Island Holidays Blog

WARNING!

I think we're all pretty much aware of the email scams from Nigeria but a new one is doing the rounds.  This is from someone who says they're in China (but used a UK stamp) and is in the form of a letter delivered  by Royal Mail and personally addressed.   It takes the line that some unheard of relative of yours (in my case called Anderson Weir-Breen if you please) died in a trekking accident and that "bing that Anderson Weir-Breen as exact last name as you, and I have exclusive access to his file, you will be made the beneficiary of these funds".  (Love the spelling, don't you?  Guess it's supposed to represent someone with poor English who knows what "intestate" means!!!!  Of course I'm told the whole thing is confidential and not to mention it to a soul so, instead, I'm telling my computer screen.  Woops - just pressed the "publish" button.  Sorry "Guo Li".

St Helena marks Royal Wedding

I've just had an email from Hazel who owns the Consulate Hotel in St Helena sharing the photos of the Saints (as the inhabitants of the island are known) celebrating today's Royal Wedding.   Thought you might enjoy it - probably not the finest photograph in the world but it doesn't really matter!  Here it is.

It was the work of the St Helena Pillings Primary School  - an amazing effort with paper mache horse, decorated homemade carriage and all the trimmings - including bride & groom.  I haven't heard what's happening on Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha but you can bet they'll be celebrating in style.

Enjoy the day.  It's good to see something happy on the television for a change.  It would seem there are a lot of people having a wonderful time.   Me, I'm just about to go off and watch it on the telly whilst catching up on reams of ironing!

Beautiful spring

I can't speak for what it's like where you are, but here in Perthshire the weather has been fantastic for more than two weeks - except for one wet day on Easter Saturday (which made gardeners happy).  I don't think I've ever seen so much blossom and, because it's still a bit on the chilly side with a cool breeze, the spring flowers and the cherry blossom are lasting for ages.  It's lovely.  Trouble is it makes you want to get out there and that's not good for business!   But on Monday I took the Bank Holiday - the first time I can remember doing that for years - and a crowd of us went over to Oban to join the Paddle Steamer Waverley for a day trip to Iona and around Mull.   It was quite cold but stunningly beautiful as only the West Coast of Scotland can be.  Now I'm not saying that other places can't be - tricky language English!   What I mean is that there's nowhere else LIKE the West Coast.

Now it's back to work - doing a lot on updating the website, especially the South Atlantic pages. Today will be the turn of the Falkland Islands.  It was super to be back there last November, albeit briefly, and I'm looking forward to the mega Falklands/South Georgia extravaganza next November.  As far as I'm aware it will be the first time that it's been possible to combine the two without having to go to South America first and we've designed it so that you spend more time on the Falklands than is possible with an expedition cruise itinerary.

Talking of the Falkland Islands, we've got a new leader - Ali Liddle.  Our good friend Will Wagstaff has taken to working the cruise ships down to Antarctica and seems to be enjoying it.  Well, he had been doing the Falklands every year for nearly a quarter of a century (started young!) and needed a change. Meeting Ali on the Antarctic trip I did, where she was one of the staff, was a real stroke of luck.  She worked on the Falkland Islands as a teacher for many years and, during her time there, was a volunteer with Falkland Conservation for whom she wrote three books including one on the flowers of the Falkland Islands.  And, having travelled with her, I know her to be an excellent tour leader who doesn't just know things but also looks after people.

Anyway, enough of all that.  Instead of talking about it, it's time I did something about it!  Hopefully the new pages will all be on line in a couple of days and I must at this stage give a big thank you to my webmaster, Richard Albion, who is doing a terrific job at getting us high in the search engines and bullying me into activity!  I'd better stop writing this or he'll be giving me grief for not having written the copy for the revised Falkland pages!

South Atlantic Oil Spill

We hear about devastating oil spills far too often and it's hard to take in the enormity of the implications. After all, the tanker which went aground on Nightingale Island in the South Atlantic only got 2 minutes on the Today programme this morning and then the news moved on to yet more depressing news.

For me, however, it's far more than that because I sailed past Nighgtingale and Inaccessible Islands last month on the way to St Helena having visited the remote British territory of Tristan da Cunha.  In fact, the three islands make up the territory so all three in the archipelago our British.   But it's more than a question of nationality.  I visited that remote community and met people involved in the crayfish industry.  The Queen Mary was sailing past at the time (I was on the Royal Mail Ship and actually got to land) and the islanders took crates of crayfish out to her as a gift.

There are less than 300 people on Tristan and the crayfish is their only export - except for stamps. The destruction of the industry could have massive implications on their community.  They were wonderful people - hugely welcoming and generous as is so often the case with small places.  The voyage I was on was to mark the evacuatiion of the island 50 years ago when the volcano erupted - so they are accustomed to hardship.  But they all went back and that's how much their island and way of life means to them.

