Winter Wandering

Destination anywhere! Winter Wander Holidays...

So this is Chriistmas! BUT, if you really had a choice and the budget, where would you go?

THAILAND..THE LAND OF SMILES OF COURSE! To many Thailand is a once in a lifetime experience, a culture shock

but a pleasant one at that. Flights may be expensive, but when you arrive, your wallet can take a deep breath and relax. Compared to many world destinations, Thailand is still very inexpensive when it comes to food, travel and accomodation. You can easily travel from Bangkok to Koh Chang Island in the south east by bus, taxi and ferry for a total of only 10€. That’s a 6 hr journey with toilet breaks where you can pick up some local snacks enroute! Internal flights are also very reasonable should you wish to spend sometime in Bangkok before hitting the beaches of Phuket. With so many companies offering internal flights you can fly for around 30€50€pp depending on your dates. This makes it a doddle to discover the beaches in the south, to the lush mountains and temples in the North in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. The season matters as Thailand has a sub tropical monsoon rain season. Even up to November it can rain between 3pm and 5 pm for a few days in a row. However it’s still very warm so pack light! Packing light is key to enjoying Thailand as the Thais have made hop on - hop off travel very easy. I have been in situations where a taxi has dropped me off in the middle of nowhere and within moments the minibus turns up and takes me to my destination which happened to be about 3hrs away. They may try to wrangle an extra buck out of you here and there, but hey they will never leave you stranded or in an unsafe position. Generally Thai people know that they need to make tourists happy and they

are generally very kind and giving. The more rural you go the more shy they become because they really don’t know how to speak English. However, I always maintain that for communication to work, 2 people must be receptive, language is only a vehicle. So the more patience you have the better experiences you will have. With a few kind words your laundry may be washed, dried,

folded and sitting outside your door without any charge! You may get invited to sit and have drinks and food with the locals the more you try to lower you inhibitions and integrate. This is how you will discover Thailand! Back on the tourist route, you will see many vendors, hotels, kiosks and so on, selling trips to the Phi Phi islands or trekking in Surat Thani or Kayaking in the mangrove forests or street food tours Bangkok. By all means, give them all a shot but shop around. Ask is lunch included, hotel pick up and drop off. Some may offer a better package than others. Also a smaller company may not be as organised as the bigger companies, but the service may be more personal and make the day more memorable. So keep Thailand in mind the next time you fancy a Winter Wander Holiday any time between Nov - April for the dry season and either side of that for the wet season. Try the food, the nightlife and of course the famous Thai Massage 1hr for only 6€ (how much does physio cost???) Swim around the protected coral reefs and marvel at the beauty of millions of colurful fish and feel alive and inspired by everything Thailand has to offer! Enjoy!

48

To advertise in The Sentinella Malaga call 711 096 354 Golf tips from the “19th Hole!”

It’s been said before, “Golf is a simple game made difficult by those who play it!”

Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated. A child can play it well and an adult may never learn it. A single round is full of unexpected triumphs and seemingly perfect shots that turn out to be failure. It is almost a science, and it is, at the same time, an unanswered puzzle. It is rewarding and exasperating; precise and unpredictable. It requires perfect concentration and total relaxation. It satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at once rewarding and maddening and, without a doubt, the greatest game ever invented by mankind. So…how do we come to terms with this wonderful game? Golf is a mechanical game – you (the robot) need to present a flat surface to a round surface with unerring regularity. A golf swing is whatever you have developed over the years through Pro lessons, driving range drills, videos, friend’s advice and endless games. You may have any one of a variety of swings – some of the best golfers ever to play the game have had some very strange ways of presenting a flat surface to a round ball. Older golfers will remember Lee Trevino the Mexican who had just about every movement in his body before hitting that stunning straight drive or approach shot. Latterly Jim Fyruk the tall skinny yank that looked as though he was trying to wave a magic wand above his head in the hope of conjuring up some miracle. He did, the fact that the club head got back to the ball was a miracle in itself. But it did not stop him from winning US$ millions and trophies over his long and illustrious career. Find your swing, don’t over tamper with it. Sure you should try small tweaks, but not on the course, all that will do is frustrate you even more. Tweaks are for the driving range or back garden. Most of us have an Ipad or mobile phones that have a video capability. Get someone, maybe your partner or a friend to video you and your swing. You may be surprised at how you achieve the fundamental exercise of getting a club face to a ball. But once you have gone through the experience spend a little time analyzing the outcome. Don’t try to change too much at the outset but build on what you can. As before - don’t over tamper. As we get older our bodies are not as capable of achieving what our brain would like us to do. A few tips that may help with your driver or any wood club. It may also work for your irons. Grip your driver or 3 wood just a tad down the shaft: that will do three things. 1. You will get better control; many a golf swing is lost at the top of the club head travel and with today’s flexible shafts you cannot be sure just how much flex there is. Even John Daly can’t wrap the club around his neck anymore. 2. You will inevitably create a shorter back swing, no more flopping the club head behind your back. 3. A shorter backswing can, when worked on, producer a flatter swing, the one that with practice might take out that slice or fade and introduce you to a draw. Here’s one you have all been told endlessly SLOW DOWN. I used to play with a guy back in the UK who had written on the top of his driver club head SLOW DOWN! Guess what it worked! He wasn’t long but more often than not he found the short stuff. Hitting the ball a long way is not all about club head speed, although at the highest levels of the game I will acknowledge it has a significant impact (forgive the pun!). For us mere mortals it is more about timing and body weight transfer. So..spend a little time thinking about your game more, especially when not on the course. Golf is only a game.

