So here I am at this Conference in Chipping Norton, the 'Gateway to the Cotswolds'.
The hotel is a beautiful old building, and they've done it up as such. I never slept in a four poster bed before. The hotel organisation isn't the best I've ever seen.

The actual Conference content is rather emotionally battering - not surprising given the subject: connecting stories in mental health.

Anyway, here's a pic of my room.

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BiscuitMail

Well, I guess that didn't work.
Not to mention the huge NHS disclaimer on the bottom!

Ok, Bon... since you're the only one reading this. This is a test. See,
part of the reason I stopped writing my diary was the huge amounts of
spam I had to wade through to use the only email account I could find
that didn't wrap the text.

Of course, sending text straight from the phone doesn't wrap it (and is
what the Blog was created for) but it tends to be a bit of an expensive
way of operating. So here's a test shot from my nhs mail. If this works,
then I'll try and get back to posting a couple of times a week. Maybe in
my lunch hour - so the photos will go seperately. I may have to send
photos seperately anyway: I don't know if the nhs will let me send
attachments from my own pc. And you waouldn't really want me to attach
something from the nhs library, would you...

Well, that's given the wrapping enough of a hammering. Here goes with
the pic. In theory, here's a pic of some gorgeous flowers on Kos.
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The adventure begings with getting up at an ungodly hour and foraging in the dining room. Ostensibly the hotel provides 'early breakfastl but don't get your hopes up!

Coach arrived at about 7:30 and after a couple of other pickups delivered us at the harbour for the 2 hour float to Nissyros.

I'll write at length about the culture etc when I have a PC to play on. The so-called internet access sucks.

They sorted us out by hotel and stuck us back into busses for the trip into the caldera. The island os 8 km wide - the caldera being 4 km of it. Over the rim, the views are stunning.

Stepping off the bus one is struck by the heat, the glare and the stench of sulphur. How can somewhere be so beautiful and so hellish at once? There's a sermon in that!

After a brief lecture in the geology, we made our way along white paths covered in dazzling dust into the crater itself. What can I say but Amazing? To walk on the surface of the crater, watching sulphurous hot gasses belch from holesm forming startling yellow crystals and stinking.

There's a whole lot more to say about the island, incuding the marian monastery. But my fingers are getting sore!

So a couple of photos will have to do.

BiscuitMail

The adventure begings with getting up at an ungodly hour and foraging in the dining room. Ostensibly the hotel provides 'early breakfastl but don't get your hopes up!

Coach arrived at about 7:30 and after a couple of other pickups delivered us at the harbour for the 2 hour float to Nissyros.

I'll write at length about the culture etc when I have a PC to play on. The so-called internet access sucks.

They sorted us out by hotel and stuck us back into busses for the trip into the caldera. The island os 8 km wide - the caldera being 4 km of it. Over the rim, the views are stunning.

Stepping off the bus one is struck by the heat, the glare and the stench of sulphur. How can somewhere be so beautiful and so hellish at once? There's a sermon in that!

After a brief lecture in the geology, we made our way along white paths covered in dazzling dust into the crater itself. What can I say but Amazing? To walk on the surface of the crater, watching sulphurous hot gasses belch from holesm forming startling yellow crystals and stinking.

There's a whole lot more to say about the island, incuding the marian monastery. But my fingers are getting sore!

So a couple of photos will have to do.

BiscuitMail

Just checked online and discovered that Part 1 of the 'Volcanic Adventure' didn't arrive, so have resent it. Presently sitting reading: I fly home at midnight. Sniff!

BiscuitMail

featuring the sulphurous gas holes.

What the brochure doesn't tell you is the adventure of your bus breaking down and having to climb out of the caldera on foot - ok, I exaggerate. We had to get off the bus and allow it to make about 300 m of the steepest bit without us, as it had some sort of gearbox issues. All added to the 'volcanic adventure' though!

BiscuitMail

The hot springs were... Hot! Very strange environment, with which very little had been done. Basically, a spot right on the sea line where water rises sulphurous and well above bath temperature! A few rocks have been gathered in a circle to make a sort of pool - but only sort of. Waves still run through it. There are a few huts selling refreshments cashing in. No changing facilities, and no loos. Strange attitude to hygiene: I was very taken by the kid (goat variety) standing on an ice cream freezer. He liked all the fuss he was getting, too. Long walk down the cliff to the spring: black sand. I was sure Cornish tourism would have made a whole lot more of it!

Then back for more lounging by the pool.

Evening I had dinner in the Taverna. Wonderful food, wonderful setting, wonderful experience. And the cutest maitre D!

Today on a boat to see a volcano (dormant) and monastry (Marian)

BiscuitMail

Had a totally lazy day yesterday, idling by the pool. Have read 3 of my novels: the 4th is slowing me down. It's longer and presently rather depressing.

Nasty moment when I thought I'd broken my foot. Pretty sure it's only a bruise. On the top of the foot, so I can still walk.

Biscuit found another way to be useful last night: the hotel turned off all the poolside lights for the entertainment. So be a torch, Biscuit!

Today I'm hoping to be hot and springing: watch this space!

BiscuitMail

hopefully gives you an idea of the scale of the place, set out on several levels. See below for comments and another shot

BiscuitMail