Blind Guys Chat
A place where the blind guys talk about the A to Z of life

#118: The escape room of the Pyramids

1 month ago
Transcript
Speaker A:

Welcome to Blind Guy's Chat, where this guy, Oren O'Neill. Hello. And this guy, Jan Bloom.

Speaker B:

Hello.

Speaker A:

And Claudia O'Donovan.

Speaker C:

Hello.

Speaker A:

Talk about the A to Z of life. Well, hello, ladies and gentlemen. And you are very welcome to episode 180 you2 stop laughing.

Speaker C:

I'm sorry.

Speaker B:

It is almost 180, you know, can you imagine? This is a 180 bullseye, you know. Yeah. Triple.

Speaker A:

You are very welcome to what is a very, very dull and wet and dreary day in Ireland. We've had a miserable weekend because it's blowing.

Speaker C:

I haven't had a miserable weekend.

Speaker A:

Well, it's your birthday today.

Speaker C:

Yeah, I know. Yay.

Speaker B:

Yeah. We can sing again or.

Speaker A:

Happy birthday to you.

Speaker C:

Well, thank you very much, boys. I feel very.

Speaker B:

And chef will also give you a hug, you know, with his tail. He was such a good boy, poor chef.

Speaker C:

Hi. The chef, is he right?

Speaker B:

He was. Well, we had a lovely weekend by the way, weather wise. The weather is improving. Temperature wise.

Speaker A:

Yeah, ours too. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker B:

But our. Yeah, we are a little bit spoiled. Next week is the school holidays and we were. We have scheduled to go to Sauerland in Germany and that is the place where you can go for skiing. And yeah, last week it was really nice. It was even snow, etc. But now the temperature rose from. From minus till now 12 degrees and so on in. In daytime. And also some rainbows. Yeah. So. But. But they are prepared to. For that. So they have also a lot of artificial snow and. And snowing machines.

Speaker C:

Snow machines, I love them.

Speaker A:

Artificial snow.

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker C:

Well, it's. I mean, it's snow, but it's just.

Speaker A:

They met in Dubai.

Speaker B:

We have here also close in the. In the. Around the corner here in Den Hague we have. In Sutamir we have Snow World and that is an indoor snow. What?

Speaker C:

You haven't told me about this at all. And how many years do I know you and you know how much I love snow. Oh my.

Speaker B:

Yeah, that's true. Yeah. If you please come and then we will bring you to the snow. Chantal gave me a ski lesson here in Snow World and that. Well, I went in my shorts.

Speaker A:

Shorts.

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker C:

No, you didn't.

Speaker B:

Yeah. And then indoors. Well, inside, then you change because then you turn on your ski trousers, et cetera, your jacket, put on your boots, etc. And then you walk through this door.

Speaker A:

Yeah.

Speaker B:

And then it is minus something.

Speaker C:

I love it.

Speaker A:

Is it a slope? Is it a ski slope?

Speaker B:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. With an. With a lift. You know, where you can stand On. And then you will be transported up and you can. Yeah. You have multiple slopes, actually. Yeah.

Speaker A:

Really?

Speaker B:

And you can go snowboarding and skiing, etc.

Speaker C:

Yeah, brilliant. So for the different levels, the bunny slope for the scaredy cats.

Speaker B:

Exactly. The kids do it also once. Yeah, not regularly. They went for an even. And that, you know, you go from 6 to 10 or something in the evening. That is.

Speaker A:

This is the ideal for me because I told Claude that because she loves snow so much, I thought the only place in the world that had an indoor ski slope was in Dubai and it's in a shopping mall. So.

Speaker C:

See, I have zero interest in shopping.

Speaker A:

Yeah, but you see, this is. This is where it's perfect because you go into Dubai, into the ski slope thingy, jiggy me.

Speaker C:

Yeah.

Speaker A:

And I'll just sit outside with my shorts on and drinking a cup of coffee and Larry and I'll have the best crack.

Speaker B:

Yeah, but now you have even more because we can have a nice chat and then Claude and the kids, they can go skiing or whatever in Chantal if they want. And then, come on, we will sit in the bar and we will enjoy. Hey.

Speaker C:

I mean, I have gone skiing, but I'm not sure. I'm not sure if I'd want. I just want to play with the snow. I just want to, you know, make.

Speaker B:

Snowballs and that's also allowed. But. Yeah, but skiing is also fun on.

