9th May 2017 We were up and about by 7 am, along with the local rabbits. I couldn’t help but wonder if they had been munching grass all night. While I was in the shower, Jamie managed to hand-feed one of them, using his breakfast cereal, of course! Returning to the White Island Excursion office,… Continue Reading

8th May 2017 Another warm, sunny day. After showering, we set off early and headed south towards Whakatane. The scenery gradually transformed from pleasant, Shire-like rolling hills to flatter land, dotted with kiwi fruit orchards. In the distance to our right, volcanic peaks occasionally punctuated the horizon. We’ve both been struck by how tidy everything… Continue Reading

7th May 2017 Jamie was up early, watching the sunrise, while I indulged in a few more precious minutes of blissful sleep, snug in my wonderfully cosy sleeping bag. Our camper van is equipped with duvets, blankets, and pillows for four people, but I think I’ll stick with the sleeping bag I brought along. The… Continue Reading

6th May 2017 Breakfast the following morning was a change from the Chinese café of the previous day, BLT sandwiches and coffee enjoyed in our hotel room. By 9:30 am, we had checked out and were on our way by taxi to the Britz campervan hire showroom. Once the paperwork was completed, we were surprised… Continue Reading

4th May 2017 The 2nd of May was a beautiful day. I picked Jamie up outside his flat at around 8:15 am, and by 11 am, we were parked at Purple Parking, just a short bus ride from Heathrow Terminal 4. After enjoying the packed lunch that Sue had kindly prepared, we proceeded through check-in,… Continue Reading

1st May 2017 On 18th April, Sue and I travelled to Kibworth to visit Linda Appleby, a former colleague from my days at Farndon Field. Linda had been the Special Needs teacher at the school and, having retired some time ago, had kept herself busy tutoring children in the basics. Sadly, nearly two years ago,… Continue Reading

17th April 2017 At the end of March, Sarah had some holiday days to use up, so she embraced her independence and took herself off for a few days of rest in Barcelona. She visited the usual tourist attractions and had a wonderful time. March brought some fine growing weather, so, keen as ever, I… Continue Reading

12th March 2017 The first week back from Nepal felt like a slow and reluctant slide into a dismal British winter. There wasn’t much we could do outside (not that we particularly wanted to) apart from trudging to the log store behind the garden shed. By mid-afternoon, as the sun slumped behind the bungalow next… Continue Reading

3rd February 2017 Our final early wake-up of the trip, and sadly, it meant a return to the rain, gales, and cold of the UK. We had freshened up and dressed by 6:15 am and made our way down to reception, where we picked up a packed breakfast, kindly provided by the hotel. Soon, our… Continue Reading

2nd February 2017 As expected, we received a knock on the door at 6:30 am to ensure we were awake in time to witness the sunrise over Everest. I managed to shower before Sue, and we opened our balcony door to watch the much-anticipated event, scheduled for 6:50 am. Disappointingly, the hotel was shrouded in… Continue Reading