Happy Birthday

NICKY

2nd October 2010

After a night out, with the girls, Margaret and ELVIS, Nicky spent the morning of her birthday shopping with her Mum. When the shopping was over Nicky collected me from work and we were off!

Nicky was a little apprehensive but very excited as I had kept the location of our short trip away a secret.

We had been travelling for about an hour and forty minutes and I think she had an idea of our destination, but hadn’t said anything, when we passed the first sign for the I.O.W Ferry.

Even more excited now we reached the ferry port in Lymington. We were a little earlier than expected and just managed to watch a ferry leave the dock as ours was waiting patiently outside the harbour for the dock to clear.

We checked in and after listening to a grumpy man complain at how the forty minute train journey didn’t tie up with the thirty minute ferry crossing we went out side and watched our ferry dock and unload its cargo of people and vehicles.

We drove on to the ferry, parked the car and made our way upstairs. After a slight disorientation we found the sun deck or rather cloudy and windy deck. The ferry pulled away and our Island adventure began.

About thirty minutes later we arrived in Yarmouth and Nicky stepped for the first time on the Isle of Wight.

We didn’t have a very long time on the island so we headed straight off on our journey of discovery and memories.

We drove clockwise around the island taking time to see West Cowes, the ever popular roundabout in Newport, Wotton Bridge, Ryde sea front and the Helter Skelter, Bembridge harbour and the House Boats, Church Rooms and Crossfields.

We Parked the car in Lane End car park and walked along the beach.

Returning to the car we headed off and the next stop was Bembridge Windmill. A quick leap over the gate and we stood and admired the three hundred year old windmill. I was fascinated by the gate as much as the windmill.

We drove on and after Sandown front, which is now a run down seafront, we reached Shanklin and found our hotel.

The Hotel was lovely,very clean and the staff were very friendly.

Our room was on the first floor and really nice.

We dumped our bags off and headed for dinner. Mum had recommended the Spyglass Inn in Ventnor and I had really liked their website so that was our destination. The weather at this time was appalling and we eventually found a car park close to the pub. Coats on we walked to the pub.

The pub looked very inviting through the rain so we went in and shook off our coats. The Spyglass Inn was just as I had imagined it, small rooms with low ceilings packed with various different items and displays on the walls and ceilings all with a  nautical  feel. We found a quiet room in a corner and sat down only to find that once upon a time many years ago the seat I had chosen had once been a ship commode!

The food was great, the company fantastic and the gent playing the piano in another room gave the whole pub a relaxed feeling.

The next morning we had a magnificent breakfast in the hotel and then set of for the Roman Villa in Brading.

The mosaics and guided tour were incredible, even I found it really interesting. We seemed to lose about two hours amongst the romans and  Vectensians we even learnt a little from the romans about under floor heating!

Next stop the The Garlic Farm an “Aladins Cave “ of tastes, smells and all things garlicy. Another interesting stop where we bought some little garlics to plant and nurture ourselves like a yearly reminder of our trip.

We continued on our clockwise trip around the island taking in the sights as we travelled. The weather still pretty miserable but even in the rain the hardened body boarders were out taking advantage of the swell.

Last stop before the ferry trip back to the mainland was Alum Bay and The Needles Pleasure Park. Granted in the rain and the wind it was not that magnificent but the boys at work at Alum Bay Glass made for an interesting end to our trip.

I loved my twenty four hours on the Island. I saw some things I had never seen before and saw some things it was lovely to see again. I think Nicky enjoyed her birthday trip and we both promised to go again but next time for longer.