Met Commodore Jamie Miller CBE last night in the hotel bar. He was with a group of military types from the Royal Gibraltar Regiment who were very smartly dressed in mess uniform – bright red jackets, dark trousers with a wide red stripe running down the side and spurs. You are probably aware that you only get to wear spurs if you are of field rank or above. I wasn’t but I asked. The Commodore wasn’t left alone long enough by the junior officers who had probably been dispatched to escort him to an association dinner – they were drinking soft drinks. I looked him up and boy did CM have a distinguished service career. He was a survivor from the sinking of HMS Coventry during the Falklands war.
This morning we take our leave of Gibraltar on the only sunny day there has been for our entire week on the Iberian peninsula. Apparently it isn’t going to last long as another week of rain lies ahead. My suitcase is 10kg heavier going home than it was coming out. Funny description of a bag, suitcase. I doubt they carry many suits these days. I suppose in the days when suits were normal attire people would travel with a number of them. I own two suits: the one I bought for Hannah & George’s wedding and my dinner suit. The latter gets worn perhaps once every three or four years nowadays. Every couple of years maybs. Usually rugby club dos.
I am pleased to tell you that my umbrella made it through security without a hitch but my body didn’t. My titanium hips set off the metal detector. It was quite interesting to hear the sound of metal being detected as the security guy subsequently ran the hand held scanner over my body.Should be boarding soon so I think I’m gonna sign off for now. Ciao amigos.
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Home sweet home and the heating is switched on. Will take a while for the hoose to warm up especially as we need a new heat exchanger for the boiler. Feels a bit surreal being back in Lincoln when only this morning we were 1,500 miles or so away in Gibraltar.
I’m unpacked and have consumed a sausage sandwich. Got the driver to stop off at the Coop on Newport to pick up the necessary supplies. Looking forward to getting back to normal eating habits.
Picked up a few fox vids off the lake cam which I’ll need to review and record – a job for tomorrow.