Shouting from the Hop

This weekend we fly off on holiday to Dominica - we booked the trip only three months ago, but it seems like it's been a lifetime arriving. We both need a break, having worked hard over recent weeks/months, and Dominica should be wonderful. There seems to be so much to do once we are there, hiking in the mountains, trekking to waterfalls (left), black sand beaches, and it's carnival time too!

Luckily, our flight tickets have been revised and we do not now have to spend a night in Antigua on the way out there. That is, as long as the flight is on time, as we don't have long between connections!

Our hotel sounds great - apparently it's the best on the island - and it's where Johnny Depp and co. stayed while filming the next couple of Pirates in the Caribbean films last summer. I might even get the same room (and bed!) that Johnny had...

We plan to climb the highest mountain on the island - a four hour walk/crawl up to the 4000 foot summit - and also visit Boiling Lake - the World's second largest thermally active lake (left) - which is a world eco-sight. There are plenty of good waterfalls within easy access too it seems, and we like to see them. I may even be tempted to get in the water and get waterfalled on!

I'm sure to post lots of pictures on here when we get back...

So Annabel says do I want to go on an Italian car rally? Of course, I say. What better excuse to make a visit to the States and get to do a road trip too!

This was last May; I'd finished work on the Friday, and flew off to DC on the Monday morning. Annabel met me, as she always does, at Dulles, and we drove to her home. She lives up past Georgetown, near the Russian Embassy.

I stayed at her place for a couple of nights - eating, drinking, meeting friends, walking around during the day while she was at work, trying to sort out another job, that sort of thing - then we flew off (very) early on the Wednesday morning for LA.

History lesson - I first met Annabel in 1986, when she and Holly were presented to me by my neighbour as young girls in need of a place to stay. They were both over in the UK for six months on a work exchange programme, but needed a temporary home, and I had space at my house. A temporary two weeks turned into six months! So over the few months we slowly became frends through many a turbulent time.

We carried on our friendship over the years, with my visiting California, DC, LA, etc, and Annabel and friends coming over to the UK whenever they could. Originally both from small towns in the hills outside Sacremento, Annabel now lived in DC, while Holly had settled in LA.

This was the first time since 1992 that all three of us would be reunited though!

Annabel drove the hire car up from Long Beach to Studio City, and we took a detour along Mulholland Drive. Holly and her children met us, and we had a lovely day out at Malibu Beach (left). Next day Annabel and I went off to Disneyland, and Holly, her husband Jon, and the kids met us there later that afternoon. On the Friday, we drove over to a friends house near the Baldwin Hills in South LA, and then all drove back north again, with Annabel, me and Stephen stopping off at the Getty Museum. There followed a very drunken night - let's just mention the vodka bottle, hot-tub, and Trivial Pursuit!

Next day, Annabel and I drove around the Hollywood hills, and through Beverley Hills, people watching more than anything. That afternoon, we said our goodbyes and drove back down to Long Beach for the overnight flight back to Dulles.

So what has this got to do with being a cover star???

Well, after landing at Dulles very early in the morning, we hung around for a couple of hours, and then partook in an Italian car rally, starting from the Ferrari of Washington dealership near the airport. It was fantastic arriving (in a Saab!), and after parking away from the Italian showroom, seeing all these wonderful classic car exhibits arrive - Ferraris, Maserati's, Alfa's, Bugatti's, Lancia's, Lamborghini's, etc. I took a bunch of pictures, one of which is here (left).

We borrowed an Alfa, from Annabel's friends Brewster and Sherry, and took off in formation (don't go too fast!) following five Ferrari's. We kept up as long as we could around the back roads of Virginia, but eventually lost them after a couple of the cars in front nearly made a wrong turn. They had to stop, reverse, and then disappeared into the distance as we struggled not to get lost and preserve the gearbox! We ended up at Summit Point raceway, and after watching some fun racing, we got to drive round the track a few times posing!

The bad news was that as it was hot and sunny, and we went too fast for me to wear a hat, I got quite a sunburnt face during our drive!

Anyway, it was a lovely day, and we all really enjoyed ourselves, as we did for the remaining week of my visit.

A few months later, and Annabel has sent me this magazine with us on the cover (bottom - in the red Alfa), and with another pic of us and a namecheck inside! Thanks Brewster!

So we made it on the cover of a magazine - OK , it's not Vogue, or Hello!, but it's a start!

Annabel has invited me back to do it all over again this year, but we'll have to see how that clashes with work, football, and stuff before I agree...it would be good though!

It's been about a month since I last blogged on here, so just to show it isn't a redundant site, I'll mention all the things I'm planning to blog about over the coming months...

First up, the Music Series; based on my younger days when I was lucky enough to go see lots of bands (for free!), I thought I'd mention my memories of a few of them. By doing this, hopefully a few like minded individuals will also recall the gigs of yesteryear...so look out for blogs about The Bunnymen, Teardrop Explodes, U2, Elvis Costello, The Damned, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, The Tubes, John Martyn, Roy Harper, Hatfield and the North, National Health, Madness, Siouxsie and The Banshees, The Redskins, Billy Bragg, Boomtown Rats, Department S, The Jam, The Gentry, The Makers, The Members, Gary Glitter, Human League, Stray Cats, The The, Orange Juice, Lou Reed, and lots lots more!

Secondly, I've been meaning to do a little blog about being a cover star. Yes, I made it onto the front of a glossy mag along with a very good friend of mine. I'll scan the cover and tell you all about it soon as I can!

Next, the cricket - yes, it'll soon be test match time, as England tour India. Hopefully I'll get to see some of it on TV, but it clashes with...

My holiday to Dominica, which I'll be blasting about on here hopefully (when I get back) with lots of pictures to show too. It's carnival time in Dom so we are expecting a real hoot!

Of course, don't forget all my footie stuff can still be seen on
www.charltonathleticonline.co.uk

That little lot should keep me busy over the coming weeks and months, so let me get started and come back soon!