6th November 2008 Charlotte has rightly pointed out (via email, with subtlety only an eldest daughter can master) that I’ve not written a family blog in some time. The irony isn’t lost on me; retirement, I’d once imagined, would be filled with ample free time to sit back, reflect, and write. Instead, my days are… Continue Reading

Mid-October 2008 Sadly, during the week, Suraj’s father passed away in Coventry Hospital. Suraj stayed at his side until the very end, a difficult and emotional time for the whole family. An understandably exhausted Suraj, along with Charlotte and Lucas, arrived to stay with us on Wednesday. We looked after Lucas the following day while… Continue Reading

12th October 2008 The whole world appears to be in meltdown. Stock markets are plummeting, banks are collapsing, and financial pundits are flapping like pigeons in a fire drill. Frankly, I’m rather relieved not to have a mortgage or a retirement fund hanging in the balance; if I did, things would be decidedly sticky. That… Continue Reading

20th October 2008 It’s been a while since I’ve had time to sit down and add to this ever-expanding family blog, mostly because I’ve been chasing a two-year-old around like a contestant on Gladiators: Toddler Edition. As planned, the day after our return from Zanzibar (still sand in my sandals), Sarah and I met the… Continue Reading

6th September 2008 Following the spectacular high of Charlotte and Suraj’s utterly fabulous wedding, everything else inevitably felt a little… well, flat. Not unlike a balloon two days after a party, still colourful, but lacking lift. Nonetheless, we rallied and managed a full day of shopping in Stone Town. Sue didn’t join Sarah, Jamie and… Continue Reading

4th September 2008 Two days ago, Charlotte, Suraj, and Lucas travelled to see us. It took them over an hour by minibus; roads here are mostly dusty tracks, with numerous police checks that delay any journey. It was lovely to see them, and as it was Charlotte’s birthday, she had cards and presents to open.… Continue Reading

1st September 2005 As is customary on holiday, I start the day with breakfast alongside the family before heading off to the hotel gym in a valiant (and probably doomed) attempt to shed the holiday calories that sneakily accumulate the moment one steps off British soil. On my way, I paused by the beach to… Continue Reading

29th August 2008 The internet here is sooooooo slow, it makes dial-up feel like broadband. Sending an email is like launching a message in a bottle and hoping for the best. But frankly, with scenery like this, it’s hard to stay grumpy; the stunning coastline and cloudless skies more than make up for our digital… Continue Reading

28th August 2008 The weather here in Zanzibar continues to be glorious, bright, breezy, and none of the cloying humidity you’d find in the Far East. You can actually sit in the shade and cool down without feeling like you’ve been steamed like a dumpling. The sky and sea are both the sort of blue… Continue Reading

26th August 2008 Early Thursday morning (by which I mean around 12:30 pm, a very civilised “early”), we packed the car and headed off to Heathrow. All was smooth sailing until about twelve miles from the airport, when the traffic slowed, then crawled, then decided it had had enough entirely. We spent a leisurely hour… Continue Reading