Speaker C:

Yeah, no, that's true. I love skiing.

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker C:

I'm not very good at slowing down. I like to go fast and straight.

Speaker B:

Oh, yeah, no worries. Yeah, it's up to you. Yeah. There is an end, you know, at the end.

Speaker C:

They do have to know how to stop at the end.

Speaker B:

Yeah, in a way. Yeah. Yeah, it would be nice. Yeah. Yeah. So. So, yeah, so we had an. They expect to have also next week a little bit. Well, it's improving, so the temperature is going down a little bit.

Speaker A:

So that's not an improvement, John.

Speaker C:

No, that is. When it comes to snow, it is an improvement.

Speaker B:

Exactly. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Thanks, Claude. So, well, there is a live webcam so you can see how the slopes are now working. And in night time they are preparing the slopes again. Well, so we are going there with. With another family. And so we are in a house of. Yeah, with. With the 10 of us, we have one house. And now we traveled from Tomorrow morning at 6am then we hope to leave.

Speaker C:

Amazing.

Speaker B:

Off we go.

Speaker A:

And you're taking one of Mr. Musk's cars, are you?

Speaker B:

Yeah, yeah, we are. Terrible.

Speaker C:

Now, you know, you heard that loads of people have. You buying stickers?

Speaker B:

We want to buy also. Yeah, yeah. That's also on our radar. But. But Chantal is also a little bit scared, you know, because he is.

Speaker A:

Hang on, tell us about the stickers.

Speaker C:

What's the sticker says? I bought the Tesla before. Before Elon Musk was crazy.

Speaker B:

Because if you see our number plate, that is our, our license plates also you can see that. That we did it before. That's right. But he's crazy, you know, I mean.

Speaker C:

He was probably crazy. He just didn't know. Yeah.

Speaker B:

But did you hear the, the news of last night that he wants to stop this satellite thing, you know, the, the Starlight or whatever. What is he lending out or send us using now for the Ukraine Internet signal thing? Yeah.

Speaker C:

What's it? Starlink, I think. Is it?

Speaker B:

Yeah, Starlington. Yeah. Or something.

Speaker C:

He wants to stop it, does he? Yeah, just for the Ukraine.

Speaker B:

Yeah. For. Well, to give them more pressure to stop and to give them also USA the rights to. For this ground stuff, you know, the metals in, in the ground.

Speaker C:

Oh my God. So it's all about the resources.

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker C:

Hate that.

Speaker B:

Me too.

Speaker A:

Speaking of snow.

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker A:

You've just pushed it from the opposite.

Speaker B:

Which is Egypt, the desert snow there, the pyramid.

Speaker A:

Trying to bring a pyramid home.

Speaker B:

Yeah, yeah. And a camel.

Speaker A:

Did you see any Gazans there?

Speaker B:

People hate Trump there. People hate him for all what he's doing with Gaza and all the idiot things. You know, also US 8 is also stopped, you know, or he is planning to do. And when you, when you mention US eight, you know, you mention everything in Egypt or in Africa. So everything will fall down or stop or whatever.

Speaker A:

Yeah.

Speaker B:

Even for our own business, you know, Free Sparrow. They will. Yeah, they will. We will. Well, and also all the AT products and also for disability or even, well, all care products.

Speaker A:

So, so what's, what's, what's happening at the moment then in each. What's the. Because you were there Cairo.

Speaker B:

We. We flew in into Cairo is 20 million people guys live there.

Speaker A:

Wow.

Speaker B:

So it's a really big, big place. So. Yeah. You don't notice at all anything that is. You don't notice anything from the war or from the, from the situation. So. So.

Speaker A:

But has it been spoken about on radio or TV or.

Speaker B:

No. Yeah. My Arabic is not so good. That is so. So. Yeah. So I must admit I did not follow the local news so well. But, but it is. And it. When you speak to people and you know who we met our representative. They are there in Alexandria. So they Are all mad about him. When you speak to NGOs, they all depend on funding. Yeah. It is terrible. We are also a huge section for the visually impaired, but they all depend on USAID and they all depend on funding and it's all stopped. So nobody knows actually what is going. He is so. Yeah, in Dutch we say, have an expression he is then. So you don't know what to expect from him. Also with this fee, your import fee, you know the tariffs. We are also making our braille displays, for example, and low vision devices, all medical devices. So we don't produce in the US but out. So all the products who need to be sold in the US need to be imported. So it's all a more expensive 25%, you know.

