It’s quite poor when you call a friend for the first time in ages and ask what he’s been up to through the summer only to be told “well… we’ve had another baby”. It made me realise that I have been a very poor friend and can’t even blame 3 months holiday on this as I didn’t even know that Tony’s wife was pregnant.
So off to Leeds to catch up on Tuesday evening.
Leave work at 5pm, drive slowly through the 50mph roadworks between Darlington and Boroughbridge, queue to get past the accident at Wetherby, go to the wrong Travel Lodge, drive around Leeds looking for Vicar Lane Travel Lodge, meet TC and drive to other end of the city, walk to restaurant, find that restaurant has no card machine working and we need cash, wait in restaurant while TC goes to nearby cashpoint, wait longer in restaurant while TC tries another cashpoint much further away as first one is broken, order food and eat at 9pm!
It was worth the wait as the steaks in this Argentinean restaurant were the best I have ever tasted, they are imported from Argentina and cooked to perfection. Apparently there is a saying in Argentina… “where there is no meat, there is no food”, I am guessing that if you are veggie you don’t holiday there ;o)
Had a great time catching up and drank far too much brandy! Ouch.
Thursday, 29 October 2009
Tuesday, 27 October 2009
27/10 Claire – Gym
So as part of my overpriced gym membership I also get personal trainer sessions once every few weeks to revisit my workout, track progress etc and generally keep an eye on me.
This morning I met Nathan. It started well and kinda went along the lines of…
“I can honestly say I’ve never done a personal trainer session this early in the morning”, OK. “what do you want to get out of your workout Claire? What’s your goal?”
“well erm, I would like to be able to eat whatever I want but not put on any weight”
[snort] “I’m not sure we’ll be able to do that” [chuckle]
“for £80 per month, I am hoping you can…”
“erm, let’s see what we can do”
It’s not like I eat Maccy D’s every day or anything, this really shouldn’t be that hard. By the time I’ve finished my new work out this morning I believe he’s managed a decent enough work out. I could tell by my shaking hands when I was trying to get my key in the locker door after I had finished :o(
This morning I met Nathan. It started well and kinda went along the lines of…
“I can honestly say I’ve never done a personal trainer session this early in the morning”, OK. “what do you want to get out of your workout Claire? What’s your goal?”
“well erm, I would like to be able to eat whatever I want but not put on any weight”
[snort] “I’m not sure we’ll be able to do that” [chuckle]
“for £80 per month, I am hoping you can…”
“erm, let’s see what we can do”
It’s not like I eat Maccy D’s every day or anything, this really shouldn’t be that hard. By the time I’ve finished my new work out this morning I believe he’s managed a decent enough work out. I could tell by my shaking hands when I was trying to get my key in the locker door after I had finished :o(
Monday, 26 October 2009
24/10 Claire – Jamie’s birthday doo
It’s been a while since we’ve seen our Jamie. We’d arranged to meet up in Newcastle for food, booze and dancing and, bonus, we get to meet the new lady in his life Andrea. Andrea is very beautiful so she’s likely to be unpleasant, right? No, she’s friendly and charming. Damn!...[joking].. Jamie, if you read this, she’s a keeper ;o)
Starting in the pub at 5pm, unsurprisingly, Jamie is late and it turns out that the original plan of “getting to Newcastle between 4pm and 5pm” actually means “we’ll meet you at the restaurant at 6.30” - par for the course. After a crap meal at El Torero tapas restaurant we headed out for rather too much rum. Ian started this by getting a round of Mojitos, then most of us moved on to Cuba Libra either way the measures were huge, the sort that make you eyes water and lips purse for the first two sips, I battled through. Since these followed G&T and huge glasses of red wine I should have known it could get messy… and indeed it did.
Had a great time in World Head Quarters, I didn’t stand out like an *old* sore thumb amidst throngs of cool, trendy kids… there wasn’t really any that I recall, perhaps the place has moved more mainstream recently? Or perhaps I was too drunk to pay that much attention to those around me with the exception of our group who, if the photos are anything to go by, I seem to be throwning myself upon each time the camera came out. Bed by 5, yes 5am! How the hell did THAT happen?
