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Opinion
Did you notice??
December 17, 2020 by TLO in Opinion

You will no doubt have noticed and indeed been extremely concerned for my silence recently, a combination of reasons based largely around my website breaking (some sort of technical issue that seemed to created a glitch in the matrix that no one could fix) but also around having a light break from my own witterings.

We have had some fun since my last post, desert trips, fishing trips, boat trips, and birthday parties, the weather has been epic and the spirit amongst our imprisoned friends has been totally geared towards getting out of Doha and into as wild a spot as we can, even if it’s for a quick burger to watch another one of Qatar’s stunning dust infused sunsets. 

Sadly we had to wave Derrick and his family off, as they return to Australia to start a whole new adventure, I’ll spare you the sentiment but it’s safe to say the “Festival of Stripwee” went on for some time and created the longest and most emotional goodbye celebrations I have ever experienced. They will be sorely missed by my little team, and we can’t wait to get ourselves to Australia soon to pick up where we left off. Fingers crossed I won’t be getting quite as stuck as I have been recently now that silly prick has gone.

Living in the 158th smallest country in the world with closed borders doesn’t exactly allow for the most amount of space for adventure, travel, or create much sense of freedom, so we are currently all dreaming of our first escapes post-vaccine in 2021! Whilst we have PCR’s, Quarantines, and Tiers in the UK are hog-tying any prospect of an easy and pain-free escape, we are all looking forward to both today’s National Day celebrations and then Christmas in Doha.

10 things we learnt in 2020

  1. Having a blog about travel and adventure in 2020 was more challenging than you would think. (Hats off to anyone who does it seriously!)
  2. Children are hyper annoying if you spend extended periods of time with them. (Maybe there is such a thing as too much family time.)
  3. Saying goodbye to your mates is really hard when they are moving 8,000 miles away, but saying goodbye to a puppy is way harder.
  4. Burping in a mask is revolting.
  5. There is no such thing as too much wine.
  6. Family and friends are more important than ever before, and 2021 is all about them, except when it is about skiing and going to far-flung places. Then it is all about me.
  7. A Mitsibushi Pajeros engine will shut down if you submerge it in seawater.
  8. Things were a lot simpler when all information came from limited and controlled sources. Multiple sources of open media seems to confuse humankind and creates anger, panic, fear and frustration that boils over simply from an oversupply of unfiltered information.
  9. Rewiring your own car to try and power a Nespresso machine is really hard and will almost certainly result in a fire.
  10. Eating cake, chocolate, and sweets for a whole year shrinks your clothes.

So that’s it. 2020 – it’s a wrap, finally. The f’wit of all f’wit years has finally passed, 2021 is round the corner and full of promise, Christmas is here and even my Gout is itching with excitement to get stuck in to some festive cheer.

See you all in 2021 where adventure and fun awaits us all.

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There are 3 comments on this post
  1. Janie
    December 18, 2020, 11:08 am

    Doha lifestyle wow!!! That was brilliant. Can’t wait for 2021 so that we can be with you there!!! Xxxxmummy

    • Caroline
      December 18, 2020, 5:51 pm

      Hooray ! Don’t go away for so long again. Hear hear to the things learnt. and look forward to a 2021 hollybol. I hope that you have used this time to perfect making your mother in law a perfect DonPedro!

  2. Barry Thompson
    December 19, 2020, 10:24 pm

    Can’t help smiling at this. 🙂

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Who knew bird watching could be so fun. A weekend trip covering 1,000kms of Portugal taking in a wetland area near Tomar (that was dry) and a full weekend in the Serra de Estrella exploring the epic scenery before heading home via the coast.

We did over 100kms off the road and never saw a single other person, forestry tracks, steep hills, scenery, scenery, scenery but not on bloody interesting bird. Lots of sparrows.

