Dogs, Ospreys and blueberry mohitos

Thursday we set off in the car for another drive, this time to Leeward, parked the car on a lane, and immediately got adopted by 5 very friendly dogs who came for a walk along the beach with us and just wanted to play.




Another deserted beach, another turquoise sea.




Lovely walk along the beach with the dogs, and we got a good look at Iguana Island, more on that later! You can just see it behind the dogs in the picture above.
Then we drove along Turtle Tail, and looked at some beautiful houses, most valued at about $5m. Best start saving. Home for a swim and some great enchiladas cooked by Toby and Helen.
Friday Toby and Helen had off work, so we drove to North West Point, and took the car along the path Stu and I had walked along on Wednesday, a much better idea than walking! At the end we were met by another amazing beach




And some Ospreys. I was really surprised to see them, but we got a great view of them flying,




sitting by the beach:




And on their nest, which they're built in an old light container




Beautiful birds. We had a great walk down the beach




And then back home for lunch and a swim. In the evening we tried to catch the sunset, but we were a bit late, and it was cloudy. But we did catch an amazing bay




And a thunderstorm - the clouds were a wonderful colour




Then it was a couple of blueberry mohitos




Why have I not had this amazing drink before! A steak, and home for an earlish night


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Somewhere in Paradise

Great BBQ on Monday evening, Jerk Chicken and some steak which had been marinaded in rum. Yum!
Tuesday morning we set off for the beach again. Surprise surprise, the sun was out, the sky was blue, the sea was turquoise and the sand was white. Of course, I had to build another dribble castle....



Looks rather good on the rock I think!
Then we walked down the beach to find the famous Rickie's bar, but no-one had told us it wasn't actually called Rickie's :-). We found it anyway, and sat looking at the sea drinking cold beer and eating a leisurely lunch.



Walked back along the beach (did I mention it was deserted),



and back for a swim.



Great take away Pizzas that night for tea.
Wednesday we set off in our hire car to explore the Island. Drove along Chalk Sound, a large inland lagoon separated from the sea by a thin strip of land, with some very expensive looking houses on it. The lagoon was beautiful, full of small islands.



Then we drove up to the north west corner of the island, and hoped to get to North West Point, but got out of the car too early, mainly because it didn't look like it was possible to drive down the path, and set off to walk. After a while we realised a) it was a lot further than we thought and b) we were being eaten alive by insects.



I now am the proud owner of some amazing bites! So, we turned back, and drove to Da Conch Shack for lunch. An idyllic place on the beach, under palm trees, and yes, I did eat conch ( pronounced conck out here). Nice, a bit chewy like squid:



Sat for ages just looking at the sea, watching pelican, and back for a swim, chilling out, and with views like this, who could blame us!



Then a quick drive to Turtle,Cove where walked around the marina, and called in at a bar for a quick mohito.



At night we ate in an amazing bar under the stars, on the beach, called Somewhere. A fab day on paradise island!
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Turks and Caicos, here we come

Saturday was an early rise, 0330, especially as we hadn't actually gone to bed that early, having been to the City Hall to watch Alan Davies the night before. Luckily we both managed to sleep on the 3 hour drive to Heathrow. We weren't sure what BA would make of our rather unconventional luggage:



But luckily they were marvellous! 9 hour flight to Nassau, and an hour on the ground, and then the last hop to Provideciales where we stunned the customs people by walking through the "something to declare" channel and offering to pay them money. Not that I think we could have smuggled the boxes through!

Then a short drive to Toby and Helen's, and we were here. Lovely to see them both and their house, and after unpacking all of the stuff in the suitcases that we hadn't declared, including 4 pairs of curtains, we went out for a meal. Good local beer and food, but given the time difference I was a bit too tired to eat all of it. Bit of a treat to see a Night Heron walk into the bar, but none of us had cameras to capture it.

Good sleep, breakfast and out to the pool, where one of the family cats made friends with Stu and slept with him on the sunbed. Toby was having problems with his car, so we went into town and brought our hire car forward, then popped into the supermarket to pick up some essentials. Boy is it expensive over here! Cheapest wine is $14 a bottle, and even a piece of Camembert cheese was $12. Everything has to be imported, virtually nothing is produced on the island so you can understand it.

