Island Holidays Blog

The St Helena Debate

Well here I am, back on St Helena  and loving it.  I've got 12 delightful, interesting and interested clients with me and we're having a terrific time.   Now, just before 6 o'clock, I'm sitting at the desk in my room with the windows wide open and listening to the Myna birds settling down to roost and making a heck of a racket.  It seems that every time I come back there are more and more of them - and it's not a Good Thing.   For a start, they predate the critically endangered Wirebird (which we're going to study tomorrow) and, besides that, the pestilence is a bit on the scale of pigeons in Trafalgar Square.

This afternoon we were shown round Plantation House, the official residence of His Excellency the Governor.  The building was originally constructed as the headquarters for the East India Company and the plantation supplied the needs of the massive garrisons based here when over 1,000 ships a year called at the island.  In the grounds you will find Jonathan, a Giant Tortoise from the Seychelles who was given to one of the Governors something like 100 years ago, give or take (forgive me - the actual date and age of the animal escapes me at the moment and, with WiFi Access £6 for an hour I really can't check it out!).

We've had an amazing 10 days, starting at RAF Brize Norton where we took a flight to Ascension Island. It should be pointed out that civilians are known as "self loading freight"!!!  We had two nights on Ascension and managed to see a little of this superficially hostile environment which reveals more and more hidden delights the longer you stay.   Then it was on to the Royal Mail Ship for the 3-night journey to St Helena.   When we arrived it seemed that we had forever here, but now we have just received embarkation instructions for Sunday. 

Tomorrow morning we head off to Deadwood Plain where we'll be meeting up with folk from the St Helena National Trust and hearing about the fantastic conservation work relating to the only endemic bird on the island, the afore-mentioned Wirebird.  After that we head off to the Millennium Forest where each of us will plant an endemic gum tree.  I first did this about 6 years ago and "my" trees are thriving - we know exactly which ones they are which is super.  

I'd love to tell you more, but we're just off over the road to Wellington House where Ivy does wonderful home cooking.  One of our party, Helena (so appropriately named, don't you think?) has her birthday today and I've organised a cake instead of dessert.  It's been a bit tricky because she can't eat egg white, but the inventive "Saints" (as the locals are known) will be producing an egg-free cake.  I must find out how they do it.  Or perhaps you know?

There's no internet access on the Royal Mail Ship, so it will be about 10 days before you hear from me again once we reach Cape Town.   If ever you have the chance to come here, do it.  It's the most extraodinary island which gets under your skin, even after one visit.   I wish I could explain it in words but it defies that possibility.

Anyway, hope all's well with all my regular subscribers and, if you're new to the Island Holidays blog, welcome  - and keep visiting.  It's updated on average every 10 days - no guarantees!!!

Count down

It seems ages since I last travelled - in fact I haven't been out of the UK since the fantastic Australia/Christmas Island jaunt last November/December.  Of course there was the 21st anniversary expedition voyage around the Scottish Islands in June which kept me entertained but, apart from that, I've been keeping my head down.  So you can imagine I'm getting quite excited about the next trip which starts on Sunday and will find me with 12 clients on Ascension Island this time next week waiting for the Royal Mail Ship which arrives on the Wednesday to take us down to St Helena.  We'll have a week there while the ship returns on its "shuttle run" to Ascension Island and then hop on board again for the 5 night voyage to Cape Town.  We've got a wee programme there for a few days and then, after the clients leave, I'll be going to Durban to discover a new part of South Africa (for me) in the company of my friends from Rockjumper Bird Tours. 

Now, doesn't that photo get your feet itching?  This, of course, is taken in Cape Town, a fantastic place which I never tire of visiting.  Although I've been there several times I've never yet got up Table Mountain, so it's fingers crossed for this year.   The next St Helena trip I'm leading will be in January and, for that, we're doing a few days in Namibia up towards the Skeleton Coast instead of South Africa which will be interesting.

Meanwhile, on the home front - and going from the sublime to the deeply unpleasant - there are sceptic tank problems!   Scotloo (wonderful name!) are coming today to sort it out but it means no loo, no washing up (bliss until I have to get going on it), no shower this morning.  My neighbours left their front door open last night so that I could use their facilities which I thought was really rather nice of them!  I'm so lucky with my friends and neighbours around here and feel so sad for people who don't have that kind of community support.  It's something you take for granted when you have it and can't imagine things being different.

So that's you up to date with Libby's Log.  I may well not write another until I get to St Helena - watch this space!

