h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Samhain is almost upon us, autumn is in full glory and the geese are flying south. Thus we shall do likewise and head for the sun.

Yes, it is time for our annual holiday and we’re off to our friend’s mountain lodge in the Languedoc in the South of France. For ten days we shall be beyond the reach of all the toys our civilisation take for granted. No phone or internet access, no television or radio, just a well stocked CD player. The world can go to hell in a handcart as far as we’re concerned!

We are staying in three and a half acres of woodland and pasture. There are sweet chestnut trees that produce a huge crop this time of year. Each chestnut the size of a plum. There are walnut trees and the fields are awash with fresh, wild mushrooms. In the evenings the wild boar come down to root and graze around the lodge.

The local wine is excellent and comes in plastic demijohns (holding about 5 litres, yes that’s nearly seven standard bottles) for 3 euros, 20 cents (that’s £2 folks, or $3). The local boulangerie is a twenty minute stroll and supplies fresh croissants, brioche and baguettes all day long.

The temperature will be in the high 20’s (70’s Fahrenheit) and generally sunny. It’s about ten degrees warmer on the coast, which is an hour’s drive away and pretty deserted this time of year.

I would be lying if I said I’ll be thinking of you all. I doubt I’ll be thinking of much at all other than what’s for lunch and shall I play football with the kids this afternoon or finish that novel in the hammock while they go mad in the woods.

I’ll be back in town at the beginning of November, so until then, aurevoir.

Matholwch /|\.

Have fun!

Pattern-chaser

"Who cares, wins"

Have a lovely time!

Hey, wasn't it you who told me recently that I could keep my sunshine and my oranges??? And now *you* are heading south!

It all sounds lovely. Especially the cheap and good wine option!

Have a great time and - please! - do not think about ANY of us. We will all still be here when you get back.

kissitos,
az

Math

Lucky b*gg*r.

I'm off to the welsh borders for the weekend - how does that compare?

Have fun - and honour your ancestors, even if you have chosen to abandon your land

Jez - heathen and witch

Wow!

Having never been abroad, you face excitements that are unimaginable to me. I trust you will condescend to explain, in manageable chunks, precisely these elements on your return. I imagine you will have a stunning time, so let's just hope you really can forget the mental traumas resulting from knowing us lot...

I hope you have a really wonderful time!

- Jordan

Happy Samhain, friend.

Thank you all for your kind messages.

Truly a detailed account will be forthcoming in my journal by week's end. For now be content with the fact that it was cool and rainy (I must have brought it with me Az).

Blessings,
Matholwch the pretty laid back and relaxed druid dude /|\.

Ha! It rained on you! Can you spell poetic irony?

...

I mean, how awful...



Why do I feel resentful of your good luck and holiday fun?

- Jordan

Hi Jordan

"Why do I feel resentful of your good luck and holiday fun?"

More to the point why do you feel guilty about this envy? You Christians slay me you really do .There is no problem with a little envy, indeed it can be an excellent way to motivate yourself to achieving a desired result

After all my holiday is not the result of luck but years of hard work and building long-lasting friendships.

A similar holiday could be yours, even whilst in student penury, just search out working holidays in french vinyards. I've met quite a few students who've done that and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Here's hoping you can get over to the continent next year.

Blessings,
Matholwch /|\.

Jordan,

OR you could come to the land of sunshine and oranges!



az

"You Christians slay me you really do"

Now come on Math; that sort of thing stopped a while ago...

Bod

Days? Weeks?

Pattern-chaser

"Who cares, wins"

"Now come on Math; that sort of thing stopped a while ago..."

Not for lack of trying I can tell you. Perhaps I shall regale you with my album of death threats sometime.

Blessings,
Matholwch /|\.

Seriously?

Math, did you enjoy the winter festival?

Bod

Hi Bod .

Indeed I did . It is one of my favourites, so peaceful, and then bl**dy xmas comes along.

Blessings,
Matholwch /|\.

hi Math,

You have received death threats! From who? And why? Just because you are a druid? Holy sh*t! Or rather, quite unholy sh*t. How did you cope with that?

az

Hi Azahar

I used to run a pagan Forum myself on Delphi. It got quite popular for a while and then it was infiltrated by Christian Extremists. They were quickly exposed and first warned and then banned.

Of course they came back in different guises and were soon threatening to hunt myself and some of the other regular contributors down and kill us in a number of ways. We complained to Delphi, but they said we had brought it on ourselves because of our 'extreme and unpleasant beliefs'. We closed the forum down.

I have been threatened to my face by Christian protesters at a variety of pagan events. One even took my picture. I grabbed his camera, ripped out the film and offered him a fiver in compensation. He stormed off and tried to get me arrested. The police weren't interested fortunately having several thousand solstice celebrants to deal with.

I have been spat on in the street outside pagan events and had repeated attempts to provoke me into a fight.

To 'come out' as a pagan can have many unpleasant repercussions. In a small town such as mine it would inevitably lead to regular abuse on the street by the members of the powerful local pentecostal and evangelical churches. A friend of mine who is braver than I, in another small welsh town, had her children bullied in school, burning excrement and christian leaflets pushed through her door and numerous anonymous tips to police and social services that she was a satanic child abuser, a drug dealer and a whore. She is a holistic practitioner and wiccan.

On the other hand I have friends who are practicing Christians who are wholeheartedly ashamed of this behaviour, including a Catholic priest.

Overall the experience of being pagan in 21st century Britain is pretty negative. Old Christian prejudices are alive and well and being fuelled daily by tele-evangelism and the sensationalist media.

Blessings,
Matholwch /|\.

A man who has to hide his beliefs from his children. How sad is that?

I'd like to say lots on this subject, but I can't frame the words. "extreme and unpleasant beliefs"?

Pattern-chaser

"Who cares, wins"

<>

You hide your beliefs from your children? Yes, I think that is terribly sad. And while reading your last posting I was filled with anger about these f**king w**kers who have the nerve to do what they did. They have no right at all to do this sort of crap. Well, you know this. But it still must be terrible for you. Oh, it really makes me angry!

You were quite right to take away the camera and destroy the film of some fanatical weirdo taking photos of you.

You see? This is why I get so up in arms about intolerance in general. It is just such an ugly thing. And it's always about one person or group of people believing that they are 'SO RIGHT' that this precludes anyone else (in their sick minds) having a basic right to live their own lives as they see fit. Oh, man! I really hate that! And it does take a lot for me to work myself up to the emotion of 'hate'. Once I get there I need to seriously calm myself down because hatred is a very 'go nowhere' emotion.

I'm very sorry to hear about what you have been through. But you know, it only makes me respect you all the more for always being tolerant yourself. And as you say, you know many fine practicing christians who are your friends, so you don't go around painting all cristians with the same brush based on your own experiences. That shows a lot of character and personal strength and, truly, a genuine love of people.

Really, you are quite a special person.

az