Isle of Wight

The boys and I had 5 weeks on the Isle of Wight this winter.  Great time with mum, dad, and Liz, and super to have some easy outdoor time together.  

Here's a few images to share:

Lots of beach time 

We operate largely on foot and bicycle while there, lots of amazing trails and a good pace of life for us.

Lots of games with mum and dad

Counting the cars off the ferry

Our 30-min bike commute to granny and grandpa---past old pubs, swans, an old railroad trail, and ending up alongside a tidal wetland

Chipping pieces of flint on the beach

Still the greatest of treats; riding double decker buses!

Lots of cliff hiking

Good history lessons in every-day adventures

The local volunteer life-boat team got the boys on board for a boat tour

A great playground right outside Liz's flat.  

Thanks so much for letting us take over your space, Liz!

The boys first time riding a horse

Foggy family walk up to Tennison Down

Leif visits a rabbit

A great place for surf, and surfers

A visit to the glass factory

The boys braved the cold water a couple of times

Learning about snakes at the zoo

Spring

Uncle Bob and Auntie Margaret came to visit

The Isle of Wight is famous for it's fossils.  Check out this incredible dinosaur footprint!

I loved this willow weaving

Space, sand, and freedom.  Paradise.

An Alaskan on holiday in England in the winter... swim shorts and a down jacket!

Ever patient Auntie Liz!

Learning what knights wear at Carisbrooke Castle

The water well

Easy walking.  Liz and I took the boys on a lovely day hike across the downs and cliffs to home.  We covered 12 miles easily and quickly.  So different from Alaska hiking.

The two strongest women I know

Our friend Nick at the ferry.  Peter has been helping Nick count the cars off the ferry since he was about two years old.

 

Sad goodbyes at the ferry. 
Thank you for everything; all the adventures, reading, games, help with home-school, time together.  Love you xo 

Liz escorted us to London and got us safely on the plane

 We flew through Iceland on the way home, and took a 48 hour lay-over to go to the Blue Lagoon.  I used to work on a farm in Iceland, and have had a couple of summers working on seabirds there.   I love the landscape, people, culture and powerful energy of the land, so it felt a little jarring to be there for such a short time and stuck in a tourist world so separate from the Iceland I know.  

The blue lagoon was wonderful though, and the boys loved it.

 We even had some sunshine to explore the lava fields after our soak

Then the weather started to change, and a blizzard came in cancelling flights out for another couple of days.  We ended up taking 6 days to get home, door to door.  I don't travel with a phone or any kind of electrical device for the kids.. but both may have been handy on this trip..

Leif quickly taking one mitt off to eat a snack. 

I don't think I'd repeat this journey solo with the boys, but we visited 3 different outdoor swimming pools during this time.  Total bliss, really quiet, and great to get a glimpse into how much part of daily life these pools are for exercise and visiting.  I loved seeing fairly elderly folk swimming laps outside in a blizzard. And, the power of the wind and snow was incredible to experience.