Speaker C:

Yeah, but he hasn't done it yet though, right? He's just told.

Speaker B:

Not yet. No. But that is typical populist, you know, screaming a lot and they're shouting a lot and then blame it on the other that it won't help, you know, or that it's not coming through.

Speaker C:

And I can't work out if the unpredictability is just pure craziness or is he. Is he being unpredictable as a way to keep people off their game, like not to understand what he's going to do next kind of thing. I don't know.

Speaker B:

I don't know also how he is treating the head of the way we met. I was in London last week and there we had a call with people from the US and they were also. Well, you know, it is somehow so unpredictable and difficult to, To. Yeah. Because people. There are different news within us than elsewhere, you know.

Speaker C:

Yeah.

Speaker B:

So what is. What, what he states, stated that Ukraine started the war.

Speaker C:

Yeah. What amazed me is that people kind of go, yeah, yeah, he's right. Yeah.

Speaker B:

And, and, and, and, and even we heard it in the Dutch government. You know those idiots from the pvv, you know those right winger.

Speaker A:

Yeah.

Speaker B:

They were also repeating that. Yeah, Trump. And then they were recalled by the, by the staff of the government, of course. But it is mentioned, you know. It is. And it's getting normal. That stupid news or. Yeah. What is.

Speaker A:

What is true. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker B:

Fake news. But coming back to it, it's a wonderful country with a huge history. We were then also in Alexandria and then we visited, for example, the biggest library of the world, the Library of Alexandria, and they have also a section for the blind. So that was quite nice. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker C:

And is it in braille and what kind of Braille or how does that work?

Speaker B:

No, it Is it is with every. They were focusing off a lot of activities with kids and then they do a lot of hand crafting and also making pyramids or tactile things, you know, to do or they had to improve tactile awareness and to create all kind of stuff. And they have also 20 computers or something there. But again, depending on US 8 or other funding. You know, that is so how stupid in a way guys, can you imagine that you have such a huge library and okay. With an official section for the blind, but from the government they get not recurring funding, you know. No, they did it only once. And then you. Okay. If you want something. Well, you need to go look for funding at the Lions, you know, or at other World bank or.

Speaker C:

Yeah.

Speaker B:

And with computers 95. Windows 95 was still running there. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But that is. Yeah, that is something. What you see a lot with donating with donorships when they donate once 10 years ago and then they expect. Yeah. Time is evolving. You know, things are updating like technique is getting updated every year.

Speaker A:

So does that mean the children in schools and in blind schools aren't necessarily learning braille or.

Speaker B:

No, they have too old fashioned school for the blinds there still Oren. So there is a really old fashioned. Dave are working still with slate and stylus, etc. Really? Yeah, yeah, yeah. But that is something. What? What? Yeah. Also an NGO supported by Visio, you know, the Dutch Low Vision Institute. We were also on an invitation from them because they created an exhibition conference for low vision. And that is really nice. There was the NGO Basira and they were really. We were so excited by their anti shasam and their. You know, their spirit to an inspiration how to do the. It is done by women. And then you can see Girl power. Oh my God. Egypt is run by the women. You know, they are doing the work. Yeah. That is in general also what you can see in Africa. Men are so lazy. But women, they run the family, they run the businesses and they are doing. Really inspiring. Claude. It's really good. Yeah.

Speaker C:

Oh, that's amazing to hear.

Speaker B:

And. And especially it was run by. By. By moms of blind or low vision kids. Yeah. And they are so inspired. Of course they had to do something for the kids and it was good. And also it's nice to see because in Africa you see a lot the generalization of low vision or officially impaired people. They all need to learn Braille because they only think there is one form of visual impairment, that is blindness. There is no low vision existing. That's also too complicated. To understand. So it simply does not exist. And this ngo and that's also. Yeah, that's really powerful. Well, it started already years ago when we met in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia in 2017. The Director DOA and she is. She's also a mom of a low vision or a blind person. And they really understand that it is good to push low vision or to the head to push that you can see still something. Yeah. Don't already eliminate all your hope or.

Speaker C:

Like use the sight you have for as long as you have if you can. You know, why not.

Speaker B:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And especially Claudia, I didn't know that, but there seemed to be a special disease, ROP or something and that was especially with new or babies who were born and then the first couple of days they were sighted and then they turned blind.

Speaker C:

Oh wow.

Speaker B:

And it was due to the fact that they had an oxygen problems during the delivery.

