TravelStream™ news feed for member easton-martin on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/easton-martin en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Sun, 16 Aug 2009 07:13:01 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/2/1249546316/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/2/1249546316/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/2/1249546316/tpod.html Sun, 16 Aug 2009 07:13:01 -0400 Mac and Mable's sojourn to France

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London, London, City of, United Kingdom

After their last amazing adventure one would have thought going to France for a few days would be trouble free eh? Well yes, apart from forgetting to book the long term car parking and getting the cat into the cattery..... bad parents!There is just enough space in the passports for another immigration stamp and the bags are ready, just the delights of Easy Jet to contend with. Follow us on this short journey, things are bound to go wrong!!!!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/2/1250419727/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/2/1250419727/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/2/1250419727/tpod.html Sun, 16 Aug 2009 07:10:52 -0400 Mac and Mable's sojourn to France

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Pérassay, Centre, France

Last full day and Neil has gone to work, I find work does tend to get in the way of one's social life!Chilling out in the sun and topping up the tan was great until Ellie decided she needed to go for a swim in the pool. Fortunately Neil got back in time to jump in the pool with her as the water was freezing! Mac took the opportunity to get some sketching done and enjoy the views...Mac was introduced to an odd French lemon curd type pie called a Flonge, or someting like that, Ellie liked it. They didn't have a Melton Mowbury pork pie. Mac
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/2/1250336724/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/2/1250336724/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/2/1250336724/tpod.html Sun, 16 Aug 2009 07:08:49 -0400 Mac and Mable's sojourn to France

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Pérassay, Centre, France

I did tell Mable we should take a coat as we set off for our walk, but oh no. We had a lovely walk around the village and local country side, didn't see a car and hardly saw anyone else. As the drizzle increased we sought shelter in the local pub and admired their fine collection of football related cups and awards, the team is obviously very good. We arrived back at the farm house looking like drowned rats but happy. Spent the rest of the day chilling, reading and watched Jam and Jerusalem, the series is getting much better and the music by Kate Rusby is fab, no she doesn't have fat knees!!!! Mac
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/2/1250335717/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/2/1250335717/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/2/1250335717/tpod.html Sun, 16 Aug 2009 07:07:52 -0400 Mac and Mable's sojourn to France

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Pérassay, Centre, France

France is lovely, it is wasted on the French. After spending some time with a number of ex-pats it has become obvious that France is as inclusive as Burma! Now I agree that it is important to speak the language but they don't have make people jump through burning hoops to do even the most menial of jobs, where as in a Britain we will take in any rubbish. It makes me wonder who has it right? A 35 hour working week, mandatory 3 hour lunch breaks and 45% tax based on what you may earn is obviously the envy of the rest of the Euro zone. They also slap an appellation controle sicker on any bottle of wine tasting like break fluid,making it easy to spot a good vintage. A new trick to attract the foreigners is to put a shiny award winning like label on the neck of the bottle, don't fall for it, the locals know this and avoid it at all costs. The best French wine comes from Australia, New Zeland and Albania!Saying that they make some fine beer, great bread and the weather is fab.Mac had fun cutting the grass in 8 hour field, so called because that's how long it takes to cut.We had a great bar-b-q and sat out in the balmy evening warmth listening to crickets, owls and other bitey insects singing, midnight crept up on us quickly, lie in tomorrow I think. Mac
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/2/1250334019/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/2/1250334019/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/2/1250334019/tpod.html Sun, 16 Aug 2009 07:06:37 -0400 Mac and Mable's sojourn to France

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Pérassay, Centre, France

Right, let's start off about London Stanstead... or as I call it Norwich International. Easy long expect term poarking, good tranfer to the terminal, quick check in and very slow security, still what do you expect for £7.00 return plus £60 in taxes. It would have been nice to have been informd that Ryan Air changed the departure gate, or maybe they think we are all mind readers. The highlights were an obviously new girl on the tannoy system informing everyone that only one bag was allowed on the flight, quickly corrected by someone else to one carry on bag per person. Also the boarding gate to the plane crossed another boarding gate to another flight. The resultant chaos fab to stand there and watch!It was an easy flight, no frills but you did get a non-reclining seat and a chance to snooze.Tours aiport is small and you have to stand outside to get through immigration, lucky it wasn't raining. We were met by Neil, Carrolyn and Ellie and it was off for lunch, or so we thought.Now France shuts down at odd times of the day, usually between 9 in the morning and 10 at night. Stopping in a lovely town we were met with every restuarant closed, well it was lunch time. Luckily out hosts were used to this and brought a fab picknick, which we ate by the side of the Loire river in the glorious sunshine. A short hop to their farm house, via half a dozen toll booths and we were there, beer-o-clock! What will day two bring, more wine we hope! Mac
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/2/1250420056/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/2/1250420056/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/2/1250420056/tpod.html Sun, 16 Aug 2009 07:04:43 -0400 Mac and Mable's sojourn to France

