Missed one of these Holiday Posts?Try clicking HERE(or scroll to the foot of this one)👍☀️😎 6.15am: Welcome back loyal Reader! 😉. It’s Sunday, and we’re currently in Picton, our first stop on the SOUTH Island, having arrived early evening yesterday by Ferry from Wellington. As you might guess from the title, today, we’re on the …
Read More
Holiday: Day 18 – North to South
6.15am: Howdy, loyal reader! 😉. Today’s the day it all goes south! Destination Picton! Missed a previous Post?Click HERE Day 18 – Where are we? (Saturday, 16th November) 9.45am: After checking out we had some time to kill. We grabbed a coffee, we spent some time looking around the shops in Wellington. For us, the …
Read More
Holiday: Day 17 – Wellington (Last Day)
6.30am: Morning all! 😉. Thanks for continuing to read about our adventure in New Zealand. I’m enjoying your comments – they’re all very much appreciated! 👍👏. This is our second day without any driving as we’re continuing to explore Wellington on foot, dodging the forecasted showers. Missed a previous Post?Click HERE Day 17 – Where …
Read More
John Lewis Christmas Advert (2024)
Yes, it’s that time of year again! It’s Friday, 14th November and right on cue, John Lewis has launched its Christmas TV advert. In past years, the offering was guaranteed to also boost the sales of Kleenex, but in more recent times, they’ve been a bit ‘lack-lustre’ and haven’t tugged the heartstrings quite so strongly! …
Read More
Holiday: Day 16 – Wellington in Wellingtons?
6.45am: Morning all! 😉. Welcome back, loyal Reader! 6.45???? What a lightweight! Well, everyone deserves a lie-in occasionally – and have you seen the weather out there? ☔☔ “Wellington in Wellingtons”?? – sometimes the Post titles just write themselves! 👍😉 We’re now halfway through our adventure on the other side of the world, and I …
Read More
Holiday: Day 15 – Wellington Wander!
5.25am: Welcome back devoted Reader! 👏 An earlier start today for us as we’ve a long drive ahead… Missed a previous Post?Click HERE Day 15 – Where are we? (Wednesday, 13th November) TODAY’S TRIVIA: Wellington is the most southerly capital in the world Thanks for joining us on Day 15. Back in the hire car, …
Read More
Holiday: Day 14 – Nipping to Napier!
5.55am: Welcome! or ‘Kia Ora’ as they sometimes say in these parts 😉 Thanks for your comments and likes so far – it makes it all worthwhile! 👍👍 Missed a Post?Click HERE Day 14 – Where are we? (Tuesday, 12th November) 8.59am: It’s Day 14 and we’re leaving Taupō and driving to the coast of …
Read More
Holiday: Day 13 – Time for Taupo!
6.15am: Morning all! 👍. Well, that was a first – RAIN – and significant amounts of it! Luckily for us, it was overnight, but it was certainly hammered it down, waking us up in the early hours as it danced on the roof! ☔☔ Thanks for all the likes and comments so far. If you’ve …
Read More
Holiday: Day 12 – Hello Hamilton!
6.15am: Welcome back loyal Reader! Here for more news of our adventures on the other side of the world? I admire your stamina!! 😉👍 Day 12 – Where are we? (Sunday, 10th November) We’re just over a third of the way through our mega-holiday and where this morning, it’s time to say goodbye to gorgeous …
Read More
Holiday: Day 11 – No Rush Russell!
7.05am: Morning All! Happy Saturday!! 😎☀️👍 Missed one of these Holiday Posts?Try clicking HERE👍☀️😎 Day 11 – Where are we? (Saturday, 9th November) 9.12am: Today, we’re planning a trip to the coastal town of Russell, north-east from our base here in Paihia. Historically, Russell was originally known as the ‘Hellhole of the Pacific’ and you …
Read More
Holiday: Day 10 – Treaties and Tongues!
07.00am: Morning Readers! Thanks for all the likes and comments – and your continued readership! It’s very much appreciated👍😁 It’s slightly cooler this morning, but 20℃ will do us nicely! 😎😎 Missed a Post?Scroll to the foot of this page Day 10 – Where are we? (Friday, 8th November) 11.15am: A later start to the …
Read More
Holiday: Day 9 – Petrol and Paihia!
6.05am: Morning all! Well, we’ve now travelled on planes and trains (as well as boats and buses), and so, today, we try to complete the set – and hire a car. At least they drive on the ‘proper’ side of the road here, and it’ll be interesting to experience New Zealand roads and their road-users …
Read More
Holiday: Day 8 – Blue Buses and Beauty!
07.00am: Hello Readers and hello to New Zealand! We’re finally here in Auckland! 😁 We arrived around 7pm last night, so it was really too late to soak up the sights. With only today and tomorrow here, we aim to remedy that today! 👍👍. And in other news, we both had a GREAT night’s sleep …
Read More
Holiday: Day 7 – Hello New Zealand!
Holiday: Day 6 – Sun, Sea, Sand and… Cents!
