Thanks Giving

Thanks Giving

Being British, we don’t really get it. I have to admit to liking the idea of a family/friend day, similar to Christmas in that you all get together and eat a great big turkey dinner, all without the bother or worry of gifts. However, like Christmas there is a certain amount of pressure to it. Who should I spend this day with? My current family, the crew? (Nope! Far to rowdy for my current feeling)

Sifting through my thanks giving invitations, I discarded the idea of a lively afternoon at the crew house and chose instead an intimate family dinner with my friend Tara and her close family here in Savannah.

There was however, another more interesting invitation that included the following…. Mum, dad and a daughter. The daughter was the source of my invitation. Then was the daughters husband of convenience, the husband of conveniences, Spanish girlfriend (these relationships were not known to the said daughters mum and dad, bye the way!) and a ballet dancer who was invited as good friend of the daughter! The ballet dancer was dangled, as a carrot to entice me into coming along but I would still in some way have been the daughters date. Oh and there was also a small dog. This entertaining afternoon, would have included 4 hours of driving! I declined (I really didn't feel like the journey) in favour of the intimate family gathering here in Savannah. After all, I have been trying to keep my life simple lately and this didn’t seem to come neatly under that particular heading!

So. Tara made a mountain of great food, her mother brought pies and sweet puddings, her son Justin mixed drinks surprisingly well, while her dad and brother drank the lions share of the Southern Comfort. After all of this we all promptly fell asleep in front of a log fire, waking up later to feel the need for yet more pie!

Action packed Cumberland Island day

I think the small movie captures the spirit of the day and the stick game is not dead!

Very big sky!

Very big sky!
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

Great things about Cumberland Island…

An amazing un-touched oak forest
Wild roaming horses
No traffic and very few people
Wide open beaches
And a very big sky

It is a very beautiful place

Live Oak Forest, Cumberland

Live Oak Forest, Cumberland
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

The day after the day at the hippie camp, Debbs and I caught a ferry out to Cumberland Island, which is one of the hundreds of coastal islands off of the coast of Georgia and quite close to where the hippies live..

On the road to the hippies

Theatrical Hippies

More Hippies
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

I find it very surprising how much, a remote woodland, a bunch of veggie eating, tree huggers and a freezing cold tree house can relax and pick up my spirits.

The Forest Hostel once again provided exactly the kind of relaxation I was looking for. Plus I came away with yet more silly party games which I have added enthusiastically to my ever increasing repetior.

Funk in the Afternoon

Breath in… After the biking, the beach, the hot tub, the poikies, the vodka, Bar Bar, some small sleep, brunch and frisbee golf. We decided that a beer, in the warm afternoon sun would be a perfect apre-frisbee. We subsequently, found ourselves out side at ‘Sorry Charlies’, listening to a very good band jamming away. I love the Funk and we sat enjoying the music until it was too cold and dark to continue.

You would think that this would be quite enough for one weekend but OH No!!! I had promised to attend an ‘Adventure Club’ bowling event. Here I displayed far less skill than on the frisbee golf course but I was a little tired.

I have sailed all the way to this Friday, on this social whirlwind. I cooked dinner at Taras house, for her and her son on Tuesday, Wednesday I was entertained at a dinner party over at Laura’s and on Thursday we went to watch Rachel, who was performing in a dance show. It turns out that Rachel is actually quite a dancer and was for us, the star of the show.

Pheew!!…. I am going to relax this weekend! The guys are talking of cycling again tomorrow though and that is where it all started before.

Frisbee Golf

So then. After the cycle, the beach, the hot tub, the poikies, the vodka, Bar Bar, some small sleeping and brunch. We found our selves out at Tom Triplet Park, clutching some Frisbees.

Frisbee Golf. The same as normal golf in that you keep chucking your frisbee until it lands in a chain basket somewhere in the wooded distance. My skill was tremendous and of course I won. Even though I managed to find the water hazard up on the 4th hole.

Altogether, a very entertaining way to enjoy a walk in the woods, on a sunny Sunday.

Then it was Sunday

I started here a week a go, with the sign from the church. I mentioned that my head hurt. It did.
At 11.00 Debbs came round to collect me, so that we could go and have brunch in town. This was a great idea!

Bar Bar

Bar Bar

So. After the cycling, the beach, the hot tub, the poikies and the vodka it was finally time to go out!!!???
Our choice of venue, was Bar Bar. For me this is not normally my first choice but considering the female company, I decided to just go with the flow.
A little dancing, and some general lounging on the sofas there, until it was time to be kicked out into the street. It was now 0330! Home time!

Arthurs Vodushca

Arthurs Vodushca
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

After the cycle, the beach, the hot tub and the poikies, Arthur returned home from work. The day before, Arthur had returned from a visit to ‘Mother Russia’, bringing with him two bottles of Vodka and some Caviar, that he was very excited to share with the party that had started, in earnest in the garden at the big yellow house.

After a general rummage and some clattering from the kitchen Arthur appeared with toast topped with Caviar and enough glasses to furnish all in attendance, with a healthy shot of Vodka. Standing in a circle and led by Arthur, we toasted ‘Mother Russia’ and we ate more Caviar and drank more vodka until it was all gone. All of a sudden the party had changed up a gear.

Here’s to Mother Russia!

Poikies

Poikis
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

After the cycle, the beach and the hot tub it was time for me and Hoffy to head home. The South African, contingent, of our crew were all agitated in great excitement for a Poikies evening.

Poikies, is a traditional South African dish, a type of stew. Hennie, and Mark built two small fires on the path in the back garden of the house and set upon them, big black, cast iron pots, full of either meat or fish and some veggies. Secret ingredients were not divulged. Once the pots were prepared and sat on the fire the lads sat drinking beer for the entire three hours it took to cook.

