Rainfall and Flat Rooftops - A Global Disaster

 I can see the problem in the picture of a local council building in Harrow, NW London. The local councils in London allow sub standard flat roof homes - when the annual rainfall is getting worse.

Flat Rooftops And Rainfall

The flat rooves leak and make mouldy housing. The sick people are draining the NHS. 

Landlords and householders are bankrupt fixing leaking rooftops. So rents rise.

Official websites say that a properly designed flat roof should not leak - if it has a slope.  A slight slope. But nonetheless a slope. 

The advertisements for remedies will tell you the problems.

I have experienced leaking flat roofs in Singapore and the UK. It's not just a recent problem. It has been known for years. You can see that houses in medieval and Victorian times - the ones which lasted, have gabled rooftops.

A slight slope is not good enough. We have a conservatory with a supposedly see-through ceiling with a slight slope. Leaves and moss gather on it. They don't roll off.

Useful Websites

Rain in the UK

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/blog/2026/why-has-it-been-so-wet-this-winter

Flat Roof Defects

https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Flat_roof_defects

Flat Rood drainage

https://www.buildingregs4plans.co.uk/guidance_flat_roof_drainage.php

More rain in Australia

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15586039/sydney-melbourne-weather.html

NHS warnings to travellers and free help

 

The UK's National Health Service has online information. In surgeries, nowadays often called medical centres, you can  pick up leaflets, read posters, and watch slides and videos on screens in waiting rooms.

Currently, in November 2025 you can see information on

What to pack in terms of pills and medical supplies, especially if you have certain long-term conditions.

Flu jabs for adults and children.

Reminders to update your doctor if you change your phone number or address.

Useful NHS website

Www.nhs.uk

Folding Wheelchairs, Walking Aids and Shopping/Luggage Attachments

I have a walking frame issued to me by the NHS when I was discharged from hospital after an x-ray revealed that the pain in my legs and back was caused by a hairline fracture known as an obscure fracture. The walking frame not only put some of my weight onto my arms rather than my legs. It gave me confidence. It also stopped me from lurching and falling sideways. You might fall sideways if you have a ainful hip or leg or back. Or if your balance is affected by something not working right in your ears.

So, the walking frame is a wonderful aid. But, as I walk from room to room, I cannot carry anything with me.

DIY Walking Frame Bag

After I looked online at all the attachments, I thought the mesh bags looked lightweight. An enclosed bag is tidier if you are out in public.

I didn't have a meash bag at home. I decided to try, as a temporary measure, attaching an ordinary supermarket tote bag. They have fixed handles. 

The removable rope-like handles from the card and paper bags from dress shops provided me with a link between a Marks & Spencer tote bag and the cross bar of the walking frame.

If your frame is not designed for bags, and your bags are too big and heavy, they might tilt the frame when it is standing, or make it heavy to manoevre.

\

Folding Wheechair

I was given a folding wheelchair by somebody in my street after I put out a request on our street whatsapp group.

After a couple of days I discovered it folded. So that you can put it into a car.

Here are some of the items I found online. 

Folding Wheelchairs and Walking Frames 

You can buy folding wheelchairs. 

You can also buy folding walking frames.

Shopping Attachment Bag For Walking Frames

The simplest and cheapest is a net bag which attaches at six points. About Six pounds sterling and something. 

Others have square or oblong stiff compartments for items and sometimes drinks or cup holders.

Useful Websites For Wheelchairs and Walking Frames

Wheelchair luggage carrier

https://remap.org.uk/solutions/luggage-carrier-attachment-for-wheelchair/

Walking frame shopping attachment

https://www.amazon.co.uk/walking-frame-caddy/s?k=walking+frame+caddy

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https://www.amazon.co.uk/Net-bag-for-W

Wheelchairs and Walking Frames, Sticks, And Aids I Used On My Week Away On Holiday

Angela Lansbury on the electric wheelchair borrowed from the conference centre.

In the blog post I shall tell you about the delights and near disasters of walking frames, bathroom aids, walking sticks, manually operated wheelchairs, and exciting electric wheelchairs. 

The Walking Frame

I had been given a walking frame to take home by the NHS A & E department where I had sat up all night in a reclining chair after two x-rays revealed a hairline crack in my lower spine (called an obscure fracture). They had also diagnosed rather than bone, a muscular/ligament problem or tear.

I had two sets of advice from the visitng physios on successive days. The first one was, move everything, as much as you can. The second one was, rest everything, as much as you can.

I also took on holiday my narrow walking frame given to me by the NHS after my discharge from Hospital.

