Third Age Adventures

ULURU

copperowl — Mon, 9 Sep 2019 15:03:00 GMT

It's September and my sister is about to celebrate her 70th birthday. And so... we are off to Uluru. That mysterious red rock in the Centre of Australia. Just for a few days. I have been before - in my youth when we travelled by bus and stayed in tents. I climber i then - it was still sallowed then and we were completely ignorant of its importance to the Indigenous People. But we are old ladies now, so we are flying in and staying at a luxurious by comparison hotel.

And so, we take the train to the Airport and within a few hours we have landed at Yulara, the tiny town that sits quietly by "The Rock".

Lord Howe Island

copperowl — Mon, 15 Apr 2019 14:57:00 GMT

15 April 2019. Sydney Airport:

The first surprise was the size of the plane. I obviously hadn’t thought it out, but I wasn’t expecting a 20 seater Turboprop plane. We climbed the few stairs and sat in our allotted seats, and then waited. After a while we were told that we were waiting for the Second Officer. Shortly afterwards a man got in in a high-viz vest, looking remarkably like the baggage handlers, and he headed off into the cockpit. Then we were off.

Two hours later the ragged peaks of Mt Lidigard and Mt Gower appeared. We had reached Lord Howe Island. We came in over the lagoon – so low that passengers were speculating whether the planes still landed in the lagoon – as the flying boats once did. But then, suddenly we sighted the runways. We landed and taxied to the small flat-roofed building known as the Terminal. As I walked into the tiny airport terminal I was asked where i was staying, and upon reply I was told – “Oh that’s Gary over there with the Hawaiian shirt”. And so up to the “Beachcomber Resort”, a small building on the north side of the island, up a hill which I was told the locals referred to as “Heart Attack Hill”. And so my four days on Lord Howe Island began. It was 15 April, 2019 – 50 years after I had flown out of Sydney to follow the Hippy Trail.

Lord Howe Island is a beautiful island off the east coast of Australia. It is small – with a population of about 350 People and at any time it will accommodate no more than 400 visitors. It’s green and lush with stunning cliffs towering over the island. A trip around the island takes about two hours.

Lord Howe Island may seem a strange place to finish this quest. And finish it, I did. My obsessions with visiting 100 places on the Traveler’s Century Club was done. I could now join if I wished. And I had engineered both to happen on the same day. I was finishing my quest neatly. But in many ways it was an anti-climax. I spent this day sitting quietly in the lush tropical garden, reading, writing, and listening to bird noise. I took a “selfie” and posted it on Facebook. In the evening I attended their “fish fry” and toasted myself with a glass of white wine.

Activities on Lord Howe comprise snorkelling the most southerly reef in the world, climbing the peaks of Mount Gower and Mount Lidgbird and cycling. And walking the many walking tracks. At this age, none of those appeal. At any age, some of them would never have appealed to me. A bus trip took me around the island in a couple of hours, which included morning tea. And so I was left with my book and my writing.

This, as it turned out, was perfect. Since my previous trip I had agonized over my future travel. I had been exhausted after that trip and it took me three weeks to get my sleep patterns back. Travel had so much been part of my life, and I was aware that my age, my knees and my stamina were conspiring to make travel more difficult for me. Furthermore, the fact that I had engineered my 100^th country and my 50^th anniversary to coincide meant that I had subconsciously concluded that my travel would stop now. Anything beyond the 100^th country was superfluous to need and outside the 50 years was needlessly untidy.

After a few days of relaxation and journal writing I became aware that Lord Howe had given me the time and space to work through all this, and I felt rejuvenated and peaceful. Lord Howe was not only the means for this transformation but it was also the answer to my questions. I may not be able tolerate long haul flights or getting on and off buses. But I could still fly somewhere. Do a bit of sightseeing and relax in a resort. My 100^th country was also the first of my new mode of travel.

When I posted my “selfie” on Facebook it attracted some attention and a number of questions. One friend asked “Will you stop now?” I replied “Probably not, but I will stop counting”.

