February 11th: We drove up to LHR T5 and dropped the car off with Purple Parking who we always use before using the Heathrow Express to T2 and checked into the Hilton Garden Inn T2/3 Hotel for one night.

We enjoyed a drink up at the Runway Bar which, as a rooftop bar, overlooks both of the main runways. dinner was down at the Apron Restaurant which is generally always good.

February 12th Flight: We were up bright and early for BA612 and the Heathrow Express took us over to T5 where we passed speedily through formalities and into the BA North Lounge. We'd checked in previously and dropped our bags off last night which was helpful. We enjoyed a light breakfast before boarding our flight which departed on time at 0830 with our allocated seats being 1A and 1C.

The four hour flight was comfortable enough with breakfast being served soon after takeoff and included a rather tasteless GF meal for Yolande. This was diluted with champagne and the generous bar service continued throughout the flight with a couple of spare minature wine bottles to take with us.

We crossed the Norwegian coast west of Kristiansand and flew up the spine of Norway with stunning views of the snowcovered mountains as we neared the Arctic Circle.

After landing we passed through formalities where the immigration officers were most friendly and chatty towards us both. I said we'd once used the Hurtigruten ferry from Bergen to Kirkeness before driving back and he was very impressed!

A taxi then took us to our chosen Hotel, the Thon Polar Hotel and Room 636 which was quite spacious and comfortable with views towards the mountains. The hotel was centrally located on Gronnegata and very close to the Tromso Cathedral and Storgata pedestrian shopping street.

February 12th Tromso: After unpacking we headed out in to explore Tromso in -7C temperatures. With a booking for dinner on Saturday at the Maskinverkstedet Restaurant we decided to walk there to have a look at the menu options for Yolande. Care was needed when crossing roads due to snow/ice but generally the pavements were clear.

Walking along the pedestrianised Storgata we looked into several shops, mostly souvenir type shops. Arriving at the restaurant we found it to be quite deserted and with an uninspiring receptionist with the restaurant lacking in appeal and with few dishes that Yolande could choose so we cancelled our reservation.

The next day, we had a harbour cruise booked on the Hermes 11 vessel so we walked to the berth in order to check the location. Walking along the harbour front was nice with vessels of all shapes and sizes and we soon reached Peppes Pizza, our choice for our evening meal. Years ago, in Lillehammer, we found our first Peppes Pizza and as they've always served GF pizzas, we always use them whenever we're in Norway. The pizzas we ordered were both excellent.

​Tromso is quite compact so we saw most of the key sites on our afternoon/evening walkabout including Tromso Cathedral and the Polar Museum. My phone Aurora Forecast advised there wasn't much chance of seeing the northern lights this evening. 

February 13th Tromso: One of the advantages of Thon Hotels is that they have a membership scheme for 10% discounts and generally the breakfasts are very good. There's usually a GF Corner but for all three breakfasts there was no GF bread during our stay.

With our harbour cruise scheduled for 1430 we explored the rest of Tromso and called into a couple of shopping malls so that I could visit the Norrona and Bergens outdoor shops where, in the latter, I purchased a copuple of items.

We chose the Hard Rock Cafe for lunch and shared Nachos with a drink. I didn't think the nachos were as good as we'd had in other Hard Rock Cafes though. After lunch we walked back to the Hermes 11 Shop ready to board the vessel at 1415 for a 1430 departure.

We enjoyed our harbour cruise and it was very cold but blankets and a hot drink were provided and the crew were very competent. We passed several vessels berthed including the Svalbard expedition ship Quest (50 passengers), the Hurtigruten coastal ferry Midnatsol (818 passengers) and the fish transporter ship Ronja Tind (cargo capacity 1800 m3 of fish). The Hermes 11 crew kindly recommended the local aquavit brand which I'd purchase the next day.

It snowed very heavily as we were returning to the berth which was next to the Pust floating sauna platform where several hardy folk were diving into the fjiord.

From the berth we returned to Room 636 to warm up, enjoy a late siesta and a fresh sushi evening room picnic. A slight diversion on the way back took us to the Tromso branch of Vinmonopolet, the Norwegian alcohol retail monopoly outlet and the only place to buy alcohol in norwegian cities - it was a great store! I purchased the recommended local Bivrost Cask Aquavit and some Mack beers to take home.

