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It’s all about the Story

Or is it? Does it matter if they are valid or not? Can you just make up any story as long as it has the desired impact or effect? Create any superficial generalities and metaphors that engage or distract the listener? If you agree that stories are influential and that you are influenced by them, should people that happen to be fluent in creating them affect society disproportionately? Which stories should be encouraged? Which should be suppressed? What do stories help to maintain? What do they help to discourage? Are most stories tribal differentiators? If everyone agrees a story is good, does that make it good and worthy of distribution? Should you just isolate and meditate and not listen to or express anything at all? Which stories are not being told? Does having lots of resources mean that you can legitimately create the most chatter, spread it more widely and have the most influence? Do the oldest and longest-lasting stories have the most value? Or on the contrary, are they not that important and only a reflection of the bias of the people creating them that over-emphasizes their value? Is motivation important in creating stories? What is your story?

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Muscat, Oman and a bitter-sweet trip cut short due to the Covid-19 Virus

It was meant to be an eight-day trip but I had to shorten it to five days because everything was closing down – better safe and back home than stranded in a far away place for many weeks. Even on my first round-the-world trip I had to rearrange flight destinations because of a disease outbreak – some would say more of a first-world or more accurately a middle class problem.

You don’t need much to travel: a small hand-luggage rucksack

Small Rucksack
You don’t need much

and add some healthy walking legs.

Walking on Qurm Beach
Walking on Qurm Beach, Oman.

I saw a few doors and some local architecture,

and enjoyed two days of diving in very salty sea water with occasional swarms of jellyfish all swimming in random directions

before everything closed down because of the global pandemic Corona virus.

It was a risk but I needed the break! Unfortunately Skype is blocked in Oman which isn’t that helpful when trying to call UK telephone support numbers for changing flight dates – there are always new challenges and problems to work around. The technical solution may be to use a VPN.

Keep travelling – but not at the moment!

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Albania – what a flag!

How can you forget Albania’s national flag!

Albania
Unforgettable design

A weekend in Tirana, where the prices are about a third of London’s for food, accommodation and even less for a haircut. The big western brands have not taken over the city centre yet as it is less than twenty years since communism ended. An enjoyable stroll around the square. Traditional food: peppers stuffed with rice. A contrast is as good as a rest.

  • Museum Facade
  • Tirana
    Tirana City Centre, Albania
  • City Centre Buildings
  • Pyramid
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A September Temperature of 25°C in Valletta, Malta

I am spoilt with an office view from a shiny glass building in London but a change of scenery is still needed. Why not the old city of Valletta in Malta? A long weekend is not enough time to explore the whole country.

Nice Office View of London

I bought some carob syrup just because it is something new! The climate so far south is comfortably pleasant – I believe OK until the end of November. You pay a premium to stay so close to the centre but for a short period it is worth being near the action.

Valletta, Malta
What is life like when you live on a yacht like this!
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Traditional British Seaside

A weekend drive to explore a new place is a typical middle-class activity in the UK. I discovered some of the Norfolk coast via Norwich, Great Yarmouth and Cromer. Traditional fish and chips and a Full English Breakfast are almost mandatory. A heat wave and reasonable traffic made it a pleasant long Bank Holiday break.

Cromer in Norfolk, famous for crabs.