A super chilled-out day discovering the benefits of Volfaren SR. That’s not the latest model from Vauxhall, but the one-a-day tablet for back pain!! Next stop is Phu My in Vietnam tomorrow. Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong …
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Category:Holiday
December Holiday – Thursday and Friday: Laem Chabang, Thailand
Thursday Our plans to go ashore today were put on hold today whilst Ann got rid of a nasty bug she’d somehow picked up the night before, and I continued to struggle with my back pain – what a couple of old crocs!!!! 🙂 We did bugger-all all day! Friday It’s our first anniversary today …
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December Holiday – Wednesday: Koh Samui, Thailand
After a intermittent night’s sleep for both of us (we think they were repairing a lifeboat outside our room at 1am, for the second night running!), we arose early – at around 7.30 – to give us time to get ready for our first trip ashore to Koh Samui in Thailand. The ship had docked …
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December Holiday – Tuesday: All at Sea
Well, the plan was to use today to catch-up with my reading and take some photographs of the interior of the Ship. It wasn’t to be, as I managed to twist my back getting out of the shower leaving me somewhat immobile for the rest of the day. We had a quick sit up on …
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December Holiday – Stopover Day 2: Singapore
We slept in! And after re-packing the suitcases, we headed of into the town for something to eat. Luckily, after a short walk, we found a local eatery and settled down for a coffee (Singapore style -with condensed milk), and the most heavily buttered ‘toast sandwich’ this side of the equator. Then, with our arteries …
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December Holiday – Stopover Day: Singapore (9th)
Our journey began on Saturday at Heathrow with our first flight, the 2.15 to Doha. Then it was a quick change of planes and onto Singapore. 4.15pm local time, Sunday: We’ve arrived at the Peninsular Excelsior Hotel in downtown Singapore from Changi Airport. We’re shattered, but plan to try and stay awake and adjust to …
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December Holiday – Stopover Day: Singapore
Our journey began on Saturday at Heathrow with our first flight, the 2.15 to Doha. Then it was a quick change of planes and onto Singapore. 4.15pm local time, Sunday: We’ve arrived at the Peninsular Excelsior Hotel in downtown Singapore from Changi Airport. We’re shattered, but plan to try and stay awake and adjust to …
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Nicki’s Progress
Nicki joined us for the evening, as she’s in Newcastle tomorrow on business and didn’t fancy driving the whole distance from hers in one go. It still meant an early start though – even from ours – and she was up and out by 4am!! Remind you of anyone? 🙂 Steve PalmerI got into blogging …
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Catchup at Kings Cross
I caught up with Sally B today in London around noon. For a change, we met at the new(ish) Kings Cross station. My! it’s changed a lot since i was last here! Since when did railway stations start to become beautiful again??? My only confusion was why they have a platform ‘0’ – don’t think …
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The Good Old Days
Steve, Denise, Roy and Susan joined us for lunch. We’d planned it for a month-or-so ago but postponed because we were both down with very bad colds. Lee stayed over, and between us, we managed to keep the kitchen pretty much clear of debris during the massive food preparation before the guests arrived. The food, …
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Nicki joins us
Nicki joined us today for a shopping expedition over to Market Harborough. Weather-wise, it was another scorcher here today – 27 degrees by lunchtime. We parked in the Sainsbury car-park and walked through into the main town centre. Just like Cambridge yesterday, the town was packed. After doing most of the kitchen shops to death …
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Supper with Paul and Sue
It seems today has been all about eating, drinking and catching-up with friends – and tonight was no exception. We drove to see Paul and Sue at their Farm where they’d offered to do all the cooking! Perfect!!! 🙂 Paul’s a bit of a dark horse with cooking. He doesn’t do it that often for …
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Holiday – Day 5: Free Day
As it’s a free day today, there was no need for workday-type reveilles at silly-o’clock – so we lied-in until 7.30. The weather has changed. It’s a lot greyer today – not quite fifty shades, but nowhere near as warm as the type of weather we’ve enjoyed so far. By 8.30 we were ready for …
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Holiday – Day 4: Cruise on the Mosel and Wine Tasting
The best way to describe today would be ‘lazy’. In short, we’re going to jump on a boat, sail for a few hours down the Mosel and then spend the next hour or so, getting pissed, sampling the fine wines of the region courtesy of a local vineyard. Finally, we’ll stagger onto a train taking …
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Holiday – Day 3: Exploring Triere
Triere is calling us – so we called a taxi! Peter, our holiday co-ordinator, had enthusiastically suggested that we walk from the hotel to the station, quoting ‘only fifteen minutes’. Given that the taxi took ten when we arrived, his estimation felt a little on the optimistic side – and we had to think of …
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Holiday – Day 2: Exploring Cochem
So, here are in the rather lovely Mosel Region of the Rhineland. We’re staying at the Brixiade Hotel, part of the Moselstern Hotels group. Its sister hotel, The Triton, is just 10 metres away and we have the option to share some of their facilities too. We went to bed last night shattered! it …
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Holiday – Day 1: Travel day to Germany
It’s Sunday, so why are we up at 4am? Well, our holiday to Germany with Lee and Denis by train started badly with us realising a few days ago that there wasn’t a train a train out of Kettering, that would get us to St Pancras International by the required check-in time of 7am. Plan …
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What a Tart!