With a favourable Aurora Forecast, we headed out for our planned trip on the Fjellheisen cable car from Solliveien in Tromsdalen up to Storsteinen (alt. 421m). Disembarking after the 4 minute ride we headed straight into the warm cafe as we were a bit early for the hoped for northern lights.

​The northern lights appeared by about 2100 and after cold viewing we descended back down to Solliveien and got a taxi back to the hotel.

February 14th Tromso: After another good breakfast we booked for the guided tour at 1430 at Mack - The World's Northermost Brewery.

​A taxi took us across the Tromso Bridge (1016m in length) to the Arctic Cathedral which is a spectacularly designed building over in Solliveien.

The Arctic Cathedral, also known as Ishavskatedralen, is a striking architectural  landmark in Tromsø, Norway, dedicated on November 19, 1965, and inspired by the  Arctic landscape. 

• Design: The Arctic Cathedral was designed by architect Jan Inge Hovig and features a modern design characterized by 11 large triangular concrete panels that resemble  the shapes of Arctic ice. This design symbolizes the 11 apostles after the betrayal of   Judas. 
  
  
• Mosaic Window: One of the cathedral's most notable features is the large stained-glass window on the eastern wall, created by artist Victor Sparre. This window,   known as the "Return of Christ" is one of the largest in Europe and depicts   significant Christian themes. 
  
  
• Interior: The interior includes oak pews, large prism chandeliers, and a significant   organ built in 2005, which has 2940 pipes and is designed in the French Romantic   style.

From the Arctic Cathedral we walked back across the Tromso Bridge back into Tromso to the "Gateway to the Arctic" viewpoint to take some photographs. Then it was time to warm up and we found a pleasant cafe/restaurant for a drink and, to Yolande's delight, a very enjoyable GF Strawberry Slice! Then it was back to the hotel for a siesta before the Mack Brewery visit.

For 135 years, Mack was located in the center of Tromsø before production was moved out of the city in 2012. In Mack’s historic cellar premises, Mack now offer the opportunity to join a rich and engaging guided tour. The tour begins in the beer shop Kjeller 5 and continues into the old brewery cellars from 1877. You’ll learn about the founder of Mack and the brewery’s history, followed by insights into today’s Mack Brewery, which is still family-owned. The tour ends in our modern microbrewery, Mack Mikrobryggeri, where brewing and rock music take center stage.

This was more of a museum type tour really as beer is no longer brewed there and standing up for an hour with an overload of information wasn't the most "engaging guided tour"! Nevertheless, it occupied the afternoon and I enjoyed the samples of beer.

​Dinner was a bit of a let down as our chosen restaurant was fully booked so we dined at the Egon Restaurant adjacent to our hotel. As our food wasn't even luke warm it was dissappointing for our last meal in Tromso.

February 15th: With our flight home today I think we agreed that three nights in Tromso was enough time there. Possibly, in warmer weather, an extra night could have been useful to tour the island using one of the buses that has a circular route around the island. However, we were ready for home.

Breakfast and packing complete our taxi left the hotel at around 1030 and for part of the way to the airport we followed a snow plough clearing the route for us.

Airport check in and formalities were completed with ease and with no BA lounge we sat near the Duty Free shop until our departure gate opened. After boarding in the same seats, 1A and 1C, we taxied over to a side apron for de-icing and we were soon on our way to LHR.

​Greatest strengths:

1. I enjoyed working as a team on the practical areas and enjoyed the course.
2. Great information and shared experiences.
3. Practical experiences.
4. Useful to experience other members' experiences.
5. Enjoyable and informative - Thank you.
6. Experience from both participants and instructors.
7. Adequate equipment.
8. Knowledgeable instructors.
9. Great course - Thanks!
10. Huge amount of experience shared by the teachers.
11. Relaxed and at a good pace.
12. Instructors.
13. Experiences shared between instructors and candidates.
14. Training materials.
The course could be improved by:
1. Talisker Whisky

Introduction: This final visit concludes a three year training programme delivered by myself and Helen Menhinick (ML) of Bryn Walking. We both gave our time freely as Volunteers but our expenses were covered by Discover ltd., who operate and manage the Kasbah du Toubkal.
​
Three UIAA Mountain Skills course were delivered over this period to twenty mountain guides based at the Kasbah du Toubkal. This final visit was really to refresh some of the REC First Aid certification.

