We had a much needed restorative sleep and then the various workmen arrived to survey the work. The morning was gone in a flash.
Before we moved to Suffolk (27 years ago) we lived in Rudgwick West Sussex for just under 2 years, the tennis club was our social scene. We kept up with our friend Gina and that is about it, who bizarrely bought our old house in Rudgwick a few years ago. She told us that Cheryl, who had played tennis with us at the club, was remarried to a sailor, and was cruising the ocean. Phoebe in the meantime had met up with a female founder who makes high end lingerie (including the queen!) and somehow they worked out that their parents knew each other, she was Cheryl’s daughter. Such a small world.
Anyhow we connected with Cheryl and her husband Martin, mainly about sailing as Martin is a very keen sailor and had the same make catamaran as us, and was full of advice for Rowan. They have an apartment here in Antigua and spend two months of the year here. Cheryl returns home to the UK tomorrow so we planned to meet up before she left. They came to check out our new boat, to see the improvements as their boat is a refurbed older version. Afterwards we drove around to Pigeon island and like good, mad english people went on a very hot climb up the hill in the midday heat. We had a lovely view from the top over Nelson’s dockyard, and wandered through the ruins from British barracks in the 1700’s. We had done this walk a couple of times last year, and really enjoyed doing it again.
Hot steep walk
Martin, Cheryl and Rowan looking over Nelson’s Dockyard
Back down to a cooling swim in the sea at Pigeon beach and then lunch at Catherine’s Cafe at the far end of the beach which has live music on a Saturday afternoon, so the place was heaving. We went there last year with Phoebs on a Saturday afternoon, it was fully booked but somehow Phoebs got us in. We managed to do a lot of catching up, even over the loud music.
Lunch with Cheryl and Martin
Live music under the trees
They dropped us off at sunset, giving us just enough time to digest more gruelling news from Ukraine and for us to watch Hannah’s new Netflix movie which is out. Please do all have a look, it is wonderful coverage of the Okavango Delta, called Surviving Paradise: A Family Tale, on Netflix. I know I’m biased but it is remarkable and may persuade some of you to visit the Okavango which Hannah is desperately promoting after the area has suffered from two lean years and a drought over Covid. Our friends the Ripmans are heading there later this year, with some help and advice from Han. The more watches the movie gets the better! Hannah’s boyfriend Noah is the main photographer and Hannah gets her credit as Production Manager, we are thrilled for them.
Phoebs watching Han’s Netflix movie, Han and Noah on the credits page
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