St George Island, Grenada tour followed by an afternoon on the beach

An early breakfast and we were in the lounge at 0900 ready to join the tour of Bequia travelling on the back of mostly Toyota open trucks with eight people to a vehicle.

This is not a very large Island and it relies solely on tourism of which there has been very little of in the past twenty months. We had to use the tender to get onshore and went thro the usual security checks and again this location you are only allowed to visit on an organised tour which is authorised by the Government. Prior to the tourism business starting some years ago this Island relied on whaling for a living and on the top of Mount Pleasant thee is plaque recognising the location where a spotter would be stationed to look for whales and then direct the 7 man rowing boats in the correct direction. This practise still continues to this day but it is difficult and o they are only allowed to catch four whales per annum but the most they ever catch is one or two  (they say).

But back to the tour we headed up the side of the mountain with very steep roads and the Toyota truck working hard to get up and we arrived at a gum emplacement with the barrels still in place for us to take photos of the historic Island protection . The Island was under British Rule until the mid 1970’s but now has its own Prime Minister  and Government.I asked the tour guide if having your own control and PM with local Government  compared being ruled by the Brits any better and she said NO , the present Government is looking after itself and not the people, where have I heard that before.

From there we were taken to a rehabilitation facility for Turtles and there were quite a few from babe’s up to Big Brother size and Jennifer spent quite some time with the Boss who was explaining how he became involved in this role for protecting the turtles, he was a very interesting chap and I think American by origin and is now 82  and he really enjoys his work safeguarding live animals. Whether  it was part of his farm I don't know but there were quite a a lot of goats who came from the hill to greet the tour party perhaps expecting food, who knows.

From there we then visited Mount Pleasant, as mentioned earlier and then rushed back down the hill to get back to the ship for lunch and and us to get ready for the beach afternoon.

We had the buffet lunch and perhaps Noel ate the wrong Sushi as on the tender going back to shore there were some unexpected rumblings.. anyway to late to return but we again boarded the Toyota truck taxis and and drove for about fifteen minutes to the small beach where chairs had been laid out where we spent about three hours before returning the the ship. We had noticed earlier on our Island tour that quite a few of the beaches were covered in a special type of seaweed which smelt really bad and not possible toe sit on or swim from, apparently the Island is working to overcome this.

We arrived back at the ship around 1745 and headed to the cabin for a cuppa. For reasons of safety Silversea don't allow kettles and/or tea making equipment in the cabin as in the past few years there have been a number of dangerous fire incidents with people leaving the kettle on and it catching fire and so the room service provides the tea. We thought we had booked the Japanese Seishin restaurant for tonight and then remembered it was for tomorrow night and so looking at all the restaurant menus on the cabin TV we opted to go back to the Grill as the filet mignon was so good we

had to try again.

The serving staff and the manager Jordan went out of his way to make certain my salad and ret of the food was not contaminated with anything that might upset Noel although he was still suffering from the earlier problem. Perhaps not the best thing to do was to try out a a red Shiraz which was really nice but came back to bite me later. Well back to cabin for an early night as we were both very tired.

First night on Silver Spirit

Having travelled with Silversea before we know the quality of the cabins and also also the bed and so we both slept well. We had prior to this trip agreed that we would make the first day a day of rest and relaxation and give us time to adjust to the four time difference and also get over the tiring part of travel and so we spent the day on the ship which at this time had docked in the port of St George, Grenada and whilst quite a few people left the ship on excursions I think many people decided also to stay on board as due to the local Covid Regulation you can only leave the ship on an organised tour and not able to wander off the the ship at your own will.

Each morning we have to call the Butler who will come and take your temperature before your leave the cabin for the day. In addition there are very many sanitisation sites around the ship for when you enter and restaurant or any other public place. Most of the restaurants your are served but in the La Terraza which for morning and lunch is buffet style and so there is a handwashing station your must use before going near any of the food which is laid out. Its very well organised on the ship and you must wear your mask in all public areas except when seated.

This ship the Silver Spirit accommodates about 600 guests which is quite low for a cruise ship today as some can take 6000 guests, how horrible that must be.