The Walking Stick

We looked for a walking stick. We wanted a pair so I could get into narrow spaces. Unfortunately, I could not find a walking stick I had saved from when my late mother-in-law used one. 

My husband found a walking stick used on climbing holidays. Instead of a flat rubber slip-on cover at the base, it had a metal spike. Not ideal for carpet, polished wood floors, synthetic kitchen floor tiles. And the risk of stabbing your toes ir you slip or are looking forward rather than downwards. I abandoned that and went back to the walking frame.

The Home Bath/Shower Bar

The Physio department had sent help the next day. They gave me a bar on the wall above the bath so I could get help hoisitn myself up. Also something to handg onto to avoid slipping. One of their concerns was that I had osteoporosis, which I had known I had for years, since menopause. But at this first time I had broken a bone, albeit a tiny crack, which made me unable to walk, or even turn over in bed, so they were concerned that I should not fall and have a major bone break such as a cracked hip. About half the peole who crack their hips do not survive beyond dix months. I presume that's more than the average per year of the elderly of that age group, taking into account a control group of the same age group of elderly people who would die of other causes at that age. 

The Walking Frame

Naturally, I think we could all see that the NHS would be better off lending you or giving you a walking frame, rather than risking the huge cost of hospital stays, x rays, carers, painkilling pills, whatever. And the depression and time off work for other members of the family, friends and neighbours.

A Folding Wheelchair

We packed in the car a folding wheelchair I was given by a neighbour. (I had appealed for help with buying or borrowing or begging a wheelchair on my street's whatsApp group.) 

The folding wheelchair fits into a car.

The wheelchair can also be made smaller so you can get around the bedroom.. And corridors, Everywhere you need it.

The Electric Wheelchair

I had considered cancelling my week away at the Hayes Conference Centre. But a member of the committee, saintly Sarah, encouraged me to come along and told me that the Hayes had a motorised scooter which I could use whilst there. Sarah told me I should have travel insurance, and third party insurance. Why?

Travel Insurance And Third Party Insurance

I checked with my husband. I found that we had travel insurance provided by one of our bank cards. (Natwest in the UK.) I thought that it was no longer avialable as we were both over seventy. It turned out that it was no longer free, but if you paid a premium you could have it, and my husband had taken it out. Even though he had often said that the NHS in the UK would be our best bet for most things.

Hospital Aftercare

An important point to note is that if you are in an NHS hospital, the local authority will send you follow-up home care and aids. 

But if you go into hospital privately, you cannot get help at home afterwards. My late father went into hospital privately and came home with no help, even paying for it, not for him. 

But a week later he was walking in the street and collapsed. He was taken to the nearest central London Hospital, NHS. Then he came hom and the local authoirty appeared with offers of help.

The Motorised Scooter 

First I had to sign a form abosling the centre for any financial cost to themselves or third parties. That seemed like a remote possibilty. Until I tried to take my electric wheelchair into the bedroom.

The Heavy Bedroom Door

On arrival I was helped by staff. They had a pass key. So they opened the door, stood inside and to one side, holding the door, as I manoevred through.

When I tried to get out again, I found that the door was heavy. It's a fire door and has to close. The staff have trinagular rubbery door wedges to hold doors open briefly. They did not give me one. I later saw several more by or under doors near the dining room. I could either have brought one from home or asked to borrow one. Or even borrowed one from a distant room which was not in use during the concerence and returned it later to the room where I found it or to the front desk at reception.

However, in the evneing, I reached my bedroom door on my own late at night. I called a passing lady and asked her to hold the door open.

She stood in front of me. I turned the wheel and accelerated. I did not think to turn the speed to the lowest. Maybe I did. But I still shot forward and nearly pinned her to the door's archway. Horrors.

I backed off. That was extremely dangerous, frieghtening. I could have killed her. Insured her. Now I knew why I had third party insurance. Not just for running somebody over as I speeded down the hill and the person with the walking stick ahead, who was deaf or hard of hearing, did not move, or jumped int the direction I was turning attempting to avoid them. But this point, somebody standing in front of you holding open a door whilst you try to go backwards and forwards to turn right or left into the door, when the corridor doesn't allow much movemnt.

After that I left the wheelchair outside the door. I took the key with me. 

Sarah later said the other wheelchair should be moved inside, so as not to block the corridor. You have to consider the dangers of theft, and the dangers of blocking the corridor, and complication of moving the wheelchair in the bedroom.

Moving A Big Motorised Wheelchair Inside The Small Bedroom

The bedroom looked quite roomy. But I did not think to ask for my suitcase to be lifted onto the folding suitcase support. So the suitase was on the floor, open or shut. I acceleratedforwad. I was then stuck unter the window at the bottom of the bed. No room to turn. I had to reverse out of the bedroom.

