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What's New...

03.01.2006:
As you may have noticed I'm having a major overhaul of this website. It'll take some time to put together, copy old files and photos over to this new web and to make sure all the links work as they're intended. Bear with me ....... !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
         

Boxing Day 05 at Beverly's 
 
Adam refilling the log fire lunch - more food!   relaxing after lunch, in the warm glow of a log fire beverly, putting us through our paces with 'Chirades'
Amy       Jodie, in 'relaxing mode' - the wine helps!!
         
         

Christmas Day 05 lunch - at Belinda's
 
Nicki, Belinda, me, Kirsty & Shirley just don't ask!! Nicki, after me playing around with the camera's settings .... !   mother & daughter!! Nicki & Belinda
      part of the table decorations  
         

the family at the traditional 'get-together' at mom's - Christmas Eve 05
 
Barrie & Jane - 24 Dec 05 Josh's girlfriend, Kerry, and her sister   Josh & Matt - I don't understand them either!! Nicki
Amy with mom   Jodie, at home for the first time for Christmas for quite a while James, up from London
Belinda & Jane - was I singing or something?!   Beth & Amy mom, with all her grandchildren together - 24/11/05
      the gathering - minus me, of course!
         
         
a family Red Sea Cruise  24 November - 1 December 05
 
Thursday 24th November - the journey from home, Birmingham airport & flight to Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
leaving for the airport from mom's @ 0430 24/11 the start of filling in the many forms needed for the flight - @ Birmingham airport the final lap - we can see the ship & we just want to get on it!! This is us getting our security passes just before we board ship
the obligatory official photo on arrival ..... [we were tired, that's our excuse for the looks, and no, that's not our luggage .... !!]   boarding the ship, Thompson Spirit, after a lond & tiring flight
a much needed G&T to celebrate getting to our cabins - me holding "qwakers" which goes on my foreign trips. And no, that's not a bubble coming out of our heads!! relaxing minutes after we arrived onboard our first taste of the lovely food onboard
our first 'explore' of the ship belinda, starting as she meant to go on. Our every waking moment was recorded ..... !! Scary still exploring
bed at last - it was a long day! With a G&T and a good book get a snack anytime of day ... ! note the juxtapositioning of a G&T and Bible Notes ..... !!
     
Friday 25th November - sailing through the sparkling waters of the Red Sea, arriving in the Jordanian port of Aqaba @ 1000
the mandatory Lifeboat Drill lifeboat drill .... the first full day 25/11 part of the flying display put on for the ship, by the Jordanian airforce's Aerobatic Team
we were lucky enough to have a visit from the Jordanian's equivalent of the Red Arrows watching our first sunset over the Red Sea
yet more food - at dinner   part of the excellent entertainment on board
     
Saturday 26th November - in the Jordanian port of Aqaba, surrounded by rugged mountains that subtly change colours as the day unfolds. We had our trip to the Dead Sea. The ship departed the port @ 2200
even I can float - courtesy of the Dead Sea ... !! Belinda & me, floating on the Dead Sea - Nov 05 Belinda floating in the Dead Sea
a great experience
who is that mad woman? At least she looks 20 years younger from slapping the 'healing powers' of the Dead Sea mud all over here!! Bev at last floating
overlooking the Dead Sea
Belinda, doing her best to get that elixer of eternal youth splattered all over her!! mom enjoying her pudding the healing powers of the mud - I look 10 years younger! I do, don't I?!!!! If only ........
  click here to see the daily Cruise News for 26th November  
     
Sunday 27th November - a day at sea on our way to Port Suez arriving there @ midnight. A relaxing day sunning ourselves in temperatures of 88f with the captain's cocktail party in the evening
mom, a good Methodist, having an ice-cold lager at 1040 ..... we've threatened to publish it in her church Newsletter!! the Sunday morning drinkers - don't tell the vicar oh the joy of a cold lager on a hot day - even if it is a Sunday @ 1030!!
my prize, a tequilla sunrise, for geting a deck-quiz question right - well, there's always a first time for everything mom & me in formal mode on the way to the captain's cocktail party - Sunday 27 Nov 05
Bev & Belinda at the 'formal' evening you just can't get the family these days!!
with the captain - Sunday 27 Nov 05 relaxing after dinner with a pianist playing gentle music in the lounge
     
Monday 28th November - in Port Suez which guards the southern entrance to the Suez Canal and which is the perfect destination to explore the sights and wonders of ancient Egypt in nearby Cairo. We visited the Cairo Museum to see the Tutankhamen display after first seeing the spectacular Pyramids at Gizeh. We departed the port at 2100
part of the police escort to rthe Pyramids our first glimpse of a pyramid through the haze of the morning
mom & the pyramids Bev and the pyramids Belinda in front of the pyramid
in front of the Pyramids - November 05 me in front of the pyramids Bev at the base of the pyramid
  Belinda, at the base of a Pyramid  
at the base of the pyramid
mom, Belinda & Bev haggling over prices more buying, more haggling
my first ever view of the Nile
     
