It’s been a while since I blogged! If you want to know why, read my profile! It says I’m a “quiet, reflective thinker and writer… lover of sunshine, colour, flowers, countryside, the sea, holidays, family and friends, beautiful things, the great outdoors...”
It’s in my genes – I’m an escape artist! Every now and then I have to get away and escape to my natural habitat. What’s that? Well, look closely at my profile photo! Everyone has a natural habitat and for me it’s the big outdoors – the sea, with rocks to clamber on, the cliffs and the sound of screeching gulls, winding country lanes and bubbling streams… I found a lot of those things these last few weeks.
When I escape I revert to type! I’m a peace-loving person. I’m slow; I can’t be hurried. I’m a meandering stream; I never go anywhere without making detours. And I’m not contactable except in emergencies. Infuriating! But if you want to escape you have to do it properly. We have Wi-Fi at home. It’s very useful, both for us and for our guests. We have a cordless phone too. But when I escape the range is far too small to reach either of them where I left them – at home!
I wrote a lot on my holiday – a way of maximising my enjoyment of what I observe. I live it and I relive it and I take it home with me along with my photos. I love nature and I love people-watching. I hate crowds but my ideal habitat is never totally deserted. I need company. ‘Holiday Snippets’ records my enjoyment of that habitat and my appreciation (mostly) of that company:
A couple of Holiday Snippets!
1. When you just have to get away!
One of the things I crave more than anything else on holiday is peace and quiet. A beach, a few fishing boats or a view of he mountains plus a quiet spot to sit is bliss. Add to that a peaceful tea room with a terrace overlooking it all and I’m in heaven! Today we found all of that! We were just settling down contentedly to choose what we wanted from the menu and congratulating ourselves on our find when the trouble started…
We were on a tiny terrace with only a few tables and in the front row with nothing to block our view. What could possibly go wrong? And then she started! “I’m just down by the beach” she yelled. “I just had to get away” she said. “You know how it is when you just have to get away – I just had to be by the sea.” Not for the peace and quiet, I thought. I knew instinctively that she was on the phone. No-one yells that loud at the person sitting next to them. What is it about mobile phones that make people shout? Perhaps it would only be a quick call and peace would be restored soon, I thought. No chance! “I just had to be by the sea” she said again. Me too, I thought. “I just had to get away.”
By this time getting away was looking like the only solution. We shifted restlessly and discussed our options. Finally, we got to our feet, gathered our belongings and decided to admit defeat. “I’m just going” said the voice behind us. “Really – don’t go. I’m very sorry.” Now I was really embarrassed. Had she heard us? “I’m sorry” I said. “It’s our fault. We’re just a bit hyped at the moment and needed some peace.” She brushed my apology away and repeated her own. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to be so loud.” In the end we decided between us to blame mobile phones and parted on amicable terms, she to her seaside quest (with mobile phone) and we to our peace and quiet (without one).
2. Dietary delicacies
Eavesdropping again – I just can’t help it! Sat in the same picturesque little café overlooking an idyllic seaside cove and munching my tuna melt baguette, I overheard the order on the neighbouring table. A large woman sat close by, perusing the menu, whilst the waitress waited patiently, notepad at the ready. She chose with care: “scones, jam, cream, hot chocolate with whipped cream, no, maybe with the marshmallows, no cream… well, alright then, with both… and” (as an afterthought) “oh, and a diet coke.”
We looked at each other silently, smirking, and looked away again quickly in case the helpless giggles that were developing should break out and embarrass us all. A diet coke after all that? Why bother?!
It’s in my genes – I’m an escape artist! Every now and then I have to get away and escape to my natural habitat. What’s that? Well, look closely at my profile photo! Everyone has a natural habitat and for me it’s the big outdoors – the sea, with rocks to clamber on, the cliffs and the sound of screeching gulls, winding country lanes and bubbling streams… I found a lot of those things these last few weeks.
When I escape I revert to type! I’m a peace-loving person. I’m slow; I can’t be hurried. I’m a meandering stream; I never go anywhere without making detours. And I’m not contactable except in emergencies. Infuriating! But if you want to escape you have to do it properly. We have Wi-Fi at home. It’s very useful, both for us and for our guests. We have a cordless phone too. But when I escape the range is far too small to reach either of them where I left them – at home!
I wrote a lot on my holiday – a way of maximising my enjoyment of what I observe. I live it and I relive it and I take it home with me along with my photos. I love nature and I love people-watching. I hate crowds but my ideal habitat is never totally deserted. I need company. ‘Holiday Snippets’ records my enjoyment of that habitat and my appreciation (mostly) of that company:
A couple of Holiday Snippets!
1. When you just have to get away!
One of the things I crave more than anything else on holiday is peace and quiet. A beach, a few fishing boats or a view of he mountains plus a quiet spot to sit is bliss. Add to that a peaceful tea room with a terrace overlooking it all and I’m in heaven! Today we found all of that! We were just settling down contentedly to choose what we wanted from the menu and congratulating ourselves on our find when the trouble started…
We were on a tiny terrace with only a few tables and in the front row with nothing to block our view. What could possibly go wrong? And then she started! “I’m just down by the beach” she yelled. “I just had to get away” she said. “You know how it is when you just have to get away – I just had to be by the sea.” Not for the peace and quiet, I thought. I knew instinctively that she was on the phone. No-one yells that loud at the person sitting next to them. What is it about mobile phones that make people shout? Perhaps it would only be a quick call and peace would be restored soon, I thought. No chance! “I just had to be by the sea” she said again. Me too, I thought. “I just had to get away.”
By this time getting away was looking like the only solution. We shifted restlessly and discussed our options. Finally, we got to our feet, gathered our belongings and decided to admit defeat. “I’m just going” said the voice behind us. “Really – don’t go. I’m very sorry.” Now I was really embarrassed. Had she heard us? “I’m sorry” I said. “It’s our fault. We’re just a bit hyped at the moment and needed some peace.” She brushed my apology away and repeated her own. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to be so loud.” In the end we decided between us to blame mobile phones and parted on amicable terms, she to her seaside quest (with mobile phone) and we to our peace and quiet (without one).
2. Dietary delicacies
Eavesdropping again – I just can’t help it! Sat in the same picturesque little café overlooking an idyllic seaside cove and munching my tuna melt baguette, I overheard the order on the neighbouring table. A large woman sat close by, perusing the menu, whilst the waitress waited patiently, notepad at the ready. She chose with care: “scones, jam, cream, hot chocolate with whipped cream, no, maybe with the marshmallows, no cream… well, alright then, with both… and” (as an afterthought) “oh, and a diet coke.”
We looked at each other silently, smirking, and looked away again quickly in case the helpless giggles that were developing should break out and embarrass us all. A diet coke after all that? Why bother?!
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