Island Holidays Blog

Where does time go?

It can't seriously be February and ages and ages since I scrivened a blog!  In case you've been wondering why you hadn't heard from me, it's basically because I've been hibernating like all sensible creatures do in winter.  Either that or migrate south, which is exactly what I'll be doing in 10 days time as I head for Cape Town a couple of days earlier than my group to spend time with friends.  Then, after the others arrive and we've all had a day exploring the Winelands (notably Stellenbosch) plus some time at Cape Town's Waterfront, we join the Royal Mail Ship and head out to St Helena.

Have you heard that St Helena is definitely (?) getting its airport?  Personally I can't understand it.  They say it will bring in 30,000 visitors a year but, based on one flight a week on an Airbus or similar which can't carry a full load of passengers because of the extra fuel it has to carry to get back to the nearest available airport in emergency - let's say roughly 250-300 people - even my non mathematical brain can't compute 52 times 300 as coming anywhere near 30,000.   And that doesn't count the Saints (as the island's inhabitants are known) using the service.  Oh, and by the way, the airport will be located on a part of the island more prone to low cloud that most other places.  But it's the only area with enough flat land.  Also, it's on the opposite side of the island from the harbour where everything for the construction will be landed.  To say nothing of the fact that we're talking about steep mountainous territory between the landing and airiport sites.  Llike I say, I just don't get it.

Anyway, life goes on and I'm encouraging everyone to get to St Helena  before said "facility" opens in 2015.  With my frank opinions, I can't see me being invited on the inaugural flight, can you?!!

Less controversially, I'm getteing really excited about our Scottish Islands expedition cruise in May to celebrate 25 years of Island Holidays.  What is confusing is that I can't possibly be old enough to be running a company for 25 years having started it relatively late in life.  It's going to be such fun.  I've never spent a week on a 3-mast sailing ship before and am really looking forward to the experience. We'll be visiting Fair Isle and St Kilda amongst other places, starting in Aberdeen and ending up in Oban. There are still a few cabins available so hurry up and sign up - it's going to be brilliant!

Enough of this commercial - it;s not what blogs are for but, on the other hand, a 25th anniversary is something to be proud of and to shout about.  So many things and places have changed in that time but the joy of travelling and sharing special places with other like-minded people never fades.  And now it's time to get back to work - a newsletter needs to be written and, as always, there's a ton of emails to be dealt with.  But the sun's shining, the snowdrops are emerging (I know - you folk in the south have had that pleasure for weeks already) and the birds are starting to sing so maybe it's time to come out of hibernation!

 

 

 

St Helena Airport given go ahead

At last there's been an announcement about the long-talked-about airport for St Helena.  Whilst I quite understand the islanders' enthusiasm, I just think it's a terrible shame to ruin what is a wonderful destination and make it just the same as anywhere else.  The line taken is that it will raise the number of visitors from 900 a year to 30,000 which makes my blood run cold.   They also say that it will enable the island to become self-sufficient which I, personally, think is a load of rubbish.

I know opinion is divided but that doesn't stop me having a very strong one.   I know it's not my island, but I have over a quarter of a century of experience of marketing remote tourist destinations and also seeing beautiful places being spoilt by development, not just for the visitors but, much more importantly, for the local people.   Promises are dangled which make the whole project look attractive, but no-one listens to the voice of experience - and I'm noet just talking about me here. 

Anyway, I'm going to spend the rest of today putting together two new tours for St Helena - one for the Walking Festival in June and the next for October 2012.  They should be up on the website soon but if you want advance information give me a call on 01764 670107.   We haven't got schedules for the Royal Mail Ship beyond the end of 2012 (another frustration!).  And, of course, we are now offering independent travel on any of the ship's voyages when we can book your accommodation on the island as well and advise you on what to see and do when you get there. 

 

I don't know if you've noticed but I love St Helena!  It's right up there with my favourite places in the world.

 

The Frozen Planet

Did you see the first episode of David Attenborough's new series - The Frozen Planet?

It was amazing.  Brilliant photography, fascinating subject, superbly presented.  For those of you with the travel bug it wilil have got the toes twitching.

If you would like to sign up for a visit to the Arctic or Antarctica check out the Polar Regions section of our website. If you haven't visited the pages for a while, have a look at the brand new Antarctic Odyssey which really would be the trip of a lifetime from South America to New Zealand or vice versa.

