The Electricity company has given me back the money I overpaid on my bill. As it is more than £10, I hope I shall be OK for an upgrade on the garden cruise so that I don't have to mow he lawn or weed the garden.

Nice to hear from Phil. Re-rain in Sri Lanka - We went in April and it rained to the point of flooding. I hope he gets out all right. I have never seen an airport with such tight security and that was about 6 years ago.

The sun was shining a little here but you cannot see the Isle of Wight for fog. The ship's foghorns have been blowing all day. Maybe there is a cruise ship out there somewhere.

By the way, Tony, there is a place (village) called Nomansland the other side of Southampton from me - on the edge of the New forest.

Maureen H

Thanks for that information Maureen. I intend to take the sleeper train down tonight and will present myself at Axit Cruise company office bright and early tomorrow morning in search of my deposit. I may even have to impound a taxi if the money isn't forthcoming - do you have the local bailiff's telephone number?

Those who complained about you moaners at the start of the year were quite right. We have been given a super-value offer and should count our blessings.

I don't see the problem.

Personally, I am over the moon now that I've looked at the voucher offer. Can I use all of them? For once, I can afford to buy my pal a drink and the Tescos offer looks excellent. I think the Spanish cruise should be fun, too: the rules are a bit tough - but, then, what do you expect at that price?

I am sure that my cash will go to a good cause, so I don't mind losing it. And I hope that Tony is able to make an excellent investment with all the money he got from repeated 0870 calls (I saw a marketing firm on the Web yesterday describe 0870 numbers as " a licence to print money".

Thanks again for your kindness.

Yours gratefully,

Cruiser

Yippeeeeee,

Not only have I got the promise of some super-duper vouchers, but I've received my 200th HT Point!

Aren't I the lucky one!

Don't get lost in the Forest, Magsy! I should think the local bailiff would be in Southampton, Lymington or Winchester or maybe even Salisbury. There's plenty of camping sites in the area so you should be OK if you have to wait. You will have to pass one cruise terminal on your way from the station in Southampton so look out for a ship!

Maureen H

Hi Maureen H,

By the way, Tony, there is a place (village) called Nomansland the other side of Southampton from me - on the edge of the New forest.

Yep, I know...........I`m only up in Slaisbury, we are practically neighbours!

To all who lost their deposit with the Taxis Cruise Offer, I have a public announcement: ........Ppprrrffffffff!!

Cruiser,

Not only have I got the promise of some super-duper vouchers, but I've received my 200th HT Point!

This was in fact one of your options under my Taxi Cruise compensations offer (Did you not send off for the full details???)

Under our full T&C`s our contract with you has now been fulfilled once you accepted these very valuable stars.

(Full T&C`s are not for public viewing but a copy of which are held by our obscure legal representative, Slippery Sid, currently languishing in a Sahnghai jail. These cannot be released for Health and Safety reasons )

Ah hah Maureen, perhaps I could impound a ship while I am at it! Say it holds 1800 passengers - it would only take 23 trips! People would have to share but that's better than no cruise, and we could cram a few in lifeboats, bilges, engine room, beauty parlour, kids club etc etc. Staffing might be a problem though, any volunteers? Oh yes, and we would need a captain too!

Magsy,

I think we had better hold on for our chief Engineer to return before we get too far advanced on hijacking a ship! I could probably drive it (I can drive most things) but we`re going to need mechanical whizmography to keep it afloat!

Tony,
I take what you are saying onboard! Phils engine room experience will be invaluable. I have however already earmarked a position for you! Driving the impounded taxi for the free shuttle service between Airport/Station & Bus station and the docks! This will be a class cruise after all! When passengers have been ferried satisfactorily, I will consider you for the driving position! The salary will be non existent but don't forget you will still be earning with your 0870 number during this time and food will be provided assuming someone brings it!

Tony wrote:

Full T&C`s are not for public viewing but a copy of which are held by our obscure legal representative in Shanghai..
********************************************************

This seems to be the new fashion.

Yesterday, I went in for a competition. The rules stated that the T&Cs were lodged with an unnamed 'bailiff' in Paris!

Cruiser,

I dragged that out from remembering the same reassurance of validity in those d-o-d-g-y "you have definitely won $10,000 ...just send us $20 release fee." offers that came through the post at one time.

I sent a letter to one in America once saying "If I have definitely won a cash sum, then please deduct my release fee from the winnings and forward the balance"

Some weeks later I received three $1 bills with no covering letter!

I still have them as my only "something for nothing deal" ever!!

Tony

I sent off my coupons but have not been allocated a place on any of the offers currently available - neither taxi nor garden cruises.

The coupons were sent by special delivery but the Post Office have informed me that they were unable to deliver because nobody was available to sign for them as all involved parties had gone on a world cruise which would keep them away from the offices until the end of the new Dr. Who series, by which time, due to time travel, it will be year 2050.

Those still posting on HT cruise thread in year 2050 will be awarded 10000 extra HT points for perseverance. These may be traded in for a Med cruise some time in the following year but please note this may be delayed due to reader profile having changed in the preceding 55 years and the difficulty in finding suitable accommodation for these Aga cruisers.

This time next week Chris and i will be Miami getting all set for the cruise the following day. A little bonus for us is that there will be a solar elicpse visble from miami http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/eclipse.html It won't be a total elcipse but nearly 50 % of the sun will be covered.

getting all excited now

Colin

Hi Colin, you have every right to be excited and now the bonus of an eclipse! Lucky guy! Are you on the same flight as Wallecan?

How will you know each other:-
Rose in the lapel?
Newspaper under the arm?
Hankies in the top packet?
Dark glasses?
Ht T-shirt?

It is getting very exciting with the countdown for you both now almost into the hours.
Did you get a duplicate set of tickets Colin?

Dizzy

Did you get a duplicate set of tickets Colin?

No Dizzy, you cannot wangle a free cruise with duplicate tickets because we will tell on you! .........Nice try though.

good morning to all my fellow and fellowesses. disaster..banana boat has sunk ..vandels from the opposition have scuppered it.have no fear i wont let them get a rise out of me.a new offer will appear later,express delivery. tony w ,i like the dollr bills you got that scam has featured on a lot of phone ins no one ever got any thing just lost money so to hear you beat the systemwas good. colin and wallecan i think you ought to meet at the bar with a good bottle of wine,a h.t placard or tee shirt.it would be a bonus to find you were on thesame table.we will be waiting for all the gory details.have lots of fun.carol

Chris and i are both on the same flight and Chris has given me his seat number on the plane so that should be easy enough to find him, he has also given me his cabin number should we not meet on the plane. I am going to try and log onto American Airlines web site and get a seat allocation so i can give that to him as well.

Guess i should start think about what i'm going to take, but knowing me, i'll end up packing at the last minute ie the night before i go or even the morning i go !!!

Annj - I assume your ''deep in the red'' bank balance is a 10-figure one (see my original Offer - no paupers will be considered for my Back Garden Cruise). If so, and it ever gets back into the black to the required figure, do let me know and I'll put you on my list of ''possible, though not probable, pseudo-allocations''.

Tony W - I'm not surprised at the abject failure of your Taxi Cruise, I warned you not to set up in competition with ME.

MEH - as for your request for an upgrade, do let me know whether you want a superior type of weed or just having your potatoes mashed for you. I said potatoes, not teeth.

Allisu - I haven't received your vouchers, due to the neighbour's dog having eaten the postman.

Smokey (Carol) - your banana boat sank, did it, what a pity you have such a ''convenient'' excuse to get out of your commitments. Next it will be ''hurricanes in the Caribbean''. Honestly, some people......

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