“Diabetes is relentless and simply never stopsā¦But neither do I!” – Blind Steve šŖš¼
Hi iChristian Family!!
The blindman is off the sidelines againā¦And while God gives me the strength in my legsā¦iāll use them for doing crazy fundraising challenges to help others! I really didn’t want to fill this blog with annoying fundraising asks, as my last fundraiser ‘Trail Marathon‘ was only in April 2022…But you know me…And when i stumbled across this ‘One Million Step Challenge’ and found it was for Diabetes UK i just had to do something!
For the last 18 years since meeting my ‘T1D Warrior Wife Sarah’, i’ve always wanted to be a ‘Sarah’s Walking Warrior’ and raise money for Diabetes…So here is the 4th ‘Blind Steve’ fundraising challenge…šŖš¼
Below is the story taken from my fundraising page…
Support Blind Steve in the Diabetes UK – One Million Step Challenge
Diabetes is relentless and simply never stopsā¦But neither do I!
For the last 18 years iāve seen first hand how my lovely wife Sarah battles, struggles and copes with her ābrittle Type 1ā diabetes. She’s such a warrior and is truly my inspiration on perseverance, determination and drive to keep fighting.
So last week, when I heard of the āOne Million Step Challengeā i had to sign up straight away. Iāve always wanted to fundraise for Diabetes UK and show Sarah how much it means to me too, and this is my chance!
I realise this challenge has already started (running from 1st July to 30th September 2022). Requiring participants to walk a million steps over those three months. My cunning plan is to start the challenge on Monday 1st August and try and walk the one million steps in two months instead! This works out at over 16,000 steps each day, for the 61 days, without a rest
Type 1 diabetes never gives Sarah a rest, so I donāt want to have one either during my fundraising challengeā¦The nature reserve trail is going to get a pounding again, lol! š¤£
Quick Factoid…
Did you know someone is diagnosed with diabetes every two minutes? As many as 4.8 million people are living with diabetes in the UK right now.
So if youāre feeling inspired…Please hit the donate button and support my stepping challenge. Every step and every donation counts. Join me and let’s help everybody living with diabetes. For all the mums, dads, wives, husbands, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, grandparents, and best friends, creating a world where diabetes can do no harm.
Let’s get this party started!! š As 1 Million steps is around 500 miles, i’ve already donated 5p per mile (Ā£25.00)ā¦It’s going to be a really tough challenge and it’s the furthest i”ve ever walked…But i’ve got to do the steps now!!
Every penny given will go towards Diabetes UK care and support services, advice and guidance, and pioneering research. Together, we’re changing the world for people with diabetes.
Hi friends! Well here it is…The post containing me & Sarah’s stupendous memories of the day i’ve been waiting 22 years for, since i lost my sight and could no longer drive…As it’s a long post i really hope you can read, watch the videos and enjoy the whole experience with us! ā š
Rob (can’t thank him enough for everything) pulled into the car park at Prestwold Hall Race Track near Loughborough, and as he read out loud the sign saying “Adult Blind Supercar Driving” my stomach hit the floor! I think the realisation of what was about to happen finally hit me, i’d been fine up until this point but for some reason getting the chance to drive again after 22 years was right here, right now! šØ
We all walked inside of the little reception building where me and Sarah were given a lanyard each with an SD card inside. We had ordered the ‘Media Package’ with our driving experiences which we are so thankful for as they’ve given us these amazing pictures and videos to cherish. Then we were told to go and wait by the pit area near the american diner! š
“Wow that sounds well phat, what car is that?” i asked as Rob had led us to the waiting area. “A Nissan Skyline” Rob said “Awww even if i don’t get to drive today, i could just sit and listen to that beautiful noise”.
When i first heard there was an american diner next to the track i was very excited. I was dreaming of drinking coffee, eating a cheese burger in a booth whilst listening to 50’s rock n’ roll and hearing the noise of those mighty engines…But the diner was closed today! š But i had no time to lament as “Chase (outstanding co-driver” walked up behind us and asked “Are you waiting for the Lamborghini?” š¤
The Lamborghini Gallardo 5.0L V10…
An omnifarious mixture of emotions were swirling around my mind as Chase opened the drivers door for me. I first thought that it would feel strange being behind the wheel again…But it felt completely normal and like i’d always been driving. Second i was thinking how much of a powerful beast this car is so i must try and feather the throttle…Many more things flooded my mind but i’ll spare you, lol. Chase then adjusted my seat for me as the photographer asked me to smile in his direction (not hard when you’re sat in a yellow Lamborghini). š
Wow…The videos really don’t capture the ear blasting volume of the 5.0L V10 engine as i started it up, just ticking over it sounded so loud, angry and like it wanted to eat everything for breakfast, including me…IT WAS AMAZING!! š²
Chase then said “hold the right paddle towards you to engage 1st gear” and once i’d done it he released the hand brake and asked me to gently pull away. “Wow the car is moving and i’m driving it” i thought to myself as i was navigated out of the pit lane and onto the track. I kept telling Sarah that all i wanted to do is floor it, i wasn’t that fussed about steering etc only flooring it and getting blasted into the seat. But now i’m driving this monster i would be so happy going 10 mph…But then…”FULL POWER” Chase said!! šØ
Awww i can’t tell you how awesome the feeling was when i floored it and paddle shifted through the gears as i reached 106 mph. It’s only a small track with a couple of short straights, but having over 500 bhp the Lamborghini hits 100 mph really quickly…What a ‘vulgar display of power’! š²
Chase seemed to love being on the track too and kept letting me floor it as the adrenaline rush never ended. I say the adrenaline rush, but as i’m on beater blockers which restricts the adrenal glands, it was a crazy feeling as the Lamborghini was trying to destroy them and give me the boost! š¤£ Not entirely sure how to describe that feeling?! š¤
Chase was helping me out with some of the steering and was flicking the down shift paddle for me as i was having too much fun and forgetting, lol. It felt really safe as the Lamborghini just had so much grip with the all wheel drive and fat tyres. I had never known grip like it and was stunned at the speed we were taking corners…It just went round like they were nothing…Amazing! š²
Sadly it was soon time to slow down and enter the pits after 3 laps, although i don’t think i could take any more as i might explode, lol. I couldn’t believe i’d driven again after 22 years, floored it lots of times and to do it in a Lamborghini is mind blowing for me! š
Me, Chase And The Lamborghini Gallardo…
My legs were like jelly as i climbed out of the very low car and it took a minute getting them to hold me up…I think the Lamborghini won the beater blocker fight! Sarah told me that Rob had said to her “Wow, i don’t recognise Steve as he has a massive grin on his face, lol”. š¤£ Mission complete!!
Chase guided me back to Sarah and Rob and Sarah asked “How was it?” i could only say “INEFABLE“. š² Chase then told Sarah it was her turn! š²
Sarah And The Lamborghini Gallardo 5.0L V10…
Wow, wait a minute…I can’t believe how much the yellow Lamborghini suits Sarah!! Did she order this car to be made just for her, and in her favourite colour too?! š
Seriously i’m so proud of my lovely wife Sarah for doing this. She has NEVER driven before and this is a scary beast of a first car!! šØ But as you may know Sarah is a warrior, and in no time at all she had this ‘Raging Bull’ under control, lol! š¤£ šŖš¼
Standing next to Rob i said “Wow that’s loud from outside. It’s really loud inside but nothing like that”. Sarah was approaching the final bend before the first straight (where we are standing) and Rob said “woah Sarah’s way more aggressive into (and going round) that bend, much more aggressive than you did it”. š²
“Awww that engine sounds incredible and so angry…THAT’S MY GIRL, GIVE IT THE BEANS”. š¤£ THEN SHE FLOORED IT!!! š²
Sarah reached over 107 mph up the straight! š² Yeah i know that’s over 1 mph faster than me, as Sarah keeps telling me, lol. I’m never going to hear the last of this…Sarah’s friend Caroline says she should have the speed printed on a t-shirt so it’ll remind me that she thrashed me, lol! I told you i’ll never hear the last of this..But it does make me – SO, SO PROUD OF SARAH!!
Sarah continued flooring it and Chase gave her the new nickname “Speed Demon” when he said it on the video…Yes we even have video proof of him saying it so it’s official, lol!
As Sarah was thundering around the track i was able to listen to a couple standing near to me, they first said “Ooohhh the yellow car is catching the Ferrari” I knew this was Sarah they were talking about, and i think they were with the person who was driving the Ferrari. Then they continued in a much louder shocked voice “wOW SHE HAS OVERTAKEN THE FERRARI”. š² I smiled to myself as i didn’t have to worry Sarah wasn’t enjoying herself! š¤£
Now it was time for Chase to say his best comment ever?! There are two main straights separated by a sharp right hander, so Sarah had the chance to boot it twice on the trot. I’ll let you watch the 38 second video (comment is at the end) before i continue…š¤
“OTHERWISE WE’RE GONNA DIE” I quote this all of the time which doesn’t fail to put a huge smile on both our faces! š I still can’t believe how quickly Sarah had become ‘Penelope Pitstop’ or should i say ‘The Stig’s Sister’…She was paddle shifting like a pro too…I think i’m glad the Lamborghini only had 2 seats, lol! š¤£
As Sarah finished her final and 3rd lap, there was just enough time for Chase to say another one of his classic comments before he stopped the video recording.
Sarah was laughing her head off as she arrived back to me and Rob. She absolutely loved it and said her legs were like jelly too, although she thinks that ‘Chase’ may need a break for a while to get over the shock, lol! š¤£ Then the couple who i was listening to earlier walkd over to us. They told Sarah that she was amazing and that she’d overtaken the Ferrari, and she was so fast! They then asked if Sarah was a racing driver? Sarah laughed really hard and said she wasn’t as it was the very first time she’d ever driven a car. They were very shocked and were sure Sarah was a racing driver. We all said we’d had a great time and they said there goodbyes. š
Sarah still believes they were planted there just to say nice things to people, but i keep telling her no as i was listening to them whilst you were out on the track, and they were here with the person in the Ferrari and couldn’t believe you’d blasted past a Ferrari…Sarah’s still not convinced, lol! š¤£
I said to Sarah and Rob “If i’d only had the 1 supercar drive today (like Sarah) it would’ve been a dream come true and i’d he the happiest ever, and also i’m super buzzing right now and my legs are still like jelly…But i have 2 more supercars to go!! š²
The Ferrari F430 Spider 4.3L V8…
I didn get chance to stop shaking before ‘George” (new co-driver) came over and walked me over to the Ferrari. I was excited to feel (and hear) the difference between the 2 cars, and i instantly felt the difference as i sat inside and put my foot on the pedals…Yes the pedals are so close together you press the accelerator and half of the brake at the same time! Oh don’t forget to smile as the photographer is here, lol! š
Starting the engine and having my ears filled with the glorious sound of the V8 made my grin even wider. It wasn’t as loud and angry as the Lamborghini, but still sounded like a beautiful orchestra playing a ‘symphony of destruction’! šŖš¼
I adapted quickly to the new pedals, as i pointed my foot so just my toes were pressing the pedals and this seemed to work well. I also had the same paddles behind the steering wheel as the Lamborghini so i was shifting gears nicely…Wow i’m driving a Ferrari!! š
George was fantastic and after we’d done the first warm up lap, and didn’t have any crashes or dramas…He let me floor it! Aww once again the video doesn’t do the sound any justice at all, but it still sounds stupendous!! Being blown back into the seat whilst planting your foot to the floor, then paddle shifting up a gear once again…Will never ever get boring!! šŖš¼ š²
Once again i’m so thankful for the media package Sarah added to this awesome birthday driving gift, as we can watch these videos over and over…Like i already have been doing, lol! Having all of these fantastic photos of these beautiful cars is such a blessing, and i’m sure i’ll get them printed on a variety of posters, mugs, coasters and more, lol! š¤£
George also asked how much i could see of the track so he could judge and adjust the help he was giving…I said “Well i can’t see anything out of the windscreen, i can’t see the dashboard or the steering wheel and everything is really blurry” I think he got the idea! š¤£ I can’t thank the co-drivers enough for putting there lives on the line for us blindies, i’m not only amazed that a blindman could drive like this…But i’m also amazed that these guys are so kind to guide, teach and be so calm as the cars scream around the track! š
This stunning red Ferrari was rear wheel drive instead of all wheel drive like the Lamborghini, but the amount of grip was just as intense around the corners…But unfortunately it was coming to that time again where i had to slow this ‘Italian stallion’ down and pull into the pits. š After thanking George for getting us back alive he guided me back to Sarah and Rob. Shaking even more, heart trying to thump past the beater blockers and an mad grin that looked like the ‘frayed ends of sanity’ were loosening…I told Sarah how amazing it was! šŖš¼ š
Me And The Porsche 911 Turbo 3.6L Flat 6…
There wasn’t much time at all for me to calm down as Carl (another co-driver) came and took me to the Porsche. After the Lamborghini and Ferrari i always thought the Porsche was a slight come down (just me as i was never really a Porsche fan) as they were my fave cars…But who doesn’t want to drive a Porsche 911 Turbo?! š¤£ As a kid i never had Porshce posters (from Athena) on my wall, i had the Lamborghini Contach, Ferrari F40 and the mighty Koenig Testarossa! š²
After a few attempts at starting the car, i was doing everything right but nothing was happening when turning the key…It was apparent the battery was flat…Oh that’s why the engines called a ‘Flat 6’ š¤£ We waited quite a while before Carl said we could swap for the Audi R8 if i wanted too…? š¤ At least i have a nice photo of me sat in a Porsche 911 Turbo!! šŖš¼
Me And The Audi R8 4.2L V8…
Walking towards the R8 i asked Carl whilst getting into the seat “What colour is this Audi?” he said it used to be red but we changed it to orange, i thought “wow Sarah is going to love this as it’s one of her fave colours”. š
After smiling for the photographer for the 4th time, i thought it was cool that i’ve got photos of me sat in 4 cars today instead of 3…Bonus! š¤£ The R8 started straight away and i instantly realised that the V8 was very quiet, it felt more like a luxury car than a supercar…Not that i’m complaining, just trying to keep you immersed in detailed descriptions lol! š¤£
I got the chance to floor yet another supercar today (totally unbelievable for this blindman) although i only reached a mere 90 mph…Can’t believe i’m actually saying stuff like this, but it’s been a strange, surreal and awesome kind of day! š¤£
I knew this 4.2L V8 – 420 bhp was the same engine in Ben’s (ex brother-in-law and friend) Audi RS4, but it sounded (or applied the power) nothing like the RS4. I know Ben had tuned his to 450 bhp and his is a front engined (not mid engined) like the R8, but out of the two cars i think i prefer Ben’s Audi RS4 as it just has more character! š
There was no sense of theatre or dramas at all when flooring this R8. The engine was quiet, the brakes were super sharp and responsive and It was so good around the corners that it seemed to take away the thrill…I know i can’t believe i’m saying this either! šit made everything so easy to achieve that it seemed to take the fun out of driving! It’s similar to how an electric car destroys the soul, and continues to squeeze the entire life out of driving…Leaving you wishing you had walked!! š Sorry a little too much exaggeration from this petrolhead, i know i’d already been amazed by the Lamborghini and Ferrari…Although i’m sticking to the bit about the soul destroying electric car! š
Yes it’s that time again where i have to pit and finish my supercar driving experience. š I still can’t believe it’s actually me sat in the driving seat of the Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche and Audi in the photos…I don’t think i’ll ever get over it! š²
High Speed Passenger Ride: BMW M3 4.0L V8 …
“The experience also includes a thrilling hot lap ride when the race driver will show you what a performance car can do around the circuit in a BMW M3 V8 with 3 passengers”.
Sarah is actually driving away in that yellow Lamborghini!! š²
As me (and Sarah) had been driving today it meant we had 2 laps in this car. It was time for Rob to get in on the action. Sarah said for me to go in the front seat first as we all climbed aboard…And the driver floored it! šØWow i have never been around corners that fast, and i have no idea how the tyres (and us) held on for dear life. The G force of the corners was relentless, and when the car stopped being a blur and finally stopped (our terrified giggles didn’t)…Sarah and i got out to swap seats for another lap.
The race driver blasted away again and after the first corner i knew why Sarah loved it more in the back! The car just threw you around as there were no bucket seats like in the front. The slippy leather seats made for a crazy, fun and terrifying experience…It was fantastic!! š² Unfortunately we didn’t have the in car media on this ride…But if only you could smell those burning tyres, wow!! š²Ā
My Supercar Thrill Trailer…
After many days of struggling i managed to put together a trailer with all of the photos and videos i’d acquired from the day. It didn’t take me as long as this post has taken me though! š¤£
Walking back to Rob’s van in a daze i couldn’t quite believe what had just happened…I’m still numb nearly 2 weeks on! Rob then pulled out of the car park and the rain absolutely hammered down…It was pounding the windscreen so hard we all couldn’t believe it. We’d turned up over an hour early as i wantedd to do the american diner thing, and as we’d turned up early the co-drivers had taken us out as they said they were not busy…If we’d had arrived on time, i would’ve been driving in this rain and it would’ve ruined the day!! šØ
Just one more thing…?
As part of my plan for this day, i wanted to go from a ‘Lamborghini’ to a ‘Lambor-Donor’ as in Derby they serve kebabs on a naan so i try and have one when i’m up. As usual Rob made it happen…We had kebabs with Rob, Shelley, Abbie, Ella & Georgia!! šĀ
Thanks to everyone for making this dream come true! š
Please click the video and watch a trailer i managed to make with iMovie, and watch me and my lovely wife Sarah on the driving day!! Full (long) post coming soon on the whole amazing day! š
Blind 3 Supercar Thrill Trailer…
Hi friends. Sorry it’s been silent over here for a couple of weeks but…I’ve ben on the mountain top in dream land! First i managed the trail marathon which i really didn’t think was possible, then my dream came true when i got the opportunity to drive again after 22 years (thanks to Sarah’s birthday present to me)…But not only drive again…But to drive a Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari F430 Spider and a Audi R8!Ā
I have finally recovered from the body of pain that was due to finishing the trail marathon, but i havn’t recovered from the pure excitement due to flooring the accelerator and paddle shifting through the gears whilst being blown back in the seats of these stupendous cars!! š²
Hi friends. I’m simply stunned by all of the love and support from you guys so far, we’ve now reached a whopping 86%!! I also can’t believe there’s only 16 days until all of my hard work will be put to the test!!! š°
Thanks to Suzanne & Martin for completely shocking me with another donation (yes their second) this week!! Now my ‘Blindman’s Trail Marathon’ challenge has reached a colossal Ā£860 (that’s Ā£86 per lap) for the MS Society…I hope my mum would be proud?! I’d really love to hit my target and make it Ā£100 per lap…Oh and it’s my birthday next ‘Fundraising Friday’ (15th) so not only will i be older so this trail marathon will be even harder for me, lol…But it’s a heads up as i may be asking for birthday donations to this fundraiser…What a birthday gift that’d be!! šŖš¼ š š§”
The Donation…š§”
Hi friends. Youāre never going to believe this?!! It was Saturday morning and my iPhone blasted out the muppets theme tune to notify me iād received another donation!! After iād stopped dancing, jumping up and down and stopped grinning until it hurt, i checked who it was fromā¦Wow it was a SECOND (yes second) donation from our friends Suzanne and Martin who we were going to meet up for a meal this weekend but it was cancelled. I then checked the lovely message theyād leftā¦āA little top up Steve to a nice round figure! Congratulations on your training. As we couldnāt meet up this weekend hereās the cost of pizza instead!! Not long now till the big event Steve. xxāā¦Well if thatās not motivation i donāt know what is! šŖš¼ š
Let’s stop MS together! šŖš¼
Donāt underestimate the impact of the money you are donating! Itās so important and it really does make a difference; today, tomorrow and for generations to comeā¦ā¤ļø
in Just 16 days…The Trail marathon…Or me…Is going down!! š¤£ šŖš¼
Please click the image above to read, donate and share my fundraising story.