Starting in the pub at 5pm, unsurprisingly, Jamie is late and it turns out that the original plan of “getting to Newcastle between 4pm and 5pm” actually means “we’ll meet you at the restaurant at 6.30” - par for the course. After a crap meal at El Torero tapas restaurant we headed out for rather too much rum. Ian started this by getting a round of Mojitos, then most of us moved on to Cuba Libra either way the measures were huge, the sort that make you eyes water and lips purse for the first two sips, I battled through. Since these followed G&T and huge glasses of red wine I should have known it could get messy… and indeed it did.
Had a great time in World Head Quarters, I didn’t stand out like an *old* sore thumb amidst throngs of cool, trendy kids… there wasn’t really any that I recall, perhaps the place has moved more mainstream recently? Or perhaps I was too drunk to pay that much attention to those around me with the exception of our group who, if the photos are anything to go by, I seem to be throwning myself upon each time the camera came out. Bed by 5, yes 5am! How the hell did THAT happen?
Saturday, 24 October 2009
23/10 Claire - Naan heaven
I have been told to go to Akbars in Middlesbrough before by a number of people. I have been to Akbars in Leeds a few years ago but the Mbro one is relatively new. What I remember of the Leeds restaurant is that it's busy, loud and they have huge naans that get brought to your table on hanging stands. In Middlesbrough they do exactly the same.
I could write about the naan all day but it would take away from the fact that these guys just have THE best place to get a curry. It's decor is really amazing with modern designs, the guys running the place and waiting tables are genuinely nice and very friendly, and the food is the best curry I have eaten in a long time.
I swear, if this is a standard naan I would cry with joy if we'd ordered a family size.
Friday, 23 October 2009
23/10 Claire – Staying fit
One of my colleagues at work, who to be fair I haven’t seen in nearly 4 months, said to me this morning “by, you’re looking well… and have you lost weight?”. It doesn’t take much to make me smile I tell you. Anyhow I’d like to say it was, although it isn’t, down to my new fitness regime of early morning gym sessions.
It’s dark when I get up and it’s dark by I get home so this means I can’t run before or after work at home. I mean, I could, but I wouldn’t be able to see the road, where the verge starts, or where the road turns and I have tried this in the past only to end up running off into the hedge. It’s literally pitch black where we are and so dark that even a head torch with full, attractive, back of the head battery pack is too weak to really see where you are going. Besides that running next to the forest with the limited light of a head torch is too spooky for me and I am not sure my nerves are up to it.
The overly priced, large chain gym on Tees Barrage has a new recession busting 3 month membership. They also have an offer now where you get the rest of 2009 free and start paying in January so I now have over 5 months membership for the price of 3 and I can hand in my notice for March when I should start to see lighter nights and can get back out on the road.
What I hate about the gym, or rather one of the things I hate about the gym, is that by the time you finish work, drive to the gym, work out, shower, drive home, have dinner… hey presto it’s time to go to bed. I can’t, just can’t, bring myself to get into the cycle of winter days and evenings disappearing before my eyes so I have a cunning plan of morning workouts. I figure that if I can get up at 6am (which to be fair is the time I have to get up to go to London), be at the gym at 6.45, workout til 7.45, shower changed and drive to work I can be at work for 8.30. It’s like using bonus time and my evenings are free!
Of course, last night I was so knackered I couldn’t keep my eyes open past 9pm but I am hoping to get used to the new routine ;o)
It’s dark when I get up and it’s dark by I get home so this means I can’t run before or after work at home. I mean, I could, but I wouldn’t be able to see the road, where the verge starts, or where the road turns and I have tried this in the past only to end up running off into the hedge. It’s literally pitch black where we are and so dark that even a head torch with full, attractive, back of the head battery pack is too weak to really see where you are going. Besides that running next to the forest with the limited light of a head torch is too spooky for me and I am not sure my nerves are up to it.
