You know you're getting old when......

People, well my mum and sister, keep asking me what I want for Christmas. And I truly don't know. Pay off my credit card? Get me a new job? England to win the Ashes? None are realistic really, are they?

Long gone are the days of sitting down to write my list for Father Christmas, with the Argos catalogue, circling toys and games that I want, and always (optimistically) circling the portable TV for my bedroom. I was 18 before this wish was granted, just in time for me to leave home (I had just about stopped writing lists for Santa by then). To be fair my parents reason for me not being allowed one in my room were completely fair and true, I would have done even less homework than I was already doing, and had I had a TV, I'm sure I would have done none.

But really what can I ask for? There are things I want, but they're all boring, practical things such as glasses and house stuff. I can't even think of any CDs or DVDs that I want! So come on, suggestions please.

The good news is that I've done almost all of my shopping for other people already, thanks to www.amazon.co.uk

What I did on my holidays, by Richard Mann, aged 29 and a half

"You look well, very brown!" I hear you say.
"I've been away on holiday!" I say.
"Oh really? Where to?" you enquire.
"Argentina, to see Vicki." is my response.

Yup, I ventured to the southern hemisphere to enjoy my second summer of the year. The next question in the above conversation is "How was it?" My response being - "Amazing. I ate so much steak." There was more to my holiday than red meat though.

I flew into Buenos Aires and almost immediately we flew down to Patagonia on an airline called Lade. A word of advice: there is a reason they are cheaper than the other airlines in Argentina. LAN's flight from Buenos Aires takes less than 3 hours, our flight took about 8, and stopped off twice at other airports on the way. Lade use ex-military aircraft, and to say they are somewhat inferior to LAN and Aerolineas Argentinas planes is an understatment. The return journey was even better, well, more amusing anyway. We boarded on time, which was a nice surprise. But it was down hill from there for Lade.

We sat there for about 20mins, the engine ticking over, with people popping into the cockpit looking a little concerned. We were then told that there was a problem with the engine and we had to go back to the gate for about 30mins, while the engine was fixed. After 3 hours of men climbing ladders to look at the open engine and shrug their shoulders, we were told the flight had been cancelled. We ended up being put on an LAN plane, and arrived earlier than we would have if we had left on time with Lade!

Patagonia was gorgeous though. Highlights being hiking to the base of a glacier; taking a boat ride to the base of 4 other glaciers; and to complete the glacier-tastic week hiking on the Perito Moreno glacier. And we ate a lot of steak.

We then headed to the Iguazu waterfalls, which are stunning. It's the second time I've been to them and they were no less impressive this time, during the low water seaons, as opposed the high water, as I saw then 18 months ago. We ate a lot of steak too.

After a few days of chilling; partying; failing to get into a River Plate game; eating plenty of steak; visiting Evita's grave; and sleeping in until lunch time, every day; it was time to leave the land of the tasty cow and return my life of getting up at 3:30am to push buttons. Will someon remind me why I do that, please????

The steak in Argentina is great.

TD

Tenacious D movie trailer

Saw this movie at the weekend. Quite amusing.