06.00am: G’day Cobbers!! We were up early (again!) – Ann slept well, but I didn’t! 😫 Actually, Monday’s early start was to work in our favour for what we had in mind… Weather – The Gold Coast & Surfer’s Paradise Day 6 – Where are we? (Monday, 4th November) Missed any of the previous Posts?Scroll …
Read More
Holiday: Day 5 – Bank Cobbers!
06.00am: G’day Readers! We were both up at ‘silly o’clock’, having not slept very well! I guess that’ll be the jet-lag then!? 🤪 Missed a Post? Scroll to the foot of this page Still, Oz waits for no-one – especially us, and so it’s another day of exploration around Brisbane – specifically, we’re going to …
Read More
Holiday: Day 4 – Walkies!
07.03am: Good morning Bruce, good morning Sheila! Guess where we are? 🦘🦘😉. No, it’s not New Zealand, just yet… read on… Missed a Post..?Day 1 – TravelDay 2 – Singapore SleepoverDay 3 – Brisbane Bound …or scroll to foot of this Post Day 4 – Where are we? (Saturday, 2nd November) We arrived last night …
Read More
Holiday: Day 3 – Brisbane Bound!
Good morning all! 👍😉. After our recent long-distance travel from home, plus a sleepover at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at Changi Airport in Singapore, we’re now both a bit more ‘with it’. Missed a Post?Day 1 – HEREDay 2 – HERE or scroll to the foot of this Post Day 3 – Where are we? …
Read More
Holiday: Day 2 – Singapore Sleepover
Evening all! 😵💫😵💫 Day 2 – Where are we? (Thursday, 31st October) This is the briefest of stopovers in Singapore before we grab the plane tomorrow taking us to Australia. We’re also returning to Singapore at the other end of this holiday – Day 31 – where we’ll have a few days to properly soak …
Read More
Holiday: Day 1 – The Journey Begins
Today, the news in the UK was dominated by the ‘doom, doom and even more doom’ of the Labour Government’s first budget since April 2010. With all the negativity, this could be a great opportunity to leave the country for a big holiday! So we did! 😉. Let’s hope they don’t end up taxing ‘number …
Read More
First Visit: The Watermill Tearoom
It was our quarterly catchup with Bev & Jools where we headed east to The Watermill Tearoom in nearby Woodford. Nestled on the banks of the River Nene, this was the first visit for us two. The eatery has been around for a long time, but since January 2023, it has welcomed new management (more …
Read More
Beg your Parton!
Off to the Lighthouse Theatre in town tonight with Jo, Janet, Helen and Carol to see Dolly Parton and her Country Superstar friends. 😉 I don’t think any of us were completely sure what this evening would be like – all we knew what that it was a group of tribute acts. But by the …
Read More
Zimmer Fame
It was early evening, as we headed in the direction of Northampton and the town’s Cathedral – aka The Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate & St Thomas of Canterbury to listen to the London Film Music Orchestra. Jo and Janet arrived at ours just before 4.30 and with Janet acting as chauffeur, we began …
Read More
Wollaton Hall with Dennis and Sandra
Here we are again – another of our cultural days out with Dennis & Sandra! Today, it’s Wollaton Hall in Nottingham. 9.02am: We left home just after 9am and for once, the traffic on the M1 behaved itself and we were there in good time. Well, apart from me initially putting the wrong post-code into …
Read More
What a Pheast!
Another day, another Birthday! 😉 After my celebrations yesterday, tonight, it was our turn to act as a taxi service, picking up neighbours David & Valerie, and heading off to The Pheasant in Keyston (a 25-minute drive away, halfway between here and Huntingdon). It was David’s ‘special day’, and where I used to think it …
Read More
Birthday Boy (2024)
Yes, it’s that time again – my Birthday!! 👍😁. We usually try and get away somewhere to celebrate, but this year is a little different! Last year, we were in Greece, whilst the year before it was Switzerland – but in 2024, we’re celebrating here at home! It’s a full 12 years since we last …
Read More
EXCELlent!
Today, Chris A and I took the train from Northampton and headed for the Excel International Exhibition & Convention Centre in the Docklands for the F1 Exhibition. Actually, this was the very first time I’ve visited Excel! Getting there was easy by taking the Elizabeth Line and getting off at Customs House and then taking …
Read More
Figarodeon
It’s not unusual for us to go to the local Odeon, but tonight was for TWO very different reasons. Reason 1: This is the LAST TIME we’ll ever visit this Odeon. Why? It’s being bulldozed, together with the nearby Pub – Hobson’s Choice, to make way for (ahem!) ‘a new development’. Most of us locals …
Read More
Buckden Bound!
These days, The George Hotel at Buckden is fast becoming one of our go-to Restaurants (that and Hitchen’s Barn in Oakham) for a guaranteed quality meal and excellent service. Today, we met up with Steve & Helen for a catch-up and to hear all the news about their recent house move. We were last all …
Read More
Greenwich and Beyond!
We travelled down to Greenwich today for our annual cultural day out, courtesy of The Old Croydonians’ Association – the ex-pupil association of my old School. Last year, in October, the OCA organised a behind the scenes at the Royal Opera House, and it was great day out. This time, we’re looking ‘beyond the obvious’ …
Read More