Finger on the trigger

Finger on the trigger

Paul Arden | Wednesday, 3 October 2018

Bernd has some terrible bite on his right hand that’s preventing him casting and writing FPs, so he is currently learning to both cast and type left-handed. I’d post some photos but it would put you off your breakfast so instead let’s all wish him a very speedy recovery.

I’ve had my finger off the trigger for a few weeks, shifting things to the background - Reuters, Facebook - panicking on upcoming events - wife coming to Hungary (cabin a complete shambles) and Half Ironman (no training) - but I’ve managed to survive both of these events and can now look forward to sunny vistas again. 

Today I go and meet our cork grip supplier for Hot Torpedo rods here in Portugal and then have a look around Lisbon at castles and handbags. Ashly is into this, as is Viking Lars of course. I will look for a nice pub. Then we fly back to Hungary arriving in the early hours and will be arriving back at Latohegy around dawn. 

I have a few chores left - wood chopping mostly. I have around a dozen dead fir trees that need felling around my land, some of which will cause damage if the fall the wrong way. 

Ashly flies back to Malaysia on Sunday, and Flavio and I will send her off to Zagreb airport and then go fishing for 5 days or so in Bosnia on Pliva/Ribnik. Fishing again!! 

It’s been a good month or so for me working on my direction out of the jungle. But of course the jungle is really where it’s at for me. I can’t begin to tell you how weird it is for me to be in cities. To think that we as a race came from the jungle - campfires, fishing, sleeping under the stars - being in cities for me is like watching live television or the movies. It’s a very strange world. I know most of you think I’m mad but anyway... 

The Triathlon was good - I survived - and now plan to get very fit again. I haven’t been feeling very healthy getting fat in the jungle and so focusing on a full Ironman again will solve that. I need to drop one or two races in every year. Training is difficult in the jungle but with a houseboat, I can fit a cycle machine and a weights bench - this way I can train after dark (which is early in Malaysia). Swim in the lake and run during the middle of the day. 

With me I’ve learned there is no moderation in life. I either have to set a challenge that scares the shit out of me, so much that I focus on training for it, otherwise I leave it all to chance! Full Ironman scares the shit out of me. I know this because I’ve finished three of them. 

And then after Bosnia I’m in the UK for a week or ten days. I’m planning on attending the BFCC Meet in Brentwood 20th October and that weekend also hosting a casting course (21st) for those who want one. Email me if you are interested!!

Also I will be going to Scotland to fish the same water where I started fishing when I was four years old. How cool is that? Only then I used a net, mostly, although also hooked and lost a salmon (poaching of course - might have been a couple of years older by then). 

I’ll be back in Malaysia near the end of the month. There is a big FFing show in KL 1st November and I shall be there doing my thing. Then it’s back to the jungle. Busy times soon; buying a houseboat, getting visa legal and enjoying the Wet Season and Jungle Perch fishing. 

I’m enjoying Portugal by the way. It’s a lovely place. It has some great carp fly fishing I know and I shall return when I have more time. The food here is wonderful!

Cheers, Paul 

PS Fantastic stuff on the Board! Get involved, it’s one of the Sexyloops Hubs.

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