Farewell to Old England for ever!

Well, hi everyone! Shirley Valentine is back on the map for our 2014 season. We have lots of exciting things planned and our visitor list is quickly filling up. So if you are interested in joining us this season let us know as soon as you can.

We left Australia on the 9th of February after an exhausting few months packing up and preparing for this season. We have now sold our house in Westlake and are officially homeless (apart from our beloved Shirley of course!). For the second time in my life all my worldly goods are packed into cardboard boxes. More about our future plans later on.....

We had a few days stop over in Abu Dhabi which was intended to give us a chance to catch our breath. Abu Dhabi is an interesting place, mostly due to the fact that everything that you see has been built in the last 50 years or so.  Prior to this it was a sleepy little fishing village. We did the normal tourist things..... wandered around gaping a the amazing architecture, visited the amazing Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque and the amazing shopping malls and did a desert safari where we did some dune bashing, rode camels etc etc.

Craig on the promenade......

Everything was beautiful and clean.... but there was no one out and about but us!

Check out the window cleaners!

Our new bestie! Would have taken him home, but my skipper wouldn't let me....

Dune bashing... what a hoot!

The beautiful wilderness of the desert. Would't like to be out here by myself at night!

Feeling just a little like Lawrence of Arabi....

The absolutely amazing Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. I love symmetry!

All dressed up and nowhere to go!

We arrived in the UK on the 12th of February at Manchester. It was bitterly cold and we had to wait outside the airport for about 20 minutes to get a bus to the hire car place which is miles away from the terminal.  We picked up our car and headed to Glasgow to be reunited with family. 

The next day Craig showed signs of some sort of man flu. He was pretty 'crook' and declined rapidly while we were on a short trip to London to visit our lovely friends Kim and David.  By the time we were waiting at Stanstead airport to fly home he could hardly breath and couldn't string two words together.  The next day I phoned the NHS advice line and we headed off to Glasgow Royal Infirmary where he was admitted, I think partly because they suspected he may have a pulmonary embolis.

He stayed in hospital for 5 nights and he has a few stories to tell you which he will put in a separate blog.  After his discharge, the rest of our time in the UK was over shadowed by his limited fitness.  We managed to squeeze in a few trips to some friends and family however a big apology has to go out to everyone that we didn't get round to seeing! To those we did catch up, a big thank you for the great times........  We will see you all again soon.

Guess where?

Couldn't quite work out what the blue cockrel was about in Trafalgar square!

The London Eye on the left with the Houses of  Parliament in the background....

The old and the new in the skyline of London....

The famous bridge of London.....

Where I might end up if Scotland win the referendum!

My crazy friends Kim and Peter at the Torhouse Stone Circle near Stranraer.

Don't you just love my outfit!

A Scottish beach. The marks on the lens are rain!

Me and my big brother in front of his current project, the Purple Heather, near Oban

A scenic river near the entrance to Glen Coe



The beauty of the Glen......  and the mountains!

We left the UK on the 10th of March and flew overnight to Turkey. We were picked up at Dalaman airport by our friends Ashleigh and Doreen and after a quick bite to eat we headed round to the marina to see Shirley.  Surprisingly all of our anti-fouling etc had been completed and she was looking great. We were due to go into the water on the 15th of March but we managed to get it brought forward to the 12th and proceeded to spend the rest of the day running around getting ready for the launch.

Mid morning on the 12th of March saw Shirley Valentine touch the water for the 2014 season.... her 5th year in the Med. We have spent the time since then doing odd jobs around the boat and catching up with old friends. The marina seems a little quieter this season however the St Patricks day party last night was quite a happening place and we had a great night.

Me and my new friend..... It was a girl. I have now learned to tell the sex of a tortoise!

On the hilltop above Yacht Marine near Marmaris

The view looking back towards our marina. Shirley is in there somewhere!



Passage planning with Pam and Phil from Maranatha.....



Spot Shirley Valentine on India pontoo with her skipper....... So happy to be back on board!

We plan to head out of the marina for a shake down cruise early next week providing all of our varnishing is completed. We are also waiting for a few small parts.  The frustrating thing on a boat is that a tiny little part can render you helpless and often finding that tiny little part can be a nightmare! Crossed fingers that everything will come together.......


And now the reason for the title of the blog..... As you may be aware Scotland is having a referendum to decide if they wish to separate from England in September. I am a little bit concerned that if they succeed that I won't be allowed back into to England so thought I should say my farewells now! Watch this space.....


Take care everyone....