The overly priced, large chain gym on Tees Barrage has a new recession busting 3 month membership. They also have an offer now where you get the rest of 2009 free and start paying in January so I now have over 5 months membership for the price of 3 and I can hand in my notice for March when I should start to see lighter nights and can get back out on the road.
What I hate about the gym, or rather one of the things I hate about the gym, is that by the time you finish work, drive to the gym, work out, shower, drive home, have dinner… hey presto it’s time to go to bed. I can’t, just can’t, bring myself to get into the cycle of winter days and evenings disappearing before my eyes so I have a cunning plan of morning workouts. I figure that if I can get up at 6am (which to be fair is the time I have to get up to go to London), be at the gym at 6.45, workout til 7.45, shower changed and drive to work I can be at work for 8.30. It’s like using bonus time and my evenings are free!
Of course, last night I was so knackered I couldn’t keep my eyes open past 9pm but I am hoping to get used to the new routine ;o)
Thursday, 22 October 2009
22/10 Claire - To watch or not to watch
I have now decided that reverting to a world of evening TV in the dark, winter nights is not what I want to do. I mean, in the past I have been a couch potato and a bad one at that. I could seriously watch any shit on TV and would look forward to weekends when I had nothing planned so I could do this without even getting dressed.
Something has changed…
My first day back home I clicked on the box, flicked through the DIY, property development, antique sale, moving to sunnier climate day time TV programmes and just thought “I can’t do this anymore”. It was raining outside and I stood at the back door feeling caged between crap TV and crap weather. Oh dear.
Anyhow, I have decided the best thing to do is keep myself busy, keep the TV off and try to make sure that the winter doesn’t become a cycle of getting up, going to work, eating dinner, going to bed.
Some nights you just don’t have planned things to keep you out of the house and although I have been reading a little more I have also found myself on the laptop a lot sorting things for myself that I have been meaning to do for a while, sorting birthday presents, working on photos etc. What I have also found is that I am also constantly on twitter and facebook (I mean you might as well have them on in the background, right?).
Somone at work says to me “you’re always on facebook you, I didn’t think you were the sort” and another chips in with that being OK “if you don’t have a life”. To be fair to her she also quickly contradicted this with an “oh I suppose we can’t say you don’t have a life” (this based based on the usual exchange of weekend plans between parents of young children and those, me, with no kids + having my just come back from the round the world trip). What I can’t get my head around though is that if I had spent 4 hours watching crap on TV this would have been quite acceptable but a couple of status updates and uploading pictures on to facebook could constitute a “no life” comment.
What I have managed to do though through the marvels of social networking instead of watching the box is contact a number of old friends that I haven’t seen for periods of between 18months to 20 years and bloody done something about it. And it feels good.
I am sure it’s only a matter of time until I revert but for now it’s busy, busy, busy ;o)
Something has changed…
My first day back home I clicked on the box, flicked through the DIY, property development, antique sale, moving to sunnier climate day time TV programmes and just thought “I can’t do this anymore”. It was raining outside and I stood at the back door feeling caged between crap TV and crap weather. Oh dear.
Anyhow, I have decided the best thing to do is keep myself busy, keep the TV off and try to make sure that the winter doesn’t become a cycle of getting up, going to work, eating dinner, going to bed.
Some nights you just don’t have planned things to keep you out of the house and although I have been reading a little more I have also found myself on the laptop a lot sorting things for myself that I have been meaning to do for a while, sorting birthday presents, working on photos etc. What I have also found is that I am also constantly on twitter and facebook (I mean you might as well have them on in the background, right?).
Somone at work says to me “you’re always on facebook you, I didn’t think you were the sort” and another chips in with that being OK “if you don’t have a life”. To be fair to her she also quickly contradicted this with an “oh I suppose we can’t say you don’t have a life” (this based based on the usual exchange of weekend plans between parents of young children and those, me, with no kids + having my just come back from the round the world trip). What I can’t get my head around though is that if I had spent 4 hours watching crap on TV this would have been quite acceptable but a couple of status updates and uploading pictures on to facebook could constitute a “no life” comment.
