Island Holidays Blog

Day off!

I did the unheard of - had a bank holiday weekend (almost).   Admitedly I nipped in to the office to do the odd hour here and there, but basically I behaved like a human being for the whole weekend!   I guess the focal point was the rather excellent rib roast on Sunday evening with half a dozen friends (I think there were 7 of us).   Shame I burnt the Yorkshire Pud!   Then there were Clover and Bracken who came to brighten my life for Saturday and Sunday - a pair of Flat-Coat Retrievers.  Clover is getting on a bit - she's nearly 10 - but little Bracken is only 6 months and full of energy.  They were a real joy.

Yesterday really was the first day of summer in this neck of the woods and how lovely it was.  The bluebells are beginning to come out and the woods are full of anenomes and dog violets while the banks are carpeted in primroses and the smell of wild garlic fills the air.   The local Osprey are back although I haven't seen them myself yet.  Every time I go for a walk past their nest they're either out or sitting tight.  One of my neighbours was admiring the way they go all the way to Africa and then find their way back to the self-same tree:  dammit, I go to Africa and find my way home too and nobody says I'm amazing!

So now it's back to work with a vengeance with less than 2 weeks before I head off to Romania and the brochure seriously badly behind.   Watch out for the new newsletter which should be on the website in the next couple of days and hitting doormats or inboxes very soon. 

Free Passports

I've just heard that if you are a British citizen and were born on or before 2nd September 1929 you are entitled to a free 10-year, 32 page passport.

Apparenlty this is in recognition of the sacrifices made by World War II veterans and civilians.  I don't think this news is hot off the press but you might well want to pass it on to any of your friends who are of that generation and who still enjoy roaming this wonderful world of ours.

Talking about roaming the world, I was working on our itinerary for Uganda next March yesterday and nearly packed a bag and left to jump on the first flight!   We've got a slightly different itinerary this time and it looks absolutely wonderful.   Some of the accommodation which Johnnie has chosen for us is really outstanding and the chances of seeing Chimps and Gorillas are strong.  Although it's primarily a birding tour, you can't be in that neck of the woods without being surrounded by game as well, to say nothing of impressive scenery.   I haven't been able to get out there yet and so want to go.   Down girl.  Get on with that 2009 brochure .....!!!  (By the way - I haven't finalised the price for next year yet so haven't changed the web page - departure will be 17 March.)

The rain in Spain ...

You don't really expect lashing rain, fierce winds and seriously cold temperatures in southern Spain in late April, but that's what we got.   Some of the streets in Seville were flooded as we left the city on Saturday morning and the river was a raging. rich muddy colour and seriously full.

Not that we were deterred.  The rain eased as we headed up to Extremadura and the rest of the day was sunshine and showers (more of the latter than the former) but always with a really strong wind.  The Montagu's Harriers were on great form, displaying, prey-passing in mid air and getting their nest sites organised.  They breed in colonies in barley fields and, of course, there's a problem when it comes to the harvest.  That'a s lot of what Fergus's work is about (see previous blog) - mapping the nests and ensuring the farmers avoid them when the time comes.

We had a busy three days, quite a bit of it with the harriers and other members of the AMUS (Action for Wildlife) team but also had time to check out hotels and restaurants for the tour and do a bit of general birding.  I was thrilled - I had seven "lifers" (species I'd never seen in my life before) including Great and Little Bustard and the rare Black-shouldered Kite which was fantastic.   There was a wonderful spot smothered in orchids and, a rare treat, a Nightingale singing but in full view (they usually lurk in the bushes and frustrate the heck out of you if you want to see as well as hear them.

All in all it was an excellent (if chilly) three days - five if you count the travel, but that wasn't excellent, it was just tedious!   I love the place I live, but having to take the extra flights to and from London really does add a lot of time to any journey.   On the other hand, what would I do if there wasn't something to grumble about?

Hit the Road Jack

Do you remember that song?   It seems what I do rather often and today is no exception.  Just half an hour and it's time to leap into that trusty Golf and head to the airport where the chaps in Secure AirParks seem to know me reasonably well! 

Unfortunately there are no direct flights from Scotland to Seville so it's that same old story of flying to London and then hanging around.   I'll be leaving just after 8 this morning but don't land in Spain until 10 past 7 this evening.   And when I get home people ask if I had a nice holiday!!!!

But it should be an interesting trip.  Tour leader Fergus Crystal will be meeting me and tomorrow morning we head up to an area of Extremadura about 1 1/2 hours north of Seville - think we have to arrive by 8.30 a.m. (repeat comment about nice holiday).   Fergus spends 5 months of the year out there working on a Montagu's Harrier conservation project in a really rural area.  I'm hoping that we'll be able to get some involvement in that work for our clients when you/they go out next March.  We're timing the holiday early in the year so that the flowers and butterflies are at their best as well as the migrant birds arriving.   

