I'm hot

Well, as predicted, it is hot in Mallorca. Yesterday afternoon I was sitting on my bunk with sweat from the back of my head going drip…drip…drip on to my shoulder. It peaked at 32 deg. We did get the boat launched in the morning, and I spent the afternoon reading Harry Potter and shouting at anyone who interrupted me. Today is slightly cooler (30 deg) and also breezier, and perhaps we’re adapting a bit.

Bonaire is a very pleasant spot, with lots of pine trees, a couple of little rocky coves, a small supermarket, and various cafes and restaurants. Ben and I have swum a few times, in fact living in the sea seems quite attractive, although yesterday afternoon it got pretty choppy in the cove around the corner. I expect my fingers would go wrinkly after a while.

There is a brand new wifi network here, only connected today, with no security as yet – hence the post. It’s also given me a chance to check the forecast. We might change our plans as there looks like a week of steady north-easterlies, which would be on the nose for going to Menorca. Still the forecast could change, and we’re not expecting to leave until Monday. The biggest problem with being here in July and August is that there are 36,000 yachts in the Balearics but only 30,000 moorings, and a ban on any further marina development. We plan to anchor a lot (not always my favourite thing as regular readers will know) but the E coast of Mallorca is not going to be very sheltered in strong easterlies.

Just at the moment the sea breeze is howling alarmingly in the rigging of the boat next to us and I feel like staying here for the next three weeks. Top spot so far is the café around the corner with enormous padded basket chairs, hammocks and daybeds with awnings, all in the shade of the pine trees. It’s very sybaritic.

Sunshine and bottom scraping

On Monday night I phoned Sam in Mallorca. It was about 7.30pm in the UK, dark, very windy, cold and of course bucketing with rain. He told me he was sitting outside and still sweating at 8.30pm Spanish time. Too hot for me, but it has to be better than the UK. He has been cleaning, antifouling and replacing underwater things like anodes, while Kalessin is out of the water.

Ben and I are on a late flight to Palma tomorrow - we don't land until almost midnight and probably won't get on board until about 2am. Then at about 8am we will have to be up and about as Kalessin is being re-launched. The launch was originally promised for the 26th but it seems the boatyard staff "discovered" it was a festival day... well it is Spain, after all.

Guy returned from the Eastern Haze festival at the weekend absolutely coated in mud - he forgot his wellies. I am worrying in a maternal sort of way about who will scrub his jeans while we are away. I don't think his girlfriend's mother should have to do it. He has a driving theory test booked on 14 August - will he remember if I don't remind him? Will he even remember about getting to Stansted to fly out and join us onthe 21st? Worry, worry...

It's very quiet here

It's very, very quiet in our house today.

Guy is at a festival in Needham Market all weekend.

This morning a rather harassed-looking post lady arrived with a package from Amazon... and Ben has disappeared into the world of Hogwarts and Voldemort until further notice.

Sam and I had a rather complicated afternoon. He's flying out to Palma, Mallorca, this evening and thought it would be good to try the route we have recommended for Guy - train from Diss to Colchester and bus from Colchester station to Stansted. Arrived at Diss station to find loads of people milling around, no trains visible and the train due at 1317 running "27 minutes late". There are no trains at all from Diss to Norwich because of engineering works.

Never mind, I said brightly. I'll drive you to Colchester. What time is your bus? 1420, he says. I am equipped for a 10 minute drive to the station, i.e. gardening clothes, glasses not contact lenses, no cash, no charge in phone.

We drove very slowly to Colchester in holiday traffic, and as we turned off the A12, there was a vast traffic jam both on the A12 and into Colchester. Crawled incredibly slowly to the station. Got there about 1427. People at bus stop said Stansted bus had not arrived yet. Walked up and down nervously.

At around 1445 Sam admitted that actually he had misread the timetable and the bus should leave the train station at 1445. At 1455 it turned up, hooray!

I drove back home and headed into Diss to go to the charity shop in town with the best book selection, to stock up for our trip. As I got there they were locking up - half an hour early because the manager is away. I got a pitiful few books elsewhere and as I walked back to the car the heavens opened and I got soaked.

When I got home I checked the timetables. The train was due to leave Diss at 1327, not 27 minutes late as Sam thought. It should have reached Colchester at 1411, absolutely masses of time to catch the bus. Memo to self: next time, check timetable first & do not rely on husband. Also checked details which he has typed out for Guy. Train and bus times are all absolutely correct. Memo to self: do not rely on husband's memory when he is stressed...

Ben and I fly out on Thursday. We will drive to my parents' house in Essex, leave the car there and get a lift to Stansted. I have now worked out a detailed timetable for the whole thing.