Written by Squadron Leader Shackleton

Variegated Shark

Variegated Shark - Labeo variegatus: The variegated shark is native to the Congo river basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It lives well in larger, well-maintained tanks if you give them lots of hiding places. The environment should also mimic a flowing river with a substrate consisting of gravel, different sizes of rocks, and a few large water-worn boulders. Use driftwood branches to construct crannies, nooks, and shaded spots. Keep in mind that they may damage plants with soft leaves. The variegated shark is a solitary fish, and in the wild, it would likely only come in contact with its own species when spawning. Intraspecies aggression is significant, and you may see a tank full of fish for sale with torn fins. This tendency only increases as the fish age, so it’s generally best to keep them alone. It may be possible to keep them together in a large tank with many hiding places, but each fish will need a diameter of at least a meter to call its own.

To advertise in The Sentinella Malaga call 711 096 354 Sometimes Christmas doesn’t go so smoothly...

Please mention the Sentinella when replying to ads! Give it a good stuffing!

TURKEY STUFFING INGREDIENTS: 6 cups (about 12 ounces) dry bread for stuffing. You can use your favorite kind of bread: sourdough, white, wheat etc. 3-6 cups of cooked & chopped brown turkey meat from your roasted turkey. 2 cups chopped celery 2 cups diced onion 3 cups of turkey broth or pan drippings. 1/2 cup of butter Seasonings: Teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon sage, and half a teaspoon garlic powder.

TURKEY STUFFING DIRECTIONS: (Best not bake stuffing in the turkey cavity because it can make it stuffing mushy and slow the cooking of Turkey.) Butter a 9×11 cooking dish and set it aside. Chop celery and onions. Add 1/4 cup of butter to a skillet and saute onions and celery till their soft. In a large bowl combine cooked onions & celery and liquid from that pan with dry stuffing bread. Add 3-6 cups of chopped cooked brown turkey meat, and toss bowl ingredients together with seasonings. Drizzle turkey broth (or pan drippings) and melted 1/4 cup butter over the bowl mixture. Empty bowl into prepared baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil or oven safe lid. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. Enjoy!

52 To advertise in The Sentinella Malaga call 711 096 354 Top Tens useless but interesting factoids! 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

10.It’s possible to turn peanut butter into diamonds. 9. A group of hippos is called a “bloat.” 8. Pogonophobia is the fear of beards. 7. Alaska is the only state whose name is on one row on a keyboard. 6. The average adult spends more time on the toilet than they do exercising 5. Your fingernails grow faster on your dominant hand. 4. A “jiffy” is about one trillionth of a second. 3. Dragonflies have six legs but can’t walk. 2. Golf balls tend to have 336 “dimples.” 1. Apple seeds contain cyanide.

by Juanita Banana of Banana Moon Yoga Therapy, Studio, Travel & Retreats... ARIES: March 21- April 20

The end of summer and the holidays can demotivate you this September as you lose speed and ambition but, by the start of the fourth week, your enthusiasm returns. Be wary of financial decisions around the15th .

TAURUS: April 21- May 21

At the beginning of September you may need to clarify a sentimental or professional decision but, no matter how busy or hectic things are, stick with your dreams, communicate your desires and expectations, and those around you will encourage and support.

GEMINI: May 22- June 21

The first half of September sees you driven and energised to return to a project. Listen to the thoughts of others who wish only to support you. The second half of the month offers opportunities for more relaxation and pampering.

CANCER: June 22- July 22

You like to be in control but unexpected events will change plans with results you are both happy and comfortable with. You give priority to your professional life but expect some added spice in your romantic relationships.

LEO: July 23- August 23

Relaxed and boosted after the summer, it is time to be positive, to make plans and move forward. Make the most of meetings, socially and at work, and allow yourself to receive support and strength from those around you.

VIRGO: August 24- September 22

You are offered professional opportunities and personal success which, by the 21 st , will be clarified. You shine at everything embarked upon and can afford to be ambitious. You also find a welcome balance in relationships this month.

LIBRA: September 23- October 22

You still need to relax Libra although, by midSeptember, your morale improves and you find energy to try new ideas and experiments. There are choices you cannot escape but have the support of loved ones to whom you should communicate any fears and uncertainties.

SCORPIO: October 23- November 21

Love is at the heart of your priorities this month. If indecisive or worried but are happy, go for it! As an unexpected opportunity comes along, you are advised to talk it over with someone you trust.

SAGITTARIUS: November 22- December 21

At the start of September’s second week, you receive good news which, with will and commitment, gives a boost to all sectors of life and living. Trust in yourself and in delivering that which you set out to complete.

CAPRICORN: December 22- January 20

You may have to fight a bit harder this month, making work and finances a priority. You have innovative ideas but should take one step at a time to see them successfully through.

AQUARIUS: January 21- February 19

As things get tough, push aside your stubbornness and independence and allow people to help – they are there for you – don’t give up! From mid-month things improve, your talents are showcased and you feel rejuvenated.

PISCES: February 20- March 20

A great month for Pisces as you move forward with confidence and serenity. You have opportunities in your personal and professional lives, and energy to stand up to anyone who wants to influence you against your judgement. Make the most of this favourable time.

Horoscopes