What I have managed to do though through the marvels of social networking instead of watching the box is contact a number of old friends that I haven’t seen for periods of between 18months to 20 years and bloody done something about it. And it feels good.
I am sure it’s only a matter of time until I revert but for now it’s busy, busy, busy ;o)
22/10 Claire - Low Newton-by-the-Sea
Been up to “the van” last weekend to see Pippa and Phil in Northumberland. Got there at 1pm and before 2pm Pip and I had polished off a bottle of white wine...! Well it all started with needing to make room in the fridge for BBQ food, there were too many bottles of bud in the fridge, Phil had to drink a beer to help out, I don’t like beer so had to have wine to keep him company, Pip had to put her beer back and help with the wine to keep me company and before you know it we’re getting merry in the afternoon.
A walk along the beach in the afternoon sobered us up a little, which was just as well as the walk was too the pub (it’s all about maintaining equilibrium).
As Newton has its own weather system (it’s always sunny) we even managed an evening BBQ but, of course, the fizz was open at this point. Turns out I “fell asleep” later in the evening and missed the Geordie tapas, the left over BBQ’d food stuff that you then leave out to graze on whilst continuing to drink through the night ;o)
A walk along the beach in the afternoon sobered us up a little, which was just as well as the walk was too the pub (it’s all about maintaining equilibrium).
As Newton has its own weather system (it’s always sunny) we even managed an evening BBQ but, of course, the fizz was open at this point. Turns out I “fell asleep” later in the evening and missed the Geordie tapas, the left over BBQ’d food stuff that you then leave out to graze on whilst continuing to drink through the night ;o)
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
21/10 Claire - Nina
I missed a lot of things during my three months off.
Some of these being:
Many birthdays
People handing in their notice at work
Others having babies
Babies being christened
On a personal note we missed the arrival of Nina Lancaster. I expected this as she was due the day after we travelled. Although I hoped she may decide to join us all early she decided she wasn’t ready and waited a whole two weeks.
Some of these being:
Many birthdays
People handing in their notice at work
Others having babies
Babies being christened
On a personal note we missed the arrival of Nina Lancaster. I expected this as she was due the day after we travelled. Although I hoped she may decide to join us all early she decided she wasn’t ready and waited a whole two weeks.
Monday, 12 October 2009
12/10 Claire - Being home
Today is my last day before I go back to work :o(
I haven't won the lottery even with my extra £10 worth of tickets
However I have bought lots of flat boots and shoes and I can't and choose not to walk in heals anymore. Saturday night proved this when I tried, and failed, to glide effortlessly from car, to bar to table. Agony.
The coal fire has been on more this week that most of last winter as I still want to feel that I am lying in 30+ degree heat.
Although my drinking has obviously reduced dramatically it is strange that I have reverted to UK style hangovers as soon as I touched down on british soil. Why are holiday hangovers only a fraction of the pain of a holiday hangover?
How long is an appropriate amount of time to wait between coming back from a sabattical and taking your next holiday? I am sure I will find out tomorrow ;o)
I haven't won the lottery even with my extra £10 worth of tickets
However I have bought lots of flat boots and shoes and I can't and choose not to walk in heals anymore. Saturday night proved this when I tried, and failed, to glide effortlessly from car, to bar to table. Agony.
The coal fire has been on more this week that most of last winter as I still want to feel that I am lying in 30+ degree heat.
Although my drinking has obviously reduced dramatically it is strange that I have reverted to UK style hangovers as soon as I touched down on british soil. Why are holiday hangovers only a fraction of the pain of a holiday hangover?
How long is an appropriate amount of time to wait between coming back from a sabattical and taking your next holiday? I am sure I will find out tomorrow ;o)
4/10 Claire - Leaving Kefalonia
Having had to leave the villa at 10am but not flying until 9pm it could have been a long day but we managed a last day on the beach thanks to Vaios arranging for us to have access to a hotel room shower in Spiros's hotel in Katelios before we travel to the aiport. This was a really kind thing for the two of them to do and it really made our last day like a bonus day.
