27/02/2009 by Trevor.

Well what can I say, we survived and recently returned from the middle east - and not a war in sight.

Our week long stay in sunny old Dubai was an enlightening event. For those rich people who had been there before us you will know what the place is like, half luxury and half building site, as we were the poor relations we were not even allowed into the alleged 7 star hotel and had to make do with our lowly 5 start slum.

The whole trip was a revelation as to just how rich some people are, outside our hotel almost every night were ferraris, lambos and even Audi r8’s, most are never used to anything like their potential. Rolls Royces were simply too common to be worthy of comment.

The hotel - Atlantis lived up to its reputation and we enjoyed the water park to the full, we even got to meet some of the local mammals, some of us even had a quiet snog when no one else was looking - there are some images for public viewing, some may even be released to you via this site.

The desert sand crash testing went well, by that, I mean we all survived the somewhat scary experience of a local driver showing us just how to attack sand dunes in a toyota land cruiser.

Ted discovered the joys of sand boarding and looks a natural for a ski trip some time. Any foolish volunteers to partake in such a dangerous holiday put your names forward……

See you all saturday, apologies for the typing, a knackered elbow doesn’t improve my already atrocious typing.
trev

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12/02/2008 by Jen.

We’ve just got back from a fantastic weekend to Delft in Holland, where we stayed with Neil’s cousin Mark and his gorgeous girlfriend Liliana.

Delft is like a mini version of Amsterdam and personally we think it’s prettier. Canals, bridges, cobbled streets, soaring church towers (most are leaning over), a big public square surrounded by bars and resturants. I just wish we had some like it in England.

To top it all we had fab weather. Three days surprisingly warm sunny skies. We were able to sit outside eating out pancakes and drinking our beers whilst actually getting a little sun burnt! Neil had to put factor 50 on his head!

We even took a trip on a tram through Den Hagg to the beach. Can’t pronounce the place let alone spell it. Something like Skegness, but with a Dutch accent. When we got there we couldn’t believe how busy it was. Everyone out enjoying the unseasonal weather.

We’ve actually been to this beach before several years ago with Paul and Di. On that day however, it cold, grey and rather damp. I seem to remember us being the only people on the promenade. But Paul insisted he knew a good pancake resturant, so off we went. And it was good.

Anyway, our last day in Delft, we really decided to go dutch and all four of us hired bikes and headed off into the country. Considering how many bikes there are in Holland, it’s surprising how old fashioned even the new bikes are. Most don’t have brakes, those that do, don’t do much apart from make a horrible grinding noise. Quite worrying when your cycling along a path 2 foot wide with canals either side, and then you meet another cyclist coming the other way. The Dutch on bikes don’t slow down for anything.

After several miles we found ourselves at an old windmill, converted into a resturant. Good apple pie to be had.

Then unfortunately it was time to head back and catch the train to the airport. All over far to quick. Wish we could have stayed longer as there were so many bars and resturants that needed investigation. 

Definately a place we want to go back to.

 Many thanks for a fantastic weekend to Mark & Liliana

Neil & Jen x

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01/01/2008 by Rob.

Wishing all the US the best for 2008! Thanks for the NYE bash, Nicky and Trev (and Ted!).

 R & P

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27/11/2007 by Neil.

With the weather man predicting a glorious sunny weekend (he lied) we decided as we were free for the weekend to head over to the Island to see me mam, and get another section of the Island coastal path completed.

The coastal path is around 75 miles long, and we have been walking it in small ½ to 3 miles sections as part of various circular walks, which may be as much as 9 miles long. So far we have completed the vast majority of the 75 mile path, probably walking at least double that in the process.

Well last weekends section was a 6½ mile circular route starting and finishing at a well used establishment of ours, The Folly Inn.

Actual map of route walked

Coastal route walked so far (click image to enlarge)

Walking along the banks of the river Medina to the Island Harbour Marina, past the Ryde Queen Paddle steamer, which is as you can see is in sorry old state.

Would you believe it, that in my younger days, when I was a lot fitter, thinner, and had a good head of hair, I used to have many a good night out on her, when she was a very popular night club. The girls didn’t stand a chance. “How youuuu do-innnnn”.

Like me though, she hasn’t faired well, although her funnel has now fallen off, at least mine is still well and truly intact !!! Aint that right jen………jen …JENnnn

Anyway, moving on, we headed inland until where we saw this rather menacing sign on a gate. Must get one of these.

