Homeward Bound!

Vauxhall Bridge, round the corner from our London flat;  this picture (which I took I the Autumn) is the hob splash back for our new kitchen

In two weeks we will return “home” to Edinburgh - almost 2 years and an half years after we left. It was meant to be 18 months, but we took the chance to spend the winter in London and to follow that with what was supposed to be a summer on the boat. Few can have missed the glorious weather we seem to have had for much of the last six months, and, those who know me well, know that I love a hot and sunny climate. But even I am becoming more aware and somewhat concerned about the impact of what feels like a shift in climate in recent years. 

Early Summer - Onboard with Sarah & Craig

Our plan for the summer was to cruise from East to West along one of three canals which cross the Pennines. We picked up our newly blacked boat at the start of May but as the weeks progressed more and more sections started closing from lack of water. So bad was it by mid-June that none of the three X-Pennine routes were navigable and by mid - August much of the network was shut down. We actually abandoned Dun Eideann in mid-July having found a mooring home in the pretty Yorkshire town of Sowerby Bridge. We are hoping there will be sufficient rain before next March so we can cross to North Wales in the Spring along the Rochdale Canal. Other water level problems have included grounding the boat a bit like Noah’s ark on Mount Ararat when returning from Sheffield - having exhausted all of our usual options when getting stuck on the bottom, we had to ask another boat owner who was moored nearby to come and pull us off sideways (fortuitously Ian had been really friendly with him when operating the lift bridge earlier in the week). When Mum joined us for her annual jaunt we were thwarted once more when trying to sail as far as Ripon, again due to low water levels. 

Introducing Mum to Ambiente

Interestingly we did experience a level rise of more than a foot overnight when moored in York - notoriously unpredictable and if you tie your ropes too tightly, extremely hazardous! Travel to York involved a stretch on the tidal Ouse requiring life jackets and a having our anchor at the ready, but proved a little less traumatic than our first outing on the tidal Trent three years ago ( see first boating blog, The Journey Begins!). York also witnessed several visits to our favourite sherry and tapas haunt, Ambiente,  as well as evensong at the Minster with a school friend I had last seen over 40 years ago. 

Since leaving the boat last September, our life has continued in a distinctly nautical vein. We returned to Malta for the October Middlesea yacht race, staying in a cute boutique hotel, The Snop House round the corner from our old flat in Senglea. 

Padel in Spain

Flying from Seville after a few days sightseeing in this lovely city, the weekend was a brief interruption to our 6 weeks in Spain. Through September and October we honed our culinary skills with the recipes learned in March on our Andalucian cooking course, and honed our padel skills on the local community court which surprisingly is free, even when playing under floodlights. The two week intensive language course proved more challenging - the most notable achievements being an appreciation of the 80’s Spanish pop group Mecano and finding some fun Anglo German friends in the next village. In October we had our own mini “Vuelta” - a cycle race, right through the centre of the town, showcasing the tricky hills and hairpin bends. 

Road racing in Colmenar

Water was very much not in evidence in Spain, with the local reservoir showing a worrying depletion, thankfully replenished somewhat through the winter. We were, however, fortunate to travel home just ahead of the torrential storms, enjoying a remarkably calm crossing of the Bay of Biscay while carnage reigned just a few hundred mile south. Home for the winter was Pimlico, just across the river from Tom, and close to Alasdair, Lewis and Lucy - a rare treat for us. 

Christmas Day

My little flat, previously rented out for many years, has proved to be a peaceful haven in the middle of the busy capital - almost as if we are in the eye of a storm. Even Ian is a convert! We have taken full advantage of the free travel for over 60’s residents, and all London has to offer. Highlights have included a visit to Big Ben, climbing the Elizabeth tower, followed by sessions in the Commons and the Lords ( an unexpected bonus); singing Mozart’s requiem with the Civil Service choir at St John’s Smith square; numerous plays and concerts - The Years and Dear England stand out; being in the audience at the BBC and a family Christmas at Tom’s cooked by Ian and Lexi. Summer has offered picnics in the parks, Chelsea Flower Show and cricket matches at the Oval, just a twenty minute stroll away. 

With Tom & Lexi at the cricket

At least one river trip was on the cards, and what better way to arrive at The Globe to see Lucy as a witch in Macbeth than by the Thames riverboat. I ended up going to see the play three times, and have discovered the joy of standing in the yard, where you are quite literally immersed in the play (Elizabethan style) for a fraction of the price of a seat. Another river trip broke up our winter when we cruised for a week on the Mekong as part of a three week trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. The beautiful Pandaw boat was reminiscent of Death on the Nile (think Mia Farrow) and it was literally the most luxurious week we have ever spent. With just 31 people on board, fabulous food and ‘off the beaten track’ trips, we cruised with surprisingly like-minded people. Most had travelled widely, and many had lived overseas. We did the rest of the holiday on a much smaller budget, finding surprisingly good hotels for less than £50 a night.

Relaxing on the Mekong

Ian even picked up his new charity role through a couple we met from along the coast in Edinburgh. He is now a trustee for Firefly - a small not-for- profit providing safe spaces to children in war torn areas. I meanwhile have become a trustee and treasurer for Prisoners Abroad, giving humanitarian support to Britons in prison overseas, supporting their families and assisting with resettlement (essentially preventing homelessness). We both feel excited to have embarked on these new voluntary roles.  Learn, Earn and Return as one former colleague described the three stages of life to me - how lucky are we to be enjoying that third phase, where it has to be said we are learning loads too. 

Hastings in March!

Various outdoor bathing experiences during the year included a visit to Thames Lido in Reading (a favourite haunt of Ally and Isabel), a dip in the ocean at Hastings in March when enjoying the sauna on the pier, wild swimming in the gloriously secluded lake belonging to Julie and Ian’s neighbour, and three days in a row in the sea in Aberystwyth - yes Wales! The latter was during a fun-filled Aber Uni reunion for Ian, with wall to wall sunshine and 30 degrees C. 

40 years post graduation

We had spent the previous week in Northern Ireland where Belfast was quite an eye-opener; much like we found in South Africa, the former political tensions smoulder just below the surface. I confess to not knowing that the high dividing walls in the city are still very much standing and the closing of gates at 6pm, establishing a no-man’s land, had none of the touristic ceremony of the ritual on the India / Pakistan border. On a lighter note, Giant’s Causeway was simply stunning, and having been fortunate to travel the world, it is humbling to find one of its greatest wonders right here on your doorstep. 

With Jill at Giants Causeway

Speaking of wonders, we have had two newborn additions to the family this summer. My niece Issy and Tristan have welcomed Florence, and Ian has become a grandpa to Kieran and Emily’s little girl, Avery. Both are indescribably cute (and that is from a woman not renown for her maternal instincts!), and we look forward to sharing our future adventures with them. 

Grandpa Ian with Avery

We did choose the slightly more environmentally friendly route to Spain a few weeks ago, taking the train via the Hockney exhibition in Paris, then Narbonne and Barcelona to Malaga.  But it probably cost us 5x the cost of a 3 hour flight with Mr O’Leary!

Almost finished - The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona

The joys of face to face Bridge (we have played online with both Edinburgh clubs while away), Murrayfield internationals, brisk walks and colder 5km Park Runs await, with hopefully a few games of golf when it is not too muddy. I am not sure I should extol the delights of our log burner, given its environmental impact, but that cosy warmth is possibly what I am most looking forward to on our return home to Edinburgh. Ian will be keen to try out the new extension to the tram system which opened last year - it provides a direct link between our home in Albany Street and The Vaults of the SMWS. Slàinte!