France & Spain Sept – Dec 2022 Wednesday 14th September 2022 We are off!! At last!! We had decided to drive to Spain a) because Chris wanted to see his brother in Chassignolles, France b) his cousin Lynn was in Montpellier and c) hire cars have suddenly gone ridiculously expensive in Spain! We left early so that we had chance to visit another of his brothers in Lewes and duly arrived at the ferry port, Newhaven. Uneventful crossing – it was just so nice being back on a ferry! Watched the sunset over the sea just before we docked at Dieppe where we drove to Ibis Budget Hotel (secure parking with hotel if booked 10 Euros) 124611 -124808 197miles Thursday 15th September 2022 Left hotel and had uneventful drive to Bonneval where we parked up outside ... read more

Monday 25th April – Friday 29th April 2022 Easy Jet Holidays A short hop to Amsterdam to mainly see the tulips as we had both been to Amsterdam before but many, many years ago! Bus, train, bus for our flight at 4.35pm. Uneventful flight, other than being 45 mins late leaving and hanging around on then runway at Schiphol Airport for 30 mins also. Couldn’t find Information Office for bus tickets and our bus number had changed from No 69 to No 369, that was also confusing. Anyway, a friendly train info man helped us out, we paid for single tickets on the bus by card and after finding the correct bus stop at the Airport, and finding the correct bus stop to get off at ( 4 minute walk to the hotel!) we ended up ... read more

22nd June 2021 – 29thJune 2021 Well it was certainly a rollercoaster to get here!! First of all we booked a trip to IceIand 22nd – 29th June , but then the hospital phoned up and I was going to have a replacement knee on 23rd June, so the trip was cancelled. After being in the hospital on the 16th June as a standby patient, having various tests etc I was eventually declined because of a graze on my knee! The surgeon wasn’t keen to do it on the 23rd June due to the fact I was going to a wedding on the 2nd July so it was decided he would see me in 4 weeks time for a pre-assessment!! So the first thing we did was re-book Iceland!! Iceland is a ‘green’ country so no ... read more

Saturday 22nd February 2020 Another sea day and we didn’t get to Magellan Straights until mid afternoon. Bitterly cold wind, even though the sun was out - it was Chile!! Lol. The straights narrow to a gap about a mile wide which we reached about 7.30pm – we saw a few Comison dolphins but otherwise very quiet! Sea wise!! Sunday 23rd February 2020 I hope the penguins appreciated the effort (and cost – $310!!) to see them!! I somehow doubt it!! Up at 6.00 am to meet in the Theatre for our Cunard trip at 7.45am. Onto the tender, then onto the coach and along to our transport to Magdelena Island that was declared a national monument in 1982 and had a pinguinera (penguin colony!!) Transport left a lot to be desired!! It was an old ... read more

Thursday 13thFebruary 2020 Montevideo is the capital and largest city of Uruguay. It is situated on the Rio de la Plata and was founded in 1726 by a Spanish soldier – Bruno Mauricio de Zabala and claimed Independence in 1830. It seems very flat apart from a 450ft knoll with an old fort on top, now a military museum and gained its name Montevideo when a Portuguese sailor called out on first sighting - ‘Monte vejo eu’ (I see a mountain!!’) Docked in Montevideo, Uruguay at 08.00am and off the ship by 8.30am! Walked up through the town, with its tree lined streets, lots of flowers about and some beautiful squares with flowering trees. Apparently, Uraguayans have a lot of civic pride and the streets are well tended and maintained and the parks are landscaped, making ... read more