The Manx TT is one of / the key event in the motorcycling calendar and the island (literally) fills up with enthusiastic competitors and spectators. Everyone we speak to has an opinion - mainly seeming to love it (and take advantage of the business opportunities) but some also hate it for the disruption. We have been told to stock-up as the supermarkets are hit by camping tourists and restocking takes some time. Stocking up is actually our stock-in-trade as it was one of the expat rules to keep at least two weeks worth of consumables in case of “problems” - so spaghetti and tins of beans are always stocked up in our larder - as is the freezer and as are wine and whisky in the bar area! We shall see just what happens.
Ever since we got here, we have noticed ever-increasing amounts of “mattressing” of lamp-posts, walls, trees and such. Mostly it seems to be thick PVC bags filled with foam (I guess), but I reckon if you come off at up to 200mph, a bit of foam is not going to save you from serious injury.
Yesterday I picked up a leaflet about road closures. Very comprehensive, with the exception of a map - but I guess that most Manxsters know exactly where “the cottage”, “the bungalow” and “bedstead corner” are located. All I see is that the week starting Friday 24th has road closures most days (mainly evenings), then the main weeks has major road closures throughout most of the days (and with a few days after that for contingency and de-mobilising). I have a rough idea of where the course is (Douglas across to Peel, up to Ramsey, then down to Douglas), but the actual road-routes are best identified when you are on them by the afore-mentioned “mattresses”.
One potential problem they cannot prepare for is the bloody seagulls which have a habit of coming out of side roads and passageways at head height and without a care in the world (echoes of Oman where one went through the windscreen of Arthur´s “ice cream truck” and landed in the lap of the “wee boy”..)
This past week we have done more walking and exploring - and seen quite a few new birds on the way - even seeing some spotted flycatchers which were one of our favourite visitors in Mijas.
The local blindman (ok, blind fitting man) came to measure up and turned out to be a major source of knowledge about everything and everywhere (unsurprising as he has probably been in more than 20% of the properties on the island). We learned of a few more places to try. We also met a lady on one of our walks and she had moved here from Abu Dhabi last year - and had spent the year looking for a property. She echoed blindman’s warning about watching for dampness and flooding problems. (Should we be worried about living in “the meadows” - just hope they areńt known to the locals as the “water meadows”!) .
Also went over to see our erstwhile chums at the Regency and Tim´s innocent comments about meeting for a bike-ride some day turned into me buying an e-bike the same day (good salesman and and willing dupe I reckon). Not quite got buyer’s remorse (Cannondale are definitely not cheap), more a case of worrying whether I will be able to ride it (but it is unisex, so G could be on it anyway). Delivery next week, so watch this space.
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