Party time and a surprise extra visit

Sunday 05 July 2026

We celebrated Caitlin's 30th this Sunday with a braai - I much prefer the South African word for it.  Caitlin and Riona arrived fresh from camping, Mark trained down from Cardiff and Rog drove up the B3181.  JC and I had purchased a bbq for the occasion and Rog christened it with its first usage.

I made the birthday pavlova, and Riona and I discovered that sparkly candles light more easily if they have an 'end', so the 3 lit and burnt down before we'd even got the 0 up and running!   Honoured that Caitlin chose to spend her special day with the old parents ;-)

Caitlin had lots of presents, but the garden sheep was too heavy to carry back this time, so it's temporarily keeping penguin company in the fern corner.  They are having a ball.

I waved everyone off, saying to Riona "not sure when I'll see you next, but I'm not coming to Cardiff as I've been lots this year".  

Monday 06 July 2026

15 hours later I was on the phone to Riona asking if I could stay the night.  It turned out that one of my colleagues was unexpectedly unable to attend an event in Cardiff on the Tuesday, so I gallantly offered to attend.  I drove home from the office after lunch, packed and took the train up to Cardiff, spending a lovely evening chez Riona and Mark munching melon and wedding planning.

 

Tuesday 07 July 2026

I attended a coastal group meeting in the morning, then enjoyed a tour of the Cardiff Barrage in the afternoon.  I hadn't realised the lagoon was freshwater and that the scheme had to be approved by an Act of Parliament, such was the opposition to it.  Environmentally, it was moving from a tidal bay to a freshwater lagoon, a massive switch.  There were also complaints from marine traffic about having to use locks rather than coming and going as they pleased (which they never actually did as they could only navigate a few hours either side of high tide, but anyway...).  

Aesthetically, Senedd Cymru, the Welsh Parliament, is more appealing with permanent water in front, rather than a mud frontage at low tide.  And the redevelopment of the frontage has bought much business/tourism to the area: whether this is a good thing depends on your view on commercial regeneration.  I learnt that the minimum water level is 4 m above Ordnance Datum and when there is a large storm, bringing vast volumes of run off down the Rivers Taff and Ely, the tide gates are locked preventing the marine tide from exacerbating the water levels.  

I also discovered that the slipway/slope in front of the concert hall is a flood plain, and designed to be flooded/store water in extreme weather events.  Sorry, no photo, so probably only those who've been to Cardiff Bay know what I'm talking about.

It was very hot but super geeky stroll, crocodile included.  

Such a lovely weekend, with a little cherry on the cake of 22 hours in Cardiff.

 

Newcastle and south

Friday 12 June 2026

We arrived in Newcastle Friday night, checked in and had magnificent views of the Tyne from our hotel.  It was worth the spendy penny.

We travelled by metro to Jesmond that evening.  We were amused by the metro advert - which only makes sense if you knew where we used to live. 

We ate in the amazing Dosa Kitchen.  You enter around the back yard and you wouldn't know it was there, however the food was super lovely.  

I lived in Jesmond for my last year at university, Flat L in Eskdale Terrace.  For my first two years at uni I lived in Castle Leazes, on Leazes Moor, which have been knocked down (the student establishments, not the moor) so this was the last standing memory of my accommodation.  It gets worse tomorrow...

Saturday 13 June 2026

Today was the BIG trip down memory lane.  JC and I strolled up Grey Street and then I disappeared into the bowels of the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.  Oh my goodness, the students union, the red brick arches where most people read their degree results, it was great to be back.  

We met in the current Geospatial Sciences building and then went on tour of the campus. The equipment store of the geospatial sciences course was mighty fancy, but I wasn't able to distract anyone to nick a bit for my team.

This is where I graduated. 

The Old Brewery Building, where I had lived and breathed surveying sciences for my 3 years, was no more.  In its hey day, the door code had been set by a professor to 206265.  For the uninitiated, it is the number of seconds in a radian (rounded up).  It was the most amazing place I inhabited for 3 years, with the most awesome door code I've ever known.  But it was flattened for student accommodation.  Memories swiped.

In an interlude, I met with JC and Libby, my friend's daughter, for Indian street food in the Grainger Market.  

That evening I met up with fellow colleagues near Byker.  Much reminiscing, but a little sad that none of my graduation year had turned up.  However, I knew plenty of other surveyors, as many of us are still circulating in the industry.  

Sunday 14 June 2026

Time to head home, but not without one more wander around the quayside.  So many memories!

We drove south and visited Fountains Abbey.  It was well worth a visit to discover how the Cistercian monks ran the community until it was closed down by Henry VII.  

It was then incorporated into Studley Royal in the 18th Century and now is a UNESCO site, 

Monday 15 June 2026

This morning, I met one of my best friends from university for coffee which was supremely lovely.  Then JC and I headed south, with a pit stop at Hanbury Hall.  It was a summer retreat for Thomas Vernon (1654-1721) and celebrated for its wall and ceiling paintings by James Thornhill.

Not really my thing, but beautiful grounds.

 

In all, a super lovely, long weekend up north and must go back again soon ;-)