Count down

It seems ages since I last travelled - in fact I haven't been out of the UK since the fantastic Australia/Christmas Island jaunt last November/December.  Of course there was the 21st anniversary expedition voyage around the Scottish Islands in June which kept me entertained but, apart from that, I've been keeping my head down.  So you can imagine I'm getting quite excited about the next trip which starts on Sunday and will find me with 12 clients on Ascension Island this time next week waiting for the Royal Mail Ship which arrives on the Wednesday to take us down to St Helena.  We'll have a week there while the ship returns on its "shuttle run" to Ascension Island and then hop on board again for the 5 night voyage to Cape Town.  We've got a wee programme there for a few days and then, after the clients leave, I'll be going to Durban to discover a new part of South Africa (for me) in the company of my friends from Rockjumper Bird Tours. 

Now, doesn't that photo get your feet itching?  This, of course, is taken in Cape Town, a fantastic place which I never tire of visiting.  Although I've been there several times I've never yet got up Table Mountain, so it's fingers crossed for this year.   The next St Helena trip I'm leading will be in January and, for that, we're doing a few days in Namibia up towards the Skeleton Coast instead of South Africa which will be interesting.

Meanwhile, on the home front - and going from the sublime to the deeply unpleasant - there are sceptic tank problems!   Scotloo (wonderful name!) are coming today to sort it out but it means no loo, no washing up (bliss until I have to get going on it), no shower this morning.  My neighbours left their front door open last night so that I could use their facilities which I thought was really rather nice of them!  I'm so lucky with my friends and neighbours around here and feel so sad for people who don't have that kind of community support.  It's something you take for granted when you have it and can't imagine things being different.

So that's you up to date with Libby's Log.  I may well not write another until I get to St Helena - watch this space!

Once a foodie ....

I've been terribly restrained this year and last Saturday found me going out for lunch for the first time in months - in fact, I think it was the first time in 2009!   I met up with one of my chef friends, Tony Heath, who is now running the Tony Heath Cookschool where he gives personal tuition to two pupils at a time. His courses range from one to three days with hands on cookery under expert tuition producing an array of dishes which are then eaten with a glass of wine.  If anyone wants to give me a late 60th birthday present ........  He hasn't got a website yet, but you can email him on anthony.heath7@btinternet.com or call him on 01738 861119.  No, I'm not on commission - he's just a fantastic chef and I know it would be a wonderful experience to cook with him.

So much for that commercial: now here's another.   Tony and I met at 63 Tay Street which is run by Graeme Pallister who worked with Tony in his Let's Eat days.   I have to tell you, the boy can cook!  It was the most fantastic lunch.  I started with pressed ham terrine (I'm a sucker for terrines) with toasted gingerbread and spiced pineapple.  The flavours simply exploded in my mouth and I felt like asking for more - or "doing an Oliver" as I like to describe it.   The only problem was that with such a dramatic start anything to follow was bound to be an anticlimax.  Was it heck as like!  The roast cod was perfectly cooked - glistening on top of the most exquisite risotto I've ever tasted.  It wasn't just the flavour which was intense (smoked haddock) but the sheer genius was the poached egg cut up and running through the dish.  I wanted to lick the plate and very nearly asked for a carry-out!  

This all reminds me of the time when I was doing PR for top class country house hotels and restaurants all over Scotland and was asked by the editor of a farming magazine to do restaurant reviews once a month.  It was great fun.  If there are any editors out there ....

Better get back to work.  We've got a bit of a problem with our Extremadura holiday and flight schedules to sort out.  But the good thing is that doing that takes me back to my visit to that fabulous part of Spain a couple of years ago.  It was very special.

Figures do my head in

Why is it that as soon as someone asks for a breakdown of turnover or projected management accounts my brain goes into meltdown?   It's happening again this morning.   This time it's TOPP which is the insurance which we have to have to cover the clients in the event of our financial collapse (perish the thought) for holidays which don't have a flight involved.   The majority are covered by our ATOL (Air Tour Operator's Licence) from the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) but for the few which aren't I have to jump through all the hoops again.   Oh, and I've only just finished the Scheduled Airline Failure Cover application.

The trouble with all these things is that they're really little works of fiction.  I mean to say - how on earth am I supposed to know how many people are going to book for Northumbria or East Anglia each month bertween now and next spring?  It's all guess work and I can't therefore see its value.  Grrrrr. Look on the bright side, at least I don't have to spend my life doing sums!  Guess it's just as well we're all different.