All in all, a wonderful wheelchair experience.

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Insurance, house fire and health - countries UK and USA compared

Fire Problem 

January 9th and 10th 2025 saw wildfires destroying areas of Los Angeles on west coast USA. I saw news reels showing the destruction of homes, restaurants, and a gas station (which in the UK would be called a garage, with petrol pumps). 

Fire was not a once in a thousand years unexpected event. We have known about the spread of fire since the Great Fire of London, for which there is a monomuent you can see in London, where the fire started in a bakery. Wooden buildings were built close together. Fire just ran along rows of houses from one to another.

I saw something similar happen to the house opposite. A man was gardening. He dropped the flaming weedkiller on the ground to answer the phone or the front doorbell. The weedkiller flame or spark ignited low plants. The flames or sparks reached the row of trees along the fence. The flame ran horizontally along the trees.   

Fortunately, the anxious neighbours in their back kitchen had seen flames near their window and later shoot along their fence and had called the fire brigade before I saw flames appearing above the garage, and thought, oh, a bonfire, wait a minute, that's above the garage which is taller than a six foot man, that's a nine foot high flame right beside a garage with a car in it or beside it, don't wait a minute, call the fire brigade now.

Afterwards the lady fire officer told me that she and her crew arrived just in time. In another fire minutes both houses would have been alight and gone.

So the fire brigades as well as insurance deal with fires in an area and know about fire worldwide and through history. Every househoder landowner landlord and tenant hotel management and hotel guest needs to know what precautions could and should be taken to prevent or to tackle or escape from fire, flood and burglary / invasion by burglars or hooligans or war.

Fire Insurance

Fire insurers (as well as governments doing worst case scenario planning) know what fire prevention measures are taken in each area, the likelihood of fire, and the cost of compensation, for rehousing and rebuilding.

 Home owners complained that a major insurer failed to renew insurance cover for homes and buildings, because a legal cap on the amount the insurance could charge. This was supposed to protect the consumer. However, the insurance companies apparently saw that they risked going broke because of the hire risk of fire. 

Yet some islands of unburned building remained. Brick chimneys standing like towers over the ash of woodden dwellings. The entire Getty museum estate with fire up to its gates.

What was different about the safe areas? Apparently As far as I can tell, precautions are well known but not budgeted for.

Building Construction And Reconstruction

What was not done? 

1 To prevent dry burning bushes by cutting,, or controlled burning of bushes which would catch fire naturally, from sparks from other fires (or from arson). 

2 Water Storage For Prevention

Houses were built of wood, which is good for resisitng earthquakes, but bad for fires. If you build rows of houses together that saves on heating but prevents access to the back and means fire spreads unless the construction is fireproof. If you build out garages to adjoin adjacent buildings, that could make a domino effect for fires, and a gap which is too narrow means you cannot repaint to remove insects animals, humans who fall, work there, trapped cats, mould from leaking gutters, nor provide a fire break.

3 

4 Affordable Insurance

Apparently, the government's laws, designed to protect the consumer, put a cap on the price or percentage increase of insurance in order to make it affordable by the consumer so that people did not risk going without insurance. 

Unfortunately, it seems that the insurance copanies calculated that the see saw balance tipped so that the income would not cover the outgoings in a catastrophe (which was not preventable because the govenment had cut funding of services such as fire brigades, trained officers - bringing in untrained people from ethnic minorities or majorities to provide them with employment and water storage.

Insurance companies are required to hold enough money from income to pay out for scattered or grouped disasters. They might write in clauses warning that they will not (and cannot) pay out for major catastrophic events (such as war and riots) which would require more financial compensation than has been paid in that year (minus the payment for the insurance companies' staff, offices, and shareholders dividends).

Possible Solutions - Water Storage

If water was not stored, use sea water. 

Why was sea water not brought in? 

At first it was. This works in small scale fires if the winds are blowing smoke away from the approaching planes. 

However, in a major fire with huge amounts of smoke blowing towards the incoming planes the pilots cannot operate and even if they want to take the risk they are banned for their own safety and the safety of the aircraft (and those below in the event of a crashed plane) and the cost of more compensation for injured firefighter pilots and loss of firefighters or pilots.

That leaves us with two options for the future.

1 Water Storage

Every house should have water storage and be warned at fire risk times to store water and to water gardens and bushes. 

But you get hose pipe bans during hot times of drought. Yes. So you have to cut down un-needed bushes.