Speaker C:

Premature. Premature. So retinopathy of prematurity. It's called rop. And that's. Yeah. And normally when, when babies are born premature they put these little not quite goggles, but little things over their eyes to protect their eyes because their eyes are very sensitive because they're not fully developed because, because they, they came out premature. But in some countries they don't know about that or they don't have the resources to do anything about it.

Speaker B:

So they, especially in the rural area in Egypt, it happens a lot. And so they are creating awareness now by training and by teaching doctors, you know, to recognize it. And also that in the first weeks of, of of of these babies they need to be pushed to do activities with the eyes or something. Well, at least they need to do some training or treatment and then they can prevent it even.

Speaker C:

Wow. Yeah. So there is treatment as well, but it's. It's harder because they're trying to slow down or reverse. It's something to do with the blood vessels in the eyes. That blood vessels grow into the retina. I'm not sure about it now, but.

Speaker B:

It'S funny that you recognize it because it is indeed ROP. Well, for us. Well, we are not doctors, etc. So. But it was new. But so. But these moms are really focusing on that because. Yeah, you can keep your child sighted instead of letting it shrugging your shoulders.

Speaker C:

And letting it happen.

Speaker B:

Exactly. So we had a conference there. They organized the second conference in the existing with 150 people and it was an international conference and with all kind of sessions, etc. And we were there also with on the exhibitor place. And then we showcased also. Yeah. Our low vision devices and we had also one day off. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So we went to the new Egypt museum and that is done by an Irish companies. Yeah, yeah. They won the tender years ago. Whatever. Yeah, good question. I don't. I forgot the name. But it is, it is funny that the Irish company won and it was really magnificent, you know, such a huge museum. And next to the side of the three pyramids, you know those big ones.

Speaker C:

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker B:

And they were 139 meters high. How many years do you expect that they need to create one pyramid?

Speaker C:

I have no idea.

Speaker A:

To build one pyramid?

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker A:

How many years?

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker A:

I have no idea.

Speaker B:

No, no, 25 years to build one pyramid.

Speaker A:

You mean the original from scratch?

Speaker B:

Yeah, sure.

Speaker C:

It's taking us nearly to build a children's hospital in Dublin these days.

Speaker B:

Can you imagine? Yeah.

Speaker A:

But how did they go through of how they built it?

Speaker B:

Because how did they simply don't know or they have all kind of ideas and things going on that they do it in layers or they did it in layers and they did it with creating first dunes next to the pyramids and then they did it so from the scent, you know. And then when they finished, they dock all the sand away, you know. So then they were opening it up again. Yeah, but it is a. Yeah, it is a guess because. Yeah, nobody knows, to be honest.

Speaker C:

Just amazing.

Speaker B:

And then also where did they get all those. All those stones from?

Speaker A:

Where do they bring those in from?

Speaker B:

Yeah, because they're not from the local area.

Speaker C:

Should they not?

Speaker B:

Nay, nay, you're right. Even those big obelisks and the sphinx and the statues of Ramses and all the other pharaohs and all those big holy things.

Speaker C:

Amazing.

Speaker B:

Because it's all coming out of the south and they are all made out of one big piece. So can you imagine?

Speaker C:

Because it was slaves mostly, wasn't it? That was the energy.

Speaker B:

Yeah. I'm sure.

Speaker C:

Love to know like how many people died trying to make those things. Like it's just. It must be phenomenal, I would imagine.

Speaker B:

Yeah. And also how can they bring those big monumental statues and obelisks and what from the south to the north? You have no aircraft or whatever, you know, or dinosaur who can fly or whatever.

Speaker C:

Well, maybe they did. Who knows.

Speaker B:

No aliens they are also speaking about, you know. Yeah, yeah, you can.

Speaker C:

Because the technology, as in like the science of how they place them and the mats and the kind of alignment with the stars and all that kind of stuff. Like when you think about. We have A monument here called Newgrange, which is a burial ground. And it's aligned so that on the longest day of the year, the sun comes in at dawn, comes right in through the corridor and lights up the burial chamber. Only one day a year. And how did they calculate that? How do they work out? This is where we need to do you know what I mean? I just find it. It's older than Stoneheng, isn't it? And is it older than the pyramids?

Speaker B:

I can't remember 3,000 years ago.

Speaker C:

Yeah, it's phenomenal. Like, I just don't know how they worked it out. Like I barely know north from south.