I travel because I must. I count because I can.

The Middle East

copperowl — Sat, 9 Feb 2019 14:48:00 GMT

My two sisters and I are enthusiastic cruisers, but we don’t often cruise together. This is because we represent the different reasons that people cruise. My youngest sister, Judy, cruises mostly with her family out to the South Pacific and always from Sydney. For Judy the onboard experience is why she cruises. She will happily not get off the ship at all. Cruising is a relaxing holiday for her. My middle sister, Anne, was a latecomer to cruising. She prefers one company – Royal Caribbean, over the others and has a preferred ship among the fleet. She, too, will only cruise within Australia and the Pacific, but she also uses cruising to see as much of Australia as she can. For me, the priority with cruising is the ports. I go on cruises to see places that I wouldn’t otherwise get to – and the ship is secondary. Not to say that I don’t enjoy the onboard life, but I’m happy to fly anywhere to get on a ship that’s going to interesting places. Sometimes that means putting up with a ship where the food isn’t as good, or where the service is a bit iffy. Sometimes it means travelling with someone who feels the same way – but who drives you a bit crazy.

So, that sets the scene on my recent cruise. Marie and I have travelled together before. I am a very independent person and she’s one of those people who jumps in and “helps” you way before you need help. One who doesn’t have the personal barriers that most people have. She once reached over when I was at an ATM and pushed a button for me when I hesitated for a second... I could write a book... Every time i travel with her, I say “Never again”. But then I do, because it’s too expensive to go on cruises solo, and she’s happy to fly anywhere, and cruise anywhere. This time – when she attempted to remove some loose cotton on my nightie (while I was wearing it) I had words. She doesn’t mean any harm and said “I’m just trying to help” and I explained that when I want help I ask for it. And then “DON’T HELP” a few more times.

We flew to Dubai. Dubai is a bit like an enormous Disneyland. Over here is Shopping-Mall Land – the Dubai Mall has an ice-rink, an indoor waterfall, an aquarium in the walls (complete with sharks and stingrays etc) and is the largest Mall in the world, and the Mall of the Emirates comes compete with an indoor ski-slope (yes, SNOW). Campbelltown Mall, eat your heart out! Over there is Fantasy Land – 6 star hotels and the highest building in the world and hotels for the rich and famous. We visited a place called The Miracle Gardens, which are a miracle because Dubai is built on a desert. It is surrounded by housing estates where there are few trees or vegetation but they have somehow found the water to constantly water all the flowers and topiary. It was all amazing, but everything was bigger and newer as if it was showing off somehow.

In Dubai, we boarded the MSC “Lirica”, for our cruise around the Persian Gulf. Our next stop was Abu Dhabi, which apparently is the richest of the Emirates. Highlight for me there was the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. All white marble and domes, and walls inlayed with semi-precious stones and the beautiful geometric Islamic architecture. The dress code for women was head covering, and arms and legs covered. I had to borrow an abaya – or full length black dress that I put over my clothes, and a black headscarf to match, in order to get in. Which I was happy to do. Later I posted a picture on Facebook and one of my friends said “That’s what they want us all to wear”. I pointed out that i chose to wear that and it was worth it because the mosque was stunning. And in fact, this was the only place where these strict dress code was required in the whole Gulf area. Mosques required a head scarf – in the way that Catholic Cathedrals used to require a hat.

From Abu Dhabi we went to Bahrain and Qatar. We were surprised at how multi-cultural these places are – so many western companies have big offices with many expat employees. On the other end of the spectrum, there are large numbers of people from third world countries who work in these countries and are able to support their families back home. In some countries the expats outnumber the local people. And the governments build massive high-rise apartment buildings to house the expats, who are vital to their economies. Each new place had a mosque to visit, and a souk (or market). In Bahrain we visited a camel farm – I was not impressed that the camels all seemed to be chained up (to stop the males fighting apparently. Now there’s a thought...). It didn’t seem much of a life for a camel, but they all looked healthy, and maybe they were just chained up while we were there.

