I'm off

[Muddymike]

You wont hear anything from me for a couple of weeks as I'm off to Kyrgyzstan for a wee trip. Like all good travellers I've been reading up on the customs so as not to accidentally offend anyone. I thought some of you may find the advice on social drinking amusing.

"VODKA

First, find someone to drink with. Only alcoholics drink alone. Second, choose your vodka, the more you spend... the less painful your hangover. Third, choose your zakuska, something salty, dried, or fatty. This is so that the vodka is either absorbed by the food or repelled by the fat. Fourth, open your bottle... but be careful, once you open it you must drink it all (a good vodka bottle doesn't have a cap that can be replaced), now pour your shots. Fifth, you will toast! You must toast! Toast your friends, toast their futures, toast their sheep, toast their cars. Sixth, drink! Drink it all! Now chase it with a zakuska and repeat until you either can't see the bottle or it is empty!"

Mike

[Brian Gaff]

Well lets hope the UK crooks do not know where you live.

Brian

[newshound]

An old friend of mine was once on an extended trip to some Soviet nuclear power stations with another senior manager who was quite slightly built and not a particularly serious drinker.

They had a lot of experience of these sessions with the half litre crown cap bottles. One of the hosts had a particular party trick which was to open one of these bottles and drink it straight down. Right at the end of the trip, the little guy repeated the "trick" to the astonishment of the Soviets, and my friend. On the plane home he explained that he had pinched an empty bottle and cap, filled it with water and replaced the cap, and by sleight of hand use it for his performance.

[Muddymike]

No matter if they do, we are not all going so the house isn't empty.

Mike

[Cursitor Doom]

Sounds like an absolute hoot! Have fun. :)

[harry]

[ARW]

Or you could just go to London and increase your risks of getting killed and meet loads of foreigners.

[Muddymike]

Last time I was in London I didn't see many snow capped mountains, salt water lakes, none mechanical agriculture or any Yurts to stay in. Mind you we are flying with Aeroflot...

Mike

[PeterC]

Are you sure about the "flying" bit?

[Scott]

But not Absolut I'm sure :-)

[Mr Pounder Esquire]

Mind that you don't fall off your silly bicycle.

[Fredxxx]

It's the landing that should concern you.

[harry]

[F]

You told your travel insurance!

[harry]

Looks to be desperately poor on Google Earth/streetview.

[ARW]

Relevance?

[ARW]

They kept that quite.

[mark.bluemel]

I don't think my toaster's big enough.