I adore New Years Eve

I've always loved New Year, more so than Christmas. I think it was due to the Blenheim parties, each new year Anne brought the corned beef sandwiches and we shared food with the Derricks while the Disco played. Since then I've celebrated New Year in all manner of ways, a white party, Edinburgh, London, Hungary and loads in between. People say it's an anti climax after christmas but I like to get Christmas out of the way so I can celebrate New Year.

This year we had a Hannah Montana Pop star party, each person dressed up as a popstar. I dressed as Elphaba from Wicked, Ali went as an Ooompa Lumpa from Charlie and the Chocolate factory, Sal as a doctor, Mum as Cat Stevens and Dad as Boy George. Ali won the fancy dress competition. We had party food, played quizzes and between 10-12 we had a huge dip in energy. Having only been in thew hour for a few months, we didn't have a clue whats acceptable for New Years, luckily air horns and party poppers were at the ready...and we needed them. We sang Auld Lang Syne in the street jumping up and down, then it was time for bed. An exhausting night of party games, but 2012 is going to be phenominal year, we can't wait.

Our pre-wedding anniversary

What was meant to be a nice relaxing dinner last night turned out to be interesting. We decided to go to a resturant in Hella, 10km west of hotel ranga but you have to imagine the roads, no roadlights, you are pretty much in the middle of no where. So when we left the restaurant there was a lot of snow on the road but I couldn't understand why ali was driving so badly and putting her foot on the break! However, as soon as we got off the snow onto the road I realised it wasn't ali's driving, the breaks had frozen on so we were skidding all over the place. We could go backwards, but no forwards. After I had a go, we walked into the petrol station to find out if they knew anything about cars...nope. So, we asked them to phone the operator, to phone hotel ranga, who then picked us up in a transit van as all of the emergency details were in the hotel.

A quick phone call to the hire company, then our keys were picked up by a mechanic and we were told our car would be back tomorrow. Writing this is sounds so easy, but we were a bit stumped when we realised we didn't have any contact details for the hotel, for the hire car company and we were in the middle of nowhere. All's well that ends well, at 9am the mechanic brought our car and we drove him back to his workshop and we were mobile again...with a warning to never put the handbreak on. The picture of Ali in the car park was taken before she went flying, a cartoon legs in the air fall.

Off we went to visit the registrar for our meeting about the service and what we need, it's exactly a years time when we get married. In the afternoon we loitered around the hotel doing wedding planning but that was way too grown up so we decided to get in the hot tub. On with the swimsuits, bath robes and boots :) and out into the snow, however, it was absolutly freezing. By the time I got in, Ali had frozen solid so ran back in. I put my hat on and lasted one round of bubbles and then Ali came back out in her snowsuit to help me out. I needed it, as soon as I got out the wind froze my towel into ice!!!!

On with the snowsuit and then we had a walk around the hotel grounds to the river to see an amazing sunset (the sun is only visible for 3 hours a day so sunrise and sunset are pretty close). To combat our sensible morning, we made snow angels :)

As it's exactly a year until we get married, we splashed out with a meal in the hotel. Last year I said it was the best meal I've ever had, and today's beat it. Vegetable soup, Chicken and corn 4 ways with Skyr sauce and Skyr cake...heaven.

Visiting Eyjafjallajökull and Katla

Waking up when it doesn't get light until after 10am is quite tricky but breakfast in the dining room was spectacular, for the food and the windows looking out to the sunrise over volcano Hekla. We just had to get out there and take some pictures, so that's what we did. The snow was so crunchy, it's like a layer of ice has been placed over the top.

Today was a test to see if we can get to Vik and whether the road was passable. Our first stop was to Seljandafoss, where we will be having our photo's taken at the wedding. A lot of the falls are frozen so are stalectites from eyjafjallajökull, the infamous volcano that brought England to a standstill for over a week due to the ash cloud. We drove onto Skogafoss, although bigger, I remember it as the dirty waterfall as the water is a brown colour. However, the drive to get there was 'interesting', it resembled an ice-rink. For someone that is very nervous of snow driving, Ali did an amzing job. We drove past eyjafjallajökull, this time we could actually photograph the peak and then went onto Katla, the volcano that has been rumbling over the last few months and due to cause climate change if it erupts as it's under a huge glacier.

