Tour De Mont Blanc - Day 10 - Last Day

Everyone was awake and getting sorted by about 6.15am for breakfast at 6.30am. We managed to beat the crowds, and it was actually a really good breakfast, with plenty of choice. We all started making cheese and ham sandwiches for later in the day and had them sitting on the tables in front of us when Victor got “caught” and was told that packed lunches weren't allowed. We all immediately looked away, carefully stashed our contraband and left as quickly as possible!

Our last day today, which is a bit of a shame as this has been such a fantastic trip and we've all really enjoyed it. And this last place, La Grande Ourse, has been a great place to spend our final night. It's such a step up from what we've become used to on the trail that it would probably have given us completely unrealistic expectations if we'd stayed somewhere like this every night!

We set off earlier than planned as we were all ready by 7.40am. We walked through the village until we reached a campsite and then started the ascent. We knew we'd be in the shade for the first couple of hours and could see roughly where we'd eventually emerge at the top.

It was through woodland to begin with and, as usual, I soon found myself falling behind. This was definitely a challenging climb as it was another 900m ascent, but the views were too good to complain about, and we just kept going.

We could see a ridge in the distance ahead of us. There was a building sitting up there, and it seemed a very long way away. With only one proper stop, it took us about three hours to get there, winding and zigzagging our way upwards the whole time.

Eventually, we reached the ridge and, as usual, the view made all the hard work worthwhile.

We were looking down into the valley with Chamonix sitting on the valley floor and Mont Blanc and the surrounding range dominating the skyline. Once again, absolutely spectacular. Even better, we could see the area where we'd set off eight days earlier and realise that we'd actually walked right around the back of the entire range.

We'd completed the Tour du Mont Blanc!

We sat there for quite a while taking it all in, taking photos, recording videos and getting plenty of team pictures. It was one of those moments where you just want to sit and absorb everything that's around you rather than immediately rushing off.

Eventually, it was time to start the descent. We followed the ridge for a while, with the Mont Blanc range providing an incredible backdrop behind us, before heading down into the woods.

The descent was another 900m, and this one felt never-ending. It was steep, rocky and full of tree roots, and as we got lower into the valley, the temperature started to rise again. It was exhausting, but we just kept plodding on.

Nearly three hours later, we finally reached the train station that would take us back to Chamonix. There were plenty of hugs and congratulations all round as we realised we'd actually done it. We then jumped on the train for the 20-minute journey back.

A few final photos outside the hotel, and then we got our rooms, went upstairs and basically collapsed!

We sorted our bags, showered and got ourselves ready before heading out again. Tash, Steve, Victor and I met up with Ching, Ang and Tong for a drink and some fries around 4.45pm. Ang and Tong then headed back to their room, while the rest of us went to the Pont Rose restaurant, which was gorgeous.

Manu joined us, followed by Madeline, Mary-Lou and Kathy, and we had a drink together. I paid for this one. It was a bit of an expensive round, but it felt like a nice thing to do after everyone had been so generous throughout the week.

We then headed to the restaurant that Manu had booked for us. It was another really nice place, quite quirky and very French, although expensive! €12 for a pint was enough to make me decline that particular pleasure, although I did have some of the wine that Steve bought.

The food was excellent, and we'd had a whip-round to give Manu a tip. Steve did a lovely little speech, which went down very well and was a fitting way to thank him for getting us around the TMB safely and making the whole experience so enjoyable.

Once we'd finished, the girls and Ching's parents went back to the hotel, but that wasn't the plan for the rest of us.

We headed towards a fete, although the music was jazz and, to be honest, it wasn't particularly good, so we crossed over to the bar opposite the hotel and settled in there instead.

The music was good, the DJ was decent, and it was full of young people having a great time. It was exactly what you'd imagine an après-ski bar to be like, except it was the middle of summer!

Eventually, we decided we'd better call it a night and wandered back to the hotel and off to bed.

What a fantastic break. Absolutely loved it.

End of Day Summary

And that's it. The Tour du Mont Blanc is done.

Eight days of walking, climbing, descending, sweating, aching, eating, drinking, laughing and getting to know a brilliant group of people. There were some bloody hard climbs, and there were definitely moments when I wondered why I'd thought this was a good idea, but every difficult section was rewarded with another spectacular view.

I'm particularly pleased that I found my own rhythm. I'm never going to be the quickest up a mountain, and there were plenty of occasions when I was right at the back, but I got there every time. Slow and steady seems to be my mountain strategy!

The scenery has been genuinely breathtaking, and, looking back at where we started and realising that we walked right around the Mont Blanc massif, it's quite an achievement.

And the group has made it even better. Everyone has been brilliant. Manu was a fantastic guide, and we've somehow ended up with a group of people who genuinely seemed to enjoy each other's company.

I'm knackered, my legs have had enough, and I'm looking forward to a proper bed tonight, but I wouldn't change any of it.

We came to walk the Tour du Mont Blanc. We bloody well did it.

Tour De Mont Blanc - Day 9

Not too bad a night's sleep all things considered, mainly because I was in a deep sleep until about 1.00am. Then I woke up and hid under the blanket with my phone, watching the BBC text updates on the England v Norway quarter-final.

Steve was doing exactly the same thing on his bunk.

Unfortunately, the game went to extra time, but thankfully Jude Bellingham scored his second of the match and we held on to win 2-1.

That meant it was now 1.50am, but I eventually managed to fall back into a deep sleep until around 5.30am.

Tash wasn't particularly happy with me.

Apparently every time I moved, the whole bed moved, and she was on the top bunk. She said she wanted to throw things at me and that it was her worst night's sleep of the whole trek.

Ah well. I can't help it if I can't get comfortable!

We were awake bright and early for breakfast at 6.30am, got everything packed and then caught the 7.15am bus. We wound through the hills and lower meadows for about 50 minutes before reaching the end of the line.

Most of us snoozed along the way. The driver was a bit of a character and was really helpful, getting out and helping everyone with their bags.

We got ourselves sorted and then set off.

The first hour was downhill, which made a nice change and was a good warm-up for the day. Then it merged into the uphill slog.

And this seemed to go on forever.

We stopped after about an hour for a drink and some snacks and Manu pointed out where we were heading.

It looked daunting.

And it was.

Quite quickly I ended up at the back and, unusually, even Kathy had gone ahead of me. What I hadn't realised was just how badly Victor was struggling. He was miles behind me, which is incredibly unusual for him.

He clearly hasn't been his normal self today. He seemed to have absolutely no energy, and later he slept in his bed in the dorm for two hours before dinner and then went straight to bed after eating.

Hopefully he'll be okay tomorrow.

Back to the walking...

The second hour seemed to drag and drag. At one point I was a bit worried because there were a couple of route options, but thankfully I'd chosen correctly and Kathy and I eventually made it to the café.

We'd ordered our food the day before, so I had salami and bread, which was great. Although with the heat and the amount of water I'd been drinking, I wasn't particularly hungry.

Still ate the lot though!

The views overlooking the valley were amazing. There was this hidden city sitting down in a huge U-shaped valley and it looked fantastic from where we were.

After lunch we got ourselves ready to move on and thankfully there was only another 15 minutes of uphill before we reached the top.

Then...

Two hours of downhill.

Much more my sort of thing!

We trudged along as normal and, as always, the group gradually split up as everyone found their own pace and rhythm. I was near the back, just ahead of Ang and Tong.

We passed loads of people on mountain bikes, all of them pushing their bikes uphill.

I have to admit I'm not entirely sure of the point of it. Going downhill at any sort of speed would surely be impossible on this terrain.

But it's up to them, I suppose!

After about an hour we reached the shop we'd been told about. Bought a Coke, sat down and rested for a while before cracking on for the final 45 minutes.

Again, all downhill, and it was actually lovely to be in a world of my own for a while and think about all sorts of things. I even tried making some notes on my phone while walking without falling over.

I managed it.

More mountain bikers were coming uphill, along with plenty of other hikers, and before too long we could see our accommodation for the night, miles away down in the valley.

It actually didn't take us too long to get there.

We checked in and found ourselves in another eight-bed dorm, but this one was excellent.

The beds, room, showers and toilets were all brilliant. It was the complete opposite of some of the places we've stayed in.

If only the other dorms had been this quality, the trek would have been absolutely amazing.

It already is, obviously, but this sort of "luxury" would have been the icing on the cake.

Tash and I couldn't be bothered to queue for a shower straight away, so we grabbed a couple of beers and relaxed in the hammocks, taking in the surroundings.

Steve came down and we played Cornhole – the bean-bag throwing game – and he beat me.

Good fun.

Had another drink, then eventually went and showered and got ourselves sorted.

Back downstairs, I bought a round for those who were around and we sat chatting and relaxing in the shade of the trees. It was a lovely hour or so, just chilling out and gradually finding out more about everyone's lives away from the trek.

At 6.45pm we went in for dinner.

Another drink.

Four pints for me tonight.

I don't mind though!

