Island Holidays Blog

Bird Fair Sensation

Just back from Rutland Water (well, last night, but much too tired to do anything then) and what a show it was.   Apart from the fact that attendance was 20% up on last year's record numbers, the weather was perfect: sunny and warm, but with a good breeze to keep the air moving round the marquees and refresh us when we went outside for a break.  It was so good to see so many friends, both clients and colleagues, and to share laughter and experiences.  I was particularly thrilled becaluse, at our "team dinner", "my boys" gave me a birthday present which was a water colour they had commissioned from that outstanding artist, John Busby.   It was a beautiful representation of so many aspects of our 21st anniversary expedition cruise around the Scottish islands (in which John had been a participant).  Have to say, when I opened the present I simply cried!  It represented not only a great work of art, but so much affection from so many people.  Quite overwhelming.

Bird Fair is always interesting.  The joke of the week - and it was a real quote - came from a couple who I overheard walking past the wildlife crime prevention promotion.  They obviously had missed out on the word "prevention" and one was heard to remark to the other:  "You wouldn't think they'd allow that kind of thing to be promoted at a place like this".   Brilliant.   Equally amusing was the person who came on to our stand and asked me for details of our North Cyprus holiday.   Having studied it for a few moments, he handed it back to me saying "I'm not interested in birds".   Brilliant!

This year I was particularly grateful to the tourism people from Tasmania who were supporting my new programme to Australia.   "Tazzie" is a great place and I was amazed how many people were interested, some in our tour which will be happening next March and which also takes in Lord Howe Island and a wee soujourn in New South Wales, but lots who simply want to go to Tasmania and not worry with anything else in Australia.   I can actually understand it.  It really is almost a nation in its own right with a totally different atmosphere from the mainland and also its own unique flora and fauna. My mate Tonia Cochrane (who is probably the leading naturalist in Tasmania) was on the Australia stand in the next marquee and there was much coming and going between the two.  When I was there last November (Tasmania, not marquee 4!) it was a bit frustrating as I'd broken my foot (falling off my bicycle!) on Lord Howe Island and couldn't drive.  Tonia looked after me on Bruny Island and we managed to see half the   endemics without getting out of the car, but it did mean I couldn't do my self-drive thing around the rest of Tasmania.  Guess that's the best excuse I can come up with for going back - and I really want to 'cos it's brilliant.  Mind you, the Little Blue Penguins crossing the road made up for a lot - they're gorgeous!

By the way - if anyone knows how to wrap text round a picture on Typepad would they please let me know?  Before they changed the system it was easy but now it's impossible (at least for me!).

Back at base there's much to do in the 6 weeks before leaving for St Helena so I'd better stop waffling on and get stuck in to some serious work.

Mumford & Sons

I'm incredibly proud of my nephew, Marcus Mumford.  He started off going to Edinburgh uni to read Classics (he's rather a clever laddie) but gave it up after a year to give his music a try.  Now, it seems, he and his mates who have called themselves "Mumford & Sons" are doing really rather well.   Here's an extract from The Independent Music Magazine Festival supplement:

Hard Rock Calling has managed to create a very real festival vibe in the middle of London, which is no mean feat. The atmosphere last night, egged on by a brilliant summers evening, was electric and the festival as a whole is looking to be a really steady contender to Glastonbury. Think of it as a Glastonbury for the mums and dads, or those with mud or hippie phobias. Let’s not forget that the next two nights hold Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen in store, two of Worthy Farm’s very own headliners.

What Hard Rock Calling can’t quite match though is the new band talent of Glastonbury. That is until we’re stood five feet away from Marcus Mumford and his exceptionally endowed gathering Mumford and Sons. Previously the backing band for an equally as startling Laura Marling, Mumford is every bit the future star of folk he’s set out to be. Vocally haunting, every well placed vowel moves you, dragging you into songs like ‘Awake My Soul’ and ‘The Cave’ unremittingly, challenging any pretensions about new London folk you may holster. The intelligent articulation and general, as Simon Cowell would demand, likeability of Marcus allows his music to draw every bit of your attention, building it up and exploding it into a battering wall of serene noise with an epic sense of emergency and drama.

Now if you were his auntie, wouldn't you swell with pride?  He's at the Edinburgh Fringe this week (or was it just last week - hard to keep up).  When a neighbour and I went to see him in Glasgow a couple of years ago we were the only two in the audience over 20 but what the heck.  And I really like his music. They played at his brother's wedding in February and were amazing.

End of brag.  But you must admit it's the only time I've done it - or probably even mentioned family - in all these years of blogging so indulge me!

Recovered

Well I've just about recovered from falling in with good company over the weekend!  We were lucky with the weather and the Comrie railroad was really busy, giving huge pleasure to a lot of people. 

Now it's eyes down for the arrival of the brochure tomorrow and I've got a feeling this weekend won't be quite so jolly.  I've still got a few itineraries to write and the website isn't quite up to date.  Then there's the inevitable pile-up in the inbox which is a permanent challenge.  But the phones have been relatively quiet which gives a chance to tackle it.

Outside the rowan berries are turning light orange and the birch trees have begun to shed their leaves which is all a remind of just how fast summer whizzes by.  It was still quite dark when I got up at 5.30 this morning - needed lights in the house.

As you may notice, there's not much news, something I have in common with the BBC whose news programmes are really scraping around for enough material to fill them.   And am I the only one who's fed up with hearing about the economy ad nauseum?   Even Test Matches aren't the same as they used to be - they come around far too quickly.   Do you know what?  I'm turning into a grumpy old woman!!!!