There's new stuff "up north" as well with the introduction of a super programme in West Greenland featuring the beautiful three-mast sailing ship, Rembrandt van Rijn, for the summer of 2012.  That will be up on the website soon (she said optimistically).  And of course, there's the regular programme to Spitsbergen and East Greenland

With so much publicity for the polar regions we're anticipating that all the voyages will fill really quickly so the advice is to book as soon as you can.  And if you can't, make sure you tune in to BBC2 on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. for some of the finest filming and presentation I've ever seen.

 

 

Keeping Fit!

I've been incredibly lucky.  Over a year ago, my GP referred me to the Live Active programme and off I trotted twice a week to a gym in Perth where I had a personal trainer qualified to help people with injuries and disabililties (my back was smashed up in a car accident when I was 20).  24 sessions later the pain had eased substantially and I was able to get in and out of zodiacs when I went to South Georgia and Antarctica!

I've continued going ate least twice a week but it's getting more expensive all the time.  So I bit the bullet and purchased an exercise bike.  One neighbour gave me an exercise mat and another is donating a cross trainer (I think I've mentioned before that I live in a super place with lovely neighbours).  Now I've got what most people would call a summer house but I refer to as "The Shed".  Here's a photo of it:

As you can see - I live in the woods!   So yet another neighbour came round and helped clear the clutter in the shed to make room for above-mentioned equipment.  The bike arrived - flat pack.  Now, you need to understand that me and flat packs simply don't understand each other.  In fact it must have been a complicated procedure because it took two engineers (admittedly more at ease with steam trains than exercise bikes) two hours to put the thing together.  Needless to say, one was a neighbour and the other stays up here regularly and often and almost falls into that category.

With all this effort and expense, it seems a shame to keep it to myself so the shed is open to all-comers as and when they feel like a bit of exercise.  There's an honesty box where people can contribute to the electricity costs and we're calling the whole operation "Shed a Pound".  Good, eh?  50% of contributions will  be mine and the other 50% will go to Bumblebee Square - a village project to buy the square in the middle of the village to prevent developers runing the place.

As an aside, I've just been writing the copy for a new section of our Polar Regions part of the website. The tour is called the Antarctic Odyssey and it goes from South America to New Zealand or vice versa via the Antarctic Peninsula, the Ross Sea and Ice Shelf and Macquarrie Island, to name but a few.  should be up on the site by the middle of next week but if you can't wait till then give me a call and I'll send you more information.

 

Bureaucracy getting worse!

For nearly 25 years we've been using the Royal Air Force flights to Ascension Island and the Falkland Islands.  We send an email (used to be a fax!), pay the bill, get given a reference and off we go. Turn up at Brize Norton, show ID and that's it.  Simple.  Too simple.   It would seem that the bureaucrats are running out of things to do.  (I have a book called "Bureaucrats - How to Annoy Them" and I'm very good at it!).  This morning we received an email from FIG (as Falkland Islands Government is known) attaching forms to be filled in for every passenger.  Why?   No idea.  It's like the forms we fill in for Ascension Island Entry Permits.  In fact we can't do that for the clients - they have to do it themselves.   We then fax them to Ascension Island and when the guests arrive on the island they have to fill in the same form again!  Why?  Don't ask me.  Not much point in asking anyone really 'cos nobody knows.

Here's another question for you.   Why have travel insurance companies chosen the mysterious age of 66 to impose a double premium on clients, whereas you can rent a car until you're 70?  Why is someone over 70 required to get a doctor's certificate to say they're fit to travel if they want to go on certain ships?  Who decides these magic numbers?   I have clients well into their 80's who can walk the socks off me!  In fact on the last trip I did we had two ladies of 86 who were both miffed that the third was 87!  The younger people in the group (in their 50's) were amazed at the stamina and enthusiasm from our friends.

But back to those bureaucrats.  One of the thing my little book suggests is to drop wax on the box that says "Do not write in this space".   Of course I wouldn't dream of doing it .......

 

Scottish Islands Charter

I was down at the British Birdwatching Fair last weekend at Rutland Water and it was as fantastic as usual. I'm told there were record numbers on the Friday and the Sunday and, indeed, it seemed to be pretty busy.  For the first time in 22 years I didn't have a stand but, thanks to my dear friend Johnnie Kamugisha, I was able to base myself on his - right next door to where I used to be.  I loved the freedom of not being tied to the stand and was still able to do lots of business.  By the way, if you're thinking of going to Uganda, Johnnie's your man.  He's really rather special.