Dinner was excellent – probably the best yet – and once again we all chatted and enjoyed the evening.

Except Victor, as I've mentioned already. Such a shame he's not feeling himself.

After dinner some people went off to bed, but it was only 8.00pm and far too early for some of us.

Steve and I renewed our Cornhole rivalry.

To absolutely no avail.

He thrashed me.

Meanwhile Manu, Tash and Ching had gone off for a wander to the pink church.

When they came back, we played the two girls against me and Steve at Cornhole, with Manu sitting there watching us all with amusement.

We won the first game, but the last one was 10-9 to us.

Very exciting.

Very competitive.

And completely ridiculous when you think about it. It's amazing how even the simplest game can bring out everyone's competitive side!

Eventually we called it a day and went to bed around 9.30pm.

I stayed up for a while doing my diary and listening to music before finally turning in at around 10.30pm.

End of Day Summary

What a great day.

The ascents were really hard work today. That long climb in particular felt like it went on forever and I was struggling towards the back, but I got there.

And that's becoming the thing I'm taking from this trek.

I might be slow. I might be right at the back sometimes. I might look like I'm about to collapse when everyone else seems to be strolling along happily...

But I get there.

And once you're standing there looking down into these enormous valleys and across the mountains, you realise it's completely worth every sweaty, painful step.

The downhill sections are definitely more my thing, and being able to just wander along at my own pace for a couple of hours today was actually really enjoyable.

The other big thing is the group. We're now properly comfortable with each other, and the evenings are becoming as enjoyable as the walking. The Cornhole rivalry is getting slightly ridiculous, but it's brilliant fun.

Hopefully Victor is okay tomorrow because he's definitely not himself today.

And we've now got just a couple of days left.

We're getting there. 🏔️

Tour De Mont Blanc - Day 8

Not the best night's sleep, but clearly I got some shut-eye so no complaints. Victor's alarm went off at 5.00am, but we didn't need to get up for another 45 minutes, so I closed my eyes and made the most of those extra few minutes I'd been given.

Got my bag sorted and went down for breakfast, which wasn't particularly good. To make matters worse, those fucking flies were all over the food. So it was Coco Pops and coffee for me, then outside to wait for everyone.

We set off at 6.40am. Manu was concerned about the weather and wanted to get us moving early to avoid the afternoon storms that his weather app was predicting.

We started with a steep slope to warm us up, followed by a long traverse for an hour or so. We then descended about 300m, walked a few hundred metres along the bottom of the valley and then started ascending again – another 300m or so – towards the refuge where we were stopping for drinks.

This was quite hard and, unsurprisingly, I ended up at the back and was left behind. It was exhausting.

Got there eventually, as I always do, and had 15 minutes to recover before we set off for the 800m climb.

Fuck me, that was hard.

Thankfully it wasn't as hot as it has been, but it was still incredibly draining. By this point it was me and Kathy at the back by some distance, but there was no pressure and no particular pace that we had to maintain, which is good.

We made it in about 70 minutes, despite the expected time being 90 minutes, so I was actually pretty pleased with that.

We sat at the top of the rise – the highest point of the entire trek at 2,500 metres – and took in the views while we rested.

Then we had to hit the trail again and, within about 10 metres, we were in Switzerland!

The change in scenery as we crossed the pass was amazing. On the Italian side we'd had these rough, rugged mountains and glaciers, whereas Switzerland suddenly opened up into lush green meadows.

There were still enormous mountains towering above us, but somehow they didn't seem quite as harsh and rugged.

We continued for another hour or so on a steady downhill until we reached the next refuge, where we had a milkshake made from milk from the local cows and a cheese and ham "toastie", also supposedly from the local cows. It was excellent.

Then the predicted rain arrived.

We decided to wait for a while, the temperature dropped and it became quite chilly. I was writing this at the time, waiting for the green light to continue and hoping the rain would ease off.

It didn't.

The heavens opened and we had proper thunder and lightning. Everyone piled into the food hall to wait it out.

As it turned out, we were incredibly lucky. Manu's food order had been delayed by half an hour, so we'd already been sitting there waiting. Had it arrived when it was supposed to, we'd have been caught right in the middle of the storm.

Phew.

We eventually set off around 2.45pm, meaning we'd spent nearly three hours at the refuge because of the weather. During that time quite a few of us had actually fallen asleep – we were absolutely knackered.

We put on our waterproofs, both jackets and leggings. I have to admit I was a little jealous of some of the proper rain jackets people had, but I had my trusty poncho.

And I'll be honest – I was absolutely delighted with it.

It covered my backpack, kept me completely dry and worked an absolute treat.

The storm had abated to constant drizzle by the time we set off, which continued for about an hour. Manu took us along a different route to the one most people normally use. He really doesn't like walking along pavements and roads, and we benefit from that because we're generally taken along proper trails, mud and all.

We went through an area with a load of cows that seemed to be fighting, which wasn't particularly enjoyable, and then continued on to our accommodation.

It was actually a nice hotel/hostel and we ended up in a room with four bunk beds – eight of us in total. Tong and Ang went into another dorm. They really don't care about anything, as would become apparent shortly afterwards!

We got ourselves sorted and went down for showers.

There were four shower cubicles, but they were mixed and the only privacy was provided by a very thin shower curtain. One of them didn't even have a curtain.

Tong took that one.

Ang was wandering around naked too.

It was absolutely mental and surreal.

I managed to have a shower while maintaining what little modesty was available and then got myself sorted back in the room.

Lewis and Charl called while Charl and Miles were up there visiting him, and we had a lovely FaceTime call. They've got it incredibly hot over there at the moment and everyone is suffering, so it was great to catch up with them. It'll be nice to go up and see them when we get back.

After that I had a wander around some of the shops underneath the hotel. I was very tempted by a couple of T-shirts, but things are expensive over here in Switzerland so I decided against it.

Hope I don't regret that decision.

Back upstairs and the group were already downstairs. Mary-Lou bought me a drink, which was lovely and very generous, and I stayed down with them.

Tash came down, then Manu joined us and eventually the whole group was together again.

We had another cheese-tasting experience and today's was easily the best. Manu had bought quite a hard cheese which was absolutely delicious.

My favourite by an absolute mile.

We then had a lovely dinner – salad, chicken curry/casserole with rice and then chocolate mousse for dessert.

The chocolate mousse was to die for.

Absolutely amazing.

We had another drink and then, one by one, people started heading off to bed. It was only 7.30pm!

Tash and I were pretty much left behind, so we went for a walk through the village. There wasn't really much there, so we came back and were upstairs in the bedroom by about 8.15pm.

I would have happily had another beer, but that wasn't happening.

So I got a few things sorted and then started writing my diary. It's now 8.45pm and almost the entire group is asleep.

There is, of course, the England v Norway quarter-final tonight, but over here kick-off is 11.00pm.

That's too late.

Not sure what to expect anyway. Hopefully England will do it and we'll get to watch the semi-final next week, but I'm not expecting anything.

It's been a good day today. The climbs were painful, I have to say, although it seems that some of the others who didn't show it and got to the top without too much fuss found it just as hard.

That doesn't actually make me feel any better because I know how much I struggled.

I can do it, but I can't do it at anyone else's pace. It has to be my slow and steady pace.

Which, let's be honest, is basically a snail's crawl!

Tash and I keep giggling about Tong and Ang wandering around naked without a care in the world. They're such a lovely, friendly couple. Hopefully we'll all be that comfortable with each other by the end of this.

Early start again tomorrow. Breakfast at 6.30am and the bus at 7.12am.

We can't miss that one.

End of Day Summary

Another bloody good day, although definitely one of the harder ones physically.

That 800m climb was a proper test for me and I was really struggling towards the back, but getting to the top in 70 minutes rather than the expected 90 minutes is something I should probably give myself a bit of credit for.

And then crossing into Switzerland at the highest point of the trek was a brilliant moment. The change in landscape was spectacular and probably one of those moments I'll remember for a long time.

The weather certainly made things interesting. The storm was incredible and we were very lucky to be sitting safely inside when it really kicked off. The poncho proved its worth too – probably one of the better bits of kit I've brought with me.

The group continues to get better and better. We're laughing, eating, drinking and generally taking the piss out of each other now, which is exactly what you want on something like this.

And then there's Tong and Ang.

Still can't get over the nakedness. 😂

Tomorrow is another early start and another day on the trail. I'm definitely aching tonight, but we're getting very close to the end now.

One more big push.

Tour De Mont Blanc - Day 7 - Wedding Anniversary

It’s our 33rd wedding anniversary today! Just wow!

We had a bit of a lie-in this morning as we didn't need to get up until 7.15am, which felt very civilised compared with some of our previous starts. Got sorted, had breakfast, checked out and then gathered in reception ready to go.

We set off through the town and, to be honest, it felt like we were only just waking up for the first few hours…which was probably because we were!

It seemed particularly hot today, even though we were walking through woodland for much of the morning. Before too long I found myself at the back and decided to just let everyone get on at their own pace. There was no point trying to keep up and burning myself out.