But conservationists say that animals and insects live there. 

Also in London, our local professional gardener, Martin, complained about people concreting over front gardens to make driveways. Cynics, or kind people, might say, that means less work available for gardeners. That affects him. But he is already in high demand. 

Water Drainage - Flood Risks And Prevention

What affects everybody is the risk of flooding, made worse by concrete and roads, because water cannot sink into the ground but flows downhill. It pools above the damp proof course, a horizontal black line which looks like slate between the bricks about a foot off the ground, which you can see on blocks of flats. 

I was sent videos of flooding in Northwood at Sentis Court. It also affects bungalows (such as Hillview Road in Hatch End, and businesses at the bottom of sloping roads (such as the Broadway, (the high street, which American call main street) in Hatch End. So, this could affect housing complexes and hillside streets worldwide. 

Eveything requires the right balance. Too much water (dams not repaired or overflowing) and you get flooding. Too little water, you get fires or cannot put out fires.

Insurance Options

The state (of California) could, and in my opinion should, offer last resort insurance the way that the NHS (National Health Service) in the UK operates. The UK government taxes your income (National Health Insurance contribution) and provides basic health care.

 If every state in the USA including California did this, then each state would take an amount to insure your home and provide health care. The state would also be responsible for rehousing and rebuilding homes for the homeless. 

But the hospitals in the UK are only where the state builds them, and they want big hospitals in one place near cities, so local residents are often heard of running cmapiaagns to prevent th closure of smaller hospitals which the state or local council wants to centralise. Similarly, the state (in Singapore Housing Development Board, HDB for short) provides homes on cheaper land out of town, and sometimes on flood risk land. So, hospitals and homes, are only where the state builds them. (And where government decides to build them.) 

The same applies to local government and commercial and individual decisions. In an ideal world, every individual has the money and sense to take good precautions. Also, and so does the govenment. No ignorance, risk-taking, irresponsiblity, corruption, greed.

If only.

Lessons Learned

Ghetty Museum

1 Concrete Building

Not wood, thick concrete walls.

2 Sprinklers outside. (The Ghetty Museum can't have water inside all over watercolours and oil paintings. 

Modern hotels are different. They have sprinklers to protect people. They don't have heirlooms. Minimal objects, to prevent theft. Furnishings changed every three years anyway because of wear and tear and to update.)

3 Evacuation

When a fire is nearby, museums like the Ghetty get fewer visitors. They can send away ticket selling staff. 

They could just keep a minimum of outdoor firefighters, mostly daytime only, keeping watch. Already outdoors, they could escape in a hurry.

Onlookers From Afar

Those of us far away can only look on with horror at disasters. No. We can learn. To prevent disaster happening to us. (Global warming. Water storage. Budgets for fire fighting. Meritocracy for recruiting firefighters. Insurance.)

And to step in with advice, and financial and equipment help. And sympathy. 

Travel

Meanwhile, for travellers, your travel to Los Angeles or through Los Angeles might be disrupted.

May the rest of 2025 bring better news for all of us worldwide. 

Useful Websites

Daily Mail article on Ghetty Museum

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Insect bites, swelling, shape and size, cause and calming - Identified and treated - helpful advice from the UK, USA, Singapore and Australia - Worst case scenario - scorpions!

 

Stingose. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

I have an itchy swelling on my arm from an insect bite or bites. I was out in the garden before a family meal.

I woke in the night with swelling.

I have read the online advice from a US website and the UK NHS website. It seems I don't need medical intervention unless it is around the face, or I can't breathe, or vomit, which is not the case.

I am not in trouble until the swelling is more than 10 cm. I measured it. It is currently 5 cm.

Stingose, a small spray which comes from Australia, usually helps a lot. Not this time.

When the shops open I shall ask for calamine in the pharmacist. I could buy calamine cheaper in the supermarket but I want the pharmacist's advice and I am willing to buy from them as a thank you. Much cheaper and quicker than going to a doctor.

I have taken a photo of the swelling so I can send it. Also to keep a record of whether it is increasing in size and over what time.

A friend warns me to watch out for a circle around a spot. Watch out for lyme disease.

What is the worst case scenario? Analyphylactic shock. Mosquitos and malaria or dengue fever. Scorpions.

Scorpions

Another friend was bitten by a scorpion in Singapore. The scorpion was inside a plasti-wrapped fruit.

She saved the scorpion in a plastic box to show the hospital. She instinctively sucked out the poison and spat it out and washed out her mouth. the hospital doctor told her she had done the right thing.

Her son and daughters-in-law drove her to the hospital. Later the young ladies insisted on releasing the baby scorpion by the reservoir. (Now we know where not to walk!)

