It was 7:30 AM in the city of Bodo – Norway - when I woke up on 11th September (so coming up for 2 weeks ago now) – and down in the hotel breakfast room, there the variety of food was similar to previous places (meaning massive), and I started with some fruit; and saw … Continue reading A day in Bodo – and a rough ride on a Norweigan boat…

It was 7am, 15°C and raining when I turned the hair dryer off this morning, Soot had got us up at 5:30 AM, the hens were all up and clucking, and I gave them each three blackberries (making them very excited - as they love blackberries), and some plums were being harvested. After breakfast, I … Continue reading A day trip to Oxfordshire for a pottery exhibition – with diversions…

Names have been changed here - for privacy purposes When the group I was travelling with left Marrakech - on day 5 of this trip, we went through 'Oued Touama', and our guide, talked about healthcare in Morocco over the microphone in the bus, and mentioned that doctors now have to work in hospitals in … Continue reading A look round a Morroccan supermarket…

When we arrived at Garden Organic in temperatures of 28*C , there was a 227 gram plastic jar of salted mini crackers, as well as large sterile first aid dressings and leaflets about eye tests by the volunteer sign in sheet; and outside again, by the polytunnels, there were ginormous maize plants that looked like … Continue reading My notes from this weeks volunteering at Garden Organic…

This was on a trip round Indochina - with a group, and the month was fantastic: We got to The Thai Park Hotel at 11.25am (where we were given individual rooms and it was all sort of posh). Then I had a shower and washed my hair, relaxed on the bed for ½ an hour … Continue reading A short cooking lesson in Bangkok…

It was about 5:30 PM and 22 °C with very bright sun out when we got in the car and set off for the Welcombe Nature Reserve for a little walk organised by the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust. There was a stop at the chemist, the usual route was taken to Stratford, and we disembarked from … Continue reading An evening Warwickshire Wildlife Trust tour of some local hills…

When we arrived at Marylebone at 12.10pm today, I saw a man having his shoes shined on a 'Shoe Shine Express seat'; and we went down the stairs to the Bakerloo line, got on to a tube that looked and felt like an overheated baked bean can, were off it within 4 minutes and on … Continue reading An excerpt of a day trip to London… (the last 1 before COVID hit)

When we set off this morning – for a day out at Kelmscott Manor - (built in around 1577 - a limestone manor house that was inhabited by William Morris - a textiles designer - from 1871 until his death in 1896) - with an old friend of my mothers, there was a quick stop … Continue reading A recent day out at Kelmscott Manor…

On board the plane to Doha, when asked what I’d like to drink, I went for oolong tea, said to the cabin crew man that I’d never had oolong tea and it sounded very interesting, which made him smile and he said ‘it’s very spicy’, and as usual in these situations, I had the vegetarian … Continue reading Observations in a Nepalese airport – part 2…

I know how lucky I am to have done all the travelling I’ve done (Greenland was the next one planned – until the pandemic hit), and airports are fascinating places – these were my observations in a Nepalese airport on my way home after a trip - a few years ago now - that didn’t … Continue reading Observations in a Nepalese airport…