April 11, 2024 
2 Comments
๐ Father, I simply want to thank you for my wife. You have blessed me with a woman that knows you and loves you. She challenges me to be a better man and encourages me to love better. I pray that I can love and cherish her like the gift she is. The gift you have given me, Amen.
I thank God everyday for Sarah as i know i donโt deserve her, but God never seems to stop expressing His love! โค๏ธ
April 12, 2022 0 Comments
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH!! It’s such an incredible blessing to share life with my lovely wife and best friend…And also to feel love, fun and joy grow more each year!! Thank you for blessing my life with yet another great birthday weekend celebration…And it’s not even my birthday…Well not until Friday, lol! ๐คฃย
Although it was Sarah’sย birthdayย yesterday (Monday), we spent the whole weekend celebrating and making the most of creating more memories together, including; hair salon, Turkish restaurant, walks through woods, planting 15 plants in the backย garden and much more!!ย โค๏ธ
We had a great time over the 3 days, and although it may seem that we only ate food…Sitting down at the table was the only time we remembered to take any photos, lol! ๐คฃย
October 1, 2021 0 Comments
Sarah & i (whilst on holiday in St. Kitts, Caribbean 2015) kept saying โWow, this is Amazing! How did we get here, itโs like a dreamโ. The beautiful hot sun shining down, a lovely cool breeze and those stupendous palm trees!ย โ๏ธ๐ด๐
View our full day in Saint Kittsย
April 14, 2021 18 Comments
ย Hi WordPress family! As itโs my birthday today (2nd in lockdown)…I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to raise a coffee and take a little time to thank you for your continued love, encouragement, inspiration and fantastic comments between all of you on this blog.ย I always talk to Sarah about all of you guys and how amazing it is to have ย this blog read and commented on from all around the world.ย ๐ฒย
After my incredible 1st lockdown birthday last year, i was stunned by how you all commented with your fave coffee and drinks, and where in the world you were from whilst you were happily mingling with other friends here through the comments section. ๐ย
So what iโm trying to say isโฆAs my birthday gift could you please comment below with your country and this timeโฆlet me know your fave foods etc? I canโt believe that iโm 5 stone (70 pounds) lighter than this time last year, and iโm interested to hear about foods from around the worldโฆI love food, lol! ๐ย
It would be a lovely birthday present for me to hear all of your fantastic responsesโฆIโll make another coffee here in Surrey, England, UK, grab my fave snacksโฆPropercorn Peanut Butter and Almond Popcorn and a Grenade Chocolate Chip Salted Caramel Protein BarโฆAnd look forwards to seeing (and sharing fave foods and stories) with you guys!ย ๐โย
February 11, 2021 2 Comments
โ๏ธ #39 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “Olympia, Greece” ๐ฌ๐ท (2017)
ย Hiย friends and welcome to Day 39 of this monumental, inconceivable and definitely memorable blind sightseers tour….!ย ย
Good morning friends!ย (ฮฮฑฮปฮทฮผฮญฯฮฑ ฯฮฏฮปฮฟฮน)ย ๐ ย
We booked this cruise as i really wanted to visit ancient Corinth and Sarah really wanted to go on todays excursionโฆ.Olympia! ๐ช๐ผ ย ย
Within half an hourโs bus ride of the small fishing village of Katakolon, youโll find the site of ancient Olympia. Thousands of years ago, the park-like grounds of Olympia were crowded with athletes, preachers, merchants and philosophers. The backdrop was the impressive Temple of Zeus โ famous for its 40-foot statue of the god himself, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The temple lies in ruins today, but you can still imagine how its structure would have looked in its heyday. With some help from your guide, the remains of temples, treasuries, porticoes and statues help to bring the site to life.
On the dockโฆ๐ณ ย
Meeting our local tour guide off the ship (after an olympic breakfast) we followed her to the coach where the 2 front seats were saved for us again, we really like this Thomson excursion team looking out for us! ๐ ย
The coach had lovely air conditioning again which was great for me, but Sarah had her tracksuit top on as she was freezing, lol! ๐ ย After about half an hour we arrived at the site of Olympia and stepped off the coach into the blistering sun. Sarah didnโt have her tracksuit top on anymore, and i instantly started overheating! โ๏ธ ย
We started walking through the areas where the merchants would have been and the workers and cooks etc. โWow, how one earth did they do anything in this heat, they were hardcoreโ i said wishing i had more water. ๐ง
The guide was incredible and very passionate and knowledgable about the whole area.ย
The gymโฆ๐ช๐ผ ย
Soaking up the blistering heat and more history, we slowly shuffled along to the gym. ๐ช๐ผ ย
The guide was talking about how the athletes would train (naked) and cover themselves in oil to help collect the dirt, salt, sweat and anything else that stuck to them. Then they would use aย strigil as a tool to scrape it all off before bathing.
The guide then said โDoes anyone know why this place is called the โGym?โ The group fell silent but before the guide continued i said โGymnรณs (ฮฯ ฮผฮฝฯฯ) is Greek for nakedโย The guide happily said well done to me and seemed really pleased as Sarah said โHow did you know that and none of the others did?โ is said โI only know a handful of Greek words (bible study and apologetic books)โฆAnd thatโs one of them, lolโ. ๐คฃ
We then continued walking to take a look at the temples and the ancient lighting of the torch place.
