Charlotte and Miles have (finally) got engaged!!

So the two of them are over in Finland on a winter break, staying in one of those igloo-style accommodations, with husky rides, snowmobiling and all the magical snowy stuff you’d expect.

We all had a feeling this might be the moment for Miles to propose, and sure enough we got an excited WhatsApp group video call — Charlotte absolutely buzzing and proudly showing off her ring. It was brilliant to see her so happy.

Thankfully all the family were on the call: Tash, Lewis, Emily, Frankie, Jack and Jodie (calling in from Tenerife). A proper family moment, even though we were all scattered around the place.

I already knew this was coming, as Miles had asked my permission during our ski trip - a quiet moment on the balcony while we were drinking chocolate orange shots, with everyone else down in the sauna. Couldn’t really ask for a better setting, to be fair.

No idea when the wedding will be. I’d assume this year might be a bit soon, but you never know - these things have a habit of moving quickly once the ring’s on the finger.

I’m absolutely chuffed to bits for them. I even caught myself starting to imagine my speech while walking the dog earlier… which probably says it all.

We’ll give them time to let everyone else know before talking about it too widely.

So very, very exciting.

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End of Day Summary

A huge, joyful family moment shared across continents. Surprise, happiness, and pride all wrapped up in one call — and the start of a new chapter for Charlotte and Miles. A day that will definitely be remembered. 💍✨

Busy day (what's new?) - Theo Birthday, Shotover, The Traitors!

Up around 8.00am and got a few things sorted before Tash and I headed over to Bicester for Theo’s 5th birthday party at the trampoline park.

The usual Bicester family crowd were there with the kids, along with some of Theo’s school friends. I joined in and, while it was hard work, it was really good fun. Nice to properly get involved rather than just stand on the sidelines.

When it finished, we took Tiff’s kids back to Sue’s. Tash caught up with her and found out more about what’s going on with Tiffany and the problems with her fella… not a good situation at all.

After that we came home, grabbed something to eat, and then met my mum up at Shotover for a walk and a catch-up. She did well getting round but was clearly in a bit of pain, so she’s going to get in touch with the doctors — sounds like it could be a hip replacement issue again. Fingers crossed it’s nothing too serious.

It was a really nice catch-up and we’ll do it properly later in the week. From there we went to Wayne and Kerry’s, as they’d had my office heaters since before New Year when their boiler broke down — terrible timing. Their boiler still isn’t replaced, but things are stable again, so we got the heaters back and I can finally work in the office again. Tash was getting fed up with me being under her feet in the house… fair enough!

It was good to see them and we had a cup of tea and a decent chat. So much going on with everyone at the moment.

Eventually we headed home, where Charl and Miles were already there and had made a start on cooking a chicken korma. Lots more chatting and catching up, and Lewis and Frankie joined us on a video call too, which was lovely. Frankie’s growing fast and seems much more comfortable on his belly now — we’ll definitely have to go up and see him properly soon.

Dinner was good, plenty of gossip and laughter, and we had the fire on which made it all feel very cosy. They didn’t stay too late as we were knackered and they’re off to Finland tomorrow, so we wished them luck, tidied up, and settled down.

We were desperate to watch The Traitors, and over the course of the next few hours managed to get through the final four episodes, including the final. It was brilliant entertainment — really enjoyable — and the ending was great. Very pleased for the two Traitors, Stephen and Rachel. Such an interesting concept and well played.

That was that. We stayed up far too late… especially with work in the morning.

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End of Day Summary

A full, sociable day packed with family, friends, and movement — from trampolining chaos to quiet walks and long chats. Good connection all round, a cosy evening at home, and a late-night Traitors binge that pushed bedtime well past sensible. Exhausted, but content.

Cruise Day 8 – Barbados and Homeward Bound

That was a tough night’s sleep to be honest — very windy, wavy and noisy. I did manage some sleep in the end and we were up and about around 7.30am. Finished getting sorted, left our travel bags at the Squid & Anchor and met Nik and Gaz for breakfast. I didn’t eat much; I’ve honestly had enough of food now.

We did a few final bits to get ourselves ready for departure later in the day and then headed outside to grab a taxi. First stop was Rihanna’s childhood home, then Kensington Oval cricket ground, which was good to see, and then on to Carlisle Bay where we were dropped at Savvy on the Beach.

We walked along and signed up for a boat trip to swim with turtles and snorkel — bit of a con really. It didn’t last anywhere near as long as promised and we didn’t see much at all. Definitely no turtles. A few fish, the shipwreck, and that was about it. Some scuba divers emerged from the wreck which was interesting at least.