In Qatar we were taken to see the “Dove Houses” -giant constructions to house doves and to collect their droppings for fertilizer. And we learned that the Qatari government is going to use Cruise Ships to house the players when they have the World Cup. (You know – the one we were supposed to have!)

My favourite place on the trip was Oman. We visited the capital – Muscat, and the area called Khasab, on the point of the Straits of Homuz. In Khasab we saw a bit of “Old Arabia”, with stone fortresses and ruined villages. And, while waiting for the tour bus in the centre of a small town we were amazed to see two men in Bedouin dress, arrive on their camels. These camels looked as if they had a real camel life – beautifully groomed and decorated. Lovely photo op!

Muscat was the friendliest place of all, with people stopping us on the street or approaching us in the souk to ask where we were from, and to welcome us. They brought their children over to practise their English (they all learn at school). Nowhere on this trip did we encounter any negativity towards us as westerners. We never felt threatened or unsafe.

All in all, it was a trip worth doing – although I should have done it five years ago when my knees worked better. Walking, and getting on an off various modes of transport made me realize that I’m getting older, and my travelling days may be coming to an end. A twelve hour wait at Dubai airport and a fourteen hour flight – and two weeks before the jetlag subsided added to that thought.

And then, this morning... I found myself pouring over the Travel sections of the Sunday papers. A cruise caught my eye – From Mauritius to the Seychelles, and on up through the Suez Canal...

Will I ever learn? Lucky I can’t afford it. Hmm. Let me think about it...

One more trip.......

copperowl — Wed, 23 Jan 2019 18:03:00 GMT

People like me who are addicted to travel don't stop just because they are at home. Between trips they plan, watch Travel Shows on television, find ways to use and display the photos and live vicariously through the travels of others. Travel becomes a lifestyle, not a holiday.

Then comes the time for another actual trip. And that's where I'm at now. Shortly I'm off to Dubai for a cruise. It's all organised, paid for and waiting for us. And - as ALWAYS, I suddenly don't want to go. Inertia has set in. I just want to stay home.

But, also as ALWAYS, I'll go. I'll tell myself that I've paid for it. I'm committed. And when I get to the airport the excitement will return. I'll have a wonderful time. And shortly after I get back I'll be reading the travel sections of the newspaper,; on the internet, and putting together my next trip. The cycle goes on.

Photos: Explorer of the Seas

copperowl — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 15:43:00 GMT

Cruise Sydney, Melbourne Hobart

It's about the People

copperowl — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 13:48:00 GMT

Not every trip is about the scenery. Sometimes it turns out to be about the people.

A couple of months ago I decided I needed a holiday. A combination of events had left me feeling burnt out. So I decided – a short Cruise would do it. I booked on a 7 day tour from Sydney to Melbourne, Hobart and Wollongong. I’d been to these places before – one of them is only a 30 minute drive from my house. But that was good. In keeping with the “do as little as possible” plan I booked two ship excursions. They were on the “sit in the bus and look, and then stop for half an hour in the Botanical Gardens” type of tour. Just what I needed.

The cruise went well. I was on the “Explorer of the Seas”, and the service and the food were the usual Royal Caribbean high standard. I found all the quiet places and read. I saw the ice dancing display (yes, an ice-rink on a ship!), and went to the nightly shows. These were of mixed standard – but, hey! It takes five minutes to get there and they are free. No complaints!

What made this cruise special, however, were people. First – what would be the odds; I discovered that a cousin and his wife – who live on the complete opposite side of Australia, were on board. I was able to spend time with them and share St Patrick’s day – and our Irish surname, with them.