Interestingly the UK website warns against going barefoot outdoors. I have always thought that was a bad idea, as I once stepped on a nail which went through my shoe.

Anyway, the best painkiller was distraction from being online!

Why cover a bite?

To prevent yourself from scratching.

Why not scratch?

Because you expose the skin underneath to infection.

Because the blood will stain a white blouse or shirt sleeve - or the bed's sheet or pillor.

The pharmacy checked it was a bite, no visible sting, and sold me antihistamine.

I now have a plaster over it to stop the cream rubbing off on my sleeve. I must go sleeveless.

Useful Websites (By country)

AUSTRALIA

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments

SINGAPORE

https://www.nparks.gov.sg/gardens-parks-and-nature/dos-and-donts/animal-advisories/bees-,-a-,-wasps

https://www.facebook.com/sgredcross/posts/insect-stings-from-a-bee-wasp-or-hornet-can-be-painful-but-are-usually-not-dange/1423731844351935/

http://www.betterfamilyhealth.org/insect-bites.html

UK

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/insect-bites-and-stings/prevention/

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/insect-bites-and-stings/symptoms/

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lumps/

https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/conditions/insect-bites-and-stings

USA

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bee-stings/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353874#:~:text=Apply%20hydrocortisone%20cream%20or%20calamine,increase%20your%20risk%20of%20infection.

WIKI

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect_bites_and_stings

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antipruritic

See my later post with more information.

Vaccines Rolled Out, and Irish borders remain open in the UK

Good News - Vaccine Roll-out in the UK

A couple of my distant relatives my marriage, in their sixties, because of their age, are getting their first jabs shortly. 

They won't get the second jab, which will be of the same type, for a while. The UK priority is to give the first jab to as many people as possible.  

Nurses Needed

This should relieve pressure on the health services. They can build a new hospital, put up a field hospital, or convert a nursing home into a hospital. but they needed nurses. At the moment one nurse is watching over four in high dependency units instead of just one.

You can have people hooked up to machines and watched on banks of videos. But when the beep goes off, somebody has to go running to look.

UK Government - Good News? 

My family has confidence in the new health minister in charge of the vaccines. 'She was dealing with medical start-ups. She has experience in the field. Medicine. And new ventures.'

My family were also upbeat about the UK prospects of getting the ordered vaccines. 

'The EU tried to stop them. But we had contracts signed long ago and goods already paid for. You can't change the laws at the drop of a hat affecting deals retrospectively without losing confidence on Europe's laws. 

Flag of the Republic of Ireland

Irish Borders Blocked? 

The idea of blocking the Irish border with barriers came and went too. The EU wanted to close the border to stop the vaccines being taken across from Eire (Replublic if Ireland, flag above) to Northern Ireland (which uses the UK flag). 

My Uk based family member laughed, 'For years nobody could get Eire and Northern Ireland and the UK government to agree on anything. Then the EU did it straight away!" (I could hear the speaker and their family in the IK were laughing.) 

'Also, (over in America, new American President) Biden keeps mentioning his Irish roots. So the Americans would also have been against the border.'   

So, Lockdown London has a little good news to send us and the world.

About the Author

Angela Lansbury is teacher of English. (Advanced English and English as a Second Language or English as a Foreign Language, French and other languages, an aspiring polyglot.)

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Member of many toastmasters  speaker training clubs, and speaking contest judge.

Angela Lansbury, the author of 20 books including Wedding Speeches & Toasts, and Quick Quotations, has lived in the USA, Spain and Singapore. 

She  has several blogs and writes daily on at least two of the following:

travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

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Bite remedies And Where To Buy And Get Advice

Problem
I went online and researched all the possible home remedies for bites. I read about make a past of oatmeal or using apple cider vinegar, or baking soda.

I tried.
The basic remedy for soothing is calamine lotion. I also considered doing some late night hoovering to get rid of any nesting places or food for insects.

During a trip to Morrisons supermarket I asked an assistant for help. I was already at checkout at closing time (10 pm) so I carried on checking out whilst she ran to find something for me. I shouted, "Anything for bites and stings - the smallest and cheapest!"

It's handy to have small lotions and potions when travelling. Less to carry. Less problem at security. Less cost to replace when it goes out of date.

She brought back Anthisan. I typed antisan thinking of anti insect. Then I noticed it started ANTH with an H and corrected my typing.

A few mornings later the bites were still stinging.