We had lunch on the veranda deck and the staff are being most cautious on what they are serving. I looked at the burger but that had onions and a touch of garlic, both a no no for me and so I settled on the fish dish of the day but they came and apologised for the delay in providing the food as they were aware that the the fish could be contaminated with perhaps onions and garlic etc as it is only a small small cooking area and so they sent the fish down to a different kitchen where it was prepared. You cannot complain at that.

In the afternoon we retired to the cabin for an afternoon zizz and the went for dinner in the Atlantide Restaurant where the Maître Di recognised me and then he said to the waiter ‘ I need to know what Mr Groves orders’ so that I can ensure with the kitchen it is correctly cooked and it was. Tonight I had the Garoupa with mashed potatoes and finished with a strawberry desert whilst Jennifer  enjoyed quite a good size lobster tail which she said was delicious.

After dinner we went up to the Panorama lounge where we were the only people for a while then a small group of Americans arrived, luckily the quiet type.

And so to bed as tomorrow we have to be up early for a very busy day.

We join the Silversea Spirit cruise today

We had breakfast and then resorted our baggage and had to leave the room around 1200 although we were not leaving the Hotel for the ship until 1500. Whilst sitting in the lobby there were lots of people checking in who had just left the ship with their baggage everywhere and us with many others waiting to join the vessel all hanging out in the lobby. Jennifer purchased some paninis with chicken and cheese and one ham and cheese, not great but filled a gap.

Finally we left the Hotel for the twenty minute drive to the port where we would have to enter what you might describe as a steeplechase horse race where we would have to undergo a further documents check for PCR testing, Vaccine certificate , temperature check and then a passport check before we went on to the next stage which was the Covid Test which was a ‘one nostril only’ test, actually I was expecting a more rigorous test and then sit around for about 20 minutes waiting for the test results. It at that point you have been diagnosed with COVID you would be declared unsafe to travel and have to go to a Hotel for quarantine for about seven days, so you are are really hoping they don't find anything and our case they did not. Then you go to the cruise check in and finally on board to your cabin on out case 709.

When we arrived at the suite the Butler, yes a Butler is waiting for you to arrive to do a further temp check and confirmed details re the muster requirements and also confirm that our three suitcases were in the cabin. We then had to watch a film about safety on the TV and then enter confirmation that you had watched it. By this time it was about 1715 and Noel had to have a meeting with the maître di and head chef regarding his dietary issues and that was at 17.30 and so i=of he went whilst Jennifer started unpacking the cases.

The meeting with the Maître di, head chef and deputy maître di lasted about ten minutes but it was strange that they were not aware of the FODMAP diet however Noel had prepared a one page note of the dos and don'ts. Then rushed back to the cabin to start his unpacking before at 1800 we had to go for muster which lasted about half an hour. Then back to the cabin for a shower and change for Dinner.

For tonight's dinner on Valentines day we had  boked to the the GRILL which is on the swimming pool level and in the open air but with temperature around 25 degrees it was very pleasant. In this restaurant you are given a hot rock which is heated to about 400 degrees upon which you cook your own steak and/or anything else you have ordered ie various cuts of steak, fish, lamb and pork . You of course can have a starter and so noel had the salad after the head waiter had come to introduce himself to say that he was fully aware of my food issues and don't worry he will ensure that everything would be as I requested.

We both enjoyed the filet mignon with two large Madagascan prawns on the side plus noel had French fries and Jennifer the baked potato and we both agreed they were  the best filet-mignon we have ever tasted. The wine was flowing but we were both careful as Jennifer did not want to over indulge whilst Noel was concerned how an unknown wine would affect him so he had only one glass of California Chardonnay.

We thought about going to the lounge following the meal to relax but then as were were tired after todays efforts and jet lag a bit we went back to the room for an early night.

At the moment most of the guests seem to be American or Brits and of course we understand the ship is only about 70 per cent full and so there is space everywhere. An American who we had met whilst waiting at the hotel had some friends who had been on the ship for the past nine days and said there were only about 300 people on that cruise so a load factor of about 50%.

