28 March - 3 April

Mon - Took recumbent up to Kevin @ D.Tek in Little Thetford.  An amazing steptoe yard of literally dozens of recumbents piled up.  What Kevin doesn't know about recumbents could be written on a postage stamp.  Tried out two ICE trikes, like the Sprint...but its 2,500 new so maybe not buy one just yet.

Tue, Wed, Thur, Fri - Mini break to Holland to see dafs & tulips at the Kerchenhof Gardens.  Stayed at Gent, Haarlem and Utrecht, all lovely old quarters around canals and pedestrianised/very bike friendly. fantastic to see how integrated the bike culture is, its just part of normal life with all cycling in everyday clothes on classic Dutch bikes, many with kids and/or cargo carriers.  Some beautiful designs - take a look at http://www.vanmoof.com.

Sat - Cycled to vill a couple of times and to Rose & Crown for Darvells drinkies in the evening.

Sun - Due to communication issues, I didn't know we were CycleSocing in the morning, so it ended up a dash to get up at 7:35 to be at Amersham at 8:05!  Then good ride with a couple of hills in a loop around Chesham.  21 miles.

21 - 27 March

Mon - Cycled to Ricky post office, 6.5 miles.  Then sky cleared and sun came out, actually warm, so I changed into shorts and mowed the lawn.  1 hour later the grey clouds came over, back on with long trousers!  Walked into vill for a little shopping and back a longer route round common.

Tue - Cycled to Ricky Waitrose, commented to customer service that there were no bike racks, she said "yes, we have been told this already, it seems the designers assumed people would drive and not walk or cycle".  So much for John Lewis Partnership sustainability agenda.  6.5 miles.

Wed - Sold recumbent on eBay, low interest till last hour when bidding climbed from £225 to £441.65.  Glorious sunshine and warm.  Cycled to look at gas fires at Bellingdon, then onto Cock and Rabbit at The Lee for a pint and to eat my sandwiches.  31 miles.

In evening went to CW Bookshop organised talk by Henry Wolsey on "In Shackleton's footsteps", where he and other descendants traced the track of the South Expedition of 100 years ago.  Amazing to see how the pictures matched the scenes from then, reminded me of our Philby Empty Quarter trip.

Thu - Just a little cycle into vill.  Walked to extra choir practice, sounding 'ok' for Saturday.

Fri - Train/bromptoned into Covent Garden for lunch with Hughes.  Lovely to cycle across London in  the sunshine.

Sat - The Stoker got up early and wanted to have some exercise, so we rode out to Tylers Green.  No traffic at first, and clear roads. 21 miles:

Chiltern Choir Concert in evening (Haydn Nelson mass, Rutter Palmfest).  Really good, hardly any mistakes,  very enjoyable.

Sun -

14 - 20 March

Mon - Train/bromptoned up to Kennington.  Lovely sunny spring day after the frost in the morning.  Cycled past Buck Pally and saw Guards marching back to barracks.  Bands, horses and some carriages.  12 miles.

Tue - Uncovered recumbent (Vision R-40) last ridden 8 years ago.  Met up with P in Amersham for short flatish ride to Hyde Heath as I was rather unsure of the twitchy handling, but it got better over time.  Needs a bit of oiling though.  20 miles in 1h45.

Worried rider!

Walked to choir in evening, 2 miles.

Wed - Legs a bit wobbley after recumbent ride, it uses different muscles.  So no exercise, not even a walk into the vill.  Black tie with Stoker in London in evening.

Thur - Chilly weather.  Walked to vill for shopping, then cycled to William Penn (4.5miles round trip) for 45mins spin class

Fri - Rained till 15:15 so no cycling!

Sat & Sun: Wilderness outdoor first aid course at Holland Park.  Trained and bromptoned, lovely ride through Hyde Park. Kensington Gardens. 10 miles each day. Passed with 100% in final exam!

27 Feb - 10 March: Antigua

(a blogette by The Stoker typed on her Blackberry hence the many abbreviations.  But you get the gist - great company, excellent food, super sailing and swimming, exhausting cycle across island, and lots of rum punches)