Back on shore we went to Savvy for some food and a couple of beers. What was really strange was how familiar it all felt — and for good reason. We were in the exact same spot as last year! We could even see the Ramada hotel we stayed at. That was a weird but nice little moment.

Taxi picked us up on time and took us back to the ship. We managed to shower and freshen up and then went to the pool bar to relax and snooze while killing time until 5.30pm. Had a snack and watched all the new arrivals coming onboard — excited and very white. I’ll admit, I felt a bit resentful. We were the ones leaving and I just wanted to be out of there. Their enthusiasm was too much to handle at that point!

Also, seven days was enough for me. I was tired. Eating and especially drinking all the time can be hard work — that sounds like a joke, but it genuinely isn’t. I think doing two weeks, even with a different itinerary, would start to feel a bit much. Seven days was perfect.

We collected our bags, got on the coach and headed to the airport with no issues. The lounge was outrageously expensive, so we didn’t bother with anything. Boarded the plane, settled in for the eight-hour flight. Tash took sleeping pills and lucked out with spare seats so she could lie across them. I made myself as comfortable as I could across mine and hers, watched The Long Walk, and then slept.

Arrived at Heathrow around 10.00am. Bags came through — slight panic as Gaz’s didn’t appear until the very last one. Got the taxi back to Bicester and I slept the whole way. £155. Mad money.

Said our goodbyes and thanks, jumped in Tash’s car and headed home — back to normality, sadly.

It was a great trip and I really enjoyed it. It compared well with the Iona and Norway cruise, which was a relief. That’s it for cruises for a good while now… although we’ll see what we end up getting talked into next!

End-of-day reflection:
Tired, ready to be home, but very content. Seven days was the perfect length, Barbados was a fitting send-off, and the whole trip stacked up really well against past cruises. A great experience — but definitely time for land again.

Cruise Day 7 – Guadeloupe

Heavy heads this morning — more for Tash than me to be honest. Could easily have stayed in bed, and in fact we did stay in a bit longer than agreed. Nik was ringing us from the restaurant asking where we were!

Eventually down for breakfast, which was good as usual, then off to reception for the bridge tour we’d signed up for. About 20 of us were taken up to meet Freddie the Captain and some of his crew and given a rundown of how the ship operates and how everything works behind the scenes. It was really interesting and I’m glad we did it. Lasted about an hour.

After that we disembarked and went through the usual gauntlet of tour guides and taxis before wandering into town. It’s quite built up and very obviously a French colony — that was clear wherever you looked.

There was a market on in the main square but we were all pretty knackered by this point, so decided to split up. We did a bit more walking but not much if I’m honest. Tash was really feeling it (“not a hangover!”), so we headed back to port, grabbed a bit of internet access and boarded again.

Dropped things in the room and I stayed put for a good hour enjoying the luxury of air con. Eventually found Tash and we had something to eat, then spent the afternoon doing very little — lounging around, sleeping, reading, me catching up on diary entries. Exactly what was needed.

The afternoon was nice and relaxed but the weather was overcast. It kept threatening sunshine but stayed cloudy most of the time. Sometimes that was a relief, though a full sunny day would’ve been nice. Nik and Gaz came down and sat with us for a while, then headed off earlier as they’d booked the steak restaurant for dinner.

We watched the ship leave port — always interesting — then Tash and I had one last cream tea and went back to the cabin to get sorted and pack.

We headed down to Piccadilly’s for dinner but got turned away as I was wearing a collarless t-shirt. I knew the rule, just forgot — and to be fair, I did look smart!

Dinner was nice in the end and neither of us drank. We’ve honestly had enough alcohol for now and could quite happily have gone straight to bed. Still, we enjoyed the food and then headed down to the Live Lounge where Nik and Gaz had secured a great spot. We stayed put for the rest of the evening and had waiter service the whole time.

It was noticeably busier than usual — lots of people we hadn’t seen all week were out, being as it was their last night too. It gave the place a really good atmosphere.

We did drink a bit but it was hard work — stuck to Captain Morgan’s and Coke. Rhythm & Breeze were good, as were The Collective, and then at 11.00pm all the musicians came together for the end-of-show finale. That was brilliantly done — loads of songs, lots of dancing and singing, and it went on for nearly an hour.

And then… that was it. All done.