ย The guide stopped to read an ancient inscription…
ย Lighting of the torch…
The guide talked all about the history of lighting the olympic flame and carrying the torch around. She then used her shadow to act out the lighting of the flame at the exact point! ๐ ย ย
The ancient olympic track…
Totally dehydrated (note to selfโฆOne little bottle of water isnโt enough) and my skin felt like it was blistering, we approached the archway to the original ancient olympic start line.ย
I thought the huge crowd were cheering away and welcoming us in the true olympic style, but i realised it was the thunderous sound of the cicadas again! ๐คฃ ย
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYHVsEsIDls
The start line…
I thought the heat was blistering already but it didnโt prepare me for the inferno when we walked underneath the archway and onto the track. ๐ฅ๐ฅ
Sarah said โSteve youโve got to get a photo of me at the original olympic start line! Iโve only been out of my aircast for a few weeks and it would make a great photoโฆZena (Sarahโs friend) will comment straight away and tell me off, lol (she did). ๐ ย
โHere goesโ i said โNo pressure at all for this shotโฆItโs only a one off pictureโ 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! โค๏ธโค๏ธโค๏ธย
WaterโฆI need waterโฆ๐ฐย
With our new appreciation of these ancient athletes we slowly made our way to the next stage.ย
The archaeological museum…
You’ll now proceed on foot to the Archaeological Museum, which is one of the most important of its kind in Greece and hosts an impressive collection of artefacts. The new museum was constructed in 1975, and eventually opened in 1982, re-exhibiting its treasures. Following some time here you will join your coach for a drive back to your ship.
It was so crowded inside the museum and we couldnโt get many photos, sorry.ย
The shopโฆ
We now had about half an hour free time so we went straight for the shop. Yay Sarah managed to find a red t-shirt with the winners reef on the front. I just wanted a bottle of water and stood drinking it whilst trying not to collapse with more heat exhaustion!ย
Sarah said โWe canโt leave without buying Suzanne (our friend) something from here. Suzanne is mad about the olympics so it would be great to buy her a souvenir from the actual placeโ. We did! ๐ ย
Back at the dockโฆย ๐ณ ย
With the ship in sight we had enough time to explore the dock. The dock was great for us and really accessible as it had flat walkways and no surprises. It had a few shops that we could have a look around and see if we can get anymore souvenirs.
And then…
My beautiful wife has just told me to stand here and is walking away along the dock. โI wonder what sheโs seen? Oh wait a minuteโฆShe isnโt going for one of her stupendous panoramas is she? She certainly isโ. ๐ฒ ย
โข๏ธ HEALTH WARNING… ย
We donโt visit many docks with a clear view to the ship, so now we have, weโll make the most of it, lol! ๐ ย ย
โI see no ships!โย ๐คฃ ย
On board the shipโฆ๐ณ ย
I was absolutely exhausted as we returned to the cabinโฆAnd after drinking about 100 litres of water, cold shower and a change of clothesโฆI was ready for the fantastic evening meal. ๐ ย
The photographer…
Our new friends Brian and Ann (met then on the captains night) told us that they had done lots of cruises and had the on board photographer take some photos of them on every cruise. They have a drawer at home full of photos and look at them for lovely memories. โThey are not cheap but you can select as many as you like.โ. they said as they left the stairway where we had a chance meeting.
Walking up a couple of decks we ran straight into the photographer whoโd set up lights and umbrellas at the top of the stairs. โWould you like your photos taken?โ โNo thanks weโre so tired after todays tripโ i said.
โWell weโre doing a special black and white photo shoot this evening if you are interested?โ the photographer continued as Sarah and i considered it. I said โI can only just stand up as iโm so tired, nevermind trying to smile and look energised, lol! Sarah told the photographer โYes ok weโll give it a goโ. The photographer said theyโll meet us back here in 30 minutes, and could i change my shirt into something more suitable for black and white photos (i had a Caribbean shirt on). Thankfully i have 4 identical black short sleeve shirts and i still have a clean one back in the cabin wardrobe! ๐ ย
We are so glad we had the photos taken! We love them and have them set as desktop wallpapers and iPhone lock screen imagesโฆYay more photos of me and Sarah iโll cherish. โค๏ธ๐ ย ย ย
After the crazy photo shoot, we walked along the deck and it wasnโt long before we bumped into these fantastic creations. ๐ฒ ย
Back at the cabin…
I almost collapsed onto the great towel creature that was waiting for us on the bed…ย
Wow…What a day! Weโve had an incredible time with so many lovely memories. We hope youโve enjoyed it too?!
Our Routeโฆ..๐ณ ย
On Monday evening Thomson Spirit sails to the port of Corfu, Greece having travelled 165 nautical miles at an average speed of 13 knots.
Hope youโve enjoyed the adventure todayโฆLet me know your favourite part?! ๐ค Weโll meet tomorrowโฆSame timeโฆSame place for another adventure!ย ๐ย
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February 5, 2021 4 Comments
โ๏ธ #32 The Blind Sightseers “Escape The Lockdown” With Distant Memories: “Costa Maya, Mexico”๐ฒ๐ฝ(2016)ย
Hi friends and welcome to this monumental, inconceivable and definitely memorable blind sightseers tour….!
ย Sarah welcomes you to Costa Maya…
Our Kayak excursion didnโt start for a couple of hours, so we had time for a look around yet another nice dock. As youโll remember from a couple of days ago Sarah said:
“Why donโt you get them to braid your hair as the wind’s been annoying you all day, and you wonโt have to touch it for the rest of the holiday?!
ย Sarahโs hair has been blowing around all over the place since we arrived in JamaicaโฆAnd now it was her turn for the braides, no more worrying about โWHSโ (windy hair syndrome). ย ๐คฃย
Right, now is the time for the kayaking excursion. Wow what a bumpy coach rideโฆ”Oohhh a lighthouse, quick Steve pass me your phoneโ. We were being thrown around all over the place but Sarah just managed (no idea how) to get a glimpse of the lighthouse! ๐ฒ ย
The Kayaking beach…
This is what greeted us as we got off the coachโฆ๐ฒ ย ย
ย After putting all of our things in our backpacks and securing them in the lockers back in the bar type place just out of shot (above) we made our way back onto the beach to get our life jackets and meet our kayak.
