Back to School after the Half Term Break - Sunday 26th November

As we drove up the drive to Windlesham House, on Sunday evening, I asked Charlotte if it reminded her of Enid Blyton's "Twins of St Claires", returning to school.  She said yes, but that she had never realised exactly how exciting it would actually be going back to school!  With a comment like that, we felt very comfortable dropping her back at school.

In the afternoon Charlotte wanted to meet up with one of her new friends Lucy, in Brighton (before heading back to school).  Lucy lives in Indonesia and soon to be moving to Barbados.

Charlotte's carry on bag was much heavier than the start of the week.  Despite being told that boarders were allowed one weekend outfit, and 2 for overseas boarders, she managed to persuade me that most girls had far more and that it was not a problem her taking extra stuff.....  I justified the 4 jumpers by thinking that she could double up in the cold months ahead!  This was the longest (half) term of the year - 7 weeks until the Christmas break, with the dark mornings and afternoons to come....

Charlotte seems to be becoming more and more independent.  She didn't want me to come to her dorm and help her unpack.  However, with her heavy bag, plus some other items and a set of draws to go under her bad,  she relented and asked for help to carry everything!....  Up in the dorms, it was lovely to see all the girls hugging each other, so excited to see one other again.  Some girls returning from countries all over the globe - one from Africa, feeling the cold as it had been 100F, another from Korea, feeling tired as it was 4am for her! - girls similar to Charlotte, used to living in different countries and traveling.

Brands Hatch Formular Ford Festival - Saturday 25th October

Back In London for the weekend, Jimmy headed off with Alan to Bands Hatch.

Paris - last couple of days

Day 4 we relaxed in the apartment until late afternoon.  Term time is very busy for Charlotte and it's important to also recharge the batteries in the holidays.

Then out for a boat trip on the River Seine - no Paris trip is complete without it (according to the guide books).

Heading up to the Notre Dame

They say that when a couple come to Paris, they should lock a padlock on a bridge and throw away the key, to lock in their love for one another.  As a result, a lot of the bridges in Paris are getting weighed down with all the weight!!! 

Day 5 - Friday - we checked out of the apartment at noon, headed to Gare de Nord Train Station to drop our bags at left luggage and then walked over to Montmartre.

There were lots of artist there - Charlotte had her portrait done:

We then whiled away the afternoon with a late lunch, and the early evening with crepes, hot chocolate and a glass of wine, until it was time to head back to the station for our evening train back to London.

Day 3 Half Term in Paris - Versailles

Jimmy took the "Alternative Disneyland trip" and headed to Versailles.

Disneyland - Day 3 Half Term in Paris

The day Charlotte had been waiting for, the highlight of the trip to Paris! - the two of us took the 45 minute train ride to Disneyland Paris.  (Meanwhile, Jimmy went in the other direction to check out Versailles (I wonder why??))

Never have I "Paid so much, to line up for so long.....".

First stop was Space Mountain - Charlotte had been longing to go on this, since she was too young/short last time we went to Disneyworld. My great desire for these rides had wained a little since then... with the bones and head taking a bit more of a battering....

Unlike Florida, it was cold here!!  Fortunately Charlotte wasn't cold at all, so I borrowed her jacket (on top of mine)!

"It's a Small World" is always one of my favourites (and no chance of banging my head on the side while doing an upside down loop at 100 miles per hour!)!

The wait time for Thunder Mountain Roller Coaster was 75 minutes.  Charlotte's choice, we started to queue....  After queuing for 70 minutes there was an announcement...... Yes - due to technical difficulties the ride had to be closed down!!!  The consolation was a fastpast ticket for later (when there were no queues!!).  We finally got to do the ride, twice, in the dark.

And last stop before the final show - a good old fashion American dinner.

All in all, a great day in Disney, but the French just don't quite do it as well as Florida Disneyworld.

Paris! - Half Term October 17th-26th

Monday 20th Oct - Day 1 - we took the Eurostar From London to Paris - 2 hours 10 minutes!

We stayed in an apartment quite close to the Notre Dame, so made that our sightseeing trip for what was left of Day 1. The Notre Dame was built in 1100s and took over a 100 years to build.  It fits over 900 people on a busy day.

I am sure the cafes look a lot nicer in the warm sunshine!

Day 2 - a walk past the Louvre (it was closed on Tuesdays - Yippee said Charlotte!)

Then a stop at the famous "Angelina" fancy tea rooms - we had to try their Signature Hot Chocolate! Reported to be so thick, that you could stand a spoon up in it! (one would hope for that price!! - the most expensive cup of Hot Chocolate we had ever had, but well worth it!).  Even Charlotte was not able to finish it and said she had had "too much chocolate"!!!!!???

 Oh and why not a pastry to go with it!!

Then to walk off the thousands of calories we had just inhaled!

And a trip up the Eiffel tower.  Unfortunately, due to the winds (remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo) the top was closed and so we were only able to go to the second level.  (However, this still seemed high!)

All followed a lazy morning relaxing at the apartment.

Last Greek Memories October 14-16th

A couple more days in Greece, on Hilary and Alan's boat, enjoying the last of the warm weather, before heading back. This shows where the boat is moored in Vonitsa.

The last night, we checked into a hotel before a relatively early start the next day, for a long traveling day back to London.

Could keep an eye on the boat from the hotel balcony!

Memories from Greece include, trying to find our way around with Greek signs!

Other memories include:
- massive Greek salads - enough to feed 4, with about 1 kg of tomatoes, 2 cucumbers, olives, onions and about 1lb of feta cheese on top!!
- all the men seemed to have perfect mustaches (and some of the women)
- Olive trees everywhere

The last day, traveling back involved a 1.75 hour car drive, 1.75 hour ferry ride to Corfu, lunch in Corfu, taxi to airport, plane to Stansted and then picked up our 8th rental car to drive to Shoreham-on-Sea, ready to pick up Charlotte from school the next day.
We left Vonitsa at 9.30am (7.30 UK time) and arrived in Shoreham on Sea at 10.30pm - 15 hours of traveling!

Meteora - 13 October 2014

Amazing, unbelievable - all these monasteries perched at the top of natural sandstone rock pillars, up to 1,200 feet high!  Known as the "Stone Forest" in Central Greece.

The Meteora ("middle of the sky", "suspended in the air" or "in the heavens above") is one of the largest and most important complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Greece.  These monasteries were built in the 1300s and rebuilt by UNESCO in the 1970s.  Six of the monasteries (out of a total of 24) remain in tact and functioning.  James Bond "For Your Eyes Only" was filmed here.

We never realised how mountainous the interior of Greece was, with mountains over 9,000 feet high.  The drive to Meteora was about 130 miles and took about 3 hours. The time of the journey depends very much on who you get stuck behind on the windy mountainous roads!  Here is a 2 story, double trailer loaded with goats and the poor shepherd dog stuck in the back with them.  It took us forever to pass!

We visited a couple of monasteries that day including the biggest "Great Mereoro" and also the nunnery "Roussanou".

We found a nice lunch stop for souvlaki and greek salad.  The Greek salads are enormous - a salad for one is enough to feed 4 people, with about 5 tomatoes cut up, a cucumber or 2, a whole onion, olives and a 1lb slab of feta cheese on the top! All soaked in olive oil - delicious!

However, it amazes us that a restaurant that can cater for 200 people for lunch or dinner, still has only toilets like this! (not easy in a pair of jeans!)

At the end of the day, we relaxed in a nice hotel with great views.