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Published: November 13th 2015
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Well 2015 has been an interesting year and I seem to have got out of the habit of blogging!! I last posted half way through our UK trip in Henry and won’t try and do a massive blog but will just pick out some highlights.
· Fabulous scenery of Teesdale at the end of our trip in Henry
· YSL exhibition at Bowes museum
· Poppies Weeping Window display at Woodhorn
· Fabulous “arts and crafts” exhibition (think William Morris wallpaper)
· Seeing Benedict as Hamlet-only the cinema beamed version not in the flesh
· Imogen’s 30
th Birthday celebrations, a family meal on the day and a weekend away with her boyfriend, Amy, Chris and I.
· Passed my CBT to allow me to ride our scooter in the UK with L plates on.
Three things are worthy of more detailed mention my visit to Exeter to see my old friend Wendy, a trip to Paris with Vicki and the Rugby World Cup.
Paris with Vicki was part of my jubilee celebrations and we decided to treat ourselves and travel by train. We did Newcastle to Kings Cross and then
Birthday weekend
The lovely Slow Food kitchen in Keighley Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord. We built in time to have fizz in St Pancras station and our apartment on the edge of Parc Montsouris was good. The weather was mainly sunny so we were able to sit on the terrace and have breakfast al fresco. We visited Musee D’Orsay for the impressionist art and Espace Dali for the madness which is Salvador. We went to Parc Citreon and rose above the rooftops of Paris on the fixed balloon. The trip to Montmatre was disappointing, Sacre Coeur was not in the least bit peaceful and the whole place is way too touristy for my liking. We drank champagne on the terrace at Printemps but it wasn’t the outdoor experience we imagined either. All in all a wonderful few days with my lovely friend but eye wateringly expensive!!
Wendy and I have been friends since 1978 when I was a newly qualified dietitian and she a physiotherapist at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital. Both of our lives had had their share of ups and downs but as we both reach 60 this year we reflected on how lucky we are with lovely children and partners. Wendy whisked me off
The Botanist Newcastle
Birthday girl is 30!! to Polzeath to stay with friends who had a house on the quiet side of the bay, we went to where they film Doc Martin on the way back. We did bits of walking, swimming and had dinner with her youngest son and then went to see the new Macbeth film. A good catch up and maybe next time will be shorter than 10 years.
Rugby World Cup 2015....AMAZING!!
First let’s get England out of the way. Physically pumped up but played without flair or passion and threw the game away against Wales and we were out at the group stages. The first host nation ever to bomb out! I then became a bit of a RWC gypsy.
I got to do a bit of volunteering in Newcastle, even made it onto the local TV news being interviewed. I had the misfortune to be scammed by some low life and my tickets for the final did not exist. A huge thank you to the Nationwide bank who repaid the money as I had paid with my credit card. I then bought two more tickets through England Rugby 2015 as I was determined to go to the final.
We were very lucky that Newcastle hosted three games and saw all of them. Scotland versus the mighty Springboks, and I saw Bryan Habana score an amazing try. Then the All Blacks came to town and it was a slightly disappointing performance from them but the Haka was fantastic. Finally Scotland versus Samoa, what a game but in the end the Scots were victorious. So for two games wore the navy shirt and sang Flower of Scotland.
Into the quarter finals and I was hoping for Welsh victory but all of the Northern Hemisphere teams were knocked out and we had the big four left, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The Pumas played with such flair and passion and their supporters were amazing. In the end it was Wallabies versus All Blacks in the final.
Imogen and I set off on Friday flying Newcastle to Heathrow, a quick couple of stops on the Piccadilly line and we arrived at the Ramada Hounslow. We found a simple Southern Indian place to eat and had idly, vada and dosa with plenty of dhal. Yummy.
Saturday was the big day and we headed out early to go
and see a window display at Harrods, however it had ended on 1oth October!! Next stop Westminster Bridge, our tickets included a hospitality event with food, wine, beer and entertainment. There were a selection of breakfast items, including one of my favourites Eggs Benedict and then a selection of lunch meals. There was a bit of chat from David Flatman ex Bath and England rugby player and Brad Thorn an All Black winner from 2011. A band played live music for the last hour. The mark up from the tickets price was huge but we had guaranteed , legitimate tickets.
We then set off for Twickenham on the tube to Richmond , stopped for a pint and met a lovely Aussie lady who spends half the year in Prague and then we walked to the ground. As honorary kiwis for the dya we had on our NZ shirts, our flag ( brought from the game at St James), Idg had here nails painted black with silver ferns and we got the obligatory face paint at Twickers. We did a grand job and really got into the spirit of it. Our tickets were for the north stand and we were
England expects
Rugby HQ before the flags were removed......... behind the psts with a great view. 80 minutes of fabulous rugby with some amazing tries and the All Blacks were worthy winners, first team ever to retain the RWC, win it three times and their first win on foreign soil. Legends of the modern game Dan Carter, Ritchie Macaw, Ma Nonu and Conrad Smith all heading for retirement and we can say we saw their last game!!
It was a fabulous experience and would not have missed it for the world, it could be 30 years before it is hosted in the UK and at 90 doubt I would manage the hike up the stairs to the seats.
The whole day left me totally wiped out and we got back to the hotel had a quick disco nap and then went out for some Polish food. Of course had it been England in the final it would have been a different night all together!!
Sunday we packed up and headed on the bus to Richmond it was foggy but dry so we had a good walk along the river and then found a nice French restaurant and Imogen paid for a lovely meal and bottle of
Getting in the spirit
Honorary Kiwis for the day Pinot Noir wine. The fog worsened and we then were four hours late leaving Heathrow but that is another story and could not spoil the joy of the day before.
All in all it was an expensive trip but as they say “there are no pockets in shrouds” and far better for the girls to enjoy some of their inheritance now than wait till I am gone!! I am not rich by any means but without the costs of running a house am able to enjoy moments like this.
After the longest ever stretch in the UK for years I am in Spain for the winter, Chris came down in the van in October and we have had a week at the house but are now down on the coast in Henry in a lovely place called Isla Plana. Nice campsite with two swimming pools and dog free too!! We are hoping to do a bit of cycling and to enjoy the warm weather.
More of that as it enfolds.
Take care
Norma xx
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