Day 6 Alrewas

There were three in a boat and the little one said...

Went canoodling down the canal today. I’m not really sure it’s a proper word but we’re in inflatable kayaks. I think the term comes from crossing canoeing and noodles (like the ones for water play as apposed to those found in chow mien).

Nicholas and I are going out with Cheryl, Mum, Marcus, Seb and a friend of Seb’s called Tom. We launched three canoes into the canal behind the house. Each canoe holds and adult, a child and a couple of oars. Save for Cheryl’s as Seb and Tom go together. These things are exceptionally stable and highly unlikely to tip over; none the less all the kids have life jackets.

One of the most exciting points in this little adventurette was when we took it in turns to go down the weir. Marcus took Nicholas on the first run. I took Seb and Tom on the second. Then Marcus and I ‘raced’ Nan and Nicholas.  As the short video may indicate a little cheating may be in evidence before Marcus declared us the winners. It may require a photo finish judgment.

On our return trip Marcus and Nicholas travelled together. Marcus did the lion’s share of the “oaring”- as Seb would call it. But there is one rather narrow stretch where laden tree branches overhang the stream. It was while trying to avoid one of those dangling leafests  Marcus accidentally got himself rather badly stung by some nettles hanging out in a nearby reed bed. 

While gallantly trying to steer the canoe away he dug the paddle in a little too deeply and brushed against the nettles. Immediately the pain enflamed his arm and there was nothing to do but collapse into the boat in agony.

Both Marcus and Nicholas called out for assistance and I rather callously called back:

“There’s not much we can do from here. You’ll have to man up and keep paddling.”

There were a few more calls of “I can’t” and “it’s too difficult” but Nicholas took the paddle and ‘oared’ towards Nan and I. By the time they reached us Nan had managed to collect some ‘doc’ leaf.  Marcus applied it to his arm and after a few minutes to recover felt like he could take the oar and feel he can complete the circuit.

I said it as a joke but both boys did, in fact “man up and keep paddling.”

Family portrait

Day 5 Llanbradoch to Alrewas

This water is a LOT colder than I thought

What is so nice about my sister’s place is the sense of community.

Nan, Nicholas and I collected Marcus and Saeb from school, walked through the village and back again. By the time the boys got their togs on there were another four children in the back garden. Apparently, this happens often. A multitude of children hang out in the Creaser’s back garden.

The afternoon was fun packed, with all of them dressed for swimming, jumping in and out of the paddling pool. The boys called to one another to soak the girls with the hosepipe and the girls shrieking in either delight or annoyance. The hosepipe, when it was trained toward the trampoline, was fun too, with everyone either jumping over, running through, or rolling under the jet of water.

After an hour or so had passed everyone was in their towel, wrapped up and drying off, warming back up in the sun.

It was only then that Marcus took it upon himself, grabbing Katie and pushing into the pool, towel and all…

… like any great prankster he scuttled back into the house and cowered in fear of coming back out. Rightly so, it would seem, for the girls were prowling around the garden with filled water guns and buckets, hell bent on revenge.

Once both Cheryl and Mark were back, some hours later, the girls had been home and had returned to play in the pool once again. Marcus had chosen to get dressed and sit with the adults, engaging in the conversation.

The conversation had finally gotten to the retelling of the above mentioned incident. A general consensus being arrived at that I should put Marcus over my shoulder and unceremoniously dump him into the pool.

Not being one to disappoint, this I did, and much to the whoops of delight from the girls. After an initial shock of disbelief Marcus accepted the incident graciously and proceeded to play in the pool for a further 15 minutes, while still fully dressed.

Day 4 Nantgarw and Caerphilly

Yummy icecream afterwards

 Nicholas has never been 10-pin bowling!

What a deprived childhood he has suffered!

What sort of father am I?!

I think today is the day to rectify this miscarriage of neglect.

Nantgarw’s Bowl-plex is the place for us. The 21 lane bowling complex is situated among the showcase movie multiplex, Freddie and Benny’s heart attack joint, and next to the ASDA ‘Walmart delight’.

