two new torches

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 08 January 2007 11:25:50

My first new torch was bought on the third day of mission or thereabouts. I bought it to stop myself from coveting my neighbour's head torch. However I did manage not to buy a $120 head torch. Mine is a bottom of the range one. But wow. The person who invented such things should get a prize. See, when I have a torch on my head, the light shines wherever my eyes are pointed! AND I have both hands free! This was particularly useful when I was called out to a first aid emergency in the dark. I could examine the wound while having the light pointed in exactly the place I wanted it without having to give up one of my hands. And reading in bed? Piece of cake!

My second new torch was bought on new years day. Which was also team day off. I was dawdling through the torch aisle at a supermarket and saw wind-up torches. For only $15! One minute of winding provides an HOUR of light. How cool is that? And you can use it on either one or three LEDs to vary how much light you get per winding time. In case you get tired or something. Now this came in handy within 2 minutes of me extricating it from its packaging (which was accomplished in record time I'll have you know!) because we got into the car and my friend turned on the ignition and started to drive and the "Check Engine" light didn't go off like it should. So we stopped the car, opened the bonnet (or hood, for those who don't speak the Queen's English... off topic - my friend's grandma taught the queen how to drive - cool huh?) and er... checked the engine. Sure enough it was there. Tick! And it didn't seem to be on fire or anything. We then used the light I had generated from 7-8 winds to assess the radiator fluid levels (using the tried and tested "jiggle the car and look for the moving line" method) and various other fluid levels that don't come with dipsticks.

The end of the story was that clearly our engine checking was excellent because when we returned to our seats and tried again, it worked.

And everyone needs a wind-up torch.