August 2013: Camping in Kent: marshmallows, cornfields, and near-death experiences – part 1

In August four of us ventured out into the lush countryside of Kent for a spot of relaxing camping, but what in actual fact ended up being a comedy of errors. We took a train south to Ashurst, laden with newly purchased tents of varying quality, one pot, a bag of marshmallows, instant coffee and some tins of baked beans.

After finding our bearings, off we plodded in the direction of the campsite, only to realise that the country roads were bordered right to the very edge with thick hedgerows. Meanwhile the roads themselves were full of rather large cars and trucks hurtling past at breakneck speed, and honking their horns at us fools who clearly shouldn’t have been there. A sweaty and stressful trek later, we arrived at the campsite.

To say we were underprepared would be an understatement. We claimed our patch of grass and pitched our tents. It soon transpired that the advertised on-site farm shop which we had been counting on for dinner that night and beyond was only open on Saturdays. It was a Thursday.

We were assured there was a shop in the next village, a short walk away. Using the unreliable maps on our phones, we eventually navigated our way to said village, by way of some slightly quieter roads. Once we arrived however, we were informed the shop was closed.

We were left with no other option than dinner in the pub – about as far from camping as you could get. Asking about the shop for tomorrow’s expedition, we were told that we would need to go to the next village again. We sighed and headed back to camp to comfort ourselves with toasted marshmallows.

A lack of foam mats, mattresses, or any form of cushioning and being unaccustomed to sleeping on the ground meant a long and relatively sleepless night for us city slickers.

A Sicilian adventure, July 2013: food, sunshine and friends, part 2

After a few days in Palermo, we jumped on a bus and then a ferry to Favignana island where we 'glamped' for a few days. This is really camping as it should be.

Waking up in the morning, we strolled to the campsite's restaurant where we enjoyed delicious pastries and cappuccinos, including Genovese - a delicious pastry which looks like a ravioli, filled with a custard-like pastry cream, although a little rich for breakfast for me.

We would then hop on our bicycles and cycle to one of many different beaches, or to the town centre. It's a truly stunning place - the colour of the water is just incomparable. It's a popular holiday spot for Sicilians, and it didn't feel like there were that many international tourists, which is often a bonus.

We had a lot of really tasty food on Favignana. Delicious foccacia, gelato, pizza, and the ubiquitous Birra Moretti. We would buy one big bottle at a time, and share amongst plastic cups, ensuring the beer was always cold.

What little we saw of Sicily we loved. We would love to come back one day soon and visit other parts of this gorgeous island, hopefully again with the fantastic company of our ever-stylish, diminutive guide.

Sadly though our time in Sicily had to come to an end, and we had to bid it, and Ester alla prossimo.

A Sicilian adventure, July 2013: food, sunshine and friends, part 1

As summer at last started to creep in, we leaped at the chance to visit Ester, our former flatmate in London, in her hometown of Palermo, Sicily.

We spent a glorious week together in the northern part of Sicily. Met off the bus from the airport by Ester and her friend, after a few wrong turns, we managed to navigate the narrow mostly sign-less alleyways of Palermo to our airbnb apartment.

Alberto, our host, welcomed us with wine and enthusiastic greetings as though we were long-lost friends. A great first taster of Sicilian culture.

Next stop: street food/drink tour. Ester and some friends joined us and the others staying in Alberto's apartments for this tour. A disagreement soon ensued about where to find the best panella (fried chickpea cakes), and pani ca meusa/panino con la milza (bread with fried lung and spleen, sometimes served with cheese - surprisingly delectable). I still don't know the answer, but everything we tried was delicious.

In Palermo, the capital of Sicily, dirty alleys lead to majestic buildings and bustling markets. Without local and linguistic knowledge you would probably not even notice, but I gather that the presence of the mafia is still felt throughout Sicily. Lack of faith in the government is also widespread, and visible; from the piles of rubbish left uncollected, to occupations of various cultural institutions whose funding the government withdrew.

 

Palermo is a passionate place. You don't do things by halves here.

Whether it's the food - cooked and eaten and discussed with gusto; or politics - hotly debated, protested and opined throughout the city; or socialising - into the wee hours of the morning; everything is done with passion.

Keen to practice our scuba diving skills we arranged for a trip out to Ustica island, a marine reserve and a picturesque island. We walked through the deserted streets to the harbour as the sun was rising - a beautiful sight. While diving, we saw a shipwreck of a Panamanian ship far below us, and made our way into an underwater cave, surfacing within an air pocket. It's a really strange feeling to know that you're underwater, but your head is currently above water, in a cave.

After a couple of dives, we enjoyed a delicious spaghetti dish and explored the island. Quite tired after the early start and the diving, I was not keen on Kylie's idea to hike up to the very top of the island at the time. I must admit, though, it really was a great view.

Guernsey, May 2013

In May I spent a weekend in Guernsey, visiting a friend from NZ, Melissa.

Guernsey is one of the Channel Islands - along with the more famous Jersey - which lie in the English Channel, although actually closer to France than the UK. It's a British Crown Dependency, although is not technically part of the UK. 

Before arriving, pretty much all I knew about Guernsey I'd gathered from The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, a great novel set during the German occupation of the island in World War II. 

Due mostly to their unique location, the Channel Islands have an interesting history, having been colonised, invaded, or influenced by Roman, Norse, French, German and British peoples over the years. The most visible influences today are the French and British however.

Castle Cornet 

Cute and delicious French restaurant

They have their own pounds, at the equal value of the GBP, and have some great ice cream (much better than neighbouring Jersey's ice cream, naturally). Nowadays it's a tax haven, hence the abundance of funds and companies based there, and need for accountants.

While I was there, we had dreadful weather one day in Guernsey, but the following day we visited the small neighbouring island of Herm and were treated to a stunning day. Herm is car-free, with a population of around 60, and we explored the island on foot, before checking out the island's beer festival that day. A lot of the landscape reminded me of NZ.