We all gathered around the instructor as he demonstrated how to enter properly, how to paddle and of course the safety drills. I said to Sarah โI think this is a step too far, i canโt see him or anything heโs pointing at or showing us, but i am listening to what heโs sayingโ she said โOnce we get you in the kayak youโll be fine as i know you have done canoeing as a kid and itโll all come back to you as itโs very similarโ.ย
Now it was our turn to enter the two seater glass bottomed kayak (well i almost fell in as it was a lot lower than i thought) and as i fell i head butted Sarah on the way down. Sarah said she was fine but after i regained consciousness she passed me the paddle. โOh yes, itโs just like the ones i used as a kid when canoeing with my dad. Itโs going to be okโฆOh wait, i canโt see where iโm going, lol!) ๐คฃย
Sarah took her position in the back seat as the navigator. We thought she could hit my left shoulder to go left and right shoulder for right, that makes sense, i just hope i donโt get her paddle around my head (accidentally of course, lol!) ๐คฃ ย
As the instructor pushed us away we heard lots and lots of wow, cheering and nervous laughter. It was an amazing feeling to be floating out on the still waters and with a glass bottomed kayak Sarah could see the ocean floor. After while everyone got into the swing of things and we managed to form an orderly queue behind the instructor. ๐ช๐ผ ย
We followed him out to sea until we stopped over the barrier reef. Everyone was Ooohh and woowwwoooing so it must have been beautiful. It felt amazing being in crystal clear waters with no land in sight, we just sat there stunned. ๐ฒ ย
We paddled a little further and we seemed to overtake most of our group as they had sunk and were trying to get back into the kayak (wow they are sighted too so we must be doing something right, lol. Steve donโt get too cocky too soon).
The instructor stopped a lttle further on and we all bunched together. He was trying to pass something round for people to hold but the people were not impressed. Then he came to meโฆBefore Sarah had time to say โHeโs blind and canโt see it and he doesnโt like creepy crawliesโ he had put it on the top of my handโฆ๐จย
It felt soft and obviously wet and if i could see i probably wouldnโt have let him put this black death starfish onto my hand. It looked like a massive tarantula to me as i could just make out the black against my skin. I was just waiting for the huge teeth to sink into my flesh and tear it from my bonesโฆWhen he took it back and placed it into the sea. Phew!
Wow i wish i had a GoPro video camera, itโs simply stunning…
โHey Sarah watch this!โ i said as we were gathering speed. โWow a handbrake turnโ. I remember as a kid and learning canoeing, that if you jam the end of the paddle straight down and grip firmlyโฆThen the canoe spins round about 180 degrees (similar to a handbrake turn in a car) and i thought iโd see if it happened the same way in a kayakโฆIt did and as i was really impressed with myself for pulling it off Sarah was quietly impressed (i think, lol). ๐ช๐ผ ย
More Barrier Reef…
We stayed out over the barrier reef for another hour or so just paddling slowly, then stopping and taking in the vast ocean and the feeling of fresh air with the gentle rocking of the kayak, it was so peacefulโฆA little too peaceful!ย
โWhere is everyone?โ i said as i could see no other kayaks or the shoreline. โI donโt know i think they have headed back to get the sun loungers for the next hour of the excursionโ We were quite far out and couldnโt figure out which way to head back to shore. I started thinking of the Jaws film and the zoomed in shots of the faces crumpled in fear as the shark fin circles in closer and closer. ๐จ ย
โI think itโs that wayโ Sarah said as she hit my right shoulder. โOk, letโs goโ. We started heading slightly towards the shore when…
A really loud whistle and a shout came from our 2 oโ clock. It was the instructor from what seemed like miles away but we could hearr him as though he was sanding right next to us. That was the sound i needed and swiftly pointed the kayak in his direction and floored it! ๐คฃ ย
Back on shore…ย
ย I love palm trees, especially this shape (above) and this one is just fantastic!ย
ย Yay we made it!! Our first kayaking adventure and it was simply breathtaking. The Blind Sightseers have managed another challengeโฆNow lets go and relax for a while. ๐ช๐ผ ย
After a nice slice of pizza (with salad as iโm being good) we took our towels and inclusive bottle of local lager and found two sun loungers between two palm trees. The white sand and the crystal clear sea framed our afternoon perfectly! โ๏ธ ๐ดย
ย Iโm not sure if this was a private resort but the beach was emptyโฆYay! ๐
Sarah then says “Oh, we forgot to take any photos of the kayaksโฆSteve stand here and iโll take some photosโ โBut i think there is another group starting their kayaking?!โ โjust stand still and smile, lolโ ๐คฃ ย
โNow go and stand in the sea so our WordPress family actually know that youโre on this trip, and donโt forget to smileโ ๐คฃ ย
ย My lovely wife Sarah absolutely love swimming, splashing sitting in the sea, love the hot sun and the powdery white sand and she has got all 3 today. I love taking her photos when sheโs so happy and has that lovely beaming smile that lights (and warms) her whole being. ๐ ย
ย It was now (sadly) time to leave this beautiful place, jump on the coach and return back to the ship. We were tired but couldnโt stop ourselves having a beeming grin all the way back as we had just conquered kayaking and had a lovely time in paradise! ๐ย
But Sarah didnโt stop there… She just had enough time to capture this stunning view.ย
ย Back on the dock…
As we had a little time on the dock, we thought weโd take some more photos of this lovely place. ย
ย YayโฆWe came, we saw and we conquered!ย ๐ช๐ผย ๐คฃ ย ย ย
Back in the coffee portโฆโ ย
ย After such an exciting day filled with an omnifarious amount of emotions, there is no better way to chill than the coffee port. Wow what a view! โย
Thanks for joining us on this wonderful excursion, we couldnโt have done it without you! โ๏ธย
Wait until you hear about tomorrows adventureโฆItโs a long post but youโll understand why very soon! ๐จ
Hope youโve enjoyed the adventure todayโฆLet me know your favourite part?! ๐ค Weโll meet tomorrowโฆSame timeโฆSame place for another adventure!ย ๐ย
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May 17, 2020 0 Comments
Good morning friends! (ฮฮฑฮปฮทฮผฮญฯฮฑ ฯฮฏฮปฮฟฮน)ย ๐ ย
We booked this cruise as i really wanted to visit ancient Corinth and Sarah really wanted to go on todays excursionโฆ.Olympia! ๐ช๐ผ ย ย
Within half an hourโs bus ride of the small fishing village of Katakolon, youโll find the site of ancient Olympia. Thousands of years ago, the park-like grounds of Olympia were crowded with athletes, preachers, merchants and philosophers. The backdrop was the impressive Temple of Zeus โ famous for its 40-foot statue of the god himself, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The temple lies in ruins today, but you can still imagine how its structure would have looked in its heyday. With some help from your guide, the remains of temples, treasuries, porticoes and statues help to bring the site to life.
