Dorset (30th May – 22 June)

Claire and Jonathan were well prepared for our ten days home quarantine. Nigel was perfectly happy to work his way through Jonathan’s stash of McEwans Export and Sue was equally content with the supply of bubbles.

Finally, after two more negative PCR tests, multiple check-up phone calls and a visit from the COVID ‘police’, we were free to explore the lovely old town of Wareham and the beautiful Dorset coast and countryside.

We even managed to make a few new friends, visit some new restaurants and eventually enjoy a visit from Daniel and Eryn who were still based in Portsmouth.

Jordan and Amy-Jane treat Jonathan to Fathers Day lunch.
A night out in Bournemouth with Nick and Donna

Next stop Durham (22 June – 3 August)

Just a one hour train ride to Southampton, followed by a 1 hour flight to Newcastle with a pick-up by Nigel’s brother, David, for a 40 minute drive to Tudhoe and we are finally back with Nigel’s parents.

One of the bonuses for us living in Abu Dhabi had been the opportunity to get back to visit family at least once a year. COVID had ended that. With all of our cancelled flights and changed plans we were beginning to wonder if we would ever manage this visit before heading back to New Zealand. It was so good to be here at last.

The north-east weather was mostly cooperative so we managed to fit in a good number of day trips with Eric and Christine, multiple local walks with just the two of us and several trips to Teesdale with combinations of us with Sue, with Sue, John and David and even all of us plus Daniel and Eryn who managed to make another trip north.

Our tour guide, David, led us on a fabulous hike through the rugged scenery of Teesdale National Park. We were sure that most of the running commentary was pure bullshit but it did make for an entertaining day.

David gives up trying to teach John how to read a map
A posed picture in which David demonstrates to everyone that he is taller than Daniel and Eryn. Nobody is convinced!

The Crawford siblings

Our solo walks included a revisit to Barnard Castle in Teesdale and obviously led to Durham City on several occasions but we also explored various routes to Bishop Auckland and visited the Roman ruins at Binchester for the first time – apparently the best preserved Roman baths in the country.

Another guided walk with David, Sue and John. Another glorious day.

A day out with Sue – God’s Bridge in Teesdale

The good old British phone box is really no longer needed. But a few are being given a new lease of life. From left to right – a defibrillator next to Durham Cathedral, a library in Tudhoe Village and a real working phone box in Portsmouth.

A little bit of family history was uncovered when Nigel offered to clean up his maternal grandmothers grave. Christine never knew her mother and was unsure of the exact cause of death. She suspected that it was related to complications after childbirth.

As the the grave site was cleaned, memories came flooding back. We also sought out a copy of the death certificate from the General Register Office. This showed that the cause of death was actually pulmonary tuberculosis – a big killer at this time.

Six weeks flew by, as we knew it would. We have had lots of practice at goodbyes but it doesn’t get any easier.

Back to Dorset (3rd – 29th August)

Lots more walking around Wareham and of course back to the Dorset coast.

A family reunion in the New Forest – Sue’s sister Sarah with her ‘children’ Francis and Gregor. A good excuse for an elaborate picnic.

“Trust me, I’m a funeral director”

We had a fabulous extended weekend with Daniel and Eryn at their apartment in Portsmouth. As an added bonus Emily managed to travel down from London.

Let the party commence

The apartment was a stones throw from the historic naval dockyards so between amazing breakfasts and evening parties we managed some cultural activities.

We had last visited the Mary Rose not long after it was raised back in the 80’s. At that time it was still on its side and constantly sprayed to help preserve it. Today it is housed in a purpose built museum next to Nelson’s flagship, Victory.

The museum is fascinating. The wreck is on display as though the ship has been sliced down the centre line. On each deck, video projections give enactments of life onboard. Well worth a visit.

The Mary Rose visit took much longer than anticipated so we chose to return the next day to see Victory and Warrior.

On our last day the boys opted to take the ferry across the harbour to visit the submarine museum, Eryn went for a run and Sue and Claire went for retail therapy. We only have photos from the ferry trip and the submarines….

While we spent our remaining few weeks in Dorset, Daniel and Eryn managed to do some Covid permitted travel around Europe. They will end up back in New Zealand shortly after us.

The UK segment of our Long Trip Home ended on Sunday 29 August with a delicious brunch (our last Curtis black pudding for a while) before a car ride to Heathrow and our flight to Abu Dhabi.

Thank you Claire and Jonathan for being such amazing hosts and to Amy-Jane and Jordan for putting up with your Aunty and Uncle for so long. Looking forward to seeing you all in New Zealand at some stage and to being back in Dorset some time soon.

Now to the next stage…