The Purple Penguin

So, no update for a while! We were busy. Last days of holiday and all.

Sunday night we headed out for a restaurant that was recommended by Lonely Planet, El Machichaco – turns out it was very good. Organic, local, slow food. We got mains and pudding this time – homemade ice cream!  Then back to the hotel to sleep.

Next day we head out for coffee and a last look around. No Santander badges! Then sat on the front and watched the boats until we saw our ferry coming in; off to the ferry office to check in and then out for brunch. Ended up back at El Machichaco for egg and chips (mine came with ham and carmilised onion, Joe got chorizo). Then hotel to get our bags and join the queue to board the ferry at 2pm. And wait. wait a bit more. Until about 20 past 2 we got an announcement that no one could understand, but it turned out that the ferry had engine problems (a piston in one of the engines, I think) and so it would be delayed. Boarding would be at 17.00 and the ferry would leave at 21.00. Oh and we wouldn’t be going to Portsmouth, but to Plymouth and a couple of hours later than we would have been in Portsmouth.

Not much we could do about it, so we sat in the ferry terminal and waited until 5pm boarding. Got on board, dumped the bags, made reservations for dinner, and then walked the ship.  Stood on deck for the departure and watched Santander and then Spain disappear off the stern; then into the restaurant for dinner. Not a bad dinner and slept well.

Spent most of Tuesday watching the sea and reading. Got into Plymouth around 4pm and after grabbing a taxi got to the station in time to get the just before 5pm train to London – waved to Glastonbury as we stopped at Castle Cary! Finally in London a bit before 9pm and home just after 10pm and settled with dinner at half past 10. We should have been in Portsmouth at 2pm and that’s a 2 hour train journey home! Oh well.

So today work from home rather than try to get up and off to the office. Also meant laundry could get done and things started to be put away – the very definition of the end of the holiday.