Bird watching might not be for me, but driving to epic places is very high up the list of awesome things to do.
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#landrover110 #td5 #dualcab #defender110 #theadventuretruck #landylove #defender #greenlane #landroverclub #td5mafia #defendertd5 #landroverlove #dcpu #adventuretruck #landroverlifestyle #landroverphotos #landroveroflisbon #defender_life_style #venturatruck #travel #adventure
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Who knew bird watching could be so fun. A weekend trip covering 1,000kms of Portugal taking in a wetland area near Tomar (that was dry) and a full weekend in the Serra de Estrella exploring the epic scenery before heading home via the coast. We did over 100kms off the road and never saw a single other person, forestry tracks, steep hills, scenery, scenery, scenery but not on bloody interesting bird. Lots of sparrows. Bird watching might not be for me, but driving to epic places is very high up the list of awesome things to do. . . . #landrover110 #td5 #dualcab #defender110 #theadventuretruck #landylove #defender #greenlane #landroverclub #td5mafia #defendertd5 #landroverlove #dcpu #adventuretruck #landroverlifestyle #landroverphotos #landroveroflisbon #defender_life_style #venturatruck #travel #adventure
2 weeks ago
View on Instagram |
1/9
After way too long I found myself in my happy place - the wide open dunes of Qatar with great mates on an incredible morning. The dunes were totally empty, the sun was baking hot and I was christened “three tyre Tom” after multiple wheel changes following some enthusiastic driving.
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After way too long I found myself in my happy place - the wide open dunes of Qatar with great mates on an incredible morning. The dunes were totally empty, the sun was baking hot and I was christened “three tyre Tom” after multiple wheel changes following some enthusiastic driving.
1 month ago
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2/9
Super excited to be launching a real life race team @guinchoracing to take on some of the worlds wildest and most extreme rallies. I have now become a @ourmotorsportuk qualified rally driver with @skeggsmatt and we now have our first race car, a Range Rover classic V8, to convert into a Dakar rally spec weapon. 

Follow @guinchoracing for more updates as we get ready for racing across Africa in 2026 in the @africaecorace - Sponsorship opportunities launching soon!!!

#GuinchoRacing, #RallyRaidIberia, #OffRoadPortugal, #SpainRallyRaid, #MoroccoDesertRally, #DakarDreaming, #Classic4x4Adventure, #RangeRoverRally, #IberianRallyTeam #AfricaEcoRaceReady, #travel #adventure
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Super excited to be launching a real life race team @guinchoracing to take on some of the worlds wildest and most extreme rallies. I have now become a @ourmotorsportuk qualified rally driver with @skeggsmatt and we now have our first race car, a Range Rover classic V8, to convert into a Dakar rally spec weapon. Follow @guinchoracing for more updates as we get ready for racing across Africa in 2026 in the @africaecorace - Sponsorship opportunities launching soon!!! #GuinchoRacing, #RallyRaidIberia, #OffRoadPortugal, #SpainRallyRaid, #MoroccoDesertRally, #DakarDreaming, #Classic4x4Adventure, #RangeRoverRally, #IberianRallyTeam #AfricaEcoRaceReady, #travel #adventure
5 months ago
View on Instagram |
3/9
After a little silence on insta there has been some breeding, now there are three!! Ventura will always have a special place in my heart, but now with Dudley the Series nearing completion suddenly selling him feels very hard, maybe too hard? The newest recruit, Roger the Range Rover is currently undergoing a conversion to become @guinchoracing first race car ready for 2026 inaugural rally season (watch this space)
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#rangeroverv8 #defendertd5 #series3 #v8 #landroverseries #beachrunner #vintagelandrover #landylove #landroverclub #landroverlove #landroverlifestyle #landroverphotos #landroveroflisbon #reborn #refurbish #restore #revitalise #guinchoracing
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After a little silence on insta there has been some breeding, now there are three!! Ventura will always have a special place in my heart, but now with Dudley the Series nearing completion suddenly selling him feels very hard, maybe too hard? The newest recruit, Roger the Range Rover is currently undergoing a conversion to become @guinchoracing first race car ready for 2026 inaugural rally season (watch this space) . . . #rangeroverv8 #defendertd5 #series3 #v8 #landroverseries #beachrunner #vintagelandrover #landylove #landroverclub #landroverlove #landroverlifestyle #landroverphotos #landroveroflisbon #reborn #refurbish #restore #revitalise #guinchoracing
6 months ago
View on Instagram |
4/9
Meet Dudley. A new member of the 4 Low fleet. This one getting a full beach runner restoration with the intention of maybe, just maybe being sold in the future. Follow along for all kinds of DIY cock ups as I try and revive this little legend.
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#series3 #landroverseries #beachrunner #vintagelandrover #landylove #landroverclub #landroverlove #landroverlifestyle #landroverphotos #landroveroflisbon #reborn #refurbish #restore #revitalise #revive
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Meet Dudley. A new member of the 4 Low fleet. This one getting a full beach runner restoration with the intention of maybe, just maybe being sold in the future. Follow along for all kinds of DIY cock ups as I try and revive this little legend. . . . #series3 #landroverseries #beachrunner #vintagelandrover #landylove #landroverclub #landroverlove #landroverlifestyle #landroverphotos #landroveroflisbon #reborn #refurbish #restore #revitalise #revive
1 year ago
View on Instagram |
5/9
A highlight reel from @marocchallenge in March. An epic week introducing us to the world of racing, rally driving and a whole new world of fun. Full video on YouTube (link in bio) - more of this will be coming soon I am sure!!
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#marocchallenge #marochallengespring2024 #landrover110 #td5 #dualcab #defender110 #theadventuretruck #landylove #defender #greenlane #landroverclub #td5mafia #defendertd5 #landroverlove #dcpu #adventuretruck #landroverlifestyle #landroverphotos #landroveroflisbon #defender_life_style #venturatruck #travel #adventure
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A highlight reel from @marocchallenge in March. An epic week introducing us to the world of racing, rally driving and a whole new world of fun. Full video on YouTube (link in bio) - more of this will be coming soon I am sure!! . . . #marocchallenge #marochallengespring2024 #landrover110 #td5 #dualcab #defender110 #theadventuretruck #landylove #defender #greenlane #landroverclub #td5mafia #defendertd5 #landroverlove #dcpu #adventuretruck #landroverlifestyle #landroverphotos #landroveroflisbon #defender_life_style #venturatruck #travel #adventure
2 years ago
View on Instagram |
6/9
Day 6 - final race day, a complex day focussed on careful navigation. We started by cocking it up from the start when I entered yesterday’s start line into the GPS…so we were late for the briefing and got penalised before we even began.