Please can you help me reach my fundraising target, can’t believe there’s only 8 weeks to go! š°
Steveās Blindman Trail Marathon Fundraising for Multiple Sclerosis SocietyIn Memory of my mum Valerie. Donāt underestimate the impact of the money you are donating! Itās so important and it really does make a difference; today, tomorrow and for generations to comeā¦ā¤ļø
Yesterday my lovely wife Sarah came out on the trail with me, and she took some photos of me wearing the amazingly bright t-shirt the MS Society gave me to help promote their great charity during my trail marathon training! It was freezing cold and raining but that didnāt stop usā¦Until it proper chucked it down and we had to get home fast, lol! šŖš¼ šĀ
No way weāre in Corsica! My lovely wife Sarah is going to kill me for ruining this post with another of my digressionsā¦But my fave cars of all time raced here and i canāt contain myselfā¦.Yes itās Group B rally cars! Ā
Awwww i can hear that ferocious engine sound (and the monster dump valve) of one of my favourite carsā¦The Lancia Delta S4. It had an Abarth-designedĀ superchargedĀ andĀ turbochargedĀ 500bhp 1.8-litre engine, it could hit 60mph in just over two secondsā¦And this was 1986!Ā
Butā¦After a fatal accident (here in Corsica) Group B rally cars were banned and a FISA investigation later proved that driversā reactions were too slow to keep up with Group B cars, and driversā eyes could not adjust their focus between the fast corners, which caused tunnel vision. Now thatās fastā¦And insane!!Ā
They said the cars had so much raw power but with little containmentā¦I have a wife like that, lol! Sorry Sarah! š¤£ Ā
I thought the heat was blistering already but it didnāt prepare me for the inferno when we walked underneath the archway and onto the track. š„š„
Sarah said āSteve youāve got to get a photo of me at the original olympic start line! Iāve only been out of my aircast for a few weeks and it would make a great photoā¦Zena (Sarahās friend) will comment straight away and tell me off, lol (she did). š Ā
āHere goesā i said āNo pressure at all for this shotā¦Itās only a one off pictureā But it worked and Sarah looks fantastic! Sarah had gone for months with an aircast, and now seeing her on the start line looking like a true olympian was another emotional moment for me. She really is my warrior princess wife! ā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļøĀ
Iām not good in the sun but Sarah comes alive in the scorching hot weather. So i sloshed on my sun cream as it was already 36 degrees outside (ouch) Iāve also bought myself a āTactical Sun Hatā to try and keep myself cooler in the sun and provide a little shade with the wide rimā¦It worked really well but i was still dripping like a candle in a Salvador Dali painting! š¤£ Ā
This has to be one of my favorite photos!! Iām glad to see Sarah(The Greatest Warriorā parting some of her knowledge and instruction to an inferior ranked warrior on how to correctly throw a spear!Ā šŖš¼
Awww friendsā¦.Let me introduce you to this Yellow, 1961 Unimog…..have you seen the tires, lol! It threw us around like crazy and i still can’t believe that he didn’t slow down for anything. There is no way a vehicle can hit rocks, huge pot holes, climb cracked hills and go around tight bends whilst travelling at break neck speed, it would have destroyed anything else and left them in a pile of spare parts, lol. I’m not sure they issued these with brake pedals! š
After a short boat ride back to the ship, we had enough time to get changed, leave our bags and have a well needed iced-coffee before heading out to explore as much as we can without getting lost before the ship leaves.
We walked up one street and turned right before Sarah stopped and said āWow, sheās having her photo taken in front of that cool wall art/sign. Quick get one of meā āOk my lovely, youāre wearing your new yellow Michael Kors t-shirt too, i hope i get everything inā. Sarah had bought this t-shirt for our holidays and couldnāt wait to put on the lovely bright colours and flowers.
Ā This is one of my fave photos as it shows Sarahās smile is as bright as her t-shirt.Ā
And speaking of lovely architecture and colonial towns, your first stop is at Speightstown. Here you’ll enjoy seeing historic buildings and beautiful tropical beaches.
The tour guide kept talking about the PRC Bakery at our first stop, and said she was going in to get something for the trip. āOOohhhh maybe we could get a small cake for your birthdayā āYes letās follow her and see what goodies they have?ā As we walked in to the little bakery the guide said āOh yes a lead pipeā as she picked one up and went to pay for it. āWhatās a lead pipe?ā i said to the guide āItās a local cake but it can be used as a weapon too as itās very heavyā. Sarah then passed me a bag with a cake in and said hold this āWow this weighs about the same as a 16lb bowling ballā āeverything is so heavy in here, nothing has fluffy cream like in England as it would melt instantly, lolā.
Sarah told the baker that we loved coconut and did e have anything with coconut in them? We only got 1 coconut slice as we didnāt know how sweet it was or even if we liked it?!Ā š Ā Ā
Ā I never (ever) stop talking about this coconut slice as itās the nicest cake iāve ever tasted! The bell on the āBlind Sightseers Gastronomic Leaderboardā was destroyed as this flew to the top of the cakes list! If iād have known i wouldāve stayed in the bakery and continued to eat every single last one of them! But we only had that one and weāve never been able to go back since this monumental occasion. Oh yesā¦This monumental occasion is my lovely wife Sarah’s birthday! š¤£
View our full day (Sarahās Birthday) in Barbados
The smell of the locals cooking on the market was amazing, but Sarah had found a sweet little craft stall. The lady created items from the coral found off the shores St Maarten. āOooooh, i could have a necklace made from St Maartenā. I knew that to mean “iām getting one, i just donāt know which one yet?!āĀ š¤£ Ā
ā§ Sarahās St Maartens Coral Necklace ā§ Ā
Sarah really was starting to feel at home here, Ā but we had to get back to the bus! We enjoyed our stop in Marigot, and we said weād love to spend a week here to investigate more!Ā āļøĀ šĀ
From stunning, breathtaking views, horse riding in paradise, dancing with dolphins, River paddle boat trip, various island bus tours, 4×4 volcano ride, cable cars,Ā OHā¦. and Sarah’s medicalĀ emergencyĀ in the middle of the Atlantic ocean, itās been an unbelievable few weeks on our cruise holiday to the Caribbean, Azores & Spain (2015).Ā š² Ā
Please join us (The Blind Sightseers) on this incredible journey:
A photo taken from our new years eve (Dec 2011) holiday with friends (Rob, Shelley, Tom, Abbie & Ella) Ā inĀ Ilfracombe, Devon, England, UK. It was very windy and very wet! We had a fantastic time as the holiday home was overlooking this bay so we enjoyed lots of coastal walks and enjoyed local restaurants.
Ā Camera used – iPhone 4s (as it was raining i was too scared to take out my DSLRās)Ā šØĀ
Our mission is quite simple: we want to get more disabled and visually impaired people enjoying new, fun and exhilarating activities. We want to help people with disabilities feel confident that they can enjoy the same activities and life experiences as someone without a disability.
Ā Hi readers!
Just guess how excited i am right now?? š¤£
I have just stumbled onto the ablenet website and found thisā¦?
ā§ All imagesĀ supplied by the ablenet facebook pageĀ ā§Ā
Are you ready for the drive of your life for an astonishing 6 miles each per Supercar?Ā
If you love supercars and are visually impaired, our ‘3 Supercar Blind Driving Experience Super Thrill’ is an experience you won’t find anywhere else. It is the best way to get to you in your favourite supercars and experience the peed, and thrill, of a high-performance beast.
Yes, it is true.Ā Whatever your level of visual impairment, you can drive a Supercar with Ablenet. All of the cars are automatic and a super skilled instructor will guide you around the track whilst having access to a footbrake should it be necessary.
So, whether itās a Lamborghini, Ferrari F430 spider, Aston Martin DB9, Audi R8, Nissan GTR or Porsche 911/997, we put you with the largest fleet of cars in the UK for you to choose from.Ā The hardest part is choosingā¦
The great benefit to driving on a race circuit is feeling the pure power of an awesome car. You will be with a professional instructor who will teach you the art of driving.
The experience also includes a thrilling hot lap ride when the race driver will show you what a performance car can do around the circuit. Typically in a BMW M3 V8 saloon car or Vauxhall VXV8, both with 3 passengers.
Since going blind at 25 (21 years ago) iāve been waiting for someone to give the blind a truly accessible experience like the ones ablenet offer! Iāve always said āi can still driveā¦I just canāt see where iām goingā. š¤£Ā
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Iāve always loved cars as when i was fully sighted i worked in a bodyshop as a panel beater and used to customise cars etcā¦Even my own! My dad, uncles and my cousins have always been mechanics in the motor trade so iāve grown up with cars too. So when i stumbled onto their website, i just exploded with passion to drive a supercar or 3, lol!Ā
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Sorry for sounding like a group b rally car ātoo much raw power with little containmentāā¦But getting involved and trying out all of the experiences on the ablenet website is like a dream come true for me. š Ā Ā
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OtherĀ experiences for the visually impaired by ablenet…
Flying a plane, diving with sharks, shooting, archery,Ā skiing, indoor sky diving and much moreā¦Wow i think me and Sarah are going to have some fearful fun!Ā š¤£šŖš¼Ā šØĀ
Sarah & i (whilst on holiday in St. Kitts, Caribbean 2015) kept saying āWow, this is Amazing! How did we get here, itās like a dreamā. The beautiful hot sun shining down, a lovely cool breeze and those stupendous palm trees!Ā āļøš“š
Ā Ā Ā Hi friends and welcome to Day 66 of this monumental, inconceivable and definly memorable blind sightseers tour….!
Ā Ā My ‘Blind Sightseers’ shirt collectionā¦š¤£Ā
Ā I wanted to take a photo of all of my shirts that iād collected whilst on my travels, to show everyone (especially Sarahās dad) that i donāt only wear black, lol! š¤£Ā
The Gapā¦
We had a final walk along the gap to say a sad farewellā¦When Sarah found another way for us to cool down, lol! š¤£Ā Ā
Ā My birthday Bajan towelā¦š§š§Ā
On my birthday, Sarah also bought me this great colourful towel from the gift shopā¦I wouldnāt stop talking about it! I said āHey Sarah can you take a photo of me on the beach holding my towel in the wind? I can hold it out like a flagā. I was failing miserably to hold it against the windā¦But just as i was about to give up, George and Cynthia walked past and asked if weād like them to take some photos?! šŖš¼ šĀ Ā
Then as we were finishingā¦A kind person asked if weād like a photo all together? Wow another photo weāll cherish. šĀ
Ā Weād had an amazing time here in our fave place on earthā¦But it was time for a few more farewell photos before we head back home.Ā
Ā The final sunset…
Just as we were watching the sun fall away for the last time here in paradiseā¦A kind lady asked if weād like a photo together? Awww what a lovely surprise on our final evening, more precious memories.šĀ Ā
Ā Ā Ā Hi friends and welcome to Day 65 of this monumental, inconceivable and definly memorable blind sightseers tour….!
Ā Good morning friends! Ā
NOPE..I just canāt get bored of the viewā¦Ever! š Ā
Breakfast and bathingā¦šŖš¼ Ā
NOPEā¦I canāt get bored of this breakfast either, lol! š¤£ Ā
Then itās time for Sarah to have a swim in the pool whilst i try and not get fried. āļø Ā Ā
Ā Sarah showed me where to get the lovely ice cold water (with cucumber or lemon) so i could refill while she was in the pool. Once iāve been shown iām pretty good at remembering where to go and what to do. The water was on a table underneath a tent like thingā¦And i could just make out a shape of a palm tree above it but i didnāt know it was glowing! āļø š“Ā
The beach and Bajan blast…š
Wowā¦I donāt think weāve ever been anywhere that is so accessible for us. Itās so much easier for us to be independent and do everything that we want to without too much hassle or struggleā¦And everything is so near by and we find it hard to even leave Southern Palms.
Speaking of whichā¦āSteve letās go on the beachā Sarah said as she blew pas me! I love this time of day and i’ll never get bored of seeing Sarah run, splash and play on this empty Caribbean beach. My only struggle is trying to point the camera towards the happy sounds! š¤£ Ā Ā
Ā After another fantastic time on the beach, itās time to dry off and cool offā¦And what better way to cool off than a iced coffee at Sharkeyās! š Ā
Sharkeyās Tropical Cafe…
Ā Surf and turfā¦šĀ
Ā And guess what?? Itās time for Ā the āSouthern Burgerā and the āShrimp Cocktailā again, Sarah says the shrimp are as big as your face and sheās never seen anything like it before! š¤£ Ā
Sarahās beautiful new green dress…
Sarah was excited to wear her beautiful new green dress, and as our room was right on the front facing the beach i said iāll stay on the balcony and get some photosā¦No pressure, lol! š¤£ I didnāt have my āBig Burthaā (Nikkor 80-400mm lens) or any of my DSLRās but i did have my iPhone and tested the digital pinch zoom range! š Ā
Ā Hey look whoās backā¦?Ā š² Ā
Just as Sarah was walking back from the beach we heardĀ āSarahā¦Hello weāre backā it was George and Cynthia! Theyād had a lovely time visiting family in Saint Vincent and youāll never guessā¦?
If you remember when we stayed here last year and i had āThe Coconut Sliceā in Speightstown on Sarahās birthday island tourā¦Well obviously i was telling George about it and he said āWe have a local one like that can Saint Vincent called āRed Bellyā and it sounds the sameā.Ā
Thenā¦š¤ Ā
George said āPut out your handā and continued to place a āRed Bellyā coconut slice into my hand! I couldnāt believe itā¦His kindness was ineffable. He continued I went to the bakery on the island and they only had 2 left and were not making any more, i got one for you and one for meā. š I donāt have the hyperbole to describe the coconut slice, and sorry i donāt have a photo as it disappeared so quicklyā¦Not sure where it went, lol! š š¤£Ā
The Bajan sunset…
Ā Wow what a relaxing day on this incredible holiday. Thankfully we have 1 more full day at this beautifully colourful place before we head back to Gatwick and the cold, wet and grey London hue!
Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā š
Ā Ā Ā Hi friends and welcome to Day 64 of this monumental, inconceivable and definly memorable blind sightseers tour….!
Ā Good morning friends!Ā
Breakfast and braidesā¦š„šššš
After the consistently delicious, fresh and tasty breakfast we headed off to the salon. It was the same lady from last year, so she knew exactly how we liked our hair and we had a good catch up too! š Ā Ā
Our new friends George and Cynthia…
If you remember the 1st day of our cruise inĀ Aruba, we met George and Cynthia at the evening meal when weād shared a table. We had no idea that they were also staying at Southern Palms for a week too. They had stay here 20 years ago and wondered if it had changed and to get a photo at the same spot theyād had a photo back then. George and Cynthia were going to Saint Vincent to visit family for a few days and weād meet back up with them for the last couple of days.Ā
But before they left (as they are so loving and kind)for Saint Vincent they knew it was our birthdays and as a complete surprise present they bought us a top each with Barbados written on them. Yes mine is the stupendous blue Carribbean shirt iām wearing! š Ā Ā
Ā Right now we donāt have to fight against the wind all holidayā¦Letās see what weāll be doing on this cool excursion.Ā
Harrisonās Cave…
Go deeper underground with a visit to Harrisonās Cave. All limestone stalactites, caverns and grottoes, itās like taking a trip to the moon. Add rock pools, streams and some red and orange mood-lighting, and it takes on a volcano-like edge. Itās easy to see why the locals call it one of the seven wonders of the island. Boarding a little electric tram, youāll take a mile-long tour through the chambers, passing pillars formed by stalagmites and stalactites that have met in the middle. At the bottom, youāll see the star of the show ā a mighty waterfall below the ground.
The hard hat…
First off, take a comedy picture once youāve put on your hard hatā¦Check! š¤£ Ā Ā
Ā Weād just listened to about 15 minutes of history inside a mini cinema type place before boarding this cool little tram, then it was into the darkness to find some light. š Ā
Ā Wow what a ride! We had a fantastic trip and were very thankful that weād not had to walk as it wouldāve been impossible. But sitting back and relaxing in the tram was fantastic and the guide was knowledgable and we learned lots! š Ā
Bac at room 112…
Wow i could stay here for the next 40 years, lol! š¤£ Ā
Ā The sea and the sunset…
āQuick Steve thereās still time to play in the sea before the evening meal and sunsetā Sarah said as she blasted past me and ran for the sea, lol! š¤£ Ā āļø Ā
Ā Wow what a sunset on another blessed day! Thanks so much for taking the Barbados underground with us on this monumental adventure. š
Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā šĀ
Yay, itās also my birthday today! Weād managed to book this cruise and stay which covered both of our birthdays, and after Sarahās āUnimog Birthday Blitzā i knew this would be a little more relaxed! After our amazing time here last yearā¦Weād said if ever we had the chance to come back here weād try and book room 112. Last year we had a side room which had no window at all but 112 faced directly south and looked out over the stupendous beach, palm trees and sea. Iād messaged Southern Palms to ask if they could hold the room for usā¦And they did! š āļø š“
Walking into the room was simply breathtaking and we couldnāt believe the view from our roomā¦And also from our balconyā¦š² Ā
Ā Wow we have a week of this view, i think iām going to have a hard time leaving the room, lol! š Ā
It didnāt take long for us to unpack and make this our new home, then we quickly walked up to the reception to see if we could book ourselves to get birthday braides. The staff were incredibly friendly and knew weād be back! The on site salon didnāt open until the next day so we didnāt have long to cope with fluffy hair, lol. As we are the āBlind Sightseersā we also booked an excursion to āHarrisonās Caveā tomorrow as we missed doing it last year. š Ā
Before we had a walk along the gap to see if our favourite cafe was still there, it was time tfor Sarah to put her feet on the sand and have a paddle in the sea. As you could tell from the photos of our room (above) it wouldnāt take long! š¤£ Ā Ā
Sarah and the Bajan blast…š
My birthday treatā¦ā¤ļø
I know it looks like Sarah is having all of the fun, but for me to watch (well listen) to Sarah laughing, playing and totally enjoying herself without having her insulin pump attached is one of my best feelings, and itās certainly a birthday treat for meā¦Well one of them as iām hoping they still do the āSouthern Burgerā tonight. š Ā
The Gap…
Rightā¦All of that standing still and taking photos of my lovely wife Sarah whilst being burnt to a crisp is really thirsty work, so letās go and see if the āSharkeyās Tropical Cafeā is still there. Ā
Ā Southern Palms…
After a couple of hours on the gap it wasnāt long before the sunset would be blessing us with itās slow descent, then itād be time for the evening meal until we could sit on our balcony to watch the sun completely disappear! We did this every night and it was stunning every time! š Ā
Ā Evening meal…
DINGā¦DINGā¦DINGā¦BOOM…š„
Although it was my birthday Sarahās āBlind Sightseers Gastronomic Leaderboardā bell explodedā¦It was for the best āShrimp Cocktailā sheād ever tasted, anywhere! š Ā
Ā And guess what?? They still did the āSouthern Burgerā and it was consistently stupendous for the whole week. As you know this burger hit the top of my leaderboard last year so no bell this year for meā¦Just the amazing taste! š Ā š Oh and itās my birthday tooā¦What a time to have the āMagnum Opusā of the southern palms.! š Ā
Ā Sunset and the rocks…
Now it was time for us to walk off some of that delicious food, and take a lovely slow walk along the Barbados beach until we reach the rocks for the sunset. We needed to get back to our room before the sun set totally as it would be too dark and our eyes really donāt work in the dark! We had just enough time for Sarah to say hello to you guys! Ā
Ā The balcony of 112…
ā¢ļø HEALTH WARNINGā¦š² Ā
I asked Sarah if she could take a monumental birthday panorama for me from the balcony…Ā
Ā After i thanked her and we were sitting down enjoying the sunset, saying hello to the other guests as they walked by Sarah said āWait a minuteā¦Iāve never seen that before?!ā She stood up looking to the right and then to the left. āSteve, the moon is shining over there on the left, and the sun is shining over there on the right, let me try and get them both in a panoramaā.Ā
Ā Wowā¦I have never seen anything like this before! Have you? š¤
Thanks for joining us today, and What a way to end my birthday and begin our Bajan blessing.
Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā šĀ
Ā Ā Ā Hi friends and welcome to Day 62 of this monumental, inconceivable and definly memorable blind sightseers tour….!
š±šØ Good morning friends!
Sarah & i booked a Catamaran cruise to the Pitonsā¦What a stunning trip. Last year we had booked a trip through the multiple layers of the rain forest (read post) so we thought we would see Saint Lucia by sea this time. Letās see what weāll be doing…
Pitons Cruiseā¦š² Ā
Beaches. Mountains. Rainforests. Volcanoes. Springs. When it comes to natural beauties, St Luciaās in a league of its own. This trip takes you on a tour of some of the islandās best bits and, because they can all be seen from the sea, youāll get to enjoy them from the comfort of a catamaran.
Setting off from Castries, youāll glide along the islandās west coast, passing mangrove-lined beaches and lush forests. And then itās time for the star of the show. As you enter Soufriere bay, the twin mountains of Petit and Gros Piton will rise out of the sea before you. Topping over 2,000 feet each, their summits have only been tackled by the most daring of climbers. Weāll circle the bay for some great photo opportunities, before heading to one of the scenic bays along the coast. Weāll make a quick stop, and youāll be served snacks, drinks and get the chance to dive into the Caribbean Sea for a quick swim. Last up is Marigot, the most famous cove on the island. This was a favourite battleground of the English and French back in the 18th century and, more recently, was the setting of Dr Doolittle.
The catamaran…
Once again we dināt need a coach as the catamaran was waiting for us at the dock. My main concern was actually getting on board the catamaran. I had movies playing in my mind of the catamarans from āJAWSā an itād be hard to climb on board, never mind staying on top of the net thingy in the centre as it bobbed up and down. āWowā¦Thatās massive i didnāt know they made catamarans that bigā i said as Sarah expertly guided me (step by step) on board . Now that was over and i was sat down i could simply enjoy the fantastic ride! š Ā
The guide was great and told us all about the Pitons (see Sarahās video above) as we just marvelled at this beautiful creation. š²
Summer bay…
Upon leaving the Pitons we travelled to a small bay and stopped for about 30 minutes. The guide told us we could have a swim in the water if we wanted, Sarah said to me āDonāt even think about it! Youāre staying right here as youāre banned from swimmingā We all know why this is!! (read Martinique drama post) š¤£ Ā
The guide also told us the locals would paddle up to the catamaran and try and sell you small crafts theyāve made themselves. This was a main income for the people so donāt worry we are not being invaded, lol! š Ā
We love getting a small souvenir from each place weāve visited, so when he paddled to us we said āWow we donāt even have to move and risk tripping up, the crafts are coming to usā. š Ā
Sarah bought a small turtle āTimothy The Turtleā that lives on our sideboard. š¢
We had a few more minutes to soak up more memories of this lovely bay, when a nice lady asked if we wanted a photo together?!
Leaving the bay…
ā¢ļø HEALTH WARNINGā¦š² Ā
Leaving the bay we had a nice long ride backĀ to the dockā¦But just when youād thought youād finished, Sarah (having already blessed us with a video) surprised us with a stupendous panorama!Ā š Ā
Back at the dockā¦š³ Ā š§
As we were here a year ago on the āBread fruit tasting missionā we knew exactly where to go. This is great when youāre blind as it instantly familiarises you with your environment. We were walking along the right hand side of the road when Sarah spotted a very colourful market stall up one of the side streets. āThey might have a Caribbean shirt for youā Sarah said as we stopped in front of the stall to have a look. Although it was overcast the sun was burning as we tried to edge our way closer to the small shade of the stall.
Sarah found a shirt with both her favourite colours but it was tiny as it was for a small child. We said hello to the lady and she told us her daughter was living in England and we got chatting further.
After about 5 minutesā¦š¤ Ā
āDo you have a shirt in his sizeā Sarah said whilst pointing at me. The lady started looking around her stall and said āWait a minute, i think i can get one of those. Do you have time to wait here while iāll go up the road and see?ā āYes of course weāll wait hereā Sarah said as she was stood like she owned the stall behind all of the products. Sarah said as the lady disappeared up the road āSteve, it looks like i own my very own Caribbean shirt stall in Saint Lucia!ā š I still canāt believe i didnāt take a photo of this monumental moment! The lady returned after about 10 minutes, nobody came to the stall but the lady did bring back the right size, and it is now Sarahās favourite shirt! š Ā
We walked away from the lovely lady with huge smiles on our faces, my smile as i had a fantastic new shirt and Sarahās as sheād owned a stall in Saint Lucia for 10 minutes. Then it starts raining but it was nothing like the rain in England. The mixture of the burning hot sun and the slight cooling rain gave it a soothing feeling. āItās liquid sunshineā i heard a few people saying as we walked our familiar route back to the ship after looking at all of the stalls. Yes āLiquid sunshineā is exactly what it felt like! š Ā
On the shipā¦š³ Ā
We couldnāt believe it was the last day of the cruise, although weāve had a fantastic adventure and weāve still got a week stay on Barbados! We had another excellent evening meal and decided to have a last walk around the ship. Sarah had seen these circular seats earlier on the cruse but they were always taken, so she jumped on the cushions and said āSteve take a photo of me on my favourite seatsā. š Ā
Walking around even further Sarah captured a lovely photo of the dock and the island all lit up at night. This was a perfect image to end our cruise in Saint Lucia, as the sun would rise upon our next week in Barbados! āļø š§š§ š Ā
Thanks for joining us on our trip to Saint Lucia! Have you been here before? š¤
Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā šĀ
Upon leaving the ship it felt like coming home, as we knew exactly where we needed to go as we were here last year (read post).Ā Once we found and boarded our coach ready for our excursion to the nutmeg factory, then on to the chocolate factory, we settled back and enjoyed the view. We had visited the Nutmeg factory last year as itās Sarahās fave place, as the incredible smell of nutmeg fills her with warm memories of her Nan Peters when she used it in her legendary rice pudding. And now we knew what to expectā¦We could find and buy more nutmeg. š Ā
The nutmeg and chocolate factory tour…š
We were blessed once more with the stunning beauty of this place as we drove around the coast and the luscious hills. āļø Ā
The Nutmeg Factoryā¦.
This time we were the first ones in the gift shop and ready to get some of the amazing nutmeg that fills all kinds of products. Sarah bought an omnifarious mixture of products including…Aloe Vera oils etc (wow nutmeg and aloe vera)ā¦She had missed getting some of this last year when we had a similar tour. We really didnāt think weād see this place again (never mind the first time) and it was such a blessing to be hereā¦Aawww that smell! š Ā
The Chocolate Factory…š«
This was very educational and interesting. The local guide took us around the beautiful grounds and factory showing us different plants they grow, including the cocoa trees and how they harvest the beans, dry and ferment the seeds, crack the shells to emit the cocoa nibs (the actual cocoa their chocolate is made with)ā¦Watch video below. š« š Ā
Sorry but didnāt get any photos or videos of the factory. But the local Mango & Lemon punch was amazing and refreshingā¦But that was a shadow of the ginger & dark chocolate bar! I saved it until we were back in the UK but i now wished iād bought about 10 of them instead of 1, i think we need to go back next year!! Ā Ā
Thanks for joining us on our trip to Grenada! Have you been here before? š¤
Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā šĀ
Ā Ā Ā Hi friends and welcome to Day 60 of this monumental, inconceivable and definly memorable blind sightseers tour….!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH!!!
Welcome to Bonaire on this fantastic occasionā¦I wonder what surprise is in store for Sarah? š¤ Ā
Arawak Off-road Safari…Ā
This trip is all about getting to grips with Bonaireās historic best bits. Clamber aboard one of the 4x4s, and in a couple of minutes youāll be whizzing along the off-road trails.Ā
First, youāll climb into the Subi Rincon hills, where the convoy will stop at a set of time-worn Indian caves. Then, itās on to one of the islandās only two towns ā Rincon. Keep an eye out for the honey-yellow church tower as you pass through, then hop off the truck when you arrive at pretty Boca Onima. This rocky stretch of coastline is home to some of the best cave art in Bonaire, which gives you a real glimpse of the islandās past.Ā
One of the best bits is saved ātil last ā the beauty spot, Seru Largu. This cross-topped monument sits on a raised platform, setting you up with panoramic views of the capital, Kralendijk.
On the dockā¦š³Ā
This shore excursion was a second choice as the first choice was sold out weeks before weād even started our cruise. We were thinking about the 4×4 Land Rover trip weād done in the Azores(see here) but couldn’t really get excitedā¦As it was much hotter here and the thought of being crammed in the back of a Land Rover really wasnāt doing anything for us today. So what we thought was going to be an anticlimaxā¦Turned out to be the best trip of the whole holiday! Oh and iād just travelled in my best vehicle of all time! šĀ
The 1961 Yellow Unimogā¦š² Ā
Awww friendsā¦.Let me introduce you to this Yellow, 1961 Unimog…..have you seen the tires, lol! It threw us around like crazy and i still can’t believe that he didn’t slow down for anything. There is no way a vehicle can hit rocks, huge pot holes, climb cracked hills and go around tight bends whilst travelling at break neck speed, it would have destroyed anything else and left them in a pile of spare parts, lol. I’m not sure they issued these with brake pedals! š
Subi Rincon hills…Ā
Ā Bertrand was our fantastic guide, and even better rally driver, lol. He said he had a PHD(pot hole dodger) although he didnāt dodge anything but drove straight over everything which made the ride so much funā¦We were all hanging on for dear life as our bums were ‘getting airā as they lifted off our seats!! Ā Ā
We Ā climbed higher and higher into the Subi Rincon hills, where the amazing yellow Unimog stopped at a set of time-worn Indian caves. This place had lots of rocks to walk over and Bertrand told Sarah āYouāre a fantastic guideā as she was expertly weaving me through the rocks! He told the group how the first explorers crawled through these caves in the pitch black, an inch at a time without knowing what was coming. šØ Ā
Ā Back on the Unimog…
Bertrand put the ladder in place at the rear of the Unimog so we could climb in and out. I was very careful the first time as i was feeling with my feet to find out how many (and where) the steps were. But after a few times i was flying off them! š Ā Ā
He kept slowing down and then (klunck) slamming it into low gear as he climbed ludicrously steep and rocky slopes until we got to a high viewing point. Ikept forgetting it was Sarahās birthday and not mine! š¤£ Ā
Ā The Bonaire Donkeyās…
We were screaming down a dirt track when Bertrand hit the breaks. He jumped out of the Unimog and tried to call out to the Donkeys to see if theyād come over. He told us:
Donkeys have been around on Bonaire since the 17th century. The Spanish brought the donkeys for transportation. When modern vehicles became available like pushcarts, donkeys were redundant and left to their fate.
Bonaire is a predominantly rugged and arid island, making it difficult for the donkeys to survive. Nevertheless, there are hundreds of donkeys on Bonaire present. Because the donkeys can move freely on the island this regularly leads to traffic accidents.Ā
Fauna ezel thumbThe donkeys live in small herds of about 20 animals and can be 40 years old. During the day they seek the shade of the trees. In the early morning or early evening the donkeys are usually active.
Since 1993 injured, sick and orphaned donkeys are cared in a shelter, called Donkey Sanctuary Bonaire. Volunteers take care over 400 donkeys in a closed area. The shelter is open to visitors and is located south of the airport on the Kaya Ir.R. Statius van Eps.Ā
I heard āEEEYYOOORRREEE, HONK, HONK, HONK) and Bertrand said āOk i hear youā to the donkeys and āThey donāt want to say helloā to us as he climbed back into the Unimog and drove to our next stop…
ā¢ļø HEALTH WARNING…š²Ā
Wait a minuteā¦How did Sarah take a panorama whilst sat in the Unimog? “Nobody likes a show off, lolā š¤£ Ā
Ā
After another blitzing ride we parked at the beauty spot, Seru Largu. We walked up quite a few steps to get to the top, but it was worth it!
Ā
Ā
This beautiful place sits on a raised platform which set Sarah up with panoramic views of the capital, Kralendijk.
Ā
Ā Bertrand stopped in many interesting places, he even fed lizards by hand as we stood on a sandy park burning to a crisp.
Weād had a simply breathtaking trip on the fantastic yellow Unimog and we were really sad when we pulled back into the dock.
Back at the ship…š³
After the incredible and mind bending ride in the Unimog, we quickly went on board and had an iced coffee before heading out into the town to see what goodies we could find.
It was absolutely scorching so the first place was a tiny local bar where Bertrand told us to try the locally (and traditionally) Ā brewed beer āBonaire Blondā. Sarah sat me down at a small table and soon came back with a birthday celebration drinkā¦The 2 bottles of ice cold Bonaire Blond. The bottles were soon empty as the room was just too hot and we needed to get back outside.Ā
Yay, we managed to buy another bauble for our Christmas treeā¦Oh and i bought another bright and colourful shirt that youāll see at a later date! š Ā š Ā Ā
The Evening Meal…š½
Ā As we walked into the usual evening restaurant we were guided to our seats. Sarah said āSteve i think weāve sat somewhere we shouldnāt, it looks much posher here and even the napkins are red instead of whiteā. After a few more seconds Sarah continued āOh have you done this? Have you booked me a surprise birthday meal? I bet youāve done this!ā I’d kept quiet so far wondering myself what had happened, and wondering if i should tell Sarah that i had booked a special table for her birthday even though i hadnāt, lol!
Ā
āNo i havnāt booked anything special but i wish i had nowā i said as the waiter brought Sarah the menu. Sarah used the built in magnifier on her iPhone to read the menu aloud āItās the italian restaurant, youāre going to love thisā āNo way i thought you had to book for this oneā i said wondering if they did Arancini (they did).Ā
Ā
The Italian restaurant was free like the main restaurant, the only difference is that you had to specify that you wanted to eat there which we hadnāt. We still think they knew it was Sarahās birthday and sat us there without sayingā¦But we still donāt know and it was a lovely surprise for Sarahās birthday. š Ā
Ā
Thenā¦
Ā DINGā¦DINGā¦DINGā¦DINGā¦BOOM!!š Ā
Ā
Ā
YAY, Itās Sarahās bell from her āBlind Sightseers Gastronomic Leaderboardā. Moving straight to the top of her āDessertsā leaderboard were the sugar free Profiteroles. Sarah said they tasted amazing and never seen any of these anywhere that were sugar free and didnāt mess her blood sugar up. We told the waiter how good they were and soon the chef came over and chatted to us as we thanked her too! š Ā
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Now that was a fantastic ending to an even greater day!Ā Happy Birthday Sarah!!Ā ā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļø I LOVE YOU!! ā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļø Ā
Ā
Ā Thanks for joining us on this fantastic day on Bonaire! Have you been here before? Have you ever been in/on a Unimog? š¤Ā
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Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā šĀ
Ā Ā Ā Hi friends and welcome to Day 59 of this monumental, inconceivable and definly memorable blind sightseers tour….!
Ā šØš¼ Good morning friends!
Ā Welcome to day 2 of this ‘Tropical Delightsā cruse. Wow what a colourful place! Letās see what shore excursion weāre doing today?! š Ā
Discover Curacao Island:Ā š² Ā
Youāll get to see two of the islandās biggest attractions on this tour, starting with a drive past the islandās salt flats and on to the Hato Caves. They were formed below sea-level and today theyāre full of stalagmites and stalactites.
Next up, weāll head over to the Chobolo Liqueur Factory, passing the Queen Juliana Bridge on the way. At the factory, youāll get to see how the islandās famous Blue Curacao Liqueur is made. The drink is distilled from the dried peel of bitter oranges, and youāll get to taste it for yourself.
Lastly, youāll head back to the ship via downtown Willemstad ā you can get dropped off if youād rather stay and have a look around.Ā
On the coach…š
After we boarded the coach and met our tour guide, we drove up and over the dock and had a fantastic view of the ship!
Hato cavesā¦āļø Ā
Leaving the air conditioned coach we walked into a wall of fire (i mean heat) and made our way to the bottom of the steps for the Hato cave. After a steep, difficult and gruelling climb up lots of uneven and twisty steps, we finally made it (super sweaty) to the top which is the mouth of the cave. šŖš¼ Ā
Upon entering the cave we were quickly ensconced with darkness. Our torch could not pierce this blackened world so we stopped, turned around and let other people squeeze past as we walked back out. We told the guide (who was waiting outside) that it was way too dark and dangerous for me and Sarah, so we made our way carefully back down the steps on a tactical withdrawal.Ā
On the plus side, We found a fantastic small yellow cafe which served local coffee. We walked to a table with a beautiful view (and breeze) and it was so quiet with only a handful of locals sipping their drinks and chatting. š We heard the group arriving and it wasnāt long before we were back in the coach.Ā
The Chobolo Liqueur Factory…š¹
Sarah was excited to learn all about the origins of this drink and how it was made, as she and her friend Caroline used to like this drink back in the day! The guide also gave us little testers of each flavour to see which ones we liked and disliked, then we could buy the ones we wanted in the gift shop. Sarah bought a bottle to send to Caroline as sheās never had one from the actual place before and we thought sheād love itā¦She did! šĀ
Back at the ship…š³
After a lovely iced coffee and quick refresh we thought weād have a little walk into the town. It was pure midday burning sun and it seemed to take about half an hour just to walk the length of the ship. But we kept going and finally got to the stunning bridge, and knew we were heading in the right direction.Ā
This was Sarahās favourite place as she could gaze upon the vivid colours of the buildings that lined both sides of the dock.