Sunday 27 Feb: Good flight, saw lots of films, arrived on time at 15:00, to be picked up by P&M and whisked to Jolly Harbour (JH). 
Swim on N beach JH at 5 pm
Casterways on south beach at JH. Met Di and Adrian friends of P and M
Shrimp kebabs, salmon me, Juicy Lucy hamburger Stu
Monday 28 Feb: Swim N beach.  Breakfast on terrace.
Epicurean supermkt at JH to buy meat for BBQ met D and A at spmkt. Paid community charge up hill battery died push car downhill. Man rescued us and coffee at Starfish.  Casterways for lunch. Coconut prawns. Stu made salsa and marinated meats
Went for walk along SB to Coco Hotel and back again. Swam off SB just in front Jim and Anns place
Walked back to N finger about 2 miles
Then to J and As luxurious pad for BBQ (Villa has atrium and 4 beds on beach,  beautiful, you can rent for USD7,000 a week). Shame about Pete and his chilli behaviour Adrian cooked the BBQ and made dessert lovely
Tuesday 1 March: Swim. Bfst on terrace. Went to St Johns for cheque and battery. Parked right outside Bambula restaurant downtown. Pretty outdoor rest. Snails pate mozarella salad starters. Mahi mahi. Baked banana
Swim with Mo. Cooked pork and chicken for dinner chez P and M
Wednesday 2 March: Swim. Bkfst on terrace. To English harbour Catherines for lunch prawn salad. Mahimahi gazpacho croque monsieur salad nicoise.rum and raisin icecream. Stu was circumspect in his use of caribs  Walked round Nelsons dockyard. Went to Falmouth yacht marina saw biggest yacht in world Maltese Cross
Bit of rain
Stu made more salsa.  Peters restaurant  for excellent steak and planters
Thursday 3 March: Grey skies torrential rain overnight. After bfst on terrace walked to the Starfish cafe about a mile and had iced coffe and sent some emails. Pete  and Mo arrived had lunch they chilli me salad at Starfish. Sunny weather hired bikes for a week cycled back to villa and then cycled to Turners beach. Had a swim and rum punch at OJ s which had strings of shells decorating it and all sorts of fishing nets and wood flotsum and jetsum and delicious garlic prawns to eat. Cycled back to Fyffes point where we had a rum punch at Dennis's restaurant set at the top of a hill between 2 beautiful beaches. Cycled back via Sheer Rocks boutique hotel.  Swim with Mo and Pete on north beach pulled an old submerged hoby hulk ashore
G and ts at villa
Dinner at Mellinis italian at the dockside. Shared eggplant parmigiani with Stuie. Had  seafood mellange for main he had ginger chicken
Friday 4 March: Swim before bkfst at North beach. Packed the boat with picnic and g and t and caribs and the neighbours Heather and Paul Noble - anaesthetist at James Paget Yarmouth - brought champagne and mango rum punch -pink bottle!
Set off and immediately lost a fender so did an about turn and Paul jumped in to rescue the fender.
Beautiful sailing weather - north to Deepwater bay about 2 hrs. Anchored picniced - ham blue brie hard boiled eggs bread tomatoes lettuce cucmber baby carrots champagne sunshine breeze -yum-  and swam off boat to shore gorgeous beach with the Royal Antiguan Hotel in the corner rather ugly orange building but softened by the breezing palms.  Pete took the dinghy with guests ashore while M kept ship. Sailed back in glorious wind - almost got the mainsail to unfurl.
In the evening to Gibsons to eat right on the beach - Turners Bay.  Scallops and prawn curry in a pineapple;  fish soup and stir fry prawns;  pate and prawn curry; garoupa ;  free bottle of wine. Police arrived to sort out someones dispute over a taxi fare. Great fun
Saturday 5 March: Swim before bkfst N beach. Cycled to the dockside shops for an iced coffe and internet. Went to new clothes shop and bought 2 tops and a beach shift. Left Pete and M to pork scnitzel at Mellinis. We cycled to Hermitage Bay the next beach along. Via the trademans road to the beach. Beautiful hotel 5 star dark wood with cabins dotted up hillside and an infinity pool on the beachside. Had rum punch and pinacolada best so far. Left our clothes by our bikes Swam out and along beach. Sunbathed. Cycled back through back gate of Jolly Harbour.
Stu and Pete unravelled the mainsail successfully and sorted out the jib. Another fender was in the water boat hook rescue. Neighbours au revoired - back to uk.
G and T on terrace with Di and Adrian. Back from St Kitts
Casterways for dinner. Spinach salad , catch of day - wahu delicious white steak of fish; satay, wahu; satay , lobster half huge curry; dipping shrimps for M.
Sports bar Roland White quartet - fine musician with long greying dreadlocks and grey forked beard. Rum punch and mohitos. Stu asleep.
Sunday 6 March: Bkfst on terrace in glorious sunshine. Cycled to South beach and walked then swam ran ashore as the heavens opened sheltered at Casterways for half an hour then rain lessened so cycled in bikini - new experience to dockside JH changed into dries and had warming americano at Starfish. Cycled back to villa to get spruced for Di's birthday lunch at Hermitage Bay absolutley downpouring rain shook dry as we ran from car to entrance at the garden beach hotel - among the top 10 boutiques in the world according to Ann and Mau.  Rain water gushed off the rooves and the beautiful bay was milky with rain but we were warm and dry in the comfy sofas of the beachside bar.
Jim and party arrived soon after us. Cocktails mohito for me and menu browisng then moved thru to the dining area. All by the amazing beach but still drenched with rain. We stayed dry and sipped champagne to toast Di's birthday. Food choices me tuna carpaccio, eddo and callocco soup, snapper with blackbeans baked banana; Stu :
3 hrs at least of torrential rain. Gave Di her card and necklace. Jim chose the red and white wines. Rozlyn was our waitress from east London. Management asked us to quieten down!
Lovely occasion altogether. Rain stopped by 430 when we headed back to villa changed into swims for dinghy ride to back of Casterways. Happy hour rum punches to watch the sunset just a bit of cloud on horizon. Prawn kebabs and chat to Carmen and Chris from Wolver'.  730 back to villa. Stu fell off the boat in the dark and had to swim round to the ladder. Pete cooked bacon and eggs for Stu and him!  Bed by 930. Slept then woke at midnight and now still awake several podcasts later and its 4 in the morning can't sleep. Ridiculous!  Tree frogs chirp relentlessly.
Monday 7 March: Swim before bkfst. Went to internet for Mau. I sent postcards home to mum and nigel. Iced coffee to go at Starfish.
Cycled to Valley Church Bay while pete and Mau drove. We all swam in the delicious water of the bay. Waves crashing and foamy frills on the sandy beach.  Milky turquoise colour. Long walk along the bay
Lunch with Jim Ann Di and Adrian at The Nest. A beachside cafe. Coconut shrimps and great rum punch.   2 hours
Then sunbathe and cycle back. Buy white shorts.   Shower. Sunset on North Beach. Then to Denniss for dinner. Shut Monday so carried on to OJs on Turners beach. Sat outside under the stars right near the waves muffled crashing to either side .  Spicy garlic shrimps whole red snapper for Stu and me. Steak for P and chicken for M. Creamy coconut and rum and raisin ice to follow.
Tuesday 8 March: After bkfst Cycled to JH shops and bought a white sun dress. Met the wife of the man who lost 8 fingers in a boating accident. Swam at South beach for a change and after breakfast. They have good loos at Casterways so Stu tells me
Back to shower and change then drove with P and M to Harmony Hall for lunch beautiful boutique hotel on Nonsuch Bay SE on Antigua. I had lobster tartare and mahi mahi. Stu had wahoo carpacio and steak. We had fizz and red wine. Sat up high  outdoor table ov overlooking the bay
Went for a sunset swim when we got back to JH.
 To Al Porto 241 Tuesday night Italian restaurant at JH with Ann and Jim and P and M. Had excellent rum punch and a seafood pizza only managed half of it but ate the topping in rather student style! P and M had mussels Stu had Salsiccia pizza.
Wednesday 9 March: Swim before bkfst. Doughnut - jammy - for bkfst today. From the bread lady who visits JH on tues and Fri. Cycled across the island to Falmouth bay via the rain forest. 17 miles. Delicious meal on the dockside at Cloggy's which is the Antiguan Yacht Club restaurant. Waitress very impressed we had cycled from JH. Had a table on the breezy shaded veranda overlooking the boats. Had grilled prawns then wahoo with salad and chips. Delicious!  Coconut dessert for me icecream with espresso poured on but poor boy he tipped it over himself!  Oh yes and a good rum punch and glass of rose and litres of water to rehydrate before the mega cycle back. Took 2 and half hours to get there and 2 and quarter coming back. Very steep long hill up to the zip wire in the rainforest. Gorgeous cycling on the coastal bit of the route up to Curtain Bluff then little villages. On way back kids in neat uniforms greeted us as we cycled. They were on their way home from school. Back at 430. Showered on the terrace to cool down then another shower upstairs and a lie down with a cup of tea - heaven.

