Jive Addiction in Mallorca

This was my 10th dance holiday - this one organised by Jive Addiction in Mallorca at the Iberostar Albufera Playa. It reached the high standard that we expect, but maybe didn’t quite reach the heights of the December holiday in Gran Canaria. Difficult to say why - this hotel was bigger, the food was just as good although the dance floor was not so good. In Gran Canaria we all met up before dinner in the Piano bar and that set the evening off. We didn’t do that this time and we were therefore a little more dispersed before coming together for dancing. The music was very good and the standard of dancing excellent and I am so grateful to many lovely partners for wonderful dances. We enjoyed some latin and some unusual and energetic classes which were great fun. I would have liked a new step or two to take home (I am old fashioned like that!). It was particularly hot in our dance room but that is inevitable.
The weather was not so good with some rainy days, some impressive thunder and lightning, and very high winds. The hotel backed onto sand dunes which became the beach which stretched impressively for miles with fascinating views of mountains that must contain wonderful walking terrain.
The only times I went off site were to walk on the beach and for a long walk in the Albufera Natural Park which is excellent, at the right time of the year, for bird watching. Peter and I must have walked 10 or 12 miles in a circuit of the park.
These holidays are rather like family reunions - so many friends meeting up - friends known from such holidays and national events around the UK. We parted with promises to see each other again at a future dance holiday.

Northumbria and the Great North Run

Cheryl and I were lucky enough to get away to Tony and Lesley’s caravan for another week in what is one of our most favourite parts of the UK. We called in at their house which has the builders in - that is along story in itself! We all had dinner in the pub local to the caravan before Cheryl and I settled ourselves for the week.
Hadrians Wall was our first walk and the first sighting of the Wall and following it for a couple of miles was probably the highlight of the week. We had good weather and a walk that included a visit to a Roman fort - Chester Fort. Just wonderful to absorb some of the culture of 2000 years ago.
We had a blustery walk around the impressive fortifications of Berwick, some of which date back to the Elizabethan times.
We had to walk from Craster to Dunstaburgh - that we will do every time we visit Northumbria. We made it a round trip this time by going inland from the castle before turning south.
We explored a little of the Cheviots from Wooller and walked a short section of St Cuthberts way - maybe one day we will walk the full length.
We visited Wallington gardens a couple of times, once to enjoy a cream tea and then from a hide we saw red squirrels - a first for me and I was well impressed.
We had a very extended walk from Alnmouth to Hawick Gardens - arriving just in time for lunch. It was just as far back as it was to get there except that we were able to walk through the gardens and exit onto the path to take us south. That was a very impressive part of the gardens as well as being a short cut.
We visited several gardens of very different character and Cheryl was in her element enjoying so many aspects of these gardens. Herterton was quite beautiful and represents, quite literally, a lifetimes work for the couple who transformed a derelict farm and stony surround to such a peaceful spot.
We finished the holiday by watching Tony and Lesley (yes - two half marathons in 2 weeks for Lesley!) run the Great North Run. Sorry, Nottingham you are not in the same league! A fantastic atmosphere, quite inspirational, with 48,000 taking part. After seeing Tony, Lesley and friends get to their start position we watched from a foot bridge over the dual carriageway. In half-hour there was still no end in sight of the massed runners. A commentator was shouting out all the charities that were being supported. Several fabulous costumes made it a real carnival and everybody watching must have been saying ‘why am I not running?’ The route is lined, often several deep, by supporters encouraging the runners.
We left, having seen our friends safely on their way, and headed back home.

The Robin Hood Marathon

Lesley came on the Friday ready for the half marathon on Sunday, September 16th.
We drove round the course on Saturday to get a feel for the hills and general layout. We had a walk to the National Sports Centre to get some light exercise but she had a blister on our return! I felt really bad about this but no damage, it was away from points of contact with her running shoes. Dinner (good) and theatre (rubbish - Romantic Comedy with Tom Conti) that evening, then the big day loomed. 13,000 gathering on the field near my house for a start about 10am. Lesley was running for a Diabetes charity and completed the course in about 2h 50m, a little slower than she hoped but cramp forced her to stop and get a massage from a handsome member of the medical team. I was glad to see her back and felt really proud that she could do such a run. I was out of breath running around the finish arrangements to meet her!
She looked fit and healthy on Monday and we walked around the University grounds before I put her on the train back to Newcastle.
Although the organisation of the run was without criticism, Lesley was surprised that so few people were around the course to cheer on the runners, in contrast to the Great North Run.

June through August

The months between that lovely trip to Evia and Lesley’s visit for the Robin Hood Marathon passed very pleasantly.
There was the One day International against West Indies with Cheryl and Ian and the Test Match against India with Cheryl. We are set to repeat that arrangement next year at Trent Bridge with its new stand.
I walked with Terry, Ian, Cheryl and her friend Jo near Terry’s cottage at Church Stretton, in Derbyshire with Sheila and Chris and in Leicestershire with Graham.