Chris, Dani, Jill & Les
We've all managed to get through another busy and eventful year which means I have to complile another diary - this one is running late as it started on 14th November at 32,000 feet above Canada enroute from Schipol to San Diego. I eventually managed to finish writing it somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. (Mind editing some of the 4,000 plus photographs taken this year took longer than anticipated!) It’s rare that I have a spare moment so this is it. This is our record of the highlights of 2006! (I only hope that I haven't missed you out!!)
This Years travel statistics -
International flights = 35; International ferries/cruises = 11; Train journey's (over 3 hours) = 14; Countries visited = 16; Nights away = 156;
We include just a few of the over 4,000 photos that Jill & I have taken this year
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The Year started well - We had a family Christmas in France with the usual round of parties, kicking off the New Year with a surreal party at John Slattery's house. It was a true international affair with Jill and I being the only English people there! Thank goodness most people speak English so I managed to speak to most of the guests whilst Jill got plenty of French and German practise - sometimes at the same time! Other than it started with a very potent punch, followed by at least one bottle of Irish Whiskey (just for me), me doing Irish River dance with a German, jiving with a Dutch lady (and I can’t dance!), John breaking a window and falling off his chair totally drunk, I don’t remember a thing! Rome We left France a few days later, still overhung. After just 3 days at home we left again for a long weekend in Rome. It was Jill’s 60th birthday. We had planned a big party, but because of work, holidays and the fact that our friends are now spread all over the world, we decided to take the family to Rome and entertain friends wherever and whenever we met them. If you have dipped out there’s always next year! |
Rome from St Peter's Basilica |
A family breakfast in Rome - Chris, Catherine, Danielle, Lauren, Jill
Below Left - On top of St Peter's Below Right - Trevi fountain
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Robbed in Rome!
The only low was Jill being robbed (again)! This time she had her purse stolen, picked from her bag on a crowded bus. We only went one stop from the Coliseum down the Via del Fori Imperialli to the Art Gallery, and that was to save the walk back! Luckily this time she only had about £50 and a couple of credit cards in it! (Unlike in Valencia last year when she lost a small fortune!) - Anyway with every bit of bad news comes good news – the good news – Her Majesty’s Government began sending Jill not one but 2 pensions! - Jill certainly had a memorable OAP’s birthday!
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A week after returning from Rome we set off on what has become an annual round the world trip to escape the European winters. This trip took us to Brazil first. We flew into Rio for a 4 day stay before heading off to Iguasso Falls for 3 days. Rio is definitely a place to be missed. The only good point we found was the hotel I picked – the Sheraton just north of Ipanema Beach but with it’s own quiet beach with resident security guards. (Essential in Rio if you want to hang on to your possessions!) After Iguazzo we flew to Buenos Aires. We were the only passengers in 1st Class so as you can imagine we were pampered and made the best of it for the 2 hour flight! Buenos Aires was much better than Rio – the food in particular was particularly good, however, we decided to become “Australian” for the duration of our stay in Argentina because of the vast number of “Las Malvinas” war memorials. We didn’t wish to upset any anti-British locals! |
Everything worth seeing in Rio in 3 pictures |
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Above - English Square Buenos Aires (Renamed Las Malvinas Square for some unknown reason)
Left - Some of the Iguasso Falls |
The Las Malvinas War Memorial containing the names of the 655 Argentinian dead and guarded by 2 soldiers throughout day light hours
WINTER CRUISE
Our Cruise Crowd - Left to Right - Jerry, Stuart, Winnie, Les, Graham, Jill, Mona, Gunnar
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Left - Centre of Montevideo (Not seen much action since the Graf Spee left in 1940)
Right - Jill (the Australian version) with Argentinian penguin in Ushia, Argentina's most southerly town - Note the absence of London on the sign! |
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Cape Horn on a really good day!
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Navigating through the spectacular scenery of the Magellan Straight |
One of the several glaciers that we sailed by |
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From Valpariso we hitched a ride on a tour bus to Santiago. I hadn’t booked any transport from Valpariso to Santiago – but luckily I found that one of the ships organised tours was using our hotel, the Sheraton, so we simply tagged on and got a free ride! Santiago turned out to be another fun place and is definitely worth another visit.
We took a trip up the Andes - they're high! |
Les in the main square in Santiago |
We stayed in Santiago for 3 days before heading off to Auckland on what was the worst (and longest) no stop flight we have made. However as usual New Zealand was super. Without a doubt the friendliest place on earth!
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Looking out towards Waiheke Island from PO tower |
The old ferry from Auckland to Waiheke |
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Australia From Auckland we flew to Australia. First stop was Sanctuary Cove, Queensland as guests of Kerry and Colleen. Needless to say we enjoyed several days of fun and relaxation. Whilst there we dined with Frank and Jenni who also live in Sanctuary Cove. Jill's Uncle Les who lives on the Gold Coast came to see us at Sanctuary Cove - he is now 85, and despite being shot down and crashing several times during the war plus having had a recent operation , he still manages to drive, although he said he'd had to cut down on the dancing! Right - Les, Uncle Les & Jill |
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Colleen & Kerry |
Frank & Jenni |
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Perth WA We then headed back to Sydney and across to Perth where we were again royally entertained – first as guests of Phil and Debbie on their small holding out in Worraloo, a truly wonderful outback location – it was here that Jill got a surprise birthday present a portrait by that famous Australian painter - Phil Mayne. It was surprise to me too - it was bloody big - too big to go home as cabin baggage so I had to airfreight it! After Worroloo we headed back to Perth as guests of Mike & Mary in their beautiful home. Here we spent a few days eating, drinking and visiting the sites. Also whilst in Perth we visited Karel & Violet who we hadn't seen since we met on a cruise 2 years before. We only had time to stay 3-4 days with everyone before the next leg of our trip, South Africa. |
"Can you tell what it is yet?" |
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Phil, flanked by Jill & Debbie cracks a Scouse joke |
Les, Jill, Mary & Mike at a winery |
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Jill, Mary & Mike wine tasting |
Jill, Violet & Karel in their Perth home |
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Thanks to Colin and Barbara, our trip to South Africa eill be forever memorable. Barbara was Jill’s best friend at school, and they had only met once since school days. This was for a for a few hours the previous summer at Lourdes. Neither of us had seen Colin since he shared a flat with Les back in Liverpool in the 60’s, so it was quite an event just meeting up. The re-union was made even more memorable by the fact that they had organised a special weekend in a safari lodge with their family and friends. Right - Colin, Barb, Jill, Les Below - just a few of the animals that we encountered at close quarters |
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We returned to the UK on 6th March to find that the winter we had set off to miss was still with us.
It wasn’t long before we were off again – just 2 weeks later we were off to Luxembourg for long weekend with Danielle and Lauren and her new puppy dog Elli - a very lively Cocker Spaniel!
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Above - Dani, Lauren & Jill walking the dog along the Mosel
Left - Jill, Les Dani & Elli (the dog) In Luxembourg old town |
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Above - Wine tasting on the Mosel (Again) Left - Jill advising Dani on her garden |
Jill struck down
We were due to fly out to France the following week, but the morning of the flight Jill was very ill with flu symptoms so we had to abandon. The illness got worse and after a few visits by 2 doctors and several doses of anti-biotics they eventually decided that she had pneumonia. This lasted for 6 weeks during which time Jill was in a pretty bad state and we had to call off a further planned trip to France. She eventually recovered in early May.