And then there was our dining table. For the first few nights there were only three of us on our table – which was stashed away in the far corner, so that it looked like the “naughty table”. The other couple were originally from Manchester, in the U.K. I love the U.K. – I lived there for two years and have revisited often. They were a lovely couple, and they now live on the Gold Coast in Queensland. So we had a lot to talk about .Then, on the third day or so, like a tsunami, we were suddenly swamped by four other people who just turned up at full speed. These four were friends from the U.S. and they had moved from another table. Of course, we all began to talk about out travels. And immediately I realized that they were part of a tribe – a tribe I call Modern Nomads.

I have travelled a lot and I’ve met a lot of travellers. Travellers tend to fall into three main groups: –

1. Those who travel for work. They may or may not look around and see the sights, but the destination is a result of their work, not a choice they necessarily made.

2. Those who get to their annual break and then say “Well, we went to Fiji last year, so let’s go to Thailand this year” and

3.Those whose travel is their priority and their work and life is adjusted to fit the travel, not the other way around.

We all may fit all three categories at some time. But the last group often have a physical urge to keep moving. A restlessness. They are my Modern Nomads.

The four I met on this cruise have developed ways to adjust their lives for travel. They work by Computer (and work as they travel), or compartmentalize their work so that some can be done remotely on computer – or work on projects that can be stopped and started. This allows them to take advantage of special offers, or just whims.

They were great fun and I enjoyed their company immensely. The cruise did provide for me the physical rest that I required. But the people I met – my cousins, the “Manchesters”, and the “Tsunami Crowd”, rejuvenated my mind. My own restlessness returned. Because, at heart – I’m also one of the Nomad Tribe.

Thanks to you all. You know who you are!

DayTripping

copperowl — Tue, 7 Mar 2017 23:04:00 GMT

Back in the day, side trips from cities would involve a backpack, trains or buses (or, dare I say it, hitch-hiking), and a bread roll with a banana. Now that I'm in Bucket List territory, it involves a travel agent and a guided tour. Booked online. Pick up at the hotel. Times change. And so, when you have time in Perth, where are the bucket list places? Oh yes: Rottnest Island, Margaret River, and the Pinnacles. Tick, tick, tick.

Rottnest or Rotto as the locals call it, is an island off the coast of Perth. So onto the ferry at Fremantle (Freo), and off to the island. And why is it on the bucket list? Well it has one of the few colonies of a tiny little marsupial called a quokka.

What people don't tell you is that the island itself is beautiful. Stunningly so. Idyllic bays with boats moored; stunning beaches with thundering surf, and rocky volcanic looking bays. And environmentally progressive with wind turbine generated power, recycled water and push-bikes as the vehicle of choice. And quokkas - just about everywhere. Left over from a very previous time. But strict instructions don't touch, and don't feed. Pity there's no instruction about not trying to take selfies with them - seriously, I fear for the quokka's mental health!

Next excursion was to the Margaret River region, with some wine tasting thrown in. And, as it turned out, some beer tasting at ta brewery (with lunch), a visit to the Besselton Pier ( a guiness book pier as the longest pier in the world. Or was it in Australia. Or longest wooden pier? I must learn to take notes!) Anyway it was very photogenic and it had a little train that ran down for the kids and us oldies. Then furthur south to see the Cape Leewin lighthouse - where the Indian Ocean meets the Great Southern Ocean. By this time it was overcast and misty, and the wind came straight from Antarctica. Luckily there was a cute little shop that sold hot chocolate, And in addition - there was a bonus visit ti the Mammoth Cave and dinner in a resort on the way back. Great day for a traveller!

Photos: DayTripping

copperowl — Tue, 7 Mar 2017 21:06:00 GMT

A Week in the West

copperowl — Sun, 5 Mar 2017 18:20:00 GMT

It was hard to say goodbye with our new friends from the ship. And the ship itself, - the lovely "Radiance of the Seas". But we were also going to say hello to others. We have cousins in Perth, and this was the original motivation for this particular cruise. We were meeting with them on day one in Perth, and this eventuated, with lots of laughter, and story telling. When travel includes family, it's the perfect mix.