While we were out Helen revealed what was in the the boxes we had carried:



All ready for baby B-K when he arrives in March.

This afternoon we walked 10 minutes down a lane at the back of their house to be greeted by this view:




How fabulous is that. A deserted, white sand beach with a turquoise sea and blue sky. You might even see the pelican who joined us with his mate and flew so close to us, diving vertically into the sea for fish.


Of course, I had to build a dribble castle, my favourite pastime on a beach.



Then it was a short walk back, and to the pool for another swim and some reading in the sun. It's a tough life out here, but I think I could get used to it!

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Camping and floods

September is always the end of the camping season for us - not least because we're not old enough to have a camper van yet, so we still have our lovely, spacious tent :-)

This year our last trip this weekend was to Laneham.  We've been before, and thought we'd try it again - it's a lovely campsite, just a couple of very flat fields on the banks of the River Trent, and a good facilities block.

So, after torrential rain at the beginning of the week we were a little apprehensive, but when Stu and I got there Friday afternoon it was glorious. We've been camping a few times this summer, and I think this is the warmest weather we've had for putting the tent up. Perfect afternoon - tent went up easliy (it doesn't always), no arguments, and in an hour we were sitting in the sun reading the papers and enjoying a well earned g and T. With a power station in the background!

Our friends arrived later (one of them delayed because their camper van wouldn't start - more on that later), and soon we were set.

Eventually we set off to walk to the pub, only about 10 minutes away along the river. A good meal of fish and chips followed, and we set off to walk back. That's where the problems started. The Trent is a tidal river, and as we got to where it runs by the road, it became apparent that the road had disappeared, and there was a lot of river where there shouldn't be! It was very dark but we had torches, and managed to scrmable up a grass bak to get round some of it, but there was no alternative but to paddle through some of it. Of cousre, the more sensible people rolled up their trousers, but most of us just walked through. Back at the campsite we had wet feet, jeans, socks and shoes, but a warm camper van, a change of clothes, and plenty of brandy to warm up!

Next day was sunny again and we dried the wet stuff on the handy camper van rack!

We had to walk through the floods again to catch the bus to Retford. Luckily the tide was a little lower, and it was daylight so we didn't get quite as wet.

 Had coffee outside in the sun,

then joined the Chesterfield Canal, and walked to The Gate at Hayton - just over an hour's walk. It was lovely, very quiet apart from the odd boat, lots of wildlife, and an interestingly named lock along the way.

Met family at the pub for lunch, then walked back to town via the Hoppole pub, which had wild hops growing in the towpath near it. Bus back to Laneham, and walked back to the campsite - about a mile. After a rest, and a play with Stu's new telescope looking at the very bright full moon,

We walked to a new pub opened by a local brewery, about another mile, and met my family again. We played dominoes and cards, and ate excellent sharing platters - cheese, pate, pie, dripping, pickles, and a mound of bread. As well as sampling the real ale on sale of course. Then walked back. We walked a long way that day!

Sunday morning was a leisurely communal fried breakfast - each of us contributing something, and although not sunny, the tents were dry.
Then we started packing up and our friends set off in their camper van, only to ring us about 10 minutes later to say they were stranded, they'd obviously had a petrol leak, and needed assistance. Stu set off to help, and left me. Sitting in a field, on my own, in a half taken down tent, which I daren't complete taking down because he'd gone off in the car and all of our stuff was in the field and I had no shelter if it rained....

Still, he came back eventually and we got the tent down just before it rained!  All in all an excellent end to the camping season. Can't wait for next year!

