Island Holidays Blog

Thank you

What a day it was yesterday, and a big thanks to all of you who contributed to making my 60th birthday such an overwhelmingly happy day.  My house is full of flowers, cards, champagne and much, much more and seldom has a girl felt so cherished.   Now, of course, it's back to business with a few pages of the 2010 brochure still not written and the deadline approaching rapidly.

On top of all the delights yesterday, Andy Murray got through to the semi finals, the final brood of chaffinches fledged from their nest outside my bedroom window and the sun shone.  But aren't we a wonderful nation?   We grumble like mad at cool, wet summers.  Then we get some glorious weather and complain it's too hot.  Just never satisfied - or is it simply our obsession with talking about the weather.  I remember being in the Seychelles one time and commenting to the person at the next breakfast table "What a fabulous day" which drew the response "So?".

Anyway, enough of all this.  It's time to come down to earth, still delighting in the sunshine pouring in to the office and reveling in the flowers and cards - shame about the hay fever!

Oh - and Happy 60th birthday Helen (you know who you are!).

A Prayer as I grow old

I've got a significant birthday coming up and this present arrived early from one of my neighbours who will be away next week.   I think it's wonderful and would like to share it with you:

Lord, Thou knowest that I am growing older.

Keep me from becoming talkative and possessed with the idea that I must express myself on every subject.

Release me from the craving to straighten out everyone's affairs.
Keep me from the recital of endless detail.
Give me wings to get to the point.
Seal my lips when I am inclined to tell of my aches and pains.  They are increasing with the years and my love to speak of them grows sweeter as time goes by.

Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be wrong.
Make me thoughtful but not nosey,
Helpful but not bossy.
With my vast store of wisdom and experience, it does seem a pity not to use it all.
But thou knowest, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end.

Don't know about you, but I fear I recognise some of the above!!!

Talented clients

One of the passengers on our 21st trip has just sent me the following poem which is not only brilliant but says so much about the happy time we had.   Thank you Janet and enjoy, everyone

MULTANOVSKIY BOAT SONG

(could possibly be sung, if enough whisky consumed, to the tune of Mingulay)

 

What care we for wind and weather?

This trip’s run by Libby Weir-Breen!

She takes us sailing round the

Islands

From Oban’s bay to

Aberdeen

 

Turn your tags now, snap the lifebelts

Zodiacs wait, it’s time to land.

To the fore now, step ashore now,

Multanovksiy will stay at hand.

 

Stefan leads the expedition,

Just as Vikings did of yore.

Pete and Andy spot the birdies;

Hugh tracks otters along the shore.

 

Every day another island -

Each one different from the last!

Sunshine blest us, winds caressed us,

Now a breeze and now a blast.

 

Puffins pose and bonxies battle,

Gannets soar and eiders preen.

Terns bombard us, petrels freeze us ,

Only ‘crakes’ are never seen.

 

We are watching by the harbour

Comes the otter, catching fish.

Seals stretch out along the ledges –

What more could any of us wish?

 

We have taken lots of photos:

Rocks and sunsets, birds galore.

The bar stands open all the evening

Help yourself and slainte mhor!

 

Turn your tags now, snap the lifebelts

Zodiacs wait, it’s time to land.

To the fore now, step ashore now,

Multanovksiy will stay at hand.

 

Janet Stuart, with thanks to Libby and all who made this wonderful holiday possible.

Brighton

, June 2009

Outrageous success!!!

Modesty is one thing, but to deny that our 21st anniversary expedition voyage was anything but amazing would be untrue!   It was made up of a combination of 38 really smashing passengers, a superb Russian captain and crew, a Swedish expedition leader from New Jersey, a chef from New Zealand, a 2nd chef from Wales, a doctor from Dusseldorf and a hotel director from Ushuaia in Argentina's Tierra del Fuego and, of course, Andy & Pete - my two Island Holidays leaders who make a great double act.   Add to that fantastic weather and some of the most beautiful islands on earth and  you have the recipe for a pretty good week.

Our voyage started in the west coast port of Oban on a glorious warm and sunny afternoon on a flat calm sea.  As we sailed out of harbour set on a course for Canna, the party assembled on the top deck and toasted the voyage and the memory of Island Holidays' other founding partner, Bobby Tulloch, to whom the whole week was a tribute.   It was done in champagne, of course.   Several of the passengers knew each other from previous trips and those who didn't know anyone else at the beginning soon did.

Our first landing was the next day on Canna - what an island it is.  We wandered around, some birding and botanising whilst others explored the old village and still others simply sat and drew or painted or took photographs.  The place had a wonderful aura of peace and tranquility on this glorious early summer morning.  All too soon it was time to return to the Professor Multinovskiy for lunch and a 4-hour sail to our next destination, the magically-named Mingulay.   The wind had got up and there was a heavy swell, making a landing impossible.  Instead we sailed round by the seabird cliffs before heading off to nearby Pabbay where we did manage to get ashore to stretch our legs.

