Claire and Brendon Reid

Claire and Brendon

Claire & Brendon's adventures.

Can you believe it? Another year gone! Where does the time go?

Brendon loves even numbers - and is thrilled about the idea of 2010. So nice and even and balanced. Anyone think perhaps he should be an accountant.....

Anyway, the past few years have really been living the dream for us. It's hard to imagine that anything could beat them. But with Cuba, Turkey and a trip on the Trans Siberian / Trans Mongolian Express from Beijing right the way up to St Petersberg all being in our shortlist, it might just be the best yet.


Watch this space
XX to you all

Claire








Travel Blog Posts


2009 Yearbook

Published: January 3rd 2010Europe » United Kingdom » England
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Claire and Brendon
January 1st 2010

What another fantastic year! 2010 has a lot to live up to if it's going to be anywhere near as exciting and rewarding as 2009. Over the past 12 months we've been lucky enough to bask in the love and support of our wonderful family, spend quality time with cherished friends, visit some amazing sites in exotic countries, challenge ourselves (running with the bulls anyone?), acquire new skills and hobbies - oh and sample some amazing food. Especially the food. Yummmm. Unfortunately we've been so busy living life, that I've been a bit remiss with the blog. Apologies to all of you who do read this avidly, and just for you, here's an attempt to make amends - 2009 in reflection. NEW ZEALAND SUMMER Well the year started in our favourite place in all the world ... read more



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Claire and Brendon
December 25th 2009

Christmas Day came early in London, fitting in a family Christmas with my two brothers, David & Chris, and sister-in-law Ali, before heading off to NZ for Christmas Day with the rest of our family. Well December was feast after feast. Thanks to Kim and to Paloma and Colin for cooking us fantastic Christmas dinners early on in December. Christmas lunch club with ‘the crew’ was also a whole load of fun. Then on to hosting our own Christmas meal at home in Clarence Ave, Clapham. Chris and Ali surprised us by arriving bang on time for lunch. David’s lateness was no surprise at all, turning up two hours after kickoff. Mind you he wasn’t the only late one. The Turkey ‘pop-up’, popped-up nearly an hour after the instructions on it’s packet said it would - ... read more



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Claire and Brendon
April 5th 2009

Sophie Ann Agmen-Smith. Born shortly after Midnight on her due date 04.04.09. David, Brendon & I visit Mum (now she's a Grandma!), Chris and Ali and the latest Agmen-Smith, beautiful Sophie. Born yesterday shortly after midnight, weighing 5 pounds 10. Baby, Mum & Dad are all doing well - if a little tired. Enjoy!... read more



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Claire and Brendon
February 2nd 2009

The worst snow fall in 18 years...some reports say the worst since 1964. FANTASTIC. The weekend started with a lovely walk around Richmond, past the palace, along the riverbank, through the park, tea at Pembroke Lodge and back through the delightful shops of a very upmarket town. Hmm, Brendon, any chance we can move here? Yesterday (Sunday) Brendon and I wrapped up in our extra warm running Skins (thanks Santa), our woolly hats and (for me) gloves - and set off for a jog to Battersea Park & the Thames. The only people outside were completely rugged up and looking distinctly miserable - or, like us, had on extremely sexy, Waaaaarm Skins. On our way back to Clapham beautiful soft white flakes started spiralling around out. Floating down so lightly I thought they would never reach ... read more



Paradise in Paros

Published: October 26th 2008Europe » Greece » South Aegean » Paros
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Claire and Brendon
October 26th 2008

I don't know if all of you "down-under" heard, but summer forgot to visit the UK this year. We had just one or two weekend days of hot sunny weather all "summer". It was the wettest August on record with 60% more rain than normal. So you can bet that by the time our ‘miss the hordes of fat, white & drunk UK tourists’ holiday plan of travelling to the beaches in late September finally came around we were well and truly ready for some sunshine. With the aid of my trusty iPhone I had been checking the weather reports in Athens every day. Sunny with a high of 30degrees. Sunny with a high of 31. Hmmm. All going to plan. The day we arrived in Athens (after a six hour wait at the airport thanks ... read more



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Claire and Brendon
April 6th 2008

Well if February was the month of birthdays, with 1-3 birthday parties each weekend, then March was the month of missing touch. What do I mean? Well, let me explain. Anyone who knows us over here knows that the most important event in our weekly calendar occurs from 11am-1pm every Saturday. It’s the touch rugby tournament in Tooting Common. We leave home at 10.30 and cycle, walk or jog to the Common in time to hand over a pound and select our team from the 40-75 people who turn up. Generally the better players tend to arrive a bit earlier, so it pays to be on time if you want to be in a decent team. We then play four 30 minute games with no subs and no half time. Two hours of running around in ... read more



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Claire and Brendon
March 22nd 2008

Well we’re off to France next week so it’s well and truly time I finally publish my Spanish blog. I was holding off until I could stop the world moving and get a bit of creativity back to do justice to the beautiful Semana Santa (Easter celebrations) we witnessed in Spain. However life in London never seems to slow down long enough for one to catch their breath - let alone the mind space to write something as beautiful as these magical processions deserved. As it is I am writing this with the boys (David & Brendon) watching some programme about thugs in the background - so I hope that the pictures will do justice for the words I can’t find. Enjoy ... read more



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Claire and Brendon
February 18th 2008

Well after a hectic January that put December to shame, and a busy start to February we finally got a weekend to ourselves. Bliss! And what did Brendon do? He went native and started checking out a whole lot of the wildlife. Am I jealous? Not really. Let me explain..... Johnnie, our Scottish friend and fellow Clapham resident jetted off to his girlfriend's home in Australia for 3 weeks well needed rest. Given that he had flown to America for a couple of days, returned on Tuesday morning, and flown out to Kuwait on Tuesday night - both trips for work - returned on Thursday and was due to fly out on Friday night to Aus, it's amazing that he managed to drag himself out of bed early on Friday morning to drop off his two ... read more



Egypt, land of the Pharoahs

Published: January 5th 2008Africa » Egypt » Upper Egypt » Aswan
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Claire and Brendon
December 30th 2007

This blog should more accurately be called ‘a trial in sleep deprivation’ More on that soon… Well you may or may not know that Egypt was kind of thrust upon us - or at least chosen without our usual thorough planning. At about the same time as we reached the conclusion that we wanted to go somewhere hot for Christmas - the Arctic Circle in Norway and the freezing wet & windy Edinburgh for Hogmanay did seem to drag out the cold, dark winter last year - we were invited to join some friends in Egypt for the Christmas break. Jonsey (Gareth Jones), who completed his CA with Brendon, was on one of the London Walking tours with, Brendon, Adam (who did the CA with them) & their respective better halves. Julie, Jonesy’s partner, raised the ... read more



Beautiful Prague

Published: December 2nd 2007Europe » Czech Republic » Prague
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Claire and Brendon
November 28th 2007

Well it doesn't seem very long ago that we were sunning ourselves and cooling off with dips in the Adriatic. Now, just a couple of months later it's getting dark at 4pm and a whole lot colder. Not too cold. As we have just found out, Prague makes London seem positively balmy. Forewarned about the drop in temperature we all packed thermals, stockings, hats, gloves, scarves and even our tramping boots (for the snow). Even so, on a cold, sleet / snow filled Sunday morning I saw Brendon's, Paloma's & finally (Paloma's boyfriend) Colin's faces go progressively white, red nosed, dripping nosed & then their whole bodies trembling (at least Brendon & Paloma) as we shivered our way around a 4 hour walking tour of Prague Old Town, Wenceslas Square & the Prague Castle. Hmm, well ... read more






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