Tomorrow we arrive in St Georges ,Grenada where we have not booked any excursions with the plan of having a very quiet day and taking it easy. And so to bed……….

An easy start to the day-initially

We arose at just before 0700 showered and then final packing before going to terminal 5. The porter found a BAA trolley and so it was an easy five minute walk to the check in desk. We were able to check in right away and then wait for the wheelchair assistance for Noel, actually he can walk quite well but its the standing and great distances you have to walk in this terminal which was why we opted for the assistance. Its also works on the efficiency side as well as the porters use a special route to avoid the crowds but to get to the BA lounge, its three sets of lifts and about a 400 yard walk.

We had a bacon bun in the lounge once having mastered their online food ordering system and with cups of tea  we were then ready for the 15 minute drive to the gate . We found our seats and this B777 had the new Business class suites which I thought were quite nice but most unsuitable for families with young children as these was such a family on board and they spent half the flight getting up and down to see what the kids were doing as once ensconced in your suite you cannot see anybody. 

The flight to Bridgetown to just over eight hours and we arrived in good shape just as three other large jets had just touched down and so we had to wait on board for a while to let the arrival terminal empty a bit. To get us old and decrepit ones of the flight they used an old aircraft food truck which rises up to the side of the aircraft and you walk out as they do not have any fingers at tis terminal. What was interesting that in tis very old truck were health an safety signage but the metal floor had rust holes in it and once you enter you ae concerned that the floor wont give way.

Inside the terminal it was chaos with hundreds of people waiting to go thro the Covid Paperwork check with many people having to take a test, there was no separation from people who had been tested and those waiting to be tested. Because we had used the BIMSAFE ( Barbados Immigration)  App in advance and being on a wheelchair we avoided the masses of people queuing but it still took us about 90 minutes to get out of the terminal. The Silversea agents then positioned a minibus to take about eight of us to the Hilton Barbados Resort Hotel where we arrived at about 1745, nearly three hours after we had landed.

Following a shower and rest we went for dinner but there was only one venue open with a limited menu where we had some shrimp, four to be precise, and it came with like a pancake which had apple in it and so Noel had the four small shrimp and Jennifer two of the pancakes which she said tasted nice. We had asked abut no garlic in the shrimp and although they said there was none Noel was certainly not to sure at 0200  in the early morning suffering from the effects of garlic.

Getting ready to leave on our extended holiday

Having spent some time during the week to prepare for our departure with suitcases packed early it was down to the last knockings, as they say.

Due to Noel’s dietary issues Jennifer prepared some food for the flight to Barbados  and so a checked salad plus some ham rolls were prepared and stored away in recently purchased containers. In the afternoon Noel watched the Chelsea-Palemeras game from Abu Dhabi and hoping for a full time result as the taxi was due 7pm , only it was not to be so we had to close down the TV and get ready for the taxi.

The flight tomorrow is scheduled for 10.30 and as we need to check in early for the passenger assistance to work well we had decided that a night at the Sofitel which is connected to the Terminal 5 would make our life a lot easier and so we checked in around 7.45 and spent the rest of the evening watching TV before bedding down for the night.

Earlier in the day we had to use the British Airways Verifly app to upload all our PCR and Vaccine info and then use the Barbados App for the same document’s all over again, when will this ever end.?? Noel then had to do online check in with BA to obtain seats and boarding passes. There is a lot to do these days when you travel.

A few days in the caravan

Well after having some really nice relaxing days in the Trevoso Golf Club we decided on the 17th November to move on to the caravan in Waterrow but by leaving early we would make a visit in to Padstow. Or earlier attempt failed due to the car parks being full which is not surprising as it was a Sunday. So after having a bacon butty in the Clubhouse and paid the Hotel bill we left around 0945 and within fifteen minutes were able to park very easily in the nearest car park to the harbour.

For the next 45 minutes we walked around the Harbour as well as stopping off for a cup of tea in a nice café overlooking the small amount of fishing boats that were there. As most people know this place has been famous by Rick Stein who now has a number of eating houses to his name and most are quite expensive.

