Renewing My ID Card
The national identity card (DNI) is a component of Argentine DNA from cradle to grave in a similar way that a Brit feels to sailing the seven seas or strolling to the pub at opening time.
marc
About marc
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If Your Roof Leaks, Knock The House Down!
This appears to be what our neighbours are doing, but let me explain.
A few years ago they replaced the traditional Spanish style roof tiles with black corrugated aluminium sheeting which was not only ugly but apparently leaked even more than the tiles and so they decided to take drastic action.
They have moved out for six months and the builders moved in last Monday, furiously knocking down walls and gable ends because apparently, the plan is to now give the house a flat roof. Not only that, they intend to rebuild the first floors and add extra rooms.
I shudder to think of the cost involved and when I asked one of the builders how things were going, he more or less said that they were building the house from scratch. My thoughts exactly and one wonders why they didn’t simply sell up and buy another house?
Spanish roof tiles, if fitted correctly, are not difficult to repair or replace – I’ve done it myself plenty of times.
This is certainly not a job for the faint-hearted and the builders haven’t wasted any time getting stuck in. They start at seven in the morning and don’t stop until five pm and we’re just about getting used to the noise, which has another six months to go. On the other hand, our circumstances have recently changed, so it may well be us looking to move.
THE LAST BRITISH PRESIDENT – SPANISH VERSION DUE IN OCTOBER
There’s been a delay in the Spanish version, but I’m hoping to publish El Ultimo Presidente Ingles sometime in October 2021, when it will be available in paperback and Kindle versions. This is due to having to change horses mid-stream as my original translator went walkabout.
I’m lucky to have found a truly professional translator here in Buenos Aires. She understands the nuances of translation, not to mention the subtle differences in South American Spanish vs Castilian.
UPDATE
Now due for publication in late January or early February 2022.
MOTORCYCLE BATTERIES ONLY LAST TWO YEARS
Whether gel or lead acid, you’d be lucky to get more than two years use from them, but I’m trying with a new gel.
Like everyone, I try to squeeze as much life out of my purchases as I can, especially here in Argentina, but no matter how much TLC I give my bike batteries, they always give up the ghost after 18 months. I once managed to stretch one out to 2 years, but that must have been a fluke. This, in spite of me checking the fluid levels religiously and not leaving the ignition on etc.
If kept in a charged state when unused, the common lifespan of a 12-volt Gel or AGM battery is up to six years. After five or six years of float voltage at an average ambient temperature of 25 ºC, the battery still retains 80 % of its original capacity.
Not being a cold country, one would expect them to last longer since batteries hate the cold, but that’s not the case. Anyway, by the time you’ve run out of friends to push you or you it simply becomes so much of a pain in the rear, it’s time to bit the bullet and buy a new one.
What’s always surprised is how much cranking power you can get out of something so small.
Don’t Send Me Anything By Post!
From June 2014 – a customs odyssey
So a mate of mine in Texas posts me a pair of sunglasses as a gift in January and a few days later he asks me if they’ve arrived yet.
MY BOOKS
I’ve published two books in the last few years. One is an account of how I sailed a small boat from the Wales to Spain and the other is a political thriller set in Argentina.
Here are some reviews for The Last British President.
MY YOUTUBE VIDEOS
I regularly upload videos to YouTube on a range of activities including motorcycle riding, PC gaming, and life in Buenos Aires.
RIDING A MOTORCYCLE IN BUENOS AIRES
I’ve been at this courier work for about three years now, but it’s only since last year that things have really picked up – so much so that there’s rarely a day when I’m not on the bike.
The furthest so far has been La Plata and back, which is about 150kms. Most days it’s 30kms around the city or some days, Bella Vista, Retiro, Don Torcuato.
30kms in and around the city feels like 150kms to La Plata and back, especially if you don’t get the green wave of traffic lights.
My main enemies are:
- Traffic lights
- All other cars
- Buses
- Taxis
- Potholes
- Cobbled streets
- Drizzle. Rain, I can handle.
I always ask people to come down/out of from their flats/appts/shops due to not wanting to leave the bike unattended, not to mention the issue of social distancing. However, some people still want to shake hands, would you believe?
And don’t get me on gated communities – they have to come to the gate now because of the hassle of having to provide an ID card, driving license, insurance, having your photo taken and whatever else they can think of.
INTERVIEW WITH AN ITALIAN JOURNALIST IN ARGENTINA
In March 2019 I was interviewed by an Italian journalist living in Buenos Aires who writes for Versione Argentina and we spoke about the recent launch of my novel The Last British President.
Here’s a short extract and you can read the rest in the link below.
Q: How long have you been an expat in Argentina and when did you feel you had enough material for a book?
I’ve been living in Argentina since 2005, but it wasn’t until around 2013 that the idea of the book came to me. This was during the latter years of the Kirchner regime and in 2016 I wrote the first page, with thoughts of that particular government fighting for space in my head.
I was feeling very frustrated and angry (with the regime) at the time, which perhaps helped lubricate my mind.