Bannos Abroad

We left Interlaken on the26th May. We had a date to keep. Our youngest son, (the one with the fractured spine) had decided to come to visit us as part of his recuperation. Perhaps a little risky, considering his delicate condition and unable to get himself health insurance he nevertheless with the confidence of youth, decided to fly to Bergamo airport to spend 10 days with us. Able to walk short distances and do gentle exercise, he spent a week in our “Swiss clinic” being waited on hand and foot! We spent just over a week at Locarno in the Ticino area , on the Swiss side of Lake Maggiore . The temperatures soared reaching the lower 30’s and some days it was hard enough for us all to do much more than lie in the ... read more

Geneva Switzerland My (Donna’s) *X!*% tooth extraction was a night mare , (for all concerned. ) It’s now 6 weeks since it happened and I still have a crater in my jaw in which I could easily store enough food to last me a day! (eughh) It’s now healing slowly but still disturbs my sleep. My so called simple extraction developed complications ; infection and “Dry socket”. My dentist said once in every 3-4 years he sees one as slow to heal as mine! Nice to know I’m special. It sort of ruined our trip home. I naively? expected to be fighting fit again a few days after the extraction but instead felt very poorly and exhausted for over a month by the pain. I was not nice to know a lot of the time, ... read more

Since the 4th of Feb. We have been moving around a bit. I really should update this blog more often. We’ve done a strange sort of circuit really. North to Lisbon, east to Evora, across the border into Spain and back south to El Rocio/Seville (almost completing the circuit back to the Algarve.) Then we have driven to Marbella and are presently in the Cabo De Gata National Park just east of Almeria on the far east bit of Andalucia. Our current total mileage is just over 7,000 miles and we’re about to start heading north on our long return from the sun. It’s exciting to tour again but the roadwork can be draining and we need the odd recovery days to rest. To try to sum up the last few weeks I’d say It’s been ... read more

MARTINS MONTHLY UPDATE Forget the collapse of the Icelandic banking System and the devaluation of the pound against the Euro. On the 2nd January 2009 real disaster struck Banno -World when we ran out of Yorkshire tea bags The crisis was averted however, on the 5th January when three parcels arrived at the camp reception from home. One of them contained a batch of our favourite brew, and the others, much needed supplies of marmite, mince pies and dove soap (for my sensitive soft skin). Christmas has been and gone. The decorated pine cone and the wire coat hanger have been removed. Life has returned to normal?? The caravan through constant use is showing signs of wear. The front window seals are leaking slightly. The bed is becoming more and more uncomfortable, and the sink seal ... read more

It’s weird being out here in Portugal. Not the opening line you would expect is it? It’s weird having your parents pick you up at the airport in their British car and drive without needing a map or arguing over what side of the road to drive on. It’s weird driving to a camping and caravan site with a Pool, Supermarket, Restaurant, Bar and Yoga classes. It’s weird being met on the way in by a very smiley Nigerian woman called Gladys who knows all about you and has been waiting to see you. Its weird climbing into a caravan that you last saw parked on the driveway at home in England. It’s weird watching British telly while drinking a cup of Yorkshire tea after spending a day on a beach in mid-December. It’s weird, but ... read more