Clear English Skies

The beautiful facade of the beach front (known as the Promenade) accommodation on Isle of Man

Of the nine summer days spent on Isle the of Man, we had three clear, [albeit, cold) sunny days. The photo above was taken on one of them!

For more beautiful skies around the world, click here

UK trip Part 1

Earlier this week, I posted about leaving the camp, staying over in Dar es Salaam and finally boarding the flight to England as the start of our trip to the Isle of Man and subsequently, back to England. 

Arriving at Heathrow on 30 May, and connected with the Manchester flight. Kevin, an old friend of ours and my boss on the goldmines of Guinea, West Africa, collected us and drove us back to his home in Chesterfield.


Kevin's wife, Jane didn't stay on camp with him, but over the years while working for him, I got to know Jane - first on the telephone and later when we visited the UK in 2005. I'd not seen her since that year, so we soon were caught up in catching up on news! 

Four old friends meet up again after seven years : Kevin, Jane, Jo and Grant

On Thursday we rested, only going out for lunch in Chesterfield. Later Jane and I watched the French Open while the men made the final arrangements for our trip which commenced that night. Eventually Jane (who didn't go to the Isle of Man with us) went off to bed, while Grant and I sat and dozed in the lounge downstairs. We would be taking a taxi to Liverpool where we'd board the ferry. Kevin and a friend, Clive, Grant and I squashed into a medium-sized sedan, with the driver at the wheel,  and made the three hour-long journey northwards.

 The Liverpool harbour lights

The Liverpool Eye peeks out from behind the large buildings lining the shore

The ferry was due to leave shore at 4.45am, so we didn't have long to wait until we could board the huge vessel. I spent the first part of the journey, firstly freezing my fingers off, and then taking photos from the stern of boat. 

The wake caused by the huge turbine engines of the Seacat which was ferrying us up the River Mersey into the Irish Sea

*

The River Mersey, is approximately 113km/70 mile long, stretching from Stockport Greater Manchester and ending in Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. 

The river widens into a large estuary, which is five kilometers / three miles wide at its widest point near Ellesmore Port.

The estuary then narrows to flow between Liverpool and Birkenhead, where it is constricted to a width of 0.7 mile/ 1.2 kilometers , between Albert Dock in Liverpool and the Woodside ferry terminal in Birkenhead. The river then continues into Liverpool Bay on the Irish Sea.

 

The river is now internationally famous thanks to the music of the 1960s known as Merseybeat or the Mersey Sound and its strong association with Liverpool. The Mersey itself was popularized in the Merseybeat song Ferry Cross the Mersey by Gerry & The Pacemakers, which was released in 1965 and featured a music video in which the group performed their song on a boat crossing the river between Birkenhead and Liverpool. It has since been covered by Ferry Aid (for a 1989 charity single to dedicated to the victims of the Hillsborough disaster) and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. *

Eventually I couldn't stand the cold any longer and went inside to find our pre-booked seats. Grant and I drank coffee, he eventually dozed off while I read one of the magazines on offer in the lounge. 

As we were nearing Isle of Man, the sun was making its appearance. Once more, it was time to leave my warm seat, brave the cold and get some photos. I managed to convince Grant to come outside with me too! (Actually, I had to drag him out! Ha-ha! )

 The sun lights up the [cloudy] sky as we approach the Isle of Man

 A not-so-happy camper poses on the freezing deck of the ferry

I hope you're all having a wonderful week so far.   

* - * Note: Information on the River Mersey obtained from Google

Back in Mwadui

We're back from the UK! Thanks to all for the send-off, well-wishes and kind comments when we left last  month. I have many photos and stories which start with this post. To get to them I have to mention our very first ladies' tea here in Mwadui which Amanda and I arranged for the Monday before we left. 

Amanda organized with the client's management to hold it in their guest house. With me, my friend, Sonja visiting from Dar es Salaam, the six ladies from Petra diamonds (the stores controller, the guest house head, the headmistress of the school, the matron of the hospital, Amanda and Tilla)  as well as a fourth South African lady, Charlene,  who recently moved into the camp, we made up quite a lively and interesting party! Unfortunately I didn't take my camera along and although I took photos with my phone, the results were less than perfect.

Charlene, left and Sonja at the Mwadui ladies' tea 

On Tuesday Grant and I flew from Mwanza to Dar where we were booked into  our favorite hotel in the city the Sea Cliff.  My darling hubby had surprised me by securing a sea-facing suite! 

 Our sea-facing room in the Sea Cliff, Dar es Salaam

 The view of the sea beyond our bedroom window. Life is tough in Africa! 

Early on Wednesday morning we waited in the hotel reception for Mohamed, our driver to collect us for the airport. Of course, on the way down [to reception] and while we waited, I took photos. 

 The reception area just outside the lift on the way down to main reception

 We've stayed in this hotel five times this year (recently I stayed there alone) and this is the first time I noticed the star rating on the wall! 

The doormen at this hotel are Masaai warriors

Promptly at 5.30 Mohamed arrived, took us to the airport and by 8.30 we were boarding our  British Airways flight to Heathrow.

 The plane was quite empty so after an early lunch, which followed soon after breakfast, His Nibs found a row of seats and slept until we started descending into Heathrow!

 I hope you're all having a wonderful week already!