Leaving the harbour we headed off to our Caravan in Waterrow where we arrived mid afternoon after stopping off for lunch in the local pub and will the small amount of shopping required we were set up for the next few days during which we did a trip to Wellington to do some shopping in Waitrose, a trip to Blue Anchor Bay near Minehead to the little café on the hill who make excellent fish and chips. We also spent an afternoon with our daughter and grandchildren before leaving for home on the Monday.

The next few weeks are going to be busy but we hope to get back to the caravan in mid December if we can

A nice relaxing day

The weather was a little grey today and so following breakfast in the apartment we set about to do pretty much nothing during the day. Jennifer spent some time reading whilst the writer spent some hours catching up with photos and updating SmugMug and also starting the Blogging which had stopped due Coved, new knee new house and garden and many other reasons.

Sometimes when blogging if you do not do it on the same day or the following day but leave it a few days you end up scratching your head wondering what you did three days ago and so we we try to do on a daily basis particularly as we hope to start travelling again in February next year on or Cariban Cruise and hope their are no more Covid restrictions implemented in the meantime.

The Trevoso Golf Club apartments are really very nice and quite cheap this time of year and so we will certainly try to come here again.

For dinner we went down to the local pub The farmers Arms and had a good meal, well Jennifer had the Steak and Ale pie whilst Noel had to have Fish and Chips again as many other items on the menu have garlic or onions in them.  I plan to get in touch with the local health centre to see if there are any pills or medicine which would allow my body to eat and handle Glucose-Sucrose etc etc as t would my eating habits much better and give me a much wider choice of food to eat as at the moment the FODMAP diet is quite restrictive.

Once we had returned to the room after dinner we watched a documentary series on the rise and and fall of the the famous ‘Chippendales Men Strippers’ quite interesting really and we will watch the remaining parts on Tuesday evening.

I am pretty pissed off with the way the French and UK governments are not handling the refugee crisis on the border, there will be trouble ahead if something is not done soon as refugees seem to be jumping the queue for housing over locals who have waited for many years. May be I should stop reading the newspapers??

Just some local shopping and then watch Sao Paulo Grand Prix

We went for breakfast in the Clubhouse, Noel had a bacon roll and Jennifer and bacon and egg roll and both were really tasty

After breakfast we headed in to Padstow to the Tesco to try and purchase HDMI Cable so that we could watch the Brazilian Formula One race on the TV and also purchase some other foodstuffs for light snacks over next few days. On the way back we drove down in to Padstow town and it was quite packed with all car parking spaces taken and so we thought we would give it  miss for today,

We had taken the precaution of booking a table for lunch just in case the restaurant got busy and we were correct to do so as it was quite busy. They had a reduced menu but had added roast beef or roast turkey lunch which wold be good only the potatoes and other veg had been cooked with some garlic and so while Jennifer enjoyed the roast dinner Noel ended up with a Pizza, a slight risk?, but it was delicious and the chef assured us of no garlic or onion, phew.

After lunch we returned to the room and noel connected up the HDMI cable between his notebook and the big TV and we watched the race which was very good and again Hamilton drove like a man possessed. It will be a tight championship and will be decided over the next three races to take place in the Middle East.

In the evening neither of us were really hungry and so had a couple of biscuits with a cup of tea and watched some travel documentaries on TV

Its Lands End!!!!

So first thing in the morning I phoned the next Hotel to see if we could arrive a day earlier than planned and thankfully they could accept us. So we packed our bags and made our excuses and left this rubbish pub –hotel and then walked across the road to a Deli  purchase some sandwiched for lunchtime and then Jennifer visited the local church for a quick look around.

We took the side roads down to the the end of the UK called Lands End and it was pretty much deserted of tourist except a Asian group but we still had to pay £ 5 for car parking although just about everything was closed off. We took a few photos and then about an hour later again took the small country roads along the coast in the direction of Padstow where we are due to spend the next few days at the Trevoso Golf Club in a place called Saint Merryn which is right on the coast. see link below.