Three games for $6.50 each, a real bargain. As we get ourselves ready a memory of mine flashes through my mind.

I must have been about 12 or 13. One weekend I spent with my and dad we decided to go bowling. Just the three of us. We had our games together, I don’t recall the score but I think it safe to say I’d lost. The punishment was being the one who had to get out of the car when we got the Chinese takeaway, dash across the car park, through the pouring rain and order.

So I’ve ordered sweet and sour chicken for my sister and me. My dad has his usual “Beef curry, fried rice and chicken and mushroom soup”.

I’m sitting in the waiting area. Its only supposed to be 10 minutes, but I swear it feels twice that and I’m starting to get bored. I look around, I see the other customers, I puff out my cheeks. I look at the ground, at my shoes. I look around again. Now back to my shoes… wait, they’re not my shoes, they’re my bowling shoes!

I’ve left my trainers at the bowling alley!

So I’ve shared this story with Nicholas and Nan. We laugh and play our games.

About an hour later; after we’ve each won a game. Left Driven to, parked at, then circumnavigated Caerphilly castle on foot. We’re finally taking a breather, sitting on the wall. I start to recount the story again, the bowling, the Chinese food and Nan looks at me  I’ve lost the plot. And Nicholas’ brain is screaming at him that he knows the story and bursting to tell us the punch line. So I say:

“So I look down, and what do I see on my feet?”

“BOWLING SHOES!” shouts Nicholas with great delight.

“That’s right,” I say and their eyes follow mine down to the ground, to Nan’s feet… to Nan’s bowling shoes.

Day 3 Cosmeston Lake

Climbing around at the lake

 I remember, as a high school student, going to Cosmeston Lake. We walked around the lake, we had lunch at the lakeside and we followed the nature trail. But there are no French exchange students to be seen. I don’t get to play on the adventure playground this time.

Instead I’m walking around the lake with my son, its 25 years later and we’re making a bivouac out of sticks in the woods.  

The lake opened in 1978 and has developed into one of the finest country parks in South Wales. Excavation of the park area all those years ago uncovered the remains of the community over 600 years old.

There now stands within the grounds of the park, Cosmeston Medieval Village which hopes to reconstruct what life would’ve been like all that time ago.

But for us, time is short, we need to head to the international pool in Cardiff for a quick swim before we meet up with friends….

Alas, the pool is a refit. The tiles on the base of the pool have risen up, the pool is leaking due to construction work just next door. Doh!

Fear not Barry pool is open, but not for much longer. “Let’s try Cogan, its closer, we’ll be able to have longer in the pool.” Says Nan.

Alas, there wasa fire at the pool and it’ll be closed for refurbishments. “You could come back in October” we’re told.  Double Doh!

I have come to the conclusion that I need to take a long look at the map. Where we are staying is nowhere near where I thought we were.  And for a geography major that can be a little embarrassing.

For those of you who are reading this online here is the link to the google map of the trip.

Vicki married Vianne a few years ago , they have a three year old son . Vicki is a local girl, and when I say local its all rather relative because Vianne is from Uganda.  He’s applied for citizenship and has to attend a special ceremony to receive his British passport. It’s all very exciting. No more applications for visas whenever they decide to go on holiday, visit family or he has to attend the occasional work conference.

But before all this can happen he has to sit “the test”. He studied the manual, learned the history, but it turns out most of the questions concerned everyday life stuff, like “What two types of card do British banks issue?” The test seems undifferentiated and clearly is designed with the recent migrant with minimal grasp of England, her language or culture rather than someone who studied for 3 years at Leister University and has been working he for the a further 6 years after that.

Day 2 – The Longest Day Pt2

Part 2: London to Llanbradoch

Ystrad Mynach park

This year, for the Evanses its not the 22^nd June that’s officially the longest day but rather today.