Les Mis

One of the worst things about early morning starts to conferences is that I have to travel the night before, and really I'd rather be in my own house and bed. But, if I'm going to be away from home, I try and find something to do that doesn't involve just sitting in a hotel room. In London it's easy, go to a show. Tonight I went to see this:



Les Mis. Can't believe it's been on for 27 years and I've never seen it. I had a good 30 minute walk from my hotel through Westminster, along Whitehall, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly to the theatre in lovely evening sun. I had all the wrong things to eat - butter on my bread and chips with my steak - before the show. Then settled down to watch. The imagery is very evocative, even on the safety curtain



And I can sort of see why when it first came out it was called The Glums. It's not exactly a bundle of laughs, but there are some very funny bits in it from the Inn keeper and his wife, the Thenardiers.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. The set was amazing, based on a revolve. I've worked with revolves, and they're bloody difficult, but this was seamless. There was no normal flying in of flats, it was all built on the stage, and when the barricades were formed, all of the audience gasped. I was sitting right at the front, and as usual watched the stagecraft carefully. The stage was very dark most of the time, and I particularly liked the green and red lights that lit up in the wings to guide the actors off.

The cast were great, and the leading character, Jean Valjean, was played by an understudy. I can't imagine anyone playing it better than he did. The songs were fantastic, especially Do You Hear the People Sing, and I spent most of the Second Act with tears steaming down my face. I did think it was a bit off to loudly applaud a suicide though :-).

It was a fantastic night, and at the end, Alexandra Burke came on and sang Eponine's song, On My Own. Apparently it was being filmed for Children in Need. Will watch out for it. If you haven't seen it yet. Go.





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Sheffield in the Sun

Sheffield has really come alive today. The sun is shining, and the new students are starting to come back. Freshers are arriving today and tomorrow, and within the next couple of weeks about 40,000 students will come into the City.

Also today is the food festival. The City Centre is buzzing and packed.


Fargate is full of food stands selling all sorts of local produce, and giving away samples, including some very tasty Strawberry and Rhubarb vodka. The Peace Gardens has loads of pop up restaurants, selling everything from pizza and burgers to authentic Turkish food and freshly made sushi. There's even a beer tent selling Sheffield beer from the many breweries we have here. In the glorious sunshine I had a mohito, a mini Yorkshire pudding, an excellent burger and salad, and a selection of deserts washed down with a half of Farmers Blonde. You can't beat Sheffield in the sun! There were some pretty classy carved watermelons as well.

Whitby - the end

Friday morning was miserable. Raining and misty. Drove Dan back to Scarborough so he could catch his bus back and saw nothing. Just mist.

Got back, and went for a walk up to the Abbey and Church. Love the Church.

 Lots of little boxes for people to sit in - all marked with names, or groups, such as this one, and if you look carefully you can see that it's my place as well!

The view is fantastic from up here, and the sun had begun to come out.

After a walk down the Abbey Steps, a drink in the Shambles  and a mooch round the East Side, it was up to the Spa for the workshop showcase. This is where all of the workshops which have been happening all week show off what they've learned. Some friends had been in the Playing for dancing workshop, and some in the longsword.

The parade sets off ay 4.30, always led by the garland, made from heather collected from the moors that morning

 and carried by a sword team, who traditionally mange a few halves of beer as they pass pubs on the way. This year it was Goathland Plough Stots.

After the procession Stu and I dashed off to The Colisuem to catch Dave Burland, one of my favourite singers - lovely voice and so relaxed.

We were lucky to catch the end of Nancy Kerr and James Fagan's set as well.

And at last we managed some Pie and Mash. From the Pie and Mash shop of course. We carried it home, and it made a good dinner after we'd packed.

Then it was off for a pint in The Elsinore and off to the Spa for the final ceilidh. Packed as usual, and we got lots of dancing in. Some of us snuck out to see Bernard Wrigley in the Theatre - he was great. So funny.

Finally, the garland came in, the Plough Stots guarded it,

and we all sang Wild Mountain Thyme.




Got a piece of heather and strolled back. For a nightcap of course.

Saturday we were up early and slightly the worse for wear, but managed a coffee in town, a walk round the shops, and lunch at our normal spot, The Crooked Billet.

The end of a great week - good weather most of the time, some really enjoyable concerts, lots of dancing and good company. Accommodation already booked for next year!