We have said our goodbyes now and it's time to go home.
We have said our goodbyes now and it's time to go home.
1/10 Claire - Classy cocktails
I'll forgive you for thinking that I might have spent too much time in Captains Bar (or Mad Mikes Mad Bar according to Jacks) due to the number of pictures I have of Del Boy style cocktails but in fact this was over three nights in the whole three weeks.
I couldn't allow the last week to go by without a blue cocktail for Gwen and Mum. Indeed they didn't let me down and this time sparklers too ;o)
I couldn't allow the last week to go by without a blue cocktail for Gwen and Mum. Indeed they didn't let me down and this time sparklers too ;o)
28/9 Claire - Roadtrip
The rest of the roadtrip was a whilwind of mountain roads and beautiful northern villages and towns.
Sami is a larger port town and where Captain Corelli’s Mandolin was filmed. A quick stop off for a coffee.
Fiskado is at the north of the island and was untouched by the earthquake so many of the more traditional buildings are still available. It’s also where the money is the harbour is full of beautiful yachts, beautiful restaurants and beautiful people. Well not exactly it’s still full of British tourists.
Assos is on the west coast but still pretty far north. We stopped for dinner and here I found my perfect Grand Designs abroad house which was for sale and had been a shell for so long it had trees growing inside it. I really want to live here.
Sami is a larger port town and where Captain Corelli’s Mandolin was filmed. A quick stop off for a coffee.
Fiskado is at the north of the island and was untouched by the earthquake so many of the more traditional buildings are still available. It’s also where the money is the harbour is full of beautiful yachts, beautiful restaurants and beautiful people. Well not exactly it’s still full of British tourists.
Assos is on the west coast but still pretty far north. We stopped for dinner and here I found my perfect Grand Designs abroad house which was for sale and had been a shell for so long it had trees growing inside it. I really want to live here.
28/9 Claire - Roadtrip
So the roadtrip, we decided to do our tour of the island in one day so for this reason it wasn’t a tour of the island as such but certainly took us to the north and two of the best places Gwen wanted to show us Fiskado and Assos. We started however in Poros for breakfast and found a sea front restaurant that was open at 10am. After being pointed towards the caged parrot by the restaurant owner we spent the next hour listening to the parrot talk, make kissing noises and laugh. Cute. Believe me I had no issue with the parrot, but the incessant way the owner kept talking to the parrot in order to make it talk really wasn’t that fun. She would talk to the parrot in the same pitch and tone as a parrot but looking back to us all wide and crazy eyed in anticipation of our glee at the performance. Seriously this went on for an hour. Now my Mum has one of those irrational fears of anything birdy, feathers, flapping the actual birds. Imagine her pleasure when this appeared from behind her after our meal was finished. That look on her face was frozen for the next 2 and a half hours.
25/9 Claire - Turtle Beach
No pictures of Turtle beach as I was travelling light and didn’t want to get sand in my camera but I should have done.
The water was warmer than our villa pool, not by a little but by a significant differential. There’s no tide or waves as such on this beach as it’s actually sheltered in a long wide bay and Zante is opposite. It also very shallow so you can walk out for a long way before you become out of your depth, although that is not really an issue as the water is very salty so you just float. Vaios has been telling me for weeks that I should be swimming in the sea, not the pool. I finally do this 3 days before we leave.
The water was warmer than our villa pool, not by a little but by a significant differential. There’s no tide or waves as such on this beach as it’s actually sheltered in a long wide bay and Zante is opposite. It also very shallow so you can walk out for a long way before you become out of your depth, although that is not really an issue as the water is very salty so you just float. Vaios has been telling me for weeks that I should be swimming in the sea, not the pool. I finally do this 3 days before we leave.
25/9 Claire - My little yellow Greek car
Actually its a Hyundai.