The senic drive was spectacular, with snow covered farmland either side up to the mountains. However, it just got too scary when we got to the edge of Vik and the sign warned that we needed snowchains so it was about turn and back home.

Keeping the fingers crossed for clear skies tonight to see the northern lights...

The dry ice covered roads of the Golden Circle

A very quick breakfast before the car metre ran out, and then off to the tourist information centre to get some leaflets for our wedding guests then back in the car for the golden circle. Driving out of Reykjavik was 'interesting' as we spent a long time going the wrong way, then as we turned off the main road to the Golden circle, the snow covered roads began. This was the theme for all of the driving today. The high winds blew the snow over the roads so all day it looked like the roads were covered in dry ice, it was quite mesmerising. I don't actually remember the mountains being jet black, but with the white snow on them and then surrounded by nothing but snow either side and the snow poles guiding our way, all we could say is how we love being here and out of the city.

We finally got to Pingvellir, where last time we went on a lovely walk to see the first place of the Icelandic parliament, saw the pool where witches were drowned and the gorgeous waterfalls. However, this time it was closed apart from the look out point and we could see why, it was absolutely freezing. On we drove to Geysir discussing whether it's pronounced geezer or gayzeer. Walking up to the Geysir was fun, it was like an ice rink but worse! We saw a man do a cartoon fall with legs in the air and landing right on his back. We watched 3 eruptions but by this time we were getting pins and needles in our fingers they were so cold. Onto Gulfoss to see the double cascade waterfall. The snow covered slippery roads should have been a clue but when we got there we couldn't even open the doors, the wind was literally blowing us off our feed and becuase of the snow you couldn't see a thing. We could hear the falls, but had to escape back to the car and towards sea level.

It was my day of driving, and to be honest i pretty enjoyed it, especially sliding over the snow covered bits. We finally got to Hotel Ranga, the hotel where we got engaged and the venue for our wedding next year. It's good to be back.

Freezing hair at the Blue Lagoon

A very disturbed night, this cold is getting on my nerves but the appartment we stayed in was a bargain and wonderful, it´s in our guests itinerary, as is the bakery we visited to buy some cookies and cake for breakfast. Wedding diet is clearly out of the window when all I can eat is fish, lamb or things that are putrified. Ali´s turn to drive today, so off we went to the Blue Lagoon. As we have been before we knew about the secret door so while everyone else was tip toeing across the freezing cold concrete covered in ice and snow, Ali and I just slipped in the water indoors and through the secret door to the pools. Having been a regular of many a hungarian thermal spa, i can honestly say that the outside temperature today was the coldest i´ve ever bathed, minus 15 degrees outside. Therefore Ali´s hair froze completely solid and our ears were burning with the cold but that didn´t stop us spending a few hours bobbing up and down trying to avoid standing on the algae on the floor which is all gooey.

We had to make the dash to the car, with snow piled up high, our lunar landscape of the summer is now just covered in pure white, it´s spectacular. We drove back to Reykjavik and visited perlan, where last time the gale froze us, this time the cold froze us but we had to do the obligatory circuit. The sun was just going down. The sun made a rare appearance on the horizon for 3 hours. The lack of daylight is actually really nice, it´s like permanent sun rise which oranges, pinks and reds on the horizon.

We made the stop to our favourite eatery, the N1 petrol stations and then our mission to find the next hotel. Yesterday was the budget end, today is top end but they are so impersonal and an absolute nightmare to park. We walked around the christmas markets that are going to open in a couple of days, went to see Hotel Borg and looked at the christmas decorations. It´s really feeling christmassy, I´m expecting to see Father Christmas any minute.