Later in the week I was also catching up with friends that I had met on previous travels. One I had met on a Med cruise in 2013; the others on a Trafalgar Tour in Eastern Europe in 2005. That these friendships survive is a great joy.

Perth is a vibrant city - very new looking with an air of prosperity. But the new lives with the old - something unique to Perth is the way the sky-scrapers are built with the facades of historic buildings left at the front. A head turning moment when they are first spotted. Followed by the thought "Why not?"

Interestingly, the part of Perth that looks oldest is actually quite young. The "London Court" is a shopping mall, built in the English Tudor style, comlete with posters of Shakespeare. Built like the inside of a medievel castle, complete with a portcullis and statues of knights, it seems a strange choice for such a hip city. But, as a lover of all things English, I enjoyed it. And there was good coffee in the little "tea-houses" in the Court. A bit of fun.

Perth was easy to get around, with free bus travel in the city centre. And the area around Elizabeth Quay, while still under construction, is worth a visit. It will be stunning when it's done.

Photos: Perth Western Australia

copperowl — Sun, 5 Mar 2017 16:27:00 GMT

Photos: Bali-Hi!

copperowl — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 10:30:00 GMT

The 40 Year Circumnavigation

copperowl — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 17:25:00 GMT

I know that circumnavigation is meant to be done all at once. But that's not how it panned out. In early 1973, I was returning to Australia after 4 years of travelling the globe. In those days, boats were the cheap option, so I duly booked a berth on the "Marcini", from where I had found mysef in Capetown, to Sydney. We sailed across the Indian Ocean, and into Fremantle, Western Australia. From there is was a leisurely cruise to Sydney, via Adelaide and Melbourne. I didn't leave Australia again till 2005.

This year, I completed the circle. The ships have changed, and they are no longer the cheap option. Burt in the meantime, I've developed an addiction to cruising. (This is, of course, a subset of Travel Addiction). So this became a good excuse to cruise again.

We sailed out of Syney at sunset. With the sky lighting up behind the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. No matter how many times I do this, I never get sick of it. Two glorious weeks of watching the ocean. North to Brisbane, and then the slow passage through the Whitsunday Islands, while avoiding the Great Barrier Reef. Then around Cape York at the north of Queensland; all in sight of land. The next port was Darwin, where we berthed just beside the roped off pool - which is the only beach which is safe from crocodiles and sharks. (OR SO THEY SAY.....) The heat was oppressive, even to someone who is used to Aussie summers. It felt as if all the oxygen has been evaporated. The thought hit us - why ever did we think February was a good month for this??

From here we veered away from the coast of Australia, and headed to Bali, in the Lesser Sunda islands of Indonesia. There's a separate post on this. (Or will be).

Back on the Western Australian coast, we docked at Port Hedland, a mining port with not a lot of tourist attractions. Unless you were really interested in iron ore and mining. But everywhere has interesting places, and we found one that was fascinating - a place wwhere flat back turtles come in to lay their eggs. Sadly, the season was over, but the organisation that does the research and cares for the turtles was happy to show us around and talk about their work. So interesting, and we came away with an interest in theworld of turtles. Never assume a place is boring.

Our last port was the small town of Geraldton. A town that seems to be devoted to shipwrecks. Excellent museum with artifacts and bits of the "Batavia" , a Dutch ship which sunk off Geraldton in the 1600s - way before Australia was officially "discovered" by Europeans. And a beautiful memorial to the sinking of the HMAS "Sydney" which was sunk by German boats during WW 2. The memorial features a beautiful bronze statue of the Woman who waited. Simple and beautiful.

Finally into Fremantle, and the end of the cruise. And I had completed my circumnavigation. And, I can confirm - Australia, IS an island.

Papua New Guinea

copperowl — Sat, 15 Oct 2016 17:00:00 GMT

Sometimes you just can't resist a bargain. So there I was, on the internet, idly "pretending" to book a cruise (as I sometime do) in order to find out what they would cost to go as a solo traveller. This time, on the P & O site, in one of the "specials" weeks. And, lo and behold, I find one that' affordable. 7 days on the "Pacific Eden" from Cairns to Papua New Guinea.