Trevose Golf Club

On the way our route took us via St Ives, Redruth and Newquay. We thought that Newquay was a bit depressing and looked rather rundown and was full of pubs and takeaways and grotty looking Hotels and so very glad we had decided to to spend anytime there although we did stop off at a Tesco for a little shopping. This coast benefits from strong winds and sees which make this area a must for surfers.

For lunch we stopped in a small bay called Saint Agnes which was quite busy with surfers  and then on the way up the small road we spotted a row of houses built up a hill, quite interesting really.( see photo)

We arrived at the Golf Club late afternoon and went to our apartment which was a one bedroom with full kitchen and walk in shower ( great says Noel)

After checking in we went for dinner in the club restaurant and the food and presentation was very good and so what a difference between this place and the The Commercial. We have learnt our lesson about staying on old historic pubs.

Its raining- just what we need

It was a grey and wet morning as we left the Hotel after breakfast and headed off to start coast hugging once we get to Falmouth.

Neither of us had been to Falmouth before and we both had a picture what we would see upon arrival on the reality was very, very different. Lots of small houses with to many cars parked everywhere is not what we had expected.

Falmouth was where Henry VIII built Pendennis Castle to defend Carrick Roads in 1540. The main town of the district was then at Penryn. Sir John Killigrew created the town of Falmouth shortly after 1613.^[7]

In the late 16th century, under threat from the Spanish Armada, the defences at Pendennis were strengthened by the building of angled ramparts. During the Civil War, Pendennis Castle was the second to last fort to surrender to the Parliamentary Army.^[8]

Killigrew monument in Arwenack Street

After the Civil War, Sir Peter Killigrew received royal patronage when he gave land for the building of the Church of King Charles the Martyr, dedicated to Charles I, "the Martyr".^[9]

The seal of Falmouth was blazoned as "An eagle displayed with two heads and on each wing with a tower" (based on the arms of Killigrew). The arms of the borough of Falmouth were "Arg[ent]. a double-headed eagle displayed Sa[ble]. each wing charged with a tower Or. in base issuant from the water barry wavy a rock also Sa. thereon surmounting the tail of the eagle a staff also proper flying therefrom a pennant Gu[les]".^[10]

Being the nearest large harbour to the entrance of the English Channel, two Royal Navy squadrons were permanently stationed here. In the 1790s one was under the command of Sir Edward Pellew (later Viscount Exmouth) and the other under the command of Sir John Borlase Warren. Each squadron consisted of five frigates, with either 32 or 44 guns. Pellew's flagship was HMS Indefatigable and Warren's HMS Révolutionnaire. At the time of the French Revolutionary Wars, battle ships and small vessels were continually arriving with war prizes taken from the French ships and prisoners of war. Near Penryn, at Tregellick and Roscrow, were two large camps for the French prisoners.^[11]

The Falmouth Packet Service operated out of Falmouth for over 160 years between 1689 and 1851. Its purpose was to carry mail to and from Britain's growing empire. At the end of the 18th century there were thirty to forty, small, full rigged, three-masted ships. The crews were hand picked and both officers and men often made large fortunes from the private contraband trade they took part in, while under the protection of being a Government ship, free from customs and excise searches and therefore payment of duty.^[11] Captain John Bullock worked in the Packet Service and built Penmere Manor in 1825.

The Falmouth Lifeboat moored by the docks with the old town and The Penryn River in the background

In 1805 news of Britain's victory and Admiral Nelson's death at Trafalgar was landed here from the schooner Pickle and taken to London by stagecoach. On 2 October 1836 HMS Beagle anchored at Falmouth at the end of her noted survey voyage around the world.^[12] That evening, Charles Darwin left the ship and took the Mail coach to his family home at The Mount, Shrewsbury.^[13] The ship stayed a few days and Captain Robert FitzRoy visited the Fox family at nearby Penjerrick Gardens. Darwin's shipmate Sulivan later made his home in the nearby waterside village of Flushing, then home to many naval officers.

