I used to have similar fantasies when I read all of Gerald Durrell’s books in my mid-teens.
What I would like most is to stay alive, mobile, free from debilitating disease, and mentally sound for at least the next fifty years.[/quote]
Wow, a whole lotta closet keepers on Segue! When I was a kid, I always wanted to work at Whipsnade Zoo for some reason – I’ve never even been there. But do any of you Brits “of a certain age” remember Johnny Morris and “Animal Magic”?
I actually met Gerald Durrell at his zoo in Jersey when I was a small child. He was big and fat and grumpy, as I recall, but I devoured his books. I flipped through one in Fnac just a few weeks ago and was instantly transported back in time to reading under the bedclothes with a torch. The Corfu ones were always my favourites, together with the Bafut Beagles.
Of course, Johnny Morris and his mad had was essential after-school watching for Brits “of a certain age”.
I also happen to know that David Bellamy’s son lives in Taipei but don’t tell him i told you, fergodssake!
And who was that bloke that did all the animal impersonations?
My friend’s grandmother was friends with Johnny Morris. I remember that making me quite excited.
[quote=“Mark0938”]I also happen to know that David Bellamy’s son lives in Taipei but don’t tell him i told you, fergodssake!
[/quote]
While we’re off topic, did anyone else catch this:
[quote=“David Bellamy interviewed in the Sun last week”]I never tried heroin, but LSD? Well. That had an effect. I thought I was a ball made of different coloured glass. I wanted to be bounced; I wanted someone to bounce me to see if I would break. And the next morning my head really hurt!’[/quote] 
If his on-screen persona is any indication of his real-life one, I’m guessing that the reason his head hurt is because someone was only too happy to oblige him!
I used to do that, too – but with battery, bulb, and piece of wire rather than a torch. And it wasn’t just Gerald Durrell that I read there – sometimes it was books that I had to keep very well hidden from my mum under piles of other stuff in my wardrobe.
I could see myself running a porn empire. And guess what? I can practise beforehand:
[i]To be released in 2004 for PC, PS2 and Xbox, the title puts you in the shoes of Hugh Heffner himself, the man actually responsible for Playboy’s existence. The idea is to buy property, hire fit women and be generally dirty while making loads of cash into the bargain, Apparently, this is the “ultimate Playboy lifestyle”.
Amazingly, there’s no confirmation that the game will include nudity as yet, although it’s “likely” according to company reps. Stop us if we’re wrong here, but isn’t the point of this game to pretend you’re surrounded by norks? What’s the point if they’re all covered up?[/i]
pczone.co.uk/news/news_story.php?id=84582
Magical are the words “Olive Grove” and “Cicada.”
I so badly wanted to be a natural historian, and not a zoo keeper. Now why is that, although I’ve been to 20 some odd countries, I’ve never been to Greece?
I forget, but god I’m going soon. Theroux’s new book, DARK STAR SAFARI, has got me bitten all over again.
“Theroux’s new book, DARK STAR SAFARI, has got me bitten all over again.” - Alleycat
Alleycat, i’m not a huge fan of Theroux but i’m itching to read this one. Any good?
Just finished “Travels With a Tangerine: A Journey in the Footnotes of Ibn Battutah” - excellent.
Yeah, me too. I just recently finished The Pillars of Hercules (thanks Poagao), which I really enjoyed. I’m off to add to my Amazon wishlist.
an explorer, a national geographic photojournalist, a librarian, a mercenary, and a monk.
sometimes i also wonder what life would be like if i was born into a life of crime. how interesting would it be if you were the son of a druglord in Columbia, or a Mafia figure, or an international gun runner.
I had simple goals in life…all I wanted to be when I grew up was 5’9". I failed at even that with my measly 5’7". Oh, and a teacher. I guess I did pretty good with that one.
We’re still in the Sudan, and I’ll let you know once Paul has taken me home. In the meantime read what the THE NEW YORK TIMES had to say:
query.nytimes.com/search/full-pa … A9659C8B63
Although I can say now that if this one is half as good as either “Riding the Iron Rooster” or “The Kingdom by the Sea,” I’ll consider my money well-spent.
