UK & Mallorca Oct 2017

I'm off to Bridport in Dorset. I take the train to Crewkerne (Somerset) and my friend Lyn picks me up from there - along with her little dog Smartie (a border terrier). We drive south to Bridport (Dorset), about half an hour away. It should have been to her new home - but there have been delays with the sale and purchase, the deal hasn't been finalised and sadly she hasn't been able to move in as yet. She had sold her previous house and in the meantime she and Smartie have been living with her friends Jo and Lo and their young son, in Bridport, until her sale goes through.  I know this in advance of my arrival and a rather fortuitous Plan B has evolved in the interim. It so happens that my arrival in Bridport coincides with school holidays and Jo and Lo (a lesbian couple) and their son are heading to Lanzarote. They have said I can stay at their place with Lyn during my visit (a week). What a lovely gesture.  And so Lyn and I caretake Jo and Lo's house while they are of...

There is a bit of cloud about this morning. Sadly, we are leaving Mallorca this afternoon. Beds are stripped, towels are washed, bathrooms cleaned. We laze about a bit, making the most of things, in between tidying and packing.  The cloud burns off and the sky is perfect blue.  Jill and I walk to Eroski, the local supermarket. We get some bits and pieces to make some filled rolls for the plane journey home (Easyjet, our rolls will be far superior to your offering!), and top up some supplies.  The prices are ridiculously cheap. Local wine for €3 (less than NZ$5, and it’s good), loaves of delicious everyday handmade designer bread in a brown paper bag for €1.  Intriguingly, a regular  white sliced loaf in plastic is dearer.  Jamon ham costs a mere  €1.50.   Everything is cheap ... produce, cheese, booze, household necessities. It really makes me cringe to think of the equivalent prices in NZ, aka rip-off land. Toiletries are somewhat on a pa...

I rise relatively early this morning, around 9am! The day  is warm, as expected. There is a bit of cloud about but it will burn off. There is something to be said for this wonderfully predictable and stable Med weather and I am relishing it. No ten-seasons-in-one-hour here, like we get at home! Jill & Peter's courtyard Another relaxing morning, another tasty brunch outside, more chat and chilling. We head to the beach for a swim. I’m not much of a water babe and am happy just paddling. Jill and Peter take the plunge and head out round the rocks. The water is crystal clear and looks bracing; it’s not quite the tepid temperature of the height of summer I require but you couldn’t say it was cold.  There is a very large elderly woman bathing in her worn-out washed-out bra and knickers; it’s not a pretty sight but she is enjoying herself. Go you.  Perched on a rock, my fee t stirring the sand in the shallows, I look the other way, admire a different s cene. Anothe...

I wake up and stretch, wonder what time it might be. I am alarmed to discover it is 1pm in the afternoon!  Peter's up for some time. Jill surfaces even later than I do. Why not. We had a very late night (aka early morning) and we don’t have to be at work or anywhere else. That makes it all okay, right! End result, we have completely missed morning but it simply doesn’t matter, we are compensating for this by making the most of the nights. Which is what you do in this part of the world.  We obviously needed the sleep! I I go out to the garden and lie down in the shade. Close my eyes. I am totally exhausted - it’s not a hangover, even though you may not believe this - I am so deeply relaxed that my limbs feel like lead and moving seems like hard work. We chat and lounge around for a bit. Have a big brunch. Feel even more exhausted. We have definitely wound right down to zero. It’s a good feeling.  We read and snooze and chat. I feel so incredibly relaxed that I t...

We rise late, feeling surprisingly ok after our late arrival night. We lounge around in the garden a while, soak in the jacuzzi, enjoy a leisurely brunch of fresh eggs, bread, cheese and tomatoes and the ever-delicious jamon ham. There isn’t a cloud in the sky and the temperature is perfect. The sound of the water feature makes us feel soporific as we have a post-brunch lie-down in the sun. Eventually we step out into the early afternoon warmth and wander down the end of the road to the glorious seafront. Restful tones of sandstone and faded terracotta spread before me, contrasting with the deep clear blue of the sea. Here are photos that tell the story ... This is Mollinar Shutters in bright shades of green and blue add pops of colour. The promenade is wide and stretches for miles in either direction. This is Mollinar. Dozens of cyclists whizz by; it’s an easy way to get about, especially given the miles of dedicated two-way cycle lanes. One must be wary ...

Today is “Potter in Kingston” day, one I always enjoy and ensure I do every time I've come to stay with Jill and Peter through the years.  I browse the shops, stop and have a coffee and tuna sandwich for lunch, wander past market stalls selling fresh and CHEAP produce, and relish being out and about in brilliant sunshine. It is hot. I do not need my jacket and the shops full of winter clothes seem incongruous to this beautiful sunny summery day in October.  Kingston = Medieval meets Mall; it’s River meets Retail; it’s Cafe meets Corner pub. Time and place collide in a relaxed and wonderful way.  Kingston shopping area After hours of pottering (I could have spent many more), I return to base and pack my small case ready for Mallorca. Peter arrives home and we leave for Gatwick airport. We are meeting Jill there. We are off to Mallorca where Jill and Peter have a house (in Mollinar, not far from Palma).  Peter has decided to use a new Park and Ride facili...

Today I awake and it is a bit overcast and dull, looks like there’s been rain overnight. Alison and I take the tube into town chatting all the way, making the most of our time together. We part ways at Queensway where I get off and she continues on to her work in Victoria (at the NHS). Queensway is a small and deep station with lift access. Above ground I stop for a coffee and a baguette at Pret A Manger, a trusty chain of sandwich bars, and then head across the road to Kensington Gardens. Back in the day, I often used to frequent Hyde Park, amusing myself at Speakers Corner where whackos spout forth near Marble Arch. It intrigued me endlessly and has to be one of the best people-watching spots in the world.  Kensington Gardens, one of the city’s royal Parks, adjoins Hyde Park, and is leafy and peaceful. I stroll along its pathways, past Kensington Palace and various statues and sculptures. It’s pretty much deserted except for a few people walking dogs, and clusters of touri...

Another pleasant day dawns and I enjoy a leisurely morning before heading to Kingston station to head for central London. I change at Wimbledon to the District Line and find myself sitting next to a bloke who is muttering to himself, making all sorts of facial expressions, tossing his head about, scribbling wildly on a piece of paper and gesticulating in an uncomfortably restrained manner. He is doing all this at once and I’m not sure if he is a genius or a nutter. He is very good looking.  I glance sideways and notice it is a play script he is holding. Ah, it makes sense now - he must be an actor. Practising on the tube is obviously one way an actor learns all those lines, making productive use of travel time. The words Tam Mutu are watermarked across each page and large chunks of text are highlighted throughout - the part of Carl which he is obviously playing. I assume the play is called Tam Mutu but later investigation reveals it’s actually the guy’s name. He has starred on B...