Nik and Gaz wanted to stay out longer but we were finished, said our goodnights and headed back to the cabin to sort final bits and get into bed — not that it led to a good night’s sleep.

It was VERY windy and wavy. The ship was really rocking, with lots of creaking and noise throughout the night.

One final thing — I checked the invoice and noticed we’d been charged £43 for the bridge tour. Not happy about that at all. Tash raised it straight away but we’ll need to get that refunded in the morning.

End-of-day reflection:
A tired, slightly fuzzy day but an enjoyable one nonetheless. The bridge tour was a real highlight, the afternoon downtime was badly needed, and the final night atmosphere was spot on. Ready to leave now though — physically tired, a bit over-done, and craving solid ground again.

Cruise Day 6 – St Maarten

Awoke at 5.30am and had a look outside the window to see that we’d arrived in port, with a tug alongside getting itself sorted. That was interesting in itself, but in the background you could see the lights of Icon of the Seas. Even from over a mile away you could tell it was huge.

When we woke up properly a bit later, it was moored right next to us and, sure enough, we were completely dwarfed by it. Absolutely massive.

It was Gareth’s birthday today, and at breakfast we gave him his present — a book about Suede — which he seemed genuinely pleased with.

We then left the boat and headed out towards Bobby’s Marina. Chaos on the quay: six ships all close together, people milling around everywhere or queueing for tours and excursions. So many people — more than we’d encountered at any point so far. Anyway, we made our way through it and headed for the marina, along with quite a few others who had clearly organised their own trips like us.

We got a bit worried when we couldn’t immediately find anyone, but then the catamaran came into view and the owners of Random Winds, Jacky and Amy, came ashore, rounded us all up, got us to sign our lives away, and then we boarded. We met Captain Scott, had the safety briefing, drinks were handed out, and then we were off.

After about an hour we stopped just offshore near a beach. I was straight over the side from the highest point, which felt great. Tash followed, but Nikki and Gaz didn’t — in fact Gaz didn’t get in the water at all at this stop. Tash, Nik and others grabbed noodles to help them float and happily drifted around with rum punch cocktails. Good for them.

I tried snorkelling but the sand had been churned up so visibility was rubbish. Gave up on that and decided to wait for the next stop.

There wasn’t much the crew could do about the weather, so we stayed put, kept jumping in, and then had lunch which Scott cooked on the barbie — he’s Australian, of course!!

There was a nice mix of people on board, mostly American, but we didn’t hold that against them!! Chatted to a few and, as the drinks flowed, it all became more friendly and relaxed.

After a while we headed back out. Tash and Nik sat right at the front with their legs dangling over the edge. It was quite rough heading into the wind, but fun all the same.

And the drinks flowed…

The second stop was meant to offer better snorkelling. It still wasn’t great, but I swam over and saw some fish and the sunken helicopter, which was interesting enough. More interesting, though, was the Tarzan swing they’d set up. We were given a demo and I was straight up for the first go — a very different experience to just jumping in. Loads of people had a go and I must have done it about five times in the end.

Sadly, it was soon time to return to port. I was feeling a bit pissed by now, and Tash had somehow broken a woman’s expensive-looking glasses. Who the culprit was went unnoticed, but the woman was NOT happy!!

Jacky and the team thanked everyone at the end and then announced a winner of “Best Tarzan Swinger”… and said my name. I mock-bowed, but then she added that I’d won a T-shirt, which was a lovely bonus and a genuine surprise.

We headed back towards the ship, but not before Tash had her photo taken with a local policeman who was clearly amused by us (or her). We then detoured to Grumpy’s Bar to get on the internet, had a couple of drinks, and caught up with friends and family. All was well.

Back on the ship, grabbed some food and collapsed for an hour’s sleep before meeting the others downstairs at the Italian restaurant. Got a drink while waiting for the buzzer, but it wasn’t long.

Nice food as always. Some bloke nearby was complaining about something — possibly the atmosphere — all a bit odd. In response, us and a table of women created plenty of noise and took the piss. The waiters enjoyed it and started making shapes out of napkins. Puerile and childish, but still funny.

After dinner we headed back to the Live Lounge and stayed there for the rest of the night, enjoying the entertainment or watching things unfold in the casino. Gaz played roulette but didn’t end up a winner from what I could see.

Nik wasn’t feeling great, so they headed off to bed around 11.00pm. We stayed until midnight. A bloke was dancing on his own to Baggy Trousers, so I went over and joined him in solidarity. His family and friends found it highly amusing.

