Travel Tips

It has occurred to me that, unless you happen to have met me in reality or virtuality, I haven't said much about myself on my pages.

So maybe it's a good idea to make an album with a bit of background.

I was born and lived for eighteen years in Wolverhampton, a grimy industrial town in the Midlands of England. My father worked in a factory, my mother never worked outside the home, and I'm the only person in my family who has gone to university. This only happened because my teacher persuaded my mother to put my name down for what is still one of the top state schools for girls in the country, and I passed the required exam (11+).

When I left to go to university in Bangor, North Wales (still a very special place for me) I was determined never to live again in the dirt and grime of the West Midlands. And I haven't, and I won't, although where I live now is in the East Midlands (not quite so bad).

I've lived in Bedford and Brentwood (near London) too, at various times.

I married very young, and have two adult children whom I largely brought up as a single parent. I'm very proud of both of them. My daughter is a university librarian, my son a newspaper reporter (at present taking time out to do a further degree).

In December 2008 I was given my first grandchild......and am very proud of him and his mother. :-)

I've lived by myself (except for the children) for nearly twenty years, but that is not something I wanted (or want). It was simply what happened.

I'm a teacher and still love being with 'my' children, despite the mess various governments have made of UK education.

I've only been able to travel abroad for the past 6 years or so, when funds became available. I'm making the best of it whilst I can: when I stop working those funds will cease to exist.

Things I like:

Wandering for ages round new places, seeing what I can see.

Meeting new people, though I do find it scary and it takes a while for me to loosen up.

Archaeology, and digging, and history (I like pre-1600 history most).

People-watching.

All dancing, especially salsa.

Reading: novels mostly (especially crime) as long as they are well-written, but also non-fiction.

Walking along beaches, especially in wild weather.

Walking anywhere in the countryside.

Wild flowers and birds.

Beach-combing, fossil-hunting, field-walking.

Horse-riding.

Eating anything, but especially sweet things ........ and especially Italian ice-cream.

White wine (I like red but it gives me a headache). Vodka (especially flavoured Polish vodka......and especially bisongrass flavour).

Good coffee, always black. Or a nice strong mug of 'builder's tea'.

Music: I have eclectic tastes, from the Orb through Lou Reed through Pink Floyd to Satie and Orff, Elgar and Gilbert & Sullivan. Itend to like individual pieces rather than all the works of any one group/singer/composer.

Gardening, but only in the 'rip it out and tidy up' sense. I hate pristine English gardens with everything neatly aligned in rows. My garden is full of self-setters, as wild as I can allow it to be whilst still maintaining some semblance of order.

Things I dislike:

Not much, in truth. I'm a tolerant sort of human and as long as you don't expect me to take part I don't much care what you do.

Fascism, racism, right-wing politics.

Cruelty and aggression, physical or verbal or intellectual. Including abuse on internet forums, which is one reason I like VT so much: if it happens (and that is rare), it's swiftly removed. That is as it should be, imo.

People who have babies because they 'want someone to love them' and don't realise that having children is not about that at all. People who don't realise (or don't care) that bringing up a child is the most important thing you can ever do. People who think that their children should come second to what 'they' want. People who think that material wealth is all that matters. Sorry.........bit of a rant, but I've been teaching for such a long time and have seen so much damage done to children, one way or another.

Coffee-flavoured anything (except coffee).

Tinned pilchards (traumatic experience with school dinners!)

Camping. I do it when I have to (when digging) but I hate the damp and the chill and the discomfort (am talking UK camping here).

Things which make me happy (in no particular order):

space and time to be by myself .... doesn't have to be a vast amount, but it's something I really need

sleep .... I love my bed, and I need my sleep

going somewhere new......anywhere will do

wandering round UK charity (thrift) shops....you never know what you'll find

smelling a newly-cut lawn in Spring, or the damp soil after a rain shower

watching a thunderstorm....even better, watching the sea in a storm

exploring truly ancient places, especially when I can be by myself (or with one other person)

reading a really good book, one which remains with me when I'm not reading it and makes me desperate to get back to it

learning new things....I love researching (that's why I'm over the VT forums like a rash) and can't imagine a time when I would want to stop learning.

Things in which I have no (or very little) interest:

shopping

material wealth

the latest whizzy technology

sport (sorry!)

spending a fortune on hairdressers, manicurists, artificial tans, plastic surgery, designer clothing

girly chit-chat

This album won't let me reorder the chapters (no swap button tonight, weirdly), so the 'grandmother & grandson' photo will have to be stuck on at the end.

He's very smiley and placid baby. (months old in this photo, ptember 2009) and, like his father, is obviously going to be much, much taller than both his maternal grandmother and his mother!