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London, England, United Kingdom

Well it was time to go home, the bags were packed and despite Ellie's best attempts to adopt Mac as a big brother it was off to the airport at Tours. Carolyn impressed everybody with her fine rally driving skills and Neil kept the number of toll booths to single figures this time.After a last cup of coffee it was good-byes said and Mac and Mable passed through security and onto the plane. They landed back in England in glorious sunshine and the journey back home was easy as rush hour was well over.So what do they think of France? well it was lovely, but the French are an odd race. They seem to take the Republic thing a but too far and on all accounts remove all development of creativity from children's development, British government take note and be afraid... I ask you, name a decent French sports car, motor bike, hi-fi component, instrument maker? struggling eh!Yes their technology is sound, after all they did manage to make a bomb that blew up the Rainbow Warrior, but no creativity outside of handbags and frocks.What is French for C'est la vie... Mac
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/1/1242137400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/1/1242137400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/1/1242137400/tpod.html Sat, 15 Aug 2009 08:10:17 -0400 Mac and Mable's BIG adventure (plus their two minders)

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London, England, United Kingdom

Some last movies from usX X
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/1/1241273400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/1/1241273400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/1/1241273400/tpod.html Thu, 07 May 2009 18:27:26 -0400 Mac and Mable's BIG adventure (plus their two minders)

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London, England, United Kingdom

The bags are packed, we're ready to go, the taxi's waiting etc etc well you all know the song, although the taxi that was waiting was the water taxi and to reach it Mac and Mable had to drag their bags along the sand front called the main road.... good exercise early in the morning. All the transfers went swimmingly, although realising the exit tax was 40$ US and not 40$ Belize was a bit of a shock....Carol's visa card to the ready and luckilly they took Macs remaining Kidney in payment. The flight over was good and even the AA crew were in good spirits. Then it was time to get through US Immigration..... well bugger me, hardly any waiting and helpful smiling staff. NOW this is more than a coincidence and goes to prove the power of Mac and Mables blog. Mr Obamma had obviously read the entry regarding their last encounter with US officials and sais "No, this is not good enough, we must improve". So thank you Mr President, Mac and Mable are both pleased you listened to them, we wish we could vote in Us elections! The BA flight was as terrible as the one on the way out, but their breakfast was fresh, so fresh it was still frozen. Why do they have to have the cabin temperature so high at night, we are talking +29c! madness.They landed on a overcast, cold day, wearing shorts, sunglasses, insect repellant and bad bed hair. Passage through UK Immigration was blistering fast, not even a question about going through Mexico. Mabel wished she had been brave enough to bring in lots and lots of booze and stuff, but was too honest to try. The sight of Darren waiting there to pick us up was great and the first cup of real tea was sublime. It was good to be home, turn around the washing and book the flights to Katmandu.... ooops perhaps Mac had better run that past Mable first. Mac x x xA BIG shout out to Mum, Ian from STA and the Wr travel office for their combined attempts to get us home, cheers guys, without your help we would still be stuck on a beautiful desert island...... hmmmmm hang on!, lets re think that one!! The Lukes , well it wouldnt be complete without him !!Best Hotel = Candelaria, Antigua well posh, nice view from the rooftop gardenWorst= Peten, , Flores...the inspiration behind Faulty Towers without the sea view.Bets Journey = Horse truccs, rustic and rural....done nuffin like it beforeWorst = road from Antigua to Flores, vomit inducing and Bri did Best Meal= scumptious fish in Caye Caulker, cooked and presented like an expensive retaurant, but much cheaperWorst = Flores, falafels were like an overcooked flat fried disc on a bed of coleslaw : o ( and no humus eitherBest Weather= Belieze for consitent sunshine. And then Guatamala for fab rain!Worst = Cancun was toooooooo hot for Brits ( yanks love it) Highlight moments ...Carol = eating toasted marshmellows from a lava flow. Managing to get a "back to work" hair cut without the use of Spanish. Bri's drawings/paintings...he is better than he knows!Bri =Climbing to the top of the temple at Tekal.Low moments....Carol = "reality" texts and drama calls from UK. Bri = HSBC blocking the bank card again!So this is it, the last blog. A big hey ho to all the new friends we met thoughout the trip, we wish u all the best and hope to meet again one day. To HSBC, you were fu~*ing rubbish. To Carol, my soul mate, without whom this adventure would never have happened. Our tour leaders, well the good ones anyway. The poeple who read our blog, we hope you enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed writing it. To God and all the fluffy animals and little children. STA, cheers Ian and Dave. Darren for looking after the house, fish, cars, bike and picking us up. As a great person once said , "climb every mountain......................................................................." Mac :-)Blimey, wot a trip, met so many amazing people from 19 to 83 and everything in between, saw so many awsome sights, ate great new foods, drank good stuff, experianced extreme highs and lived through a few lows. Now back at work ( which is cool) and the hardest thing I have had to deal so far is that question " what was your highlight" aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Mable :-)
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/1/1241014200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/1/1241014200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/1/1241014200/tpod.html Thu, 07 May 2009 15:52:43 -0400 Mac and Mable's BIG adventure (plus their two minders)

