Mum and a decade!

8/7/11

After 10 days mum has left for the return trip to Blighty and I now take up the blog once more and return to the relative life of traveller poverty. For not only was it lovely to have mums company (more on that later) she also brought along her flexible friend! So how does that translate into practical changes for the backpacker types?

• For the first time in 4 months James did not check for bed bugs
• We did not have to share accommodation with an assortment of smelly strangers
• Housekeeping services came every day not every year
• Everything worked, the electricity stayed on ALL day and toilet paper was provided!
• We ate and drank with gay abandon not once taking out a pen and paper to tally up
• We had a private pool that a) we were allowed to used, b) was clean and c) we weren’t working there!
• We traded in lethal communal transport for a private driver with an air conditioned car
• Towels were provided daily and no extra charge
• We had home comforts of cheddar cheese, newspapers, Pimms and a TV that showed Wimbledon. A little slice of Briton in our Bali living room!

Ok so we enjoyed the life of luxury but we could do that in the UK so what really made the last ten days so fabulous was mum being with us. It is always nice to see a parent after a period of absence but this was even more special as it was the first time in several years that we could turn off the phone, relax and not worry about dad. It was also the first time since his funeral that we could sit and reminisce. Remembering was lovely if not a little tear inducing so as Amy would say there were rather a lot of “soppy pathetic cuddling going on”. It was also nice to see that mum was coping and “getting on with things” in true Hilly style. That said it was clear from our conversations over the G&T’s that many people in Sedbergh had been there for her. Mum had gained much support from the daily walks with Sarah, weekly diners before band with Carol and the daily visit to collect the dog and catch up by Elspeth. All of a sudden being on the other side of the world did not seem too bad!

Now as you can imagine there was more activity than reminiscing and as James commented “Luke has a new play mate so I can have 10 days of respite.” I don’t know what h means! Every other day we would “do something” by which we mean we left the property early and explored. I wont recount the last 10 days as the guest editor provided daily missives thought her stay. On the other days we fell into a pattern of getting up lateish (not James late) but late for us two and having breakfast on the patio. Then as it was too hot, well that was our excuse anyway we would sit and read. Soon enough it would be lunch time and I would whip up a light lunch which was inevitably a large lunch as once I started there was no stopping me- oh the joys of having a kitchen! Next, nap time as our day had been exhausting, then more reading, a swim in the pool and then out for a drink and or dinner by the beech.

Predictably the ten days whizzed by and soon it was time for mum to head to the airport for a journey she described as “ completely mad if you were coming for a two week holiday. I would never come unless I had a reason too”- by which we can read it’s too far away, I will be tired when I get home and I have to sit still for two long! Anyone see similarities between us two???

So with mum gone did we decided to return to cheap living or did we have the taste of the better life? You guessed it we could not break the habit so signed up for another two nights in the fabulous villa! Our excuse was that today marked 10 years since we first got together. WOW how did that happen? It’s extremely nice and a source of amazement that 10 years has passed. So with this excuse we headed for a massage (not in a upmarket spa mind you- I am not that profligate!), then to the supermarket for some huge steaks and a bottle of expensive wine (don’t worry not gone mad and bought a vintage bottle- all wine is expensive here), some packet pepper sauce (just being lazy) and fresh potatoes (craving chips and anything that is not rice). Being equipped for a night in we locked the doors, cooked a meal and reclined on the sofa. Total bliss!