This photo is Nightingale Island where the ship went down.  Isn't it beautiful?  It breaks my heart to think of all those oiled penguins and other birds.  The albatross are bound to suffer as well, as will anything which lives off the marine environment.  And, of course, when you damage the bottom of the food chain we all suffer in the end. 

What amazes me is that shipping is allowed so close to a World Heritage Site in an area which is renowned for its heavy seas.  When will we learn?

At last!

At last we've got the schedules for the next three voyages of the Royal Mail Ship to St Helena which takes us up to April 2012.   Why is it that remote islands get under your skin but at the same time drive you dotty?   I love St Helena with a passion but, as with any relationship, it has its really annoying side!  Fortunately that doesn't affect the people who visit the island with us except that I do tend to gripe on about it.  It's the politics.  I spend my life trying to avoid that particular topic because it invariably leads to frustration and a feelilng of impotence but it still managed to infiltrate nearly every aspect of life.   In this particular instance I have absolutely no idea what it is that makes "the suits" tick.  They make all these pronouncements about tourism, spend a fortune on consultants and don't understand the basics.   Woops!  Somebody just pressed my button again!   Better change the subject in cognisance that it isn't good for my blood pressure.  But, at the end of the day, I get to visit the island on a fairly regular basis and that is a joy and a delight.

I've decided in my wisdom and old age that weekends should be "me time" and this time tomorrow I'll be battling north through the snow and ice (if the forecasters are to be believed) to go to my nephew's gig.  It will be brilliant to see him again - it seems a long time since October and in those months Mumford & Sons have gone from strength to strength, even winning Album of the Year at the Brit Awards.   Now am I a proud auntie or what?  By the way - in case I haven't bored you rigid with this before - my nephew is Marcus and he's the lead singer/guitarist.  Also does drums on occasion.   I just love their music and am looking forward to hearing the new stuff they're working on for their next album which is due out in September (I think).

Still on family matters, it's my sister's birthday today:  Happy Birthday old girl!

Almost here

I'm sitting here in Terminal 5 at Heathrow looking out on a drab, wet London morning having experienced the most amazing four weeks which took me from the depths of the South Atlantic (not literally, you understand) to the elephants of the Chobe National Park with many experiences along the way.  Perhaps the best thing was not having internet access!

The focus of the occasion was the marking of the 50th anniversary since the British Overseas Territory of Tristan da Cunha erupted threating Edinburgh.   No risk to the Festival or the Fringe - this Edinburgh is the settlement on the island, home to around 270 British citizens.  It's the remotest permanent settlement in the world and, it has to be said, access isn't easy.   We were incredibly lucky in being able to land on two out of the three days we were there.   A lot of people stayed at the homes of islanders whilst others took day trips from the Royal Mail Ship St Helena.   The first day the sea was too rough to use the gangway down to the wee boat which would shuttle us ashore and so we descended by means of a rope ladder. It was quite safe as each individual was attached to a harness and there were strong armed locals waiting at the bottom to catch us.  it wasn't too bad until it came to getting back on board when the swell had increased and the job of timing your first step on to the ladder was, shall we say, challenging.  OK - it was terrifying!  But it's amazing what you can do when you have no choice!

The islanders had gone to a huge amount of trouble for us and we were made to feel hugely welcome. It's impossible to describe the emotions of those days and the sense of sheer privilege of being there.  It really was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and an experience I will never be able to describe and will most certainly never forget.

The Remotest Settlement in the World

This is surreal.  I've just spent the day in Edinburgh.  Now you might not think that impressive, but considering rope ladders and strong swells were involved it's amazing.  We had to get off the ship on the ladder - but at least we were attached to a harness.  But the wee RIB below was going up and down like a yo yo.  It wasn't easy.  The settlement - the remotest in the world - was extraordinary and impossible to explain.  The people were so kind and the proximity of the volcano, which erupted 50 years ago this week, is extraordinary. None of the photos I'd seen had represented the stark reality to any degree.

Getting back on to the ship was one of the hardest things I've done for ages but having no choice is a great incentive!  And the Tristanians on the RIB plus the RMS crew made it just about possible.  Weather's supposed to be poor tomorrow so I'm going to stay on board but hopefully I'll have the courage to go ashore again on Tuesday as I really want to have the opportunity to meet some of the older people who remember the volcano and the evacuation. We'll see.  To have landed once is the most enormous privilege and I can't be greedy!