Speaker B:

Yeah, it's true.

Speaker A:

So how does this, how does this new museum then fit in with the existing pyramid aesthetically? Did anybody tell you? Like, is it built like a pyramid?

Speaker B:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, it looks really nice. It looks really good. That's what my colleague said. Because they are still doing some, a lot of research, especially in Alexandria, you know, in the Mediterranean Sea, because they are still digging up a lot of artifacts and, and still also. Yeah. Pieces of. Yeah. Statues or whatever. It is an amazing country.

Speaker C:

Fascinating. Yeah, really, I'd love to visit it someday.

Speaker B:

Yeah. But, but weather wise, it was cold. It was really well warmer than here, of course, but it was 15 degrees. But it was. Everyone was. If they would, could, could wear gloves, they would do it, you know.

Speaker C:

God, that's amazing.

Speaker B:

Yeah, but it was also feeling a little bit. Yeah. Windy. We had rain some, some size, etc. Yeah, but it was good. And then we went up to the Cairo Tower as well.

Speaker C:

The telecommunications tower.

Speaker B:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, wow, that was quite nice. So we could. Yeah, it was in nighttime, so we had a nice view, etc. So it was. Yeah, yeah, it was an. And really nice.

Speaker A:

How tall is the Cairo tower? Do you know?

Speaker B:

I think it's also 130 meters or something.

Speaker C:

Wow.

Speaker B:

And today is an election day in Germany.

Speaker A:

Germany.

Speaker B:

Yeah, yeah. The AfD did not win, so that. But they got second. And that's also quite scary. That is.

Speaker C:

They're the right wing people in Germany.

Speaker B:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker C:

You think in Germany of all places, they'd have a shorter, like a longer memory.

Speaker B:

Yeah, but they, but everyone simply. Yeah. Have a short memory. It's really. They simply forget. Clauda.

Speaker A:

But then you had this idiot Steve Bannon as well the other night, I think it was Saturday night or Friday night at a, at a conference who was a former mate of Trump's who gave a Nazi salute. And some right winger, some German right winger who was attending this left, as far as I know, and walked out. And the guy, Bannon called him, he said he's not a real man.

Speaker C:

Oh, my God.

Speaker A:

Things like that.

Speaker B:

From one of my friends from the Wall, you know, here where we work with Chef, he had a nice interesting story. He has a lot of international friends. He works in Brussels for the chemical industry. So he has a lot of friends. So he says or he claims. Sorry, Franz, when you listen to the story, I don't know, but he had an interesting story or perhaps listeners want to give feedback on that. He said the Russians have something with Mr. Trump. What he. He is what is used for blackmailing.

Speaker C:

Oh, they have something on him to make him do whatever they want.

Speaker B:

The reason also why was in Saudi Arabia, only Russia and US. Why is not anyone allowed to be on the table from Ukraine or Ukraine or eu Anyway, only the US and so they speak direct to each other.

Speaker C:

Basically the impression is that they're cutting up deals about the resources in Ukraine.

Speaker A:

Like it's all about the mineral deposits in.

Speaker C:

Yeah.

Speaker A:

And what.

Speaker B:

And why is China so silent? You know, whatever, I think, but. But I don't have the answer as well, you know, who knows?

Speaker A:

Who knows?

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker A:

Anyway, we got any emails?

Speaker C:

We don't. I'm afraid nobody loves us anymore. Please send me emails. I'm very lonely.

Speaker B:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And also because, hey, my metaglasses, they are still working.

Speaker C:

Yeah. You were saying they were working in Egypt.

Speaker B:

Yeah. And without VPN here in the Netherlands.

Speaker C:

Wow.

Speaker A:

So let's just follow the map here. So you, you went to. Yeah, first and then the metal glasses were working.

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker A:

You came back home to the Netherlands. Yeah, we're still working.

Speaker B:

Yeah. And I forgot the vpn.

Speaker A:

You forgot the vpn. Then you flew to Egypt. You spent a week or so in Egypt and your glasses, your vpn.

Speaker B:

And that's also officially allowed there.

Speaker A:

Right. And now you're back in the Netherlands and you're still look and tell feature is still working in the Netherlands.

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker C:

And you were on your way to Germany. So let's see if they work in Germany.

