Cruise Diary - Day 7

Heavy heads all round. Up around 10.00am

Breakfast and then out on the sun deck. Bright hot sun for an hour or so and then cloudy and windy

Just relaxing all day. Lovely

Played cards.

Slept and ate

Meal in evening. Opal restaurant

Watched show in sky dome. Triboo

Cruise Diary - Day 6

Haugesund

Walk around to sculpture park

Shopping

Terrible cramp and slept for a few hours

Evening drinks

Gareth Gates meal in the limelight club

Very enjoyable

Monroe in sky dome

Dancing and singing

They loved it

Beach club bar. Shit awful comedian

Disco

Loads of dancing to requests

Drunk

2.00am finish

Everyone gets on so well together

Cruise Diary - Day 5

Didn’t have an early start today, thanks goodness.

Felt a bit rough, but not enough to ruin any time.

Breakfast about 9.30am and then waited in the library for everyone and then left the ship

We were at Hellesylt today and it’s a tiny UNESCO heritage site. Only 300 residents

We had a walk around and then found the netting place for the speedboat trip that we’d booked.

Got suited up and climbed aboard and then went out into the fjord, the driver was great and we went at a great speed. He’d stop every now and then explaining the terrain and whales etc. really interesting and very engaging bloke.

The scenery was breath-taking and there were waterfalls cascading down everywhere you looked. Just mesmerizing.

Absolutely worth every penny, it was such great fun for 50mins. Everyone really enjoyed it.

Back to harbor and Charlotte’s hangover kicked in so they went to bed and we did more exploring. Lovely water fall and not much else.

Back to the boat for food and rest. Slept for a while on deck and it gradually got colder and colder. We didn’t see sun today, just cloud cover the whole time.

As we left port and headed back to the North Sea you could feel the cold wind coming down through the glacier valley. Didn’t stay out much longer!!

Just pottered around killing time and then met up with kids to have dinner. Just stuck to buffet today. Didn’t feel too good and went and showered and changed. Having the buffet food showed the marked difference from the restaurants that we’ve been eating at. It was okay but not a patch on the others.

They all went to the spa session they had booked at 8.00pm and I wasn’t interested so had a couple of hours free time to myself. Just walked around the ship, bit of golf practice, cheese and biscuits and nice coffee in Brodies. Perfectly happy.

Silent disco. Wow

Food

Bed

Cruise Diary - Day 3

Arrived in Stavangar

Taxi to pulpit rock

Jack, Jodie, me and Tash

£100

Hike. Hard

4km

Cliffs. Mental

Busy

Didn’t like it much. Don't like the edge any more

Taxi back.

Wandered around town. Very nice.

Everyone else had done it because they’d stayed whilst we did the hike.

Caught up on the ship for food and then got clothes to sit in deck and look out over the twin

Slept a bit and then back to cabin and slept 20 more mins.

Got ready. Everyone a bit quiet and flagging. It was a late night last night.

Food in Italian restaurant

Take that show

Shit comedian

Coffee and cakes

Early night

Cruise Diary - Day 4.

Arrived at Olden

Waited public bus. Bit stressful

Briksdale glacier

Bus back

Camping sites

Amazing views

Not much to see other than outlet and souvenir shops so had a wander around those

Back to ship for some food

Adult area on the deck for a snooze

Cocktails and beers

Hot tub and people

On the shore waving us off for ages in the rain. Not quite the whole town that Tash suggested it would be, but it was a lovely gesture.

Got ready

Drinks in Crows Nest. Nice bar.

Lovely meal too

Off to the Limelight club with a decent live band and singer.

Second half we got up and danced.

Made it lively!!

When that finished at midnight went to usual bar that was empty with a disco.

So we made requests and got the dance floor busy, mostly!!

We were very drunk.

Finished about 2.00am.

Knackered.

Cruise Diary - Day 2

Decent sleep

Clocks went forward

Up and to breakfast.

Incredibly busy. Ate outside. Queues everywhere. Hard work

Outside and relaxed

Oil platforms we went past in the North Sea - didn't expect to see those - impressed

Relaxing all the time

Brodies for beer and watch England women’s World Cup match

Celebration night

Drunk

Cruise Diary - Day 1

 Drove down

Huge ship (Iona)

Nice cabins

So much food and elegance

This is going to be a good week!!