Back somewhere familiar

After a 2 hour delay, we were on the Icelandair plane. It's not promising when the pilot says that the reason they were late leaving iceland was due to heavy snow, and the turbulance over the UK is caused by the gales so I was expecting a roll. er coaster but unfortunately there wasn't (much to Ali's happiness). The plane was very posh with it's TV screens in the back of the chairs, much better than the iberia trans atlantic flight. As this journey is all about the wedding I watched Bridesmaids which still causes a giggle. As we descended, all you could see was white. I was hoping it was me going mad and it was the sea but no, all snow. You know it's going to be cold when you step off the plane and there are blankets on the floor becuase the inside of the sucky tube thing on the side of the plane is icy.

We collected our car after a bit of a where's wally moment with ali walking the aisles of cars clicking the blipper hoping one would open, then we hoped in our huge 4X4. Our breath was steaming up the car, it was that cold so we decided to just drive, with me behind the wheel, on the wrong side of the road, in the snow and ice. We managed to get to the appartment in one pice, checked in and then went in search of food. Strangely the last time we came here we ate pizza, and today we did the same.

It strangely feels like we are back somewhere familiar, it's wonderful.

Back at the airport

Standing on the platform by people in black suits meant that Ali an I in our matching bright blue snow suits stood out like a sore thumb, everyone kept staring at us. To be honest we need look like we are on route to Antarctica.

When booking the train route we didn't think about the fact we would be lugging luggage trough central London in rush hour while boiling up. It's very rare you go to the end of the line on the tube, but we did. I even found out they get cleaned at the end of the line.

We are now sat in heathtow and guess what, one hour delay but it's a good time to start our guests itinerary. They had better appreciate this, just call me lonely planet.

Christmas has started already

I do feel there should be a law that anything christmassy should start on 1 Dec only and before that, incur a strong fine but i went against that today having done a Brownie craft day and went to the RSPB christmas craft day. Ali really does work in the most amazing place, in the grounds of a nature reserve and walking through the trees reminded me why I love autumn so much, a crisp day but the sun was shining so brightly.

Shackells visit Cambridge

We love welcoming people to St Neots and look forward to the point when we aren't taking people on a day trip that we don't have a clue about. This time we went to Cambridge and took the park and ride with the family, without a map but we followed our noses to a craft fair, then managed to walk through one of the amazing university campuses without paying the entry fee and spent the majority of time watching people punting, for that one person that missed their footing and went sploosh. The variety of passengers were interesting, from the person with way too much money who had a punt and guide to themselves, to the people on a date, to the 12 people filled boats of Asian tourists. We do love Cambridge, and in the autumn, it really showed off it's colours. A bit of shopping in the market where all of my family decided I don't suit hats so I've gone for comedy value with a hat with ears, and then it was time to leave. Trouble is, the next people we take there, we won't be able to find our way again so it will be a whole new experience.

Reflections on Galapagos

Well, what you don’t ever think about when you book a holiday is how long it will take to get home. We left the islands on Sunday, had a night in Quito with altitude insomnia again, then on a plane to Guayaquil, one of the most dangerous places in Ecuador, then onto Madrid, then to Heathrow, then to Bristol and then eventually back home on Wednesday. Coming home is always the harded part, you don’t have anything to look forward to but working to earn the money to go away again.

I’ve never been to a place where I’ve almost been brought to tears when leaving. The truth is that I loved Galapagos and I often get asked which destination has been my favourite, but I think Galapagos has to win hands down. It has the best of everything that Ali and I love, the environment, the wildlife and the complete isolation. They also have the respect for the environment that I wish the rest of the world has. It just goes to show how humans have affected wildlife too when you visit an island where the wildlife just consider you as another animal, not a threat.

We met some wonderful people on the trip. We were the youngest by 20-30 years with an approximate average age of 60-70, and we loved it. Our group of 6 was fun, we ate together, laughed at the dynamics between different groups that have formed. We accidentally got the wrong tickets before we left as we had Peter and Graces tickets, but you can’t help but think this was meant to be as we have ended up being friends and look forward to seeing them soon. Who else would loose their luggage, loose two teeth and still be positive and smiling? They joined us when no-one joined Ali and I on our dinner table, and we shared so many giggles together.

Yes, it’s the most expensive place I’ve ever visited, but it was Ali’s dream holiday and she loved every second. Just one dream holiday to go, to Antarctica.

Galapagos islands – leaving the last paradise.

