I had intended complaining this month, about the service received on package holiday plane journeys. Having recently returned from a holiday in Rhodes and been extremely disillusioned with the experience. However, last night, after sitting in stationary traffic on the A127 London bound, for 2 hours, I have now regained my perspective. There was an extremely bad accident at about 10.30 p.m. on the A127, about a mile passed the slip road. This morning on BBC Radio it was reported a couple in their forties had been travelling on a motor scooter and the driver lost control, colliding with a BMW. Both people on the motor scooter are in hospital in a critical condition, but the driver of the BMW was unhurt, according to the radio.
We did not know this last night, it had only just happened as we joined the queue of traffic that came to a standstill in front of us. A short while later all the vehicles in the nearside lane had to mount the curb to make way for emergency vehicles; 1 ambulance, 1 paramedic vehicle and 4 police cars. We were in the nearside lane. This left a wide gap in-between the two lanes of vehicles and occupants soon climbed out and began walking up and down the road to find out what was happening. Strangers spoke to one another; men disappeared into the trees at the side of the road to answer calls of nature. Some brave women even clambered over fences into fields. Some engines and headlights were switched off, only being re-started to warm the occupants and clear windscreens. Everything was at a standstill. One man who had left his vehicle to see what was going on told us there was a lot of police wandering around with notebooks. I assume they were trying to ascertain exactly how the accident happened and will want to preserve the scene until it could be inspected in daylight. Eventually, at about 12.30 a.m. the police decided to turn all the vehicles around and send them back up the carriageway to the slip road and closed that section of carriageway completely. We finally arrived home at about 1.30 a.m. very tired and moaning about being left for 2 hours while the police decided what to do with us. This morning I can see things more clearly; my thoughts are with the casualties and the driver of the BMW.
On a happier note, I would like to share with you, an experience I had on holiday in Rhodes. On our first day whilst out walking, my husband and I saw a ‘Fish Spa’ sign hanging above a shop. ‘What is a Fish Spa’ we wondered? Well, now I can tell you. We saw a programme on television a few months ago, where some people dangled their feet in a fish tank, amidst a load of little fish. The idea being that these fish eat the dead skin off one’s feet. Ugh, my husband and I both said at the time, you wouldn’t catch me doing that!
Well, this particular day of our holiday was very cloudy and with nothing better to do I decided to give it a go. I watched several people sitting nonchalantly with their feet in the water and saw they still had all their toes. I read the pamphlet that said the Garra Rufa fish were used as a unique skin treatment to massage feet. I especially noted that these fish did not have any teeth, before paying my money to sit for half an hour. I washed my feet with special soap and was given a towel and a space to sit. At first it was very ticklish as all the fish made a bee line for my feet. I didn’t like it at first, but soon became used to the sensation. It didn’t hurt, but was very weird; they were like little loaches sucking at my feet. Needless to say, my husband declined to join me, taking photos of me instead!
The pamphlet they supplied also claimed that these ‘clever fish can also stimulate acupuncture points, helping to regulate the nervous system, relax the body and release fatigue.’ Apparently this ‘natural pedicure originated from Turkey and is practised all over the Far East.’
Later that day when I showered, I noticed how soft and smooth my feet were, and I was very impressed. Not sure about the other claims though; I would have to look into it a little more. If you want a new experience though this is certainly one to try.