There followed a pretty rough night - gale force 8 - which had rather a lot of poorly people. However Dr Heinrich had a good supply of patches and soon everyone was on good form again as we headed out to St Kilda.  Everyone who knows anything about St Kilda knows that landing is more unlikely but likely, but we were in luck.  It's a fascinating place and everything about it is even more than I had expected.  As for the gannet cliffs - WOW!

I really must stop now.  I'll try to get back to this tomorrow to tell you about our very special day in Yell.  Meanwhile it's catch-up time at the desk on this glorious June morning.

Bank Holiday Bliss

There's something about working on a bank holiday that makes one feel a bit self-righteous!  Actually, it's great because there are no interuptions and, personally, I used such days simply to take the top thing on the vast pile and do it - no matter what its priority rating.  Today I've polished off my ATOL renewal - you know, that insurance that we have to hold with the Civil Aviation Authority to protect your financial interest.  It's an expensive business (although not quite so bad as it used to be for small businesses) and my blood tends to boil when people boast about going on holiday "so much cheaper" with someone who isn't bonded.   Don't get me on my high horse!!!

May is always my favourite month of the year which is why it seems practically to have vanished without trace!  In fact the weather hasn't been that great this year (except for those fabulous couple of days up north) but I don't care - as long as the sun shines for our 21st anniversary cruise which is only 10 days away.  After all the planning (which started 2 years ago) it's hard to believe that the time has come when I'll be surrounded by so many folk who have become friends over the years they've travelled with us.  We've got a handful of new clients as well and they'll doubtless become part of the family pretty quickly.  It's going to be terrific and good weather would be a real bonus.  Prayer mats out please.  Today is fairly horrid - dark and threatening with not a breath of wind: strange how weather affects us, isnt' it?  It's much harder to be creative when it's like this.

Anyway, creative I must be because there's the small matter of the brochure to get on with.  Every year I wonder how on earth it will be done on time and every year it's achieved though goodness knows how.  There's just so much it's hard to know where to start.   I know - top of the pile!

Perfectly glorious

For next year we're introducing a new tour on Mainland Scotland and so this week found me in the North-West checking out routes and accommodation.   Tough job.   One of my neighbours took time out from school runs and came with me and we had terrific fun.   We were blessed with the two loveliest days of the year so far - clear blue skies, fantastic visibility (right out to the Outer Hebrides), and really warm sunshine (20 degrees).  The wind was chilly and strong, but who wants to get overheated?

Really I don't think there's anywhere more beautiful in the world than Scotland at its best.  The grandeur of the mountains, the contrasts of landscape within such a small area, the fabulous colour of the blue sea, the orange seaweed, the bright yellow gorse, the purple of the rhodedendrons (hope I've spelt that right!) and the haze of bluebells - all of this blends into a whole which fills the senses and feeds the soul.

So, as you might have gathered, I rather enjoyed myself!   At the same time the time was productive and I'm pleased both with the accommodation I've chosen and the jiggling of the itinerary which I've done from the rough outline the tour leader drafted.   Overall I think we've come up with a cracking 12-day tour.   All we'll need will be the weather ......

We're on count down for the 21st anniversary cruise and for the brochure deadline, so blogs might become few and far between over the next few weeks.   Having said that, it's good to get away from costings and sums and things like that and reflect on the good things of life.

Sympathy Vote please

Now I'm not asking for a sympathy vote for all those greedy politicians (nor forgetting that once the papers get a hold of something truth becomes something with which to be economic). No, it's ME that needs sympathy.  It's these horrible (few remaining) teeth of mine.  One of the front ones broke off on Friday evening while I was out for a walk to the Osprey nest.  OK, I was sucking a peppermint at the time and possible nibbled it a bit, but this was a bit drastic.  

The remains of the tooth cut my lip every time I tried to eat something.  An ideal way to go on a diet but not to lose weight as comfort in a hugely large whisky becomes essential.   I manfully struggled through Saturday until the evening when I could stand it no longer and phoned my mate Sandy who's a neighbour and friend as well as a dentist.  Bless him, he had me in there yesterday morning (meant missing church but the Good Lord probably didn't mind).   Had 4 people coming for a rib roast lunch so it was all a bit fraught.   Fortunately the guests are folk I've known and worked with for over 30 years and, although they work at the very top end of the hospitality industry: one is one of Scotland's leading chefs, his partner runs a small boutique restaurant and the other chap is, in my opinion, one of the best hoteliers in Scotland.  And his wife, Carol, is one of the loveliest ladies you could meet.  So once they'd all spent their laughter at my bizarre appearance we had a very happy time.   I'd bought new season Scottish asparagus from Glamis which is to die for and we had that for a starter.  I ate very gingerly but it was OK.   So to the rib roast.  Refrained from parcipating in the crisp Yorkshire Pudding (made in the same pan my mum used to use) but thought a roast parsnip wouldn't do any harm.  Wrong.   All Sandy's hard work was undone in a nano-second.  Fortunately the roast beef was supremely tender (and absolutely delicious). I opted for camambert (in such perfect condition it was just starting to run off the cheese board) and the mango/passion fruit pudding was easy.

