Compare and Contrast

Current Location: The Hobbit House, S Grenada

Welcome back to all our blog followers. We've spent the past three months in the UK, much of it with my ageing parents trying to find somewhere for them to move to. In thirteen weeks we've been on one hell of a journey, so unlike the life we've become accustomed to that it almost seems unreal. Not much fun or sunshine, lots of half empty glasses and plenty of worries. To my mum and dad though, this is and has been their life for the past 30 years. With my brother Philip and his wife Jane we've researched care homes, assisted living places and live-in carers, found a place they can accept and finally moved them to Dursley, close to Phil's home in Gloucestershire. Are they happy now? Not really, but we feel we've done the very best for them that we could have and that's all we can do. In the process my half marathon with Emma went by the board (pulled calf muscle) and Gill's singing of the Armed Man in a massed choir had to be cancelled (move date intervened). We did however have a great family week in Devon, worked well with Phil and Jane on the moving, had an excellent weekend with Gill's sisters (including the famous meal from hell), caught up with Dick and Mary (Alakazam) and Dave and Melinda (Sassoon), and got to know my cousin Hilary properly for the first time. And of course, thanks to Hugh and Linda for the loan of their big house in Sonning, a welcome bolthole from Southampton and Dursley. I left the UK feeling an odd mixture of sadness, exhaustion and guilt – not a good combination.

So on Friday we began the return to our other life. We only had a few hours to close up Hugh and Linda's house and pack for the return to Grenada. This was obviously not long enough as I was still in the loft trying to find my sunglasses when the taxi arrived! Then in the rush to catch the train to Gatwick we got off at Gomshall (the ticket did say "via Gomshall") instead of Redhill. As a result we had a lovely hour in the sunshine waiting for the next train to Redhill. To put it lightly Gomshall is very quiet. Still no harm done there. We were due to meet Jack from Carpe Diem at Gatwick. As if our journey was not eventful enough Jack arrived in the back of a police car! He had decided to walk from the terminal to the Travelodge to save £3. Unfortunately his route, complete with airport trolley, took him along the main road. No pavements, plenty of lorries roaring past. Mr Plod took exception and escorted him to the hotel. He lost the £1 deposit on his trolley so only saved £2. Good job Jack!

Next day an easy BA flight brought us into Grenada via the very nice customs people who have been cracking down recently on incoming boaties. Warmth again, both from friends and weather though it was absolutely pissing down as we arrived. It was a bit of a squash in Jack's little jeep with four people and thirteen large pieces of luggage including a full sized guitar. Laughter. We are now staying at friends of Jack and Fizzy in an amazing Hobbit-like house. It's owned by a Swedish American couple who have a big motor boat tied up at the end of the garden. For some reason they prefer to live on the boat than in the house so they lent the house to Fizzy while she was doing some medical work! The house owner runs a commercial diving business in Venezuela and flies his own plane down there on a regular basis. Venezuela by all accounts is not a good place to be.

One day back and already we are planning Christmas in Uruguay with Jen and Marcus. We are hoping to work our way back to Grenada in January via short plane hops and buses. We shall see.

OK, time to prepare for a dinghy party in the next bay. It seems that there's to be a gathering of yachties, each bringing their own food and drink, followed by a bit of a musical afternoon.