On the dock…
Meeting our local tour guide off the ship (after an olympic breakfast) we followed her to the coach where the 2 front seats were saved for us again, we really like this Thomson excursion team looking out for us!
The coach had lovely air conditioning again which was great for me, but Sarah had her tracksuit top on as she was freezing, lol! ๐ ย After about half an hour we arrived at the site of Olympia and stepped off the coach into the blistering sun. Sarah didnโt have her tracksuit top on anymore, and i instantly started overheating! โ๏ธ ย
We started walking through the areas where the merchants would have been and the workers and cooks etc. โWow, how one earth did they do anything in this heat, they were hardcoreโ i said wishing i had more water. ๐ง
The guide was incredible and very passionate and knowledgable about the whole area.ย
The gym…
Soaking up the blistering heat and more history, we slowly shuffled along to the gym. ๐ช๐ผ ย
The guide was talking about how the athletes would train (naked) and cover themselves in oil to help collect the dirt, salt, sweat and anything else that stuck to them. Then they would use aย strigil as a tool to scrape it all off before bathing.
The guide then said โDoes anyone know why this place is called the โGym?โ The group fell silent but before the guide continued i said โGymnรณs (ฮฯ ฮผฮฝฯฯ) is Greek for nakedโย The guide happily said well done to me and seemed really pleased as Sarah said โHow did you know that and none of the others did?โ is said โI only know a handful of Greek words (bible study and apologetic books)โฆAnd thatโs one of them, lolโ. ๐คฃ
We then continued walking to take a look at the temples and the ancient lighting of the torch place.
ย The guide stopped to read an ancient inscription…
ย Lighting of the torch…
The guide talked all about the history of lighting the olympic flame and carrying the torch around. She then used her shadow to act out the lighting of the flame at the exact point! ๐ ย ย
The ancient olympic track…
Totally dehydrated (note to selfโฆOne little bottle of water isnโt enough) and my skin felt like it was blistering, we approached the archway to the original ancient olympic start line.ย
I thought the huge crowd were cheering away and welcoming us in the true olympic style, but i realised it was the thunderous sound of the cicadas again! ๐คฃ ย
The start line…
I thought the heat was blistering already but it didnโt prepare me for the inferno when we walked underneath the archway and onto the track. ๐ฅ๐ฅ
Sarah said โSteve youโve got to get a photo of me at the original olympic start line! Iโve only been out of my aircast for a few weeks and it would make a great photoโฆZena (Sarahโs friend) will comment straight away and tell me off, lol (she did). ๐ ย
โHere goesโ i said โNo pressure at all for this shotโฆItโs only a one off pictureโ 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! โค๏ธโค๏ธโค๏ธย
WaterโฆI need waterโฆ๐ฐย
With our new appreciation of these ancient athletes we slowly made our way to the next stage.ย
The archaeological museum…
You’ll now proceed on foot to the Archaeological Museum, which is one of the most important of its kind in Greece and hosts an impressive collection of artefacts. The new museum was constructed in 1975, and eventually opened in 1982, re-exhibiting its treasures. Following some time here you will join your coach for a drive back to your ship.
It was so crowded inside the museum and we couldnโt get many photos, sorry.ย
The shopโฆ
We now had about half an hour free time so we went straight for the shop. Yay Sarah managed to find a red t-shirt with the winners reef on the front. I just wanted a bottle of water and stood drinking it whilst trying not to collapse with more heat exhaustion!ย
Sarah said โWe canโt leave without buying Suzanne (our friend) something from here. Suzanne is mad about the olympics so it would be great to buy her a souvenir from the actual placeโ. We did! ๐ ย
Back at the dock…ย
With the ship in sight we had enough time to explore the dock. The dock was great for us and really accessible as it had flat walkways and no surprises. It had a few shops that we could have a look around and see if we can get anymore souvenirs.
