The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

Well it is a typical Bank Holiday Monday and the rain is falling as well as the temperatures. A good time to stick on a video for the kids to watch and put your feet up for a good book, and given the weather you are going to need a funny one. So don't panic, help is at hand. Why not travel the lengths and breath of the Galaxy and laugh along the way with Douglas Adams book "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy".

The story revolves around Arthur Dent and rather average and boring human who never had anything interesting happen to him, that was until  seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic highway he is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect. Who turns out to be a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor after getting stuck on Earth. Now you would have thought that things would quieten down for Aurthur, but the ship he and Ford are rescued by is one of the Vogon Constructor Fleet, and the of which captain threatens to throw him and his companion off the ship unless they tell him how good his poetry is. 

And so Arthur and his friends, Ford, Zaphod, Trillian and Marvin start on a journey around the galaxy with a copy of the The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and a towel, because it is always important to know where your towel is. Ask anyone that could find there towel when getting out the shower and they would agree. Along the way they find out the reason for the destruction of the Earth and start the search to find the ultimate question to life, the universe and everything. After all we know the answer is 42 don't we. It is a story that sees them going to the end of time itself, at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe, and a funny and a good read it is too.

And if you one of these people that can't be bothered to read a good book there are other ways of accessing the story including a computer game based on the book, that you can play on line on the BBC website, a BBC radio version of the book, a TV serial and of course a film. Personally I would recommend the radio version of the story, but then I have always had a soft spot for radio. It just lets you still use your imagination rather than relying on someone else's to paint the pictures to the words. 

So that my recommendation of something to do on a dull wet and cold summer bank holiday Monday, better still rather than sit at home take your book to the pub for a read. Whatever you do have a great day off and don't panic.