Jerry's birthday - Falkirk Wheel

I thought you might be interested in the birthday trip I organised for Jerry just earlier in the month (May). We went to Edinburgh for the day to see the Falkirk Wheel!!!!!

For those of you who do not know, Falkirk is a town between Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland. The ‘Wheel’ is a feat of rather magnificent engineering whilst being intriguing to watch due to its shaping and impressive movement. The ‘Falkirk Wheel’ is a tourist attraction and working construction. Its purpose is to enable water traffic to move from Forth & Clyde Canal to the Union Canal and vice versa. The wheel has replaced 11 locks, so what took all day to do now takes 15mins in one turn of the wheel using the same power required to boil five kettles of water.

The idea to go and visit the Falkirk Wheel came from the channel 4 programme with Prunella Scales and her husband Timothy West narrow boating around British canals. As painful at times it was to watch a doddery couple give scripted commentary on a narrow boat, seeing the bit about the wheel was interesting to us all. Jerry and Kevin (my dad) were ‘dribbling’ with interest – so it became the ideal gift in doing something for Jerry's birthday, thereby avoiding getting more stuff. I became clever in my uncluttered mind to think outside of my box and came up with the brain wave of “we can do this in a day!”

We went with Ryanair from Stanstead leaving the camp site at 5.30am and returned just before 10pm, it was a fabulous day of experiences for all six of us as mum and dad (Kevin and Sandra) were part of the party too. This was Dylan’s first air flight and he was a ‘squirming worm’ of fidgeting hands and feet through the flight, a very excited 5 year old, with a taxi ride and boat ride to follow in the day. Milo really enjoyed the flight as he downloaded a GPS onto his phone and we got a running commentary throughout both flights of the speed, altitude and the cities we were going over, this added to the interest for us all. You might ask who the ones who got security searched were – it was the oldies, with bags emptied and drug swabbed. Dylan and I walked through and our lanky teenager wrapped in his parker coat did not bat an eyelid. This happened to the oldies both flight’s!!!!

We got to Falkirk by taxi and after perusing the wheel mechanics, along with cups of tea, cake and play area it was our turn to go on the wheel by stepping onto the boat. And what a surreal phenomenon - to be lifted out of the water, to be placed back in the water 35 meters above, to then gently sail down the canal into the tunnel, under the Roman antonine wall, to then turn around and do again.

The cost of the whole trip for all six of us (being return flights, taxi fares, boat ride and lunch) was £400, the flight was £35 return each.

It was such a successful day we came away saying where can we fly to again for a day??

Next trip planned is to Dublin later end of June for £60 return.

Milo recorded the majority of the trip going to Falkirk and has edited his film to music, it is just under 2mins long so take a look to get a tastier of our trip.

If you can not get the video to work on the blog then cut and paste the link below into your search engine.  

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq888f_T8_0

Our Milo

Milo is a good way into his GCSE's and this last week on Thursday (21st) it was his last day of school, dressing up day. It was Milo's idea to go as an Arab, as he wanted to relate to where his future is going to be but had to get special permission in case his outfit was considered offensive to anyone. Eventually he was given permission and the least offence Arab possible enjoyed his last day of school.

He now only goes into school for revision sessions and exams. His last exam is on Friday 12th June!!

An emotional day for him with lots of good byes, but also for us when you think how quickly that time has gone!!!

Milo as a tiny baby this pic was him at two days old born in Dec 1998 weighing at only 1lb 10oz and a very sick baby.

Milo's first day at school in Warboys in Sept 2003 and 4years old,

Milo on his last day of High School dressed as an Arab - as an Arabian Desert Prince.

Are you there yet????

I thought as my first proper posting I would start with answering the questions asked of me often

·         Are you in Qatar yet?

·         Have you got a date yet?

The short answer to both questions is NO!!!!!!!!!

The explanation is the new hospital build in Qatar has fallen behind schedule and whilst a formal assessment takes place recruitment is being slowed down and stopped for some roles. I have been reassured that my role is one of eighteen lead nursing roles who continue to be for mobilisation once the assessment is complete. The recruitment has been halted for positions below me who I would be managing.

I am expecting to be informed of my mobilisation as an outcome of the assessment review, so a little longer yet but not too far away! The delay has been a blessing as we are now expecting to all go out to Qatar together which is much better and I’ve been around for Milo’s exams which means disruption for him has been reduced. 

So yes we continue to be in ‘Camp Wicklewood’ and very much enjoying our time. Our four bedded house is reduced to, caravan and awning with 30+ years of life together stored in the awning, stacked in eight plastic (64L) boxes as all ‘our stuff’ has gone. None of us miss the house or what was in it but when we chatted last week what did we miss, the response was

·         Dylan and I agreed our beds

·         Milo,  decent broad band

·         Jerry, his big telly. – No surprises!!!!

It would be nice to see you if you fancy visiting we are at Rose Cottage, NR18 9PX – just drop by.

The pics are of how we are living the occasion being Dylan’s 5^th birthday in early April, when we celebrated an all pirate theme hence hats etc. As an additional treat we took Dylan to Legoland and had a fabulous time, being the last picture taken on a log flume ride. Dylan’s face is hilarious – he is more frightened than me as I had my eyes closed and Jerry doesn’t look too great either!!!! Enjoy. X

Thanks for accepting my invitation for my blog it would be really useful to me if everyone could give me a comment to determine if this is working for everyone as some have had problems. If you are not able to give a comment then let me know by return on my email nicolajsteggles@gmail.com.

BLOG Test

Dear Everyone,
I plan to keep in touch by my newly created blog called 'Family Adventure - UK to Qatar', so this is my test message to make sure you can access it.

The blog is done through my email account,

• you will receive a link to my blog via email to then hopefully click on to and open the blog 
• or cut and paste into your browser to then open the blog.

We are then able to have conversations about what I send and share your news with us through the comments box. I am expecting to be able to send more pics and videos much easier through the blog hence I'm hoping it is going to be easier for us all then emails.

So as a test I thought I would send a lovely video of Dylan when we took him to the Theatre Royal in Norwich to see Peter Pan Panto and arranged for Dylan to go on stage - he stole the show so bear with it. (Open link below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpSmFW6gP_s&feature=youtu.be

Once I'm sure the blog is working the way I expect and have had some comments back (please!) I will start letting you know where we are with our Qatar move.

Enjoy and speak soon 

love Nic (plus Jerry, Milo and Dylan)