And then…
My beautiful wife has just told me to stand here and is walking away along the dock. โI wonder what sheโs seen? Oh wait a minuteโฆShe isnโt going for one of her stupendous panoramas is she? She certainly isโ.ย
We donโt visit many docks with a clear view to the ship, so now we have, weโll make the most of it, lol! ๐ ย ย
โI see no ships!โย ๐คฃ ย
On board the ship…
I was absolutely exhausted as we returned to the cabinโฆAnd after drinking about 100 litres of water, cold shower and a change of clothesโฆI was ready for the fantastic evening meal. ๐ ย
The photographer…
Our new friends Brian and Ann (met then on the captains night) told us that they had done lots of cruises and had the on board photographer take some photos of them on every cruise. They have a drawer at home full of photos and look at them for lovely memories. โThey are not cheap but you can select as many as you like.โ. they said as they left the stairway where we had a chance meeting.
Walking up a couple of decks we ran straight into the photographer whoโd set up lights and umbrellas at the top of the stairs. โWould you like your photos taken?โ โNo thanks weโre so tired after todays tripโ i said.
โWell weโre doing a special black and white photo shoot this evening if you are interested?โ the photographer continued as Sarah and i considered it. I said โI can only just stand up as iโm so tired, nevermind trying to smile and look energised, lol! Sarah told the photographer โYes ok weโll give it a goโ. The photographer said theyโll meet us back here in 30 minutes, and could i change my shirt into something more suitable for black and white photos (i had a Caribbean shirt on). Thankfully i have 4 identical black short sleeve shirts and i still have a clean one back in the cabin wardrobe! ๐ ย
We are so glad we had the photos taken! We love them and have them set as desktop wallpapers and iPhone lock screen imagesโฆYay more photos of me and Sarah iโll cherish. ๐ ย ย ย
After the crazy photo shoot, we walked along the deck and it wasnโt long before we bumped into these fantastic creations. ย
Back at the cabin…
I almost collapsed onto the great towel creature that was waiting for us on the bed…ย
Wow…What a day! Weโve had an incredible time with so many lovely memories. We hope youโve enjoyed it too?!
To be continued… ย
Our Routeโฆ..
On Monday evening Thomson Spirit sails to the port of Corfu, Greece having travelled 165 nautical miles at an average speed of 13 knots.
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โ๏ธย Start From #1ย ๐ Or join the adventure at:
May 14, 2020 2 Comments
Wow, i still canโt believe itโs been 10 years since our amazing wedding day!ย โค๏ธโค๏ธโค๏ธย
An unexpected blessingโฆ..
This cruise holiday has been such an unexpected blessing, as Sarah had another “Charcot Foot (diabetic problem)โ and was in an air-cast for the last 5 months. We had to cancel our Barbados cruise and stay weโd booked for our birthday celebrations in AprilโฆBut Sarah had it removed a few weeks ago and sheโs been strengthening her leg for this cruise. So we are amazed to be spending our 10th wedding anniversary (July) visiting some fantastic places! ๐ ย
Breakfastโฆ..
We slept really well and caught up on the sleepless night we had yesterday. We thought weโd go to the Compass Rose (waiter service restaurant) for our 10th anniversary breakfast. It didnโt disappoint and we had porridge, omelette, fruit, nuts, seeds, bacon and bananas (not all together,lol). ๐ฅย
Swimmingโฆ..
After exploring (getting lost) in the many different stairways, corridors and decks ย around the ship, we were trying to familiarise ourselves with our fave places so we could find our way back much more easily. we nipped back to our cabin to get our things ready for a couple of hours sunbathing and swimming. Sarah loves swimming (as you can tell in the photos below) and had an excellent time enjoying her anniversary in the pool! ๐ ย
โฌ Sarah doing handstands in the pool โฌย
The Towel Swan Heartโฆ..
After having lots of fun, we headed back to our cabin where we were surprised to find two towel swans placed in the shape of a heart, with flowers and our cards etc in a beautiful display. We rushed out to find the cabin stewards and thanked them profusely… whilst Sarah took lots of photos!ย
ย โฌ Towel folded Swan heart โฌย
The invitation…
Earlier this morning Sarah had found an invitation pushed under the cabin door. โThis looks a bit fancy, itโs only an invitation to the formal evening. We have to sign it to say that weโre going, then hand it back to receptionโฆ..Seems like a lot of paper work to me.โ โOh right, i suppose they need to know how many people will be in the restaurant for dinner this evening, it must be the policy for formal night on this ship. It was different on the Dream shipโ i replied. ๐
I hadnโt brought my tuxedo this time as it filled half my suitcase the time before and i didnโt want to waste that amount of space again. I did bring my trousers though as we like the waiter service meal in the evenings. โ i hope they donโt chuck me over-board for not dressing smart enough.โ Sarah told me… โYouโll be fine, lol, itโs only for one evening and your new black shirt looks smart enough anywayโ.ย
Formal Eveningโฆ..
ย โฌ Me & my lovely Wife Sarah โฌย
ย โฌ My lovely Wife Sarah โฌย
After listening to the Captain introduce himself and some of his crew, we headed to the Compass Rose restaurant where we planned to have a lovely four course meal.ย
We said we didnโt mind sharing, and the waiter sat us right next to a window (yay) on a four seater table. We introduced ourselves to Brian & Anne (more about our new friends in later posts) and they kindly read out the menu for us. After ordering from each section of the menu, we got to chatting.
AND THENโฆ..
An enormous shadow, from an even bigger man darkened our whole tableโฆ.. โSteveโฆ..FOLLOW MEโ said the man with a really deep transylvanian voice. I looked at Sarah, and then back at the man โFOLLOW MEโ he said again. Sarah said โCan i come with himโ โyESโ he said as we started to stand. We said to Brian and Anne โI think weโll see you later, weโve only just ordered our food, and if weโre not backโฆ..youโll get double, lolโ.