The amount of sweat pouring off me was ridiculous. I was absolutely drenched by the time I eventually reached the top after about two hours. Everyone was waiting for me, but it was fine.

And the views from the top were absolutely stunning.

I got some great photos and videos, hopefully, although as usual there's no way a camera can really capture what you're seeing. Manu then took us on a detour around the side of the mountain which I suspect not many people get to see. It was a brilliant little diversion and gave us some completely different views.

It was also lovely because everyone wished us well for our anniversary and I shared some photos from the day. It's really nice how much we've all started to bond as a group.

We then made our way to a café for lunch where we shared some pasta, and Steve bought it for us as an anniversary present. That was really kind of him. He's a great lad.

It was hot again when we left and, before long, we were heading uphill once more. Eventually it levelled out but we still couldn't really pick up the pace.

We were walking through a huge U-shaped valley, which I found fascinating from a geographical point of view. Manu kept stopping to explain things and give us some context about what we were seeing, which makes such a difference.

But most of the time I was just looking around and trying to take it all in.

There were glaciers everywhere in the rocks and terrain on the other side of the valley. It was simply mesmerising. You could walk for hours and still be discovering something new every time you looked up.

We eventually stopped at a bridge where we could paddle our increasingly weary feet in the water. It felt bloody lovely.

Unfortunately, there was quite a lot of cloud building and we could hear thunder in the distance. Manu assured us it would miss us.

It didn't.

As the occasional drops of rain became more persistent, I stopped and put the rain cover over my backpack before carrying on. With about 20 minutes left, the rain really started coming down and, as we got closer to the refuge, it turned into hail.

That was bloody painful!

Eventually I made it under cover and we all got ourselves sorted. We're all in the same room again, with the girls on one side and the boys on the other. It's such a funny setup when you think about it, but everyone just accepts it as completely normal.

Shower, clothes changed and then we sat outside with a beer. Thankfully the rain had stopped by then.

Gradually everyone came down and Manu talked us through tomorrow's plans. There's rain forecast around midday, so he wants us to get away early – 6.45am departure – which means another long day.

There's also quite a big ascent which I'm not particularly looking forward to, but that's what I'm here to do!

We had dinner and, honestly, it was probably the best meal we've had since starting the trek. Celery salad, tomato pasta (again!), beef stew with puréed potato and panna cotta for dessert.

They also gave Tash and me a toast for our anniversary, which was a lovely touch.

It's such a good group. We're all getting on really well and there seems to be a genuine affection developing between everyone, which makes the whole experience even better.

After dinner everyone gradually disappeared off to bed. I got some fresh air for a while before coming back upstairs and spending about 45 minutes writing this diary.

And now I'm done.

End of Day Summary

Another brilliant day, and one that's been made particularly special by our anniversary.

33 years of marriage is a pretty amazing milestone when you stop and think about it, and to be celebrating it together in the middle of the Alps, surrounded by these incredible mountains, is something we'll certainly remember.

The hiking was tough today, mainly because of the heat and that relentless uphill section, but the scenery more than made up for it. The glaciers, the valley, the mountains and then getting caught in a proper Alpine storm all added to the experience.

And the group really have become a proper little team now. Everyone wishing us well, Steve buying us lunch, the toast at dinner and just generally everyone looking out for each other made today feel quite special.

Tomorrow sounds like it's going to be a proper day in the mountains, though.

Early start, big climb and rain forecast.

Bring it on. 😁

Tour De Mont Blanc - Day 6

Woke up to a message on the group from Mary-Lou, sent at 1.30am asking Manu to come and see her. She'd been even more ill during the night and had decided to stay with us, but take it easier on the next leg and use the bus rather than hike the whole way. I honestly thought she might have decided to jack it in completely, so it was good to hear she'd be carrying on.

We had a nice breakfast, made some sandwiches for later and then jumped on the minibus to the rafting place.

We sorted out all the preliminaries and then had our safety briefing. Wetsuits, helmets and life jackets on, followed by a practice run of all the instructions we'd be getting shouted at during the trip. Down, position, forward, back and a couple of others that thankfully we didn't need!

Then we were hosed down with cold water before getting onto the boat. Basically a baptism in freezing glacial water before we'd even started!

And then we were off.

Because of the hot weather and all the melted snow and ice, the river was absolutely flying. It was a proper torrent – wild, fast and full-on – and it was fantastic.

Our boat had me and Ching right at the front, Steve and Victor behind us and Tash and Manu at the back. Ching and I got absolutely soaked from the word go. There was no escaping it!

It was crazy and exhilarating. It was also bloody hard work. You're paddling constantly, trying to stay balanced while the boat is being thrown around all over the place. But that was what made it so good. It felt like we'd done a proper white-water rafting experience rather than some gentle tourist version.

Everyone was absolutely buzzing.

We must have been going for about 40 minutes before reaching the end, where the pickup crew were waiting. They'd been getting ahead of us during the descent and were standing on bridges taking photos, which we were able to buy afterwards.

Then, about 10 metres from the bank, we all jumped overboard and experienced the proper freezing water. Bloody hell. It was unbelievably cold and I certainly wouldn't have wanted to stay in there for long!

We loaded the three boats onto the trailer and drove to another location. Then came one of those moments where you think, "Are we actually supposed to be doing this?"

We pushed the boats over the road railings about 15ft down, climbed over ourselves, somehow levelled everything out and then Manu and Victor split us into two groups of four before we headed off for another run.

This second section was shorter but somehow even more intense. The instructions changed rapidly from "get down" to "position" to "forward" and back again, so we were working really hard to keep up.

It was one hell of a workout.

We eventually reached the end, loaded the boats back onto the trailer and headed back to base.

There we showered and cleaned ourselves up, then sat down with biscuits and cold tea while we watched a PowerPoint presentation of the photos they'd taken during the rafting. Victor bought them and we all chipped in. They're actually really good and will make a great additional memento from the trip.

We grabbed some fruit from the local supermarket and then walked the short distance to the spa.

And what a fantastic place!

There were loads of different areas and pools, rooms with jets of water acting as massages, plunge pools, hot and cold pools and all sorts of other things. We found ourselves a base and just wandered around trying everything out.

It was baking hot, so I didn't fancy sleeping in the heat, but eventually found a pool that was more lukewarm and absolutely perfect. I sat there for about an hour listening to music and just enjoying a bit of solitude.

Exactly what I needed after the rafting.

At 5.30pm it was "happy hour", so we showered and got changed before heading into the restaurant/bar area where the food and drinks were included.

There were some nice little snacks and Prosecco, so me, Tash and Ching made the most of it and had about three glasses each. Why not?!

The minibus picked us up and took us back into Courmayeur. The Canadian ladies were already in the bar where we'd arranged to meet, so I went over and chatted with them for about 15 minutes about the day. They were very interested in the rafting and wanted to hear all about it.

I then went back to the hotel, got myself sorted and came down again shortly afterwards.

Dinner was at the same place as the previous evening. There was far too much food again, but it was good and we certainly weren't complaining.

Afterwards we went for a walk, partly to show Mary-Lou where she needed to catch her bus the following morning, and some of the group stopped for ice cream.

As 10.00pm approached, we headed towards an Argentinian bar because it was the only place showing the France v Morocco game. The owner looked remarkably like Maradona, which amused us.

There was absolutely no chance of getting inside – it was rammed – so Steve bought the round and we stood outside in the street with loads of other people watching through the windows.

It was fine, but we were tired and couldn't really see the TV anyway, so we finished our drinks and left Manu with all his guide mates to enjoy the rest of his evening.

On the way back to the hotel we passed Tong sitting on a wall enjoying the cigar he'd bought the previous night.

And that was pretty much it.

Back to the hostel and off to bed.

End of Day Summary

What a bloody great day. The white-water rafting was absolutely fantastic and probably one of the highlights of the whole trip so far. It was exhilarating, properly hard work and just a brilliant experience to share with everyone. We were all absolutely buzzing afterwards.

The spa was the perfect follow-up too – completely different pace and exactly what we needed after getting battered around in a glacial river.

The group is getting on brilliantly now and there's a really nice atmosphere between everyone. Lots of laughs, lots of shared experiences and everyone looking after each other.

Only downside?

We've got to walk again tomorrow. 😂

And after today, I'm not sure my legs have received that particular memo.

Tour De Mont Blanc - Day 5

Cold night's sleep last night. The door had been left open and it got bloody cold, but at least it was a quieter night than the previous one!

We got up and set off down through the woodland trail, with the glacial waters rushing down the gorge alongside us. It was a really pleasant walk and, as usual, there was a fantastic view around practically every corner. Even when you stopped and turned around, there was something else worth photographing. You could spend the whole day just taking photos.

We settled into a nice rhythm, chatting to each other for a while and then putting our headphones on and listening to music. It was a fairly easy walk too, which was very welcome after the previous couple of days.

We were due to be picked up by a bridge at the end of the trail and had about half an hour to kill, so a few of us dumped our bags and went down to the water. We got our feet and legs into the glacial water.