I considered going to the doctor. But I didn't have an apointment and didn't want to wait a day. They will put you in as an emergency, first thing, or in a gap or cancellation, but I don't want to do that if I can avoid it. If you keep inundating them with last minute 'emergencies' they will be less inclined to help you and others.

I looked online for NHS direct. I went through their initial question, which included, do you have any exiting medical condition. That was useful. It reminded me about allergies. I might be allergic to some medications, if they contained aspiric or penicillin.

Next I was asked to make a contribution of £5. hm. I was expecting a free service. This is what I saw:

https://my-secure.justanswer.co.uk/newquestion/depositfunds/

If I were calling from the USA, I might think that good value, but am I going to be asked for more as a subscription. I hae already paid through taxes on income for the NHS which is free to all in the UK.

What's more, signs in the window of the UK pharmacies and online encourage you to try your pharmacy first, before taking up the doctor's time. I'd rather wait five minutes in the pharmacy than half an hour at the doctor. If the pharmacy thinks it's serious, I can go to the doctor without worrying that I'm wasting their time.

UK Pharmacy
So I go to the pharmacy. He looks at my leg and says, "It's not too bad."

Wonderful. Not as bad as I thought. A good pice of NLP too. That's neuro linguistic programming. Forget the N. Linguistic programming. Positive language. Tell the patient they are getting better and they will get better, or at least they will feel happier.

Hurray for the NHS. Hurray for the pharmacy. Now that the bites are going down, it seems like a bad dream, a fuss. But at least I have the photos as evidence.

The moral of the story is"
1 You can get over the counter medication late at night from a late night or all night supermarket.

2 You can get information about minor and major health concerns on the internet.

3 You can get advice on the internet - but check against scams before parting with money.

4 Pharmacies in Britain will give advice. You are not being a nuisance. The government wants you to do this rather than wasting a doctor's time for milder ailments. The pharmacy will be glad for you to go in and get familiar with their shop. They are paid for dispensing medicines. They also make a profit if you buy something. You might buy something today. You might come back another time and buy something once you know them and feel at home and friendly towards their friendly staff.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Recovery Position - What's That?

Problem
We are bombarded with information on what to do in an emergency. I just received a notice from the St John's Ambulance, UK, telling me what to do if someone is having a cardiac arrest. In the UK you call 999 or 112 for emergency help.

One of the instructions is to put the person, if they are unresponsible, 'in the recovery position'. I thought, what's that? No diagram.

Answer
So I did a google search and found the national health service article. I won't rewrite or summarise in case I make a mistake and get something wrong. But read it and try to memorise it.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/first-aid/recovery-position/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recovery_position

Recovery position picture from Wikipedia.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Why You Travellers Need To Keep Records: passport, money, medical records

Problems
Your hotel catches fire. (Or damaged by flooding or earthquake.) Even if you are nearby in the restaurant downstairs, or at the swimming pool, you might not be able to get to your vital documents. You are not allowed back into the building which is cordoned off. How would you order food if you were kept out of your building for an hour, and you wanted to go for coffee or to order pizza for yourself or your family?

I read about people caught up in a fire situation, who were by the pool. Fortunately one of them had a credit card in his shorts. He was able to fund long distance phone calls, buying clothes and food for himself and his family, and pay for the new, temporary passport.

(My new replacement British passport, to replace mine stolen in Singapore, cost about £100 and I needed lots of documents to prove who I was and where I lived in Singapore and the UK. The temperoary doucment was taken from me when I arrived at the airport in London, England. I then had to gather all my UK documentation - costing over £100, including  passport, replacement travel card, travel, fresh passport photos, and travel up to the passport office in London to get a new permanent passport, which again, with the two or more photos, three or four photos I had to get,  ...

University Certificates
I could get a job in Singapore as a teacher but had to provide the original University certificate showing my qualifications, not a photocopy.

If it was lost, I had to write to the university for a replacement.

If all your documents were lost if you moved house, and one box went missing, or all the items went missing, or you could not find where you had packed the certificate and needed one in a hurry for your new job?

So, you see, it's really handy to keep records of where you have kept your documents, the dates you passed exams, which school or college or university or issuing authority to write to for a replacement. It's also handy to know which office in your city supplies replacement documents such as passports, whether you can just turn up or need to make an appointment (which could take several hours - meanwhile you are waitlisted for an urgent flight home).

If I Were You
As the old Irish joke goes, If I were you I wouldn't start from here. If I had to start all over again, I would keep a list of everything on the wall, at home and overseas when an expat staying in another country.

I've heard of people listing their successes on the wall as a morale booster, to beat depression or increase productivity.

