Quiet June
June has been a quiet month after the wonderful family wedding. The happy newly weds have flown off to enjoy their fantastic honeymoon taking in Florida, the Hawaiian islands and California – I hope they enjoy every minute! Our daughters and families have returned to Sydney (how we miss them all) and we are now helping one of our sons find a new home after his tenancy was unexpectedly ended when his landlord decided to sell. So no travel for us yet – I’m still waiting for my op date, so can’t really plan to go away in case I miss my slot in the queue. I’m therefore publishing some images taken from the garden this year – the roses and daisies are in their prime!...
Read MoreFamily reunions and a return trip to Spain
After returning to the UK on 2nd May following our ‘gardening and cleaning holiday’ – it was time to spruce up the house ready for the family arriving from Oz for their month long stay. Beds and a travel cot had to be made up, wardrobes emptied and their contents stored temporarily in suitcases, bathrooms cleaned and polished to a shine! I stocked up on lots of healthy snack foods for the grand kids including their favourite Cheerios breakfast cereal. Once recovered from the jet lag, the family wanted to fit in a short trip to Spain. So less than a week after our previous visit, we flew out again to Alicaante – this time our party consisted of four adults and three little ones – where we spent four happy days in the Spanish sunshine. The...
Read MoreReturn to Javea
Now in Javea for our second visit of the year. The weather is glorious – long sunny days and cool starry nights. Not quite warm enough yet for me to take a dip in the sea or pool, but Alec has braved the 20°C + water temperature and done a few lengths after his exertions in the garden. And talking of the garden, it’s as though we’re living in a forest because we’re surrounded by two neglected plots, one with dozens of ageing pine trees and the other an overgrown jungle of tall weeds/grasses and saplings that have taken root since it was last cleared about five years ago. Because of the drought on the Costa Blanca this spring with no rain for weeks, these tinder dry plots are a fire hazard, especially when we have electrical...
Read MoreMore February….
February has been a busy month with more appointments and meetings than usual – work and travel related, medical as well as family and friends. France came to London on the 25th, with the annual France meets the Media event, held this year at the Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge. The hotel’s foyer looked stunning with a fire blazing in the huge oversized fireplace, surrounded with an assortment of containers and pots filled with planted spring flowers. Very uplifting! The event was a useful opportunity to meet with the tourism representatives from the different regions and departments of France. I particularly wanted to glean some info on French health tourism, as I’m writing another Mintel report this year on European health tourism. My February travel appointments finished with the ‘Canada Shared’ event, held in the unusual surroundings of...
Read MoreGetaway Launch
Rain, rain and more rain this week. But even the heavy showers and leaden skies couldn’t dampen the buzz and excitement of the arrival of NCL’s latest ship Getaway to Southampton. This is a ship destined for a life in the sunshine of Miami and the Caribbean, not a wet and windy port in the...
Read MoreWelcome 2014!
Welcome to my first blog of 2014! Not that I’ve travelled far on this first day of the New Year – wild, wet and windy here in Surrey. Despite the weather, I had to keep to my New Year’s resolution to have a daily walk, so Alec and I donned our raincoats and boots and ventured out for a brisk walk in the late morning. We arrived back soaked but exhilarated – I think all the cars we passed must have thought us mad to be out in such inclement conditions – especially as the wind was too strong for a brolly. I intended to tackle my tax return today, but instead found myself reading and answering emails and browsing the Internet for a form I couldn’t find. How time flies when you’re online – I...
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