14th June 2020 Our room had a damp, musty smell and, upon investigation by Sue, we discovered that the bungalows had been flooded to a depth of half a metre during the last cyclone. Nonetheless, we slept well, although Sue was still experiencing stomach troubles despite now being on antibiotics. It was raining when, after… Continue Reading

12th June 2020 Sue was still feeling unwell and not at all looking forward to the long drive north when we woke at 5 a.m. Despite this, we weren’t the first to arrive for breakfast at 6 a.m., and it was served in good time for us to board the coach by 7 am. As… Continue Reading

10th June 2022 Today, at around 8:30 a.m., we left Ranohira and set off towards the beautiful coastal town of Ifaty. Unfortunately, Sue had eaten something that disagreed with her and developed a mild case of food poisoning, which began to take effect during the night. However, after a shower in the morning, she felt well… Continue Reading

7th June 2022 “It wasn’t quite such an early start today, we left the hotel at 8 am, heading for Fianarantsoa, one of the island’s largest cities. Although the journey was described as taking four and a half hours, we didn’t arrive at the hotel until 6 pm.” We began our journey with a tour… Continue Reading

6th June 2022 Other than the gentle sound of surf on soft white sand, a good night’s sleep was aided by complete silence. We were among the first to arrive for breakfast at 7:10 am, and the fare was the best we’ve had so far. The only issue was the rectangular slabs of butter, which… Continue Reading

(4th June) A bleary-eyed breakfast at the ungodly hour of 5.45 am was the prelude to a long and arduous journey to Morondava, in the arid southwest of Madagascar. Our marathon trek, lasting 14 hours, began and ended in darkness, leaving us thoroughly exhausted and more than ready for bed. We set off from the… Continue Reading

1st – 2nd June 2022 With all the paperwork (hopefully) safely stowed in my rucksack, we set off at 8 a.m. for Birmingham Airport in a taxi driven by one of the parents of a child I used to teach, Rebecca Pearson. The journey proved an interesting one, as we caught up on family news.… Continue Reading

31st May 2022 With the arrival of May, the family’s determination to ‘get sorted’ has gathered pace, keeping everyone busy both indoors and out. In Rothwell, Newbold Verdon, and Waltham on the Wolds, walls have been papered and painted, gardens mown (or even hoovered), beds planted up, and a great deal of carpentry and construction… Continue Reading

27th April 2022 Fortunately, I tested negative for COVID-19 on 4th April and was able to attend my six-monthly dental check-up. Sue, meanwhile, continued to cough up phlegm and tire easily, though she was showing some signs of improvement. Both of us have been struggling with the chilly weather and have taken to lighting a… Continue Reading

31st March 2022 Jamie moved in with us on my birthday, and after work the following day, he drove to Bottesford to spend the weekend with Ruth, planning to return to Willow Bank on Sunday night. With the easing of Covid rules, Ruth’s parents had flown from their home in France to spend a few… Continue Reading