The UIAA Mountain Skills course is 5 day course which involves a 3-day expedition and the REC Trekking First Aid course which is 6hrs in duration.
​
The course content includes:

1. ​Mountain Skills Scheme & Representative Bodies
2. Mountain Hazards
3. Mountain Environment
4. Maps
5. Navigation
6. Route Planning
7. Personal Equipment
8. Emergency Procedures
9. Movement on Steeper Terrain and Broken Ground

​Almost all of the Berber guides we trained believe there should be a Portable Altitude Chamber (PAC) up at the high lodges at 3200m. Interestingly, when I surveyed this question in the UK, most UK based leaders thought the opposite!

1. Excellent refresher
2. Personal accounts & experiences - invaluable
3. Great group of course delegates - all keen to learn
4. Great teachers, very engaging
5. Interactive and class participation made absorbing information easier
6. Realistic scenarios using realistic equipment
7. Friendly instructors
8. No pressure in achieving perfection
9. Small/medium group size
10. Practical skills outside - real examples
11. Delivery - mixture of methods made learning and retention easy
12. Knowledgable and experienced tutors
13. Practical and relevent content
14. Clear and easy to understand explanations and scenarios
15. Great interaction and opportunity to discuss thoughts and experiences to reinforce learning
16. Opportunity to contribute and practice skills

This 4hr REC High Altitude First Aid course consists of two, two hour sessions comprising:

• Part 1: Basic Life Support (BLS) and how this basic training, which the soldiers receive yearly, is applied to trekking in the mountains and more remote areas of Nepal at very high altitude.
• Part 2: High Altitude First Aid​ and the Portable Altitude Chamber (PAC)

This Bryn Walking course was delivered by Helen Menhinick (ML) and Alan Ward (IML).

​Session 1: 2hrs

• Introductions and course content
• Definition of First Aid
• Basic Life Support (BLS): D*RS ABC DEF
• Principles of First Aid: 3P’s
• SAMPLE questions for a conscious casualty
• First Aid Kits
• Vital Signs – Monitoring (Pulse – O2 – Temperature – Blood Pressure)
• Recovery Position + Log Roll
• Choking
• Medical evacuation – Transportation – Communications
• Question session

​Session 2: 2hrs

• Definitions of High Altitude
• What is High Altitude Sickness
• Forms of High Altitude Sickness
• High Altitude Headache (HAH)
• Acute Mountain  Sickness (AMS) 
• High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE)
• High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE)
• Drugs for high altitude travel
• Altitude Oxygen
• Hyperbaric Chamber (PAC or Gamow Bag)
• Other issues relating to high altitude travel
• Question session

Towards the end of being employed by Conoco Inc for ten years as an expatriate in Dubai, Singapore and Jakarta with my family, the company decided to drill two wells in Irian Jaya.

After my family repatriated to the UK, I remained behind as a Marine Adviser for the Giant 4 Project and I believe the cost of logistics exceeded the actual costs of drilling the two wells.

I converted a giant submersible barge into a logistics base for three Puma Helicopters and all associated staff.

During this and earlier similar projects up the coast I pioneered the use of submersible barges to load smaller vessels for a much faster demobilisation back to Singapore. I lived on the large Japanese salvage tug illustrated above and used the large and comfortable owners suite which had been generously supplied with Black Label Whisky and Tiger Beer for my voyage up the coast to Sorong.

The first few images illustrate an earlier drilling project and marine demobilisation, and then the marine survey I undertook into the area to establish if the planned marine project using the Giant 4 would be achievable. The last batch of images illustrate my 6 months with the Giant 4 Project.

The main Giant 4 Project was a fascinating 6 months in my life with a midway leave back to the UK generously approved by my boss!

