Middle of the Month and it’s time to join in with Clare’s Share You Desktop Challenge 😎 Clare’s got a rather nice Orchid adorning Her’s which you can see when you follow the link above. I have two desktops, so let’s start with the Gaming PC.
This time, instead of a shot of one of my trucks in the scenery, it’s the view I get from inside the cab of Azyet, my DAF XF 105.460…
The shot is taken as I pass through the tunnels of the Pyrenees on the Spanish side of the border with France. It was an overnight leg of a long-haul trip from Cordoba to Amsterdam with a load of Carrots, so it was darker outside than it was in the tunnel 😉 At the end of the tunnel, the lanes merge before joining another autoroute, so I’ve positioned myself to allow room for the ‘Bear to come across in front of me. There’s the usual array of ornaments on the dashboard and screen. Pennants including Le Tricolore – we are a French company. There’s also Monsieur Bibendum – the Michelin mascot – and a DAF mug for my tea. I’ve got a satnav stuck on the screen – the lady speaks to me in French – and I’ve got a pair of Michelin shades next to the wheel for when it’s sunny. Unfortunately, you can’t put them on in game 😉 As you can see from the gauges, we’re cruising at 80kph – that’s a good economy speed in top gear so, although much of the road network in Spain and France permits 90kph for trucks, we rarely go faster than 80 🙂
The Photo PC has something altogether more simple and also somewhat prettier…
A Ladybird, or Ladybug if you wish, on a Fresia leaf. There are many variations of Ladybird and this is the 7-spot. These are a friend of the gardener as they consume large numbers of aphids while in the larval and adult stages of their lifecycle. They’re also one of the most attractive of insects you come across regularly in summer.
Images from Finchley 
The Ladybird photo is brilliant Martin 🙂
Thanks Brian 😎👍
Like Brian, I think your Ladybird photo is brilliant, and such an excellent gardener. I also have to say, for some reason, I thought you’d have been driving on the ‘right side’ not the left 🤣 Oh well, perspective is grounding at times. Thank you so much, Martin, for sharing with me as usual and joining in on the SYD fun 🥰
Thank you, Clare 😎👍 As for the driving, you’re not the first person to have been surprised by that. With most of the trucking being in Europe it makes no sense to configure the wheel for right hand drive, so I’m set up on the left. I’m actually quite ambidextrous when it comes to driving and I swap between the LHD truck and my RHD car with no problems. I do have one advantage though. As a pilot I was flying from the left-hand seat, so I think that made it easier to drive vehicles from either side. Really loved your Orchid and looking forward to next month’s desktop challenge 😁
Having always driven right-hand drive vehicles, I look forward to (one day) driving on the other side – although the thought scares me a little 🥹
Relax – It’ll be ok 👍 A little tip – when you first start on the other side, keep your hand on the gear lever as a reminder of where you’re sitting 😎
I like that.
Hard to beat that ladybug photo! Exceptional, Martin.
Thanks Debra 😎👍