As sarah guided me behind this Behemoth of a man (not joking, he was about 7ft tall and 5ft wide) up a few flights of stairs, Sarah said โWhere is he taking us?โ โI think weโre going to the plank, or at least being court marshalledโ was my apprehensive reply.
We finally entered a small bar area where Claudia (the social director) greeted us with a glass of Champagne and a smelly fish bite (i donโt like fish, if youโd not guessed, lol) and showed us to our seats. Claudia said โI thought you werenโt going to make it?โ โTo make what?โ Sarah replied still looking bemused. “You got the invitation?โ.Sarah said โYesโฆ..the one to the formal eveningโ. Claudia then said โNo, that was an invitation to the Captains table and an evening with the Captain.โ โOoooppsโ i misread it as a general evening invitation (easily done as the iPhone magnifier isnโt as good as the large CCTV we have at home)โ. Sarah whispered to me โThe Captain and his other guests were waiting for us up here, as we were seeming to ignore them and eating our meal already with someone else.
The Captains Tableโฆ..
Since Sarah & i already knew the menu (thanks Brian & Anne) this was our easiest food ordering to date. We had a lovely meal and a fantastic time chatting with everyone around the table. It was really interesting hearing everyones stories and experiencesโฆ..Sarah already has her next cruise planned in her mind after asking the Captain what place he liked best after 30 yrs of cruising the seas, lol.ย
Now it was time to leave again for the Show Lounge to watch possibly the worst show we have ever seen (heard for me, lol.). ๐ ย
โฌ Photo of Sarah & i(on right) at the Captains Table โฌย
Wow, What a memorable 10th Wedding Anniversaryโฆ. ย ย
Retiring back to our cabin (making sure we didnโt upset the swans), we talked about our memorable day and how weโd never forget our 10th Wedding Anniversary! Now it was time to sleep, as itโs an early start once we arrive in Corinth. It was also the start of 5 full days of excursions weโd booked and we were really excited, even though we knew the temperatures were going to reach up to 41โ because of a heat wave across south east Europe (ouch). โ๏ธ ย
Thank Youโฆ..
Sarah & i would like to thank you once again for celebrating our 10th Wedding Anniversary and for all of the lovely messages you sent us.
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May 13, 2020 2 Comments
Wow, Wow, Wowโฆ..Sarah & i have had a fantastic time away celebrating our 10th Wedding Anniversary. Letโs go and see where weโve been and what weโve beenย up to!ย ๐ ย
Taxi, Train & The Thomson Planeโฆ..
As the taxi was booked for 3:30am, we thought it would be a good idea not to go to sleep as it makes us more tired if we only sleep for an hour or 2 (we were wrong, we’re super tired now).
There was a little scare as Sarah felt funny, so she did a blood test in the taxi and found it was going low. โOh no, not alreadyโ i thought as Sarah was already sorting it out with a few dextrose. Sarah felt better as we arrived at the airport and with a small struggle to find the suitcase check-in desk, we were finally sorted and heading for the airport assistance.
The assistance took us through security which all went well, until Sarah showed them her insulin pumpโฆ..Then (as they think itโs a detonator) they told Sarah to take of her shoes etc. and carefully and slowly scanned her whole body for explosives.ย
Following the guide to our seats in the departure lounge, Sarah & i were looking forwards to a nice bacon roll and coffee. Her work colleague had told her to try this as weโd not had anything to eat since yesterday afternoon… we were ready for it! BUT the airport assistance were too efficient this time and before we had time to figure out the direction of the bacon, the guide took us on the โFun Trainโ and straight onto the plane! ๐ย
The Airplaneโฆ..
As i sat down after being expertly guided to my seat, i said โWait a minuteโโฆ.. I was feeling underneath the window at the up & down dimmer switches whilst stretching my legs out testing the large leg room. โThis isnโt an Airbus A320! Itโs the 787 Dreamliner. Wow i didnโt think it was going to be this monster for a two and a half hour flightโ Sarah said โWow, youโre still getting excited about flyingโฆ. you must really love itโ I said โOh Yeah!โ. ย
Time for a snackโฆ..
Since we couldnโt have our fantastic bacon roll at the airport, we decided to share some chunky potato wedges on the plane. Sarah simply couldnโt eat them (and i even struggled)โฆ. they tasted (and were as dry as) a sun dried bath sponge! ๐ฆ
Welcome to Dubrovnik airportโฆ..
The airport assistance at Dubrovnik were fantastic and before we knew it, we were on a coach arriving at the dock ready to board the Thomson Spirit. We’d only been on the Thomson Dream which is bigger, so we were excited to explore this different ship.
We were fast-tracked again through all of the check-in procedures and were soon dropping our bags off in our cabin ready to go and explore! ๐ ย
โฌ View of Dubrovnik bay from the Thomson Spirit โฌ
We managed to weave our way through the many stairways and decks and eventually made it up to the top which was lovely and quiet to take a look around, take some photos and soak in the view and the hot sun. โ๏ธ ย
We were surrounded by a sea of blue, sky of blue, deck of blue and Sarahโs new โHokusai” dress …of blue. ๐ ย ย
โฌ Sarah wearing her new โHokusaiโ dress! โฌ ย ย
โฌ My lovely Wife Sarah โฌย
โฌ Yay, weโve made it, now letโs chill and enjoy the view โฌ ย ย
โฌ Our beautiful view of Dubrovnik from the top deck โฌย
Swapping sides for a moment, Sarah took a photo of a unusual bridge she liked.ย
โฌ Me looking at the surrrounding town โฌ ย
One more pic of my lovely Wife Sarah!ย
โฌ My lovely Wife Sarah and her beautiful dress โฌ
Now the moment youโve all been waiting forโฆ..