We set off to be the fastest, as have decided that the rules are for sissies, but still managed to miss a few checkpoints and finish rather unimpressive 30th today. (Still fastest time to finish!)

Insane drive North to Rabat, over the snowy Atlas Mountains through a blizzard. Our windscreen wiper broke on day 1 so I had to MacGyver some bungee cord and a rope into a makeshift wiper. Somehow it held and we made it across the mountains and snow storms and into extraordinary rolling green countryside. Breath taking scenery mixed with mental Moroccan drivers skidding into ditches around us.

Only a casual 12 hour journey home in the rain tomorrow to finish this epic adventure.
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#marocchallenge #marochallengespring2024 #landrover110 #td5 #dualcab #defender110 #theadventuretruck #landylove #defender #greenlane #landroverclub #td5mafia #defendertd5 #landroverlove #dcpu #adventuretruck #landroverlifestyle #landroverphotos #landroveroflisbon #defender_life_style #venturatruck #travel #adventure
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Day 6 - final race day, a complex day focussed on careful navigation. We started by cocking it up from the start when I entered yesterday’s start line into the GPS…so we were late for the briefing and got penalised before we even began. We set off to be the fastest, as have decided that the rules are for sissies, but still managed to miss a few checkpoints and finish rather unimpressive 30th today. (Still fastest time to finish!) Insane drive North to Rabat, over the snowy Atlas Mountains through a blizzard. Our windscreen wiper broke on day 1 so I had to MacGyver some bungee cord and a rope into a makeshift wiper. Somehow it held and we made it across the mountains and snow storms and into extraordinary rolling green countryside. Breath taking scenery mixed with mental Moroccan drivers skidding into ditches around us. Only a casual 12 hour journey home in the rain tomorrow to finish this epic adventure. . . . #marocchallenge #marochallengespring2024 #landrover110 #td5 #dualcab #defender110 #theadventuretruck #landylove #defender #greenlane #landroverclub #td5mafia #defendertd5 #landroverlove #dcpu #adventuretruck #landroverlifestyle #landroverphotos #landroveroflisbon #defender_life_style #venturatruck #travel #adventure
2 years ago
View on Instagram |
7/9
Day 5 - a rally special stage around Erg Chebbi dunes. Slightly less challenging terrain meant we had a super fast somewhat terrifying run today. Over taking from 12th all the way to the front, I have never felt closer to being in an actual rally car in my life. Totally awesome and brilliant fun, sideways, jumping, power sliding our way through the dunes and gravel tracks. 

