5th March 2016 This was our final breakfast at the Veranda Palmar Beach Hotel, and Sue picked a table by the pool to enjoy the meal. The sky was a flawless blue, and the sun was mercilessly blazing, roasting anyone who hadn’t sought shade or properly applied sunscreen and donned a hat. The heat dampened… Continue Reading

4th March 2016 A Reflection: Today is my birthday. A yearly reminder that time marches on, dragging me along in its relentless stride. Some people seem to wear the years lightly, while others bear their weight more heavily. And some of my friends are no longer here to mark the passing of time. But as I… Continue Reading

3rd March 2016 We had an early start today, heading north to visit the Botanical Gardens in Pamplemousses. For once, we stayed focused on our destination, making no stops along the way. Although we weren’t entirely sure of the garden’s exact location, a quick detour to a Forestry Station provided the directions we needed; it… Continue Reading

2nd March 2016 Sue’s alarm jolted us both out of a deep sleep, and there was definite reluctance to leave the warmth of the bed this morning. After a hushed discussion, we agreed that by 8:30 a.m., the dining room would be relatively quiet, with no queues for the hot plates. Best of all, we’d… Continue Reading

1st March 2016 We had two thunderstorms last night, neither of which woke Sue, and I was too comfortable in bed to get up and watch the fireworks. When the alarm went off at 8 am, we sleepily showered and made our way to breakfast. After loading up on fruit, cheese, ham, and bread, I… Continue Reading

29th February 2016 Thanks to the air conditioning, we enjoyed a solid night’s sleep. Still, it was with great reluctance on my part that I dragged myself out of bed at the ungodly hour of 8 am. Showered and dressed, we made our way through the early morning heat to breakfast. Disappointingly, despite their left-hand… Continue Reading

28th February 2016 It was a Saturday morning, and Sue and I were up at 7 am, both eager to escape the cold winter days of Harborough. Annoyingly, despite our plans to flee the gloom, it was bright and sunny. By 9:30 am, we had double-checked the previous day’s packing, ensured all necessary paperwork was… Continue Reading

25th February 2016 On the Friday following our return from a much warmer southern hemisphere climate, we entertained the Rothwells and Jamie with a couple of curries, one made using spices I’d purchased at the Spice Farm in Suva. No one complained, so I’ll take that as a sign they were acceptable. However, I had… Continue Reading