HaPpY NeW YeAr 2011
from MaRtIn!
It’s that time of year again, so here’s my annual newsletter.
The year began with me staying at my father’s place in Clacton.
In January I had the front of my house clad with uPVC planking, yes, very Jack & Vera Duckworth, I know! I also attended Peter Rushton’s port lecturers’ course in Lewes, Sussex staying over at Mark’s place in Brighton.
In February I was dog sitting for my brother and sister-in-law in Harlow, Essex. I visited, amongst other places: Ongar, Broxbourne, Cambridge and the magnificent Spirella Ballroom in Letchworth Garden City before ending up in Colchester and Clacton again.
In March I stayed over at Brian’s place in Ealing and caught up with Chris & Trevor from Corby for the first time in years. The next day Cunard flew me out to Singapore via Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific to join the Queen Victoria. I sailed back across the Indian Ocean visiting Kuala Lumpur, Phuket, Cochin, Mumbai, Muscat, Dubai, Salalah, Aquaba, Sharm el Sheik, Suez Canal, Piraeus, Corinth Canal (not on the QV though!) and finally Rome. In the latter I visited S. Maria Maggiore, S. Pietro in Vincoli (to see Michelangelo’s Moses), Trajan’s market (free entry), the Trevi fountain, the Spanish steps and Castel San Angelo (also free entry).
Over the summer I cruised to Norway four times, the last being my first cruise as a Port Lecturer rather than as a Dance Host. Two of these cruises took me all the way to the dramatic North Cape of Norway. I also cruised on the newly refurbished Saga Pearl II to the continental battlefields of Arnhem, Dunkirk, the Somme and the D-Day beaches also visiting Ghent and Sark.
In August I cruised around Iberia and in September sailed around the Black Sea. Two days before being due to sail from Southampton on the latter I was struck down with a painful virus and had to cancel. However the following week Fred. Olsen wanted to fly me out to Malta! After 2 hours stuck on the runway at Gatwick waiting for the French air traffic controllers' strike to end, I had an easy flight out with EasyJet. A limo whisked me to the ship where I was eagerly greeted.
In Piraeus I walked into town in both the morning and afternoon to take pictures for a future port talk. Nessebar in Bulgaria was a charming ancient town full of Orthodox churches in various states of disrepair. The scenic tour ended with a wine, cheese and salami salad whilst watching (and joining in) some folk dancing which (not surprisingly) was halfway between Greek and Cossack dancing. Again in Odessa I walked into the impressive town in both the morning and afternoon to take pictures for a future port talk. In the morning I climbed the famous "Battleship Potemkin" steps but in the afternoon I opted for the free funicular railway!
In Yalta we glimpsed the famous Swallow's Nest Castle before visiting the austere palace where Stalin met Roosevelt and Churchill. We were refreshed with Russian tea and cakes whilst watching (and joining in) more folk dancing. In Sevastopol we were all blown away by the spectacular panorama of the Crimean war. The Classical tour in Istanbul included the Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and the Grand Bazaar. I spent the second day there taking photographs for a future port talk.
In Canakkale the all day tour was great but Troy was disappointing. Assos on the other hand had magnificent ruins on a fantastic site. The barbequed meat ball lunch on the sea's edge overlooking Lesbos was lovely. No tours in Heraklion on Crete and Palma on Mallorca so more photography. The tour in Gibraltar had only one sightseeing stop at Europa Point which was being re-developed. The border crossing into Spain was tedious both ways but worth it for the Flamenco show with extensive tapas and sangria. The sail-away from Gib involved more sangria too! I was off the ship in Southampton by 7:45 am and home by 9:00 am!
In September I brought my father down to Poole for his annual fortnight’s holiday.
In November I booked a week staying in Maspalomas on Gran Canaria. I started looking for a holiday home to buy there. I had hoped to get a 2 bed/2 bath bungalow but they’re outside my price range, land is so expensive there. I hope to go back next year and actually make a purchase!
In November I crossed the Atlantic twice to visit the Caribbean and I shall be back there again for Christmas and the New Year.