Denis and Bev came for lunch today. Ann had prepared a full lamb roast and Bev did us proud by baking a variation on a Bakewell Tart with lemon curd instead of jam – the yummiest dessert I’ve had a in a long while. Cheers Bev!! After stuffing ourselves, Lee and I rescued the kitchen, …
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Lunch with Peter J
Off to London today to meet up with Peter J, a veteran and ex-committee member of The Old Croydonians’ Association. We met our favourite haunt of St Pancras International station and Carluccio’s – where, by the time I got there at 11.45, was heaving! Still, the service, as normal, was ruthlessly efficient, and the food, …
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Jubilee Holiday: Thursday
After breakfast we all decided to head into Ripon as planned. Just as we arrived, it started to rain and that’s how it stayed for most of the day. We had a quick look round the city before heading for the Cathedral – and it was worth the visit – probably the best one we’ve …
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Jubilee Holiday: Wednesday
The weather was looking as unpredictable as ever, so we played it safe and headed for the city of York by way of the park-and-ride and the Shopping Outlet. Roger navigated – and we ended up taking the slightly more (ahem!) scenic route! Eventually, we arrived and we soon parked-up at the Park-and-Ride, then grabbed …
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Jubilee Holiday: Tuesday
With the breakfast (routine running like a well oiled oily thing from oily town) over, we did separate things today. Roger, Jane and Oliver went off to ride on a steam train, whilst Ann and I slipped into castle-mode. First stop was Richmond, where the quaint town was also entertaining a fun-fair (as if the …
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Jubilee Holiday: Monday
Crikey, what is that yellow circular thing in the sky? With the sun shining, today, we’re off on the 20ish mile drive to Harrogate. Roger did the driving and we were soon there, looking for a place to park. How appropriate, the first we saw was the Jubilee multi-storey!! All parked-up we headed for the …
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Jubilee Holiday: Sunday
A long lie-in punctuated by Oliver invading our bed-space at around 7.30 – time for a sharp exit into the shower!!! The weather for the Jubilee looks atrocious, as it looks like it’s been raining all night. A quick look at the TV news, confirmed that it was just as bad in London too. We …
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Evening at Fountain’s Abbey
One of the benefits of staying at National Trust cottage is that there’s normally extra access rights to the property they’re near. So I took advantage of the opportunity and visited Fountain’s Abbey after hours. The weather wasn’t brilliant, but at least it was dry! Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not …
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Jubilee Holiday: Saturday
We all slept well. I was up first (what a surprise!), followed a nano-second later by an excited Oliver. The remote controls for the TV/DVD combo had confounded all of us adults last night, but in Oliver’s hands, the problem was solved in seconds and the DVD was entertaining us in no time! Perhaps …
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Jubilee Holiday: Arrival
Here we are within spitting distance of Fountain’s Abbey, and as expected, not a mobile signal in sight! (Yes, Vodafone and O2, I’m looking at YOU!). We’re spending the Jubilee Weekend/Bank Holiday plus most of next week here with Roger, Jane and Oliver taking in the local attractions, including of course, next door: National Trust’s …
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There be Dragons!
Well, maybe! But all I need during our week away (Lee’s house-sitting), is a mobile phone signal! Apparently the properties around Fountain’s Abbey, have ZERO bars, even though it’s one of the most visited of National Trust locations. No phoning, no email, no blogs, no Twitter, and no Facebook! Eeeeekkk! Maybe the thought of ZERO …
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Sunday Lunch: Chris, Gill, Steve, Denise and Lee
It was our turn to host some of the ‘old Sainsbury gang’, so everyone came round for Sunday Lunch. Great conversation and great food all round!!! Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my …
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The Outlook? Chilli with a chance of Alcohol!
Ann and I dropped into Jo and Janet’s tonight for a rather splendid Chill – accompanied by lashings of alcohol, and then followed by cheese. I haven’t had a chilli since before the start of Lent – and it was very welcome! Yummy! Yummy! Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing …
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