Croatia general diary

 

• Nice hotel

• Breakfast and evening meal

• Never sitting outside.for either

• Good food

• Plenty of drink

• Pool

• Sun beds early shift

• Late nights

• Not feeling well. Concerning

• Cards. Nomination Trumps

• Beach bar. Banned

• Thunder and rain storms

• Dubrovnik GOT

• Boat taxi. Soaked

• Netball and football tournaments for women

• Charity shield

• Bird saving

• Walk with lads. Bar at 11.00am

• Chocolate deliveries

• Table tennis

• Walk with Tash, swimming. Turtle

• Swimming in pool. 20 and 30 mins

• Sleeping

• Sunset drinks

• Supermarket savers

Croatia - Day 1 - Monday 31st July

Had to work in the morning, that was a bit of a mistake because I had too much to do in the time available to me. There will be things to go back to that will be quite uncomfortable. It’s my own fault, I should have done the work last night. Instead of thinking I’d be able to get up at 5.00am. Ah well, nothing I can do about it now as I’m on the plane typing this!

Tash sorted things whilst I worked so we had petrol, snacks and dropped Bess round to Charlotte who I think was okay after her drinks and excitement last night!! Bless her.

We set off a bit later than planned but it was fine. Traffic was busy but we got to the hotel but we were using for the transfer and 20mins later we were dropped off at South Terminal ready to meet up with the Millars and Holdens, just one slight snack…they were at North Terminal!! Ah well, had a couple of beers and a wander around and then on the plane. Only 30 mins late so that was acceptable. Both of us were knackered so slept quite well for a bit.

Looking forward to this week, should be enjoyable.

Had an email exchange with Jason Gould earlier in the day and mentioned Kilimanjaro and said I’d need some tips…”only tip I’d give is don’t do it, hated every minute of it!” Oh dear!!

Golf and Punting. Hot, hot, hot!!

Woke up with a bit of a heavy head, but nothing too serious or concerning so got ready and went to golf for 8:30 am. Today there was myself, Wayne, Paul Creed and Robbie Baressi. It was a slow start, but my round got better and better as I went along and by the end of the day I scored my best ever round of 91, which is 23 over par; Wayne shot 90 and was really pissed off and yet I hit 91 and was absolutely delighted.Different standards. 

My round included three pars and 1 birdie so not bad at all.

The weather was absolutely boiling hot, the Sun beating down, and you can smell the grass, being scorched, didn’t put us off, and I went home to leave straight away so that we could go punting on the river.

Zoe, little Liam and Georgia met us down at the college, and both Georgia and Liam had never been punting before , so that was nice to take them out and they enjoyed it but neither of them wanted to have a go but that was fine although it was bloody hot work.

When we finished Natasha and I went back to our house to sort Bess out and I had a quick snooze for an hour Then went over to Zoe‘s for some food which was nice and she enjoying enjoyed entertaining us.

After Zoe as we went back home and sorted things out ahead of the weekend and tidied the house et cetera and I did loads of searching on the Internet for a new golf club because my three wood snapped earlier in the day. Had quite an early night as we were both tired, but it’s been such a lovely long weekend, really enjoyed it.

Best round so far

After work today I went to the golf course and played with Wayne, Paul and Nathan Creed. Was a bit worried because I’ve had really bad back pain ao week because I played to much last week in practice for the golf tournament. 

Today I felt fine though and had a really good round. We played off the white tees and that made such a difference. Odd really becuase it’s only about 10-20 yards but mentally it just seems closer and easier. 

Played some good shots today which I was pleased with, and went round in 90 shots, my best so far has been 94, but I think that might have been off the white tees. Anyway I don’t care, I was chuffed to bits with that, especially when Paul said his target is to break 90 and he’s been playing so much more than me. 

The practise is definitely helping, plus the drive weather meaning shots travel a further distance. 

Hopefully I can build on that. 

30th Wedding Anniversary

 Wow!

So we did it, we've hit the 30-year mark of being married, can't quite believe it really. 35 years of being together, mad isn't it? Just checked and 30 years is a Pearl Wedding - oh dear, didn't get anything for each other though - other than our trip to Norway on the cruise and Le Manoir meal booked to look forward to.

Nice morning but I was working and Tash did jobs, we would have gone out but Jack and Jodie were coming back from their week in Lake Como, Italy, so wanted to be home to see them and it also meant Charlotte and Miles were also able to come over.

We both posted messages on Facebook and got a lot of love and messages on there which was nice

The evening was lovely, nice dinner and plenty of wine, got a bit tipsy if the truth be told

The kids even bought us a present where we have afternoon tea on a boat down the Thames in London.

A very lovely gesture and very expensive, no need for them to spend that much on us.

We looked at photo albums from the wedding, which brought back great memories, it was a lovely day, we did it well. So strange seeing how people have changed over time. It's inevitable of course, but I'd also not realised the people we'd invited to the actual day!

Ah well, here's to another 30 years... 

Early Fathers Day

Up bright and early and down at the golf course this morning. Had an exceptional round scoring really well. Was pleasing and got 12 holes in and back home by 8.00am for work. Happy with that. 