If you have a child or grandchild, you could have a record on your wall of each milestone. You could e have a set of same size frames (buy a set of 12 at a wholesale discount. If you prefer, buy them in three sizes, eg while at college or university, making a cumulative list of achievement.

When a child is born, you are keen to record at what age he or she took their first steps, spoke or learned to read. This is a handy comparison with succeeding generations. Take a positive view. If Dad did better than son, you can boast about Dad's amazing achievement. If son did better than Dad, you can boast about son's achievements.

This week my husband was awarded reviewer of the year by the Market Research society. Today, at last, finally, I received my certificate for ALB, Advanced Leader Bronze, from Toastmasters International. I shall hang it on the wall. That's what made me think about listing all my achievements. Going through a family deed box, after my parents' died, I had found that I took speaking exams as a child. I've forgotten all about that. So long ago. But my parents kept those certificates.

Happy Results
Be organised. Feel smug. Feel satisfied. Learn from other people's mistakes and mistakes you made in the past. Keep tabs on all those documents. You never know when you might need them.

If you don't have academic success, you can list other milestones. Learned to drive a car. Learned to ride a bicycle. Learned to cook a pancake. Learned to make an omelette. Learned how to sew on a button.

Medical Records - Jabs
You need medical records. I tried to get out of a car which stopped because of no parking place. I opened the car door and put my foot out. Then the driver saw a car drive off - and accelerated suddenly towards the place! I scraped my foot. I was bleeding and in pain. I needed to go to the hospital, in Cyprus.

The nurse asked me, "When did you last have a tetanus jab?"

No idea. I wished I had kept a record of all my jobs inside my passport.

Recovery
Another story. When I was recovering from multiple injuries in a road traffic accident, every time I sat up, I felt dizzy and the room swung around multiple times. But I was unaccountably happy. (In the hospital I didn't know it, but I was on morphine. When I told a friend's husband, an Ear Nose and Throat specialist, that I thought I hadn't had a bowel movement for a week, he told me that I was right, because it's a side effect of morphine.

When I got home, despite being near paralysed, I was deliriously happy every day. I was getting better every day. I knew it. I counted the times the world, the room, swing around when I tried to raise my head off the pillow, every day. Something like this: a hundred, eighty, Fifty, thirty, twenty, ten, five, two, one, NONE!

I could not lift my right hand and write, so I never wrote a note. I wish I had one now. Just think, I could not lift my arm, nor sit up, let alone write. Now I am typing.

Yes, every little step is handy. Just recovering from a cold or flu, a record is handy. You visit the doctor or speak to the advice line for the NHS (National Health Service) in London, England. They ask you: How many days have you been running a temperature? What is your temperature? How long have you been ill? How long have you had this cough? It makes a difference to the diagnosis and whether you need to see a doctor or a hospital.

Keep records. Good moments. Bad moments. It all helps keep you alive and happy.

What's the first thing I'm doing after writing this. I shall take my own advice and photograph my certificate. Why? In case I spill coffee on it. In case I need the know the shape or size when buying a frame. In case I need it overseas. To send to family overseas to cheer them up with good news. To cheer myself up when I am stressed. To remind myself that every little step you take, brings you further to success on every journey.

Author, Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Learning Languages By Reading Translated Letters - a few words of Spanish and Portuguese

Problem
What do the translations say on the back of the NHS letter? I received an advance notice letter from the NHS (British National Health Service) about a bowel cancer screening programme. On the back the letter is translated into 15 languages.

Interestingly, not French, nor German, but:
Arabic
Bengali
Chinese
Farsi
Greek
Gjurati
Hindi
Polish
Portuguese
Punjabi
Somali
Spanish
Turkish
Vietnamese
Urdu

By folding the paper, I could compare the English and the Spanish and Portuguese more easily.

The English reads:

If you are unable to read this letter or the enclosed leaflet because English is not your first language, please ask someone who speaks English to telephone the Freephone helpline for further information and help.

The only two languages I have a hope of translating and understanding are Spanish and Portuguese, both of which I have been learning on Duolingo and the Spanish through Duolingo's Tinycards.

