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Flying Home – 4 September 2024

Posted on by Zogman

One last photo from the room with a view over St Helier. Then the taxi arrived a few minutes late and we were driven to the airport.

No spitfire to wave us goodbye, it had flown over to Guernsey at the weekend to fleece the unwary of their £3,500 for 30 minutes of adventure.

After having both my bags searched for illegal substances the lady at security reluctantly allowed us to go on our way. Then it was just a case of getting on the plane and off to a Scotland with blue skies for a change. The landing was the least bumpy of any flight we’d been on, partly because this looked a very new EasyJet aircraft.

Drove home with some pretty pictures of South West Scotland in the bag. That almost made up for being back to “auld claes and purrich”.

Off to see the lighthouse – 3 September 2024

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We got the Liberty Bus (Liberty is the bus company on the island) to La Corbiere lighthouse in the south east of the island. It’s a scenic spot with a great view out to sea and a walkway that will take you through the rust coloured rocks to the lighthouse itself. We just sat on a bench and took in the scenery.

Lots of things to see and do there. We found a bit of yarn bombing with a decorated post box celebrating 150 years of the RNLI. The postbox was no longer in use, but that didn’t affect the crochet work! There are old German gun emplacements dotted around the coast and a strange looking finely balanced mobile in someone’s garden I think. It was making the most of the wind that day. Did I mention the wind? It was gusting all the time and making it feel colder than the thermometer said it was, as wind usually does. We were happy when the Liberty Bus appeared over the hill and we got a round trip of Corbiere then rejoined the road back to ‘civilisation’!

Dinner tonight was in Izakaya again. Almost as good as the last time, but more subdued, it being mid-week and also I suppose because we knew we were going back to the hotel to pack and to prepare for tomorrow.

A Castle, A Dragon and a Wee Boy – 2 September 2024

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We caught the minibus down from the hotel to the town. We’d heard so much about Locke’s food shop, we visited it first. It was a bit of a disappointment. My coffee was bitter and thin and Scamp’s wasn’t very hot. Style over substance again.

We got the Liberty Bus to Gorey. Gorey was a fishing village with a castle, a dragon and lots of rain. We sheltered in a bus shelter and were entertained by a wee boy explaining to his dad, exactly how he would deal with dragons. Basically it meant kicking them in the head and then being friends with them. Sounded like a plan. The rain was fairly light until we paid our entrance fee and started walking up the terraces of the old castle. Then it just got heavier and heavier. I was glad I’d bought a brolly before we got on the bus!

Halfway up the terraces there was a room for children to dress up in historical outfits. On this day it was more like hysterical outfits, because it was teenagers who were caught by us dressing up!

Further up and in to the castle proper we found the dragons. One was in a glass case. Another was very metallic looking and hung from the ceiling. Both scary beasts. More climbing took us to the old fashioned cannon battery and a great view over the battlements to the village below.

We walked down a slippery looking paved slope that took us down to the village and in to the bus shelter again. Where we caught the bus back to St Helier, where the weather was more forgiving.

Late lunch/ Dinner was in the Italian restaurant called Rigatoni. Then we walked back up the hill again to the hotel.

 

 

 

The Morning After – 1 September 2024

Posted on by Zogman

 

  • Woke not quite with a hangover, but feeling a bit sick
  • Life returned to a bit more like ‘normal’ after a shower and breakfast of Weetabix and milk and a slice or two of toast with ‘fishy jam’.
  • Scamp was fine with mixed fruit and a couple of slices of toast with jam.
  • It had been raining during the night.
  • Couldn’t decide where to go today so after some discussion, said we’d walk down to the bus station and get the first bus available. Except, no services were available. It seems buses almost shut down on Sundays.
  • However, on  the way I got a photo of an ancient camera and a stoneware bottle that held ink … once upon a time, in an old dusty shop window.
  • Walked through Liberty wharf instead to get photos I’d missed last Wednesday.
  • Walked to La Frégate Cafe which is like an upturned boat.
  • Leave it well alone. Food is poor but highly priced. Building looks good.
  • Watched the Amphibious Duckws driving along the path to Elizabeth Castle.
  • Only accessible for walking at low tide.
  • We walked along the breakwater instead and had a look at the posh boats.
  • Walked back into town and had a beer (me) and a G ’n’ T (Scamp) at a pub playing old style music
  • Went to El Gato Gordo (The Fat Cat) for an early dinner. Good food.
  • Bought some tonic and walked back to hotel.
  • Thunder storms forecast tonight.

The Wedding Day – 31 August 2024

Posted on by Zogman

As has become traditional when we’re away from home, the write-up is more of a place marker than anything else. With bullet points to keep the memories fresh without taking up too much writing time.

  • A walk through a different part of the town on a dull morning
  • Found a monument to Jersey Cows!
  • One calf had found a toad
  • Wandered round the indoor market
  • But soon it was time to get dressed to impress
  • Got a taxi to La Mare Vineyard
  • The weather had improved
  • It was time for Pimms on the lawn
  • More butterflies in the garden
  • Alex and family arrived later
  • Just in time to see the happy couple’s entrance
  • Saw some folk we hadn’t seen in years
  • The meal was delicious
  • The dancing was hilarious
  • I took over 300 photos here are some:

 

 

Jersey Botanic Gardens – 30 August 2024

Posted on by Zogman

As has become traditional when we’re away from home, the write-up is more of a place marker than anything else. With bullet points to keep the memories fresh without taking up too much writing time.