Fairly busy day but comfortable and got things done and organised. 

Emily and Lewis came down after work, as they can’t come down next week for Fathers Day so this was my weekend celebration with them!! They picked up Sue from Bicester, and met us at Charlotte‘s house, where Charlotte and Miles did a barbecue for us 

They have now got an electric one, and it works very well making me wonder if I should get one too. They have used it every day I think and not bored of it yet! Mum was also there and it was a nice evening. 

Had a few beers and it was a relaxed evening but we left about 9.00pm ish as we needed to take Sue home. Left Lewis’s car and will pick it up in the evening. 

Back home we just chatted for a bit, everyone was tired so not a late night

Santorini - Day 3

Quick breakfast

Hike 6.5miles to Fira along coastal path

Great view

Hot and tiring

Loads of people on the track

Fira was decent town

Food and drink and then home

Hike back tiring

Burned my shoulders

Beers in supermarket and sneaked onto pool

Music

Drank out blue tin bottle

Snoozed

Showered, changed and out to town again.

Less worried about sunset but nice meal as a result of beating the queues!

Drinks in a decent bar afterwards

Nice day/night

Santorini - Day 2

Breakfast

Walk into Oia. Amazing

Back to pool

Showered and out for sunset

Busy!!

Found lovely restaurant and got moved at 7.30pm

Great view and food

Loved it

Boozery bar. Americans everywhere.

Few beers and then home

Santorini - Day 1

Up at 6.30am to get some jobs sorted and adding work tasks and clear down my emails. Did well. Pushed to get us out the door so we could get to meet and greet on time for 10.00am and I was worried about the traffic on the M25.

I needn’t have worried. Traffic was a dream and pick time was 10.30am so got that wrong too!! We were there by 9.40am. No hassle getting through security meaning we had loads of time in departure lounge and made the most of it. Breakfast and beers at Wetherspoons and 20 mins delay. Onto the plane and it was delayed further so we took off around 2.00pm instead.

Food and music in the plane, that was enjoyable, it always is.

Taxi to location - very nice place indeed

Happy with where we are - had a meal but didn't venture far as it was late and we were tired - early start tomorrow instead

Manchester and Lewis Birthday

We went up to Manchester in the early morning, leaving the house at around 8.30am and Charlotte and Miles were a bit quiet; Charlotte, more than anything with a big hangover having been out night before.

The journey up was without incident, but we stopped at services in Birmingham right next to West Brom football stadium.

Got to Lewis's and had some lunch before ordering taxi which was eight seater to take us into town instead of using the train. Unfortunately it didn’t arrive and we had the stress of being 45 minutes late and being picked up it was a bit of a shit show.

However we resolved not to let that affect us and got on with enjoying the afternoon. First up was the Wash House which was a cocktail bar that was hidden behind doors that resembled washing machines and vending machines so the whole idea was that it was a secret location. It was done very well and you had to have a table booked and had to buzz in reception to be allowed in.

The area the bar area was really quite good and we chose various cocktails that were very expensive but when they came out, they were delicious. The time it took for one to be created meant that there was a little chance of having a second one and we decided to move on to the next location which was axe throwing.

That was great fun - I don't remember much more about the day as I am updating this over a year later! Sorry

Golf

Early good round

Tired

Reclamation

Bamboo

Meal

Games

Drinks

Bootcamp

Made it to bootcamp last night for the first time in 7 months. I found it hard but it wasn’t as hard as I was expecting it to be. Quite enjoyed it, but then I didn’t over push myself and if I needed to stop I did. 

I’ll soon get back in the swing of it and if I can also make it to the gym another night (or two) then that will be a great bonus. 

I did wake up in the night and could almost feel my body timing up, a strange feeling indeed. 

The Big Tour - Day 41 - Friday 10th March - Ha Long Bay/Home

 Last day of this spectacular tour. We leave for home this evening.

Slept well, only woken when Tash started banging about getting ready for her Tai Chi, I got up and didn’t join in but had the experience of a lovely sunrise. It really was a bit special.

Had some food, I feel better today and then we went on the small boat to a lm platform and went on Bubble Boats out into the rocks for a bit. Light and Dark caves I think it was, it was fine, and what we’ve enjoyed so far.

Chatted to people on the boat who were nice and it was interesting to see how many people of our age and demographic are doing this sort of trip because their kids have left home and that.

Back to the boat for a relax and more bloody food. Paid the bill and got waved off by the captain and crew and got back to harbour. It didn’t seem as chaotic as before, perhaps we’re just used to it. Got allocated a coach and back to our hotel in loads of time, chatted to the manager who was very keen to see us pleased and our taxi came and we were at the airport bang on time. Everything has gone really well.

I’m on the plane typing this update so will complete all the others shortly and then watch a film.