Jolly Harbour to Falmouth via Fig Tree Drive - 17.8 miles

P and M went to meet the flight for Alice arrival. She will sleep on the boat tonight until we leave tomorrow.
Flight delayed so they had to return and then go again. all well with Ali and she was soon showered and changed ready to go out for dinner. At Sugar Ridge just nearby up the hill from JH. Prawn salad followed by a great huge fillet steak and 2 for 1!! What a deal. Had a prosecco and then red wine.  Not merlot.   Met friends of P and M. Sam and Matt joined them for rum punch and kareoke at the sports bar. All very tired left at 11pm. Slept very well
Thursday 10 March: Swim with Ali before bkfst on terrace. Clear skies some wind. Good for sailing. Went out and back for a couple of hours. Ali helmed for a while but then felt sick and lay down. Lovely sail.
Lunch at Dennis wonderful views over 2 beaches with great shrimps and conch curry goat curry for Stu Dennis bread pudding yummy. Good rum punch then a 'romance' rum ameretto grenadine and pineapple juice

View from Denis' looking North to Jolly Harbour

Back to Starfish for iced coffee and internet. Shower on terrace back at villa to cool down then final sunbathe. Shower pack clean and make beds for new guests!
To Casterway for final sundowner and a great sunset
Met Ann and Jim there and their friends Lynn and Graham visiting.
Mo took us to airport in the dark traffic and people and potholes a challenge on road
So that's it we're at the airport and they are calling our flight. Bye bye beautiful Antigua and thanks so much Pete and Mo.