Be very careful what you ask for! I said beforehand – with some smugness – that I was looking forward to this holiday because holidays can be a great opportunity to have your mind and heart stretched, to be stimulated creatively so I can better do the work God has for me to do in my corner of the world. I realise now I was thinking mainly of the fun and imaginative things that can happen on holidays when I said this.

Already we’ve had interesting “stretching” times. Starting before we even left. But not the ones I had been imagining! Our direct flight from Perth to London was cancelled at the last minute and we were re-routed to fly via Hong Kong. Six hours layover there then two hours sitting in the plane on the Hong Kong tarmac, then a long haul over Asia, over Europe to finally arrive in London. It’s a bit harder to be grateful for your “stretching” experiences when you’re overtired but can’t sleep, all your muscles are tight and knotted, your mouth feels like it’s full of cotton wool! Instead of 17 hours it ended up 30 hours travelling. But I got what I asked for!

Our dear friend Pam was there as soon as we walked out of customs at Heathrow (although there’s very little customs checking) – what a blessing. We arrived in London too late at night to make the ferry ride across to the Isle of Wight. So Pam took us instead to her brother-in-law’s place in the London suburb of Richmond where we gratefully fell into bed after a shower – a comfortable, quiet and restful night. Bliss!

Next morning Pam drove us out through London suburbs, through the New Forest (it was called “New” in the Domesday Book in 1086) where ponies and deer have right of way.

Pam drove us down to the coast to Lymington where we caught the car ferry across to the Isle of Wight at Yarmouth, and then on to their house on the west side of the Isle in Totland.

Coming into Yarmouth by ferry.

So much to catch up on – I don’t think our tongues have stopped wagging! We’ve seen some blue skies and sunshine, but I still often have to often put my jumper. It goes constantly on and off.

After lunch outside in their back yard, we went for a long walk (1+1/2 hours) along a nearby coastal path and through woodlands, looking out across the wide blue Solent to the English mainland. Wildflowers everywhere – wild roses and other flowers that I specially “coddle” in my Perth garden. Molly, a golden labrador is being dog-sat by Pam and she came with us on our walk. This is a beautiful part of the world – so much greenery, huge trees, beautiful flowers. Such a contrast to parched Perth!

White wild roses on our coastal walk, looking across the Solent to mainland English.

Blue skies in England, a lovely coastal “ramble” and great company! What a great start to our holiday!