Bloody hell, it was cold! But it actually felt really good, especially on the feet and calves. A natural ice bath!

The minibus arrived and took us about 20 minutes to Courmayeur, where we checked into our hotel for the next two nights. It was very nice to have a proper room, a proper bed and our own space after the last two nights in dormitories. Luxury!

Had a shower, caught up with the internet and then created a PhotoCircle group so we can all share our photos from the trip. I also had a call with the kids (well, not Charlotte!) downstairs in the foyer.

Then Tash, Steve, Victor and I went for a wander through Courmayeur, stopped for an ice cream and eventually found a bar where we settled down for a drink.

Manu happened to walk past, so we persuaded him to join us. Then Ang, Tong and Ching found us too, and suddenly we had a decent little group together having beers and chatting.

We then headed off to the pizza place that Manu had organised. Tong had paid for the drinks earlier, which was incredibly generous of him. 

The pizza place was really nice, and we had a great evening. Steve somehow managed to get Tong and Ang talking about their relationship and how they'd actually met when they were four and six years old in their village. It was fascinating listening to them talk about it, and really fascinating to get to know more about their lives outside of this trip.

It was just a very relaxed evening. No rush, no trekking, no worrying about the next climb – just good food, drinks and conversation with a really nice group of people who are definitely getting closer as the days go on.

We paid up and headed back to the hotel. By then, the three Canadian ladies had returned from their spa day and seemed to have had a great time. It's a shame they're missing out on the meal and the evening with us, but they seemed perfectly happy with their decision.

Tash and I came back to the room, did a bit of social media scrolling, and I got on with writing this before finally calling it a night.

It's only 10.00pm, and I'm tired, so that's probably a good sign!

End of Day Summary:
Another really enjoyable day, although very different from the first couple. The walking was relatively easy, the scenery was spectacular as usual and it was great to get into Courmayeur and have a proper hotel for a couple of nights. More importantly, the group seems to be getting on better and better and we're having some really good conversations. A chance to relax, wash some clothes and recharge before the next couple of days of hiking. A very good day.

Tour De Mont Blanc - Day 4

Oh my goodness, the guy in the opposite bunk snored so loudly all night. Thank God for earplugs! The lodge came alive from about 5.00am by my reckoning, with people getting up and going to the bathroom, and because it was a wooden structure, every little movement seemed to resonate throughout the whole building.

I didn't sleep particularly well. There was always that concern about bedbugs (thankfully, no need to worry!) and then just being in an unfamiliar bed and strange place. I think my brain was probably more awake than I realised.

Got up around 6.15am, sorted the bedding and tidied everything away, then went down for breakfast. It was simple but good enough – coffee, croissant and cereal – and then we sorted our bags and were ready to leave around 7.30am.

We knew what was ahead of us today: walking uphill all morning until around 1.00pm. Can't say I was particularly looking forward to that, but it's hardly a surprise and it's exactly what we're here for!

We had a fairly steep rise for about 10 minutes and then settled into a steady walk through the meadows on a gravel path. We were accompanied by the sound of cow bells, which was actually really nice. Manu explained that the bells allow the farmers to locate the cows when it's time to bring them in for milking twice a day.

Because of the mountains to our east, we were walking in the shade for much of the morning, although it was a bright, clear and sunny day, and the mountains catching the sun on the other side looked spectacular.

We settled into a slow and steady pace. Tash had forgotten her poles after one of our breaks and had to run back for them, but thankfully, we'd not got too far when she realised, and then the gradient became steeper as we started crossing sections of snow - that was really cool (literally) as we had to traverse glacial snow. There were plenty of stops along the way, partly because of the flowers and fauna that Manu kept pointing out, but also because there was no reason to rush.

Eventually, we reached the top overlooking another valley. I honestly don't think you can get bored with these views. They're just amazing.

We even spotted some ibex, which was a real bonus, and then carried on towards the summit. We were still going upwards, but it wasn't painful, and I felt like I'd managed my pace really well. Slow and steady seemed to be working.

Actually, I really enjoyed today. It was hard work, but the reward at the top and the scenery all around us made it completely worthwhile. You can walk through these landscapes for hours and still find yourself stopping to look around because there's something new to see.

We then dropped about 100 metres down to the lodge for lunch, where we had pizza and sat outside taking it all in. The only downside was the flies, which were becoming increasingly annoying!

After lunch, we headed downhill for about an hour, eventually reaching an abandoned farmer's hut where we stopped and listened to Manu explain more about the meadows, farming and how the cheese is produced. It was really interesting and gave us a much better understanding of how important the whole landscape is to the local farmers.

Another hour or so of walking and we eventually reached the bottom of the valley. There was a restaurant there which is run by some of Manu's former students – he was a teacher before becoming a guide – so we stopped for some well-earned beers.

Manu also bought some cheese for us, a really nice Beaufort from the summer co-operative. There was plenty of chat about where the cheese is made, how it differs depending on which part of the valley or town it comes from, and all the various traditions around it.

The group is getting on better and better as well. There are loads of chats now, and everyone seems much more comfortable with each other, which is making the whole experience even better.

At around 5.00pm, the buses arrived, and we had a short transfer to the local hostel. We were high up on the road and could see the building below us, joking that surely that must be where we were staying.

It was.

We walked down a short way and discovered our accommodation for the night. We knew we'd all be together, but it was still a bit of a surprise when we realised it was basically a converted cow barn!

There were slatted beds and mattresses running down either side of the room. The boys took one side and the girls the other, with at least a mattress-width between each person. It was certainly going to be another interesting night!

Got ourselves sorted and had a much-needed shower before heading outside for another drink in the sunshine. We then got into a game of pétanque (boules), which turned surprisingly competitive.

The boys won 3–2. Obviously. 😂

Dinner was at 7.00pm, and there were loads of people staying here. The food came out and, once again, it was really tasty, and there was plenty of it.

There was loads of chatting around the table, and then, during dessert, the host brought out a wind-up organ and played a number of tunes for us. It was brilliant and added to the whole experience.

Once dinner finished, most people headed off to bed, although a few of us stayed up to charge our phones. Steve and I played Scrabble while Tash and Mary-Lou played some sort of shapes game.

By about 9.40pm we'd had enough and decided it was time to call it a night.

There's absolutely no phone coverage down here, which feels very strange but, at the same time, it's actually quite nice to be completely cut off from everything. No notifications, no messages, no work – just us, the mountains and a converted cow barn!

I'm definitely aching more tonight than I was yesterday, although today wasn't anywhere near as strenuous. Hopefully, I'll wake up tomorrow feeling okay. We've been told tomorrow is even less strenuous, but I'm taking that with a fairly large pinch of salt!

End of day summary

Another brilliant day in the Alps. Today was hard work but much more enjoyable for me than yesterday. I found my pace, didn't push too hard and was able to properly enjoy the scenery rather than constantly thinking about how much further we had to go.

The mountains, valleys, snow, meadows, cows, ibex and endless views are just spectacular. It's difficult to explain quite how impressive it is when you're actually standing amongst it all.

The group is also really starting to gel now, which is making a big difference. There's plenty of laughing and chatting and we're becoming a proper little team.

The accommodation tonight is certainly going to be an experience, though! Let's see whether the snoring situation improves tonight... I'm not holding out much hope.

Tour De Mont Blanc - Day 3

Up at 6.15am, having been awake since 4.30am clicking refresh on the BBC app as England played Mexico in the last 16 of the World Cup over there.

As I tuned into it (no video allowed when abroad), we were down to 10 men and Kane then scored a penalty to make it 3-1. They got a penalty almost immediately afterwards and then it was backs against the wall for the last 20 minutes. No way I should have been staying up for it, but it was intoxicating and somehow we managed to hold on and defend the lead and win. So, along with Norway beating Brazil, we now play them in the quarter-finals on Saturday night, which should be good.

Anyway, enough of that – we're here to hike the TMB... Tour du Mont Blanc!

Down for breakfast at 6.30am with everyone, plenty of nervous chatter, and then we left whatever luggage we didn't need at the hotel as we'll be back again in a week. Team photo done and then we were off.

Bus to Les Houches and then onto the gondola up the mountainside. Last checks and then we were on our way.

The first part was a comfortable hike downhill through woodland terrain, eventually coming down to a rickety wooden bridge over the glacial torrent. Decent photo opportunity and then, once over the bridge, we embarked on a slow, long incline through the hills towards what's known as the saddle.

There were plenty of stops along the way as Manu pointed out flowers, fauna and various stories of interest. As time went on the group got a bit stretched out, but it was fine – it was obvious what the trail was, so nobody was going to get lost or left behind.

For this first part I was admittedly a bit slow, but I was stopping to take in the scenery, which you have to do every now and then. That's what we're walking through these mountains for, and the scenery didn't disappoint. It's spectacular and breathtaking.