  • A different route to the town
  • Millennium park with water curtain
  • Man with golden dress (statue) in town square
  • Found I could hire a Brompton folding bike
  • Jersey Botanic Gardens with Japanese garden
  • Giant carp in a lily pond
  • Jersey lilies
  • Lots of apple trees
  • Too many flowers to list here
  • Dined at Izakaya at night
  • Peruvian & Japanese restaurant
  • Wagamama on steroids!
  • Walked back to the hotel through the town


– Big day tomorrow for Gillian & Ed

 

Checking out The Vineyard – 29 August 2024

Posted on by Zogman

As has become traditional when we’re away from home, the write-up is more of a place marker than anything else. With bullet points to keep the memories fresh without taking up too much writing time.

  • We walked down to the church with the blue building beside it
  • That was a much easier way of finding the town centre
  • Scamp got a new pair of trainers
  • Just missed the bus to the vineyard
  • Had a coffee then got the next bus (only one an hour)
  • What a roundabout road. A long road for a short-cut
  • Scamp got tickets for a tour of the winery and a few glasses of wine
  • Interesting talk
  • I only liked the white wine. Scamp liked the red and the white
  • Rosé was the only poor one
  • Stayed for about two hours


– Walked back to the bus stop
– Didn’t have long to wait for the bus
– Got a bottle of Gordon’s gin and a mixer
– Scamp led the way to the road back to the hotel
– I kept a check with Google Maps
– Booked dinner at hotel
– Waited 45mins for our main course
– Lots of excuses
– Waiter let slip that a big order had come in and ours missed out!
– Lots more excuses
– Food was late but it was lovely
– Entertainment was two blokes. One played trumpet other played guitar. Playing jazz
– Disappointing dessert. Lychee & Raspberry Pavlova.
– Had a couple of G ’n’ Ts in the room.

Travelling 28 August 2024

Posted on by Zogman

As has become traditional when we’re away from home, the write-up is more of a place marker than anything else. With bullet points to keep the memories fresh without taking up too much writing time.

  • Alarm played a merry tune at 6:15am
  • Walked over to terminal building and divulged the contents of our bags for all to see
  • Walked into Frankie & Benny’s and had breakfast
  • Too much chilli sauce for a morning
  • They didn’t even check to see if my bag fitted in the grid
  • Easy flight to Jersey
  • Saw a Spitfire on the grass of the airport
  • Taxi from the airport to the hotel
  • Very grand and our room was ready
  • Changed into something more fitting for summer
  • Got a free minibus ride into town, courtesy of the hotel.
  • Walked for miles, photographed everything
  • Got a weekly bus ticket.
  • Lunch in a wee Italian restaurant with a view of the town square
  • Saw an Amphibious Duckw
  • Saw and heard the Spitfire £3,500 for half an hour’s flight!!!
  • Got lost trying to find the hotel
  • It’s a long walk up that hill
  • Swam in the inside pool

Preparations – 27 August 2024

Posted on by Zogman

One of those days when I couldn’t settle.

I knew we’d have to finish packing today, because we were going to be driving to the airport to park the car and then have a few hours sleep before we got the plane tomorrow morning. Had I packed this? Had I packed that? Did I really need all the stuff I’d packed? Would my rucksack fit into EasyJet’s shrinking metal boxes?

Scamp called a halt and suggested a lunch at Brodens in Condorrat. Great idea, even if I couldn’t have my traditional pint of Guinness because I was driving in the evening. Mac ’n’ Cheese for Scamp and Fish ’n’ Chips for me.

Bumped into George from the corner who had been forced to slum it in Brodens as a fire at his usual Weavers pub had been bad enough to force it to close, then vandals had found a way in and created more carnage. We stood and spoke for a while and then Scamp and I made our way down the road.

The hours slowly ticked away until it was time to pack up the car and drive to the airport. Parked, then took the cases to the drop-off place in the terminal building then we had a free drink in the bar of the airport hotel, free because Scamp had signed up to a club account which gave extra benefits as well as a cheap one night stay. PoD was the view over to Paisley from the room.

Hopefully sleep will come faster than the day did.

More good news – 26 August 2024

Posted on by Zogman

Off to see the nurse this morning.

We drove up to the health centre where Scamp left to walk to the town centre to get some English notes at the bank, only to find that the bank was closed. Today was an English bank holiday, but not in Scotland according to NLC, but what do they know, they are only the council.

While Scamp was at the closed bank, I was getting some good news from the Nurse/Sister. I’ve been taken off another of my meds. The nurse took my BP both sitting and standing and was happy to take me off another pill I didn’t need. I’m still being monitored and have another appointment to attend in a month or so, but it’s another step in the right direction.

I drove up to the town centre to meet Scamp who had sent me a message about the bank and I had sent her a message to say I was on my way to meet her. Neither message reached its target. Maybe one of the masts was down or maybe it’s just Cumbersheugh. Anyway, when we got home the messages appeared and we had lunch.

Later in the afternoon, plans were made to lighten the loads I carry on my shoulder. Two cameras is just too much to carry with associated lenses. Just for a test I took only the A6500 with two light lenses and it was comfortable for a walk in St Mo’s. That’s actually lighter than one A7iii camera without a lens. I’m beginning to think I may have to reduce the load I’m carrying on my shoulder, although the quality of the final image will suffer. At present it’s just an idea, whether I can carry it through is another thing entirely

Today’s walk to St Mo’s got me a PoD I was happy with. It was a drone fly or maybe a large hover fly on a Scabious flower head. I quite liked it, I think because of the out of focus background. The weather wasn’t exactly warm, but it certainly wasn’t cold and thankfully it was dry. More rain forecast for tomorrow.

Tomorrow Scamp is intending getting her nails done and I’m still clearing up more stuff to go to the skips.