Trinity (Day 4)

What a fantastic meal at The Trinity Arms last night. Very indulgent. So today a little walking was needed. St. Aubin bay was our destination where after a walk along the harbour side, where woodwork was being hastily painted and restaurants cleaned for the start of the season we beach-combed the beach exposed by the retreating tide. Scallop, whelk, limpet and cockle shells were scattered across the fine, washed sand.

When we're away we always collect shells and anything else we find interesting on a beach for our shell jars and John's 'shelf of curiosities' back at home. St. Aubin bay curves around to the St. Helier, where we arrived on a dark drizzly evening five days ago. The area certainly looked nicer today.

Everywhere oozes wealth here. John has taken quite a fancy to the island, especially as the maximum personal tax rate is 20%, and there are no capital gains or inheritance tax. Just one problem, he's already on the 20% tax band and he's a little short on the wealth required to be a resident! Later shopping at a Waitrose supermarket this afternoon he realised why you needed wealth. No Aldi or Lidl here.

We have spent most of our time so far discovering the north and east of the island, so for our last two days we have plans to venture over to the west. There's still so much to see, and so little time.

Trinity (Day 3)

Today is Angela's birthday. Lunch packed we decided to visit nearby Jersey Zoo, opened in 1959 and founded by naturalist Gerald Durrell. Today we would become a statistic. Each year approximately 169,000 people visit the zoo each year.

After an unsettled start the day brightened and France was easily visible across the channel. 

Being early in the season the zoo was quiet, so we were easily able to walk around and take in the animals, well the ones that weren't having a lie in. The cold wind meant some of the animals were not allowed outside, but those that were provided us with much entertainment. Particularly the meerkats who posed for photographs, and the orangutans who entertained us by swinging on ropes and branches using their long and powerful arms. Poisonous miniature frogs of metallic blue, luminous orange and yellow were Angela's favourite creature of the day.  Her least, the boa constrictor.

Time flew by, and after lunch we walked around the grounds again, lucky to catch the sleeping sloths now out in their compound after a ten-fifteen-hour sleep. And the highlight, the gorillas, who this morning were not in the mood for visitors now allowing us to photograph them whilst they sat with a look of 'whatever' on their faces. The silverback, Badongo, was particularly stunning.

This evening a meal at the local pub, The Trinity Arms. What a great day.

Trinity (Day 2)

We are loving our AirBnB accommodation. What's not to like about a self contained flat, with kitchen/lounge/diner, large shower room and a bedroom with a super-king, yes super-king sized bed. Most of the houses we've seen on the island are large. For sale at the moment, a five bedroom new build at £22 million. Or something a little cheaper, a one bed flat at £330,000. Bargains!

Today we decided to walk along the coastal bath from nearby Bouley Bay to Rozel, a round trip of around five miles. Five miles of up and down, with fantastic views along the coast. With a few other people around we took our time enjoying the spring flowers that pushed their way up through the wilted and bronzed fronds of last year's ferns.

 John's eagle eye spotted jelly ear, also known as monkey's ear growing on dead elderberry branches. They went straight in a bag for tomorrow's breakfast omelette. For those of you not familiar with these gelatinous ear shaped fungi, they may be something you've eaten at a Chinese restaurant in a mixed vegetable dish. As disgusting as they sound, they are actually quite tasty. 

Having stopped at Rozel yesterday we knew refreshments awaited us at The Hungry Man on the harbour. Once again we watched a brave soul take to the water, if only for five minutes. Is it worth it, taking off your warm clothes for five minutes of torture in cold water. Apparently, if you want to improve your circulation, reduce blood pressure and increase your libido!

Today's conversation with some local people was the charge of 70 pence for a reusable bag in the shops on the islands. A fine of £1,000 is imposed on retailers who do not uphold this. Makes you think, time to stop hoarding bags for life in the kitchen drawer.

Trinity, Jersey (Day 1 &2)

  

March, time to travel. Because of the ninety-day ruling for travelling in Europe, we couldn't go to France as we have plans for a rather adventurous European trip in June. So, we decided on Jersey, fourteen miles off the coast of France. Marge isn't with us, the roads here are too narrow, so we brought 'Madge', our new car. She's a Peugeot Rifter, with all the room Wee Margie had, and younger. Our blog is Marge the VW, but being able to write about all our trips using all our vehicles is a way of keeping a memory log for us both in later life. So Madge, buckle up, it'll be fun1

After a bumpy ferry crossing from Poole, we arrived early evening at our airbnb accommodation, a self contained flat in the village of Trinity. This morning, we were able to fully appreciate our surroundings. peaceful, beautiful countryside, with a view of the sea and France.

Keen to explore we set off early soon stopping at the pretty fishing village of Rozel. For the first time in ages, we felt warm outside, and enjoyed taking a walk around. People swam in the harbour whilst others gathered for a catch up over coffee and bacon baps. We mingled with the locals and everyone was very friendly. High on the hill, the upvc cloches covering the vegetables growing in the wild area caught the watery sunlight as they rippled in a light breeze. Our first morning on the island, and it felt very laid back.

Then a walk through St. Catherines Woods, roaming through the trees, hopping across stepping stones, and then washing our boots that had sucked into the mud along the path, in the gently flowing stream took us to lunchtime, after which we took the coast road to Gorey to view the 800 year old castle that cast a shadow over the exposed seaweed marbled sands of the harbour. 

  The weather forecast this week is mixed, and by late afternoon the wind had picked up and rain fell in sheets. Once again, the ferry from Poole has been cancelled, as it was Friday. How lucky were we to be able to cross on Saturday? Fingers crossed for our return sailing this Saturday. We don't want to be away too long, Marge might miss us.

Devizes

It's three weeks since we returned from France. After spending last week decorating our bedroom, we decided it was time for a night away in Marge. We've had some bad news to cope with over the last couple of weeks and decided Marge was just the tonic we needed to perk us up, so we headed back to Devizes, a couple of hours drive from us. A Chinese takeaway and some cycling were our treat.

This morning the weather dry and bright, we saddled up and cycled out on our Brompton bicycles alongside the kennet and avon canal. A sharp, clear blue autumnal sky lit the carpet of gold under our wheels. Canal boats basked in the morning light and a family of swans glided by. It was a perfect autumn day. We have not cycled since returning from our cycling trip to Switzerland, so today we would find out if we had retained the fitness level we achieved whilst cycling the euro velo 6. Our ride took us downhill past the Caen locks flight, 29 locks which rise over 237 feet with a 1 in 44 gradient. A gentle yawning wind blew leaves from the trees as we passed under them. The fine weather had brought people out, boaters and walkers alike.

After an hour and a half cycling over a rough path on a small wheeled bicycle we sat by a lock to eat lunch. We felt we could cycle further, but that would have to wait until another day. There was the small matter of cycling up the 1 in 44 gradient alongside the locks. See you at the top! First one there buys the ice creams at the cafe. We're pleased to say we are still fit. We both made it and yes, the ice-cream was delish. Back at Marge the car park suddenly became a hive of activity as two canal boats arrived on low loaders. We watched as they were craned into the water, swiftly and efficiently.

O.K. Marge. Home now. Hopefully if the weather holds, we'll manage another night out in you soon. 

For our grandson Elliot coming this weekend for a Halloween party!