Holidays in the UK - Wales

28th July - 18th August 2004
Leaving Anju safely anchored with three anchors in Valentine Creek, in the capable hands of Woody and Janine as her caretakers, we flew back to the UK for three weeks.    After seven months of hard sailing, we felt we had "adventure fatigue" and were fed up of the scary afternoon thunderstorms on the US East Coast.   Those factors were combined with a little homesickness, the thought that it might be nice to visit the UK in the summer for a change and enjoy the long, light evenings and the ease of flights from nearby Baltimore-Washington Airport to Manchester had convinced us.

Back in our homeland we focused on spending time with much missed family and friends and these are pictures of some of the things we got up to.....

First thing we did was get straight back in a boat.....

Train up our potential crew, grandson James.....

Enjoy Phyllis' wonderful garden with Graham, Diane and Trish...

Get away from it all and enjoy the view....

Fight with other grandparents for a turn to play in the park..

Hike up Table Mountain

Enjoy a pint of cooling Bass...

Jo-Ann and Simon came to call by motorbike..

and practised their diving skills (maybe they'll volunteer to clean Anju's bottom one day!)

We went to Cardiff to visit Dave and Silke.

 

Linda and Geraint treated us to a Balti.    Linda took Phil to work with her next day, to visit his old workmates but he wasn't persuaded to rejoin the team!

By then Christine's birthday was fast approaching and it was time to make preparations....

Collecting blackberries from a nearby hedgerow to accompany.......

.......the beautiful birthday cake Diane made.

The party began.... (Phyllis and Lucy)

Graham took on the awesome responsibility of Braaimeister..

Angie and Gwyn, Diane and Graham, Trish, Lindsay and Bob (who was also celebrating his birthday the same day) tucked into the birthday meal...

We had a great time and partied into the night....

however there were some unexpected dunkings.....

and Bob the birthday boy had no dry clothes left 

(although he started it!!)

 

Next day Phyllis treated us to lunch too.

We were sorry we didn't have time to see all the people we hoped to visit, especially Phil's sister Rae, who lent us her car for the whole of our visit.     All too soon it was time to take the train back to Manchester.....

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