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Caye Caulker, Belize Cayes, Belize

Well, this wasn't in the plan, but its so much better than Player del Carmen and Cancun, funny how things work out. This is a well chilled out part of the Caribbean and when they say "welcome to Paradise" as you get off the water taxi it makes you instantly relax, which is just what we needed after a fraugth night/morning of calls to sort out how to get home. Terry in the travel office, Bri's mum and then STA on the case, it felt like an international rescue mission was underway....and the rush was to do what? Everything here is in sloooow motion and if you walk "too fast" they shout at you to slow down, my usual pace did get me into trouble a couple of times. The island is tiny and all the locals are really friendly and seem happy to have you invading. Its great to listen to them, their accent is a mix of creol & Jamacan and its delivered in that slow way that draws you in. The main drink in Belize is coconut rum and the punch is lethal......I discovered. Mable xWell Mac wasn't at all annoyed at the change in travel plans once he hit the island. Welcome to paradise indeed. This was just what he needed to finish off the trip, although a beach full of topless babes would have been nice as well. Mac and Mable took a short ride to the island of San Pedro to get some cash out as the ONLY machine on Caye Caulker stopped working, still it got them out for the morning and ment they could eat that night. The last group meal was well washed down with rum punch and last farwells said. Off home soon, Mac wonders if it will be 35c in England, will US Immigration be another mare, will the mosquito killler machine work tonight? oh sooo many questions. Mac
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/1/1240927800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/1/1240927800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/easton-martin/1/1240927800/tpod.html Fri, 01 May 2009 18:58:19 -0400 Mac and Mable's BIG adventure (plus their two minders)

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Flores, Guatemala

Early start at 5 am to get to Flores....a small town under construction. It seems they are re building the roads - all of them, so everything is covered in thick dust. We are here because Flores is near Tikal, but no one thought to tell the town that tourists might drop by, so its very quaint, rough an ready. Our hotel is like Faulty Towers but overlooking Lake Peten Itza rather than Torquay... all mod cons, it has an air con unit that sounds like a 747 is landing in your room. Set off at 5 am... again ( and this is meant to be a holiday ) to get to Tikal before the masses and it gets too hot. Its a huge Mayan site, bigger than any of the others we have visited so far and set in lush jungle. We got to see lots of beautiful birds , Coati Mundi ( big Racoons ) , Agoti ( big Hampsters) and Spider Monkeys ...which pee on you for fun and if they are naffed off they throw other nasty stuff at you! Top Tip, don't open your mouth when looking up!!For my money, Pelenque in Mexico is a better Mayan site, the carvings are outstanding and the surroundings are as good. While Tikal is impressive in terms of scale and you can climb a lot of the ruins, there are no stone carvings to see. Found out we cant go back to Mexico to fly home, but have to go Belize instead....another stamp in the passport, but not sure how we will transfer flights as we leave at 6am in the morning and BA is shut.......aghhhh. If my boss is reading this, I might be late in on Tuesday, assuming I make it back ; O ) Mable x4 o clock..... I need to say it again 4 o clock, Mable refused to write teacher a note saying he was too ill to get up so he had to. It was a long drive and sleeping in the bus made difficult by the state of the roads, so Mac only managed about 3 to 4 hours! The village has been attacked by giant moles which have dug up all the streets, apparently they are going to put the electric cables underground, well that will stop people plugging into the electric supply illegally. While the moles were at work they found evidence of Mayan settlements here, then as far as Mac can gather they ignored it and continued to dig. The following day Mac was up at 4 o clock again, YES I KNOW, now this is not funny. The drive to Pelenque was as bumpy as the previous day, Mac managed to snooze much to Mable's disgust. If you can only visit one Myan site, save up your pocket money and come here, it is spectacular. Not only for the ruins but the wildlife, monkeys, birds, crocodiles ooh so many to mention. The climb to the top of the tallest temples is not for the faint hearted but the views spectacular. Going down is a nightmare, hint, don´t look down, if all else fails gravity will take over. These Myan geezers were great builders and this site equals the shopping centre at Farnborough. One being a place where human sacrifices were made the other a place where people go to smack their kids, very similar. It is very hot here, unfortunately the air conditioning unit is louder than a Napalm Death concert so got turned off. The hotel is fine, it is only missing Basil and Cybil, there are plenty of Manwel's. Mac and Mable have also just heard that GAP are stopping all tours to Mexico, which means they are re-routing to Belize. This was ok until Mac learnt that there is no topless sunbathing there, he is still sulking. All they have to do now is try and re-arrange their flights and get shot of the Mexican money they have, where is that dodgy money swapping bloke Mac saw the other day? Mac
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