The car ran beautifully and I can’t imagine how she survived the brutal thrashing the speed we gave her, poor thing! We smashed the competition today finishing a massive 8mins ahead of all cars in the whole raid. Sadly we still got caught speeding 4 times, so placed 13th despite being the fastest. 

Stupid rules, we obvs win on lad points.
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#marocchallenge #marochallengespring2024 #landrover110 #td5 #dualcab #defender110 #theadventuretruck #landylove #defender #greenlane #landroverclub #td5mafia #defendertd5 #landroverlove #dcpu #adventuretruck #landroverlifestyle #landroverphotos #landroveroflisbon #defender_life_style #venturatruck #travel #adventure
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Day 5 - a rally special stage around Erg Chebbi dunes. Slightly less challenging terrain meant we had a super fast somewhat terrifying run today. Over taking from 12th all the way to the front, I have never felt closer to being in an actual rally car in my life. Totally awesome and brilliant fun, sideways, jumping, power sliding our way through the dunes and gravel tracks. The car ran beautifully and I can’t imagine how she survived the brutal thrashing the speed we gave her, poor thing! We smashed the competition today finishing a massive 8mins ahead of all cars in the whole raid. Sadly we still got caught speeding 4 times, so placed 13th despite being the fastest. Stupid rules, we obvs win on lad points. . . . #marocchallenge #marochallengespring2024 #landrover110 #td5 #dualcab #defender110 #theadventuretruck #landylove #defender #greenlane #landroverclub #td5mafia #defendertd5 #landroverlove #dcpu #adventuretruck #landroverlifestyle #landroverphotos #landroveroflisbon #defender_life_style #venturatruck #travel #adventure
2 years ago
View on Instagram |
8/9
Day 4 - Our fastest day so far, no car trouble, only one pee stop and a great track that took us through mountain passes, gravel plains and soft sandy routes. Superb fun with no wind and no sand storms!

Longest single dune climb I have ever done (7km) of slow incline up a big sand monster, car started to struggle near the top but made it no problem.

Awesome technical dune section that allowed us to pass the whole pack and meant we finished in first place, but sadly a navigation error (my fault) meant we missed a Waypoint and placed 12th. Maybe tomorrow with a day of dunes might bring a top ten place!
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#marocchallenge #marochallengespring2024 #landrover110 #td5 #dualcab #defender110 #theadventuretruck #landylove #defender #greenlane #landroverclub #td5mafia #defendertd5 #landroverlove #dcpu #adventuretruck #landroverlifestyle #landroverphotos #landroveroflisbon #defender_life_style #venturatruck #travel #adventure
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Day 4 - Our fastest day so far, no car trouble, only one pee stop and a great track that took us through mountain passes, gravel plains and soft sandy routes. Superb fun with no wind and no sand storms! Longest single dune climb I have ever done (7km) of slow incline up a big sand monster, car started to struggle near the top but made it no problem. Awesome technical dune section that allowed us to pass the whole pack and meant we finished in first place, but sadly a navigation error (my fault) meant we missed a Waypoint and placed 12th. Maybe tomorrow with a day of dunes might bring a top ten place! . . . #marocchallenge #marochallengespring2024 #landrover110 #td5 #dualcab #defender110 #theadventuretruck #landylove #defender #greenlane #landroverclub #td5mafia #defendertd5 #landroverlove #dcpu #adventuretruck #landroverlifestyle #landroverphotos #landroveroflisbon #defender_life_style #venturatruck #travel #adventure
2 years ago
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9/9
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