But it meant going back to the dentist again this morning - and I've got to go back tomorrow as well.  Then on Wednesday I head north to the glorious west coast to check out accommodation for a new tour.  If the weather is like today it will be glorious - Scotland in May is perfection if it's good.

So I guess the sympathy factor has now gone, given that we had a very happy lunch (even if i couldn't eat much) and then a lovely walk during which the Osprey flew off her nest and did a couple of circuits to stretch her wings before returning to her maternal duties.   I reckon that lunch guests who are still around at 6 o'clock in the evening must have enjoyed themselves!

The question now is:  what's for lunch?

Spring has definitely sprung

Now spring might have sprung but what I want to know is how we've got to May without me noticing!  It's only just over a month till our birthday cruise and plans for that are going fine.  All we need now is good weather because, when it's gorgeous on the west coast of Scotland there is nowhere more beautiful in the world.  I was talking to the expedition leader, Martin Gray, last week.  He's been doing this trip for 11 years and working for Oceanwide Expeditions for 14 years (serve me right for recommending one of my best leaders!) and he says it's his favourite voyage in the world - and that includes Antarctica and Spitsbergen.  Mind you, he's an Orcadian so perhaps there's just a tad of bias there?

Before the cruise I'm going to have a couple of days in the North West (Gairloch and Ullapool) checking out accommodation for our new Scottish Mainland tour.  One of my neighbours is coming with me so we should have a good time.  Scotland in May really is unbeatable - IF the weather is good.

We've had a terrific response to the Tristan da Cunha trip.  I believe there are still a few cabins left on the ship but it's almost full - and that before we know what the price will be!  It's in January/February 2011 which sounds light years away but in fact is only just round the corner. 

I really must get back to grown-up work.  There's a brochure to be written (again).  Outside there's a wee wren singing its heart out - a noise which can be utterly beautiful except at 4.30 in the morning when it's right beside your bedroom window!  Waking up with the birds takes on a whole new meaning.

Right.  Back to work. 

Blogs

I've just been listening to a programme on Radio Scotland which was talking about blogs and emails and their misuse and the ethics of the whole thing.  It was all about how blogs are mostly nasty and always egocentric.   Would someone please tell me that there are exceptions (like this one?).  Egocentric possibly, but nasty?

Actually, yes.   The nastiness, however, is not directed against other people but against grey squirrels.  I've bitten the bullet and spoken to the chap at the Red Squirrel project who was in no doubt that the future of the reds is at stake and there is only one answer - murder.  You may remember the dilemma which I expressed back in March.  Well, the outcome is that the trap was set the day before yesterday and this morning I've been watching a grey squirrel in it feasting on peanuts and pleased as punch with him or herself.  Apparently the kindest way is to let them get used to the trap before springing it, so at the moment it's tied open.  I've got to phone the chap who's doing the business once the squirrel has become a regular visitor.  I think I'll need to try to note the times of the visits so that, when the trap is set properly, he/she doesn't have to spend long in it before being despatched.  I'm going to have to put it in the car and drive it to the appropriate place.   Ghastly.

So you see, even innocent blogs can be nasty.  Still, at least the Reds will have a better chance of survival.  If you'd like to find out more and discover why this horrible deed is essential check out www.swt.org.uk/campaigns/scotlands-red-squirrels

On the subject of wildlife, our Ospreys are back and doing some running repairs on their nest. I went for a lovely walk yesterday in perfect spring weather (almost early summer in temperature) and there they were.  Add to that carpets of primroses along the river bank and you have one of the most beautiful places in the world - and I live here!  Now.  Back to work so that I can stay here!

 

Tristan/St Helena

Hope you all had a really happy Easter and are enjoying the holiday (specially those with our group in Cyprus!).  

No sooner had the newsletter arrived from the printer last week than I received an email from the shipping company to say that there had been a slight change - story of my life!   Instead of going up to Ascension Island, the Royal Mail Ship will now go from Cape Town to Tristan da Cunha, up to St Helena and back to Cape Town.  Much more sensible if you ask me - and it will also be shorter and less expensive.  But what a trip it will be.   As I said the other day, we don't have prices yet but if you want to be sure of a place you should make a reservation with a deposit (£1,000) straight away.  You are guaranteed the return of the deposit in full in the final cost isn't suitable to you.

What a gorgeous Easter we've had up here in sunny Scotland.  It was really like summer apart from the daffodils and the new-born lambs.   This morning was radiant as well, but it's clouding over now.  Did I mention that I'm looking after two flat-coat retrievers for 12 days?  Quite exhausting, but at least the weather's been kind most of the time.

We had the steam trains running this weekend - the Comrie Railroad was open to the public over the weekend (but not today).  I went up to the bothy and had supper with the boys last night which was great fun.   Some of them are coming here for "a wee dram" this evening so I'd better hasten to the shop and get in supplies.  Otherwise it's business as usual with thoughts turning to the 2010 brochure - in fact some of it's already finished.  The only problem is the sheer volume which isn't even started, so I'd better knuckle down and get on with it.