If youโve travelled with us on our other toursย you’ll remember Sarahโs sublime PanoramasโฆโฆWell sheโs back with one (of many) to share with you. ๐ ย ย
โฌ Sarahโs breathtaking Panorama of Dubrovnik bay โฌ
Coffee, Life Jackets & Dinnerโฆ..
After enjoying ourselves on the top deck, we looked around for a place to have a nice coffee. We knew this ship had no “Coffee Port” like on the Thomson Dream, so when we found “Raffles Bar” and ordered a Cappuccino (for me) and an Americano, we were even more excited as the coffee was well-nice and strongโฆโI think we can get used to this!โ I said sitting back into my large comfy armchair. โ ย
The assistance was fantastic again and the life jacket drill went really smoothly, i think weโre finally getting the hang of this. lolย
We found the โCompass Roseโ waiter service restaurant which was very similar to the โOrionโ restaurant on the Thomson Dream, we said we didnโt mind sharing a table with others as we always need an unsuspecting guest to read the menu for us, which is always a laugh for all involved and itโs a great conversation starter! ๐ ย
After a fantastic four course meal, it was time to take one last tour around the ship to see if weโd remembered where anything was before retiring to our cabin after a very long day!
Thank youโฆ..
I would just like to say a huge thank you(to you the reader and fellow traveller) for staying with us on another long and tiring day! ๐ฐ
Oh did i mention itโs our 10th Wedding Anniversary” tomorrow!!
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May 10, 2020 0 Comments
ย Sarah welcomes you to Costa Maya…
Our Kayak excursion didnโt start for a couple of hours, so we had time for a look around yet another nice dock. As youโll remember from a couple of days ago Sarah said:
“Why donโt you get them to braid your hair as the wind’s been annoying you all day, and you wonโt have to touch it for the rest of the holiday?!
ย Sarahโs hair has been blowing around all over the place since we arrived in JamaicaโฆAnd now it was her turn for the braides, no more worrying about windy hair syndrome. ย
Right, now is the time for the kayaking excursion. Wow what a bumpy coach rideโฆ”Oohhh a lighthouse, quick Steve pass me your phoneโ. We were being thrown around all over the place but Sarah just managed (no idea how) to get a glimpse of the lighthouse!
The Kayaking beach…
This is what greeted us as we got off the coachโฆ๐ ย
ย After putting all of our things in our backpacks and securing them in the lockers back in the bar type place just out of shot (above) we made our way back onto the beach to get our life jackets and meet our kayak.
We all gathered around the instructor as he demonstrated how to enter properly, how to paddle and of course the safety drills. I said to Sarah โI think this is a step too far, i canโt see him or anything heโs pointing at or showing us, but i am listening to what heโs sayingโ she said โOnce we get you in the kayak youโll be fine as i know you have done canoeing as a kid and itโll all come back to you as itโs similarโ.ย
Now it was our turn to enter the two seater glass bottomed kayak (well i almost fell in as it was a lot lower than i thought) and as i fell i head butted Sarah on the way down. Sarah said she was fine but after i regained consciousness she passed me the paddle. โOh yes, itโs just like the ones i used as a kid when canoeing with my dad. Itโs going to be okโฆOh wait, i canโt see where iโm going, lol!) ๐ย
Sarah took her position in the back seat as the navigator. We thought she could hit my left shoulder to go left and right shoulder for right, that makes sense, i just hope i donโt get her paddle around my head, lol! ๐คฃ ย
As the instructor pushed us away we heard lots and lots of wow, cheering and nervous laughter. It was an amazing feeling to be floating out on the still waters and with a glass bottomed kayak Sarah could see the ocean floor. After while everyone got into the swing of things and we managed to form an orderly queue behind the instructor.
We followed him out to sea until we stopped over the barrier reef. Everyone was Ooohh and woowwwoooing so it must have been beautiful. It felt amazing being in crystal clear waters with no land in sight, we just sat there stunned.
We paddled a little further and we seemed to overtake most of our group as they had sunk and were trying to get back into the kayak (wow they are sighted too so we must be doing something right, lol. Steve donโt get too cocky too soon).
The instructor stopped a lttle further on and we all bunched together. He was trying to pass something round for people to hold but the people were not impressed. Then he came to meโฆBefore Sarah had time to say โHeโs blind and canโt see it and he doesnโt like creepy crawliesโ he had put it on the top of my handโฆ๐จย
It felt soft and obviously wet and if i could see i probably wouldnโt have let him put this black death starfish onto my hand. It looked like a massive tarantula to me as i could just make out the black against my skin. I was just waiting for the huge teeth to sink into my flesh and tear it from my bonesโฆWhen he took it back and placed it into the sea. Phew!