You can take as many photos or videos as you want, but they're never going to do justice to the scale and scope of the surroundings. Being there, dwarfed by these mountains and ice and water that's been here for so long, is a great experience. You just need to soak it all in, while still remembering to look at the ground so you don't trip over tree roots or loose stones!

We had a 15-minute break at the saddle and then started on our way down the slope to a "village" at the foot of the valley. It wasn't really a village, more like five chalets and a bar!

The hike down the mountainside was quite tough. The stones were often loose and the gradient meant a tough workout for the knees and thighs. Quite quickly our snake of 11 people had broken up and I stayed at the back to help with the stragglers, as going downhill I feel fine with.

Soon it became apparent that Kathy, the Canadian lady who hadn't done any training, was struggling quite badly and tiring quickly. Before long the pace of me, Mary-Lou, her friend, and Kathy became painfully slow. She slipped a few times, lost confidence, went dizzy and had to keep stopping. She didn't even have any snacks, so I was sharing my jelly beans with her to give her some energy.

By now we were left a long way behind and people were passing us. I messaged Tash and Steve saying not to worry, but they didn't see their phones. I even offered to carry Kathy's bag at one point. I would have had to wear it on my chest, but I realised I'd not be able to see my footing, so was quietly relieved when she said no!

Anyway, we made it to the bottom after over an hour. When you looked back at what we'd just done, you could see why it had taken so long – it was a very steep slope. Thank God we weren't walking up it.

Kathy made quite an entrance when arriving at the meeting point as she fell down quite dramatically. Manu didn't seem too phased by it!

Managed to get a few decent photos of the group on the way, so I was pleased with that.

We had a brief stop behind the "village", topping up our water from the mountain spring, which was lovely and cool, and then we were off again.

This time I moved ahead and let the three Canadians work together, and we set off upwards again for about 45 minutes to a plateau where we had lunch at the picture-postcard cabin at Le Truc, overlooking the mountains in the distance.

We had an hour there, so it was nice to relax for a bit and have some good food before getting back on the move.

Now it was downhill again for an hour or so to Les Contamines. We kept taking it in turns to lead – no agreement, just the natural rhythm of the group – and we made it to our destination in time for a bus trip at 4.30pm.

We needed this bus to remain on schedule and there was a group of kids from the US with all their gear, but we weren't going to be left behind and all squeezed in like sardines in the stifling heat.

Got to our final starting point and, after a quick chat about the Notre Dame church there with its baroque carvings, we set off again for the last hour of the day.

This was through woodland again and it was uphill, causing quite a sweat, but we plodded on in what was becoming little groups – Maysie, Tash, Mary-Lou and Victor, sometimes Ching, me in the middle on my own or Melinda nearby, then Tong, Ang and Kathy with Manu moving between us.

Eventually we made it to the refuge. It looked like a typical wood cabin/lodge, with people relaxing outside looking over the mountainside. We sorted ourselves out, found our rooms and got showered and changed.

Once sorted, we relaxed outside for a bit and had a pint. Manu shared out some cheese with us all and explained that it was tax-free cheese, along with the story of how the farmers and monks worked together to produce it.

Then dinner. The food was really good and very typically French – more cheese, bread and vegetable soup, followed by potato gratin with sausage and finally apple pie. It all went down very well indeed.

We had a quick chat outside where Manu explained what tomorrow involved, and we all looked at each other and basically said, "We're knackered. We're going to bed!"

It was 8.30pm.

I've stayed up another hour typing this and the guy in the opposite bed is snoring like a trooper. Thank God for earplugs, although the rumbling is still getting through! It's going to be a long night.

What a day. It's been fantastic.

Hoping not to ache too much in the morning. We'll find out in nine hours, as breakfast is at 6.30am.

Thoughts/notes on the hostel

You have to leave your bags and boots downstairs, understandably because of the smell but also because of bed bugs. Yep! Having the bags in the room runs the risk of transferring them. We have a bed liner, basically a very slim sleeping bag and pillow case, to combat them. It makes me itch just thinking about it. Really hope there's nothing in it. We'll see.

There are three dorms/rooms, about seven people in each.

Phones can be charged in the hallway.

There's a lot of trust going on here.

Everything else about it seems fine – hot shower and all that.

Just fingers crossed that in the morning I'm not itching and covered in bites... will I actually get any sleep?!?

End of day summary

What a first day on the TMB. An early start made even earlier by staying up for England's dramatic win over Mexico, followed by a full day of hiking through some absolutely spectacular scenery. The first proper descent was harder than expected, particularly with loose stones and steep ground, and I ended up helping Kathy along with Mary-Lou after she started struggling badly. It slowed us down considerably, but we eventually made it down and regrouped.

From there it was lunch at Le Truc, more climbing and descending, a very hot bus ride and then the final uphill section to the refuge. By the time we arrived everyone was shattered, but the food, beer and atmosphere were excellent and it felt like a proper first day of the adventure.

The scenery has already been incredible and it's only Day 1. Physically, I feel okay at the moment, although tomorrow morning will tell us more! The only slight concern is the dormitory, the snoring and the thought of bloody bed bugs... fingers crossed for a decent night's sleep.

Tour De Mont Blanc - Day 2

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Tour De Mont Blanc - Day 1

 

• Early start. 3.00am

• Charl drive

• Picked up Steve

• Easy drive to Heathrow

• Massive queues. Jumped them

• Everything else normal.

• No breakfast beer

• Geneva airport massive queue. Relaxed because of bus time

• Waiting

• Picked up and snoozed on journey

• Dropped at Chamonix

• Bus to hostel.

• Left bags. Grabbed some snacks

• Walked to town

• Wandered around

• Very impressed with the place

• Hikers everywhere

• Ate at restaurant

• Bought tshirt

• Back to accommodation

• Sorted in room then downstairs watching rugby and then football

• Had a couple of beers but no more

• Bed early

Visit to Wimbledon for Day 1

Worked in the morning and then got everything sorted before setting off around 11.00am. We were about half an hour later than planned because Tash had gone to her mum’s for some reason, but anyway, we made good time and parked without any problems about 40 minutes’ walk from the ground. Tash drove so I could work in the car, which worked perfectly as I literally stopped working as we arrived.

The walk through Wimbledon was enjoyable. It’s a really nice place and, unsurprisingly, they absolutely milk the tennis fortnight with advertising everywhere for pretty much anything and everything with the most tenuous links to the tennis!

No problems getting our picnic through security, so we made our way around the grounds and took advantage of some of the Amex offers that were dotted around. Had a drink in one of the rooftop bars and collected a load of completely useless freebie tat, but it was all part of the fun!

After a while, we made our way through the crowds to Number 1 Court and settled in for the first match. We were watching the English girl Harriet Dart, who was playing as a wildcard, and it turned into a really entertaining game. She gave it a good go, and it was great to watch, although sadly she eventually lost.

Once that match finished, quite a few people filtered out, so we stayed where we were and ate some of our picnic and had a few drinks while waiting for the men’s match between Cilic and Medvedev. I was quite looking forward to this one, but it turned out to be incredibly one-sided and was over in about 90 minutes, with Medvedev absolutely wiping the floor with him 3-0!

We left Number 1 Court and found a decent spot on Henman Hill, so we finished off the food and drinks while relaxing and watching the big screen. It was nice just sitting there for a while, taking everything in.

Eventually, we got a bit bored and decided it was time to move on, so we slowly wandered out, taking in more of the shops, tennis and general atmosphere before making a proper exit.

The walk back to the car was fine, the car was where we'd left it, and we had an easy drive home. Watched a bit of football when we got back and then headed off to bed.

End of day summary

A really enjoyable day. Wimbledon is a lot of money for what it is, but there’s something about actually being there that makes it worth doing. The atmosphere, the crowds, the courts, Henman Hill, and just wandering around the whole place make it a proper experience rather than simply watching tennis.

The weather was good, the tennis was entertaining (even if Medvedev made short work of Cilic!) and we had a lovely relaxed day together. Definitely glad we went.

House Warming BBQ - Kate Millar's - Southampton

We were planning to get up early and go for a very long walk, but we both woke up feeling a bit groggy from the night before. I think Tash was suffering slightly, although she wasn't about to admit it!

So, instead of heading out at 6.00am, we didn't get going until about 8.30am. We took Bess with us and drove over to Shotover, spending the morning walking up and down the hills there. Tash was probably the slowest I've ever seen her, but I didn't mind at all—it was quite nice being the one striding off at the front for a change. It was warm, we worked up a decent sweat, and Bess was brilliant, keeping up with everything we threw at her. We ended up doing about three hours before heading home to get cleaned up.

Not long afterwards, Jodie arrived and then Jack drove the four of us down to Southampton to Kate Millar's new house with OJ. It's a lovely place and they should be really pleased with what they've bought.

All the usual suspects were there and Tommy was in charge of the BBQ. Food was good and there were plenty of drinks flowing as everyone settled into the afternoon. Later on we all migrated into the front room to watch the Champions League Final between Arsenal and PSG.

