( sorry be offered for sale) at £11.98 or as they claim £11.99.Further investigation reveals a Calvet " Limited Release" Sauvignon Blanc also French, also 2008 but on offer at £5 with a normal price of £5.79 and then whats this?........................................... Sainsburys flagship label " Taste the Difference" the brand where they put their considerable reputation behind & one you can count on for quality. Taste the Difference Sancerre full price £11.99 - the same price as Roc St Vincent. Really? Makes you wonder.
Well I went to check it out & sadly there is much more nonsense in the wine department make believe pricing land. First Cape South African Chenin Blanc claimed full price £7.99 & yet in the same store First Cape South African Sparkling full price £5.99 -something smells wrong. Especially when you discover that Majestic's most expensive Chenin Blanc costs - yes £7.99 & thats from a legendary producer a claim that mass wine makers First Cape would not make.They have the McGuigan Estate 2008 Shiraz at £3.99 which is a very good deal but genuinly half price?? - well Majestic offer the McGuigan Signature 2006 Langhorn Creek at a £7.99 full price makes u wonder.NB Dont worry i am going to have a go at Majestic sometime soon.But finally Moet & Chandon in JS at full price near the Charles Lafitte at £27.99 - my nose tells me we will soon see this at either £10 off or of course "half price". Wow, golly gosh or bastardi di menzogne???????????
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