The town…š
We had a little walk around this beautiful town to see what we could find, and first of all we found a clothes shop! āOoohhh i wonder if they sell a caribbean shirt for meā i said as Sarah was trying to find the most colourful section. Sarah then pulled out a fantastic orange and black shirt with Curacao written all over it (see image lower down). āYes iāll have that oneā i said with a huge smile on my face. Sarah also bought a top with Curacao on the front and we left the shop to find more souvenirs. We didnāt have to wait long as we found another bauble for our Christmas tree, yay! š Ā
The sun was burning hot and microwaving my bones as i walked round like the ‘Ready Brek’ man causing a heat haze around me. So Sarah stopped at a small bar and got us a bottle of ice cold āAmstelā.Ā
Thenā¦š² Ā
āHOWDY!ā Both Sarah and i spun around and faced the american man from yesterday as he continued āOh Sarah, I love your trainers theyāre so colourfulā we said āWow how amazing that youāre here, we thought weād never see you again. How are you?ā He said that his cruise ship had to wait a long time for the big bridge (one weād just walked over) to lift and let us into the dock, so we arrived a lot later than you. Shortly after his wife turned up and we started chatting for a while, before saying āMaybe weāll see you tomorrow? I canāt believe youāre here todayā. š
After parting ways (again) we started on the long trek back, but we did get to walk back over the bridge with the colourful buildings, yay! Ā
Ā On the ship…š³Ā
We quickly nipped back to the cabin so i could put on my new shirt, then we walked out on deck as i wanted a photo in Curacao whilst wearing my new Curacao shirt. š Ā Ā
Towel creature…Ā
Ā On our return to our centre front cabin we found our first towel art. Sarah thought is was a rabbit sniperā¦Please let us know what you think it is in the comments below?! šĀ
Ā ā§ Sarah on her tranquility seat ā§Ā
Ā And finally we were blessed with a beautiful sunset from our cabin window, wow what a day!
Thanks for joining us at this wonderfully colourful placeā¦Have you been here before?
Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā šĀ
Ā Ā Hi friends and welcome to Day 58 of this monumental, inconceivable and definly memorable blind sightseers tour….!
š¦š¼Ā Good morning friends!
Thanks for joining me and Sarah on another Birthday celebration cruise and stay in the Caribbean, itās great to have you guys along for the ride.
Marella Explorer (Apr 2019)ā¦š³ Ā
Unbelievably this is the Blind Sightseers 6th cruse! We have never been on the Marella Explorer and Sarah had booked cabin 8001 which is dead centre and right at the front of the ship. She chose this cabin as she thought the views from the window would be fantasticā¦.Sheās right again! šĀ
All it was missing is a steering wheel, lol.
ā§ View from our cabin NĆø 8001 ā§Ā
Before getting to Aruba we had a day at sea. We were pleased with this as it gave us time to walk about 80,000 steps to find out where we could get Breakfast and the evening mealā¦But most of all find the Coffee Port to see if they made lovely strong coffee? They did! š Ā
Ā š¦š¼ Aruba…
As usual we had booked an excursion for each of the 5 islands we were visiting and todays excursion is:Ā De Palm Island – Full Day, Aruba.
De Palm Island has got it all. Set adrift off the Aruban coastline, this private reef offers up pristine waters and a huge variety of exotic marine life, itās a first-class spot for an underwater exploration. Your day will start off with a short boat trip over to the island, where the friendly staff will be waiting to meet you. After a short safety briefing, youāre ready to slip on your mask and wade into the warm, clear waters. Expect to meet friendly blue parrotfish and angelfish. Back on dry land, thereāll be time to sprawl out on the sand, take your seat for a banana boat ride or visit the islandās small waterpark before heading back to the ship. Don’t forget that a full buffet lunch and refreshments throughout the day will be included.Ā
On the dockā¦š³ Ā
Ā We had a short walk around the dock until we arrived at the place to get the little fun boat.Ā
The little fun boat…š¤
Ā Yay, it didnāt disappoint as it bobbed up and down spraying us in the face with nice cool sea water.Ā
De Palm Island…š
Ā ā§ My lovely Wife Sarah catching some long awaited sunshine outside the cafe ā§Ā
When booking this shore excursion we had visions of excitement and adventure from the amazingĀ Xel-HaĀ island in Mexico, unfortunately this wasnāt like that. This place was tiny in comparison which worked well for us not getting lost but there wasnāt much to do either. The weather was overcast and muggy, until the clouds parted and gave the sun chance to burn a hole through your flesh! š„Ā
I was well impressed by the solid wooden walkways that curled around the whole place, and i marvelled on how long it must have taken to construct this very accessible path. When i was fully sighted i worked as a panel beater in a bodyshop so i know a little about sanding etc. I was enjoying the smoothness of the wood when Sarah pulled me from my reverie…āSteve! Come on stop touching everything to see how smooth it is, lol!ā š¤£ Ā
We found the cafe first (funny how that happens) and use it as our starting reference point. We found a souvenir shop (weāll be back) then the toilets (useful) and passing the bar and food court (Mmmmmm) we stumbled upon the sun bed area. Seeing that all of the sun beds were taken and weād only just got here, we walked back to the cafe to see if they had iced coffee?! š Ā
Walking around the cafe looking at the assortment of food we suddenly heard an american man with a bright and cheery accent right behind us āHOWDYā Sarah and i turned to face him and he continued āI hope you donāt mind me interrupting? But i saw you have an insulin pump and wanted to ask about itā Sarah talked to him about how long sheād had Type 1 diabetes and how long sheād had the pump. The man was a chemist/Pharmacy person and his niece was debating whoever to get one or not? After Sarah talked about how much of a life saver the pump has been i think his niece will be getting one! The man (sorry forgot his name) had arrived on the āCelebrity Silhouetteā cruise ship that weād noticed towering over ours in the dock, and it was also his first time in Aruba, then we finished up our coffees (no iced coffee, just a machine) and parted ways with the lovely man. š Ā
Ā Yayā¦It was the first time in a while that iād been able to wear the bright orange shirt i bought in Saint Kitts from our first cruiseā¦Read all about it here.
We quickly figured out that this place was mainly for snorkelers, and that wasnāt an activity the ‘Blind Sightseers’ could do (yes even we have limits, lol). We managed to secure 2 sun bems ( nobody wanted them as they were in the shade) and as i sat down Sarah went to see if she could have a paddle in the sea?! Sarah quickly returned looking sad as theyāre were rocks pretty much all the way round and lots of āBeware of Jellyfishā signs. More clouds came and lowered the temperature so we walked into the food court place as it was lunchtime already. Ā
Yayā¦I was happy as they were mainly serving burger and chips (well french fries which are fake chips) and Sarah said they served salad too! š¤£ Once again (like the sun beds) every table was taken except the only one in the blistering sun no-one wantedā¦So we sat down and i placed my āTactical sun hatā on my frying head and enjoyed the burger, although i wasnāt sure which one of us was barbecued, lol! Ā š Ā āļø Ā š Ā
āHOWDYā the man said whilst walking past, i said to Sarah āI donāt have to ask who that was as his accent is fantasticā as we waved in his general direction. As Sarah and i canāt make eye contact itās almost impossible to make friends or start a conversation unless people come over to us. So it felt great to make a friend here who always says āHowdyā when seeing us! š Ā
Sarah & i had a great time wondering around this beautiful little island and we found lots of little places until stumbling intoā¦.The gift shop! We love to find souvenirs that help us remember the amazing journeys/adventures we have conquered, and Sarah bought a fantastic t-shirt with “Biba Dushiā written on the front. Biba dushi in Aruba means āliving the sweet lifeā. The language is actually called Papiamento and is one of Arubaās two official languages spoken by many on the island. Papiamento is a Creole language derived from Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English, French, and African languages.
Back at the shipā¦š³Ā
After another fun ride on the little boat back to the ship, we had enough time to get changed, leave our bags and have a well needed iced-coffee before heading out to explore as much as we can without getting lost before the ship leaves.
We walked up one street and turned right before Sarah stopped and said āWow, that lady is having her photo taken in front of that cool wall art/sign. Quick get one of meā āOk my lovely, youāre wearing your new yellow Michael Kors t-shirt too, i hope i get everything inā. Sarah had bought this t-shirt for our holidays and couldnāt wait to put on the lovely bright colours and flowers.
Ā This is one of my fave photos as it shows Sarahās smile is as bright as her t-shirt.Ā
Walking back to the ship we finally found a local Bauble makerā¦Her daughter makes and paints them herself. We bought a beautiful one which even had a cruise ship painted on with the Aruba island and even 2019 on it. š š Ā
We’ve started collecting Christmas Tree Baubles since i started going abroad 5 years ago. We love unpacking them at Christmas and filling the tree with all Ā of the places we visit. We think its a lovely idea to fill the tree with our lives journeys and give thanks to God for everything.
Our wonderful new friendsā¦š Ā
Sarah & i like to share a table with other passengers, mainly to take this opportunity to try and be sociable( being blind and trapped in your very small world & not having any eye contact itās almost impossible to be sociable. or start conversations). So asking someone to read the menu for you because we are blind is a great ice breaker, lol!Ā
We met 2 lovely couples that night and you will hear a little more about them throughout this trip.
Thanks for joining us on our visit to Aruba! Have you been here before? š¤
Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā šĀ
Good morning friends! Are you ready for a challenge?
ā§ From left: Adie, Me & Josie ā§Ā Ā
It was amazing to have my friend of nearly 30 years Adie join our “Hard As Nails” team. I thought we’d sit and catch up over a coffee….I didn’t have this in mind, lol! š¤£ Ā
Ā ā§ Me carrying Adie on the āHero Carryā ā§Ā
After jogging a little, we came to thisā¦ā¦.
“At over 2 stories high, this is one of the most impressive obstacles in the UK. It is a giant A-shaped cargo net that you and your team will have to scramble up and over it. Working together will be the only way to overcomeā.
This was easily my favourite obstacle of the day as i could get my hands on it. Also it’s where my new trainers just hooked perfectly around the rope and it felt completely solid.
My blindness helped me out for once as i couldnāt see how high i was climbing and scrambling over the top. I heard a lot of fear from other people and a few of them froze going up and were glued to the spot. šØ
Ā Thenā¦.When getting to the bottom i hear āYay, Whoop Whoop, Steve, Steve, Steveā and the sound of the plastic clapper hands were going crazy! What a feeling to know my lovely Wife Sarah and the Crazy Clappers team were cheering me all of the way, a great feeling! š
Ā ā§ Me, Vini & Ashley biggin’ up the cheering team ā§Ā
More joggingā¦.Adie and the team were excellent at guiding me when jogging. Moving low hanging branches, telling me of tree roots and pulling me in the right direction. Adie said āI tried running with my eyes closed for a few stepsā¦And there is no way iād try any of this if i couldnāt seeā.
Thenā¦..Ā
āWe’ve taken the 10′ Hero Walls and tilted them right at you. By removing the ability for you to climb up and over this wall, you will have to form a strategy with your team, work together and boost each other to the other sideā.
Ā ā§ Ouch, my leg hasnāt bent that far in about 20 years, lol! ā§Ā
More Joggingā¦..
“This obstacle will have you crawling on the ground, pinned down by a giant cargo net. Working your way through this one will require lots of communication, teamwork and a strong willā.
Youāve guessed itā¦..More jogging and thenā¦.
“The aim of the game is to get your team up and over this stack of super-sized hay bales. There is no right or wrong way so boost, shove or yank every last team member over the other sideā.
ā§ Ashley helping Josie in a display of team work ā§ Ā
Nextā¦ā¦.
“Can’t go through it, can’t go round it, you’ll have to go over it. Work together to boost and shimmy your teammates up and over this 10′ Tough Mudder stapleā.
Yep, more joggingā¦..
Time to get swinging. Grab on, hold tight, feel the momentum and swing yourself from ring to ring like a regular Tarzan. This obstacle will test your strength, coordination and flow. Hang in there, you got thisā.
Really didnāt do well on this oneā¦And i canāt really blame my sight for lack of strength, lol!
After a little more joggingā¦…Ā
“One of the most teamwork-inducing obstacles in the Tough Mudder portfolio, this obstacle is difficult to complete alone. You’re going to have to work together to form a human pyramid and, like its namesake, climb up and over your fellow Mudders on the way to the topā.
As Vini was making everything look so easyā¦..It was great to look at the photos afterwards and see it wasnāt all too easy and he had to struggle too!! šŖš¼ š¤£ Ā
AND NOWā¦ā¦MY NEMESIS!!!!
Ā “A true Tough Mudder legend. Everest will challenge participants to run up a quarter pipe to reach the summit. Can’t do it alone? Not to worry – teammates are encouraged to hang over the top to pull their new friends up and overāĀ
I knew this was going to be difficult for me as i needed to try it and get hands on before i could calculate what exactly i needed to do. Adie and Ashley kindly explained the processā¦.But i knew i just had to do it before i would really knowā¦.As running at a half pipe wall thingy when blind is going to be interesting!
Here Goes Nothingā¦..
I thought iād feel the incline of the ramp and know roughly where i needed to jump and reach out for the top. But i took 1 step too manyā¦.And before i knew it the hard wall was in my face! š¤Ā
“Awwww i was so close to reaching the ledgeā.
After hitting the wall i dropped down hard on both knees, and as the obstacle was made of hardish tyre rubber, it simply burned and ripped the skin off both kneesā¦.”Wow that stings!”
Time to regroup and recalculate! I could sense the crowd went very quiet, and i heard a couple of people wonder how iām going to get up there?
“Ok Steve, just do the same (not the face plant and flesh stripping knee thing) but with 1 step lessā. Here i go again! š²
Yay!! Now thatās better, and once i had my talon trainers gripped to the ledge i was solid, now i Ā could just heave myself up. Wow i made it! šŖš¼Ā
ā§Ā Ashley showing how it should be done!Ā ā§š Ā
The team were fantastic and we all made it up. No-one was being left behind and you could just feel the team growing closer with each obstacle, it was amazing.
Now the final obstacle was overcome, it was time for a short jog to the finish line,Yay!
The Finish Line & The Headbandsā¦…
Yayā¦..We did it!
Ā
With more than a week pastā¦.My knees are still scabbed and bruisedā¦..But iād like to give an Elephantine amount of thanks for everyone involved! šŖš¼
ā§ When words fail to say how thankful you are!!! ā§Ā
ā§ Me, Adie & the headbands ā§Ā
ā§ Adie, Vini & Me for a final photo ā§Ā
Wow what a journey!Ā
First…Iād like to give a stupendous amount of thanks to my lovely Wife Sarahā¦.The amount of love and encouragement was mind-blowing! And for the āHard As Nailsā teamā¦..āāmy muscles were fading but the sense of team work was overwhelming and no matter whatā¦..We were getting over those obstaclesā.šŖš¼
Second… Iād like to give a monumental amount of thanks to the āCrazy Clappersā team. “When i’d finished an obstacle and was about to collapse……I’d hear the Cheering Team and you’d put a big grin on my face to remind me it was alright and to keep going! š
Ā Thirdā¦Iād like to give a gargantuan amount of thanks to all of you guys for your donations to āWorld Cancer Research Fundā and encouraging me (and the team) every step of the way! WeĀ passed (and smashed my target) the whopping Ā£1,000. “Intention isnāt Preventionā¦ā¦And you all have helped me spread the good news with everyone so we can all be aware and empowered to start fighting the cancers we can prevent.ā
Finally…A colossal amount of thanks to John and Sarah Atherton (from the Epsom Camera Club) for giving up your Saturday and taking the amazing photos of us allā¦.Weāve got fantastic memories of the day which we simply wouldnāt have without you!
Thanks for cheering me on around the course! Have you done anything like this before? š¤
Now i need a holiday! Wait a minuteā¦The āBlind Sightseersā havnāt finished yet, Yippeeee! š Ā
Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā šĀ
Ā Ā Hi friends and welcome to Day 56 of this monumental, inconceivable and definly memorable blind sightseers tour….!
Ā Good morning friends!
This is our last full day before we have to fly home. šĀ Weāre going to miss this view! Ā
Breakfastā¦š Ā
Ā We had our penultimate breakfast (yes sausagesā¦I mean fruit) and i was wearing my new āBirthdayā t-shirt. Sarah had seen it in the little gift shop (on site) and knew she just had to get it for me. It says āDonāt sweat the small stuffā and has a surf board with a large bite mark out of the side, it also has Barbados written on itā¦Fantastic! Sarah was wearing her āWorld Cancer Research Fundā t-shirt which is the charity she works for, and itās the reason for my impending doomā¦Let me explain…
The Blindman Tough Mudder!Ā š¤ Ā
People who know me?! know that Iāve been struggling and fighting all kinds of obstacles for the past 18 years since being registered blindā¦..BUT Iāve never faced obstacles such as these.
I was recently challenged (strong-armed) to do the Tough Mudder 5K by Sarahās nail tech/artist Ashley, who works at Ooh La La Hair & Beauty Salon. I chose the team name ‘HARD AS NAILSā and I’ll be competing and raising funds for one of my favourite charities Ā -World Cancer Research Fund
My lovely wife Sarah works forĀ World Cancer Research FundĀ and I was stopped in my tracks by one of the statistics she showed me – That 40% of cancer cases are preventable ….that’s around 147,000 cases each year in the UK alone. And that after not smoking eating a healthy diet, being more active and maintaining a healthy weight are the most important things you can do to reduce your cancer risk. This totally blew my mind!
āWhat??? There are cancers that I can prevent? I thought cancer was something that you just got!ā š±Ā
The light switched on for me and I thought āWhy didnāt I know this?Ā
I want to share this good news with everyone so we can all be aware and empowered to start fighting the cancers we can prevent.ā šŖš¼ Ā
Since then Iāve been following World Cancer Research FundsĀ recommendationsĀ and have never felt more healthy and energised (even though Iām on beta-blockers). Most of all I know Iām helping to not dig my own grave with my own knife and fork!
Can a blindman do a ‘Tough Mudderāā¦?Ā (post coming tomorrow!)
Now itās time to spend our last full day on the immensely packed beach! š¤£ Ā āļø Ā
Ā After our 1st wave (see what i did there, lol) of beach fun it was time for a cool down, but first i had to try and get Sarah off the beach. š¤£ Ā
Ā Just as iād gotten comfortable in the shadeā¦āSteve letās play some crazy golf! I bet you canāt beat me, lol!ā Not another challenge! šŖš¼ Ā Ā
Ā Putting (pun intended) the ācrazyā into crazy golf…
This hotel and beach club was just fantastic for us as there were no steps to trip us up. Walking out of our roomā¦The main swimming pool was about 10 meters away, the restaurant/bar was about 20-30 meters away, and the crazy golf course was about 30 meters and just around the back of the hotel in the beautiful grounds. š Ā
Ā We were happy straight away as the course had a lighthouse obstacleā¦Sarah loves lighthouses and we stayed in the āOld Hunstanton Lighthouseā for our honeymoon and then for the following 5 anniversaries! š ā¤ļøĀ
We didnāt have the course to ourselves as there were also some children playing, this really helped us out when Sarah did her ‘Happy Gilmore’ impression and smashed the ball off the course and into a load of bushes! The children (who were a lot smaller kindly returned Sarahās ball as they could fit under the bushes! š¤£ Ā
We had no idea whoād wonĀ the game as we were having too much fun!Ā š Ā
Ā Back to the beach…
As the hotel is great and accessible for usā¦The empty beach was fantastic. When youāre registered blind you hardly ever get to walk freely without millions of obstacles coming at you from every angle. So once Sarah plonked me by the sea and said itās safe to just walk up and down and follow the edge of the sea, i got moving. Itās a freedom i never ever thought about when i was fully sighted but now i love these brief moments!
