PlaymoFriends

Creative => Story-Telling => Topic started by: Martin Milner on September 16, 2007, 08:08:35

Title: Chris & his GPS go exploring... [or maybe shopping]
Post by: Martin Milner on September 16, 2007, 08:08:35
Heading out...
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/01.jpg)

the brick road leads into the distance
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/02.jpg)

through the deepest jungle
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/03.jpg)

and along the iron road
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/04.jpg)

could these be dinosaur eggs?
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/05.jpg)

My altimeter says I'm high up
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/06.jpg)

I love the circus! (apart from the scary clowns)
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/07.jpg)

Chris gets into a tight spot
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/09.jpg)


(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/08.jpg)

Explorers have to have true grit(s)
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/20.jpg)

mostly
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/21.jpg)

suddenly feeling tired & dizzy, Chris takes a nap.
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/22.jpg)

Ah! My GPS never leads me wrong (it does sometimes, Chris)
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/12.jpg)

here there be dragons
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/13.jpg)

and ninja hamsters
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/15.jpg)

and even more dreadful monsters
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/14.jpg)

but happily no clowns (which are scary)
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/16.jpg)

Hmm, have I taken a wrong turn?
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/17.jpg)

I feel I'm in an alien land
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/18.jpg)

GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/19.jpg)

Aside: Here Chris spends 1/2 an hour wandering in circles drooling, but also a little shocked at the prices, and decides to limit himself to 3 small purchases.

Chris spots a means to escape; a huge red dragon.  Was that really only 1/2 an hour? It got darker. I think someone's been fibbing.
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/23.jpg)

In the belly of the beast, looking at another beast's backside rear end
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/24.jpg)

That looks familiar
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/26.jpg)

Time for a snack
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/27.jpg)

I can't eat all that...
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/28.jpg)

Full and tired, Chris makes his way back to base camp
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/30.jpg)

Exciting camera dazzle
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/31.jpg)

At day's end, a moment to reflect (hmm, wonder if a submarine could dive in that?)
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd97/Martin_Milner/33.jpg)


THE END for now...






Title: Re: Chris & his GPS go exploring... [or maybe shopping]
Post by: playmofire on September 16, 2007, 08:40:52
Great story and photos, Martin.  I hope we'll see many more adventures of Chris and his satnav.

(You must get some funny looks when you in the shops - do family and friends still go out with you? ;D)
Title: Re: Chris & his GPS go exploring... [or maybe shopping]
Post by: Richard on September 16, 2007, 16:03:27


Amazing adventure, Martin ... :)

Thank you very much for sharing Chris and his exciting exploration to and from the marvelous Mecca of toydom ... Hamleys ... :)

It was also quite gratifying to see that Londoners have finally discovered GRITS! ... ;)
(Unfortunately, we have NOT been able to educate the Canadians here on Vancouver Island. They still don't know what GRITS are, or how important they are to a southern boy's healthy breakfast.) ... ;)

Martin, I would like to personally welcome you, once again, to PF! And, thank you for ALL of your great posts! You have certainly contributed a tremendous amount to our forum in a very short period of time. Thank you!

All the best,
Richard


Title: Re: Chris & his GPS go exploring... [or maybe shopping]
Post by: Jimbo on September 17, 2007, 14:41:18
Hi Martin,

Very cool adventure. I enjoyed the pictures. :yup:
That is also very inspiring.
Thanks for posting.

best regards,

Jimbo
Title: Re: Chris & his GPS go exploring... [or maybe shopping]
Post by: cachalote on September 17, 2007, 22:32:04
 :love:
a beautiful story.
maybe you could tell chris all about the "degree confluence project" - http://www.confluence.org/ - a funny way to find an excuse to travel using a gps (i missed all my attempts in the azores sea).
next time you can take her out of london to the south, to 3.0 km (1.9 miles) NW of Fletching, East Sussex, England, UK - 51ºN, 0ºW.
 :camera:
Title: Re: Chris & his GPS go exploring... [or maybe shopping]
Post by: Sylvia on September 19, 2007, 08:07:16
Very entertaining story, Martin! :clap:

Thanks for sharing it with us! :)9

I was wondering the same thing as Gordon. Do people give you funny looks when they see you photographing Chris, or do you wait until no-one is about before whipping him out and taking a quick pic. ;D

Nice to see photos of the area you live in. 8-)
Title: Re: Chris & his GPS go exploring... [or maybe shopping]
Post by: Martin Milner on September 19, 2007, 09:20:55
Quote from: Sylvia on September 19, 2007, 08:07:16

I was wondering the same thing as Gordon. Do people give you funny looks when they see you photographing Chris, or do you wait until no-one is about before whipping him out and taking a quick pic. ;D


In London people are so used to seeing odd things going on that I get barely a second glance ;D.