Speaker B:

I had an Update to version 12. It was telling me I need to update. So then I was scared to death to do that. But yeah, it is quite expensive. When I was in Egypt because then I opened the bundle for use abroad and then I had only 25 megabyte for €24 and it was. So I opened it up at the airport and I was really a little bit being playing A little bit with bravur, you know, to my colleague Jim, you know, hey, Jim, it's working here. Well, you know, hey, look and tell. So I could read out signs. I could read out, you know, at the immigration desk. I could.

Speaker C:

I was 20 minutes later, you're out of data.

Speaker B:

But. But it was. Yeah. After one hour it was all done. Oh, so it costs some data. But. But when you're. So I did not do it anymore outdoors. So. So that was a little bit of pity. When you're. Yeah. Doing when. When you were outside but indoors in. When you have a wifi.

Speaker C:

Yeah.

Speaker B:

For example in, in the hotel.

Speaker A:

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker B:

It's really helpful because it is. So yeah. You can identify stuff. You can find something in your room. And then with the WhatsApp feature. Well, I think that's also still running for you, Oren. WhatsApp. And then with the opening the glasses for WhatsApp video. Yeah, that's amazing because once I did not know how to find. Because we had a room and it was so big. Well, it was more bigger than an apartment. We had a huge living room, a two bedroom rooms, one separate bathroom and then also a kind of kitchen.

Speaker C:

Wow. God, that sounds amazing.

Speaker B:

Yeah, it was amazing. And with a few on the Nile. Yeah. I don't know if they had problems with. But yeah, so. And then I could really use the meta because that was. Yeah. Well now he was describing me all kind of things. That was really nice. Wow, that's amazing. Yeah. And. But, but. And then you. When you're reading English menus etc in the restaurant. Yeah, that' also quite nice. Yeah. So that was quite. Yeah. AI is really nice. There was new. Do you know the pearl camera, Oren? Yeah. There's a mobile. Had a portable one.

Speaker A:

Yeah.

Speaker B:

And that was. Was quite. Yeah. It is already old photo but it was. Yes. Giving new energy to this or new inspiration to this device.

Speaker A:

Oh really?

Speaker B:

Because for. For in a classroom. Can you imagine that you. Can you. Well, when a professor or a teacher brings out something to show in a practicum.

Speaker A:

Yeah.

Speaker B:

Then you can put it under the camera and it will describe everything for you. And you have an Internet. Yeah. With PictureSmart. And then you can ask questions because. And then it will use the Internet to all. Yeah. To find all kind of information about it.

Speaker C:

Brilliant.

Speaker A:

Well, I hope I had a bad experience unfortunately this week. Oh. With. With metaglasses.

Speaker B:

Over metaglasses. Oh, I thought with nothing to do.

Speaker C:

With getting lost with Larry yesterday.

Speaker A:

No, well, no, I did but yeah, we did get lost with Larry. Yesterday, Larry. Larry saw another dog behind him, and he decided he wanted to say hello. And I was going, no, no, come on. Straight on, straight on. And then the next thing I had to do was ring Clodagh. As I said, I don't know where I am. But he'd taken me across the road because I was getting hit by branches of trees. There's no branches on the path or anything? No, it's a disclaimer, kind of a warning, a health warning, folks, because I. I've been using the glasses, putting them on a bit more when I'm out and about, even though I still hate the fact that the look and tell doesn't.

Speaker B:

Yeah. Did you try to uninstall and to reinstall.

Speaker A:

I tried all that, yes.

Speaker B:

Oh, my God.

Speaker A:

It's not working. I had this plan because it was my. My darling's birthday, and I was going to buy her a birthday card in the local shop, and Larry and I went there for a walk and I said to myself, I'm going to ring, and I'm gonna. I'm gonna throw him under the bus. Yeah, I'm gonna ring Kevin Sherwin, and I gotta. I'm gonna use. What. I'm gonna. And I'm gonna use WhatsApp, and I'm gonna use WhatsApp video, and I'm gonna hit the button. So I rang him, I called him on. On WhatsApp with the metal glasses, and I said my idea was to go into the shop, and I kind of knew where the birthday cards were and I could get there. And I was gonna ask him to read out some cars for me, and I'd pick one. And I thought. I thought this would be. This would be independence at its best. But unfortunately, folks, and this is where a very serious, serious health warning comes. Metal glasses on WhatsApp video are of no use to you if the person on the other end of the phone doesn't answer.

Speaker C:

But Be My Eyes would have worked in that situation, Pat.