To be honest, it wasn't an enjoyable match. We spent most of the evening sounding like a bunch of old men, talking about how football wasn't like that in our day and complaining about modern players. We left before the end as the game went to extra time, but I listened on the radio on the way home and PSG eventually won on penalties.

Arsenal had won the Premier League this season, but they've not exactly been a popular side. Their time-wasting and gamesmanship can be incredibly frustrating to watch. I suppose if you're an Arsenal fan you probably love it because it gets results, but I can't imagine many neutral supporters were cheering them on.

I slept for most of the journey home as I was feeling pleasantly tipsy by then. Once back, we had a few nibbles, I watered all the plants, and then settled down to watch a couple more episodes of Legends, which I'm really enjoying.

Tash eventually told me to stop messing around and get to bed at about 11.15pm as we had another early start planned the following morning for a proper walk.

A really enjoyable day and evening all round. Great company, good food and drink, and it was lovely seeing Kate and OJ settled into their new home.

Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club....nice!

A fairly normal day at work today, although I managed to finish a little earlier than usual which was handy because we had plans for the evening. John and Pauline arrived and we all caught the bus into town where we met up with Tash before wandering down to the train station.

We were comfortably early, which is always preferable to cutting it fine, and soon found ourselves on the train with a table seat secured and a couple of tinnies opened. Just two each for the journey — enough to get the evening started without overdoing it.

We arrived in London in good time and then jumped on the Elizabeth Line, which continues to impress. It’s so modern, clean and efficient compared to some of the older parts of the Underground network.

From there we walked through Soho and found Ronnie Scott’s. There were huge queues outside which initially looked a bit worrying, but thankfully we were booked into the upstairs venue, so we bypassed all of that and were shown straight to our table. It was quite cosy — perhaps a little tight — but it felt like a proper little booth and we quickly settled in.

Cocktails and food were ordered and both were excellent. We had originally booked to see Vula, of Basement Jaxx fame, but unfortunately she was ill and unable to perform. We already knew that before arriving, so it wasn’t a surprise. The group covering for her — I think they were called Village Vibe — were absolutely brilliant though. They played a fantastic set, full of energy and great music, and the whole 90-minute performance flew by. There was even a bit of dancing towards the end.

After the show we spotted the band outside, had a quick chat and grabbed a photo before making our way back towards Paddington. We still had about an hour before our train so found a pub nearby and enjoyed a couple more pints before boarding the 9.20pm service home.

The train journey back featured a few more tinnies and plenty of conversation, and once we arrived in Oxford we weren’t quite ready to call it a night. Instead we headed into The Grapes, which turned out to be a great decision.

They have a turntable set up on the bar along with a box of vinyl records for customers to choose from. Naturally, I picked out a Duran Duran album and they happily put it on while we sat there. A cracking little touch and something a bit different.

Eventually we caught the bus home, said our goodbyes and called it a night.

A fantastic evening from start to finish and one I’d highly recommend repeating.

End of Day Summary:
A brilliant night out combining good company, good music and a few drinks along the way. Ronnie Scott’s lived up to its reputation despite the change in performer, and finishing the evening listening to Duran Duran on vinyl in The Grapes was the perfect way to round things off. One of those evenings that feels effortlessly enjoyable from beginning to end.

Jenks & Marko's Charity Golf Day - Ex Non-League Players

Woke up a bit stiff and aching from the long walk yesterday, took it easy and then Danny & Vic dropped the kids off. Zoe and my Mum arrived and we loaded the car and they set off for Bournemouth. It was 30 degrees today and a bank holiday/half-term so I wasn’t remotely surprised when I got a text from Zoe saying there was a lot of traffic! But they got down there fine in the end and had a fantastic time, so that was good.

I had a long list of jobs from Tash, including food shopping and Airbnb rooms all refreshed, which I got done in time, and then headed off to golf around 12.15pm. It was up at Southfield and was the annual charity match between Jenks and Marko where about 60–70 non-league footballers all play – great fun and this year was no different.

One difference was that I’d been transferred out of Marko’s team over to Jenks to balance numbers, as they’ve had a few dropouts this year which can be a pain – but it was fine. I’d bought my pink shirt earlier in the week so I was ready. I drove this year as I wasn’t really in the mood for more drinking, and also because Lewis and family were coming over to stay the next day.

Met in the clubhouse as usual and all the pleasantries flowed like we’d seen each other only last week.

I was paired with Wayne and we played against Steve Dolton and Dave Gubbins. Set off after a warm-up (not really needed in this heatwave). Off we went. I really look forward to this match, but again I just didn’t quite click and I played a bit shit. First nine holes I struggled and I was annoyed with myself (not said out loud), and we reached the turn 3 down.

Had a beer at halfway and then headed out for the back nine.

No idea what happened after that beer… but I bogeyed one and then parred five holes and suddenly we were 2 up. I faded a bit again but Wayne was now flying and we won on the 17th, 3 & 1 – a proper turnaround from being 3 down. They were all impressed with my back nine, which was pleasing.

One bunker shot I played was probably the highlight – got to within 1.5ft from an impossible lie.

So that was that, we won our match, and later found out Jenks’s team had won comfortably overall, about 11.5 to 2.5.

Back in the clubhouse we had BBQ, drinks and caught up with people. A couple of speeches and awards, then more drinking. I kept it steady and only had a couple of beers all night – I was knackered. Got to catch up with a lot of people which was great. They all asked what our next adventure was going to be, which is flattering.

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End of day summary

A hot Bank Holiday Monday split between getting jobs done at home and the annual charity golf day at Southfield. The morning was spent ticking off a long list of tasks before heading out for the match, where things started slowly but turned into a strong back-nine comeback as we won 3 & 1. The day finished with BBQ, speeches and plenty of catching up in the clubhouse, with Jenks’s side winning comfortably overall. Tired but a really enjoyable day all round.

FA Vase Final at Wembley and Canice & Lauren engaged

Woke up with a bit of a heavy head this morning — becoming something of a recurring theme lately!

Got sorted and we headed off around 9.30am to pick up Zoe and Niamh, with Jack coming along too as we dropped him at an Underground station on the way so he could travel across London to meet Jodie. They were off to support one of her brothers who was running a half marathon.

The journey over towards Wembley was unbelievably quick and easy and we parked up on a driveway we’d booked which turned out to be only a couple of minutes’ walk from The Green Man pub — apparently one of the traditional meeting spots before and after matches at Wembley.

We were later than the others who’d travelled up by train but it didn’t matter. We settled in with a couple of pints — Tash very kindly taking on designated driver duties for the day. We were there supporting AFC Stoneham because Kate Millar’s boyfriend, Ollie James (OJ), was playing.

The pub itself was buzzing with excitement and anticipation and it actually felt really good being part of the whole occasion and supporting them properly. Around 11.45am we all wandered down towards Wembley Stadium for the 12.30pm kick-off, grabbed another beer once inside and settled into our seats.

The standard of football was decent and overall it was a really enjoyable experience. We’d quietly upgraded ourselves a little higher than our actual allocated seats to get a better view and spent plenty of time critiquing the match like we knew exactly what we were talking about.

OJ had apparently been a major doubt before the game because of injury and, truthfully, he probably shouldn’t have played at all, but of course he gave it a go anyway. He did well while he was on, although sadly he didn’t come back out after half-time.

The game itself was quite cagey and not exactly end-to-end entertainment, but Stoneham were definitely the better side overall and probably deserved to win it outright. Instead it went to penalties where they held their nerve brilliantly and won 4–2. Massive celebrations afterwards and great to see how much it meant to everyone involved.

After the presentations we headed back to The Green Man intending to carry on celebrating, only to discover something very odd — because of licensing restrictions, neither that pub nor any of the surrounding pubs were allowed to serve alcohol between 3.30pm and 4.30pm. Very strange and very frustrating timing.

We wandered off into town instead, only to discover exactly the same situation everywhere else, so in the end we grabbed a KFC and killed some time before perfectly timing our return to the pub for reopening.

By then more of the girls had arrived and eventually the players turned up too which was good fun to watch as everyone celebrated properly together.

Eventually we made our way home, wished everyone a great evening and Tash drove us back whilst I fell asleep almost immediately in the passenger seat.

Dropped Zoe and Niamh off and then got home where we pottered about doing a few jobs before settling down to watch a bit of TV.

That wasn't the end of it either, on WhatsApp Zoe shared a photo of Canice & Lauren on holiday with her showing off her ring - they'd got engaged! That was lovely news to end the day - completely unexpected. 

By about 10.00pm we finally gave in and headed to bed.

What a long weekend it’s been — but a really good one.

End of Day Summary:
A really enjoyable day out at Wembley supporting AFC Stoneham and OJ. The football, atmosphere and penalty shootout win made it feel like a proper occasion and it was nice being part of the celebrations afterwards too. Another busy social weekend, plenty of laughs and yet another reminder that Tash is probably carrying the sensible side of things at the minute!