Things are relatively quiet here now that the brochure's finished and the website's up to date (I think!). It's interesting how the world is changing so fast.  Our bookings are well up on this month last year and yet the phone hardly ever rings and there aren't that many emails.   I was amazed today to get a postcard asking for details of a holiday and addressed to "Dear Sir or Madam" - now that takes you back to the way it used to be!

We've got a big steam weekend on the Comrie Railroad this weekend - for enthusiasts, not the public - and that makes me realise just how fast this year has gone.  Can you imagine it's 12 months since I was telling you about the World 7 1/4 inch gauge Society AGM held here with something like 80 steam trains and about 300 people?   Nothing on that scale this year, but it still involves coronation chicken for 40!!!

Better get back to that TOPP projection.  Good to get my grumbles off my chest!

 

Rain Rain go away

Gather those of you "down south" are basking in an Indian summer.  Meanwhile it's raining again here as though the world depended on it.  For weeks now it's been just awful - such a shame for folk on holiday.  Gus, my postie, described my garden as "more of a water feature than a garden" and that's for the one right on the top of the hill.  We had a little sunshine yesterday (hardly enough to mention but it was there) but woke up this morning to more seriously wet stuff.   Apparently it's all going to change tomorrow with a high pressure set to establish itself at least until after the weekend, so that will be good.

Not that I can complain:  I'm off to Ascension Island, St Helena and South Africa in less than 4 weeks' time and will hopefully get lots of the warm stuff - although it's a bit early in the year for Cape Town to be really hot.  I'll be away 4 weeks and then complaining about the amount of work on my desk. Some people are never happy!  I'll be doing that trip again after Christmas - still got a few places available on that one if you want to come with me.  It's a good way of getting through the winter!  In fact, the trip will be a little different - we're going to be having a few days in Namibia (Skeleton coast) instead of continuing to Cape Town. 

Better get on.  Having dropped Iceland from our programme for 2010 it was the destination most requested at the British Birdwatching Fair so I've decided to re-introduce it, but with a different programme.  As well as going all the way round and getting off the beaten track, we'll be staying for a night on Heimaey in the Westman Islands.  I was there just 13 years after the volcano erupted creating a third as much again of the island which was still warm underfoot!  Amazing.   In fact they were very lucky - the lava was threatening to envelop the village and the harbour but the American navy was there and pumped sea water at it and stopped it.  At least I think that's the story - I'll now need to go and check it out.  But first, as soon as I have information required from Icelandair, I'll get the tour posted on the website.   You heard it here first!

Rowan berries

I don't think I've ever seen so many rowan berries on the tree - almost tempted to make rowan jelly but they're not quite ready yet.  Trouble is, the birds know that too: they also seem to know the very day when I'm going to decide the time as come and, all of a sudden, there aren't any berries left.  Guess their need is greater than mine.

I've got visitors in the office today - two flat-coat retrievers called Clover and Bracken.  Bracken is the youngster and is much like most teenagers except for the silent treatment.  She bounds around hugely energetically and then flops into a deep sleep.  Wakes up to eat and frisk around a bit and so it goes. The old girl, Clover, does it all except the bounding and frisking.  She just eats and sleeps! 

Got to take the car down to the garage for its first MOT today - know how it feels, having been in and around doctors and hospitals a bit more than I would like lately.  Had an xray the day before yesterday to find out the state of the lumber regions which were so badly damaged in a car accident 40 years ago.  Apparently it takes a week before the results come through.  I'd rather like to see the xray but they don't allow that.  After all, I'm only the person attached to the back!

Business has begun to pick up at last after a pretty dire period.  Our bookings for August were up on last year which is really encouraging.  It would seem things are looking a little brighter out there for some folk which is a blessing all round.  I can't believe it's less than 5 weeks till I leave these shores again - Ascensiion Island, St Helena and South Africa.  It will be good to see all those folk again and to share these wonderful places with a full group of clients.  I'll be away for a month and then it will be heading in to Christmas before we know it. 

As always there's much to be done so I'd better knuckle down and get on with it.  It's good to have Karon back after the school holidays - I miss her company as well as her work when she's away.  The local primary school celebrated its centenary on Monday with its oldest ex-pupil ringing the old school bell which has been reinstated.  Apparently it was a splendid occasion.  It's a dear little building - thought you might like a look so I've nicked this photo off their website:

Now. I really must get on.  I'm planning on introducing another couple of destinations which aren't in the brochure - Iceland (because so many people at the Bird Fair asked for it) and possibly Lesvos - just for fun and to see if it's possible to sell a tour purely through the website.  I hope to have them both up and running by the middle of this month - which won't happen if I keep rabbiting on here.

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!!!!