The year started, as they will, with the girls off on their usual skiing holiday with their dad. This is a great time for me, because I spend the two weeks throwing stuff out of their rooms. Don’t mention it to them - they’ll get upset. What made THIS year so exciting was that I received a call from Wavell School, saying that they had a place for Lizzy, and she could start on 17th January. She’s had a bee in her bonnet about going there for quite some time now, mostly, I think, because her best friend is in attendance. Warning her that while she could, if necessary, go back to Hawley Place, she MUST give Wavell at least a month before making that decision.
Well, I thought she was happy - she came home the first week, excitedly telling me that she was in the top set for science! I was very excited for her, as she seemed so happy. I loved that she was able to walk back through the park with friends each day, and was always home, with homework finished, before Lottie and I even pulled into the drive! Sadly this didn’t last, and the day after half term (a month, exactly, since she’d started) she told me how unhappy she was, and how much she wanted to go back to Hawley. And so she did. Still, year 8 is pretty much the last opportunity for messing around to this extent.
Just before she decided to go back to Hawley, we booked tickets to go to Disneyworld in Florida! Ian had wanted to take us there, the trip had been in the planning stage since Christmas, and we decided that Easter was the best time to go. Hot, but not ridiculously so. Now THERE was an exhausting trip! We flew out of Heathrow terminal 5 at about mid morning on the first monday of Easter holiday, and after checking into the USA in Chicago, where I saw, but didn’t photograph (because I was convinced we’d ALL be shot), the BEST security guard haircut EVER, we arrived in Orlando at about 1800, local time.
Disneyworld is great fun. You always think it’s going to be for younger children, but actually there’s so much there for ALL age groups... that I’m beginning to sound like an advert! Well, all that aside, we had a really great time. We started, the day after arrival, with a trip to the local outlet mall for some shopping, which was great fun, until the girls decided that jet-lag should start to take its toll only a couple of hours into the trip. We KNEW they weren’t faking it because, well, it’s a SHOPPING trip! Still, I had a great time shopping - it’s not so different from the UK, but I got some really nice t-shirts.
The real fun started the next day with our trip to Seaworld. I’d not been in America since the 80s, and I’d never been to an American theme park. I loved some of the animal displays, but found the shows a bit lame - except Shamu, which I enjoyed immensely. Lottie got some really good shots of the killer whales. I was a bit disappointed that there was no grass on which to sit and eat a picnic - everything was set up to ensure that you have to eat their food in their restaurants. Hmmm! Still, the roller-coasters were brilliant - in fact we went back to Kraken a number of times, before leaving the park, exhausted, after dark!
But that’s not ALL! The next day we went to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The animals were actually brilliant, I loved the safari - mainly because they had elephants!! The rides were also really spectacular - our favourites were a couple of rides in the Dinosaur area (Dinosaur and Primeval Whirl) and Expedition Everest - I can’t remember how many times we revisited those rides! Not only did I love the safari, I really enjoyed the Maharajah’s Jungle Trek - a beautifully themed walk through a “jungle” with masses of wild-life. We didn’t see many of the shows - although we did go along, just before leaving the park, for the last “It’s tough to be a bug” show of the day.
The next day it was on to Magic Kingdom. Sadly the runaway train ride was out of action, and we faffed around SO much that we didn’t get to Tomorrowland until very late. This was a shame, because I REALLY wanted to spend time in that area. Actually, as it happened, we DID get to Space Mountain, which was quite the most uncomfortable ride! It was a fabulous ride, and the queueing system was typically good, but with no real head support and a bit of a jerky ride, I did stumble off with neck ache. Still, the VIEW in the ride was amazing. I’d go again, in spite of the potential for broken necks! Despite coming late to Tomorrowland, it was my favourite part of the park, although I loved the idiotic Magic Tiki hut thing. Now THERE’S an ear worm! “In the tiki tiki tiki tiki tiki room...” Apart from Tomorrowland, the next best bit was when we were strolling down some street, and a parade went by (and seriously, this happens every 5 minutes or so), and I was squealing with delight because Woody was on one of the floats, so he stopped and blew a kiss!!
So for the last two days we did Universal. I’m pleased to say that by the time we got to Universal, our jetlag had calmed down a lot, and apart from a bit of a rest on the grass (yes, insect bites, let’s not talk of this), we stood up well, and had a meal at the Hard Rock Café at the end of the evening! We did Universal Studios first, leaving Islands of Adventure for last. Actually, they were both brilliant. The rides in Islands of Adventure are fantastic, except the water rides. I think we’ll draw a veil over how horrible THAT little section of the trip was! We finished the day with a trip to the Hogwarts Castle ride, which was REALLY well done.
