Sorrento, Italy

Top left: view of Mt Vesuvius from my bedroom window; Top Right: View from the Hotel

Bottom: The hotel

Tom strikes a daring pose, taking a photo of Corbiere (Jersey), seconds before he got drenched by a rather large wave...

...an angry Tom seconds after he got drenched by a rather large wave

Me, pulling and odd face while hoping that my earrings don't add so much wind resistance that I'll blow away

Mum, hoping Tom and I will hurry up, finish taking photos, and get back in the damn car!!

Tom attempting to fly

(St Ouen's bay) 

Me, doing a funky little jig whilst wearing an oversized coat (also adding to the wind resistance... it's amazing I didn't take off, really)

Tom and I ran up a sand dune, and took a few more pics

The Mariette Family

Mother's Day at the Hotel de France 

The food was absolutely gorgeous, and Tom definitely didn't go back for 5 (yes FIVE) desserts...

From left: Grandma, Mum, me, Dad

Picture to show Tom was still standing (ok kneeling) after FIVE desserts

From left: Grandma, me, Tom, Dad

Grandma posing for the camera!

Mum snapped this...

I'm not entirely sure what Tom & I are trying to do, but I have a sneaky suspicion some "Sound of Music"-esque melodies should be playing in the background

Easter.  Dartmoor.  The farm we stayed at. Beautiful weather.  Loads of animals.  Lots of walking.  Lots of beer.

Nuff said...

...ok, not really.

Here are a load more photos...

(We stayed at Bush Park farm http://www.bushpark.co.uk/bandb2002.htm 

- a really lovely B&B on the western edge of Dartmoor.  We definitely recommend it!)

Me with some of the local wildlife (which is looking rather non-plussed)

The Dartmoor Pony centre, which confused us a great deal because there were a lot of donkeys.

Never let it be said I don't know the difference between a donkey and a Dartmoor pony

(well, at least not after the first 5 minutes...)

Tom on a rock in Dartmoor, looking out for the Hound of the Baskervilles.

Tom & I on a rock in Dartmoor

(it looks as though the rock I'm sitting on isn't very comfortable...)

Back on the farm... a few goats come out to say hello

The biomes of the Eden Project

Very space-age.  Very impressive.

Tom takes the "quick" route down

(well, it WAS quicker than walking, if you discount the 2 hour queue!)

Quote of the day:

"It'll only be about 15 minutes now, I only have 3 people in front of me"

(said about 1 hour 45 minutes before this photo was taken...)

Tom, having been shouted at for waiting so long in the queue

(on the other hand, he thoroughly enjoyed himself on the zip-line, and it gave me some peace and quiet... so I didn't shout much!)

Tom and I in the HOT biome

It was like being back in the Amazon... although we did here some grockle exclaim:

"OOooo-ay, it's just like Centre Parks!"

This may be accurate.  We've never been to a Centre Parks.  Neither, I suspect, will we.

(Yes.  We are travel snobs.)

Inside the tropical biome

Restormel castle in Lostwithiel

Me, trying to take a break outside Retormel castle...

Tom, trying to hide in the castle

Tom & I in a secret passage, Restormel castle

Taking a break

Still trying to take a break... Tom caught me dozing on the park bench!

Tom, looking incredibly - ahem - aesthetic(???) during a picnic break on the moors

(Unfortunately I didn't get a photo of Tom's reaction when, a few seconds later, a HUGE hairy cow emerged from the undergrowth just behind him... unlike Kara's reaction to a sudden encounter with a four-legged beast, he didn't hit it... he screamed like a girl and ran for his life)

Some standing stones near our picnic spot

A standing stone after a trip to Sainsbury's 

(Ah... that's where they go when the fog sets in)

Another close encounter with the local wildlife.

Yup.  This little Dartmoor pony IS actually trying to eat the car...

Tom standing on a tor, pretending he rules the world

Me, at the bottom of the tor, thinking Tom's insane for bounding up it...

Buckfast Abbey

Shortly before an impromptu lecture from a very narrow-minded member of the local clergy.

In summary: cameras are ghastly contraptions, and the internet is evil

(just in case you were wondering)

Oh, and to cap it all off, you can pay money for an incredibly homophobic leaflet inside the abbey

And there was I thinking the church was supposed to preach tolerance, love and acceptance

Incidentally, Buckfast makes money by selling their famous wine (fortified, but not made on site) via...yes, you guessed it, the internet.

And I wonder how much they make from all the photos they sell in the gift shops.

You can just spot Tom, standing to the right of this impressive little castle in Lydford (near where we were staying)

The church in Lydford at sunset

A stealthy shot of the entrance to the infamous Dartmoor High Security Prison 

We didn't stick around for long!

Some fluffy otters at the Otter & Butterfly sanctuary

(strange mix, I know)

An otter showing off

A swimming otter

Butterflies (well, more accurately chrysalises) at the Otter & Butterfly sanctuary

An unexpected find at Bristol Temple Meads

We met up with Anne in Winchester for a birthday lunch...

Here's the birthday girl

Me and Gilli

Ex flat-mates:

Me, Gilli & Anne

Me, Tom, Anne & Daniel

by Winchester cathedral, enjoying the freakishly hot weather!