Once when I was in Trafalgar Square, a backpacker stopped next to a fountain, took out one stuffed toy after another from their backpack, and dipped their toes in the water! I think he had one for each friend back home!

Luckily my wife is a keen and talented photographer (I'm strictly a point-and-press merchant), so we occasionally take a day or evening in London just to take pictures, and she's pleased to have me take an interest.

When inside a shop I tried to be quick in case I was violating any shop rules and got chucked out by security, but I think you're allowed to take pictures of the merchandise for your own reference these days (people do it on cameraphones to check with their spouses).

I'm just wishing I'd had Chris the Explorer with me on recent holidays - This year alone I've been to Paris (France), Washington, Philadephia, and Rochester NY, and he would have had some great backgrounds for his exploration.

He'll be travelling with me now on every trip I take from now on, so he'll appear in future stories - though county Mayo, Ireland in late June '08 is my next planned trip abroad.

Meantime he'll have to be content with exploring London, though that alone presents a thousand possible adventures every day. A Playmobil character in your pocket is no burden, and adds interest to any day out!
Title: Re: Chris & his GPS go exploring... [or maybe shopping]
Post by: Tiermann on September 21, 2007, 00:29:50
Great story. Taking figures around can be a lot of fun. I took a guy to Disneyland last year and only remembered to take him to the park one day.
Title: Re: Chris & his GPS go exploring... [or maybe shopping]
Post by: Sylvia on September 21, 2007, 18:47:47
Quote from: Martin Milner on September 19, 2007, 09:20:55
In London people are so used to seeing odd things going on that I get barely a second glance ;D.

Once when I was in Trafalgar Square, a backpacker stopped next to a fountain, took out one stuffed toy after another from their backpack, and dipped their toes in the water! I think he had one for each friend back home!

Cute idea! :lol:

When I hosted playmoboard's first travelling klicky (Hans) in 2003, I took him on a family holiday with us to Orkney (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orkney_Islands).

I still have the photos on a disc somewhere but I haven't posted them anywhere yet. :-[
Title: Re: Chris & his GPS go exploring... [or maybe shopping]
Post by: Dan on October 06, 2007, 20:48:27
That was great (& like you I was shocked by the prices!)
Title: Re: Chris & his GPS go exploring... [or maybe shopping]
Post by: Martin Milner on October 07, 2007, 07:11:24
Quote from: Dan on October 06, 2007, 20:48:27
That was great (& like you I was shocked by the prices!)

I'm not sure how Hamley's get away with it - they don't get much of my money, but it's fun to browse if I'm in the area.

An example of Hamley's "Inflation":

3268 Knights Empire castle - Hamleys £130 (reduced from £140) - Playmobil Online sales £120 - Toys'R'Us £110 - Bentalls £100 - John Lewis £70.

It's possible that John Lewis had reduced it to clear (it wasn't labelled as such, but it was the last one on the shelf), but generally I've found their prices (and customer service) to be the best. It's a shame they don't stock Specials.




Title: Re: Chris & his GPS go exploring... [or maybe shopping]
Post by: Timotheos on October 28, 2007, 13:39:21
Quote from: Martin Milner on September 19, 2007, 09:20:55
When inside a shop I tried to be quick in case I was violating any shop rules and got chucked out by security, but I think you're allowed to take pictures of the merchandise for your own reference these days (people do it on cameraphones to check with their spouses).

My mum got booted out of Beijing's Wal-Mart for snapping pictures of everybody. 

I wish I would have thought of doing a Playmo-shoot in China.  I probably would have drawn a roving band of gawkers and eventual police escort to the nearest border.

But, seriously, the shots of London are really nice.  Maybe I'll bore everybody with a Playmo-romp through Suburban Saint Louis.  I'm finding increasingly that Playmobil provide the structure for my existence...
Title: Re: Chris & his GPS go exploring... [or maybe shopping]
Post by: Sylvia on October 28, 2007, 16:05:33
Quote from: Timotheos on October 28, 2007, 13:39:21
Maybe I'll bore everybody with a Playmo-romp through Suburban Saint Louis.  I'm finding increasingly that Playmobil provide the structure for my existence...

I don't think that would be boring at all. ;)