Tuesday 29th November - arriving at the port of Safaga @ 1200, the gateway to Luxor. Overflowing with ancient treasures [no, not us!!] the city of Luxor is the jewel of the Nile where magnificent temples, shrines and monuments pepper the dusky banks of the meandering river.
a full English breakfast on deck in the sun ..... that's the life!! mom catching up with her book & literally putting her feet up belinda soaking up the sun
the pilot boat the results after watching a demonstration of melon scupting
yet more food Bev's "make me wild" ........... what we have to put with eh?! Belinda's Tequila Sunrise
caught by surprise? mom being escorted to the Dinner table
not quite mastered the art of drinking this floating coffee yet, me thinks! sharing a joke cocktails before dinner - how refined [for once!!]
     

Wednesday 30th November - still in the port of Safaga. A long day's excursion leaving at 0630 getting back to the ship at 2130. The tour took in the Temple of Karnak and the Valley of the Kings where we saw Tutankhamen's tomb. The ship departed the port @ 2230 en route for our final destination of Sharm el Sheikh

an armed officer stopping a tractor as we pass ..... !! a wave from a friendly 'native' .............. Belinda being invited to play in the band outside the Luxor Hilton Hotel, where lunch had been provided
the 'natives' are friendly!! Lord Carter's home during his time of excavating the tombs 2 Nile cruise ships
  the Colossi of Memnon  
at the Valley of the Kings 30/11
in the Valley of the Kings - standing in front of the entrance to a pharoe's tomb mom mid-barter  
at the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut 30/11
a view from the temple back along the long sloping entrance The mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, one of the most dramatically situated in the world. Set at the head of a valley overshadowed by the Peak of the Thebes, the "Lover of Silence," where lived the goddess who presided over the necropolis. one of the 'guardians of the colonnade'
The Temple of Karnak 30/11
the majestic ram-headed shinxes leading to the first pylon of the Temple of Karnak
part of the hypostle hall, Karnak the colossal statue of Pinedjem, in the first courtyard of Kanark the obelisk of Tutmose 1
     
Thursday 1st December - our last day, leaving the ship for the airport at 1300. I finally arrived home at 0010 on 2nd Dec to a cold house!!
my last swim in the heat of the Middle East the Egyptian flag, at the entrance to Sharm el Sheikh airport just before we got on the plane home ..... back to the cold weather of the UK
   
     
after a production of  'Joseph' at Overend church - 11th Nov 05
Jane & Bev cousins Amy & Matt - nice teeth!! George & Belinda
  mother & daughter - Bev & Amy  
     
Matt's 15th birthday - Sunday 11th September 05
the gathering ..... 11/09/05 a pround mom with her two sons
Belinda trying to sort some things out for us - what would we do without Google?! Matt's Granddad Matt & his brother Josh
     
Mother's birthday party - Bank Holiday Monday, 29th August 05
three days after her birthday ... !!
mom & birthday cake sister in law jane, relaxing in the sun playing boul
yes, the farmer really did start his annual "muck spreading" just as we had started eating. It really was a most foul smell!! Matt, me & mom - in the sun Barrie honing his BBQ skills .....
Beth, practising her basketball skills
homeward bound
 

at York, visiting Abi - Friday 12th - Monday 15th August 05

what a lovely street name ..... the Minster, taken from the City walls Abi, Suzy & Bev - taken after church on the Sunday night
niece & uncle Amy, destined for the rubbish bin Abi with Suzi, her uni friend from Germany
the beauty of York Minster walking the city walls
     
our trip to Scotland from 22nd - 25th July 05 for a family wedding
these were taken on the Friday - 22/7/05
mom, Abi & Nicki - testing the motel's bed
these were from Saturday 23/07/05
proud parents, Morag & Bruce
 
these were from Monday 25/07/05
Abi & me outside Stirling Castle - 25th July 05 overlooking Loch Lomond 'Ami the Lionheart'
Stirling Castle    
     
     
more, earlier photos, have yet to be transferred over from my 'old' site! So, "watch this space" as they say!
     
     
     
other, older photographs of the family
the family complete! Me, Bev, Dad, Barbara, Mom, Barrie & Belinda - date unknown    
     

 

 

more  Imagery...

03.01.2006:
As, hopefully, you've noticed I'm having a major overhaul of this website. It'll take some time to put together and to make sure all the links work as they're intended. Bear with me .......!
© William Tromans McBain 

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