NEW: CORNWALL, ENGLAND: 1ST-4TH MAY 2009
Another weekend and another getaway from the big smoke. Diana, Robyn, Damion and I headed down to Cornwall for some lazing
around, eating, and general relaxation. Traffic wasn't too bad on Friday and the Cornish Ale on arrival in Polperro set the
scene. Two fantastic dinners, two cream teas, Land's End, Tintagel Castle, St. Michael's Mount, St Ives and even a cyder farm
made for a really good couple of days away, although in fairness listing Land's End with the rest of those places is a bit
hard on the others. Nothing like sticking a tacky gawdy eyesore at the end of your country.
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NEW: HYDE PARK & LONDON MARATHON: 24TH-26TH APRIL 2009
Due to a recent purchase, I decided to go and test out my new camera in Hyde Park on a relatively warm Friday night. With the
squirrels in hyper mode it was a relaxing couple of hours. On the Sunday Damion was once again doing the London Marathon so Diana
and I headed out with Robyn and gave our morale support at the 14 and 21 mile marks. Everyone looked so fresh after 11 miles, and
yet completely wrecked at 21. I would say I will never do it, but I think you already assumed that. Well done yet again Damo!
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POSITANO, ITALY: 10TH-13TH APRIL 2009
Another Easter, another tough 4 day overseas break. After some serious stupidness on my part (see blog.icypole.net), we still
managed to make the flight, and thank goodness for that. A long weekend, mostly wonderful sunshine, a fabulously located villa,
sensational Italian food and lots of walking up and down hills made for a fantastic break (ok so the walking isnt always ideal, but
its good when you eat as much as we did!). We even managed to make it out to Capri for the day and visit the Grotta Azzurra. Easter
next year? Oh yeah, something else is happening around that time ...
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LES ARCS, FRANCE: 8TH-15TH MARCH 2009
Another March, another ski trip to the French Alps. This time we were off to Les Arcs 2000, and we got a range of conditions that
certainly tested by amateur skiing skills. We had strong wind and snow, powder, followed by thick fog, followed by bright sunshine
and some icy runs. The skiing was good fun, but Ski Total were fairly terrible as Chalet operators this time around, and the Les Arcs
villages themselves (except 1950), are pretty average. Not only that they seem to be quite slack about opening up all the lifts if they
think its quiet (and don't get me started on ESF Ski instructors). Despite those complaints, they really weren't a detraction from yet
another fabulous week in the snow. Gotta get back again soon!
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JORDAN: 12TH-18TH JANUARY 2009
After being in Egypt (and finishing it all in a terrible port), Aqaba on our first night seemed like a good break from the norm. It was relatively
clean, cars behaved in a normal manner and used crazy things like "lanes" and on the whole a seemingly pleasant departure. To sum up Jordan I
would say that Petra is fantastic and far larger than I ever thought, floating in the Dead Sea is an experience that can't be described (it is
truly impossible to sink even slightly), and that Jerash, and old Roman city near Amman, was a big suprise. The negative side was again Peregrine,
with the self involved tour guide who was more interested with when and what he was eating and how much time off he had than much else. Jordan
was an interesting place, mostly rocky and sandy where the highlight for me was staying with Bedouin's in Wadi Rum. The best time, the best
food, and the best group activity (drinking in the desert), all came together in Wadi Rum for a highly memorable day.
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