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What next after SE Asia?
Those of you who read this regularly will know in March and April I did another big trip, this time to SE Asia. So what have I been up to since then??
As always there are still some normal routine things to be organised, life cannot be one adventure after the other!! Screening seems to be the theme for 2018, first my regular colonoscopy for bowel cancer was due (both of my parents died of bowel cancer so I have a slightly higher risk than normal) and thankfully the result was fine. The actual test is nothing like as bad as the preparation!! I have also done my last cervical screen and will have a breast screen soon too.
The NHS still baffles me though. They have introduced a pre-assessment for colonoscopy, a 2 hour round trip on public transport, for someone who has already had about 7 or 8 in the past. It didn’t help when the nurse said “Oh I thought we were only doing these for high risk patients, and you aren’t one!!” My appointment for breast screening was on a date I couldn’t make, so I rang to cancel
and book another appointment only to find they only make them 2 weeks in advance.........and they wonder why screening uptake is not good!!
Next stop Holy Island with Chris to celebrate his 65
th birthday. We stayed in a nice B&B with a hilarious owner but the rest of the “hospitality” industry on the island was pretty unimpressive and expensive... A smile goes a long way to making you feel welcome!! It was so bad I drove to Berwick for a night out and we ate off the island on the Sunday too. Chris was still recovering from his knee replacement so we were limited but had a great day at Ford and Etal.
Next stop Spain and I took my lovely friend Vicky to our house in Casas Nuevas. We had a good time and celebrated her birthday twice, once on the day and then the next day with a trip to the thermal pools. We even had a paddle in the Med although the weather was a bit changeable. She loved the changes to the house as guests now have the downstairs shower room to themselves as we have one upstairs in the new first floor. It
was lovely to be back in the village and I popped into school to see my friend Mateo as he retires over the summer. I hope the replacement teacher would like some help with the English. I also managed to catch a walk with our walking group in Murcia, as always it was a good walk, in the Ricote valley, with great scenery and lovely company.
I had just about a week back in Jarrow helping Keith and Imogen get sorted at their house in preparation for the arrival of baby Harris/Watt in July. I have helped by decorating the toilet, staying in for deliveries/workmen and tidying the front garden and pointed and painted the wall in the back yard.
Amy and I had a walk at the coast and a nice lunch and she seems to be loving her new job at the CQC. She travels quite a lot but gets to see the whole inspection process and I am sure will be looking for an inspector role at the end of her training. Rob has given up his job to work solely at Beamish, hoping to get a substantive job out of it.
Chris and I set off in the motor home on 16
th May and first did a house sit in Kirknewton near Edinburgh. It’s a one we have done before; it’s a gorgeous old house with huge gardens and two lovely black Labradors Bodie and Cleo. The owners are pretty scatty and it is run as a B&B so we did have 5 B&B guest for one night but at least it was planned. We did our regular walks with the dog, helping with Chris’ knee rehabilitation. We had a trip into Edinburgh, in on the bus and back on the train. We spent a couple of hours in the fabulous Museum of Scotland, friendly staff, great exhibits and stunning building. The highlight, for me, was the shuttle that brought Tim Peake back to earth. It was tiny and held 3 people!! We ate a great vegetarian Thali in a restaurant called Roti.
We headed off on Thursday 24 and drove to Aberdour and wild camped right on the firth followed by the next night at Kingsbarns. Our plan is to wander up the east coast of Scotland as far as John O’Groats. We want to visit Orkney and did think we might take the motor home over but at £200 return it’s just too expensive for a short trip. There is a day trip from the mainland so we will potentially do that. We passed through St Andrews, parking seemed impossible but maybe another time as the town is fascinating but not interested in the golf.
We stayed three nights on a coastal campsite in Monifieth, east of Dundee. The weather was fabulous and Chris did his first cycle ride since the operation and managed Carnoustie and back. We had a fascinating day in Dundee at the McManus gallery, another stunning facility in a Victorian building. After our experience on Holy Island we have had an entirely different welcome in Scotland. In pubs, cafes, galleries and on public transport everyone is so friendly and helpful.
We left Dundee and headed north, stopping in Arbroath for the famous smokies (hot smoked whole haddock) and then headed for Dunnottar castle. Wow!! It is in a fabulous setting, right on the coast on a rocky promontory and must be one of the most photogenic castles I have ever visited. We overnighter in Cove bay just south of Dundee and had a couple of short stops on the coast before arriving in Fraserburgh.
I am writing this from a campsite in Fraserburgh. If you look out of the right hand window there is a stunning sandy bay but if you look to the left there is about half a mile of fish processing and freezing facilities. The harbour is not your average picturesque fishing village but an industrial scale place with huge fishing vessels. Directly opposite the harbour are some of the roughest looking pubs I have ever seen. It has a certain charm and some stunning and huge buildings in the town. Last night we went to the local leisure centre for fish night and had delicious hake and halibut at £6 each-a £20 plateful anywhere else!!
The campsite is right on the coast and although the facilities look nothing much from outside they are the best I have seen in a long time. Newly refurbished, well thought out and spotlessly clean. All for £22 a night and free Wi-Fi. Hopefully today we will cycle a bit when the mist lifts and later on tuck into some delicious local strawberries.
Till next time
Norma x
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