under another sun

An alarming start: 6:45. I'd had a wretched night's sleep. Seems the that orange faced malignant narcissistic rapist racist criminal devil Trump has beaten Kamala Harris to the presidency. Shameful.  Lorraine and I up blearily, and after breakfast and faffing about, caught a train to Brighton, and arrived delayed at Gatwick. Realised at Seaford station I had left my phone at home. No trains via Lewes due to a points failure, so via Brighton to Gatwick. However planes delayed here due to fog, probably mixed up with yesterday's gunpowder. Astonishingly, however, our boarding was only delayed by half an hour of so.  The flight was fine. The small twin engined prop taking off like a flying coach all very smooth. Cramped inside however, but very happy to see Guernsey for the first time in two and a half years as we finally dropped below the low blanket of cloud.  A taxi from the airport. The most miserable taxi driver I've ever met, completely down on every aspect of Guernse...

Hurrah! Off to Guernsey for the first time in three years. Trundled down to Preston Park station and caught the train to Gatwick. We were fearing delays and difficulties, but apart from our plane being delayed by an hour we were through security really quickly, having checked in online before. We were only carrying hand luggage which meant that there would be no hanging around. I felt twitchy generally and the vertigo I get from time to time was quite bad this morning. I tried to buy a couple of cups of tea from Pret but left in disgust after waiting at the front of the queue for twenty minutes. The flight however, was fine  on the Auringy twin engined prop. The weather in Guernsey gorgeous when we arrived (it being overcast in Blighty). Straight through security with our hand luggage and into a taxi with a loquacious woman driver from Madeira. Back to La Barbarie and a warm welcome from Sally there. Into our usual upgraded room. Lovely stuff.  Then after a cheeky glass of Lib...

Proper holiday today! Up to London early on a morning when flights were stopped at Gatwick due to a rogue drone menacing the runways. A bit before we reached Gatwick, I saw a Police helicopter hovering over woods, searching for the criminal masterminds at work.  A bit eery and peaceful to go through Gatwick on the train and see no planes arriving or taking off. I arrived early in Covent Garden, and found myself looking for a present for Lorraine, and finding one, which was an unexpected bonus. Then I met Mum for a cheeky two hours outside The Salisbury on St Martin's Lane.  The pub's website says it opens at 11 am, but this was a filthy lie. Instead we went for a walk around Covent Garden, and then were first into The Bear and Staff and as Mum zoomed into the loos, I spoke to the loquacious woman behind the bar. She said at Christmas her family has secret Santa as there are too many of them, and she had not 'got the dollar' for nine presents. Mum horrified by glancing...

Up and our last full Guernsey breakfast, before packing. Wet tops on and Lorraine and I walked down to Moulin Huet. It was deserted. I was feeling twitchy generally for some reason, but the fact that Moulin Huet is the centre of my known universe and I was there with Lorraine soon had me feeling right as rain. It is the perfect place, even when grey and overcast. Lorraine loves it there too. Eventually, and with slightly heavy hearts we walked up the hill back along the lovely lanes to the hotel. Our taxi came, fond farewells with our friends at La Barbarie, and a cheerful taxi driver took us in no time to the airport. The plane journey bumpy and the serving of teas had to be curtailed. I was pleased with myself however, as I did not scream or rend my clothes once during the turbulence. Slow business at Gatwick, as a UK flight you now have to be collected in a coach from the plane and disgorged somewhere else. A long wait for the suitcases, enough time to speak on the phone to Vale...

Last day in Kokkari, out early and for a long slow Greek breakfast. Then back to the rooms to pick up our cases and chat with the owner and her husband, and another couple we got chatting to. Long journey home, the plane from 'Lonely Planet' airlines actually a second hand Aurelia Boeing from Lithuania, staffed by rather curt young men. Feeling a bit twitchy about flying. Take off from Samos airport fairly horrid, as we sped down the short runway, made it over the sea, within seconds the plane hit a very low air pocket and sank and lurched starboard before recovering. Then to Lemnos, where we all had to disembark as the plane was refuelled, and one of our fellow travellers locked himself in the toilet cubicle.  Up again into high cloud. A curt 'turbulence, please do up your seat belts' as we started bucking and plunging. I was exceedingly twitchy, a state improved by in and tonic. The second part of the flight fine, but it was good to be home, despite the fact that th...