Thinking of Summer... Dreaming of Asia

So, how do we fill the void between Christmas and New Year, and the next consumeristic circus events that are Valentines and Easter?..  we plan our summer holidays of course!

And, as we begin to dream of new faraway adventures and wonderfully warmer climes, we probably also reminisce about some of the places we've already visited... South East Asia being right up there on my list of favourites. 

It's no wonder January has many of us turning our thoughts to summer, the first month of the calendar year cannot exactly be described as the best. For a start it's cold, dark and dreary. Many folk are being good and partaking in 'Dry January' (what are they thinking, putting the rest of us to shame?) and we are well and truly over the excitement of the festive season.  The real cost of that oh so wonderful Christmas is perhaps catching up on us in more ways than one... maybe our credit card statement has dropped on the doormat/appeared in our inbox, or perhaps we've begun a ridiculously brutal workout and diet regime, in line with potentially unrealistic new year resolutions (which seemed like a perfectly good idea at the time). 

So, as I turn my thoughts to summer, I can't help but reflect on how fortunate I've been this past few years, and what fabulous experiences I've been able to enjoy, in some very special parts of the world.

Vietnam

In 2016, my hubby and I visited my daughter in Sydney (also up there on my favourites list and definitely one for a post of its own), and on the way, decided to drop in at Ho Chi Minh City and Hoi An. We only had a week in this amazing country, but that was long enough for us to fall in love with the place.  

Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) is marvelously mad!  The fusion of intense humidity, and delicious street food aroma is intoxicating.  Bustling markets are everywhere, and there is literally nothing you can't buy from the charming, friendly (and occasionally cunning) locals.  As night falls, this city of apparent organised chaos, steps it up a notch (as if that were possible), with the markets and street food stalls becoming an even greater, and very pleasurable, assault on the senses.

  I have never seen so many motorcycles and mopeds in one place, some carrying a load that you'd struggle to fit in a transit van, and others transporting literally whole families around Saigon's busy streets. Hundreds upon hundreds of two-wheeled vehicles (which by the way often mount the pavement to avoid the traffic signals), make crossing the road in this pulsating city an experience in itself.  It's certainly not for the faint-hearted!

Now well and truly ready to slow things down a little, we then made our way to the delightful city of Hoi An.  Situated on Vietnam's central coast, Hoi An boasts a very impressive and well preserved ancient town, not to mention a beautiful beach... it was the perfect contrast to Saigon. We had just four days in Hoi An, but boy did we cram a lot in.  We hired a moped which allowed us to explore the many quiet lanes off the beaten track.  Taking in views of rickety floating bridges, rice paddies, and traditional villages along the way, the moped allowed us a sense of real immersion into local life.  The absolute cherry on top of my delicious Hoi An cake, has to be the Lantern Festival, which I believe takes place once each month... breathtakingly beautiful just about sums it up!   

Thailand

Our tiny taste of South East Asia, certainly whet our appetite for more, and the following year we decided to try Thailand. 

First stop Bangkok,  where we met my daughter and her partner for what we hoped would be a fabulously exciting cultural and culinary adventure... we were not disappointed!  We spent three nights in Thailand's capital, and loved every minute.  From huge (but friendly) monitor lizards in Lumpini Park, to state of the art shopping malls (not especially my thing, but impressive nevertheless), the crazy buzz of Khao San Road (where scorpions on sticks are the must have snack, and where ladies are more 'creative' with ping pong balls than you could ever imagine (so I'm told!)), this city has it all.   Take a river boat ride, visit a temple (spiritual type or not, they're seriously  impressive), take a tuk tuk to China Town (or anywhere), and (don't be shy) have a wander down Soi Cowboy... a little seedy? yes, for children? no, great fun? absolutely!

Again exhausted with the excitement of the big city, we then took a flight south to Krabi... absolutely beautiful, and a fabulous base from which to do a bit (or quite a lot) of island hopping.  Pretty much daily we took a boat at the end of the road to some amazingly picturesque settings (Railay Beach probably my favourite of all).  
Beach barbeques, the most magnificent sunsets, speed boating, bio luminescent snorkelling, cute little monkeys, turquoise waters with stunning limestone cliff backdrops... I could go on, but you need to see it for yourself.