The day of sailing dawns. I fly from Sydney, get the shuttlebus to the Port and onto the ship. I left Sydney at 9.00am, and less than 3 hours later. I'm lunching on the ship.

The Pacific Eden" used to be one of the Holland'America ships and is different to the other P & O ships. It reminds me of those tropical Plantation houses, with lots of cane furniture and wood pannelled ceilings in some of the public spaces. I wait (in vain) for someone to call me Memsahib. I like it very much.

Our first port is Alotau, in Milne Bay. My dad fought here in W W2. I think of it as a pilgrimage. I soak up the colour and the culture. Music, dance, colour and smiling faces become my memories. But I also see the poverty, and I wonder how we let this happen, so close to Australia.

Our next ports are 2 islands in the Milne Bay area, Kiriwina, and Kitava. Like in most South Seas islands we are greeted by the singing of school children (I presume school is suspended on ship days), and people selling coconut drinks, wood carvings, colourful cloth and jewellery. I ask one man if he likes the cruise ships comong in, or if they interrupt their lives. He replies "Is ship no come, we have no money". How humbling is that?

Photos: Papua New Guinea

copperowl — Sat, 15 Oct 2016 10:25:00 GMT

Photos: Voyager of the Seas

copperowl — Sun, 13 Mar 2016 14:13:00 GMT

Voyager of the Seas

copperowl — Sun, 13 Mar 2016 13:54:00 GMT

The ships keep getting bigger and more flashy. This one carries about 3000 passengers and boasts an ice-rink, a flow rider (aka fake surfing), and a shopping mall. The passenger numbers mean endless queues. The ship is bold and brassy. Despite all this, I kind of like it - the sheer improbability of it. And, on this cruise we have moved into the Middle Class - we have a Junior Suite, complete with balcony, a door between us and the next cabin, and a bath. And space. When I want a quiet place to read, or to write in my journal, the balcony beckons. And when I gt bored with myself, there are 2999 other passengers to chat to in the busy lounges, or near the Coffee Shop in the Mall. And there I also find the highlight of my "onboard experience", a duo from the Phillipines who play the most exquisite music on violin and guitar. Joyce and Pedro become my obsession. I follow them around the ship like a stalker. And sometimes Pedro on his own - guitar solos mixing classical, spanish guitar and popular music. And sometimes singalong - late at night in one of the bars, where Pedor adds singing to his repetoire - John Denver, Neil Diamond, Simon & Garfunkel. The age demographic on tthe ship (me included), love it!

I've been to all the ports before, but there are always new things to see, even in familiar places. I love cruising. No bag to pack and unpack. leisurely days at sea - great food, excellent entertainment. Including, on this ship, ice-dancing! Then the crazy rush on port days to see as much as possible in a short period of time. Once upon a time, I back-packed, but in my dotage, this has become my travel scenario. While onboard I book another cruise for next year. But.... can I wait that long?

Farewell to Old England ...

copperowl — Sun, 17 May 2015 19:11:00 GMT

I hope not. But I'm being realistic. I may not get to my beloved England again. That doesn't mean no travelling. I'm an addicted traveller - wanderlust is never far away. But I chose this Trafalgar Tour in the belief that I might not get back. It has unleashed so many memories. My 1969 hitch-hiking trip; staying in Youth Hostels. Trips with my children who were living in the U.K. My own time living in London.

The second last day we arrive in Cardiff. As the bus unloaded, most of the passengers headed into the Castle, but I was all castled out. On the opposite corner I spotted a tea-house. I love these little tea-houses, although I wonder how the make enough money to survive. The first person I see is a lady of African background wearing traditional dress and a head scarf. Behind her is a small thin woman with dark hair and eyes, and large hooped gold earrings. She looks eastern european -perhaps Romanian. I tentatively ask for a hot chocolate. It arrives in a giant tea-cup and it is warm and delicious. A woman nearby hears my accent . She is Irish, and she and her boyfriend travelled through Australia last year. She has the lovely lilting accent of the Irish. The two other women join in. They have British accents. Four women, different ages, different backgrounds. All in this little tea-house in Wales. These are the moments that stick in the memory. The sheer one-ness of us all.