What a sad day, it’s always sad leaving a holiday but it almost brought me to tears leaving this paradise place. An early start as I like to get some quiet time reflecting, but a lot of other people were doing the same so it wasn’t so quiet. We watched the numerous black tip sharks, the blue footed boobies, the pelicans and dolphins playing around the ship and then it was time to say goodbye and have our last zodiac to the place we started our journey.

To say the airport was bustling would be an understatement, it was build by the US military forces and is pretty much a barn, no windows but long benches to sit on, similar to the old fashioned railway stations. However, fill it with hundreds of people. No duty free, just some stalls outside the airport, a very loose search of your bags and then you were on the plane. It was quite a shock to the system to not be herded. The sad thing was seeing our naturalists welcoming the next influx of guests who will be boarding the ship. We watched them coming through arrivals, all so excited to have just landed on paradise.

A charter flight is the way to travel with your towel on arrival, table cloth, blue footed boobie embroidered napkins which are now in our suitcase and proper cutlery. And the best bit, no limit on liquids at all! Back in quito and to the mariott where our journey all began a week ago. We had a shopping trip to the local markets, then for our last supper in Quito. Trouble is the altitude has got to everyone, it feels like we can sleep now.

Galapagos islands – giant Tortuga roaming free and lonesome George, the last of the species.

Our penultimate day in ‘the last paradise’, and it really is. Where else do animals not flinch when you go near them and where the population respects the environment so much, they keep it pristine. The morning started with an unusual sight, of land and houses. Every day we have been so isolated away from people and life, it has just been us, the animals and the natural environment that it was hard to comprehend seeing people again. We visited the Charles Darwin research station, although it felt more like a zoo than a research place. We saw the different types of giant tortoises and the baby ones. We also saw the famous lonesome George, the last of his species, a $10,000 reward is up for grabs if you find him a make. Then a bit of shopping in the main hub on Santa Cruz island, then back on the zodiac for an art and jewellery exhibition.

Our last afternoon trip was to see giant tortoises in the while. On route we walked though a huge lava tunnel, saw a barn owl sleeping and then onto the ranch to see the tortoises roaming free. We passed so many on the way, including one that wanted to walk along the road instead of the grassland, however the impatient truck wanting to pass ended up in the ditch. We walked through a meadow of over 20+ giant tortoises that didn’t flinch when you came close. You were even allowed to put on one of the shells. I’m still amazed that the tortoises backbone is welded to it’s shell, on the cartoons a tortoise could take it’s house off and on. It really was a fantastic end to the holiday.

Back on board for an excellent slideshow of the trip, our last supper and bed very tired. Ali watched the sharks before bed.

Galapagos – swimming with sea lion pups and our last day in isolation

Another early start, and back on the zodiacs, this time to visit Santiago to see fur seals (although I still can’t tell the difference between a seal and a sea lion). Another wet landing onto a volcanic beach with black sand, and then off on the long walk in search of fur seals. We walked over the lava fields and this time arrived at pools with lava bridges, with turquoise blue sea with the fur seals resting. Ali got to see her favourite bird, the oystercatcher. We saw lava gulls, grear blue heronlava heron, yellow crowned night heron, ruddy turnstone, sandpiper, Sanderling, yellow warbler, Smooth billed ani, marine iguana, lava lizards but before all that, we saw a huge pod of dolphins circling the ship.

Then the best ever snorkelling, the water was so clear, you only went a few inches when I was met by a sea lion pup swimming directly towards me and then quickly twisting. The topical fish were amazing, the colours of oranges, black, rainbow fish were amazing but the best bit was by far the sea lion pups, they twisted, turned, swam directly by the side of you. They mimicked your every move so I would dive down and they would follow but in a much more elegant way. They swam directly to my mask, and then quickly twisted by the side of me. The smallest seal pup was playing with a flipper lost by someone else, when I retrieved it, it just stared at me right in the face as those it couldn’t comprehend why I was taking its new toy. They really are like puppies and swimming with them is something I will never forget.