Wow i wish i had a GoPro video camera, itโs simply stunning…
โHey Sarah watch this!โ i said as we were gathering speed. โWow a handbrake turnโ. I remember as a kid and learning canoeing, that if you jam the end of the paddle straight down and grip firmlyโฆThen the canoe spins round about 180 degrees (similar to a handbrake turn in a car) and i thought iโd see if it happened the same way in a kayakโฆIt did and as i was really impressed with myself for pulling it off Sarah was quietly impressed (i think, lol).ย
More Barrier Reef…
We stayed out over the barrier reef for another hour or so just paddling slowly, then stopping and taking in the vast ocean and the feeling of fresh air with the gentle rocking of the kayak, it was so peacefulโฆA little too peaceful!ย
โWhere is everyone?โ i said as i could see no other kayaks or the shoreline. โI donโt know i think they have headed back to get the sun loungers for the next hour of the excursionโ We were quite far out and couldnโt figure out which way to head back to shore. I started thinking of the Jaws film and the zoomed in shots of the faces crumpled in fear as the shark fin circles in closer and closer.ย
โI think itโs that wayโ Sarah said as she hit my right shoulder. โOk, letโs goโ. We started heading slightly towards the shore when…
A really loud whistle and a shout came from our 2 oโ clock. It was the instructor from what seemed like miles away but we could hearr him as though he was sanding right next to us. That was the sound i needed and swiftly pointed the kayak in his direction and floored it! ๐
Back on shore…ย
ย I love palm trees, especially this shape (above) and this one is just fantastic!ย
ย Yay we made it!! Our first kayaking adventure and it was simply breathtaking. The Blind Sightseers have managed another challengeโฆNow lets go and relax for a while.
After a nice slice of pizza (with salad as iโm being good) we took our towels and inclusive bottle of local lager and found two sun loungers between two palm trees. The white sand and the crystal clear sea framed our afternoon perfectly! โ๏ธ ๐ดย
ย Iโm not sure if this was a private resort but the beach was emptyโฆYay! ๐
Sarah then says “Oh, we forgot to take any photos of the kayaksโฆSteve stand here and iโll take some photosโ โBut i think there is another group starting their kayaking?!โ โjust stand still and smile, lolโ ๐คฃ ย
โNow go and stand in the sea so our WordPress family actually know that youโre on this trip, and donโt forget to smileโ ๐คฃ ย
ย My lovely wife Sarah absolutely love swimming, splashing sitting in the sea, love the hot sun and the powdery white sand and she has got all 3 today. I love taking her photos when sheโs so happy and has that lovely beaming smile that lights (and warms) her whole being. ๐ ย
ย It was now time to leave this beautiful place, jump on the coach and return back to the ship. We were tired but couldnโt stop ourselves having a beeming grin all the way back as we had just conquered kayaking and had a lovely time in paradise! ๐ย
But Sarah didnโt stop there… She just had enough time to capture this stunning view.ย
ย Back on the dock…
As we had a little time on the dock, we thought weโd take some more photos of this lovely place. ย
ย YayโฆWe came, we saw and we conquered! ๐ย ย
Back in the coffee port…
ย After such an exciting day filled with an omnifarious amount of emotions, there is no better way to chill than the coffee port. Wow what a view! โย
Thanks for joining us on this wonderful excursion, we couldnโt have done it without you! โ๏ธย
Wait until you hear about tomorrows adventureโฆItโs a long post but youโll understand why very soon! ๐จ
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April 17, 2020 16 Comments
Wow, thanks Facebook Memories for this reminder from 1 year ago today!!! Iโve had another lockdown ideaโฆWould you guys like to come on tour with the blind sightseers each day during this lockdown? I could start by posting our day trips and then post some of my best snaps from random places around the world? What do you think? Or have you been bored enough by my multiple posts a day and need this lockdown to be finished quickly so i go back to normal, lol?! ๐ย
‘Steve Rebus is feeling blessed with Sarah Rebus at Southern Palms Beach Club and Resort Hotel Barbados’.
17 April 2019 at 14:08 ยท Saint Lawrence, Barbados ยท
“Wow we can really get used to this stunning view from our terrace to celebrate our birthdays!” ๐ง๐ง๐๐ธโค๏ธ๐ช๐ป
April 15, 2020 74 Comments
Hi WordPress family! As itโs my birthday today…I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to raise a coffee and take a little time to thank you for your continued love, encouragement, inspiration and fantastic comments between all of you on this blog.
Iโm sure youโre dying to find out what my fave coffee is by now, lolโฆmy fave is a double Espresso or a Cappuccino! What about you?ย
I always talk to Sarah about all of you guys and how amazing it is to have ย this blog read and commented on from all around the world. But iโd love to know which country/state etc to put to your faces? I have a flag counter in the bottom right of this blog and it says iโve reached 192 countries, but i have no idea where most of my fave bloggers are from?
So what iโm trying to say isโฆAs my birthday gift could you please comment below with your country and fave coffee etc? It would be a fantastic present for meโฆIโll make another coffee here in Surrey, England, UK and look forwards to seeing you guys!ย ๐ย
April 11, 2020 2 Comments
As we are safe during lockdown in our vault(i mean home, lol) i thought iโd take Sarah back to last year to her amazingย โCaribbeanย Bonaire Birthday Blastโย ๐ย
๐ง๐ถ Tropical Delights Tour: Day 3 Kralendijk, Bonaire
Today was the birthday excursion for Sarah. It was a second choice as the first choice was sold out weeks before weโd even started our cruise. We were thinking about the 4×4 Land Rover trip weโd done in the Azores(see here) but couldn’t really get excitedโฆAs it was much hotter here and the thought of being crammed in the back of a Land Rover really wasnโt doing anything for us today. So what we thought was going to be an anticlimaxโฆTurned out to be the best trip of the whole holiday! Oh and iโd just travelled in my best vehicle of all time! ๐ย
The 1961 Yellow Unimogโฆ
Awww friendsโฆ.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! ๐
Arawak Off-road Safari…ย
ย First, we ย climbed into the Subi Rincon hills, where the amazing yellow Unimog stopped at a set of time-worn Indian caves.
the beauty spot, Seru Largu. This cross-topped monument sits on a raised platform, setting Sarah up with panoramic views of the capital, Kralendijk.
iChristian 
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