HaPpY NeW YeAr 2022
from MaRtIn!
This is my annual newsletter, I would welcome receiving your news too!
Last Christmas my friend Mark came for lunch. He provided the smoked salmon starter and the Christmas pudding, whilst I cooked roast chicken, not turkey.
The only highlight in a locked down January was John Marshall's zoom party! In February I had my first CoViD vaccination, whilst writing lots of new lectures. In March we were finally allowed to travel again, so I used my bus pass to go to lovely Swanage and Salisbury.
In April I met my new neighbours Mark & Daniel and their dogs Lola & Max. That month I also had my second CoViD jab. May was uneventful, bar lots of spring time walks.
Finally in June I was able to cruise again, after fourteen months and twelve lost cruises. The highlight of my first cruise was St. John's Monastery in the mystical island of Patmos, on the maiden voyage of the lovely Silversea's Silver Moon. This was one of three new islands for me, including Paros the Marble Island and Mykonos the Paradise Island!
I was asked to stay on for the next cruise, where I visited the remote island of Amorgos and the Greek mainland city of Nafplio(n). I had just one week at home in July before joining the brand new Celebrity Apex for another Aegean sea cruise, but also visiting Dubrovnik in the Adriatic sea where I took the cable car up the local mountain. The high lights of the follow on cruise were Delos the sacred island just off of Mykonos and Oia village on Santorini.
I was home again for just the first week of August, before being asked to rejoin the Silver Moon again. This Aegean cruise included six complimentary tours, where I didn't have to work as an escort. The best of which was the Ancient Greek theatre at Epidaurus (not Epidural!) and the Palamidi fortress above Nafplio(n). The follow on cruise included visiting two of the famous beaches on Mykonos the Paradise Island!
Back home for September, I was at last able to catch up with my house and garden. I had a lovely short break in North Cornwall visiting Boscastel, Port Isaac and RickStow/PadStein. At the end of September I was given a new Open University T802 MSc student, who lives in Cape Town, to supervise.
In October I lectured on Saga's brand new ship the Spirit of Adventure (SofA) not to be confused with their old ship of the same name. On this cruise I went on seven tours and visited four new towns in France and one new port (Le Verdon-sur-Mer). Unfortunately my planned second visit to Huelva (pronounced Welba) was changed to Cadiz, but that is still one of my favourite ports.
I was home for two weeks when I had my CoViD booster shot, before flying out to Athens to join the lovely Silversea's Silver Spirit in Piraeus. This was my tenth visit to Piraeus this year alone! The high light of this cruise was my first visit to Catania and Mount Etna from Syracuse on Sicily.
After turning around in Barcelona, the follow on cruise included the vintage train to Soller on Mallorca. The famous Spanish artists Picasso and Dali featured on two other excellent shore excursions.
After another week at home, I am off again on Saga's brand new ship the Spirit of Discovery (SofD) to the Canaries. I am home again for just one week over Christmas where I have been invited to lunch with my friend Mark.
On Boxing day I will be driving up to London ready to fly out to Bridgetown, Barbados to join the lovely Silversea's Silver Whisper. This cruise will include two new islands, Bequia and Montserrat in the Caribbean, for me. I will then fly home from Florida.
I have four more Silversea cruises booked for 2022, three on the brand new Silver Dawn and one more on the Silver Spirit again.
I hope you and your family and friends are keeping well. Do keep in touch!
Martin