As our six-week stay in Mallorca draws to a close, we’ve kept active despite Rachel’s busy work schedule, which has often left me to explore solo. We’ve frequented the old town of Pollensa, enjoying the simple pleasure of sitting in the square and observing daily life. The weather has turned cooler lately, with mornings warming up by late morning and then cooling down around 4 PM, prompting the need for warmer clothing, something I found myself lacking.
On a rainy morning, we closed up the shutters in the apartment and headed to the airport. Despite our timely arrival and checking in, our flight, originally scheduled for 12:35 PM, was delayed repeatedly—first to 2 PM, then 4 PM, 6 PM, and eventually 7 PM, before being cancelled altogether. We relocated to a hotel in Palma with a good view of the harbour. While not the most luxurious place we’ve stayed in, our spirits were cheered somewhat when we received notice that a rescheduled flight would depart the following morning at 8:00 AM, prompting an early rise after hardly any sleep.
Fortunately, the rescheduled flight departed on time, and we arrived at a chilly Gatwick Airport, where we quickly retrieved warm clothes from the lockup, we had lunch, and then met up with Chris for much-needed haircuts. Afterward, we enjoyed a sleepover in Cobham, complete with good food and an entertaining evening with Rachel and Keith.
We continue to base ourselves in Hartford to be close to Mum, keeping busy with decorating her house and other Christmas preparations. One evening, we ventured into Cambridge for a great dinner and then on to a magical light show at the botanical gardens. The gardens provided a captivating backdrop for the lights, with a theme inspired by Charles Darwin, a former Cambridge scholar with extracts from some interesting letters leading up to his departure on the famed Beagle. Despite the cold under a clear sky, we all thoroughly enjoyed the evening.
Another memorable evening was spent at Peterborough Cathedral (resting place of Catherine of Aragon) with the rather good Cambridge and Peterborough choir, appreciating the cathedral’s impressive acoustics and architectural beauty, which was all very festive indeed. We also had the pleasure of meeting up with our good friends Richard and Remale, who were visiting from the States to see family. Our reunions with them are always special; Richard has been both a friend and mentor to me, guiding me through some of my younger, somewhat reckless days.
Dream Chasers 