Peter's Hospital Diary

I had a good night’s sleep, but was up reasonably early. I spent a short while arranging an appointment (on Monday) with the person now doing the job I used to do, so I could find out how things had changed. My job was communications related – communications being vital so far away from the UK.

I went and had a look at the house I lived in (we christened it ‘The Scout Hut) before carrying on walking round. The morning went fairly quickly, and with we set off in the afternoon for Stanley.This aerial view shows a portion of it. This next photograph shows a drivers eye view of the road – and I took this when I was down here 8 years ago – the weather was a bit better at the time!(Looking at it, I’m not sure it is Stanley Road – but it is representative of the untarmacked bits!) The good bits are more like this! Look carefully and you will also see a roadsign not generally found in the highway code! (This was taken in 2000 – the sign is still there)

We set off for Stanley on Friday afternoon, in very wet and murky conditions. The roads are pretty grim in places – with only relatively short sections tarmacked, and while there is a 40 MPH speed limit, the conditions were such that it took about an hour to cover the 30 miles. However we arrived safely and checked into the Malvina House Hotel in Stanley.

I had some friends in Stanley from my last visit in 2000-2001, but we had lost touch over the years so I was keen to see if I could get in touch, although a search of the telephone directory had been unsuccessful. This was a bit worrying, as Anya had also been a lymphoma patient (which was how we came to be introduced… but that’s another story!). So after checking in I went for a walk to where they used to live – and bumped into someone who knew them – and also where in Stanley they live now! And just after I got back to the hotel, I had a phone call so we made arrangements to meet next day.

Finally, we had dinner in the hotel – Upland Goose pate, followed by local rack of lamb – delicious!

O&U!

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I had a good flight down, although he aircraft was late taking off – delayed by about 40 minutes because of a problem with some ground handling equipment. Much to my surprise, I found myself sitting up at the sharp end, instead of down in the back where indulgence passengers usually go. (Indulgence being the term for passengers taking available seats for a nominal fee). I’m not sure it was an upgrade – but it felt like one!

The trip down to the halfway point at Ascension was uneventful, and I managed to get about 3 hours sleep. ound for the aircraft to be refuelled for the next leg. Ascension was its usual self – a walm balmy early morning breeze as we waited in the compound. Would that the Bourgainvillea at home had been like this one!

I was met on arrival by my friend Angela, who is working down here and arranged my flight and is looking after me! I did have a bit more sleep on the final leg, but while there is only one hour difference between Ascension and the UK, there is 4 between Ascension and the Falklands. I slept for a couple of hours on arrival, and felt pretty much OK after that, so by this morning I felt I had caught up up on the time zone change.

After breakfast I went over to the main complex on the base to revisit a few haunts. This visit is a bit like “recherche du temps perdu” in that it is all familiar, but I am in it, not of it. There have been a few changes – there is more housing – the road where I used to live is now block paved (it was a very muddy track!) but otherwise it is much this same. The weather is drizzly, not particularly cold, but very grey and with a low cloud base. There a few Upland Geese around – one of my memories of the Islands – and almost an icon!

In the afternoon I went for a long walk – unfortunately I don’t have transport – to see how the infrastructure for one of the projects had been implemented. I had forgotten how far it was on foot – I suppose I walked for about 3 miles, mostly on road, a bit on grass, where I disturbed a couple of hares – too fast for me to get a photograph!

I was pleased that I didn’t find the walk to tiring (a walk I would have done without second thoughts when I was really physically fit) t it did represent a bit more ‘getting my life’ back. I was pleased to see that it looked as if everything had gone to plan on the project too! The weather starting turning even murkier at that point, but I hitched a lift back in a passing Landrover, so I didn’t get too wet.

The real thing that struck me once again was the silence and the freshness of the air. There is very little pollution and a great the sense of space and wildness – things I rhad only half emembered.

I am going to do a bit more walking around tomorrow morning, before we go to Stanley (the capital) for the weekend – about 30 miles away.

The photos here are a small selection – the others, as usual, are (or will be!) in the gallery.

Onwards and upwards!

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