Ā After spending lots of time playing in the shallow water and being splashed (blasted) by the waves, we walked as far as we could along the bay (east), then we walked all the way back to Sarahās favourite placeā¦The rocks (west). You may recognise this place as the sunset location, as this is the place we always come to every night to capture a sunset. š Ā
Ā It was a beautiful place to stop and listen to the sound of the waves crashing and to sit Ā (or stand) in reverie.Ā
Well now thatās out of the way itās time to try and catch up with Sarah. I really need to take more video clips as the auto focus isnāt fast enough to keep up with Sarah, lol!Ā
Ā Goodbye Sharkeyās…
After our scorching day on the beach we headed off to our local for an iced coffee! š Ā Ā
Ā Farewell Barbadosā¦ š§š§ Ā
Ā Weāve had such an amazing time staying at the Southern Palms Beach Club, playing on Dover beach and enjoying Barbados! So i thought there would be no better way to leave this place as to let the beautiful Bajan sun set on our holiday. šĀ
Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā š
Ā Ā Hi friends and welcome to Day 55 of this monumental, inconceivable and definly memorable blind sightseers tour….
Good morning friends! Yay weāre still at the š“Ā Southern Palms š“Ā
Ā Southern palms breakfastā¦š Ā
āWow, how nice are these bananas with a little fresh orange juice drizzled over them!ā i said as Sarah puts some fresh water melon next to me. āWhat a way to start the day, they taste so much fruitier and juicier than back homeā. Sarah loved going over to the numerous tables and getting fresh fruit, nuts and best of allā¦The coconut bread! We then walked over to the cooked food table where we ordered our fresh omelettes.šššš°š„„
But then…
DINGā¦DINGā¦DINGā¦šĀ
Yayā¦Thatās the sound of my (not Sarahās) āBlind Sightseers Gastronomic Leaderboardā bell again. This time it was for the nicest sausages iāve ever tasted. I have no idea what herbs and spices they used but itās right up at number 1 for sausages! š Ā
After being dragged (kicking and screaming) away from the sausages, we had a monumental walk back to our room (about 30 meters) as Sarah wanted to go for a swim. The pool was fantastic and not very busy! š Ā Ā
Ā There was always a cold fresh jug of water (with cucumber or lemon) available under an umbrella for guests to drink. It was a life saver for me who just boils to death the second i leave the air conditioned room. Being sat under an umbrella next to the pool, hearing Sarah splashing around and having fun with the view over the beach (see image below)ā¦It wasnāt the worst place to be, lol! š¤£ āļø Ā Ā
Sitting still is not the usual Blind Sightseers way of doing things but suddenly Ā i heard an airplane pretty close to us. I just pointed my phone towards the noise and i didnāt expect to capture anything, but to my surprise i managed to get the plane. My ears must be well calibrated! š¤£ Ā
Ā Sharkeyās Tropical Cafeā¦ā Ā
Ā You may remember from my ‘Barbados #1‘ post that weād had a walk up the āGap’ from our hotel to explore. We walked past Sharkeyās and thought weād try it another dayā¦Well now we are here! š We absolutely loved the incredibly bold and vivid colour scheme and it wasnāt long before weād sat down and had our iced coffees. We chatted with the man (making the coffees) and when he found out Sarah was diabetic he said āHey, i can make a special one for you! Itās good that you told me as nobody dies on my watch, lol! š¤£ Ā
Just when i thought this place couldnāt get any brighterā¦Sarah hits me with that amazing smile! Ā
Ā The Birthday Bajan Braides…
As we were on a ‘Full Day Island Tour’ yesterday, we didnāt have time to book Sarah into the on site hairdressers to get her birthday Ā braides. As you may know the wind here is quite strong (and cooling) so i already had my hair in braides, as itās my birthday 4 days after Sarahās. It was the same lady whoād done my braides and Sarah looked fantastic! š ā¤ļøĀ
Ā The evening…
Weād already had another lovely day but it was time for the evening meal. The hotel had a different band playing every few nights, and sitting in the restaurant next to the perfect postcard beach was stunning. Ā
Ā DINGā¦DINGā¦DING…DINGā¦š Ā
Yes you know what this meansā¦Itās my āBlind Sightseers Gastronomic Leaderboardā and something has just smashed itās way to the top, i wonder what it could be??
This one isnāt for the faint hearted but i donāt have enough hyperbole to do this justice! So iāll just introduce you to my favourite burger of all timeā¦The āSouthern Burgerā This is hard to write about without drooling. š I must confess that i ordered this on the first night and then for all 7 nights! Once youāve hit the top thereās nowhere else to go! š š Ā Ā
Ā The sunset…
Thankfully we walked along the beach for the sunset before we had the evening meal. We always knew exactly what time to leave for our daily beach sunset walk as the ‘Bajan Whistling Frogā would start singing at the same time every night! šĀ
š“ The āSouthern Palmsā and Barbados was already our fave place and island and weād not even been here a week. As the sun set on another fantastic day i wanted to leave you with this stunning view. Ā
Ā Iād like to say that iād set up a tripod, set the self-timer and walked into position, But (you guessed it) Sarah āTop Trumpedā me again with this beautiful photo! š Ā
Thank you so much for taking time to join us in Barbados, but itās still not over yet! š Ā
Have you ever been to Barbados? Iād love to hear about it!Ā
Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā šĀ
Ā Ā Hi friends and welcome to Day 54 of this monumental, inconceivable and definly memorable blind sightseers tour….!
Good morning friends!Ā
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH!! š Ā
Wow what a view to start your Bajan Birthday whilst eating an amazing fresh and juicy breakfast. š š š š šĀ š„ We couldāve stayed here foreverā¦But we have a fantastic birthday trip starting in a moment! š Ā
Ā The Barbados 360 Island Tourā¦š² Ā
Ā The Barbados 360 Island Tour is a great way to see BarbadosYour incredible experience begins with pick-up at your hotel by a friendly local guide/driver.
Southern Palmsā¦š“
We didnāt even have to leave the hotel as the coach pulled right up to the entrance. We were one of the first on the coach and it was nice to get the chance to see the other hotels as the driver stopped to pick the other people up.
Bridgetown…
You’ll be driven through our bustling capital city of Bridgetown which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here the architecture and charm of a bygone era merges with the beauty of a modern city.
The tour guide told us lots of history as we drove through Bridgetown. It looked (and sounded) fantastic and itās a definite place for us to go and explore at a later date! šĀ
Speightstown…
And speaking of lovely architecture and colonial towns, your first stop is at Speightstown. Here you’ll enjoy seeing historic buildings and beautiful tropical beaches.
The tour guide kept talking about the PRC Bakery at our first stop, and said she was going in to get something for the trip. āOOohhhh maybe we could get a small cake for your birthdayā āYes letās follow her and see what goodies they have?ā As we walked in to the little bakery the guide said āOh yes a lead pipeā as she picked one up and went to pay for it. āWhatās a lead pipe?ā i said to the guide āItās a local cake but it can be used as a weapon too as itās very heavyā. Sarah then passed me a bag with a cake in and said hold this āWow this weighs about the same as a 16lb bowling ballā āeverything is so heavy in here, nothing has fluffy cream like in England as it would melt instantly, lolā.
Sarah told the baker that we loved coconut and did e have anything with coconut in them? We only got 1 coconut slice as we didnāt know how sweet it was or even if we liked it?! šĀ
DINGā¦DINGā¦DINGā¦š Ā Ā
I never (ever) stop talking about this coconut slice as itās the nicest cake iāve ever tasted! The bell on the āBlind Sightseers Gastronomic Leaderboardā was destroyed as this flew to the top of the cakes list! If iād have known i wouldāve stayed in the bakery and continued to eat every single last one of them! But we only had that one and weāve never been able to go back since this monumental occasion. Oh yesā¦This monumental occasion is my lovely wife Sarah’s birthday! š¤£Ā
Ā āIf i can just break this cake in to small pieces then i could hide it in my pockets. Iām sure this cake is too sweet for Sarah and she just wonāt like it!ā š¤£ Ā
āNothing to see here, i hope i havnāt got crumbs all over me!ā š¤£ Ā
A kind person from our group asked if weād like a birthday photo together? Iām sure she must have noticed us fighting over the coconut slice, and thought sheād better break us up, lol! š¤£ Ā
Oh yes, this beautiful place wasnāt just about the coconut sliceā¦Who am i kidding? Yes it was! š¤£ Ā
But itās not my birthday and it was time for us to get back on the coach.
Morgan Lewis Windmill…
Get your cameras ready for the stop at Cherry Tree Hill, our favourite look-out spot on the island! Sugar cane fields and the lush countryside lead down to a beautiful coastline.
ā¢ļø HEALTH WARNING…š² Ā Ā
Oh wow, itās not my birthday but Sarah treated us all to a stunning stupendous panorama! š²Ā
Ā
North point and Saint Lucy…
After a short drive we ended up at North Point, the most northern part of Barbados. Instead of flat sandy beaches this place had cliffs and big waves. But first Sarah had to have her photo taken with Saint Lucy. š Ā Ā
Ā We walked inside the cafe/bar area as we had enough time for a cold drink, and then lots of noise and singingā¦It was the tour guide and a few of the staff singing Happy Birthday (stevie wonder style) bouncing and dancing around whilst carrying a bowl of flying fish with a sparkler sticking out of the top! It was a special moment for Sarah and weāve never had anything like this before, a lovely thing for them to do. š Ā
It was an amazing place and totally different to the postcard beaches weāre used to at our hotel. āļø
Bathsheba & the soup bowl…Ā
Next you travel along that coastline to the seaside village at Bathsheba, to see fascinating rock formations standing strong against the battering waves. You might also see surfers enjoying the white surf of the world famous “Soup Bowl”.
Ā Leaving the coach we realised why this was great for surfersā¦The wind was really strong and we had to be really careful not to get blown away! Ā
ā¢ļø HEALTH WARNING… š² Ā
Hey Sarah has tried to sneak another monumental panorama! šĀ
Ā This place was beautiful and wild and also very different from the normal beaches. Just before we arrived at the next location our driver treated us by singing (with a great voice) āAll of meā by John Legend. Every time we hear this song playing it takes us back to this stunning place! š Ā āļø Ā
Ā Sunbury Plantation House…Ā
By now you might be feeling a bit hungry, so it’s off to Sunbury Plantation House, for a delicious local buffet lunch and a tour of this beautifully restored historic home.
Wow what a place packed with so much history. We had a short walk around looking at the antiques then sat down for a stunning buffet birthday lunch. We tried an omnifarious amount of local foods and it was so tasty! š Ā
Ā This was the view from the tableā¦Stunning! šĀ
Ā We were sad to leave this place but the āBajan Birthday Tourā hasnāt ended yet.Ā
St. Johns Church…
After enjoying the beauty of nature it’s time to visit St. Johns Church, a gothic Church that boasts amazing views from its hilltop location.Ā
Ā This was the last stop on our epic tour of the island and it was beautiful. Ā
Ā The day ends as you are safely returned to your hotel…
After a long day filled with excitement, surprises and beautiful scenery, the coach pulled up outside our hotel. We said our goodbyes and headed back to our room.
And thenā¦š Ā
As we opened the door to our room we were greeted with this lovely surprise for Sarahās birthday from the hotel staff.š Ā Ā
Ā But the birthday isnāt over yet. Sarah then dragged me out on to the beach for a lovely walk before it gets too dark.Ā
Ā Wait a minuteā¦Is Sarah getting tiredā¦Impossible! š¤£ Ā
Ā Today was a perfect day and Sarah really enjoyed her bajan birthday. Itās been great having you guys with us to celebrate too. Have you enjoyed Barbados?
Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā šĀ
Ā Ā Hi friends and welcome to Day 53 of this monumental, inconceivable and definly memorable blind sightseers tour….!
Ā Good morning friends! Yay weāre in Barbados! š Ā āļøĀ š§š§ Ā
After our relaxing breakfast (no excursion today) we had a couple of hours on the ship. We were excited not to be flying home as usual but to be staying a week on Barbados. Weāve never done a cruise and stay before so had no idea what to expect. But while we are waitingā¦How about a game of blind crazy golf? š¤£ Ā Ā Ā
Ā We made sure there wasnāt many people playing as i take too long on a shot. I canāt see my feet never mind a golf ball, lol! To take a shot i bend down and place the ball on the floor while holding the club against it. Then slowly rise up whilst at the same time trying not to move the club or the ball at all. Hopefully the wind hasnāt blown my ball away from the club (happened a few times as i swung and just hit air) then i swing. If i make contact with the ball itās a bonus, but sometimes i just fluke a hole in one! š šŖš¼ Ā
Ā After a very hot round of crazy golf (i think Sarah won) and a farewell iced coffee it was time for us to leave this lovely ship.Ā
Ā š“Ā Southern Palms š“…
Ā After a short ride in a minibus with the driver telling us some great places to visit if we get the chance, we pulled up a the hotel. We were welcomed by a steel drum band and Sarah just had to get a video of this place! š² Ā Ā
Once weād been shown around our room with lovely air conditioning, we unpacked our case and went for a little walk round which included the beach. āļø šĀ
Welcome to ourĀ perfect Caribbean postcard beach…
Ā We couldnāt believe how empty the beach was and had a walk up and down up to the limits of our hotel (the hotel was wider than we’d thought) and there were not many people on the beach at all. We walked around the whole bay (which wasnāt very big) and there were more people on the beach in front of the next hotel down, but hardly any in front of our hotel..Excellent. š Ā
The sunset photo…
As the Southern Palms faced directly south we headed right along the beach so i could find a lovely sunset photo, i knew the sunsets must be amazing here so wondered where we could stand to get one?! Wow i think this looks like the place! We couldnāt believe it as this place was about 50 meters from our hotel, and it was the end of the bay so we couldnāt walk any further anyway. Sarah quickly found her new āHappy Place’ on the top of the rocks.Ā š²
Ā It was beautiful and we stayed as long as we could before it got too dark for us. It had rocks, coastline and trees for composition and we were happy to come here for the next 7 days! Ā
Ā We knew instantly that this place was something special and weād love itā¦And i havnāt even mentioned the evening meals yet!! Oh the āBlind Sightseers Gastronomic Leaderboardā is going to get busy! More about that on a later date. Ā
The following day…
We had breakfast and evening meal included at the hotel, and wow what a breakfast (tell you later!) So when weād filled our tanks we headed out of the hotel for a short walk. As the hotel was located on St Lawrence Gap we thought even if we get lost, someone would always know about the gap and take us home, good plan.Ā
St Lawrence Gapā¦āļø Ā
It was scorching hot (and then some) but there was a sprinkling of stalls, shops and cafe/bars along the gap, so i could stand underneath in the boiling hot shade, lol! Then walking further along the gap we found (which is now) our favourite and most colourful cafe…āSharkeyās Tropical Cafeā.Ā
Ā We didnāt have time to stop at the moment as we were on exploration mode. The gap then turned 90Ė to the right until we hit the main road. We knew we could just turn back and get back the way we came, but weād read about the legendary public buses and wanted to try one!Ā
The busā¦š Ā
Wow, let me tell you a little about the bus! Remember how i was telling you about my favourite cars of all time back inĀ Corsica, yes the insanely fast āGroup Bā rally carsā¦Well when weād walked along the main road a little, on some tiny paths that took some navigatingā¦One of these blasted past (i enjoyed the breeze,lol). āWow that was closeā i said whilst trying to sort my shirt out as it had been blown violently around. Climbing on board one of these missiles (it was heading the way of another coffee shop iād found on Facebook) the first thing that we noticed was the noise! It had a hugely loud raspy exhaust (like Group B cars) and it only accelerated hard and fast. There were no cruising and just hard braking for anyone else brave enough to get on. It took us about 7 seconds (maybe 10 minutes) before we could breathe again and the g-force came down to normal and we could step off.
It stopped right outside the āVictoria Coffee Shopā and we were greeted with this fantastic sign as we walked inā¦I canāt remember what it said though, lolā¦Maybe a super kind reader could enter the text in the comment section below?! šĀ
Ā The coffee shop was beautiful and we had a lovely strong coffee with some local banana bread, Mmmmm. Ā š Ā
Ā After another dizzying blast on the rocket fuelled bus we managed to get back to the hotel after a good time exploring. Sarah said (i think sheād seen my hair after the bus ride) āShall we book you in to get your hair braided as the hotel has itās own hair salon?ā My hair did look like a cross between āAslanā and āWorzel Gummidgeā so i was happy to get it out of the way for a whole week! š Ā Ā
Ā The lady did a fantastic job and we had a great time chatting to her and learning more about Barbados.
Sarahās Birthday in Barbados…
Tomorrow will be Sarahās birthday and weāve booked an excursion that will take us all around the island, showing us the different coastlines of this beautiful place. Weāre really looking forward to it and canāt wait to share Sarahās birthday with you in Barbados. š§š§ š Ā Ā
Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā šĀ
Ā Ā Hi friends and welcome to Day 52 of this monumental, inconceivable and definly memorable blind sightseers tour….!
Ā Good morning friends and welcome to Grenada! š Ā
Ā Sarahās really looking forwards to Grenada and visiting the nutmeg factory, she loves nutmeg! It reminds her of lovely memories of her even lovelier nan, and the beautiful smell of her legendary rice pudding.
After yesterdaysĀ postĀ (short story) i thought weād have a lovely gentle coach rideā¦What can go wrong, lol! š¤£ Ā Ā
Where are we going todayā¦š¤ Ā
All cinnamon, cloves and allspice, itās little wonder Grenadaās known as the Caribbeanās Spice Island. But theyāre not the only treats that grow here. Thereās plenty of citrus, bananas and cocoa beans too. In fact, the menu of plants that call this place home reads like the ingredients for a Nigella recipe, so itās easy to see how this place came to be one of the worldās leading spice suppliers.
Youāll wind through the rainforest to the Grand Etang Lake viewing point. A giant volcano crater filled to the brim with cobalt water, itās certainly easy on the eye. And its volcano-top location makes it all the more breathtaking. From here, youāll travel to Annandale Falls, a fairytale paradise of cascading water, hanging ferns and dainty orchids thatās like a secret Caribbean garden. Then itās of to the nutmeg factory!
Ā On the dockā¦š³ Ā
Wow you can smell the lovely warm spices even from the dock! Oh and what a beautiful place! šĀ
Ā We boarded our air conditioned coach and met our guide who was very knowledgable about the history of this incredible island. The first thing we noticed is just how green it was. Massive fruit and all kinds of food just grew along the roadside, it was just lush with life! It wasnāt long before we were getting off the coach for our first stop of the day. Ā Ā
Ā Annandale Falls…
SarahĀ expertly guided me down steep paths and large steps to get down to the waterfallā¦And it was totally worth it. š Ā
Ā Wow i really hoped you could feel how fresh and cool it was when stepping nearer this waterfall, i couldāve stayed there all day but itās back to the coach.Ā
Wait a minuteā¦Thatās a sheer drop! I kept asking if they wanted me to drive?? š¤£ Ā Ā
Grand Etang Lake viewing point and national park…
Every time we stepped off the coach we were greeted with the amazing smell of the spices, and walking through the national park there were a few stalls where we could finally buy some! š Ā
It was so beautiful up here.Ā
Ā Back on the coachā¦š Ā
We were driving past many nutmeg trees when the coach slowed and came to a stop and the guide jumped out, picked something and jumped back on the coach.Ā
He held up the freshly picked spice and told us all about the nutmeg and itās various uses, he was showing us their yellow apricot-sized fruits, that were often split open, showing the red mace covering the hard-shelled nut with the seed inside. He also told us that Grenada is one of the biggest producers of this spice in the world, after Indonesia from whose Banda islands this nut originates.Ā
The coach then pulled away and we had a beautiful scenic drive until we reached the nutmeg factory. š Ā
The nutmeg factoryā¦
Ā Wowā¦What a delight for the senses! The wonderful aroma ensconced us as we walked into the factory and it never let us go until we were back on the coach.