Nicholas and I have spent the past 12 hours on board CX243. We began the day, just after midnight, in Hong Kong its now a little after 5am local time and with the rest of the day ahead of us we make our bleary way through the labyrinth that is Heathrow Airport.

We’ve totaled up the travelling as there is little else to do while we wait for our luggage to appear.

Napier to Auckland	1 hour
Waiting	3 hours
Auckland to Hong Kong	11 hours
Waiting	4 hours
Hong Kong to London	12 hours
London to Llanbadoch	2.5 hours
Total	33.5 hours

Is it really any wonder Nicholas fell asleep in the car on the way to Wales?

We arrive at Mum’s, or Nan’s depending on who you’re speaking to. Nicholas is now bright as a button and ready for action. Simon, on the other hand is seriously flagging now.

But when sleep won’t come what’s the alternative? Fresh air and sunshine. And Ystrad Mynach park has it in spades.

Nicholas loved the park, the swings and the climbing frame particularly. Just what’s in order after 33 hours of confinement. That and a quality game of hide and seek with Nan.

The name Ystrad Mynach, in Welsh, refers to the wide, flat bottomed valley which would be subject to periodic flooding. The valley in this instance, was originally heavily farmed and very profitable for decades. But then came the industrial revelation and huge engineering works appeared, supporting the fledging coal mining of the valleys. It changed the nature of the community. Population increased, low cost terraced housing began to dominate the narrow roadsides and valley walls. Progress it would appear. So it remained for the much of the 20^th century until the coal industry in Wales began to dwindle, out priced by cheapening transportation bringing cheapening coal for far flung places. The town began to spiral downward. Off spring moving away, seeking education and opportunity, fewer and fewer returning to their roots. Until central government funding for conservation and preservation kicked in and community engagement programmes encouraged the regeneration of the area from the mid 90’s.

Here we are. Relaxing at Nan’s. If there’s one person who likes playing lego and crawling around on the floor as much as Nicholas, its Nan.

Day 2 – The Longest Day Pt1

Part 1: Hong Kong to London

Figure 1 Hong Kong at night wallcoo.net

As the plane made its approach into Hong Kong a sight met our eyes that took our breath away. You have not seen a city from the air until you see Hong Kong on approach.

It was a magical sight, the streams of lights disappearing and reappearing from the distance, sweeping and spinning in a kaleidoscope of glistening roadways. A thousand skyscrapers individually lit, flooding the spaces between with 3 dimensional columns of light. The pitch black of the midnight hour contrasted and mingled with the low hanging, gray cloud. My words don’t do it justice and I’m kicking myself for stowing the camera in the overhead locker. But then the depth and vastness of the city would merely be hinted at.

Nicholas is asleep, finally, we are three hours from Hong Kong, I can’t sleep, my feet hurt, I can’t read for fear the overhead light will awaken Nicholas. My only option is to go for a walk. I head to the back of the plane, it is where the fruit, water and assortment of snacks is hiding.

Figure 2 B747 Cathay Pacific,Hong Kong Airport panoramio.com

As I draw the curtain back I startle a steward. She’s on her first long haul flight. Her usual routes during training have been between Hong Kong and Japan, which she tells me is about four hour hop. But those jobs are for training and the senior staff with families and wider responsibilities. The grueling long haul is for the young, the keen and the single.

It’s a big step for Vivanne. Last year she was working at a bank in Hong Kong, a cubicle on the 22^nd floor. Now she is seeing the world. I ask her if she is really seeing the world, or is it an endless roundabout of airport hotels and boarding lounges?

She said, “Of course, we often have two days of at the turnaround shift and that often happens somewhere other than Hong Kong. She has seen much of Japan, has enjoyed the Auckland sites and Waihiki Island over last weekend. After another day off tonight she’ll be heading to Australia.

Her parents don’t like it and sometimes she feels guilty about her career choice but she says she needs to do this while she is young. All too quickly marriage children and societal responsibilities will be upon her. We chat for a few more minutes as she explains Hong Kong airport, the escalators, the monorail, the transfer station and the care that we need to take as we amble through the departure lounge. I ask if there are seats so Nicholas can get an hour or two horizontal sleep before we board for the final leg.