Leaving Hindhead after a couple of nights with our friends we headed up the A3 to Guildford to join the M25 which proved to be a big mistake as the M23 south to LGW was closed due to an accident. We left the M25 for the A22 and on to LGW but it was a stressful journey for Yolande who was driving.

The LGW Valet Parking was easy to locate and we were soon checked in and found our way through security to the BA lounge for drinks and a light lunch. 

The A320 took off late but the flight was uneventful and after descending through slighty turbulent cloud we landed hard but were soon through formalities and with our luggage, headed for the Airport Railway Station.

Our tickets were Euro 1.30 each and it didn't take long before we were off the train in Cagliari and hauling our trolley bags up Largo Carlo Felice to the Hotel Baylle. The hotel had told us it was a 7 minute walked but it took us longer as the uphill cobbles made for hard work and we were feeling quite tired by then.
​
A warm welcome into the Hotel Baylle and Room 31 proved to be very nice, spacious and overlooked Piazza Yenne. After unpacking, it was an early night as it had been a long day. The owner, Andrea, proved to be charming and helpful throughout our stay.

The Hotel Baylle doesn't offer breakfast but I went down to bring some hot drinks up to our room from the first floor lounge and then we went over to a nearby cafe that Andrea had recommended for breakfast. There was nothing GF for Yolande so we had coffee and an orange juice each before calling into the adjacent supermarket to pick up some things for breakfast in our hotel room.

Our walking tour of Cagliari took us up to the Bastione di Saint Remy, dating back to 1902, for great views over Cagliari, the Salt Pans and, beyond, to the 10Km long Poetto Beach. Continuing onwards we visited the Santa Maria Cathedral and the Palazzo Regio  to arrive at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale which we decided to save for another day.

We walked under the Porta Cristina, one of the highest points in Cagliari to find the Bar Al Buon Cammino where we both enjoyed a leisurely Aperol Spritz served by friendly bar staff with views over towards the harbour area.

We walked down to the lower town for lunch at the Eclipse - To the food and back Restaurant which proved to be very good. I'd messaged here from home to see if they could provide GF food which they could and Yolande had a fabulous pasta meal served with GF crisp bread. I had a steak salad and we shared a portion of fries. We enjoyed a nice white wine with lunch served by very friendly staff.

We visited the Railway Station to plan for tomorrows trip to Inglesias and the Customer Care Desk provided all the information we needed. We returned to the hotel for a siesta break where I started writing this illustrated blog.

Post-siesta time we popped over to the supermarket to pick up some sushi for tea and took it up to our room fridge for later. Heading out for a sunset cocktail as suggested by the hotel owner, Andrea, we found the lift to higher up on the city walls was closed due to the heat so we legged it up many steps to pass through the 14th century limestone Torre dell'Elefante city gate and turned left along cobbled streets to the Libarium Nostrum terrace restaurant which sits upon the Bastione di Santa Croce for a sunset cocktail. It was a pleasant evening experience as the sun set over the western hills.

An easy walk took us back to the hotel for supermarket sushi (not great!), Uno cards and a nightcap before lights out.

We'd planned on a visit to this cave system which with it's 850m of internal road is classed as the longest driveable cave in the world although cars are no longer to drive through the cave system.

After I did the 0700 trip to the coffee lounge on the first floor, I popped over, at 0800, to the supermarket for fresh orange juice and cheese and ham for a continental breakfast.

We were down at Cagliari Station for the 0950 towards Iglesias but at Decimomannu transferred to the rail replacement bus to Inglesias.

Iglesias (Population 27,000) has a history of 3,000 years of mining and this small city has been the centre of Sardinia's metal industry. Silver extraction and smelting  was followed by lead, zinc and copper mining.

​Iglesias means church in Spanish and the town spent many years under Spanish rule.

Iglesias is famed for its pretty narrow streets shaded by multicoloured suspended umbrellas and we located the Tourism Office where the staff were very helpful in finding us transport to San Giovanni's Cave and also for our planned trip to Porto Flavia on Sunday.

Piazza Lamarmora in the centre of Iglesias is where seven streets merge at the "Su Maimoni" statue in front of the Art Noveau building which is highly decorated with images of drinks, sweets and liquers.