We were shown and told all about the process from farming to distribution around the world. The ladies were smiling (some even singing) which gave a lovely feel to the place. My favourite part was the snapping and popping of the used shells under our feet, it was so loud. The guide told us that not even the shells are wasted as locals put them on their paths and around their gardens so they know if someone (or something) is coming!
This nutmeg factory industry is an essential part of the island economy and it’s gratifying to contribute in some small way to its continuance.
The shop…Ā
At the end we went to a souvenir shop, where nutmeg products are sold in all kinds of forms, from powder and jams to syrups. Most of our group were already on the coach and we only had a few minutes. It smelt amazing and we wanted to take everything. Sarah bought an incredible smelling cream then we rushed back on to the coach.
We later found out the Sarah had bought an insect repellent āNo way i thought it was a moisturising creamā¦But it smells so amazing!ā We used it lots but made sure to save some as it really does smell incredible! šĀ
Back on the shipā¦š³ Ā
I was happy for the refresh as the plaster on my leg (from yesterday) wouldnāt stick as i was so hot my legs felt they had custard drooling down them. š Ā
Well weāve sadly made it (mostly intact) Ā to the end of another cruise (Seven Isles Cruise) but the adventure doesnāt stop here! This is the first week of our 2 week cruise and stay, so tomorrow we head for Barbados. We are staying for a week at āSouthern Palms Beach Clubā and hope to meet with you there! š Ā
Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā šĀ
Ā Ā Hi friends and welcome to Day 51 of this monumental, inconceivable and definly memorable blind sightseers tour….!Ā
Ā Bonjour mes amisĀ (Good Morning My Friends) and welcome to Martinique!Ā
Sorry but Sarah & i didnāt managed to take any photos at all on the very wet shore excursion. Yes even i was in my wet gear (last time ever Sarah has commanded) and we had no water proof cameras. But this is a must read and a gripping drama of an adventure weāll never forget! š² Ā
Side noteā¦Although itās called a post itās actually more like a short story. So settle back with your favourite beverage and enjoy the drama! šØ Ā
Letās have a look and see where we are goingā¦š¤ Ā
Kayaking Mangroves Martinique…š¶
Had your fill of sunbathing and swimming? This is one for the more active crowd. Youāll first travel to a nearby islet to pick up your kayaks. And with paddles at the ready, youāll head off into the quiet mangroves. Youāll be in the water about 40 minutes, gliding under tropical canopies. And red and black mangrove trees sprout from the water. Guides are on hand to make sure you get the most out of the day and help you perfect your technique. Plus thereās plenty of time to chill with a fruit juice, or swim in the sea before taking the boat back to the ship.
On the dock and boarding the boatā¦š³ Ā
After another lovely breakfast we left the ship and joined our excursion guide on the dock. We stood waiting for a while and started talking to a lovely man and his grandson who he was taking on our trip. When the man knew i was registered blind and still kayaking and swimming he seemed to relax a little. Yay i can help without helping! š Ā
We were then guided onto a small fun boat, it had a totally flat and wide floor (like a dance floor) so was easy for me to get on. We took our seats around the edge of the boat and it pulled away bobbing across the sea. The cool sea breeze flowed briskly through the boat (which i enjoyed) and before long we were pulling up to a small islet from what seemed like a beautiful film set!. š² Sarah unplugged her insulin pump and stored it safe in our bags that weād left on the boat, then we stepped off the boat and after a short lesson on kayaking we were ready to get in.Ā
The kayak and the mangrovesā¦āļø Ā
Ā As this was the second time weād tried kayaking (1st time in Mexico) we thought we knew what to expect. Sarah climbed in the back seat and i sat in the front waiting for the navigator (Sarah) to direct. The guide took us across the open sea and we swiftly pulled into line about half way up the group. We were kayaking across the open Caribbean sea and it was incredible, itās such a lovely feeling being out in the open sea. Then we started to turn towards the mangroves. The group pulled in tight as we made our way along the stunning narrow waterway.Ā
Thenā¦šØ Ā
I heard a commotion a head of me and a screaming/shouting. As we pulled nearer a woman had fallen in and her husband was still in the kayak trying to help her. The woman was freaking out and on the verge of hysterics and could not be reasoned with. As a side noteā¦During our boat ride from the ship the guides showed the group huge photos (about A3) of the omnifarious types of creatures out there including huge crabs that lay on the floor and the sides of the mangroves, and i think the woman had those photos still etched in her mind. Sarah said the woman was up to her shoulders in water and couldnāt get back in to the kayak. Her paddle had hit the side of our kayak so we stopped to give her support and save her paddle for when she gets back in. šØ Ā
Ā With the woman safely back in the kayak (she was fuming) the group continued along the amazing mangroves until we stopped for a rest before heading further along for about 20 minutes until it opened back out in to the Caribbean sea. Now we could test the top speed as we flew back to the little dock thingy. I wouldnāt say our kayaking always went smoothly and we have had a few crossed paddles along the way, but we had fun and made it back. š¤£ Ā
The boat and the short beach breakā¦š² Ā
Ā We sat back down on the boat (tired) after a fantastic kayak trip and the guide said āItās about half an hour until we get to the beach, so relax and come and have a fresh cold drink at the bar area at the front of the boat. I said to Sarah āThat was the Blind Sightseers 2nd kayak trip and we made it without sinking or capsizing againā āYeah i knowā Sarah said very slowly and quite slurry. At firs i thought she was just tired as it took a lot out of us with all of the paddling, and how could it be a hypo as she hasnāt had her pump attached? But i said āAre you ok?ā If it is a hypo then i need to hear her speak so i know it is for definite. āI think iām having a hypo?!ā Sarah said as she looked at her pump to clarify the very low reading. I knew Sarah really wanted to enjoy the beach we were heading towards but this was going to be a big hypo! šØ Ā
I jumped up and headed for the juice bar and asked for any full sugar orange juice if they had any? They did and Sarah was just with it enough to be able to drink itā¦Now we wait to see if the sugar kicks in or Sarah passes out. I do not enjoy this bit at all, but i just think about how Sarah must be feeling and stop complaining! The music on the boat was loud, the people were chatting away while i was trying to keep Sarah sat upright. About 15 minutes had passed and the juice wasnāt really working, so i got up and asked for another one. I knew Sarah really wanted to go on the beach and would be upset if she missed it, but i also knew sheād be absolutely freezing after this hypoā¦The T1Dās who read this will know exactly what iām talking about, the bone chill that happens is like your bone themselves are frozen and the only way to get warm again is to have a hot bath.Ā
With about 5 minutes to go Sarahās speech became much more normal again and she asked if weād already been to the beach. āNot yet my love, we are about 5 minutes away but we can just stay on the boat where itās safeā I said with my arm around Sarah trying to get her warm. āNow way itās freezing on here and itās in the shade, at least the beach will be in the sun and i can warm upā āGood thinkingā i said as people were getting ready to leave the boat. āHang onā i said as i heard a couple of people splash into the water āIt sounds like we are not on landā āNo weāre not, we are in a beautiful film set looking place but the beach island is a long way over thereā The guide said we have about half an hour until the boat sounds itās 1st of 2 horns then you have a few minutes to get back on board, the guide continued You can swim over to the Ā beach if you want to as we have permission to use the bar there etc but make sure youāre back on the boat shortly after the 1st horn blastā. Sarah said āThe sea should be warmer than being trapped in here and lots of people are getting off so we can have a swim over to the island and get warmā āSounds like a plan, letās goā.šŖš¼ Ā
The sea and the island…š
Sarah guided me to the back of the boat and there were steps leading down to the sea. āSteve you can sit on the bottom step and then push yourself offā āWhich way is the beach?ā Sarah pointed at a 90Ė angle to her right āOk thanks if i canāt tread water iāll head that way until i hit landā, here goes…
As i slid off the last step i went straight under and started to sink like a stone. At the same time salt water filled my lungs as i panicked and i seemed to stop breathing. I kicked my legs and frantically thrust my arms in a a swimming motion with little effectā¦At first. More water filled my mouth and lungs and finally my head poked out of the water. I think the panic of drowning was overtaking me as i couldnāt keep my head above water long enough to spit out all of the salt water. Treading water was out of the question but if i swam i seemed to stay on top. I only know 2 swimming strokes Breast stroke and doggy paddle (doggy paddle really wouldnāt work right now). I said to myself āSteve youāre not drowning here and leaving Sarah all on her ownā¦Just swim to the beachā I knew if i stopped then iād drown , and i knew roughly which way the beach is so i started the breast stroke (iām really good at breast stroke). The faster i went the less likely i was going to drown so i kicked and pumped my arms as hard as i could!
I seemed to be swimming for quite a while and i couldnāt hear Sarah at all, i thought Sarah wouldnāt leave me out here alone? But maybe she is next to me or behind me as i can only hear the water forcing itās way into my ears, either way iāll meet up with her on the beach as she is an amazing swimmerā. There was no beach or island getting any closer and i tried looking and i thought i could see a shadow of something to my right (it was just blue everywhere else) so i steered myself towards the shadow and kept pumping my quickly tiring arms and legs.
āYESā i said whilst spitting out another mouthful of salt water āThis looks like an island. OUCHā i said as my knee hit something sharp and hard, it stopped me dead and i kicked my legs around to try and get purchase on something. I was so thankful that iād bought some āHot Tunaā beach shoes with heavy rubber tread, as all i could feel with my feet were lots of points like hundreds of tall pointy pyramids trying to pierce me. As iām blind iām really good at feeling with my feet to compensate my sight loss, and after a few attempts i managed to grip on with a foot either side of the huge point. I was crouched and wobbling as i tried to counter the waves hitting me constantly but i was glad of the rest. Looking straight ahead (where i thought the boat would be) i saw nothing but blue. āWow no boat or peopleā i could also hear nothing or no-one. āHow far have i swamā i thought whilst looking to my left, i was using and straining my very blurry sight to itās limit but i could make out that this islet i was on continued further along. Realising i couldnāt stay hear (especially as my foot slipped and my left shin is stinging like mad) i pushed away. šØ Ā
Finally after swimming around those nasty pointy things Ā i crawled my way onto the beach. āI thought they said there was a bar hereā i thought whilst hearing nothing as i sat down to catch my breath and to think about what had just happened. I expected to hear Sarah calling meā¦But nothing. I looked out again straining until my eyes burned but couldnāt see a boat either. My left shin was really stinging and i knew it was bleeding and had salt water in it,ā¦
Thenā¦šØ Ā
As i was rubbing my hands to get the sand off i noticed my wedding ring was missing. My heart dropped through the floor so i checked againā¦Still missing. My first thought was āSarahās going to kill meā as i dropped to my knees to search around the sand with my sweeping hands. I couldnāt find it and knew it probably flew off in the mad panic from the boat, so i started walking up and down the beach at the sea edge and thought, “if people were looking for me at least they have a better chance of spotting me if iām up and moving”. The beach was only about 50 meters long and iād done a few lengths already and still heard nothing. I walked another time up and down the beach with the realisation of my predicament setting in. I was tired, iād lost my wedding ring and i was lost on a Caribbean islet, iād stopped walking at this point and was just looking out into the vast blue sea deep in prayer and thought when…
āSteve?ā i looked a little to my right where iād heard the noise and thought āThatās not Sarahās voiceā āSteve?ā āYesā i said as the man continued āSarah (your wife) has sent me to guide you back to the boatā I was almost in tears of relief as i started to walk into the sea and join him. He continued āHow much can you see?ā āVery likktleā i said āOk just follow my voice as i keep shouting at youā. I was back in the water and swimming along behind my navigator as we arrived at the rear of the boat. My mind was picturing me swimming into the propellers and slicing me into a thousand pieces just as i thought iād made it, but i hit the bottom step instead. š²
Here is a photo of my wedding ring that is still in Martinique!Ā
ClimbingĀ the last step and into Sarah’s arms she saidĀ āYouāre not swimming ever again!ā i replied “I do not disassociate myself from that statement!ā. Sarah continuedĀ āDo you have any idea how terrified i was that iād lost you?!
I heard you enter the water as i was looking down to make sure i didnāt trip on any of the tiny steps. A lady who was smashing around with an inflatable lilo and another person were totally distracting me with another inflatable theyād pulled out of nowhere, so when iād looked upā¦Youād disappeared. I quickly looked to the right (towards the beach) to see if i could see anyone swimming in that direction, nothing. I looked straight ahead and still nothing. For some reason i looked out to the open sea, and just caught sight of your head bobbing up and down,Ā The woman on the lilo kept chatting and chatting really loudly, people were behind me getting more drinks and some were trying to get into the water, it was really confusing. I tried asking the woman on the lilo to help but she wouldnāt leave her lilo, so i asked a man behind me for some help, and when i turned back aroundā¦Youād vanished again! More time passed and my thoughts didnāt get any happier. IĀ was still freezing and feeling a little sick after the hypo, i just wanted you back and to get a hot shower back in the cabin to get rid of this bone chill.
I continued asking for help when this kind man came over to me and i told him how you were heading for the beach, but iād seen you in the opposite direction heading out to sea! The man looked out to sea and couldnāt see you anywhere, then he looked towards the beach and couldnāt see you there either. A few more minutes went by and the man said āThere he is!ā āWhere?ā Sarah said āHeās on the beach walking up and down the beachā āIs he ok?ā āhe looks fineā āSteve is registered blind and wonāt be able to see the boat never mind how heās going to get back. Could you please go and guide him back?ā I was so relieved when the man left to go and get youā¦And now here you are! Youāre banned from ever swimming again and youāre never leaving my sight! š”Ā
Safe on the boat…
Weād sat back down when i was about to tell Sarah about losing my wedding ring when she said āWhat have you done to your leg?ā I lifted my throbbing leg up for her to see āWow itās cut and bleedingā āI know itās stinging like madā āIbet it is, how did you do that?ā I thought about a reply but it would be too long, and iāll tell her the details later āIāve got even worse news than my legā āWhat could be worse than this?ā I held up my hand and said āMy wedding ring has gone, it must’ve come off in my blind panic (pun intended)ā. I was expecting a drilling but got a hug instead āThatās ok iām just glad to have you backā ā¤ļø
Back on the shipā¦š³ Ā
ā§ Photo of the Marella Discovery from a later date ā§ Ā Ā
After a refresh and a very strong coffee, we went to reception and asked if a nurse could take a quick look at my leg to make sure it wasnāt infected. We went down to the hospital deck and had my massive gaping wound (large cut) cleaned and got lots of large plasters to keep it covered for a couple of days. š Ā
We decided not to get dressed up for the evening meal and just go up and get a snack from the buffet restaurant. We were just walking in when…
The man, Ā his wife and his grandson walked up to us. The man was really limping as he approached and Sarah said āOh no what happened? Did you enjoy the adventure today?ā The grandson said heād really enjoyed himself and the grandad said āI stepped onto a sea urchin and it pierced straight through my sea shoes and deep into my footā. Sarah & i made the noise together āAawwwwwā āYes it really hut and when i stepped backwards after the first sting, i stepped onto another one but luckily it didnāt get me as bad! Did you 2 enjoy the day?ā Sarah relayed the story of what happened and showed him my leg. As we said our goodbyes i was in need of a chip butty! š Ā
As we sat down and chatted about the usual Blind Sightseers adventure i said āI didnāt know i could swim that fast?!ā āDonāt startā Sarah said with a smile lighting up her face. š Ā
Thank you…
If you are still reading this and canāt quite believe what āThe Blind Sightseersā Ā can do on a simple shore excursionā¦Then we thank you profusely for coming along for the ride! This is still an abridged version but i know i canāt go on and on and on like Sarah says i do, lol! š¤£ Ā Ā
Weāll see you in the morning for another (hopefully less dramatic) shore excursion.
Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā šĀ
Ā Ā Hi friends and welcome to Day 50 of this monumental, inconceivable and definly memorable blind sightseers tour….!Ā
Good morning friends! We are in Saint Lucia! š āļø š“Ā
Wowā¦Itās our 50th day of our trip. I canāt believe weāve hit this milestone already time is cruising by and i hope youāre still enjoying this adventure?! š² Ā Ā
What a day yesterday! As we had to focus on not falling to our death we didnāt get to see much of the rain forest canopyā¦So we thought weād book this excursion today at a more relaxing pace. Wait a minuteā¦Did i say relaxing? This canāt be right weāre āThe Blind Sightseersā lol. š¤£ Ā
Aerial Tram: Scenic Tour…š
Soar above a tropical rainforest reserve on this sky-high tour. Hop on to an open-air gondola and rise up through Castries Waterworks Reserve, where youāll have a birdās eye view over the rainforest. With towering trees, tangled vines, and brightly coloured hummingbirds, this exotic jungle is Mother Nature at her best. As you glide through the canopy, your experienced guide will share their knowledge, point out unusual plant life, and identify the calls of local birds.
Once your feet are back on the ground, your guide will take you on a short walk through the forest, so remember to wear your walking boots. And, of course, youāll need a camera to capture the colourful sights around you.
Ā On the coachā¦š Ā
We sat at the front of the coach (thanks excursion team) and even though our muscles were hurting from yesterdays zip lining and from walking up a million steps through the rain forest, we sat back and listened to the guide tell us about Saint Lucia. I was excited as our excursion involves an arial tramā¦Could i call it a cable car? If so then itās the 4th cable car of our lockdown memory trip! š Ā
We heard a lot of people worrying about heights and if the arial tram would be safe. This is where another of our blind perks help us. As both me and Sarah have severe sight problems we donāt know how high we are, which works great as iām scared of heightsā¦And it worked brilliantly yesterday walking and zip lining above the rain forest canopy! So it should work well today too! š¤£ Ā
Ā The arial tram…š
Ā Standing at the start of the arial tram circuit we had a few minutes to wait for our turn to begin.Ā
Ā Yay we are on board and ready to go! Unfortunately we didnāt take many photos as we simply didnāt want to drop our phones out of the arial tram and onto the floor miles below us. š Ā
Heyā¦Thatās a sneaky shot, lol! š¤£ Ā Ā
We continued to travel through the multiple layers of the rainforest in our open air ride, we travelled all the way from the forest floor and all the way to the top (and beyond) of the canopy!
Our new car was sturdy and felt very safe, and our guide continued to tell us about the incredible trees and plants we were passing, then as we climbed a little higher the leaves of the trees began to overshadow us and block our view…
And thenā¦š² Ā
Iām not sure what just happened? But it seems like weāve just travelled through a classic literature portal in our arial tram which has just trasformed into a ātravel boxā and we seem to be travelling through āBrobdingnagā as we glide through the pages of ‘Gulliverās Travels’ part 2.
This is my roundabout way of saying the leaves were enormous! Iāve never seen leaves this big ever, 1 leaf easily covered the whole tram and was so wide it was beyond belief!