In 1839 Falmouth was the scene of a gold dust robbery when £47,600 worth of gold dust from Brazil was stolen on arrival at the port.^[14]

The Falmouth Docks were developed from 1858,^[15] and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) opened Falmouth Lifeboat Station nearby in 1867. The present building dates from 1993 and also houses Her Majesty's Coastguard.^[16] The RNLI operates two lifeboats from Falmouth: Richard Cox Scott, a 17-metre (56 ft) Severn-class all-weather boat,^[17] and B-916 Robina Nixon Chard, an Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat.

Near the town centre is Kimberley Park, named after the Earl of Kimberley who leased the park's land to the borough of Falmouth. Today the park has exotic and ornate plants and trees.^[18]

The Cornwall Railway reached Falmouth on 24 August 1863. The railway brought new prosperity to Falmouth, as it made it easy for tourists to reach the town. It also allowed the swift transport of the goods recently disembarked from the ships in the port. The town now has three railway stations. Falmouth Docks railway station is the original terminus and is close to Pendennis Castle and Gyllyngvase beach. Falmouth Town railway station was opened on 7 December 1970 and is convenient for the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, the waterfront, and town centre.

Penmere railway station opened on 1 July 1925 towards the north of Falmouth and within easy walking distance of the top of The Moor. All three stations are served by regular trains from Truro on the Maritime Line. Penmere Station was renovated in the late 1990s, using the original sign and materials.

The town saw a total eclipse of the Sun at 11:11 a.m. on 11 August 1999. This eclipse lasted just over two minutes at Falmouth, the longest duration in the United Kingdom.^[19]

^{During World War II, 31 people were killed in Falmouth by German bombing. An anti-submarine net was laid from Pendennis to St Mawes, to prevent enemy U-boats entering the harbour.}

It was the launching point for the noted commando raid on Saint-Nazaire in 1942. Between 1943 and 1944, Falmouth was a base for American troops preparing for the D-Day invasions.^[20] There are commemoration plaques at Turnaware Point, Falmouth Watersports marina, Tolverne and Trebah gardens.

^{So although it is a very interesting place to visit the car parking challenges and the very steep hills in the main town really was ot suitable for Noel to explore, perhaps next year when the right knee has been treated.}

We continued our journey along the cost as the best we could stopping also in Penzance which is a much smaller and nicer town than Falmouth where we stopped for lunch on the seafront and then too a drive along the coast through some very small fishing towns right on the coast with small roads including driving around Mousehole twice so as to get some some photos which we missed on the first time around.

^{From here we headed off to our Pub Hotel called The Commercial in an interesting town called Saint Just, which was an old mining town and the reports on Booking.Com seemed OK only it was a rubbish room, albeit clean, but very small. Unfortunately Noel was having some tummy problems probably from the lunchtime Tuna mayonnaise on a baked potato and we and can only assume they used garlic mayonnaise or it was the food at the Hotel however he experienced an uncomfortable night. Neither of us slept very well as the bed Noel was in creaked each time he moved and what with floorboards from above also creaking we decided to cut our losses and leave the next day.}

Time to start exploring

Shame the weather was no so great, but we headed of initially to a place called Charleston which is a port near near St Austell.

Located about a mile outside the town of St Austell is Charlestown, an amazingly pristine, unspoiled example of a late Georgian working port. It was constructed between 1791 and 1801 by Charles Rashleigh, entrepreneur and member of the local landowning family, in response to the growth of the growth of the local mining industry. Originally built to export copper and import coal, it was soon being used for the export of China Clay. It is from its creator that the the port gets its name.

Charlestown was formerly known as West Polmear with a population of 9 and a small fishing fleet that used the beach as a harbour. The project began with the construction of the pier to provide shelter for the fishing fleet and then the creation of a basin, cut out of the bedrock to allow the sailing ships in. The roads were widened and paved to allow for the wagons, which carried the cargo to and from the harbour.

Charlestown Outer Harbour

Upon completion, Charlestown was a model Georgian "new town". By the 19th Century various associated businesses were established in sheds and warehouses around the harbour such as pilchard curing, shipbuilding, brick making and lime burning, and the population exploded to close on 3,000.
Many attractive period properties sprung up in the village, ranging from elegant Georgian houses to squat fisherman's cottages.