I doubt there'll be a chance to get near a computer while I'm away - it will be fairly intensive: learning about the area, the project, inspecting hotels and looking for reliable transport and restaurants.  The latter is fun!   So I'd better stop, transfer data to the laptop and head off into the great unknown.

Want a free passport?

Well, apparently you can get one - if you were born on or before 2nd September 1929!  I didn't know that!   The information came courtesy of an email from one of my delightful clients who thought that some of our more mature travellers might be interested.

Over the years I have never failed to be impressed by so many of you who travel with us well into your 80's (and for some even beyond that).  I well remember a wonderful 93-year-old from Shetland who put the other members of the group to shame!  She was quick and nimble, not only in mind but in body. Which all goes to show that age is totally irrelevant - unless you want a free passport.

I'm away to try to find out more.   The Passport & Identity Service website hasn't given me anything - not that I've read every word of it - but I hope by the end of today to know more.  I'll then put a wee piece in our next newsletter which I'm currently (supposed to be) writing!

I'm off to Extremadura in Spain on Friday - probably won't have time to do another blog before then: as always there's too much to do and never enough time in which to do it.  Still, the sun pouring into the office this morning gives a bit of energy and enthusiasm.   Onward!

Daddy Simpson

Congratulations to tour leader David Simpson and his partner, Aud, who have produced a son and heir.  Joseph Horatio was born a couple of days ago (I think - my mobile was turned off so I've only just got the message)and weighed in at 3.4 kilos which I reckon to be around 7 - 8 pounds.  (Don't have a photo of the baby yet so you'll have to make do with one of the proud father.

Great excitement all round but it won't stop Dave leading our wonderful holiday in his own part of France - the North of Aquitaine/Dordogne region from 10 May.  It's a fabulous part of the world and Dave's all-round-naturalist approach, love of the landscape and appreciation of the finer things of life such as food and wine all enhance the visitor's experience.  This time of year the spring flowers will be in bloom and the trees will have that wonderful fresh green which disappears so quickly.  As for the butterflies ......   Then there's the pre-history aspect with cave paintings and so on.  Wish I was going too!

From St Helena

Vince Thompson, Director of the National Trust of St Helena, has got very strong views on tourism.  Whilst not wishing to get involved in the politics of the island, I thought it would be a good idea (with his permission of course) to publish an email which he sent me over the weekend.   Personally I've always been ad advocate of the "quality not quantity" argument and I therefore agree with what follows.

Today [28^th March] two related things started to happen.  First, the Island’s Director of Tourism relayed to members of the St Helena’s Tourism Advisory Committee some information from the Dept. for International Development.  Put briefly, the ‘Destination Development and Marketing Plan for St Helena’ is required now by UK ministers – before the newly appointed and ‘high-powered’ Tourism Commissioner even sets foot on the St Helena.  This situation has all the familiar ingredients of rush, panic and a botched job – a recipe for a waste of time and a waste of money.  Building St Helena’s new airport in relatively easy, in comparison to selling the Island to the ‘right kind of tourist’ and getting St Helena’s  fledgling tourism economy off the ground.

This brings me to the second thing.  Two ships arrived in the harbour yesterday morning; the Antarctic research ship ‘Sir Ernest Shackleton’ and the National Geographic ‘Endeavour’.  The ‘Shackleton’ had only crew and the ‘Endeavour’ about forty passengers.  Despite the low numbers, the crew and passengers from these two ships showed far more interest in St Helena’s natural and built environment and the Island’s history than some of the cruise liners that make a one day call here.  Towards mid-afternoon, the ships visitors came in and out of the National Trust office in droves asking questions, seeking information sources and buying books and photographs. 

A couple of weeks ago, a ‘normal’ cruise liner called at St Helena for a day and about 400 passengers landed at the wharf for a one day visit.  Unfortunately, most passengers on that day did not appear to know where they were in the world.  If the Island had not been on the cruise itinerary, many of its passengers would have very happily have remained blissfully ignorant.

The crux of a ‘Destination Development and Marketing Plan for St Helena’ is effective communication with the specialist tour operators and a particular and special kind of ‘tourist’ – I prefer to use the word ‘visitor’.   St Helena wants to conserve its individuality and way of life.  This is accepted by the

UK

and St Helena Governments.  I just hope the new Tourism Commissioner accepts this too and realises what work has to be done – not just to market the Island successfully, but to attract visitors who know the difference between

San Francisco

Bay

and St Helena’s

Sandy

Bay

.  This is officially termed ‘low volume-high value’ tourism.

In a phrase, St Helena needs as many visitors from tour operators like Island Holidays Plus as the Island receives from the ‘floating holiday camps’.

