Passport

Based upon my failure record to get my driving license back, so far together with any sense from DVLA and of my failure rate to get my passport renewed as they keep rejecting my picture - without having the balls just to say that you are too ugly for anything with your picture on, whether it be passport or driving license, what's the verdict?

 

And the important motorbike choice.

 

This is what the unreasonable barstewards rejected..


not really.

 

My passport renewal has been approved!

They texted me and said that I am not as ugly as they first thought and my photo was OK, so they say that they will be posting a new passport as well as the old one for some reason (it has expired)!

Now, just the bar stewards at DVLA - although they have written to me to say that everything fecked because of the pandemic! I know they will want me to do a driving assessment and the centre is shut with months of waiting list. I am no massively worried as I don't wanna drive anyway - just ride bikes. As I cannot physically do that comfortably (also, no kit) and neither bike is on the road, then I am not that worried

I've been a bit distracted by getting computers to work (still stumped by getting Bluetooth working on an old Windows 7 lappy, but no big deal).

Got a hospital appointment tomorrow, so that will be another nothing day.

I made my choice of which new bike to buy (Kawasaki 650 Ninja) but now it will be a case of just getting my Ducatis sorted out and not sure if I will bother buy anything more. As long as I can get parts, then I may just get my Ducatis on the road and stick with them.

I will do my IAM again to try to alleviate family opposition to biking. It is a tough argument, though, as I was nearly killed and then prepared for leg amputation.

I am hoping that saying that I need to road test the bikes after getting them back to roadworthy and so I need to buy new kit might (or might not) work

 

Thanks.

Hospital are happy with me and now they discourage people from visiting without an appointment (that they don't give easily), hospitals run like clockwork. I was seen exactly on time and sorted. There are upsides to the pandemic - although the receptionists has to ask you question like, "Have you been in contact with anyone with Covid19 in the last 10 days?" but some are so fecking stupid that I have to keep calm and not laugh - like, "Are you feeling unwell at all?". I have to resist the urge to say, "I'm attending a hospital outpatients appointment, so I feel on top of the fecking World!". Funny thing is the vast majority of the cliental are old, deaf people. They make you stand back from the reception desk and they have put up a glass screen. The most common reply from the wrinklies is, "What?", "Pardon?", "What did you say?", but I stay silent with a big smile! I'm sure the receptionist mumbles on purpose for laughs!

I dropped the Versys because I'd had enough of all the "adventure" bike crap. I haven't got some weird fantasy of spinning off the tarmac to hit the dirt. I want a road bike with 17" wheels for touring on tarmac roads exclusively, with a good range - preferably, with options for factory panniers. Ducati-wise I don't want a Multistrada (and even less some 190bhp missile) and the Supersport 950 was on the list before I got fed up with Ducati for finally admitting that desmodromic was sh1t and not worth carrying on with, together with insane pricing and maintenance, but it really the price. The Kawasaki 650 Tourer does everything that I want and I can buy from my nearest bike dealer (in theory going touring the next day) for under 9k. 3 year warranty and although I'll have to pay Frasers dor dealer servicing for the 3 years, it needs hardly anything done.

But, my first priority will be to get both my Ducatis back on the road. I have luggage carrying stuff for both and I've toured before on both. They have good range (over 200 miles) and both have been to France before. So, I'll get them both back on the road (which I need to do anyway) and do some UK and Ireland touring when I get my license back and can buy some new riding kit.

A mate said that I was mad to have so many bikes (when I had 3, before the Monster was written off) and I think that he had a point. So, if I got a Kawa 650 then I would part-ex one of my Ducatis.... but, I not overly sure that the Kawasaki is significantly better than what I have. Both Ducatis are faster, have better range and I can do my own maintenance as they are too old to worry about any warranty crap. Even if I don't wanna do maintenance then I know someone who can do it (for a price) and so, as long as Ducati still get the parts, I see no reason to change, really.

 

And this one was accepted, as they have emailed me to say that my new passport is on its way!

And in brackets in the last email, they told me that the new passport is in the post and to get the feck out of the country!!!!

 

My old passport was sent back to me 2nd class post and arrived last Thursday. The Passport Office don't trust the PO with new passports and so they use their own courier. The new passport arrived today - 4 working days later than second class post. We've really got the new system sussed out with not saying on it, "European Union" but now "British Passport". We showed 'em! And we've bypassed the lefties at the Post Office!

And I can still go and live in France. I just shout loudly, in English, and show them my British Passport. If they hesitate to welcome me, then I just shout, "Who won the bloody way, anyway?".

Sussed. Good ol' Boris. I can now go and book my Summer holiday as all of this Covid crap will be over by then. We've got Boris and Matt "next slide, please" Hancock on our side, so the disease stands no chance!