Everyone is deemed to know the law. Ignorance of the law cannot get you off anything. How weird then, that there are legal brains debating what the heck it all means every day, and yet ordinary people can get ‘done’ for things that they didn’t even know were illegal! So, do we all need law degrees or what? One of my boys, aged about 14, purchased yet another BB gun. I have disposed of many of these devices over the years due to my irrational hatred of those little yellow balls that they spread everywhere and when I start finding them in my bed I go crazy. Anyway, the first I heard of it was a call at tea time from the police to say my boy had been arrested for a firearms offence! This turned out to be more alarming than the reality, which was that he and his mate had been shooting trees at the edge of the local golf course. My education was completed by the nice policeman who explained that having BB guns at home was OK, but carrying them about in public was not and yes, it was frustrating that you can just buy them down the market, but not be able presumably to bring them home unless seriously packaged. Since I had barred these devices from the house, there was really nowhere to go with said item. So, how many people know about this piece of legislation? Interestingly, the boy is now in the army and, rather worryingly, has a real gun. Have not found any bullets in my bed – yet.

How often do we visit a new city and only see the inside of hotels, offices, conference centres or bars? Surely it isn’t just me? Luckily some of my friends shared their photographs of the sights of Belfast so I could imagine that I had been on the Eye and the open top bus tour. I would also like to thank Claire for arranging a liver saving clay pigeon shooting activity and myself for resisting the urge to tour the city in the dark in search of beer. The morning saw our group struggling with two cases of Tennants that had cost £70!  For my next city break I shall be taking a camera and requesting a tour guide. Looking for brokerages in interesting cities that need help with compliance please!!

I recently passed through Belfast International Airport. This was the return trip and my travelling companion and I had carefully packed our toiletries (diddy ones) in tie freezer bags in accordance with web instructions. Our passage through security was paused and our toiletries were ‘detained’ much to our surprise. We were left chuntering for a while and then we were told by a lovely Irishman that our bags were unacceptable, that bags had to have those plastic seals on them (those ones that you can never line up or shut properly) and that happily we could buy some from a machine in the security area!  We duly bought some and we shared them with the lady behind us whose see though zippered bag had also been deemed non-compliant. The smooth talking Irishman then shoved our stuff in them and handed them back unsealed and un-scrutenised.

Now making plans to camp outside the local airport with bags – 50p for three anyone? Oh and supermarkets, please can you fill this gap in the market?