Speaker A:

Yeah, but I didn't really want to, you know, talk to somebody with who I didn't really know and didn't know me and, you know, would you like to pick a card for me? So. And I always feel a bit guilty.

Speaker B:

Was it around Valentine or something that you want to have a nice car's birthday? Oh, clothes. Okay.

Speaker A:

No, but I feel. Kind of feel. I always kind of feel about Be My Eyes Is that. Yet these. It's lovely to have these volunteers, and it's brilliant. But I always, always feel like they're they're, they're, have. They have their lives as well. And I always feel you're only bringing somebody, calling somebody up. Be my eyes for something quick, you know, can you tell me where the letterbox is? Where, you know, where the post box is? Can you tell me something really? And I kind of assume that these people are kind of going, they're on a train or they're, you know, they're on their way to work or they're on their way back from work or they're.

Speaker C:

But the thing is, they don't have to answer. They don't have to take the call unless they want to. A and B, you know, if they don't have the time, if it's a longer commitment, they can go, do you know what? I don't have the time. But just get, like, put in another call and somebody else will. Do you know what I mean? It's not. I don't think you need to.

Speaker A:

Yeah.

Speaker C:

Stress about it. I mean, my nephew Joseph has signed up for it. I mean, there's so many people signed up and they never get calls, so. And people get so excited because they have managed to help somebody. You know, Joseph said that the first time he took a call, he was as a volunteer. He was so excited.

Speaker B:

Oh, we can ask the listeners. Do they use it? You know?

Speaker C:

Yeah. What's the most unusual thing you've asked to be my eyes volunteer to do?

Speaker B:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker C:

Oh, you get all sorts of interesting stories. That'd be good.

Speaker A:

Anyway, we are at the end of the show, believe it or not.

Speaker C:

That was a lovely chat.

Speaker B:

I had a really blind guy.

Speaker C:

I don't know if it was. I don't know if it was in any way informative for anybody, but it was good fun.

Speaker B:

No. Yeah, no. You could have a drink or something. Cup of coffee, a cup of tea or a beer, whatever.

Speaker A:

Well, hopefully next week we will have a guest and we will.

Speaker C:

Yeah, we will send an email or.

Speaker A:

Two, please, next time and give us an email. Yeah, drop us a line, tell us how you're getting on. You know who I haven't heard from in ages? Gary. Gary Hoflikov.

Speaker C:

I know. I hope he's okay.

Speaker A:

Yeah, I hope he's okay. Maybe he's. Yeah.

Speaker C:

Or even new listeners, you know? Yeah, I know they're there. They're just.

Speaker B:

Yeah.

Speaker C:

Just because we keep talking about our regulars doesn't mean we don't want to hear from the new guys.

Speaker A:

Well, I believe there's new. I heard from. From one of our American relatives. That there are new listeners in Towson, in Maryland. Okay. In the university there. So welcome to those new listeners, I believe.

Speaker B:

And I also shared it with one of my colleagues, Grant. He is from Scotland, so I told him. And he's a fan of Dundee United, so. Blind God, Don. So can you do a scream again, Orin, to welcome him? Okay. Well done. I think this was his first and last time.

Speaker C:

He scared the guy.

Speaker B:

Apologies, Mr. Gr.

Speaker A:

All right, folks, we'll see you soon.

Speaker C:

Thanks so much. Happy?

Speaker B:

Yeah, thank you. Bye.

Hello, our little sand dunes, and welcome to episode 118. Jan is just back from building his own pyramid in Egypt for his new summer house, and will be giving tours for all who would like one. So please form a disorderly line behind Larry! Clodagh is very excited to hear that in Jan’s winter residence, there is an artificial ski slope called Snow World very nearby, and Óran is equally pleased that he can sit in a nice warm café, while Clodagh plays in the white stuff if they decide to visit. Do you own a Tesla? Have you purchased your Bumper Sticker which says “I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy” yet? Seriously! It is a real thing! See it here: https://www.amazon.com/Tesla-Bumper-Sticker-Bought-Accessories/dp/B0C4KHKN4S We have no emails this week, but we do want to give a BGC shout out to Grant, in Scotland, and students in Towson University, Maryland, USA. Do email us if you can. Clodagh is very lonely. So, brush the sand out of your shoes, stop building sand castles, and settle in for a relaxing chat with a nice cuppa Jo, and Blind Guys Chat! 3 out of 5 Pyramids prefer it to standing in the sand. Email us at: [email protected]

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Blind Guys Chat 2020