Our B&B guests obliged by having their breakfasts early so that we could head off to the airport at 9am. Taxi arrived driven by a somewhat nervous and elderly driver. Astrid and Charlie in the back and me in front, chatting to the driver.

I then got this message:

We nevertheless made it to Gatwick in good time, headed off for breakfast and champagne (why not). The grand reunion – Charlie and Francesca – like 2 peas in a pod. Happiness abounded. Of course we had to have champagne with the breakfast. It showed a while later on the EasyJet flight…..

Stepped out of the plane to steamy hot sunshine while still dressed for English weather. Luckily we had an air conditioned taxi with a great driver and headed for Lavrion on the coast neat Athens

Finally after settling in to our hotel, we could throw off the warm gear, get into holiday gear, shorts and find a restaurant. Simple Greek food, iced beer, proper Greek salad and we were in holiday mode. If that was not enough we then explored Town and landed at a cocktail bar

Saturday – preparations to sail

Astrid was determined to see at least one piece of antiquity (apart from me) and after offloading our bags at the yacht charterer we took a taxi down the coast to the Temple of Poseidon. It sits on stop of a rocky headland and was very beautiful

Had to start the first morning with a coffee and walk on the Seapoint beachfront – always beautiful here

Flight to Cape Town was not the greatest. Either I have got bigger (not) or the seating space has decreased. The flight was full, many Germans and unfortunately Charlie & I were seated separately so I could not slump on the person next to me. Luckily for us it was a relatively cool day in Cape Town when we arrived (20 degrees) which helps when one i wearing jeans and a warm shirt

Despite the lack of sleep we headed out to Stellenbosch (about an hour) to meet up with family at Dewarenmarkt – a big busy restaurant/pub in the centre of the town. Town was vibrant with students and pavement cafes – made Charlie wish that she had gone to university here!

30th December 2021

The beaches here are so extensive at low tide and next to nothing at high tide – well the sand anyway. So we decided to get up early to catch the lowest tide on the southern end of Newgale Sands. Had it almost to ourselves. Dogs were ecstatic.

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Headed down the peninsula to another old harbour Port Clais. The wind was wild but this cove was well protected from the rough seas

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At Porthstinian the old lifeboat station (below right) had been replaced by a magnificent modern facility. Impressive as it was, I would not be tempted to head into the seas today!

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29 December 2021

Magnificent coastline around here. Rugged cliffs and numerous coves. So much to explore. Wide sandy beaches at low tide, swallowed up by the high tide until only the pebble banks exposed. So different.

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Had to re-visit Solva for lunch because it’s such a quaint little place. Walked the surround hills where there is a hiking path that covers most of the Pembrokeshire coast (for another time!)

28 December 2021

Finally 4 Days away in the far west of Wales near St Davids. Morning walk above Newgale beach – 2 miles of beach backed by an enormous and long pebble bank formed after a huge storm in 1859.

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St Davids Cathedral was stunningly beautiful, inside especially. It’s enormous, considering St Davids is a relatively small town. Beautifully restored.

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Solva harbour after sunset and on the outgoing tide. Once used to supply St Davids town. Lime brought in by ship was fired in the old kilns.

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Wednesday 15 December 2021

TAXI BOOKED FOR 5PM !

Writings on the prison wall….

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Still waiting ……

Tuesday 14 December 2021

A fragment.

In the dungeon-crypts idly did I stray,

Reckless of the lives wasting there away;

“Draw the ponderous bars! open, Warder stern!”

He dared not say me nay—the hinges harshly turn.

“Our guests are darkly lodged,” I whisper’d, gazing through

The vault, whose grated eye showed heaven more gray than blue;

(This was when glad Spring laughed in awaking pride;)

“Ay, darkly lodged enough!” returned my sullen guide.

(Emily Brontë)

Heard the news today that South Africa and other countries are now all off the red list. No quarantine required. Savid Javid seeking clarification if we prisoners can be released.
SUSPENSE IN THE AIR !

Like ants, we circle around the exercise yard

Here is a typical experience of many in my hotel as reported by BBC

Quarantine fiasco has cost us £5,500

Alison Stitt says her experience in a quarantine hotel has pushed her to the point of meltdown.

She was in South Africa visiting her father for his 90th birthday when the country went on the UK’s red list.

It took days to rearrange a flight home on the same date that a quarantine hotel room was available. They had to stay longer in their AirBnB and re-book their car hire while they waited – on top of extending their car parking and kennels bookings in the UK.

Now she and her husband David are at a hotel near Gatwick. 

Alison says the total cost of their extended stay in South Africa and paying for their quarantine facility has been at least £5,500.

“It was one expense after another. It’s all going on credit cards. It was meant to be a budget trip.”

She describes the experience of going into quarantine as a farce. “We were herded into coaches after we landed. We got lucky coming to Gatwick, some were going to Manchester.” 

Alison says her room is clean and modern, but she doesn’t feel safe in the hotel, saying she’s seen guards sneezing with their masks down.

The hotel had to be evacuated last week because of a fire alarm.

“We know someone has tested positive in the hotel. They came to re-test us, saying that we had been exposed to someone with Covid during the fire alarm.”

Monday 13th December

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