She says there are a few but not nearly enough. It turns out she is absolutely right… And with red rimmed eyes Nicholas and I attempt to amuse each other while we sit and wait… and wait … and wait.

Its hard to grasp where one day finishes and the next begins. But somewhere between one plane landing and the next taking off the midnight hour clicks over.

Day 1 - So it begins

Napier to Hong Kong

8am Napier Airport

Napier Airport was originally an aerodrome, a giant reminder of which appears out of the gloomy morning. An ancient fixed winged aircraft is pictured beside a shack, a small crowd awaiting departure. The shack is labeled. “Koru lounge” ^[1] it reads.

10,000 people arrived on the morning of June 1932 to witness the opening of Napier Areodrome.

A similar crowd witnessed the arrival of Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith, a month later, in the “Southern Cross” ^[2] to mark the opening of the “New Napier Carnival”, hosted by the aerodrome. This was said to mark a beginning of a great era for Napier and the wider Hawkes Bay.

But it was not until 1964 when Sir Hector McGregor ^[3]  formly opened Hawkes Bay Airport.

Now here we are 50 years later awaiting the first of our three flights taking us to London via Auckland and Hong Kong. We feel quite fortunate to discover we are able to check our 18.5kg luggage here and, fingers crossed we’ll see it when we land in Blighty 33 hours from now.

10 am Auckland Airport

Compared to Napier, Auckland is a sprawling metropolis. The day is a little overcast and as we make our way along the footpath it threatens to rain. We don’t mind. I like the walk, appreciate it for what it is… the last stretch of the legs before cattle class. And Nicholas doesn’t mind either, he’s riding along on the baggage trolley.

I’m not sure how the conversation started. I think Nicholas asked about the difference between our passports or maybe I was telling him the close shave I had with getting the passport and visa returned to me in time. Either way, it ended with a rather loud remark from Nicholas about how I’ll be nearly fifty in ten years time, how old I’ll be, how I’ll be ripe for playing Santa at school with my own big white beard and bushy eyebrows.

I only acted shocked and appalled. Really I don’t mind. There is small group of expectant, nervous travellers smiling and giggling along with the conversation.

Soon we are in conversation with Ryan, a nineteen year old boyfriend heading to Hong Kong to meet the potential in-laws. He wears an open smile and a Superman T-shirt not dissimilar from the one Nicholas has, minus the red undies outside his pants.

We spend a few minutes talking about how far Hong Kong is. How long the flight will be, some 9,178km! Is that most of the way? England is reported as being 12,000km, two thirds at least. This is good news. Surely.

But a little  I check on the inflight map and much of the journey is North and North-West. We’ll still have quite a way to go from Hong Kong.

Aircraft Stats

	Napier - Auckland	Auckland – Hong Kong	Hong Kong – London
Aircraft	Q300	Airbus A340-300	Boeing 777-300ER
Length	25.68 m	63.6 m	73.9 m
Wingspan	27.43 m	60.3 m	64.8 m
Passenger seating range	50–56	295	451
Typical cruise speed	528 km/h	881 km/h	905 km/h
Takeoff run	1,178 m	3,050 m	3,050 m
Range	2,034 km	17,000 km	14,690 km
Crew	2	2	2

^[1] The Koru Lounge is the name for Air New Zealand's network of domestic airline lounges in New Zealand.

^[2] Southern Cross is the name of the Fokker F.VIIb/3m trimotor monoplane which in 1928 was flown by Australian aviator Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and his crew in the first ever trans-Pacific flight to Australia from the mainland United States, about 7,250 miles (11,670 km).

^[3] Air Marshal Sir Hector Douglas McGregor, KCB, CBE, DSO, RAF, (15 February 1910 – 11 April 1973) was a senior Royal Air Force commander.