Lottie, who’s been singing for the Farnham Youth Choir, as well as doing a lot within school with the Vocal Group, and the Vocal Performing Group, had a couple of good trips this year. She was invited to go to Paris to sing soon after Easter, and with the Choir, went to compete in the World Choir Games in Cincinnati. I gather they won a gold and a silver! Actually, she’s been performing REALLY well, and did a lovely solo at a recent concert in a Farnham church - I put it on Youtube! I’m looking forward to this Saturday, where she’ll be doing another solo and a duet, I believe. I had to attend the Senior School Carol Concert last night, which is a torture of the most monumental proportions (actually, this applies to ALL school music functions), except for the lovely moment when Lottie performed the first verse of In The Bleak Midwinter without any support or microphone. You can gather from this entire paragraph that I’m seriously proud of my girl. This, of course, is well tempered with the exasperation I feel when she forgets something essential for a performance, and I have to go back and get it. Which is every single time!
Now, I’d not want anyone thinking I’m not equally fond of Lizzy. After the messing round in early spring, she settled back down to work. She did have a bit of catching up to do, but she’s nicely organised, so that wasn’t too much of a problem. In addition to which, her artwork is amazing. I wish I could get her to draw a nice Christmas picture for the letter. I’ll have to shove in some pics from the holidays.
Ooh! Talking of holidays, the camping holiday this year was particularly good. It all started during Champagne Thursday, when my mate Jo said that she couldn’t go to Romania this year. Some problem with some of the people going, so no one was going. So I said why didn’t she come with us. And so she did. It was brilliant!
We decided on a tour this year - via Chartres (to see the Cathedral) and the Massif Central to the Pyrenees and then on to the beach. Chartres Cathedral is quite as spectacular as I was expecting. It’s brilliant - you drive across some very flat plains, and suddenly over a rise, there’s this MONSTROUS cathedral on the horizon. Absolutely amazing!
We stayed the first 3 nights of camping in the Massif Central, at Le Grange Fort, which is a fantastic fort turned into a camping site. It was SO hot, and we kept getting eaten by mosquitoes! However, we did go up the Puy de Dome, although that little trip has become VERY touristy - to the point where you have to take a little train, where you used to be able to drive up. We had a lovely trip, but then moved on to the Pyrenees. Very expensive, the massif!
Unfortunately the Pyrenees were very WET, so we almost longed for the expense/mosquitoes/heat of the massif. We DID get ONE gorgeous morning of glorious sun, which showed the new crew how lovely the mountains can be, but shortly after the sun came out, the clouds came back down, and the rain began again. We also had a WHOLE night of thunderstorms, with Ian and I popping out each time a new one came upon us, in order to keep the tarp from filling with water and pulling all the tents over! In the end, after the 4th storm, we untied it and decided it could flap.
The day we left the mountains, the weather was, once again, gorgeous! Dammit! And then we had an accident on the way down the mountain, when our top-box fell off, so I stamped on the breaks, and Jo drove into me. Oh my goodness was that a mess! The top-box issue was down to some rather old (second hand off ebay) roof rails, and was quite easily solved, since I’ve got a French car! Sadly the damage to the front of Jo’s car was a bit more difficult to disguise! We ended up taping it all together with French gaffer tape, which is actually better than English gaffer tape! But since it’d taken all day to sort out the roof-box issue, and we were all feeling a bit glum, we checked into an hotel for the night, and had a calming McDonalds for supper!
And so! On to the beach! It actually took us about 3 hours from Tarbres to Bordeaux, but then we got stuck in the traffic getting onto the peninsula. Yes, there really IS only the one road out to Cap Ferret! But on the beach at last. And the weather, this year, was lovely! Nice and hot, and everyone burned except me!! I actually WORE the t-shirt on the beach all the time. I tell you, when that t-shirt wears out I’m going to be distraught! Anyway, you ALL know what goes on when I’m at the beach. That’s right - absolutely nothing. And I love it. Total relaxation.
Let me see if I can find some pictures to stick into this thing. I can’t believe it gets longer and longer each year. Honestly, anyone would think I have FUN during the year.
Oh - I forgot some minor news. Ian moved back from Canada to England, and is currently living in a flat within VERY easy walking distance.
And, as usual, this letter is spectacularly late, and it’ll arrive just in time for Christmas NEXT year.
Sorry – hope you had a brilliant one!!
And Airshow – I forgot to mention Airshow! I’m only saying this now because I actually got to GO to the Farnborough Airshow back in July. It was really good, and I took SO many pictures. Let me see if I can find something for you… Nope, apparently it’s a roller coaster picture!
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