Warriorbern on the Move

I find myself back in Mauritius for the second of three visits to this beautiful island this year. It is the first time I have been here in the middle of the year and it is definitely the coolest I have experienced it. But let me go back a bit. I was meant to be in Mauritius for two meetings, one today and then one next week from Monday to Wednesday, but after the air tickets had been booked the first meeting was cancelled. Initially I was going to change my flights to only leave Durban on Sunday but then decided that it would be a better idea to take a day's leave for today and have a nice long relaxing weekend here. Yesterday morning I really struggled to wake up for the early morning drive to the airport. I had spent the previous evening with some friends from school days, some of whom I had not actually seen since the last day of school many, many moons ago. It was completely worth seeing them so the late night packing session and small amount of sleep were more than ...

It wasn't raining this morning but was still overcast and cold and I thought that it wouldn't be necessary to wear a layer of thermals under my clothes. Well that thought lasted ten steps out of my hotel room before I doubled back to go and put on more clothes! It was freezing cold. My first stop this morning was the St Giles Cathedral. I had seen it in walking by but hadn't been inside.  It really is a magnificent building that ranges in age from 700 to 100 years of age depending on the section. I enjoyed seeing all the detail in the stone and wood carvings. St Giles Cathedral on the outside   Some of the carvings on the outside Gargoyles are my favourite  Another one  More stone carvings  Looking to the front of the cathedral  Some old military flags  One of the many stained glass windows  The organ pipes The memorial to James Stewart the Scottish regent from 1567 to 1570 in the Holy B...

I awoke this morning to the sound of rain hammering down. Finally the weather that I had expected for the whole week was here. Thankfully I had packed all my winter woollies so out came the thermal underwear, thermal gloves, thermal scarf and thermal beanie! My plan for the day was one of a maritime nature firstly to go to North Berwick to see some seabirds and secondly to do a tour of the Royal Yacht Britannia. To get to North Berwick I had to catch a train. I got the receptionist of the hotel to explain the shortest route to Waverley Station and set off. It was freezing cold and wet but the walk at least warmed me up. It didn't take too long to get to the station and I managed to buy myself a return ticket and find the correct platform. The train pulled into the station almost as soon as I had arrived on the platform so I could at least sit inside in the warmth to wait for departure. The journey to North Berwick was only thirty minutes but travelled through some rea...