Adventures With Harvey

Taking a short break Good morning family, friends, fans and followers. Our apologies for the recent gap in transmission, however momentarily you will understand why. Just over a week ago your author and his lovely travelling companion had arrived in Antwerp and were off exploring on our bicycles as usual. Coincidentally it was the hottest of the heatwave days from last week (up to 39deg that day) and we were en route between the main square in town and a pre-booked tour of the chocolate factory when there was a crash behind me and Anita was sprawled on the pavement. Her front wheel had caught in an uneven cobblestone, then some wobbles, an adjacent drain & kerb and just like that she’s off her bike. The upshot of which was an ambulance ride to hospital and a badly broken shoulder. Anita had surgery on Tuesday and is now beginning a recovery which, including physio etc, will take quite a number of weeks. We were very grateful that my cousin introduced us to a good friend of her...

Paying our respects… and then a festival! Today it is hot. Very hot! And it’s going to get worse tomorrow!!   At I sit here in Antwerp, Belgium at 4.45pm it’s currently 35deg – and tomorrow the forecast high is 39!   However the weather is nothing if not changeable, within a couple of days it’s supposed to be back into the mid-low 20’s with some rain to come. Ever since my days studying history in the 5 th form at Westlake Boys High School, the topic has held great fascination for me.   Not sure why, that’s just the way it is, so a visit to Flanders’ Fields in Belgium has always been on my bucket list.   I realise that for some of my longsuffering audience, these blog posts have perhaps been a little too heavily weighted in this regard (and I have appreciated the feedback from those who have given it) however, I promise that once this particular edition is complete, we’re largely done with the large doses of war history henceforth.     For your autho...

Harvey is back!!! It is with great joy that we announce the return of Harvey!   Not only that, he has also acquired his 2 little replacement minions (e-bikes that cling onto the back)!   This blog happily comes to you from the little town of Le Quesnoy in northern France – a town with a very significant connection with New Zealand… but more on that shortly. Our last couple of days in the UK were just lovely, in particular to catch up with some very good friends from Russell who happened to be passing through the neighbourhood.   Then we were off on the drive from Newport to Dover, via an overnight in Kent to catch up with a long-lost cousin of Anita’s and his family.   As luck would have it, we turned up on ‘tenpin bowling night’ for said reacquainted cousin, so your faithful correspondent found himself on a bona fide boys’ night out.   What a most excellent way to conclude our short visit back to the UK - a quiet evening in the pink corner and a few beers w...