One of the important meetings was with Michel & Ko from Oceanwide Expeditiions to discuss the option I have on chartering the gorgeous motor/sailing vessel, the Rembrandt van Rijn for a Scottish Islands expeditiion cruise next May.  It's a big step to take as I have to commit a rather substantial sum of money up front.  i managed to persuade them to give me until the middle of September but, over the past few days, there's been so much interest and, indeed, firm bookings that I know I'm going to risk it.  So if you're interested check it out.  We'll be taking just 32 passengers which will make it a rather exclusive club!  If it's anything like the last time we did this it will be fantastic.  Shame I can't have my gorgeous Russian captain but the captain comes with the ship which, when we've finished with her, will go on up to Greenland to be in time to enjoy the whales which frequent the area in late May.

This weekend I'm catching up with friends in Edinburgh where I lived in the 60s &I 70s.  I'm going to a lunch party first (fingers crossed for good weather) and then on to stay with Mary & Rod. Mary and I shared a flat back in 1971!  We're really busy at the moment which is terrific after a rather quiet few months so I'll stop waffling on.  Need to work out how to get photos on here - tried to put one up just now, lost the page and had to start all over again.  Grrrr.

 

British Birdwatching Fair

All over the world people are gearing up for Rutland.   The annual British Birdwatching Fair takes place next weekend - Friday, Saturday and Sunday and, once again, there will be an opportunity to catch up with friends and acquaintances from all over the world.  I love it! 

This year will  be very different for me because, for the first time in 21 years, Island Holidays won't have an exhibition stand.  It was a difficult decision but the time had come and so now I'm looking forward to seeing the other side of the fair - going to lectures and events, stopping to chat without looking over my shoulder with guilt that I should be back on the stand and all those things.

Of course we've still got lots of wonderful holidays to offer, some birdwatching (notably Cuba) and others more general. Crete and Iceland will both be back in our programme after a year's "miss".

Oh - one more piece of news.  We're planning to charter a 34-passenger sailing/motor ship to visit the Scottish Islands, including Foula and St Kilda next May.  Several people have already booked, taking advantage of the offer of 5% off if you book beefore 1st September).

Hey - this is turning into an advertisement not a blog.  It's just that I'm really excited about all these things and so looking forward to my first Bird Fair as a visitor.

 

 

Fabulous Fair Isle

There's not much will make me miss Wimbledon but a trip to Shetland wins game set & match.  And so, on the second Monday of the championship, you find me in Fair Isle - the most southerly of the Shetland Islands.   I'm lucky to have been here quite a few times and I love it.  We're staying at the new Bird Observatory - the first group to do so since they opened in the spring: in fact the official opening is to be held here on Saturday.   I was a bit wary about the whole thing as the old "Obs" (as it is affectionately known) had such a brilliant atmosphere and that could so  easily have been lost in a modern building.  Not so.  It's fabulous.  The rooms are all en suite and very spacious and comfortable and the public areas the same.  And the food is utterly fabulous.  No choice, but no need for one when what's served is of such high quality.  On the first night we had one of the best fish pies I've ever had and yesterday's Sunday lunch was superb.

On the birding side, there's not much about at this time of year and seabird numbers are severely down on the last time I was here.  There are researchers here, two studying seabirds and two starlings.  Outside a nesting Fair Isle Wren sings its heart out most of the day while Twite and Siskin hang around the feeders.

We've been in Shetland a week already and it's been wonderful.  The weather has been kind to us - not warm, but mostly dry with occasional showers and a couple of wet evenings.  We spent the first three nights in Unst which has Britain's most northerly everything and then drove down through Yell (stopping at Burravoe where we found a couple of otters fishing) back to Mainland.  Then it was a 25-minute flight on an 8-seater Islander aircraft to Fair Isle in excellent conditions with wonderful views on the way and landing on a dirt runway.  Shetland is where pilots come for their short take off and landing training!

This afternoon we return to Mainland where we'll spend 3 nights based in Lerwick before returning to Aberdeen on the overnight ferry on Thursday.  As always time has sped by but it's been a very happy week with a great bunch of people (like Island Holidays groups tend to be!) and I think we'll all be wishing it could go on a bit longer.  Never mind - there's always next year.  I've put this link in to our Shetland page but we've not yet finalised the costing so it won't have the 2012 details until the middle of next week.  Check out the news section on our website for updates.

