Typical Pantanal view
‘Watch out! The Pantanal has the world’s worst mosquitoes!’ With this warning ringing in my ears, here we are with our Avon skin-so-soft spray (the best according to experts), craghoppers mosquito-proof trousers and shirts and even face nets to fit under hats. The African in me who has never bought any safari gear is appalled. Continue reading
Chez Christine sits under the pass to the Dents du Midi
It’s a beautiful morning in the mountains and our Canadian guests are easily dissuaded from leaving until after a gentle stroll. The chosen route is a steep climb up through the woods to Sous la Dent and then doubling back to Signal de Bonavau and down to Chez Christine’s for lunch. A couple of hours plus lunch should do it, Ross reckons. At first all goes well, gorgeous views down to Champery… Continue reading
We’re going to Barbados – for a wedding! The son of our old friends who live there is getting married, so we have hired an apartment – but more of that in the next blog. Cashing in on so-called BA freebies means we have to arrive a little early – so we find ourselves in Bequia spending a few chilled-out days doing some diving and getting into training for the wedding! Continue reading
The Dents du Midi from the 8-man chair in Les Crosets
It’s January and the annual Queens College ski reunion. This is the 10thyear that old Cambridge friends have gathered in Switzerland, and now France, to remember trips of yore, including the celebrated one to Avoriaz where Ross and I met 40 years ago! Continue reading
To end my week in Switzerland we decide to visit Zurich, Switzerland’s premier city and centre of finance and wealth. As predicted, the weather is grim on Saturday – the main reason for leaving the mountains. We book into our modern boutique hotel, the Marktgasse, right in the centre of the old town, and sally forth umbrellas to the fore. Continue reading
The Dents du Midi with a smattering of snow, with the ridge we walked, foreground
With the prospect of a wet Bank Holiday weekend in London I thought it would be a good idea to chase the sun for a few days in Switzerland where the weather has been glorious. Continue reading
I never tire of this view of the majestic Dents du Midi – now covered in masses of snow
We have always spent Christmas and New year in Champery since my mother died in 2009. There seemed no need to remain in England after that; and even less so after Louise died in 2011. The three of us come here and try and avoid the madness that overtakes even rational people at Christmas time. The only presents I give are to Ross and Tommy; friends may receive small tokens from our travels, Christmas biscuits from the Basel market or home-made chutneys, if I’ve made any! Continue reading
The problem with the NHS is that while hospital procedures are of a good standard, the minute you leave it all goes to pot. There is no home support. Gone are the days of the District Nurse, and when I go to the hospital for my 15 minute ‘physio’ this entails bending my leg in all directions and measuring the angle of movement, and comparing it to the last. Tick the box. Continue reading
My serenity sculpture down the garden with the camellias, primulas and acer busting into leaf
Almost six months after I started consultations over my poor old hip, I finally saw the consultant at UCLH today, complete with MRI scans. Continue reading
We are missing our diving now we are based back in Europe. So I booked a sneaky two-week holiday in the Maldives, the first week on a live-aboard, and the second in Soneva Fushi, a ‘barefoot luxury’ resort we repair to when our souls and bodies need replenishing. Continue reading
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