Hoffy and I returned from the beach about two hours into this process and joined the gathering crowd who all sat out in the cold evening, around the fires with great anticipation of the promised, kaleidoscope of flavours that we could expect. The cooks were becoming animated! Eventually it was declared, time to feast.

They were right. It was delicious!

Hot Tub

Hot tub
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

Its all true!

Winters Day at The Beach

Beach
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

After the biking was finished there was an invitation to go out to Tybee beach. Blue sky and sunshine were beautiful but this trip had the feel of 'Last Chance' about it.

All of us made a grand effort at swimming in the cold Atlantic. I really enjoyed it declaring as I went that, "Not even in the heat of summer did the sea temperature at Brighton Beach reach this dizzy height" (It was infact totally freezing!)

My usual afternoon nap was achieved but I was woken rudely by Hoffy and Tara returning from a speedy cycle along the beach.

As the sun got low we were 'Die Harding it!' and the mere suggestion of the hot tub had us all hurridly packing up camp and soon we were around at Debbs place, neck deep in hot bubbling water.

The start of the weekend

Early on Saturday morning I was weaving between slim trees on a winding single track path that was covered with a multi-coloured carpet of leaves. My legs were aching and my heart was beating hard, as the fresh crisp morning air was filling my hungry lungs.

Those that know me, will know that exercise is nearly always the corner stone of a good time for me and mountain biking in the woods was a great start to a fantastic weekend.

Oh God!

OhGod
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

Its true. I was in fact, laying in my bed on Sunday morning saying Oh God! because my head hurt and I had absolutely no intention of visiting a church. Especially one with a sign like this out side!

Political Views

Political Views
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

A small political rant!

As the US prepares for Mid Term elections next week we are force fed on political statements from some very dodgy candidates indeed. This lot in Georgia are going for the majority vote by targeting the red neck comunity! Quite frankly it is terrifying. They even make, George. W look like clever, well balanced kind of bloke. It is a shocking and horrible experience.

My name is Daren Packham and I approve this message.

Manhatten

manhatten
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

Noisy, busy, bustling, expensive, amazing, incredible.
New York City is strangely familiar to me and I feel quite at home there. It is more familiar now than London, which I also love but visit about as much.

Zorro joins NYPD

ZorroandNYPD
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

Zorro made an appearance in New York. fighting the bad guys with the NYPD, drinking beer and reveling with the other freaks and crazies who were dressed up for the Halloween celebrations in the West Village.

Daren and Girlfriend

Daren and girlfriend
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

Brighton Beach

Brighton Beach
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

I was amazed to see that the 6th avenue express goes all the way to Brighton Beach. Even if it's only on weekdays, I wonder how long it takes. It must be a Virgin train.

How Rude?

I was up on the 86th floor of Empire State Building the other day looking for the elevator up to the 102nd floor. I foolishly approached a member of the observartory staff to ask directions.

Me “ Excuse me”
Me “Excuse me”
Me “Excuse me”
Me “Excuse me, Hello”
Me “Excuse me please”
Me “Excuse me”
Me “HEEELLLOHO”
Her “How Rude, Don’t you ever, say excuse me?”

This made me laugh.

La Reine de France

La Reine de France
Originally uploaded by darenpackham.

The Queen of France made a brief visit to the Island of Manhatten from her secret base on the Isle of Wight and I came from Tybee Island to help celebrate her birthday. (which is older than me and as much as Dai last year, or whenever it was that he was 40) That is altogether a lot of Islands (and years) what a contrast from the sleepy Tybee to the crazy Manhatten.

The flight from Savannah to New York costs about as much as a train fom Brighton to London in rush hour and the 0645 from Savannah lands in the city at 0830. You can be happily sat in a real New York Deli, eating bagels and drinking coffee served by rude staff by 10 in the morning. How cool is that?

Plus I got to see my sweet friend and watch her gaze longingly at the lines, colours and design of the New York transit map and study at length the intricate timings of the local cross town busses.

Happy Birthday Carol. It was fun.

Kayaking and fishing

Get Your Own! | View Slideshow

Smoke, mirrors, a blonde, a brunette, some chocolate and a few fish

The Illusion created with smoke and mirrors would tend to indicate that the blonde girl (Debbs) who has recently started to appear in these pages, might be my new 'best friend'. This really is not the case, we are becoming good friends though which is great. I am still very much distracted with a brunette who is equally unsuitable yet seemingly totally desirable.

The day after poker night, was however, spent with Debbs, who very kindly, ran me around the island with my borrowed kayak slung in the back of her big red truck, she walked on the beach patiently while I played in the small surf and then taught me the art of collecting live bait, took me fishing where she showed great skill, catching two sea bass and some other ugly fish with big teeth, that she put back. Even I caught a small fish but it was sadly too small.

After the fishing expedition I had a long afternoon nap and in the evening made the fish that we (Debbs) caught (equally skillfully) into a fish pie.

The chocolate desert that I finally made on the second attempt, was a big hit but at the cost of one of Debbs (favorite? ooops) cooking bowls, which broke! Leaving the first batch of delicious chocolate and butter to swim for its brown, sticky life. I was reeling, because my creation was lost into the boiling water but I was cunningly showing my frustrated emotions outwardly towards the broken bowl.

Dinner was washed down, as all good dinners are, with plenty of wine. We put our small world to rights and reflected on yet another lovely day out on the island.

Poker Night

Get Your Own! | View Slideshow

Poker

Poker? No! I don't even know'er..!

I came away from poker night a little drunk but with only $20 dollars missing from my wallet. There was 14 of us, crew from two yachts and some local Tybee Island types too. We all seemed very happy to spend the whole evening, slowly passing 20 dollars each to Diego. Diego also seemed pretty happy with this scenario.

Bellissimo!! A fun start to my few days off work