A Mexican lunch and the afternoon lecture was done in small groups with our naturalists from Galapagos talking about their lives on the islands and growing up in paradise. 95% of islanders are very conservation aware, however education and healthcare is very much lacking on the islands. It was also the last straw of people asking us if we were sisters, my automatic response now is that ‘we are engaged’. I still find it funny when people say ‘that’s ok’, as though we are seeking approval but I know it’s nothing vindictive, they just don’t know what to say.

Our afternoon excursion was on the Island of Santa Cruz, and a very different terrain, every island has been so different. This island had very red dry soil. We had a very welcome dry landing, and over the lava field onto the beach and more marine iguana’s. We are getting quite complacent of marine iguana’s. We saw an inland lake with WImbrels and black necked stilts then walked to the top of a vantage point to a great view over the islands we have visited, Isabela, Bartholme, Baltra and Santiago. On route we saw the yellow land iguana’s. Unfortunately this is our last day in utter islation, tomorrow we are back in civilisation and seeing people. We have been on our own on the islands, just us and the animals. All good things must come to an end, but tomorrow is going to be a highlight, the giant tortoise at the Charles Darwin research centre.

Galapagos islands – Giant tortoise, land iguana’s, whales, dolphins and flightless cormorant

This trip really is exhausting, very early starts and long walks on the day, it’s no wonder the trip has a health warning. The morning started getting over full at the buffet breakfast, then it was back on the zodiac to Urbina Bay on Isabela Island, the largest in the Galapagos and made up of 4 volcanoes’ collided together. The sand was completely black, and is one of the Galapagos newest islands, sadly the ones further to the right that we have already visited such as Espanola are slowly dying and will eventually be gobbled up by the sea. All of the islands move to the eat, and the hotspot (currently under Fernandina) makes new islands.

As soon as we arrived on Isabela we were greeted by 11 Galapagos hawks just watching us from the trees and stood on the sand, they followed us throughout the walk, they were all adolescents so very intrigued about us. We saw the huge land iguana with their yellow skin and the piece de resistance…the giant tortoise in the wild. We saw a couple of babies (only 8 years old), then an older one of about 15 years old but still these were small compared to how large they are going to get. I was really looking forward to seeing the tortoise, I have to get one when we get back (a normal size, not a giant one). We saw lots of Darwin’s finches, turtle nests and then it was back on the zodiac to visit one of Galapagos newest island and highest. En route we saw dolphins in the water. This trip really does feel like we are walking through an open zoo.

The afternoon lecture was on the difference between tortoise and turtle. In fact they are all turtles but the English language decided to have 3 names, tortoise, turtle and terrapin. They told us what a tortoise has in it’s house, it doesn’t have shelves or a kitchen, but the top of the shell is it’s backbone! It was a fascinating talk, and half way through we were interrupted by a Brutas whale in the distance. This really is paradise.

After lunch we sailed to Fernandina, the newest of the islands and directly over the hotspot which is comforting to know (new being a few million years only). The island is by far the highest of all the islands, and we had a rare dry landing, however it was directly onto the lava fields which were fascinating. We walked over the glass like Aa lava which is formed from the most violent eruprtion, we wandered over the creeping lava with it’s rolls and the flat smooth lava. As we approached the island there were so many Marine iguana’s and turtles swimming in the water. We did the long walk this time, to see the flightless cormorant, with it’s bedraggled wings that it doesn’t use to fly anymore as it just walks into the water.

We sat at a turtle pool for a long time watching the turtles pop their heads above the water, similarly to the whack a mole game when trying to photograph them. But without a doubt, the biggest thing about this island is the number of marine iguana’s, 3000 of time! They were everywhere, warming themselves up in the sun. They lie on top of each other, use each other as cushions and we freakily had to walk through them. All the while they don’t even flinch but oh my, the smell was awful. We walked over the lava field for so long that the lava started to look like marine iguana’s. I watched a sea lion pup playing with a stick in the shallows, they are so puppy like. We walked past the sea lion crèche and watching iguana’s sneezing the salt out of their nose and then back on board the ship to watch whales, dolphins, tuna being thrust to the top of the water and the feeding frenzy from the birds above. A great sun set ended another day in paradise. .