It kind of goes without saying that if you love diverse and delicious food, made with the freshest of local ingredients, you're in for a culinary treat in South East Asia.  And if clean, comfortable accommodation, with unrivaled hospitality at ridiculously low prices is your thing, then this part of the world is for you (though do check Trip Advisor, like anywhere there are also some flea pits to be found!).  

So what are you waiting for?  Check out Asia, you won't be disappointed!

After all that reminiscing of far-flung and fabulous travel experiences, it's a little difficult to accept that this summer we're probably holidaying in the UK (camper-life rules right?!)  Yes, it's time to try and recover a little financially from all those trip-of-a-lifetime shenanigans (I know, dull, but true!).   However, it's only a matter of time before my feet touch Asian soil again... I feel a certain affinity with this part of the world.  Perhaps next time I'll visit Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, or I might  decide to return to Vietnam and Thailand.  I was lucky enough to visit South Korea some years ago and could also be very tempted by Japan and China, or maybe I'll try South Asia... India, The Maldives, the possibilities are endless (if only my bank balance was too!)  

Happy Holidays!

Riding Dapper for a Cause

One day, every year, in over 500 cities across the globe, thousands of dapper chaps (and chapettes) climb upon their classic and vintage-style motorcycles, and take to the open road.

As well as having a ton-of-fun, these finely dressed gentlefolk are also raising funds and awareness for a very good cause... well, why wouldn't you want to join in?!

The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride (DGR) was founded in 2012 by Mark Hawwa in Sydney, Australia, and soon became a global fund-raising event to raise awareness of  prostate cancer and male suicide prevention.

What can I say, this event is right up our street on so many levels, as soon as we heard of its existence,  Neil and I just had to take part.  Neil's always been a biker, and since his early teens has had all kinds of motorcycles, from a Yamaha FS1E (the good old Fizzy) to a GSXR 1000 (extremely uncomfortable as a pillion!)  He now settles for something a little more sedate (and economical) and tootles around on a Sinnis 250 Retro Star, with one eye firmly on a Triumph Boneville when finances permit.  We both have an interest in all things 'classic' and 'vintage'; and ultimately just enjoy dressing up and having fun!  Add to that, the fact that this event is all in aid of a very good cause, and we were totally sold.

The Leeds Leg of the DGR saw the gathering of over 200 immaculately attired ladies, gents, boys, and girls each arriving at our meeting point to the sound of throbbing motorcycle engines. It was a wonderfully bright sunny Sunday morning, in a car park on the outskirts of Leeds City Centre, and the excitement and anticipation was palpable.

Participants gathered, chatted, admired one-another's bikes and outfits, and drank coffee from a nearby McDonalds, before hitting the roads in and around Leeds as participants in this marvellous global awareness and fund raising activity.

From Kirkstall to Poole, Otley to Golden Acre Park, taking in the fabulous Roundhay Park Mansion on the way, we had a wonderful ride through some beautiful Yorkshire locations.  People along the way were amazing, waving, cheering and even chatting while we waited at traffic lights, curious to know what this eclectic convoy of motorcycles ridden by immaculately turned out enthusiasts was all about.

This global event, held in September each year, is nothing short of remarkable!  It's fun, it's inclusive, it's 'vintage', it's 'classic', it's a sociable motorcyclist's dream, and it makes a massive difference!   In fact I understand that the Leeds Leg of the DGR alone raised over £14,000 this year, with a humongous $4,856,861 raised worldwide. 

I was so taken with my pillion experience, I'm considering acquiring a customised Italian-style retro scooter of my own in time for next year's DGR.  What a ludicrous idea, me becoming a fully-fledged distinguished rider in my own right?.. watch this space! 

Fancy taking part yourself, or simply supporting the cause? visit: https://www.gentlemansride.com/ 

Thanks for reading (more pics below) :-)

This thing called Swing!

Just over a year ago now, my hubby Neil and I set ourselves a challenge,  learn to dance!   Little did we know back then, that this thing called Swing would impact so positively on our lives.