English - Spanish
and - e
English -inglés
first language - lengua materna (like English words linguistic and maternal)
for / or order to - para
free - gratuita (like gratuity)
help - ayuda
If - si
language - lengua
leaflet - folleto (like the English word folio or portfolio)
maternal - materna
more information - información adicional
no / no /cannot (with a verb) - no
obtain - obtener
or - o
read - ler
the - el
this - esta
your - su

English - Portuguese
and - e
English - inglês
first - primeira (like the English word prime)
first language - primeira lingua
for  / in order to - para
help/assistance - assistência
If - se
language - lingua
leaflet - folheto
more information - mais informação
no/not/cannot (with a verb)  - não (the wobbly sign above the a is called a tilda)
obtain - obter
or -ou
read - ler
the - o
this - esta
your - sua

Spanish - English
alguien - someone
ayuda - help
carta - letter
e - and
el - the
esta - this
folleto - leaflet
gratuita - free (similar to the English word gratuity)
habla - speaks
información adicional - more information
(el) inglés - English
lengua - language
lengua materna - mother tongue
leer - read (memory aid - leer at somebody, read a letter)
llame - called
materna - maternal
obtener - obtain
para - for / in order to
pidale - ask him
que - what
si -if
su - your

Portuguese - English
assistência - help
carta - letter
e - and
esta - this
fale - speak
conseguir - get
(o) inglês - English
ler - read
lingua - language
mais informação - more information
não - no/not
o - the
obter - obtain
ou - or
para - for / in order to
peça - ask
pessoa - person
portanto - therefore
primeira - first
primeira lingua - first language
se - if
sua - your
uma - an

I used to buy a small dictionary on every trip overseas. I always found a great choice of dictionaries in tourist shops at the destination. I must confess, I often had to buy a dictionary because I had forgotten to pack the one I had at home.

To help me with translations of packaging in French, Spanish and German, I bought giant one-volume dictionaries.
For a choice of small or large dictionaries, go to Amazon.

Useful websites:
www.Amazon.com
www.amazon.co.uk
www.duolingo.com
www.tinycards.duolingo.com

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker, teacher of English and languages.
I have other posts on languages. Please share your favourite posts.

Freebie Websites, Airmiles, Discounts, Points and Savings

Everybody likes to get something free. If you don't need a free gift, you can give it to somebody else, friends, family, somebody who would love it, somebody who needs it, a charity, a raffle.

Freebie sites are also useful for services, such as courses, to tempt you to try something new, even if you don't have the time or the money right now.

Some discounts are available only to local residents, others, such as duty free shops in Singapore, only for foreign visitors who can show passports and/or return air ticket.

If you go to work temporarily overseas, then get offered a permanent job, and become resident overseas, you may then be able to buy new goods in the UK and take them duty free back to your foreign home eg furniture or a musical instrument. You need to keep your receipt of purchase if you are traveling back and forth with something large and expensive such as a camera or video recorder.

My favourite free sites include:
http://www.britishmuseum.org/membership.aspx

City Cards and passes - some just museums, others just transport, others both:
New York pass card
https://www.newyorkpass.com/

Reykjavik Museums, shops, swimming pools and buses:
http://www.icelandair.co.uk/holidays/package/reykjavik-city-card/

Discount DIY
B & Q discount card; money off voucher on sign up when you spend your first £30; also Diamond club giving 10% discount on Wednesdays to those aged over 60.
http://www.diy.com/bandqclub

Free Languages
www.duolingo.com
www.duolingotinycards

Free Healthcare
UK NHS.
www.nhs

For details on obtaining the form to get you free health care in Europe go to:
http://www.nhs.uk/nhsengland/healthcareabroad/ehic/pages/about-the-ehic.aspx

USA - look for the local free hospital or clinic online, for example this one in New York:
http://nycfreeclinic.med.nyu.edu

Free Coupons and vouchers
www.vouchercodes.com

Late Booking Hotel and Holiday Discounts
www.lastminute.com

Free magazines and newspapers
Waitrose weekend magazine free to regular shoppers with the loyalty card (which is free)

Supermarket and Store Loyalty Points
Boots Advantage card
http://www.boots.com/?cm_mmc=bmm-_-Google+Boots+Main+Account-_-Boots+-+Brand-_-Boots+Advantages

Morrisons More Card
https://my.morrisons.com/more/

Tesco Club Card
https://secure.tesco.com/clubcard

My Waitrose Card
http://www.waitrose.com/home/mywaitrose/mywaitrose_ts_cs.html

Wholesale Bulk Buy Food Groceries Household Supplies
If you have a shop or business or organise club events or hold parties and meetings, have a huge family or like to bulk buy
Costco
http://www.warehouses.costco.co.uk/membership/

Airlines' Loyalty Schemes
Star Alliance

Hotel Loyalty Schemes

Memberships
Art Card
Friend of the museum

Restaurant Offers
Sign up for the newsletters of restaurants and pubs to be sent seasonal offers and birthday offers.
For example, Cafe Rouge sends me mailing of offers and birthday offers.
https://www.caferouge.com/offers

I shall be updating this page as I find new offers.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.