Sunny South Africa

I love this country.   Sure it's got its problems but it's good points far outweigh them.   I've got a group arriving tomorrow morning but came out a couple of days early to stay with friends.  We're having a relaxed morning and then heading off to a wine farm for lunch.   It's got to be good!  Tomorrow the clients arrive at 9 o'clock in the morning and from the airport we'll take a leisurely full day tour of the Southern Cape, complete with the Cape of Good Hope, amazing scenery, African Penguins, Ostriches, interesting plants and lots more.   We'll be staying at the magnificent Constantia Uitsig whcih I just love.   It's the beginning of the amazing trip to Tristan da Cunha on the Royal Mail Ship St Helena to mark the 50th anniversary of the evacuation of this remote archipelago when the volcano on the main island erupted.  From there we go up to St Helena before returning to Cape Town.  The majority of us then continue to Namibia's Caprivi Strip where we'll spend two nights at a lodge and two on a houseboat travelling up the Chobe River.  It should be fantastic.

Of course we don't really see much of South Africa on this itinerary - it's a vast and varied country and I'd love to get to know more of it.  The only areas other than the Southern Cape with which I'm familiar is Petermaritzburg (about an hour out of Durban) and the Kruger National Park - that was fantastic too.  I'm toying with the idea of joining our Island Holidays South Africa tour in October - it's a super programme and would certainly introduce me to places I haven't been.  That tour is run in association with our colleagues at Rockjumper Birding Tours  - a great bunch of like-minded people with whom it's both a pleasure and privilege to work.

I'll wind up now and go off to enjoy myself.  Another colleague with whom I operate the southern Cape part of our St Helena tours is coming round tonight for a Braii which will be fun.  Such a splendid bunch of people and such good company.  And the welcome is so genuine - it's a delight to be here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Off again!

The six weeks since I got back from that amazing Falklands/South Georgia/Antarctica trip have just flown past, what with being unable to get anywhere because of the weather plus Christmas and New Year when the whole world seems to go to sleep for 3 weeks - and here we are with me heading off again tomorrow.

How many of you can remember 50 years back?  Well, this time 50 years ago there was a volcanic eruption on the island of Tristan da Cunha - one of nine British Dependencies (as they were known then - now British Overseas Territories I think).   To mark the 50th anniversary of the evacuation of the island the Royal Mail Ship St Helena is making a special trip to carry the Governor of St Helena (who also has jurisdiction in Tristan and Ascension Island) to erect a plaque on the volcano and generally celebrate with the islanders.  When i first heard about this a couple of years ago I was first in the queue for an allocation of cabins and so, on Tuesday next week, myself and 12 Island Holidays clients (plus the Governor and enough others to make the passenger list up to 120) will sail from Cape Town and head south west.   Everyting is weather dependent but, should we be lucky enough to be able to land, the process involves climing from the tender up a rope ladder!   Now that should be a laugh and my clients have strict instructions to keep their cameras firmly in their bags until we're safely ashore!!!

We'll spend 3 days at Tristan including (hopefully) circumnavigating Gough, Nightingale and Inaccessible Islands but all that depends on the weather - after all, we will be in the Roaring Forties.

I'm off to South Africa tomorrow and will be staying with friends for a couple of nights before the rest of the group arrive.  We then have two nights at the wonderful Constantia Uitsig before beginning our adventure in earnest.   I'm afraid there won't be bulletins - no internet, no mobile phones and so on, so it's sort of incommunicado which, in this day and age, is very special.   I don't know about you but I find this instant communciation non-stop a bit wearing.  It never allows you to concentrate on any one thing for more than a few minutes without being interrupted.   And I used to think the telephone and fax were a pain!

Anyway, must go off and start packing - to say nothing of three loads of ironing plus cooking supper and so on.  A woman's work .........

I'll report as and when I can.

 

 

 

 

Happy New Year!

At last Scotland is struggling back to life after a somewhat protracted holiday season.   I had planned to take the decorations down yesterday but got distracted and didn't.  In the end it was a Good Thing as a couple of friends I hadn't seen for about 5 years tipped up.  They had the decency to give me half an hour's warning so, by the time they arrived the fire was crackling and the candles glowing and the Christmas tree looking lovely.   On top of all that we had a really happy couple of hours catching up and putting the world to right.

Now, with just 2 weeks till I leave for the next trip it's a case of rolling up the sleeves and getting on with it.  I had expected Karon back today but she's not well.  I can't remember the last time she was off sick so she must be feeling rotten, bless her.   I'm told there's a lot of it about.

We've had another smattering of snow - nothing much but everything is really slippy underfoot.  Think I'll stay put!  I'm really looking forward to that South African sunshine.  I'm going out a couple of days ahead of the group to stay with friends in Cape Town which will be lovely.  We'll have two groups staying at Constantia Uitsig at the same time - an Island Holidays takeover bid!   The first "lot" leave tomorrow for St Helena and, when they come off the ship in Cape Town, we get on it and head off to Tristan da Cunha. I'm really excited - never thought I'd get there.   And I won't if I don't stop wittering on and do some grown up work!