Blogs from Dover, Kent, England, United Kingdom, Europe

This weekend we stayed in town to try and save some of our pennies. Here's what we did: Thursday night: It's the season for the Italian/Latin Carnivale, where people dress up in beautiful costumes and party just before Lent begins (40 days before Easter). So in honour of the tradition, Mike's school (CTLS) held a Carnivale party. We decided to stray a bit from the traditional elegant masks and wear masks of famous people. Mike was where's Waldo (or in the UK, Where's Wally? or in French, Ou est Charlie?), and Elysia dressed as a female Mr. Bean. She really wanted to wear the face of the queen, but Mike thought that was tacky (although later at the party we found people dressed as the entire royal family, so we weren't the only famous people there). ... read more

There is a hardly any feeling worse than coming home from a trip abroad knowing that your holiday is over and the next thing to think about is work again. We usually try on our way home to break our journey and take in something on the way that we have not seen before. Anyone who has followed this blog will realise that before visiting Belgium I had wanted to go to Kent so it seemed logical to call in on Deal and Dover on the way home. Our first visit of the day was to the pretty castle at Deal. We tossed a coin before visiting as we had the choice of both Deal and Walmer. Deal won but with hindsight I think that perhaps Walmer had extra visitor features including gardens. Deal was one ... read more

Worked out on the drive down that I have been out of the UK for 18 weeks out of the last year (5 + 3 in Australia, 3 in Thailand and 3 + 4 in France). Have tried to make the most of some good sunny and dry weather to have a relaxing 2 months of summer at home but that has not always been possible. We have been home for 2 months since returning from our trip in May / June to the French Alps and South coast. As Bob ended up in hospital in Sanary-sur-Mer the first thing we had to do on returning home was get him checked out to ensure that the severe urinary infection he had suffered there was now OK. Several doctor and consultant appointments, two courses of extra-strong antibiotics, ... read more

Left home at 9.00am, Paul called 9.30am to say we had left Colleen’s makeup bag behind. Stopped at Boot’s in Worthing to replace lost articles and got down to Mark’s at 11.30am. Went to lunch at The Lamb and had a nice surprise when all & sundry turned up. Sasha & Rick, Chris & Hanna, Julie & Jeff, Haley (Hanna’s sister) & Jeremy, Bob & Jenny - making 15 in all!! Meal took an age coming by which time Julie was drunk & latched on to Jeremy. He took it well! Jeff had a shouting match with the manager over the time it had taken for the meal to come. We eventually got our main courses & didn’t want to wait for dessert - manager charged us just 5.00 per head - result! Then, nicest of ... read more

India 2010!!!! Departing to Delhi on the 18th July for a few months, after Malta for a week on the 9th! So far have raised money by major Ebaying and working in a box factory (bloody awful job!). Do not have nearly enough money yet but there is still time to sell a few more things hmm.... must raid the garage. Had injections, nasty stuff, then should be sorted. Have some sort of long sarong thing and a mosquito net... Other than that my backpack is reasonably empty. Hope to come back with lots! Need to buy a journal for letters, material scraps, addresses ect. Next post will hopefully be from some delightful little internet cafe in Delhi! Can't wait. Laters! x... read more