It was during a weekend at the wonderful Retro Festival in Newbury, Summer of 2015, that we first witnessed the joy to be had through Swing Dance (click here to read previous post on Retro Fest, 'Vintage and Retro Heaven').  Neil and I share a love of all things vintage and retro, and we were looking forward to spending our weekend listening to live music from the 1920s to the 1960s, browsing stalls selling clothes and artefacts from a bygone era, and perhaps mooching around the odd classic vehicle exhibition (and we did).  What we hadn't expected though, was to be totally wowed by some absolutely amazing vintage dancing.

We watched in awe as young, old, and everyone in between took to the dance floors busting their Lindy, Charleston, Balboa and Jazz moves. They were fabulous, clearly having a ball, and we were totally inspired.  Right there and then, we decided to set ourselves a goal... not only would we learn one or two of these impressive moves for ourselves, but we would return to these heaving dance floors the following year and join in the fun!

As soon as we got home from our festival frolics we began our search for dance classes and soon found that 'Swing Dance Leeds' ran a whole range of Swing Dance opportunities in our area (click here for more info on SDL).  We wasted no time in getting ourselves down to a Lindy Hop Beginners' class and, from that very first lesson, realised what a fantastic hobby we'd discovered.

It kind of goes without saying that dancing in general (whatever the style) is fun, and it certainly can't fail to improve those fitness levels. It also helps to flex the old grey matter, learning any new skill can be a challenge (especially when you're forty something!) and dancing is certainly no exception. However, having been involved with other dance genres in the past, I feel reasonably qualified to say that Swing Dance certainly stands out from the rest, and most definitely has a certain je ne sais quoi! 

Obviously it holds huge vintage appeal, along with the amazing music and clothing styles that go with the fabulous Swing era, but there are one or two other reasons to fall in love with this particular dance scene. Twelve months ago we had no idea such a large community of dance enthusiasts existed in our very own city.  Now, quite literally, we could be dancing and socialising every single day of the week (if only we had the energy!)  Yes, Swing Dance certainly seems to attract a certain kind of person... friendly, fun loving and so very welcoming of anyone who simply wants to join in and dance - whether or not you believe you have two huge left feet or a sub-zero sense of rhythm - but that's enough about Neil and I (haha).  Seriously, get yourself involved in the Swing Dance scene and you'll soon pick up a few impressive moves.  We've found that even the most experienced and talented of dancers are far from elitist, and are more than willing to dance with us newbies, passing on their knowledge and offering invaluable social dance and learning opportunities.

During this past year my lovely hubby and I have attended regular and varied classes with SDL, we've participated in dance workshops and have hit the social dance floors as often as we can (very tentatively at first, but our confidence is growing and growing). Last year, we threw ourselves in at the deep end and took part in a public dance performance in aid of charity (again through SDL) which involved learning a routine with a bunch of lovely people (all of whom were strangers at the time, but many of whom we still meet and dance with regularly), and we've even dipped our toes in the Sydney Swing Dance scene during a recent trip to Aus (thank you to the lovely Iona for introducing us)... it's all been absolutely fabulous!

So, if you're looking for a new challenge, a little fun and fitness and the opportunity to meet and dance with some great like-minded people, do I recommend Swing Dance?.. absolutely!  If you're based in Leeds check out SDL, if not just search the net for Swing Dance lessons in your area, I can almost guarantee you won't regret it.

And, did we achieve our goal?  Well yes we did, although sadly we couldn't return to Retro Festival as it clashed with a rather marvelous trip of a lifetime to Vietnam and Australia :-) - perhaps a later post to follow about that.  However, when we returned to old Blightly, we did attend the equally exciting Twinwood Vintage Dance and Music Festival where we confidently took to the dance floors along with the throngs of other dancers, (young and old) to soak up the music and simply enjoy this fabulous thing called Swing!

Thanks for reading, hope you're inspired to dance and have fun!

Autumnal Tonic

What with the long, hazy days of summer now only a dim and distant memory, and with the stresses and strains of the working week beginning to take their toll, I decided that a long overdue pick-me-up was very much needed.

I can’t think of a better way to escape the madness of the modern world, and put into perspective any worries or anxieties, than to take a little time to appreciate the infinite beauty our countryside has to offer – especially at this time of year.  So, with our beloved old motorhome Billy packed up and ready to go my hubby Neil, adorable pooch Alife and I headed off, excited at the prospect of soaking up the natural splendours of the Yorkshire Dales and Cumbria.