To this day the port remains unspoiled and retains much of its Georgian character. This unique combination has lead to Charlestown being a popular location for film and television locations, and to some extent this has probably helped subsidise its existence and prevent development. Credits include Poldark, Hornblower, Mansfield Park and many more.

Charlestown

As well as being a harbour location Charlestown capitalises on it's past by harbouring a fleet of square riggers ships. There are usually at least one of these magnificent ships in the harbour and they really do transport you into a bygone era.

Also worthy of mention isis the Shipwreck, Rescue and Heritage Centre. Located in one of the old China Clay buildings, the centre contains a number of exhibits relating to Charlestown's maritime past along with more general shipwreck salvage from Cornwall's coast.

After having wandered around the small town for a while we headed off on the very small country roads along to coast stopping at a few places to take photos.

We arrived back at the Hotel mid afternoon and Jennifer went for a swim in the pool before we headed off to a restaurant in Charleston called the Lonestore which Noel had visited before with some golfing colleagues. We had a really excellent dinner with the Chef gig out of his way to remove any chance of Noel getting and upset tum due to his inability to absorb Glucose/Sucrose etc .

We got back to the Hotel around 9pm and watched Tv for a while and planned our next days tour.

Look out Cornwall here we come

We had some plans changed at the last moment, sister not visiting after all, and so we hade to decide either to have a few days in the caravan or zoom past Taunton and head off to the far tip of the UK and visit some places in Cornwall which we had not visited before. We did also think about going back to Lanzarote for a week but the bloody paperwork for COVID is a real pain in the neck and so we decided to stay at home.

So after packing the car, making some sandwiches we headed off West in the grey weather, including some rain, in the direction of Cornwall. The A303 was traffic light and so no real delays en-route which surprised us. We did think of staying in the Lanhydrock Golf Club for a night but then found out they had closed the Hotel part for winter and so we had to hunt around for somewhere else and ended up at The Cornwall Hotel and Spa in St Austell. The room was ok but to reach it meant climbing lots of stairs and Noel wit his knees did have some challenges.

We arrived their late afternoon and had decided for convenience we would have dinner in the Hotel  and it was sort of Ok , Noel had the steak and Jennifer enjoyed a huge pizza   which was large enough to feed the Afghan army, well there are not so many of the at the moment. I have to say the bed was quite comfortable nut unfortunately they did not have a walk in shower, a requisite for Noel at the moment, but we coped OK.

Tomorrow we are planning a tour of the area.

Its time to start blogging again

Well the last year and a half has been difficult for many people with over five millions deaths globally. We have had a few friends who have also been affected but thankfully no deaths have been recorded.

To fin in the time when you are grounded we have worked hard on the new house in West Byfleet with quite a bit of cash being spent on new bedroom storage , new garden plants etc and so now we can say pretty much its done. The last thing to be fitted was a sun awning which cost quite a it and there was a production delay from the German supplier so by the time it arrived and was fitted the sun had departed, almost.

Noel had a total knee replacement in mid-July with three nights in hospital followed by nearly two weeks in re-hab hospital in Guildford and so as it designed to to be an enhanced recovery programme, well within the first two weeks I was able to get the new knee bending in all the right places. Writing this blog in mid November the knee is great except for some ongoing swelling in the ankle and calf which I understand could go on for a while yet, lets wait and see. We have a Caribbean cruise booked in mid-February followed by a couple of months on Florida, yes back to Rotondo West, subject to Covid rules of course.

Other news is that we changed our caravan for a brand new Bailey Porto , its a lot larger than the previous caravan but as I have given up towing, perhaps a little old for that, it is now on a seasonal site in Waterrow near Taunton which also happens to be near where our daughter Joanne and family live and so it great for visiting the grandchildren without imposing ourselves on them.

So as mentioned earlier I wanted to start blogging again as we are currently on a tour of Cornwall and thought it would be good to record where we visited etc.

So see you on next few pages.