We eventually called it a night as Tash was struggling a bit and got emotional about her mum. Back in the room she stood out on the balcony — probably not the best idea — but it was fine. We watched the stars for a bit and then went to bed.

Another long and tiring day, but I think we made it a birthday — and a day — to remember.

Chuffed with my T-shirt.

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End of Day Summary

A full-on, boozy, sun-soaked day that mixed proper fun with a few emotional moments. From towering cruise ships and a brilliant catamaran trip to Tarzan swings, birthday celebrations, and late-night dancing, it felt chaotic, ridiculous, and memorable in exactly the right way — the kind of day you’ll still be laughing about years from now.

Cruise – Day 1 Travel Day

Alarm went off at 5.00am. Shower, shave, load the car and off we went to Nik and Gaz’s place in Bicester. They were ready and waiting and not long after we arrived, the taxi did too.

Very nice Merc — travelling in style! We chatted a bit, slept a bit, and before we knew it we were at Heathrow T3. No issues at all with check-in or bag drop, although it was immediately obvious that Tash and I are very light packers. Our bags were about 16kg and 16kg compared with 24kg and a whopping 26kg… what on earth must be in those?! Thankfully no issues or extra charges.

Breakfast and a pint, obviously, and then it was already time to board. No real delay, great seats, all good. Sitting for 8.5 hours is a bit dull and uncomfortable, but Virgin really do have it sussed. I’m typing this with about 45 minutes left and we’ve had drinks, dinner and even afternoon tea — which was excellent.

Enjoying my music as usual — I wanted to dance. It’s been nice to properly switch off and not think about much, although inevitably my mind drifted to Charlotte’s wedding and my speech. Also the realisation that I really need to get fitter so I’m presentable in the photos! God knows when it’ll be — I reckon maybe 2027 — we’ll see.

We watched season 4 of The Traitors, which has been great fun. I’d downloaded last night’s episode and we watched that before dipping into anything else onboard. No idea how it’s going to go, but it’s halfway through now and I’m loving it.

After a very good flight we landed in Barbados, got through customs easily and found the TUI rep and our coach. We were slightly unsure about the bag process but confirmed we did collect them ourselves as normal.

On the coach with all the other Marella Discovery 2 passengers, I had a brief wobble. Sitting there, it suddenly hit me that we were officially package holiday makers. Completely ridiculous, but I felt weirdly claustrophobic — like our independence had been stripped away! Absolute nonsense of course, but still. Something to get used to for the week.

Half-hour drive through Barbados and we arrived at the port. Boarding passes sorted, walked along the dock and onto the ship.

We decided to explore — Nik and Gaz hadn’t cruised before — and ended up on the top deck where there’s a pool and a couple of bars. It was clearly the liveliest spot (and proved to be all week). Drinks ordered, seats found, and we just sat taking it all in.

Had a few wanders around to get our bearings. Decent-sized ship with plenty of variety and things going on.

Eventually headed to the cabins to freshen up. Everyone’s bags had arrived… except mine. Slightly concerning if I’m honest. Had to check with reception and chase it, but thankfully it turned up right at the end of the evening. Huge relief.

Phew.

Dinner was in the restaurant called 47 — very nice.

After that we went back up to the main pool deck, more drinks and some entertainment. Exactly what you’d expect on a British TUI cruise ship — if you know what I mean from a slightly snobby point of view. That said, I’m writing this in hindsight on the last day, and it’s actually been incredibly good fun. Any snobbery from Tash and I has been firmly kept in check — and we’ve been just as bad as everyone else!

We didn’t have a particularly late night as we were all pretty shattered from a long travel day.

End-of-day reflection:
A smooth, stress-free start to the trip. Travel went well, the ship exceeded early expectations, and despite initial “package holiday” reservations, the mood quickly shifted to excitement and relaxation. Tired, slightly overwhelmed, but very ready for what the week would bring.

Diary Entries not up to date at all - disappointing!

I’ve been pretty useless at keeping my diary up to date throughout December, which is a bit disappointing now that I look back on it — especially as it’s been VERY full on and busy, with loads going on and plenty that’s worth writing about.

Which is probably exactly why I’ve fallen behind. At the end of each day or weekend I’ve felt daunted by just how much there was to capture, and the thought of sitting down and doing it properly felt like too much effort.

Anyway, I’ve got a list of points I want to get down, so rather than writing another post about how hard it’s been to keep up, I’ll just crack on and do it.

I’m going to combine events rather than stick rigidly to day-by-day recollections… here goes!