Tom's Stag Weekend in Liverpool

Not the best night's sleep. I did wake up to an empty room and a WhatsApp message from Jack containing a recording of me snoring. Apparently he'd reached the end of his tether and gone off to sleep on the sofa instead! Oh dear.

Went downstairs around 7.00am and we spent a couple of hours playing with Frankie and giving him his breakfast. He's so active and happy at the minute. He doesn't smile all that often, but he seems fascinated by everything going on around him and is constantly crawling about or playing with toys. A very busy little boy – he's lovely.

We had breakfast ourselves and then got sorted ready for Liverpool. Frankie was still awake when we left at about 10.30am, so we were able to say goodbye before heading off. Miles was already on his way, but we got parked in the city centre and found him soon enough.

We wandered around for a bit and ended up in a plant-based coffee house. Miles asked if they had any cow's milk and the lady gave a rather frosty "No" in reply, which amused us all.

After that we carried on killing time until we got word that everyone was in Yates's, so we headed over there and joined them. There were about 14 of us altogether. Tom was dressed as a lobster which, all things considered, wasn't too outrageous for a stag do – just a bit awkward to manoeuvre around in. The city was absolutely packed with hen and stag parties wherever you looked.

We watched some football and then made our way to Bierkeller where seats had been reserved for the FA Cup Final. The match itself wasn't much to write home about, but it passed the time. Once it finished, the lads headed off to their Airbnb while we stayed behind. We grabbed a coffee and wandered around before catching up with them again at about 7.00pm for pizza.

Miles said his goodbyes and headed home. We had our food, a couple more beers and carried on chatting. To be honest, it was probably the most civilised stag day I've ever been on. Someone else commented on exactly the same thing later on. But that's just the sort of group they are, and there was absolutely nothing wrong with that.

After the meal we settled the bill and then Jack, Lewis and I said our goodbyes and started the journey home. Had some music on in the car, Lewis fell asleep and we stopped for food on the way. Jack wouldn't let me have any alcohol in the car, so naturally I sulked about it!

We dropped Lewis off and then carried on home ourselves. I slept for most of the journey back and we eventually got in around midnight. Pretty much straight to bed after that.

It was a decent day. A bit of an effort with all the travelling, but it was good to be there and support Tom. I'm glad we made the trip.

End of day summary

A long day split between family time with Frankie and a trip to Liverpool for Tom's stag celebrations. The morning was spent enjoying a few hours with Frankie before heading into the city to meet up with the group. Despite being a stag do, the whole day was surprisingly relaxed and civilised, with football, pizza, a few drinks and plenty of catching up. The travelling made for a long day, but it was worth the effort to be there and show support. Tired by the time we got home, but pleased we'd gone.

Long Training Walk

Woke up around 5.45am, got sorted and then drove out to Christmas Common. Parked up around the corner because the National Trust car park only took cash, but it worked out fine. That said, when we got back there were more cars there and one of them had the rear passenger window smashed in. Most likely they'd left something valuable on display, but what a shame – and out there of all places. I'd be absolutely gutted if that happened to us. Thankfully we'd left nothing in the car, but it's definitely put me off taking Vinnie out there.

We set off and walked (and walked). In the end it was just over 10 miles, mostly up and down hills, although it felt like more downhill than uphill so we'll need to go back and do it in reverse one day. It took us a little over four hours and was really enjoyable. Lovely countryside, some great views and hardly any need to stop. We only paused once for a drink and some sandwiches, so we put in a decent shift and weren't actually too tired by the end of it.

Back home and I was absolutely knackered. The previous couple of nights definitely caught up with me, so I had a bath and then went to bed for an hour or so. Tash headed out with Lucie for Afternoon Tea as part of her 60th birthday celebrations, which left me with the house to myself and a chance to crack on with a few jobs that needed doing.

Didn't do a great deal in the evening. Just took it easy, pottered about, and then headed off to bed fairly early.

I really hope we've been doing enough training for the Alps hike – it's only four weeks away now and suddenly feels very close indeed.

End of day summary

A productive and active day centred around a 10-mile hike from Christmas Common. The walk took over four hours and provided some lovely scenery, good exercise and another useful step towards preparing for the Alps. A smashed car window in the parking area was a reminder to be careful where valuables are left, but thankfully it wasn't our problem. The afternoon was spent recovering from a busy few days, catching up on jobs around the house and enjoying a quiet evening. A good balance of exercise, productivity and recovery – and another reminder that the Alps are coming around very quickly.

Tash Birthday Weekend - Stratford-Upon-Avon

 

Friday

I’ll lump Friday and Saturday together as one entry, even though we covered quite a lot over the two days.

Normal day at work on Friday, but I managed to get away around 4.10pm and walked up to Summertown, where I met Tash outside the Dew Drop pub. Got ourselves a drink and, not long afterwards, Gaz and Nik turned up, so we enjoyed a couple of drinks sitting outside in the hot sunshine.

It seemed a bit of a shame to leave around 6.00pm as we were having such a nice time, but we had a table booked at OX2 so we had no choice!

It was a small plates menu and we absolutely went for it. I think we must have ordered pretty much everything on the menu, along with some fizz and two bottles of red wine. The food was very good indeed and it was nice being able to try so many different things. Obviously it cost a fortune, but there we go... it's only money!

We left there and went back to the Dew Drop for another couple of drinks before Gaz and Nik's taxi arrived and we walked home, by which point we were all a bit drunk.

When we got home I went out to the bar and set up the music and lights, got myself another drink and Tash went to bed. At some point I apparently fell asleep with a beer in my hand. I woke up with it still there, completely warm and clearly untouched, so put it down and fell back asleep.

I eventually woke up at about 5.00am, completely unaware of where I was, with the lights flashing away around me.

So I'd somehow ended up in the bar, surrounded by all my music and lights, and hadn't actually made any use of the facilities whatsoever! 😂

Saturday – Tash's Birthday

Bit of a heavy head all morning, unsurprisingly, but I got myself up and sorted. Jack gave me a bit of a telling off, basically implying I was an arsehole for drinking too much and sleeping outside. Everyone seemed to have assumed I'd stayed up all night drinking and dancing, when in fact that was literally the opposite of what happened!

Still, I was feeling a bit slow and would happily have stayed in bed for longer, but we needed to get moving. I quietly finished packing the car without Tash really knowing what was going on and then we jumped in and headed off towards Stratford-upon-Avon.

She was getting messages and texts wishing her Happy Birthday as we travelled, so it was clear she was a popular girl!

It was also William Shakespeare's birthday, which was rather appropriate given that we were heading to Stratford, his birthplace. There was a parade and all sorts going on and it was pretty busy, although we managed to get there around midday and found somewhere to park without too much trouble. I thought it was going to be absolute chaos, so that was a pleasant surprise.

We met up with Lewis, Emily and Frankie, then Charl and Miles, and went into the park for a coffee. The weather was absolutely fantastic, so it was lovely just sitting there in the sunshine, chatting and relaxing.

After a while we wandered into the town and had a look around. It's a really nice place and there was plenty going on with all the birthday and Shakespeare celebrations.

We'd said we had a table booked somewhere near Warwick for around 3.00pm, so we'd need to leave around then. We stopped at a pub at about 2.00pm but it was far too busy to get any food, so we just had a couple of drinks and then set off.

The journey took considerably longer than the 30 minutes we'd expected. It felt closer to an hour, and then we got caught up with roadworks, ended up at a dead end and had to find our way around it before eventually arriving at our destination.

And what a destination it was.

A beautiful old farmhouse that was genuinely stunning. Proper olde-worlde, full of character and exactly the sort of place you want to stay in. I absolutely loved it.

Tash was delighted and couldn't believe we'd be staying there for the night. Once we were unpacked and sorted, we just chilled out and enjoyed it.

We'd deliberately wanted to get there as soon as we were allowed to so we could make the most of the relatively short time we had at the house, and that's exactly what we did.

End of day summary

A brilliant start to Tash's birthday weekend. Friday was great fun with Gaz and Nik, although I clearly overdid the drinking slightly and somehow ended up asleep in my own bar! 😂

Saturday was much more about Tash and spending time with everyone. Stratford was a great choice, especially with it being Shakespeare's birthday and the weather being so good. But the real highlight was arriving at that farmhouse. It was absolutely gorgeous, and seeing Tash so pleased with the surprise made all the secrecy and planning worthwhile.

And the best bit was that we'd only just arrived... there was still a whole birthday evening ahead of us.

Marbella Trip - Day 4 - Hike and Homeward Bound

Last day today — and what a brilliant few days it’s been.

We got up, finished off the remaining healthy breakfast food we had in the apartment, packed everything up and managed to leave by the 10.00am checkout deadline. We still had a little time to spare, so sat by the pool for about 45 minutes before setting off for Caminito del Rey, the gorge walk we’d booked tickets for around 90 minutes away.

I was already conscious of the time, whereas Jack wanted to stop for coffee and toilet breaks along the way. I kept pushing us onwards and, to be fair, it was probably just as well because otherwise we’d have been properly late.