That night we go to the Millenium Centre for dinner and "the Welsh Experience". Singing like only the Welsh can do. A harp recital. Some banter. But for me the glass of mead that welcomed us was itself worth the evening!

The last day of the tour we stopped at Bath. This is one of my favourite parts of England, and some of my ancestry came from around here. We had only a short stop - just enough to whet the appetite for anyone who hasn't been here before. I have been here and I decide not to revisit the baths, the cathedral or the covered bridge. A friend had told me to find Sally Lunn's. This is the oldest house in Bath, and it is yet another teahouse, but one more famous than most. Sally Lunn's Buns are renowned. I find it easily and settle down to hot chocolate and a lemon curd bun. Not a vitamin or mineral to be found - but the bun was delicious. Apparently there are often queues to get in (It's only small). but this time I was able to just walk in. Attached is an interesting museum. No matter how many times you go to a place, there are always things still to see and new experiences.

Our final stop is Windsor. The flags at the castle are indicating that the Queen is in residence, and the queues to get into the Castle are ridiculously long. This later becomes a bone of contention among some of the passengers, who feel that we didn't spend enough time in the towns and cities on this tour. People often underestimate how much there is to see in the U.K., especially when they come from a "big" country (say, Australia or the U.S.) One week to cover all that we have done is always only going to be a taster.

Trafalgar have been excellent to travel with (as they have been in previous trips). Our tour leader, Amy is a gem. Organized, patient, and funny. During the trip she took many photos and video footage of us and the trip, and a few days later she emailed the links to us. I watch it periodically and think "That looks like fun. I might do that trip!"

Photos: Wales and Windsor

copperowl — Sun, 17 May 2015 18:39:00 GMT

Phiotos of Windsor, England and Cardiff, Wales

Photos: Roman Bath

copperowl — Sat, 16 May 2015 20:43:00 GMT

Photos of Bath, U.K. Trafalgar Tour of Britain and Ireland

The Emerald Isle

copperowl — Sat, 16 May 2015 18:09:00 GMT

I'm taking some poetic licence here. I'm ignoring the border between Eire and Northern Ireland. A border that had caused so much political turmoil, but which in reality doesn't exist. When you drive from one to another the only change is that the road signs are in English and Gaelic in the south.

We spent very little time in Belfast. Enough time to see the Falls Road art commemorating "The Troubles". Enough time for a coffee. A quick drive around. I'd not been here before - our 1969 hitch-hiking trip had been in the middle of the troubles and we had avoided it. But time on this trip is of the essence, so off to Dublin we went.

Dublin was on the hitch-hiking itinerary. I remember we were stood up by a couple of Irish boys we'd met on the west coast who seemed keen to see us again. Not so, as it turned out. Then I spent 4 days here with my daughter in 2005. We went and saw the fascinating Newgrange neolithic tomb. Although, to be accurate, I think it was more fascinating to me than to my daughter. On this trip we went out to Glendalough. This is a ruined settlement and abbey from the time of St Kevin. Apparently the community was fiercely Catholic, but there was little communication with Rome, and so the priests didn't know that the Vatican had decided that all priests were to live celibate lives. They didn't find out for about 300 years! It was beautiful and the graveyard was full of those beautiful celtic crosses.

From Dublin we went south, through Kilkenny and to Waterford. Naturally we went to the Waterford crystal showroom. Amazing glass at amazing prices, although apparently it's now made in Eastern Europe. We wandered around and concentrated on not sneezing, or tripping ot waving our arms about. Quick way to max out the credit card.....

Before we knew it we were heading for another ferry, and off into Wales.