After setting up camp in the charming little village of Dent, and of course having refreshed ourselves with a good old brew  (for me, just the sound of the whistling camping kettle is enough to kick-start a relaxed state of mind), it was time to get out there and blow off the cobwebs.  Time seemed to stand still as we walked, and with the beautiful autumn sunshine warming our faces, we became totally engrossed in the gorgeousness around us.  Stunningly warm and rich coloured leaves danced in the breeze, and a near perfect silence was broken only by the tranquil sounds from a nearby stream.  We found ourselves completely surrounded by natural beauty, whichever direction we cast our gaze it was met with breath-taking scenes, so magnificent they looked almost unreal.  Even Alfie seemed to have an extra spring in his step, and a greater-than-before enthusiasm in his tail wag!

Other than exploring our breath-taking surroundings and enjoying the refreshing autumn breeze in our hair, we did very little during our two day stay.  We read, drank lots of tea, I did a bit of ‘grown-up’ colouring (a wonderful creative outlet and way to relax), we also had a little wander around the tiny but charming village Heritage Centre.  Unsurprisingly, we spent our evenings sampling the local ales and pub grub, with Alfie loving the cosy heat of a roaring open fire.

It took just forty eight hours, immersed in the natural beauty of the season, to unwind and regain a sense of perspective on life.  Indeed, our little trip to the Yorkshire Dales proved to be just what the doctor ordered... a very relaxing and refreshing Autumnal tonic!

During one of our delightful walks up Dent's fascinating Flintergill, we discovered this poem inscribed on the viewpoint above Dentdale... pretty much sums up the virtues of taking time to appreciate our wonderful countryside!

Thanks for reading

Vintage and Retro Heaven!

If you're just loving the revival of all things vintage and retro, you really need to get yourself to next year's 'Retro Festival'

Having just spent a wonderful weekend at the Newbury Showground in Berkshire, where this fantastic event is held, I now can't wait for Retro Festival 2016!

Whether your love of all things vintage dates back to the 1920's, or whether you prefer the more recent 1980's retro scene, there really is something to cater for everyone's interest and taste.  And, if like me, you're just fascinated with anything and everything from whatever bygone era, you'll find Retro Festival a real treat.

This year's Festival offered three separate live music and dance marquees.  Firstly, catering for those into all things 1920's, 30's and 40's, was the 'Spitfire Pavilion'.  This tent hosted loads of authentic live acts including a lovely all singing and dancing female trio called My Favourite Things, and a couple of top vintage DJ's playing a range of fantastic tunes from Big Bands to Rockin R&B and Jump Blues.  If you're the type that likes to get involved, this tent also featured some delightful Tea Dances as well as lessons from  'JiveSwing', who are apparently the UK's leading swing dance teachers and performers.  If you happened to be feeling flush, you could also spend an extra £5 on top of your ticket price to see a variety of acts (including a bit of cheeky Burlesque) at the Saturday evening Cabaret in the Spitfire. However we weren't feeling flush, but apparently it was a really great evening... maybe next time! This tent even had a cutesy little vintage tea room inside, where for just £9 you could treat yourself to afternoon tea whilst soaking up the delightful atmosphere.

Then there was the 'Black Hangar' Stage, featuring all things Rock 'n' Roll and Rockabilly.  If you're a lover of music and dance from the 1950's and 60's, or of the 'Revival Rock 'n' Roll of the late 70's and early 80's, then this was the place for you!  My hubby and I watched on in awe as crowds took to the dance floors Bopping and Jiving and Boogie-Woogie-ing away to some brilliant live music from a range of talented bands.  There was such an exciting, high energy vibe in this tent that one could possibly be inspired to take a few dance lessons ready to join in the dance-floor-fun next year... watch this space!

The third music and dance tent was the 'Ricky-Tick Mod Stage', which according to the festival brochure was named after a Jazz (and later R&B) Club in a smoky back room at the Star and Garter in Peascod Street, Windsor - where a then unknown band called the Rolling Stones played many times during 1962/1963. This tent "aimed to re-create the unique atmosphere of the Ricky Tick in the 1960's while speculating on what might have happened if the Ricky Tick hadn't closed in 1967". Well, if you love all things Ska, 80s, Mod revival and perhaps a bit of Northern Soul, this was the tent for you. The Ricky-Tick for me was the one that brought back memories and evoked feelings from my wonderful teenage years (however, not sure I liked actually being able to remember an era that is now classed as retro!)  There were many fantastic live performances on the Ricky-Tick stage, but my own favourite was a band called 'The Ska Faces' .  Brilliant musicians and vocals, who delighted the crowd with a high energy and polished set of sounds from the Mod and Ska era and the Mod/Ska revival.

