Although Diana Was Working Today,

she was on a late shift, 

 first thing in the morning we were out, crikey I look worried!

diving through country lanes,

arriving at the Castle Farm lavender fields, 

all set to pitch up with Diana's new cool box trolly, 

OK one more pose!

we had booked a slot for our own picnic, there were 4 huge open sided marques erected next to the field, 

first a walk through some of the lavender, 

then out with the goodies, 

breakfast next to a field of lavender, what a great start to the day, 

I took in a few rays, 

then I was snapping away, 

those pesky bees will just not stay still!

one more for the family album, if anyone stills has physical photo albums, 

all packed up and time to go, 

back through those leafy lanes, arriving home as Diana left for work, Andrew from the Beckenham Photographic Society called round to pick me up, we had a photo shoot at Midfield Primary School, in Grovelands Road, St Paul’s Cray, Orpington, Kent, BR5 3EG where some of the children had just returned from a trip to Iceland, 

Sarah Eede, ARP leader, present the show, 

a 2 part photo/video record had been made of the holiday, 

the school hall was quickly filling up, 

Andrew on the red carpet, 

photographing the stars of the show, 

the show was projected on a screen, 

titled Fire & Ice it followed the children as they were shown real lava, 

and the ice sheet,

as well as swimming in the Blue Lake, 

the PTA supplied a huge table of snacks for the halfway break,

Sarah having a chat with one of the parents,

Andrew snapping away,

all set for the second half, 

I have not included any photographs of the children, both Andrew and myself were supplied with school memory cards for our cameras, it is a bit delicate photographing children, so we leave what images that can be published down to the school,

it is all over, what a treat for the children, the photo and video 2 part show was just so enjoyable and it was nice to help out at a function like this, I should also mention that whilst in Iceland the children were welcomed into the British Consulate there, back in the UK introduction music was supplied by the Bromley Symphony Orchestra Sting Quartet, and very good they were too, arriving home after my evening meal I watched a Bangers & Cash before leaving to pick up Diana from work at the end of her late shift, then feet up for a coffee and chat as we watched a Poirot before we were off to bed.

Day 12,

we made landfall, 

in Gibraltar, so some time onshore, 

our ship on the right, 

into a mini bus and we were off,

past a man made waterfall, it is the waste water outlet from the rocks desalination plant, water is forced through a semi-permeable membrane, this process removes up to 99% of dissolved minerals, salts, heavy metals, and microbes, resulting in highly clean water used for drinking, aquariums, and industrial application, the water is known as RO water, the waste water now has all of the dissolved minerals, salts, heavy metals, and microbes that were taken from the original water and returned to the sea down this waterfall, onboard the ship the same process is used to that all tap water onboard is safe to drink, and soap goes twice as far, as the water is so soft in the bath or shower, 

we made our way to this mosque, notable because if you look instead of a crescent moon above it, the mosque has a full moon, the full moon above the Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim Mosque at Europa Point is a representation of a "closed crescent". Instead of a theological distinction, this symbol was chosen to denote it as a royal mosque, a design choice commissioned by King Fahd of Saudi Arabia to signify his title as Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques,

we made our way to the light house,

a couple of poses, 

on the way back, 

then to somewhere on the rock we have not been to before, there are over 150 caves in the rock, but the most famous is St. Michael's Cave, a stunning, illuminated natural limestone cavern used as an auditorium,

the cave has so many huge stalagmites and stalactites, with a technicolour light show constantly changing the look of them,

this one with just a floodlight, 

time for a pose, 

or two, 

I was snapping away as usual, 

but also taking time out, 

to be amazed, 

selfie time!

again,

the cave was huge, 

and so nicely illuminated, 

the system was so big there was a auditorium where you could watch the light show, 

absolutely amazing, 

a pose by the now derelict cable car, it is being replaced as the old one was too small and resulted in queues more than a few hours long every day,

I am keeping elbows on the rail, 

it is a sheer drop and it made me a tad 'unsettled' shall we say, 

back on ground level, 

and into the mini bus, 

it was a very early start and rather than have a rushed breakfast we ate when we came back onboard, 

then out with the cards, 

in the evening a special treat, it was nearly Diana's birthday, 

so a meal in the Ocean Grill,

lobster for Diana,

a steak for myself,

birthday girl,

it all looked and was delicious,

on to deserts,

with a 'Cheers!',

finishing with a coffee, after which a show and a nightcap before we were off to bed, back to the UK after dropping Diana off at work, I called into Marks & Spencer's for a few bits and pieces, before driving home, next a day in the back garden,

 before my evening read and sherry,

for this evening a cold half of a chicken, the foxes will have a few bits and pieces of left overs tomorrow, 'Cheers!', after the usual Outback Opal Hunters I decided on a film, 

Rampage, a sci-fi, from the blurb:

'When three different animals become infected with a dangerous pathogen, a primatologist and a geneticist team up to stop them from destroying Chicago',  

a good fun, action, (most of the time), easy to watch monster flic, as it ended Diana arrived home so a coffee and a chat about our plans for tomorrow, after which we were off to bed.