Looking ahead

Just because I'm not producing a new brochure doesn't mean that there's no activity round here.  Granted, it's less manic than it's been in the past and far less stressful, but we still need to create new tours and generally keep the interest up.

To that end I've just been in touch with Stella in Crete who has operated our tours there since Day 1 - and that's a very long time ago.   We're going to offer the destination again after a gap of several years and the memories come flooding back.   It really is the most amazing island which has got a bit of everything.  Sure it's got the coastal strip of tourism which can be fairly revolting in parts, but go just a mile inland and you go back in time.  Shepherds still lead there sheep (and it wasn't until I'd seen that happening in the Eastern Mediterranean islands that I understood the significance of the Good Shepherd in the bible!  Round these parts the shepherds round the sheep up;  there the animals follow the man they know and trust.

Enough theology!  Back to Crete.  Those Minoans knew a thing or two and, although our tour majors on birds with lots of botanical interest (although not necessary expertise), we take time to enjoy the treasures of archaeological sites such as Knossos.  The scenery is impressive with three dramatic mountain ranges crossing the island and a couple of beautiful high plateaux.  Then there are the tavernas!  Working on the theory that a holiday should be a holiday and not a route march (!) we have our lunches in (usually) rural tavernas, taking care to sample the local wine which is included in the cost of the holiday.  I'll never forget one occasion when another British group passed the taverna outside which our laden table shook to the sound of our laughter.  Clasping their brown paper bags with dry sandwich and hard-boiled egg, the looks of neat envy were sad to behold! 

I'm working on the cost as we speak and hope to have the whole thing up on the website 'ere long and definitely before I leave for Shetland and Fair Isle on Monday.   In fact, it's inaccurate to say "Shetland AND Fair Isle because the latter is part of the archipelago of over 100 islands, stacks and skerries which make up this very special destination.  I've got several friends in the group and am looking forward to a very good trip.

 

Corncrakes

 

Now those of you who know me might find this difficult to believe, but I took a holiday!   It was wonderful and I just wanted to share a little bit of it with you.

The place:  Islay.  The time of year:  mid-late May.

For those of you not familiar with the Inner Hebridean island of Islay, it's a two-hour ferry crossing from Kennacraig (near Tarbert Loch Fyne) on the Scottish Mainland.  A friend of mine (a client) owns the most gorgeous little cottage at Bruichladdich, overlooking Loch Indaal.  It's bliss, and Dik very kindly gives me the use of it now and again.  So it was, accompanied by a couple of friends, I headed off.  Surely any island which boasts 8 distilleries has to be good but there's so much more to it.  Normally we go in the winter as Islay is renowned as a wintering ground for various species of geese but it's also wonderful in the spring.

It boasts several iconic birds - Golden Eagle, White-tailed Sea Eagle, Chough and Corncrake to name but a few.  Now I don't know what you know of Corncrake but they are secretive birds with very loud voices.  Most people who have visited the Hebrides or Orkney have heard their call, described once as "a comb drawn over a piece of paper".  Not a pretty song but what it lacks in delicacy it makes up for in shear volume.  Thousands have heard it but not many see it let alone get a good view.

I once had a fleeting glance of one in Orkney on Papa Westray but I'd never really seen it properly.  This time I was determined.  Three times we went to the site right beside the RSPB centre at Gruinard and three times the bird was not only invisible but also totally silent.   Then, after supper one night, a friend who lives on the island and who is a terrific birder (he's led the odd tour for me over the years) called to see if we'd "got" the Corncrake.   On hearing the negative news he came round 10 minutes later and took us back to Gruinard.  Within minutes the bird was calling and then it flew (briefly) towards us, landing right at our feet in the nettles on the other side of the fence.  We couldn't see it - just the nettles moving. Eventually Annie managed to make out one eye and part of its face, but then it was gone again.

There were four birds in the area altogether and the whole thing's very territorial.  Imagine our delight as "our" bird suddenly flew up, over the fence and landed right on the path in front of us.  It turned its back and proceeded to stroll away before taking flight again to land in the nettles on the other side of the path.  Thrilled, we turned to go back to the car and home.  For some reason, Annie turned round and there was the Corncrake strutting its stuff along the wall.  It got to the end and turned round, put its head back and shouted full blast.   Amazing.   Looking back, I still can't quite believe it. 

Now back at work but life's not dull here in Comrie.  I was sitting at my desk beavering away when movement in the trees outside attracted my attention and there were two red squirrels having a right old barney.  It's got to be good!