Muddying the waters

In North Wales, horrified swimmers discovered raw sewage on the beach, a phenomenon that is fast becoming the norm. The irony, of course, is that the government bleats on about green issues and how important it is to address the problems of climate change and yet under its own nose it is happy to allow the steady contamination of British waters.

Meanwhile, wildlife experts are extremely concerned about the number of sea creatures that are fast disappearing, mostly caused by human waste and pollution of the natural environment. Only last week, a large group of gormless voyeurs gathered on a beach in Great Yarmouth in Norfolk to watch the last death throes of a washed-up seal.

They photographed the dying creature, and took selfies next to it with their children in tow. Unbelievably they encouraged them to throw stones at the poor animal as it lay dying alone, gasping its last breath at the water’s edge. Exhibiting zero compassion, the monstrous individuals had to be pushed back by the local police in order to remove the now dead seal. These ignorant, uneducated and foul excuses for human life are the root of the massive environmental crisis that is threatening to ruin our world.

How do we hope to meet the challenges of our planet when such lobotomised lowlifes are roaming it in their hordes? What hope is there for children of the next generation if parents act in this heinous manner? If I were the Prime Minister of Britain I would make it mandatory that anyone harming animals in this gratuitous way would face the harshest of fines and also stiff prison sentences.

I’m fairly sure that such a punishment would decrease this kind of behaviour as education and awareness campaigns are evidently not working.
There is no place for animal cruelty in this world and those who refuse to respect nature should face heavy penalties. We worry about the effects of climate change and the destruction of our forests and seas and yet continue to pollute and destroy our fragile planet. We have only ourselves to blame.

Cough it up

I’ve never been a smoker which is probably why I had no idea how expensive a packet of cigarettes was in the UK. Following that chancellor’s budget last week the price of a packet went up on average by 63p making the cheapest about ten quid. How on earth do people afford such a vice? A bottle of wine or beer is significantly cheaper so I suppose smokers can at least drown their sorrows.

My son is a smoker similarly too many of his friends. They always uses tobacco and roll their own to save on cost. In Eastern Europe where he lives they are as cheap as chips and a fair price here in Spain. I would love him to give up smoking but I understand that nothing I say will make a difference until he decides that it is the right thing to do for his health. Life is tough for so many at present and if a cigarette makes it a little more bearable for some, I think they should be allowed to continue to smoke without judgement or a massive hike in prices.

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend

One often reads amazing stories about those who by sheer chance come across items of great worth. Sometimes these objects or works of art have been lying about their homes for many years with the owners remaining blissfully unaware of their bounty. Last week a woman in Northumberland was clearing out her house and discovered a significant diamond among old jewellery. She had it valued and was shocked to find that it was a 34-carat stone with an estimated value of £2 million. The woman is in her seventies and so one wonders what she will now do.

Will she buy herself a fantastic new property, give money away to charity or to relatives? Will she take herself off on a dream holiday or gorge on lobster and champagne? Maybe get herself a toy boy? I imagine that there were times in her life when she really needed that money, given that she often used car boot sales for bargains. At such a stage in her trajectory it must feel so strange suddenly to hit the jackpot. Whatever she decides to do I hope she has fun, paints the town red and makes the most of her extraordinary luck! Life, after all, is for living.

Changing hands

Following my accident last week in the mountains I have had my wrist bone straightened and put back into place but still await news on whether I will need an operation. After a bad experience in one hospital (I shall mention no name and save its blushes) I sought treatment at Rotger in Palma where thankfully I was treated with great cordiality and was able to see a wrist specialist. Suffering physical trauma of this kind is bad enough but when a consultant appears dismissive and unhelpful, it is time to trust one’s gut and seek another opinion. I’m glad I did and I am grateful to Rotger for stepping up to the mark.

Anna Nicholas’s seventh Majorca travel title, Peacocks in Paradise, is now available to purchase at all good UK bookshops & via amazon. In Majorca it’s available at Universal Bookshop, Alameda shop in Soller and the Atelier in Fornalutx and in Palma bookshops.