So after spending a short time in Los Angeles, in March 2019, I flew from LA to Osaka with Japan Airlines. As I had decided to try and do self guided hikes, so again booked with World Expeditions for a Kumano Kodo, Coast to Coast Self Guided trip. It was for 10 days and included luggage transfer and most meals.
Having landed in Osaka, I had booked a hotel in Wakayame so I had easy access to the s Read on...
As it was wet we spent the morning exploring Treak Cliff Cavern - one of the caves where they still mine Blue John stone. Due to covid they couldnt do the usual cave tours so instead we downloaded an app & were given our own starting time (at 10 min intervals from other people) to go on our own tour. It worked very well and we had a lovely time poking around in our own time.
On the way out of th Read on...
Walking has a bit of a bore. It was fine when I started walking around our Derbyshire village home as it was a novelty. I remember enjoying walking as a change to swimming . Investigating the village I had lived in and never entirely walked around . Cul de sacs, long lanes, the ponds, the lakes and the countryside . There were places I had never ventured down and I remember apart from my aching fe Read on...
After morning heart starter number three at a Cafe in the Square, we set off for the village market in and arrived just in time to witness the butchers van make his last sale for the day before packing up and moving on. The car park he was located in wouldnt have supported many stall holders anyway, so we dont think we missed much. They must have packed up early due to low sales; this village is Read on...
For the Covid Relief Projects third chocolatada, we started the clothes donations with outfits for new borns and babies up to a year old. This village is so high up in the mountains that the nearest possible place to buy clothes is over three hours away, if you can get a ride. Nobody in owns a car and the road definitely requires 4 wheel drive.
40 weeks is full term! Cusco has carried our Covid b Read on...
Ok total change of plans today - its the last sunny day before (apparently) a week of rain, so I wanted to make sure I got up to Loen today, even if it meant extra back on my tracks. About half the drive was normal highway, half was the narrow roads - Im getting used to them at least..!
I went through this nice valley with super green waters and tiny waterfalls galore. Not many spots to stop, but Read on...
UooUoo (pronounced has been created by Melbourne artist Alexander Knox, who also created the iconic sculpture ‘Creature that stands in the main foyer of the RCH.
UooUoo is an imaginary Australian creature whose shape is loosely drawn from the wombat and dugong. A mysterious being, UooUoo is highly empathetic, playful and brave, but can be mischievous at times.
Each UooUoo sculpture measures Read on...
We were supposed to have visited Corsica in the Med back in May but reared its ugly head just before we were due to leave New Zealand and of course we didnt even get onto the aeroplane to take us to Auckland and then faraway places.
Instead we traded our Air NZ tickets for flights to and from Christchurch and here we are Day One flying from Tauranga to Christchurch in the Air NZ Bombardier Q300 Read on...
When my friend, Mike, saw my HCMC bedroom for the first time, he described it as my shrine. A fitting epithet. The Cambridge dictionary defines ‘shrine as ‘a place for worship that is holy because of a connection with a holy person or object. Well, my bedroom is festooned with photos of holy people – my parents, my friends and myself! I marginally prefer ‘sanctum sanctorum (holy of holies) Read on...
Well before retirement, Natalie and I began talking about downsizing from our home of 30 years into an RV, leaving Washington, and traveling until we find a place to make our new home. One of the best ideas we heard about the idea was to try RV living before investing in an RV because many people get the RV first, then decide they really dont like the idea, and that can be an expensive mistake.
S Read on...