I loved the size of the boot, which was huge for this kind of car, and the kids had plenty of room in the back. Unlike Michael I don’t go all giggly around high-powered sports cars (I once saw him lick a Ferrari, but I’ve never mentioned it to anyone in case they got the wrong idea – and he is harmless, essentially), but that doesn’t mean I don’t like to welly it from time to time This was the turbo version so there was plenty of power. It looks much nicer than those French folding hard top cars and it’s cheaper than the Volvo C70. I do like the look of the Vauxhall Astra TwinTop, but Michael is an awful snob so he would never allow that near the house. Like most journalists he’s obsessed with “chavs” and terrified of being labelled as one, but the Eos isn’t the least bit chavvy. It has this spectacular folding hard top roof which is great for security, and it also has a huge sunroof built into the folding roof, so you can adjust your exposure to match the weather – or, in Michael’s case, closely monitor the affects of the sun on your slaphead. I’ve had enough.I can tell you that the Volkswagen was really, really great.

You’ve probably only read this a few times, but Michael insists on reading his articles aloud to the family after dinner every day – with a quiz afterwards – and I must have heard him moaning about the “blackened bogies” and “frizzy hair” a dozen times. I happened to read over his shoulder that he was about to launch into his anti-convertible rant yet again. I’ve managed to lure Michael away from the computer for a few moments by telling him there was something on the news about a terrible accident involving some farm machinery and Jeremy Clarkson (never seen him move so fast). The new VW Eos – named after the Greek god of headscarves – is actually half Golf, half Passat And here’s my first problem.

Making a convertible Passat is like making Angela Merkel wear a thong Passats are fine and worthy. They are also as durable as lederhosen, but unfortunately they have a similar sexual allure. A convertible should set your nethers a-quiver, but a Passat really isn’t going to pump anyone’s lilo.The other problem is that if you own an Eos you will feel obliged to drop its magnificently complex folding roof at every glimpse of sun, and, frankly, if God had meant us to drive around at high speed with our faces open to the elements, he would have given us fla…Hello, this is Michael’s wife. This has happened, for example, in Croatia and Northern Cyprus.. Specifications

Price £23,315 Maximum speed 144mph, 0-62mph in 7.8 seconds Combined fuel economy 33.6mpg Further information 0800 333 666We’ve swooned over the new Golf’s multi-link suspension and been slightly repulsed by its fatty sibling, the Golf Plus, but, so far, there’s been no sign of that great Sloaney chariot, the “strawberry basket” convertible Golf.
Well, here it is Kind of. In Croatia, Thailand and Brazil, meanwhile, overseas nationals are not usually allowed to take out a mortgage, which means paying in cash.One risk in some countries is that your property deeds might not be worth the paper they’re written on.

War tends to be the reason for this, with land and homes becoming a point of contest after displaced peoples return and lay claim. So there are dangers if you take out a home loan in sterling.However, if you use a foreign exchange specialist, you can mitigate currency risks by fixing your mortgage rate in advance.Interest rates on overseas home loans, though, can be much higher than in the UK: a variable-rate deal in New Zealand will often cost 9.9 per cent, and in South Africa 8.5 per cent.Hefty deposits are more likely to be the norm: up to 50 per cent is required on some Caribbean islands. For example, the South African rand is particularly volatile and can fluctuate against the pound by as much as 8.65 per cent in one month. It is vital to do your homework.Each country has its own tax laws, its own way of doing business and its own economic issues. Slice off a disc of the pastry and roll it out on a lightly floured board as thinly as possible: it should be about 6cm (21/2in) in diameter and translucent. Put a teaspoonful of filling in the middle, then gather up the pastry into the shape of a three-cornered hat, pinching the seams firmly together.

Repeat until you run out of scallops, then steam the dumplings for 5 minutes and serve immediately.Pork and prawn siu maiMakes about 20250g/8oz lean pork, diced125g/4oz peeled raw prawns1tsp salt20g/3/4oz sugar1tbsp jellied chicken stock20g/3/4oz potato flour2tbsp sunflower oil2 black Chinese mushrooms, soaked then simmered until soft, squeezed dry and thinly slicedWonton wrappersBlend the pork, prawns and salt together in a food processor until sticky but still fairly chunky. Mix with the rest of the ingredients.Place two generously heaped teaspoonfuls of the mixture in the middle of a wonton wrapper, then turn, gather and shape the wrapper in your loose fist until it resembles a small pillar. Repeat with the rest of the mixture, then stand the dumplings up and steam them for around 10 minutes. Top with salmon eggs or cooked white crab meat and serve immediately.. The contraceptive pill saves the lives of up to 3,000 women a year in the UK and Europe, according to new medical research. A number of studies now suggest that the Pill reduces the risk of ovarian cancer significantly.