We parked at the finish car park after what felt like an eternity stuck behind a coach on the winding mountain roads. From the roadside we got our first glimpse of the walk itself — narrow pathways clinging to the side of the gorge. It looked both spectacular and slightly intimidating at the same time. Instantly knew this was going to be good.

We caught the shuttle bus to the entrance and had to abandon our usual British politeness slightly to make sure we squeezed onto it. Even then we initially went the wrong way trying to find the entrance path and had to ask for directions from staff and guides. Thankfully, although Jack was technically late for the guided tour meeting point, nobody seemed bothered and he was allowed to rejoin us anyway.

We’d booked guided tickets but decided not to stick with the group and instead walked the route ourselves, which I think was definitely the right call. The guided groups were large and moving slowly and, if I’m honest, most of the information was probably the sort of thing you can read online afterwards anyway.

The walk itself was absolutely spectacular. Truly stunning. At points the water below us was over 100 metres down and the cliffs towered another 300–400 metres above our heads. Everywhere you looked there was another incredible view. We stopped constantly for photos because every bend in the path seemed to reveal something new.

We overtook most of the guided groups as we went and never once felt rushed or like we were missing out. There was one bridge crossing that was particularly exposed and windy which added a bit of excitement, and towards the end we even spotted rock climbers scaling the cliffs which looked absolutely terrifying.

What was pleasantly surprising at the end was that the little food and souvenir huts there — like Christmas market cabins — were actually very reasonably priced rather than the usual tourist rip-off. We grabbed some food and a beer and sat relaxing for a while. The whole walk had taken around two and a half hours in total, which was shorter than expected and nowhere near as physically demanding as we’d imagined. It was more of a scenic stroll than a serious hike, albeit one with some unbelievable scenery.

After that Jack drove us onwards to the mountain town of Mijas. On the way we accidentally went through another tiny village with absurdly narrow roads that caused a fair bit of stress, but Mijas itself was just as tight in places. Still, Jack handled it all well and eventually managed to get us parked.

The town itself was lovely. Whitewashed buildings everywhere, narrow streets, loads of restaurants and little leather and souvenir shops. Tash bought a couple of bags and Jack successfully haggled for a black leather belt. I behaved myself and bought nothing.

We found a pizzeria for dinner and I somehow ended up having a banana split afterwards which felt fully justified after all the walking. Around 8.00pm we headed back towards the airport and dropped the hire car off after filling it with petrol. Amazingly, considering how much driving we’d done, it only cost about £25 to refill — and Jack insisted on paying for that too.

The hire car company were excellent actually — no issues at all and I’d happily use them again. The airport process was equally painless and before long we were sat in the lounge having coffees waiting for the flight.

Unfortunately we then discovered we were on pretty much the last flight leaving the airport that night and it got delayed by around an hour. Frustrating because we already knew we’d be getting home incredibly late anyway. Nothing to do other than scroll social media, listen to music and carry on with my audiobook — Rogue Heroes — which is proving every bit as good as the TV series based on it.

Eventually boarded, managed to get some sleep on the flight and then flew through customs once back in the UK. The courtesy parking people were brilliant and had the car waiting for us despite it being around 3.00am. Naturally, Jack announced he was starving again, so we stopped at McDonald’s where he demolished three Chicken Mayo burgers before I drove us the rest of the way home.

We finally got into bed around 4.15am — with work only a few hours away.

Overall though, this was a genuinely brilliant mini-break. I honestly don’t mind working remotely whilst everyone else is relaxing by the pool or sleeping in the sun. The alternative would probably be not going at all because I don’t really want to burn through annual leave on shorter trips like this. Being able to work during the day and still properly enjoy the evenings and weekends feels like the perfect compromise. It’s the same with Menorca, Cornwall or wherever else we might end up next. Remote working really does make me appreciate both my job and the flexibility it gives me.

Spending the time with Jack was another huge part of what made it so good. He can definitely be opinionated and a bit of a know-it-all at times, but he backs himself and usually knows what he’s talking about. Tash challenges him far more than I do — sometimes I just switch off and let them debate it out between themselves! But it’s obvious he genuinely enjoys spending time with us and he was incredibly generous throughout the trip, constantly insisting on paying for things when we were more than happy to cover them ourselves. That was really appreciated.

What a fantastic break it’s been. I’d happily go back tomorrow and do exactly the same all over again.

End of Day Summary:
An absolutely perfect final day. Caminito del Rey completely lived up to expectations and Mijas was a lovely unexpected bonus before heading home. The whole trip struck a brilliant balance between relaxation, activity, work and quality family time. One of those breaks that leaves you tired when you return — but very, very glad you went.

Marbella Trip - Day 3

Took the morning easy with a nice breakfast before driving over to Estepona, where Tash had arranged bike hire. We managed to find somewhere free to park and then walked down to the rental place. No issues at all getting the bikes sorted — just simple street bikes, exactly what we wanted — and then off we went.

The plan was straightforward: cycle along the seafront promenade and just enjoy the scenery. It was busy enough with pedestrians and other cyclists, so there was a fair bit of dodging and weaving going on, but it was all good fun. We couldn’t stay directly on the beachfront the whole time as parts of the route diverted inland onto normal roads and streets, but that actually made it more interesting because we got to see a bit more of the town itself.

I’ve been genuinely impressed with everything around here. The houses, apartments, cleanliness and overall feel of the place have all been far classier than I expected. I can completely understand now why Jack likes it here so much.

We cycled past some incredible-looking hotels and beach clubs and eventually reached areas we’d already visited earlier in the week. In the end, we’d cycled pretty much non-stop for a couple of hours and covered around 19 miles before deciding we’d earned a rest. We got close to the Old Town, which had been our original target, but found a really decent restaurant beforehand and agreed we’d done enough for the day. Locked the bikes up and settled in for some well-earned food and drinks.

After lunch, we slowly made our way back. The bike hire place shut at 6.00pm so we had plenty of time and took things at a much more relaxed pace. We even stopped on the beach for half an hour to chill out. Naturally, Jack immediately gravitated towards the public gym equipment whilst Tash and I relaxed. Soon enough, another few people joined in, and it started turning into some sort of unofficial competition, so we decided it was probably time to move on!

Things then got slightly chaotic when we took a wrong turn during one of the inland sections and somehow ended up trying to navigate across a very narrow flyover. It was technically possible to cycle across it, but definitely not ideal, and Tash was less than impressed with my navigation skills. Jack and I found the whole thing hilarious — Tash very much did not.

Then, with only about half an hour of the ride remaining, Tash suddenly realised one of her Converse trainers had fallen out of the bike basket somewhere along the route. Jack immediately volunteered to go back and search for it whilst we waited. About fifteen minutes later we spotted him cycling back towards us triumphantly holding the missing trainer in the air. Apparently he’d missed it on the way out but spotted it tucked into a bush whilst returning empty-handed. That definitely improved Tash’s mood!

We made it back without any further dramas, returned the bikes and then rewarded ourselves with ice creams from the shop next door before sitting by the beach soaking up the last of the afternoon sun. I grabbed a couple of tins of lager from the supermarket for later as we’d run out of wine back at the apartment.

Once home, we got showered and sorted, and I spent a bit of time relaxing on the balcony listening to music whilst sharing the beers with Tash. Very nice indeed.

For the evening, we headed back to Puerto Banús and specifically to a restaurant on the harbour front called Picasso’s. Tash and Jack both absolutely love it there and insisted it was where we had to eat. Apparently, you can’t book and just have to queue, which didn’t particularly appeal to me, but thankfully, we arrived early enough that the wait was only around ten minutes.

Parking, however, was another story entirely. Jack squeezed the car into a ridiculously tight parallel parking space using a technique that made absolutely no sense to me whatsoever. I eventually got out of the car because my comments clearly weren’t helping his concentration, but to be fair to him, he nailed it in the end.

Inside the restaurant the atmosphere was brilliant. Near us was a group of older blokes who looked like they’d come straight from the golf course and were absolutely hammered. Nearby there was also a large Austrian group who kept making speeches and singing towards a hen party that had arrived. The whole place felt slightly surreal but in a really entertaining way.

The food itself was excellent, although the portions were absurdly big. I had chicken steak in breadcrumbs which came with what turned out to be an enormous portion of tomato spaghetti rather than chips. There was absolutely no chance I could finish it all, which felt wasteful because it was genuinely very good. Tash and I shared another lovely bottle of wine and even Jack joined in with a glass again.

We stayed there quite a while just enjoying the atmosphere, but there was definitely no room for dessert. By the time we left we were all ridiculously full and surprisingly tired as well. It was actually quite refreshing that none of us felt the need to carry on somewhere else afterwards.

Back at the apartment we did some tidying and packing ready for travelling home tomorrow and then headed off to bed.

End of Day Summary:
A really active but relaxed day. The bike ride along the coast was probably one of the highlights of the holiday and Puerto Banús delivered another fun evening without things turning into a late one. Felt very content by the end of it all — tired, full and properly enjoying the last part of the trip.