We were coming up to the half way point where the tram turns around to make the return trip down, the breeze up here was lovely and there is a nice view of the northern part of the island and both oceans come into viewā¦If you could see them, lol! š Ā
Ā The rain forest floor…
After the tram ride, our guide took us on a 20 minute walk and continued our education of the fascinating trees and beautifully vivid flowers on the forest floor. The path was treacherousĀ and laced with tree roots, rocks and hidden holes, so when iād engaged my knees into full suspension mode i was ready to go! The combination of my warrior wife and my super duper sandals protected me once againā¦Thank you Sarah! ā¤ļøĀ
A complimentary (and very tasty) glass of non alcoholic punch Ā was welcoming us upon our return from the all terrain walk. There is a nice gift shop with locally made sauces and spices. We bought the photo of me and Sarah sitting in the tram from here (2nd photo in this post) which is a lovely memory for us. š
Back at the dockā¦š³ Ā
Right we were on a mission to try and find (and eat) some Breadfruit. This was our 3rd cruise in the Caribbean (5th in total) and the guides always talked about the Breadfruit but weād never got the chance to eat it. But today is the day. We walked out of the dock and we were instantly greeted by a street with shops, market stalls and men trying to arrest you (i mean sell you things). Our plan (so we didnāt get lost) was to walk up the right hand side of the street as far as we could go, then return by crossing the road and walking back down to the shipā¦Sound simple enough. š Ā
We didnāt have to walk far before we stumbled upon a fruit and veg stall, and after a while of Sarah looking at each vegetable she said āSteve i donāt think i recognise any of the vegetables at all?!ā The man on the stall asked if we needed any help? Sarah said āYour vegetables are amazing and look nothing like anything back in Englandā āThank you and that is Dasheen you were just looking at, itās local to Saint Luciaā he said as Sarah continued āWe are looking for some Breadfruit to try, is there anywhere here we can try some? Weād also like to try Dasheen too?!ā āIf you go over the road into the indoor market there is a place who cooks it all dayā āWow thanks very muchā Sarah said and we crossed the road.
Breadfruit & Dasheenā¦š Ā
We found the little cooking place and it had a few tables outside. The lady said ā Hi Can i help you?ā Sarah said āWeāre looking to try some Breadfruit and Dasheen if we can pleas?ā āWhat would you like them with?ā āJust some Breadfruit and Dasheen on their own pleaseā āWhat with?ā āItās ok weād just like to try them to see what they taste like, so on their own pleaseā. The woman getting a little impatient said āYou have to have them with something theyāll be too dry on their ownā I thought it wouldnāt be too dry for me as i can eat dry toast without butter for some reason, but i digress. Sarah asked āWhat would you have with them as we canāt see well enough to see your menu?ā āIāll make it nice for you, take a seatā. š¤ Ā
The lady placed the food down in front of us and we got stuck in. Sarah said āWow it looks like Tipexā We both tried some Breadfuit and decided it tasted of absolutely nothing! I said āI didnāt think something could taste of nothing?!ā Ā After we both decided it was used as a filler like a potato we started on the Dasheen. āWow, now thatās niceā we both said āitās so herby and really tasty we shouldāve just had a plate of thisā i said āYeah but there is no way iām asking the lady, lol!ā šØ š Ā
The bird feeder…
We left the indoor market discussing Breadfruit and Dasheen as we walked back towards the ship, when a really funny and cool guy walked over to us. He said with his thick Caribbean accent Ā āWould you like a bird feeder?ā Sarah said āNo thanksā we had only slowed our pace down a little ā§This bird feeder is the one you wantā āWeāre good thank you we donāt need a bird feederā The man had walked in front of us now so we stopped āI made this bird feeder and itās just $30 USā āĀ£30 dollars, we are fine thanks and thatās too muchā āok, $25ā the man said as he was making us laugh with his humour āThatās still too much and we donāt have room in our suitcases anyway for a bird feederā The man made a small laughing sound and said āWatch thisā¦You see this is a special bird feederā he continued as he pulled a couple of wooden bits off the bird feeder and made it smaller āThis is a special travel bird feeder as it comes apartā Oh man i thought heās got us on that one, lol. Sarah continued āItās still too much for usā Afterr another 20 minutes chatting with this man (we really liked him he had such a cool character) Sarah bought the bird feeder for $15. š¤£ Ā Ā
Back on the shipā¦š³Ā ā Ā
Ā With another relaxing strong iced coffee we chatted about the fantastic day weād had and the experiences weāve shared, and it wasnāt long before we had the photo shoot and the lovely evening meal.
The food photo quizā¦š¤ Ā
I wonder if you guys could help us? Weāve taken this photo of a fantastic plate of food but we have no idea what it is? And we canāt remember? Could you have a go at describing it for us? We just know we must have loved it as it inspired a photo. š Ā Ā
Ā The photo shoot…
We had such fun messing around (i mean being serious) during the shoot. The photographer was great and kept talking so i could have some idea where they were standing. Now we have even more photos together that weāll cherish. ā¤ļø š Ā Ā
Ā Weāve had another memorable day, isnāt Saint Lucia beautiful? Have you got any rain forest experiences?Ā
Thank you once again itās such a blessing to have you guys join us on our adventures. š Ā
But the drama, fun and exploration hasnāt stopped yet!
Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā šĀ
Ā Ā Hi friends and welcome to Day 49 of this monumental, inconceivable and definly memorable blind sightseers tour….!Ā
Ā Good morning friendsā¦Wow weāre in Antigua! š² Ā āļø Ā
Well the trip is still going ahead (i knew they wouldnāt cancel this one) but letās remind ourselves what the āBlind Sightseersā (and you) are doing today?! šØ Ā
Antigua Zip Line Canopy Adventure:Ā
Hear the distant sound of running water, exotic chirps and the whistling of birds flying over the canopy. This is an adventure playground with a difference. It all takes place 50 to 300 feet off the ground in Antiguaās rainforest canopy, including a series of 12 zip-lines – some stretching lengths of over 300 feet, a leap of faith, 3 aerial walkways and a suspension bridge. Not forgetting the hidden tree house where the world seems to stand still.
This thrilling journey includes 26 elements and 9 typical challenge course features, with water stations along the way. This really is an adventure in the sun! Donāt worry, youāre in safe hands, all the rangers here are trained to world challenge course standards and before you set off in your harness youāll have a full safety briefing, to learn all about the equipment.
On the dockā¦š³ Ā
Yay weāre back in Antigua! If you remember the last time (our first time here) we did horse riding across the beach. We love that all of the assistance people on the dock wear bright yellow t-shirts too. After following our assistance person to the taxi place we got in a nice minibus that took us to the deadly zip lines. šØ
The safety harness…
Our small group went inside and had a short safety briefing and as they know iām registered blind i got my own assistant. They let me hold the harness and the huge carabiners. I started to feel a little better after holding the super heavy duty harness. The assistant strapped it on really tight and i was ready. I checked that Sarah was still next to me and had everything sorted too. Sarah often gets neglected as the people see that iām the blind one and then leave Sarah to carry on without helpā¦But Sarah is also registered blind but not quite as severely as me (totally different eye problems).Ā
The ranger dudeā¦š Ā
Walking out and onto the start of the wooden bridge with thousands of steps leading up and through the rain forest and above the canopy Sarah and i was greeted by the amazing ranger guide (forgot his name unfortunately). He was simply fantastic and guided me up every step by calling out when a step was coming etc. He said āIāll clip onto the cable behind you and fly down with youā i said āThanks as i wonāt be able to see the end and when i need to brake, iāll just fly straight into the tree at the end like a cartoon characterā. š¤£ Ā
Here goesā¦šØ Ā
He used really clear instructions and before long i was lifting my feet up and landing on the platform at the other end. āWow that was coolā i said whilst laughing and trying to find the rail to lean against. I wonder where Sarah isā¦Sarah was last and all on her own to figure out how to do it all, she of course managed it somehow! š The ranger asked if we were both ok and if we enjoyed the little zip line to start with.
TH LITTLE ONE???
I said āLittle one? Yeah it was amazing, so is there longer and higher ones?ā āOh yes the longest one is called the screamer and iāll let you know when we get there as it takes a video of you tooā.Ā
I remember wishing i had a camera up here as it was beautiful, and i still canāt believe we only had 2 photos and 1 video of the dayā¦But thatās better than nothing. š¤£ Ā
We had much more fun on the longer zip lines, climbing higher and higher steps with the guide passing us cups of water at each water station, wow i needed that.Ā
And thenā¦The Screamer!!!Ā š² Ā
We finally arrived at āThe Screamerāā¦It’s the highest, fastest and longest zip-line in this place. It stretches 328 feet across a ravine and is 350 feet above the rain forest floor.
I stepped slowly to the edge of the platform, my heart was trying to pound its way out of my chestā¦Even though iām on beta blockers and my heart rate cannot go over 120bpm no matter how hard i try. I reached above my head and clipped my carabiner onto the cable and took a deep breath as I sat my whole weight into my harness. āAre you ready to make some noise?ā the ranger dude behind me said āOh yeahā and we stepped of the incredibly high platform…
YAY…Weāve done it!! Sarah flew down too and even did a couple of spins (nobody likes a show off, lol) we both laughed lots and with just a couple of zip lines left we could safely say āThe Blind Sightseersā have conquered another challenge! šŖš¼ Ā š Ā
Ā The cafe, bar and gift shopā¦š Ā
Finishing the last zip line and then walking across rope bridges we ended up in the gift shop. I thanked the ranger profusely as he left to guide another group. š Ā
āWow it would be fantastic if we could buy something from here to remind us of this monumental day. Sarah found a beautiful Antigua bauble for our Christmas tree and she bought a really cool t-shirt (Sarah modelling it below) that says āFor a good attitude, change your latitudeā.
Returning to the dockā¦š³Ā
We had a quiet ride back as we both were reflecting on managing zip lining as blindies and the relief that i didnāt die today. š The minibus pulled in and we started walking back towards the ship for our iced coffee refresh when…
Sarah said āMy hatā āWhat do you men?ā i said āIāve lost my hat?!ā āWhat your really cool one that youāve had for yearsā āYes that one, i think iāve left it at the zip lining place or on the minibus. I lost my sunglasses yesterday and now my hat todayā. We walked back to the taxi rank and asked the man who then phoned one of his drivers. About half an hour later another minibus arrived with the second group from our tour and the driver had Sarahās hat! Sarah must have left it in the cafe after all of the excitement! Phew! š Ā Ā
Back on the shipā¦š³ Ā
“Aww now thatās a Ā nice cold coffeeā i said whilst sitting back in the lovely big arm chair in the coffee place āI canāt believe weāve done it, a blind man (and woman) have done zip lining!ā āI knew we would do it and i still get to keep one of my fave hatsā. š Ā
Weāve booked a photo session tomorrow like the one we had last year when we were at āOlympiaā, itās a colour shoot this time instead of black and white. And of course as itās another lovely new island we have another shore excursion booked too.Ā
Did you enjoy your time in Antigua? Have you ever done zip lining before?Ā
Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā šĀ
Ā Ā Hi friends and welcome to Day 48 of this monumental, inconceivable and definly memorable blind sightseers tour….!Ā
Bonjour mes amisĀ (Good Morning My Friends) š Ā
With your detective hats on did you guess we were landing on Guadeloupe? Sarah & i had never watched any of the āDeath in paradiseā TV shows so didnāt have a clue that it was filmed on this islandā¦.When we returned home we watched (and loved) the whole series! š There was even a shore excursion visiting all of the places from the showā¦We want to come back here now and do that excursion, maybe one day! š Ā
Ā Anyway letās see where weāre going? š¤ Ā
Botanical Garden & Deshaies Beach Walking:Ā
Locals used to refer to Guadeloupe as Karukera ā the Island of Beautiful Waters ā and this trip shows you exactly why. Youāll start by visiting the islandās vast botanical gardens, which sprawl out for 17 acres. Packed with everything from tropical palm trees to colourful lotus flowers, itās one of Guadeloupeās most-prized possessions. Itās even home to flamingos and a huge parrot aviary. From here, youāll drive to the biscuit-coloured beach at Deshaies. This long sandy number is tailor-made for lazy days in the sun, and the glassy waters are great for swimming. Head to the waterfront food shack when youāre done tanning, and youāll get to tuck into spicy fish fritters and handmade coconut sorbet.
On the coachā¦šĀ
After another bowl of porridge, a lovely omelette and a banana we made our way off the ship and onto the coach. Yay the excursion team had booked the front 2 seats for us again. The sun was already hot and i thought it might get a little cooler as rain started to hit the windows of the coach. But the guide was telling us that the climate changes as we drive into the centre of the island, then gets hot again at the coast. āļø Ā
Botanical Gardensā¦š“
The first thing that hit us (no not the sun) was the vivid and saturated colours! Iām also colour blind but these colours were something else! š² Ā
The whole botanical garden was full of massive trees with fruit, pinecones and other things that were as big (or bigger) than your head. Walking around this incredible place was like nothing else weād seen especially at home. It was like everything was larger to help us blindies! š¤£ Ā
Ā Cafe & Waterfallā¦ā Ā
After a while it was time for a short break and we stopped at a little wooden hut type thingy. The whole group sat down but we found this fantastic waterfall next to the rail. The air suddenly turned fresh the nearer we came to the waterfallā¦It was lovely. š Ā Ā
Small digression…
After returning home and watching the whole āDeath in paradiseā TV show, there was an episode where the detective inspector stood exactly where i am now next to the waterfall! As you can imagineā¦I donāt stop talking about that either! š¤£ Ā Ā
Moving on we found these beautiful flamingos. Ā
Ā We had about an hour free time to walk around this incredible place and to be wowed some more! š Ā Ā
Ā Wow did i mention we were in Guadeloupe, colours so bold and vivid and then some more flamingos! Ā š² Ā
Ā Sarah and i managed the hot walk back to the coach but all the way wondering if we could grow any of the trees back at home. We decided it just wasnāt hot enough and it was pointless trying!Ā
The coach slowed down on the way to the beach and people started getting up, talking and taking photos. I said āIāve just heard them say that itās the police station from Death in paradiseā Like i said we’d never seen a single episode at this pointā¦But if i did iād be jumping off the coach by now and trying to get my photo taken, lol! š¤£ I think we need to go back!
Ā Deshaies Beach. š
The guide said this was not the beach where the detective inspector lives but itās not too far awayā¦Man i need to let this āDeath in paradiseā thing go! š¤£ Ā
Iād brought my rucksack with towels, sun cream and other thingsĀ ready for this moment of Sarah playing in the sea, and it wasnāt long before she got to put her feet in the Guadeloupe water!Ā
The sea Embrace…
As you may have read on the older posts Sarah loves toĀ splash, play and walk around the edges of the sea where the waves crash in and push her around, making sure she doesnāt go too deep asĀ the current is very strong and doesnāt want to get her eyes wet or damaged.
Sarah was playing with the waves, smiling and laughing whenā¦šØ Ā
A man grabbed her and pulled her further into the sea and past where the waves crashed which was Sarahās fave. By the time Sarah was stood back up and not impressed she realised her special polarised Oakley Embrace sunglasses hadĀ flown off when the man grabbed her! There was no way of finding them as they had disappeared straight away into the sunglasses graveyard! š
I obviously didnāt see any of this as i was on the beach with the bags and towels but i knew that those special sunglasses helped Sarah see better thanĀ usual. When you have severe sight problems every smallĀ increment helps and Sarah said with the polarised lenses and the brightness of the sun her sight was at itās best.
Well the fun was over prematurely and we headed off the beach. I gave Sarah my sunglasses but i knew they wouldnāt help much but at least theyād keep the harmful rays off her delicate eyes.Ā
The handmade coconut sorbet…š„„
Stepping off the beach Sarah said āWow thatās a lot of coconuts! Steve there is a table filled with coconuts and then there are piles of coconuts on the floor and the man has and huge machete in his handā āOohhh iāve never had fresh coconut like thatā i said as we walked over to the table. Sarah then said with excitement in her voice āThey are making fresh coconut sorbet would you like one as i bet you’re roasting?āĀ
Whilst one man was hacking, whacking and smacking the coconuts the other man was passing Sarah the handmade coconut sorbet when…
DINGā¦DINGā¦DINGā¦š² Ā
As i tasted the first little spoonful i heard the sound of the bell as this dream food hit the top of the āBlind Sightseers Gastronomic leaderboardā for ice cream and sorbet! It was the best iād ever tasted and seriously nothing comes closeā¦And still hasnāt! š
Weād hit the low (losing sunglasses) and the high (coconut sorbet) in the space of about 20 minutesā¦But this is completely normal for the Blind Sightseers!
Back at the shipā¦š³ Ā
Youāve guessed itā¦We had another iced coffee during our refresh on the ship and left for the dock. We found a small market and slowly browsed each stall until…
A man from the upcoming sandal stall caught sight of Sarahās ultra bright Asics triathlon trainers. Sarah has to wear these trainers all of the time whilst on holiday because it keeps her feet secure and safe as she needs protection from another āCharcotā foot (diabetic problem) becoming active. The man lept out from the store and folded in half and said āWooaahhh i love them! I have a pair of sandals like them that youāll love, come and look!ā We stopped at the stall and Sarah said that they were beautiful and brightly coloured but i canāt wear them.Ā
He said āI make the best sandals on the island look at the qualityā āI know i can see they are good quality and i love the coloursā Sarah said as the man ran around the stall with a pair of the sandals āI know feet and i guessed these are your sizeā They were the perfect size and he kept saying try them on whist Sarah was saying i canāt wear them as i need protection and canāt wear sandals. This good natured banter kept on for about half an hour until Sarah finally managed to get him to understand a little of the problem. š Ā
Ā Back on the shipā¦š³ Ā
After a lovely sail away coffee it was time for me to start thinking of the shape my squishy mangled bones would be in if i fall off the zip line tomorrow, and continue to fall all the way down to the hard rain forest floor. š¤ Ā
But first weāll think about our memorable day in Guadeloupe. š Ā āļø Ā
I hope you enjoyed your little tour around this stunning island?
Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā šĀ
Ā Ā Hi friends and welcome to Day 47 of this monumental, inconceivable and definly memorable blind sightseers tour….!Ā
Ā Good morning friends, welcome to Tobago! āļø šĀ
Ā Yay weāve made it onto another cruise ship and itās in the Caribbean! āļø We have booked a 1 week cruise (Seven Isles Cruise) and then a week stay on Barbados at the Southern Palms beach resort. Wow we are excited! š² Ā Ā
Itās time to see what the Blind Sightseers(and you) will be doing today… Ā
Tobago South Walking: Easy Scenic TourThis tour offers up Tobagoās natural beauty and history rolled into one. After travelling through Scarborough, youāll arrive at the Mysterious Tombstone, the burial place of an 18th-century woman called Betty Stivens. Her gravestone bears an enigmatic epitaph, which has puzzled people for over 230 years. Youāll also see nearby Fort James, built by the Latvians in the 1600s to guard Great Courland Bay. Next comes a drive along Mount Irvine Road, following the scenic northwest coast to the famous Mount Irvine Bay Hotel and Golf Club. Its undulating fairways are carved from an old sugar plantation and serve up wonderful panoramas over the Caribbean Sea. From here, itās on to Store Bay, one of Tobagoās most beautiful beaches, where white sands mingle with glossy palms, crab-n-dumpling stalls and light blue seas. We’ll also call in at Fort King George. Built by the British in the 1770s, its old buildings and cannons sit in manicured lawns high above Scarborough, giving you breathtaking views over the coastline and capital.