By the way, the chap who did so much research on the critically endangered Wirebird and who wrote the guide to The Birds of Ascension and St Helena, Dr Neil McCulloch, is leading our next visit to the island in October and we still have space available.  I decided to use a picture of the Wirebird in this blog rather than of Neil - hope he agrees!

 

Happy Easter

I hope you've all had a really happy, if chilly, Easter.   I took yesterday off and had a lovely day.   After church it was a bit of a scramble to get everything ready for friends arriving for a traditional Easter Lamb roast lunch.  There were only 4 of us but you would have thought I was cooking for a regiment what with nibbles before, all the different veg, some roasted and some boiled (to perfection of course), mint sauce, redcurrant jelly, old-fashioned gravy with not a sniff of Bisto and so on.  The guests provided the cheese course and I'd made a scrummy raspberry parfait (Rick Stein recipe).   All washed down by excellent vino.   

Meanwhile, outside, the 7 1/4 inch gauge steam railway was in full swing with enthusiasts having arrived from all over the country.   They were totally undeterred by the odd snow flurry although the public (for whom it was open for one day only) were obvioulsy not quite so hardy!   We had a  spin around the track after lunch - it's a wonderful experience with superb scenery on top of the steam experience.

Now it's back to work in earnest having thoroughly enjoyed my "day of rest" (?!).  Started at 5 o'clock this morning but will need to take a break after lunch and before entertaining some of the steam boys to supper.  There's another snow flurry falling at the moment but nothing serious.  At least at this time of year you know it won't last too long (famous last words!).  I haven't bothered to take the car to the bottom of the hill so watch this space!

Now then.  It's time to do battle with the internet to try to get some cheap flights to Seville, preferably using airmiles.  That's my next trip - meeting up with Fergus Crystal in the south of Extramadura where he's working on Montagu Harrier research.  We're going to put a tour together for next year which will include some involvement in the project.  It will be in March which is a fine time for the flowers and particularly the orchids.   I'll only be there 3 or 4 days but at least it will give me a taste of what is in store for our clients next year.

What a deskful!

That's the trouble with going away.  It's what you come back to.   Now don't get me wrong - it doesn't matter where I've been in the world or what I've seen and done, it's always good to get home.   Right now I'm having difficulty in concentrating on work as there's a dear little Treecreeper feeding on the old oak right close to the office window (the same tree in which the Red Squirrel frolicks from time to time).  I'm blessed to live in such a beautiful spot.  But the trouble is the desk!

Having got home on Friday night and worked pretty well on Saturday (Sunday off except for a couple of hours in the morning) and had a good day yesterday, it's now lunch time on Tuesday and I still haven't read everything that came in, let alone acted on it.   So if you're one of the people drumming fingers and waiting for a reply please be patient - I'm on the case!

Turtles and Satellites

It's our last day on an incredibly hot Ascension Island - we reckon temperatures have been up around 34 degrees in Georgetown, although it's cooler up on Green Mountain.   But, in spite of melting, everyone has really enjoyed their short time on this extraordinary island.

At first sight it seems uninviting but, as you get to know it, you find more and more fascinating features with surprises around every corner.  The night before last we went down with the Turtle Conservation Officer to Long Beach, just a few minutes' walk from town.   We had to wait quite a while for Jackie to find a female turtle which had already started laying her eggs and which we could therefore watch without causing disturbance.  But what a reward.   She creates a deep chamber into which about 100 ping-pong-ball size eggs are laid and then covers it up, disguising its whereabouts by moving forward as she throws back the sand with her flippers.   Then and only then can she return to the sea and start her long journey back to Brazil.   At this time of year the hatchlings, too, are racing to the sea under cover of darkness.

This morning we went down again as dawn broke.  We saw four females returning, and a couple of hatchlings braving attack from the circling Frigatebirds.   It was probably our presence which ensured the little ones made it for, once daylight comes, the birds have the upper hand and the little ones stand very little chance.

So much for turtles, but what of satellites?   Well, with one of our group particularly interested in such things, we arranged for a private visit to the Ariane Satellite Tracking Station, and fascinating it was too.  Quite honestly, I didn't understand much of it but there you are - it was still interesting.

This morning we're heading up to the defunct NASA station which one of my previous clients described as "something out of the Man from U.N.C.L.E." - and most folk over 50 will know what he meant!  The site also affords fantastic views over the Letterbox area where the cat and rat eradication programme has meant that seabirds have returned to nest on the main island of Ascension for the first time for many years.   

Tonight will find us on the RAF flight to Brize Norton where we arrive tomorrow morning.  I'll have been away nearly 4 weeks and in many ways it's gone in a flash.  We've seen and done super things, met some really interesting and fun people and missed out on gales and the like!   But, as always, it will be good to be home - there's nowhere quite like it!