This was followed by a rather strange site in a field. It was like something from a 1970’s episode of Doctor Who. “The Invasion of the Killer Post-boxes”………

They fire high velocity letters as weapons. First class ones decapitate you, but second class ones only stun and leave you with a rather nasty black eye and the excess postage to be paid.

Nasty…….

But their evil plans were thwarted when the Doctor arranged a 48 postal strike. Hurrah. The Earth is saved.

Time to continue me thinks. We followed the route of the old Island railways, another successful closure from Beaching, and into The town of Wotton where we came across this wood carving.

I think they got Jen’s better side, don’t you ?

From here it was the long trek back to the Folly, passing this new designer Bus Stop.

Our feet were aching by this point, so it was tempting to wait for a bus, but we thought from the size of it, it was a bus stop for the vertically impaired only. Political correctness gone mad if you ask me.

And now as our adventurous treks ends we fall into the pub for our just reward. Big mistake sitting on that big comfy sofa though, as our eyes began to close……

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02/11/2007 by Paul D.

We had a nice couple of days in South Wales last weekend, tearing up some tarmac, eating, drinking (yeah, really!) and raising a few bob for the Born Free Foundation.

There were about 30 cars, most with two people, so a nice social. The weather was crap and the roads were damp which meant the rooves had to stay up until late Sunday morning, when the sun finally broke through, the roads dried up, and the right feet were allowed to become a little more enthusiastic…..

Di took first prize by popular vote in the weekend’s photo competition, winning an iPod Shuffle, with this, which pretty much summed up the feel of the weekend…..

On the Friday night, we were in the second row in a theatre in Dartford to see the brilliant ‘Fragile’ with very special guest, guitar virtuoso Steve Howe of YES doing a solo acoustic set and then joining the band for a few YES numbers.

Steve and the band were certainly on absolute top form and the highlight for me was their rendition of ‘Soon’, the closing movement from ‘Gates of Delirium’, which featured Steve on pedal steel guitar. The piece was beautifully executed, and performed with a passion and grace that even the full YES lineup would’ve been more than proud of.

I guess you guys probably wouldn’t understand, but for me that was truly a little piece of heaven….

P.

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24/09/2007 by Neil.

Well lets start my first blog with one of those strange holiday stories.

As you all know we had a small trip to sunnier climes recently, a chance to top up on my sunburn, mosquito bites and liver deterioration. Jen had a relaxing time too.

We arrived to be greated by an Indian version of David Bedford. “got your number” we said to ourselves. (although I thought he looked a bit more like the Harry Enfield Scouser characters). Anyway, we had a little chuckle about this whilst filling in our registration card, which we then handed over to get our room key.

We were in room 118.

Oh boy here we go. And when we got to room, there laid out on the bed were our numbered beach towels, so we just couldn’t resist a photo opportunity. The moustashes are real by the way. Well it was a long journey and no opportunity to shave.

But to continue….. we unpacked and got the valuables put into the safe. One of those digital ones, where you set up your own code number, which we usually set to the first 4 digits of our phone number, which are………..

0118

Note, any potential thieves out there, who are planning to follow us on next hol’, and try to break into the safe using the above numbers, we will of course not use them again. we will use the last four instead.

So where else could those numbers crop up.

Palm trees.

Basically, every palm tree on the island is numbered (a way of keeping track of the coconut cropping we think). So on our first night, we go to dinner and we get allocated a table for the week. Ours was by the wall, where we could look out and see………….. a certain palm tree. I wont bother to tell you the number painted on it, but a photo is supplied.

I think we will be taking the hint and get some lottery tickets. How many derivertives of 118 can be used?

1, 8, 11 & 18 to start. 9, 10, 19 perhaps?……..

The rest of the holiday went as normal as a Maldivian holiday can go. Plenty of book reading, snorkeling, and attempting to work our way through the cocktail list. Of the 59 we got through 26 of them. Not bad for just a week. Many of the remainder were just the boring ones, Screwdriver, Bloody mary etc. They hardly count. Besides, the beer was ice cold, and more my cup of tea, or cup of beer…. Mind you drinking too many, can make you wear silly shirts. Look what I ended up in after a few dozen jars !

Should have stuck with the cocktails………..

Well thats it for now. I’m off to scratch and pick at my mosquito bites (well over 60 of them…….nice) usually, they always go for Di, but she not there !!! I was a suitable substitute it seems.

laters

neil

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