Ā On the coachā¦š Ā
āOoohhh itās nice on hereā I said whilst tilting my head up towards the air conditioned vent above my head. Iād forgotten about this oasis away from the burning laser beaming sun. The coach stopped at fort King George and the guide said āLeave any bags or belongings on the coach so you donāt have to carry them around. I said to Sarah āI think iāll stay hereā Sarah quickly responded āGet up and get off the coach itās freezing on here, lol!ā š¤£ Ā Ā
Fort King George…Ā
I loved walking around and touching the old cannons, it reminded me of a touch tour back stage at the theatre before a play would start (another blind perk, lol). š¤£ Ā
Ā My lovely warrior wife Sarah enjoying the view, she said you could see all around and was a perfect spot for a fort! Ā šŖš¼ Ā
Ā Sarah stood underneath the great Saman tree. Ā
The mysteryĀ tomb of Betty Stiven…
After hearing the story ofĀ Betty StivenĀ we walked down to see more of the coast line. It was such a shame it had a fence in the way but it was there for good reasonā¦Iāve forgotten why itās there though, lol! š¤£ Ā
ā¢ļø HEALTH WARNINGā¦š² Ā
Wait a minuteā¦Thatās not Sarah taking a panorama is it??
Ā Scarborough and the necklace…
We had some free time to explore the market and town. We headed straight for the market stalls Ā as Sarah loves all of the crafts and necklaces hand made and sold by the locals on the market stalls. Walking around the tables Sarah found a few necklaces that she likedā¦But one she loved! She asked how much it was and they said ā$70ā āThank youā Sarah said whilst smiling as we walked away. Sarah continued āWow itās expensive here and all i wanted was another pendant on a thong to remember this placeā We walked up to a shop selling scarves and they were about $100! āWoooaahā I said āThatās really expensiveā Sarah started to walk back to the market stall with the necklace and looked at the necklace again. āNoā¦Itās not worth $70ā I knew she loved this necklace and i said āWellā¦Maybe you could get it as i know you love it and we wonāt be here again?!ā As weĀ hummed and hawed over what we were going to do i said āOk letās get it but thatās taken our budget for this island but i know you love itā. š¤ Ā
When the store owner came and put the necklace in a bag and said “$70 pleaseā we handed him the money. There was a slight pause and i felt something going on he continued āWowā¦I meant 70 TrinidadianĀ dollarsā We only had US dollars for the trip as the exchange people said the island all take US dollars so youāll be fine. I think i had heat stroke or something but the man continued āWe generally get a bad name from tourists for ripping you people off and itās simply not true. There are 7 TD to the US dollar so the necklace is $10 USā. Sarah started beaming and i was so thankful to the man and thanked him profusely! š Another teachable moment that weāve never forgottenā¦But what a lovely Haematite necklace! š Ā Ā
Ā Ā Back at the dockā¦š³ Ā
After a refresh on the ship that now includes an iced coffee. Itās not a coffee port like the āDreamā ship as that is the best place ever we headed off the ship and into the town. Oh did i mention it was hot (for me). āļø Ā
There were only a few stalls in a small market where we stumbled into a fruit and vegetable store. After Sarah had walked around the stall looking at crazy vegetables sheād never seen in England before she said āWould you like a banana from Tobago?ā āYes please iād love to see if they taste any different?!ā i said as Sarah bought 1 each and we walked down the street towards the ship.
The bananas were smaller than a normal sized banana and…
DINGā¦DINGā¦DINGā¦š² Ā
āWOWā we both said as these bananas jumped into first place on the āBlind Sightseers Gastronomic Banana Leaderboardā āNow that is the best banana iāve ever tastedā we both said together! š šĀ
Back on the shipā¦š³ Ā
Sarah & i enjoyed a coffee as the ship pulled away from the shore (we’ve done this on every cruise) and we have a relaxing time thinking about the day and the excursions weāve booked that are cruising towards us quickly. ā Ā
Ohā¦Did i mention that weāve booked to go zip lining high above the rain forest canopy? Have the āBlind Sightseersā stretched a little too far? We are also going kayaking through mangroves and across the Caribbean sea?! Iām a little unsure about some of the excursions weāve booked but it wouldnāt be an adventure if it was easy, lol! š¤£ Ā
Thank you so much for joining us in Tobago itās great to see youāre still with us! You might have to put on your detective hats to figure out where we are going tomorrow? š¤
Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā š
Ā Ā Hi friends and welcome to Day 45 of this monumental, inconceivable and definly memorable blind sightseers tour….!Ā Ā
Bonjour mes amisĀ (Good Morning My Friends)Ā
No way weāre in Corsica! My lovely wife Sarah is going to kill me for ruining this post with another of my digressionsā¦But my fave cars of all time raced here and i canāt contain myselfā¦.Yes itās Group B rally cars! Ā
Awwww i can hear that ferocious engine sound (and the monster dump valve) of one of my favourite carsā¦The Lancia Delta S4. It had an Abarth-designedĀ superchargedĀ andĀ turbochargedĀ 500bhp 1.8-litre engine, it could hit 60mph in just over two secondsā¦And this was 1986!Ā
Butā¦After a fatal accident (here in Corsica) Group B rally cars were banned and a FISA investigation later proved that driversā reactions were too slow to keep up with Group B cars, and driversā eyes could not adjust their focus between the fast corners, which caused tunnel vision. Now thatās fastā¦And insane!!Ā
They said the cars had so much raw power but with little containmentā¦I have a wife like that, lol! Sorry Sarah! š¤£ Ā
What is the āTour de courseā for the blind sightseers today…
A visit to Corsicaās most southern tip is on the cards on this tour. On the drive over, youāll stop at Roccapina, where you can see the lion-shaped granite rock that looks over the Genoese tower ā itās an opportunity for some great photos. Once you arrive in Bonifacio, the mini train will take you past the ruins of three mills, and the Church of St Dominique. Youāll also be treated to panoramic views over the neighbouring island of Sardinia. Youāll continue on foot to the citadel ā your guide will tell you all about the chapel of St John the Baptist, and the 14th-century Church of Saint Marie Majuere. The walking tour finishes up in the marketplace. From there, you can brave the 100 steps down to the marina. Or, hop back on the mini train and it will get you there.
After another lovely breakfast we started our exciting tour. The weather was hot but very windy so a little unpredictable today. After a while the coach stopped at the side of the road and we got off to take some photos.
ā¢ļø HEALTH WARNING… Ā Ā
Wow what a view! Hang onā¦Fasten your 5 point safety harness as Sarah is drifting towards another stupendous panorama! š Ā Ā
Ā Thenā¦The wind started to blow really fast (or was it an old Group B rally car screening past) Ā and Sarah took this funny photo of me.Ā
Ā Whilst watching us taking photos of each other a kind person from our coach took a photo of me and my lovely wife Sarah! Yay one more i can cherish! Ā ā¤ļøĀ
Ā The crazy boat…š¤
Arriving at Bonifacio we were meant to go on a boat ride alongside the legendary cliffs and even steer through a small cave/rock but the weather was too windy and the sea too rough and choppy.Ā
But this is a āBlind Sightseersā tour so we climbed on board. Some of the group opted out and stayed behind to make their way for the town. We were initially disappointed when we sat down in the middle of the boatā¦But we soon appreciated being sat here! Suddenly a choir of voices shrieking, shouting and laughing as the waves came over the side and drenched everyone except me and Sarah! š¤£ Ā Ā
Ā The boat was bobbing up and down lots which was great for me as i canāt see whatās around us but i like the tactile fun bobbing and splashingā¦Thankfully i donāt get sea sick! š Ā Then we entered this really dark narrow rock.Ā
Ā The stunning cliffs of Bonifacioā¦.Ā š² Ā
Ā The fun train…š
After the memorable bumpy boat ride it was time to be escorted to the top of the cliffs byā¦”No way itās not a Lancia Delta S4 is it?ā I said āNo but itās a fun train similar to the one in Hunstanton that we likeā Sarah said whilst pushing (i mean guiding) me into a seat. š Ā Ā
Ā Then…
ā¢ļø ANOTHER HEALTH WARNING…Ā
Whilst heel toe shifting, maintaining perfect balance and keeping up turbo boost pressure Sarah manages another monumental panorama
Ā We had such a lovely time exploring the upper city in this special place. First we found a cafe and quickly ordered coffees and a coissont (no it didnāt beat the Amalfi coissont but it came close) then found a souvenir shop. We bought a fantastic bath towel with beautiful photo prints of Bonifacio! After exploring further it was time to catch the fun train back down and meet the group ready to head back to the ship.Ā
Back on the shipā¦š³ Ā
After another lovely evening meal we stumbled upon these creations made out of fruit an vegetables! š Ā Ā
Ā We hope youāve enjoyed Corsica? Weāve had a fantastic time and made so many memories.Ā
We are not out of fuel yetā¦I wonder where we’re going to end up tomorrow? š¤£ Ā
Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā š
āļø #44 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “Rome, Italy” š®š¹ (2017)
Ā Ā HiĀ friends and welcome to Day 44 of this monumental, inconceivable and definly memorable blind sightseers tour….!Ā Ā
Ā Ā Ā Buongiorno amiciĀ (Good morning friends) Ā
Yesterday we visited Sorrento, Amalfi and Pompeii all in 1 day (we donāt mess about, lol) itās time for 11 hours of aĀ gladiatorian excursionā¦I hope you donāt think youāve come on holiday to relax! š¤£ Ā
Where are the blind sightseers going today…Ā
Rome & The Colosseum shore excursion…
From the toga-wearing days of Julius Caesar to the artistic boom of the Baroque, Rome is a city that catapults you through time. Itās as if history seeps from every cobblestone, and traversing it all is no mean feat. And thatās where this tour comes in. It showcases the very best the Eternal City has to offer – plus it gives you an inside view of two if its biggest attractions.
The trip follows a classic itinerary through the heart of the Italian capital. Youāll get to see global landmarks that need no introduction – places like the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. But one of the biggest highlights has to be the Colosseum. Head inside and relive the days of the gladiators as you wander round this ancient landmark.
This is going to be a clash of the Titans, i wonder if the Gladiators have met my āWarrior Wifeā yet? Sarah (dressed in her new camo skirt) is ready! Ok iāll start being serious now. š¤£ Ā
The walking tour…
First our guide gave us the radio ear thingy so we could hear him over the noise of the crowds as Rome is a busy city. Then it was time to get walking! Once again iāll shut up for a while as you enjoy this beautiful and majestic place.Ā
The Spanish Steps…Ā
Ā
Wow weāve been walking for hours but then a kind member of our group asked dif weād like a photo together. Ā š Ā Ā
Then a street artist type dude…Ā Ā
The Pantheon…Ā
Free timeā¦š Ā
Just as the guide had told us we had 40 minutes free timeā¦The clouds moved in and darkened the whole place. It started raining and instantly umbrellas sprang up from nowhere, stall workers flipped over their items and were selling umbrellas all of a sudden and we ran into a shop! Iād never seen anything like it, it was like somebody had hit the secret bookshelf and itād flipped around without anyone noticing. š¤£ Ā
āOoohhhhhā Sarah said as she picked up and tried to show me a massive hand made intricately designed Christmas tree bauble. “This would look wonderful on our tree this year”. š Ā Ā
The Colosseum…
Wow what a piece of history and to think what went on in this arena was soberingā¦.Especially after just finishing the audiobook āFoxeās book of Martyrsā by John Foxe.Ā
TheĀ Architecture is simply stunning.
ā¢ļø HEALTH WARNING… Ā Ā
I thought for a moment that Sarah had found a gladiator to fightā¦But she was lining up one of her mighty panoramasā¦Lucky for the gladiator! Ā
Back on the shipā¦š³ Ā
Wow what a day and what an incredible place. I hope youāve enjoyed it as much as us? Have you been to Rome before?Ā
After the ship set sail and we were thinking about all of the places weād seen today,..There was just enough time to…Ā
I wonder where weāre going tomorrow? š¤ Weāve already seen some fantastic ‘Treasures of the Mediterraneanā and there are still more gems to see.Ā
Hope youāve enjoyed the adventure todayā¦Let me know your favourite part?! š¤ Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā š
Ā Ā āļø #43 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “Sorrento, Amalfi & Pompeii Italy” š®š¹ (2017)
Ā Ā HiĀ friends and welcome to Day 43 of this monumental, inconceivable and definly memorable blind sightseers tour….!Ā Ā
Ā Ā Buongiorno amiciĀ (Good morning friends) Ā
We are really looking forwards to todays excursion. Itās going to be a long one but Sarahās dad always talks about how beautiful Sorento and the Amalfi coast is, and if we ever get the chance to visitā¦Youāll love it. š Ā
Ā
Well the blind sightseers have arrived in Sorrento and after a lovely breakfast weāre ready for the excursion.
Amalfi &Ā Pompeii…
Youāll tick off 2 of the Neapolitan Rivieraās heavyweights on this tour. Weāll start with a camera-worthy journey along the Amalfi Coast, one of the most scenic drives in the world. Weāll snake along dramatic cliffs, passing castles that cling to the hillsides and pastel-painted villages that tumble down to the Tyrrhenian Sea below. When we arrive in Amalfi, weāll tour the townās historical heart and youāll have some free time to explore and grab a bite to eat.
UNESCO-listed Pompeii will be our next port of call. Sitting in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, the town was buried for centuries by ash and pumice after the volcano blew its top in 79AD. Youāll have almost 2 hours to explore the ruins, starting with the Forum and meandering past mansions, temples and amphitheatres.
On the coachā¦š
Youāll be pleased to know i donāt need to write much as Ā youāll just see how beautiful this place really Ā is.
The Amalfi coast… Ā
Amalfi town…Ā
After a lovely drive along the wonderful Amalfi coast, time seemed to just fly by as we arrived in the town. We had quite a long period of free time to enjoy this incredible place. We headed straight for the sea, and after a while we managed to find this tiny dock thingy. š Ā
Ā It was a little oasis away from the crowds and we could either look out to sea or look back and see the townā¦Wow. š Ā Ā
Ā Wait for it…Ā
Yayā¦Now weāve arrived! šŖš¼Ā
Before exploring the busy part of town (the centre) we thought weād try walking up the hill to see how far the town goes, Wow itās beautiful up here!
Ā The Cafe, Coffee and THE Ccissont…
Yay we found a little coffee shop and Sarah said “we have to try the croissants with a black coffee”. We sat outside and i said āWooaaaahhh have you tried your croissant yet? Itās the best one iāve ever tastedā āMmmmmmmā Sarah said and thatās all i needed to hear. š
AND THENā¦š² Ā
DINGā¦DINGā¦DINGā¦Yay itās a new entry on theĀ āBlind Sightseers Gastronomic LeaderboardāĀ šĀ
This coissont went straight to #1 and iām not sure itāll ever be knocked off!!
Every croissant weāve had since eating this one 3 years ago has had to be compared with this one. Itās still the remaining champion as no other croissant anywhere has even come close! š Ā
The centre of townā¦.
This town was good for us as it wasnāt very big and we thought itād be hard for us to get lost. Walking into the town we found a lovely gift shop, both me and Sarah got a souvenir. Sarah bought another t-shirt with Amalfi across the front and i bought a great Amalfi vest. š Ā
We left the shop and found the natural spring fountain the tour guide was talking about and Sarah went over for a drink.Ā
Sarah was soaking and was walking towards meā¦Yes she spun around like a helicopter and soaked me through. š¤£ Ā She said she wanted to cool me down as i was too hot againā¦But she also enjoyed soaking me too, a win-win situation. ! š¤£Ā
Now time to explore the backstreets…Ā
Time for another attempt at a selfie with my lovely wife Sarah…Ā
ā¢ļø HEALTH WARNING… Ā
Then Sarah stretches and lines herself up to take some stunning panoramasā¦ š² Ā
What a beautiful place.Ā
Back on the coach…š
Wow what a lovely town., itās now time to head towards Pompeii.
Pompeii…
We followed the group towards a square near the main gate entrance. The guide said āNow itās time for you to try the amazing local Margharita pizzaā¦.
DINGā¦DINGā¦DINGā¦Yay itās a new entry on the āBlind Sightseers Gastronomic Leaderboardā šĀ
Wowā¦This was the best Margharita pizza iāve ever tasted and also sets the bar at the top of the āBlind Sightseers Pizza Leaderboardā. We never stop talking about thisĀ experience!Ā š Ā Ā
Moving swiftly on we walked through the main gate on onto the excellently preserved ruins. Iāll shut up for a moment whilst you sit back and enjoy the photos, lol! šĀ
The guide was really knowledgable and gave us a lot of history on this place.Ā
ā¢ļø HEALTH WARNING…Ā
Why struggle and take lots of shots when you can fit everything intoā¦A stupendous Sarah panorama! š Ā
The walking…
Yay the blind sightseers have found the worst walking conditions to date, it was horrendous! As many of you know i canāt see much and i certainly canāt see my feet never mind the path. I have no idea how Sarah guided me around this placeā¦But she managed it. I owe all of my holidays to her as i couldnāt do anything without herā¦Never-mind get to see some of the most beautiful places in the world! ā¤ļø šŖš¼ š
My new walking sandals were great and protected my toes from being stubbed at least a few times. They allowed my ankles to roll over without snapping and had great grip when i needed it. šŖš¼ Ā
We finally managed to go inside the beautiful buildings and hide from the burning sun. āļø Ā Ā
We were coming to the end of our walking tour of Pompeii and after a few more statues we ended up at the Centaur statue. Ā
The statue ofĀ Centaur…Ā
One last Sarah panorama…Ā
Back at the shipā¦š³ Ā
Wow what a memorable shore excursion! We talk about this trip all of the timeā¦Oh wait, we talk about all of our adventures! š¤£ Ā
After the excursion (but before the evening meal) we enjoy going out on deck to enjoy the fantastic coast line whilst looking back on the day. Itās also a great time to take a few shots of my lovely wife Sarah! ā¤ļøĀ
Then Sarah spotted a boat which looked like it was heading towards our ship. I said āItās not āGibbsā again and the NCIS special agents looking for the blind sightseers? They must have followed us from Montenegro, lol!ā Ā āNo i think itās just a tender boatā š¤£ Ā Ā
Quiet reflectionā¦š¤
Being blind and guided (expertly) by Sarah throughout each day normally gives me a massive headache as there is just too much external stimuli. My sight is super blurry and walking around quickly whilst listening intently to Sarah (as donāt want to break my ankles, legs or worse) and trying to learn lots of history from the guide is simply too much to process. Itās like trying to use modern day apps when i can only process things as fast as an old Commodore 64. Awww i remember my dad breaking lots of joysticks trying to beat me on āThe way of the exploding fistā gameā¦But i digress! Oh yes i was trying to say i really enjoy everything being quiet as i lean on the rail and give thanks. š Ā Ā Ā
Just when you think youāve had another incredible dayā¦Youāre blessed with a beautiful sunset.Ā
Wowā¦What a beautiful part of the world. Thanks for joining us again on ourĀ incredible, breathtaking and above all memorable tour. š Ā
I wonder where weāre going tomorrow? š¤
Hope youāve enjoyed the adventure todayā¦Let me know your favourite part?! š¤ Weāll meet tomorrowā¦Same timeā¦Same place for another adventure!Ā šĀ
July 21, 2022 
NOPE..I just canāt get bored of the viewā¦Ever! š Ā 
ā§Ā Ashley showing how it should be done!Ā ā§š Ā 
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