I Believe I can Fly ( flight of the frenchies). Trailer from sebastien montaz-rosset on Vimeo.

I’ve always loved design sites; architecture to graphic arts – always been an interest – but now it’s more for inspiration! One often runs into stuff from the past – or friends’ pasts… Annie worked for Pan Am before she came to the OVC in the 60s – and, when she moved to Sydney in the 70s, she returned to Pan Am – when these posters were current. I remember an older poster in her office – featuring Bermuda – but I can’t find it.

He’s doing a five week placement at the Alice Springs Hospital, so they decided that big sister should fly up for the long weekend, and they would meet at Uluru. It’s a five hour drive from Alice Springs, so he took a flight into Ayers Rock Airport, which is 15km from ‘the Rock’ – Uluru. Understand all that? Never mind, they’re sending photos from their iPhones, and the colours are awesome… They’re right in the redest bit of the ‘red centre.’ C’mon you two – send more pictures…

This just in from David… The Tall Ship is a Dutch ship called the Gulden Leeuw (Golden Lion). There is a photo of me with the Captain. You can see a Churchill Barricade in one of the pictures. This and others were built by Italian prisoners of war to keep the Germans out of Scapa Flow. I’ve included some blurb on that. There is a picture one of the others took, still to come, of me helming the ship! The Captain was keeping an eye on us and then buggered off, leaving yours truly in charge and awaiting a change of trousers!!

Just in from Keith in Canada… He doesn’t post often – but when he does – it’s worth it!

Hello there – my name is Peter Henning and we live in Buckingham UK, having moved across from Cape Town in March 2008. The following photos are from mid 1955 to mid 1956 (my first trip). The first photo was taken in Leeds. A few words about the crew of the taxi… Brian Rose (ex Cape Town) and my partner in the trips – me, looking thoroughly pissed off, sleeping outside, getting wet and hungry.  Eddie Strick – South African Airways pilot who was murdered a few years ago on his (more…)

Back in his own private oasis – for a few weeks… looks wonderful – him AND the apartment!

Yeah? Which two? Normally the church yard in Ickham is a quiet and dignified place but, a couple of days ago, the early morning solemnity was shattered by 14 local lads as they gathered prior to their departure on a day trip to Gerberoy.  This beautiful 10th century medieval village, near Beauvais in Picardie, survived two World Wars – but we’re awaiting reports (and photographs) of this invasion.

A quiet drive to Bishopsbourne, to see the first home/s of famous people, and then to Dover.  I’ve flown above them and sailed below them – but this time we walked along them… Pilots don’t normally suffer from vertigo – but I would really have preferred a guard rail!  Back home through Fordwich, England’s smallest town.  Wonder if that’s because they still have a fully operational ‘dunking stool‘ which is  attached to the riverside wall of the old Town Hall?  We could franchise those…

A 15th Century Kent Pub and a well respected French Chef combine to make for a memorable dining experience.  Joel Gross (Owner and Chef) is a long time friend of both David and Richard, Trish and Carla joined us, the weather was delightful.  English Country Pubs and French Food – do they mix? Oh yeah!  Timber Batts?  They’re the verticle timber thingys that David and Joel are leaning on in the picture above.  Late afternoon we journeyed on to Richard and Shelley’s new country ‘cottage’ – like every good Aussie home – the BBQ is very important.

“Fancy a little run in the XJS?” David asked – over a pint at the Duke Willy, “tomorrow”.  I didn’t realise he was talking about France.  Seems there were two pressing issues…  In June, a group of the lads from Ickham are planning a day trip through the Somme to the quaint medieval village of Gerberoy – and he wanted to check out the restaurant.  The wine cellar also needed topping up…  But I suspect it was more to do with the frustration of owning a V12 sports car – in the tight lanes of Kent!

I’m sure I was born for English Village life!  Every time I come back to Ickham, it’s just like… well… coming home.  That’s a lot to do with David and Patricia, sure – but it’s also the lanes, the thatch, the streams – and the Duke Willy!  For those of you new to this site, David was one of the original Old Blue Truck team.

Missed a lunch appointment in Windsor…  so we spent a couple of hours at Henry VIII’s palace, Hampton Court. By then Annie and David had returned from the lunch and were answering their phone, so we dropped in…  The following day we drove up to London, and I got to spend the whole day with an old friend I hadn’t seen for 45 years.  Lester is still managing large buildings – and lunch would have turned into breakfast, if the kids hadn’t arrived to drag me away.

On around the island to Gorey Castle, back through St. Helier and then to St. Aubin’s for a special dinner at the Old Court House.  Sunrise from anywhere in the Channel Islands is spectacular – but from St. Aubin’s Harbour it’s… whatever comes after spectacular!

We don’t get back there often enough, or for long enough.  We departed Gatwick before dawn, arrived on the Island at sunrise – and our very own Jersey Girl was appointed tour leader… We got to St.Aubin’s at the bottom of its 9 metre tides, some WWII sites, the old church at St. Brelade’s and on around the island, through Bouley Bay – to Rozel for lunch. Jersey plaice and Jersey Royals