Until today I have only been as far as Sami which is an hours drive from the villa. No I am not proud but with Mum and Gwen here they are keen to do a little exploring so it’s time to take the Hyundai out of its comfort zone. It’s just over two hours to get from Skala in the south to Fiskado in the North. I am confident in the little car since our off road experience the other day.
Having arranged to go to Turtle beach my friend Vios gives me some directions in the form of pointing down the mountainside towards twisty roads that are only visible by the late night street lights and seem to be intertwined with many other twisting roads. Looking down over a town in the dark doesn’t really help you visualise the road to take, neither does the copious amount of alcohol that I have consumed before said directions (if I recall it was Ouzo, wine, a “surprise cocktail”, metaza and some kind of shot that Vios, Gwen and I had to keep warm) so needless to say by the time we set off the easiest thing to do was to follow the local green sign for Turtle beach. Easy. Unless you also think, which I didn’t, these are the same local green signs that point towards the mini market that, when asked, Vios and Spiros laughed that when we find it we can let him know where this is too. OK, I digress, the sign for Turtle Beach is halfway up the mountain and takes you off the usual road down to town (I refrain from using the term “main” road). In fact the junction that I take to get of the usual road is so steep and sharp that the little car has to do a three point turn whilst hovering precariously close to the un-barriered mountain side. This is the first swear word of the journey I hear from my Mum in the passenger seat. As we follow the road it starts to become even more narrow, then a little more rubble appears, then it becomes completely unsealed, then it turns into a track of only stones, then the stones become the size of those that you’d struggle to walk on never mind drive over in a car with tires the size of an electric wheelchair, and then also becomes steep enough that you have to kinda steady yourself with hands on the steering wheel/dashboard. This was the second swear word from Mum. Then we start to pass through what is the back end of a farm or small holding with chickens, rusting equipment, a hammock for some tired Greek man to take a snooze. As far as Gwen and I are concerned this is still part of the same road and quite an exciting journey. Mum disagrees and I hear the third and final swear word of the journey.
Until today I have only been as far as Sami which is an hours drive from the villa. No I am not proud but with Mum and Gwen here they are keen to do a little exploring so it’s time to take the Hyundai out of its comfort zone. It’s just over two hours to get from Skala in the south to Fiskado in the North. I am confident in the little car since our off road experience the other day.
Having arranged to go to Turtle beach my friend Vios gives me some directions in the form of pointing down the mountainside towards twisty roads that are only visible by the late night street lights and seem to be intertwined with many other twisting roads. Looking down over a town in the dark doesn’t really help you visualise the road to take, neither does the copious amount of alcohol that I have consumed before said directions (if I recall it was Ouzo, wine, a “surprise cocktail”, metaza and some kind of shot that Vios, Gwen and I had to keep warm) so needless to say by the time we set off the easiest thing to do was to follow the local green sign for Turtle beach. Easy. Unless you also think, which I didn’t, these are the same local green signs that point towards the mini market that, when asked, Vios and Spiros laughed that when we find it we can let him know where this is too. OK, I digress, the sign for Turtle Beach is halfway up the mountain and takes you off the usual road down to town (I refrain from using the term “main” road). In fact the junction that I take to get of the usual road is so steep and sharp that the little car has to do a three point turn whilst hovering precariously close to the un-barriered mountain side. This is the first swear word of the journey I hear from my Mum in the passenger seat. As we follow the road it starts to become even more narrow, then a little more rubble appears, then it becomes completely unsealed, then it turns into a track of only stones, then the stones become the size of those that you’d struggle to walk on never mind drive over in a car with tires the size of an electric wheelchair, and then also becomes steep enough that you have to kinda steady yourself with hands on the steering wheel/dashboard. This was the second swear word from Mum. Then we start to pass through what is the back end of a farm or small holding with chickens, rusting equipment, a hammock for some tired Greek man to take a snooze. As far as Gwen and I are concerned this is still part of the same road and quite an exciting journey. Mum disagrees and I hear the third and final swear word of the journey.
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