And if all that live music and dancing from across seven decades hadn't quite scratched your vintage and retro itch, there was more... much, much more!

I could harp on all day about this festival, but I've probably gone on too long already!  So, here's just a bit of a summary of a few other things that were to be soaked up and enjoyed at this year's fabulous Retro Festival:

• Trade and Craft Stalls including: Vintage Clothing and Accessories, Vintage Hair and Beauty Salon, Vintage Photo Caravan, Massage Tent.
• Walkabout musical entertainment including 'The Ukelettes' travelling Ukelele show, and a vintage brass playing trio.
• Activities including: Craft Marquee, Children's Corner, Vintage Fun Fair with Steam Carousel; Helicopter Rides (I think prices started at around £35)
• Vintage and classic vehicles and campers including: Airstreams; Tear Drops; Race Cars; American RV; Caravans and Portafolds; Bikes and Trikes; Classic Cars and Steam Engines.
• Air display.
• A group of ex-Serviceman 'The Echelon' with a display of equipment, weapons and vehicles used by the British and Commonwealth soldiers.  My hubby Neil was very excited by this particular exhibition and was quick to take the opportunity to chat to the guys about military history and even tried on a bit of kit!
• An array of tempting food and drink on offer all around the festival site, and the portaloos were plentiful and much cleaner than you might expect!
• Very dog friendly! We took our little pooch Alfie, who was made more than welcome and not refused entry to any of the tents or trader marquees - in fact many of the traders put out water bowls and even a few treats for any four-legged friends who might just be passing by.
• Great site for a Festival! Newbury Showground was a fantastic site, and the camping areas were flat and clean, with the festival frivolities not even a stone's throw away. I believe there were some very basic showering facilities, but hey we're real festival goers and made do with good old wet wipes!

Being based up t'North, Newbury was a bit of a long treck for us (especially in our old 'retro' Billy who doesn't do anything above 50mph).  However, the sun shone all weekend, there was an all round fabulous atmosphere, and we enjoyed ourselves beyond all expectations... trip well worth it.  The other good thing about Retro Festival is that it's very reasonably priced compared to others, this year£41 per person for a weekend pass (plus £40-50 per camping pitch, depending on tent or camper).  

The organisers of Retro Festival are promising an even bigger and better fest next year (12th/13th/14th August 2016), and I believe Early Bird tickets are available until 31st December at www.retrofestival.co.uk.  I for one, will be purchasing mine without delay!  Here's a few more pics...

Some absolutely gorgeous vintage fashion and accessories

Cream Tea anyone?

Teardrop creations

The delightful 'My Favourite Things'

Sunshine and Beer... Happy Days!

Inside the 'Ricky Tick' Tent

Doesn't need a caption really does it?! Except perhaps... the energy was all inside the tent!

The cutest thing about the Vintage Fun Fair!

Wish I'd had a go now :-( 

Our festivaling pooch, Alfie

The Ricky Tick 'Rude Boys'

Camper BBQ

More Teardrop Caravans... works of art!

and the back of the Teardrop (sorry, bit blurry!)

Neil and 'The Echelon'

The Lovely 'My Favourite Things' again,... this time with costume change, and addition of vintage band

and My Favourite Things... again, some pros have taken to the dance floor (this pair were brilliant!)

Some impressive vintage wheels

Vintage American Airstream

More Airstream and vintage wheels

Someone's got their eye on the sausage!

Delicious Cream Teas (treats and water for the pooches)

Neil's mum and dad had one of these when Neil and his brother Nigel were kids... happy memories!

Brilliant!  Complete with plastic drive-thru nosh!!

More vintage wheels (think she's been sitting there too long!)

Think Neil would possibly trade both me and Alf for one of these :-) 

Soaking up the atmos

Having a snooze, all this vintage and retro festival malarkey is exhausting!

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed.