Interesting departure. V checked to make sure our flight was on time, and found out that, in fact, it was leaving 3 hours EARLY. Bit of a rush, to get out of the house, but we'd packed the night before, so not too hectic.
At YVR in plenty of time. Flight left 20 minutes earlier than the earlier time, so we ended up, after a smooooth, comfy flight, landing at Gatwick just after 7 Saturday morning, rather than the original time of 10:30. So...(bit of background--we were originally scheduled to take the 11:50 flight to Guernsey, but, after carefull calculation decided that a 1 hour and 20 minute window was not enough to allow us to land from Vancouver, pick up our bags, check in for our Gurnsey flight and make it to the gate. Accordingly, we changed to the 4:30 Guernsey flight to be on the safe side, at a small cost. Now we found ourselves facing the prospect of hanging around the delightful Gatwick terminal for 9 hours. We quickly decided to investigate options, and found out there was a flight leaving for Guernsey in half an hour. After paying another small charge, we were hurried through check-in by Flybe staff, and then set into the "Rush" security line. We charmed a whole line of people into letting us ahead of them, but then hit a roadblock when the scanner picked up the bottle of water and can of juice that we had brought, inadvertently, from the other flight. In the end we mae it onto the Flybe plane by running for several miles down the terminal.
St. Matthew church and vicarage
SATURDAY
Too early to check in to the hotel Hougue du Pommier, so dropped off bags and went for walk. Up for 18 hours at this point. Walked around and around, literally, until we found V's grandad's church, St. Matthew. Lovely spot with Rev. Thomas Carlyle Laxton's grave by the front door. Talked to several helpful ladies. Found our way back to hotel by accosting several locals who each gave us a different version of the best route. Walk was good excercise, and gave us a feel for the island, particularly the traffic which consists of narrow two lane roads constantly full of speeding cars, vans and busses, that latter two of which find it necessary to drive on the sidewalk when passing another vehicle. There are no straight nor through roads on the island, only short bits of straightaway--25 yards or so--where people driving Ferraris and Maseratis and the like take advantage the opportunity to test their vehicles' acceleration and braking power.
Hotel is great. We have a garden room and it is very quiet. No internet, but good breakfasts, and daily papers.
SUNDAY
To the Harvest Service at St. Matthew. Delightful Norman church. Brigade of Brownies and Cub-scouts brought in baskets of food representing the harvest. Woman from congregation said she had been married by V's grandad. Invited to tea after, where we were cornered by an atheist wildlife photographer expounding on his theory about certain birds representing the spirits of deceased humans. Walked down path to beach that must have been taken by V's dad hundreds of times as a boy. Bus into St. Peterport. En route, we were entertained by a guy telling his friend across the aisle about all the fights--with police and others--he had been in that were not his fault. Walked around a quiet town because almost everything is closed on Sunday. Delicious lunch on terrace overlooking the harbour. Walked along sea path back towards Cobo until our feet gave out, and we returned to the bus. No entertainment this time. Collapsed into bed and slept well.