The drive out to the cave didn't take long and we were soon walking through the 850m long cave system where we saw some very spectacuar stalagtites and rock formations before reaching the far end. We returned along the same route and after handing in our safety helmets, we returned to Iglesias.

It was too early to catch our rail replacement bus back to Decimomannu so we found a lovely little bar and enjoyed an Aperol Spritz and shared a bag of crisps.

Before long we were back at the Hotel Baylle for a siesta before going out for dinner.
​
Dinner was at the nearby Sa Schironada Restaurant which filled up quickly but it wasn't really to our liking as it was all a bit rushed and we'd hoped for a more leisurely dinner. Our starters were OK but mains were a real let down so it was back to our room for a nightcap.

lt was an eary start with a taxi to the Monserrato Station for the tour:

"The train is about to leave! From the San Gottardo station in Monserrato (Cagliari), you can travel comfortably on the brand new Stadler trains. through the territories of the lower Campidano to Mandas, on a journey to rediscover Sardinia, in the footsteps of David Herbert Lawrence and his book "Mare e Sardegna" (1921).
We will meet Settimo S. Pietro, Soleminis, Dolianova, Donori, Barrali, Senorbì, Suelli and Gesico, before our journey through time and territory leads us to Mandas. Here, we will find ourselves in the presence of a railway station that is undoubtedly small and not very busy in today's eyes, but at the time it was one of the largest and by some, considered a majestic testimony of the technological progress achieved, the nerve center of a great movement of people and novelties. Through the old locomotives, the rusty wagons, the monumental locomotives, we will discover its nodal importance of that time, Walking away from the station, along the narrow streets of the historic stone center, we will reach the Ethnographic Museum "Is Lollas de Is Aiaius", full of objects, known and very curious. "Footprints" of women and men, left as a testimony and memory of their experience A few steps later, we will arrive in the "MAHMU" Archaeological Museum which houses important Nuragic, Phoenician and Roman finds, Fragments of history, from which to start to better understand who our ancestors have become today. For lunchtime we will be in the nearby farmhouse. where, comfortably seated and served, we will savor the succulent dishes at km 0 and relax in a serene moment of conviviality. After coffee, in the dining room we will attend the show cooking made by a very skilled Mandari housewife and we will be able to try our hand at these techniques or simply admire the mastery and steal some skills to replicate at home. In the late afternoon, a few minutes walk and we will arrive in the presence of the nineteenth-century district of San Francesco, with the Convent founded by the friars in 1610. The church of the same name now houses the library and the one dedicated to St. Christopher collects the treasures of the area in the Museum of Sacred Art "Peregrinatio Fidei". Spectacular jewels and statues will make us question iconographic symbolism, between sacred and profane. A few steps and the imposing parish church of St. James (Santu Jacu), connects the present with the last 200 years of religious life of these places. We start again by completing the ring route in the historic center, up to the railway station. and..... all in carriage!! The return in total relaxation, on the comfortable Stadler train, along those same tracks laid over 150 years ago. which will take us to Monserrato (Gotthard Station), with many images and many news, new things to tell and if desired, a few more friends."

​This was a long day's tour but was a great way to see the countryside in southern Sardinia and with two museum visits in Mandas we learnt about the rural way of life in the area.

Lunch at Le Vigne Ducali Vineyard was a real treat as they were fully prepared with GF food for Yolande and their estate produce wine was very good and in endless supply.

Throughout the day, our Guide Mauro was very informative and helpful to the extent that he even gave us a lift back to our hotel that evening.

We were on the 0940 train out of Cagliari for Iglesias via train and rail bus replacement service and our driver Jessica was there to meet us as we arrived at about 1110.

Leaving Iglesias behind we soon joined a narrow and twisting coastal road, eventually arriving at the Porto Flavia Ticket Office by 1145 ready for our 1200 tour. We were issued with nets and helmets and were soon entering the long tunnel compex which once had small rail trucks taking minerals to the loading terrace which was 27m above the sea. From there the minerals to be exported were lowered into the holds of waiting cargo ships.

The Porto Flavia port and adjacent mining site is located near Inglesias on the southwestern coast of Sardinia and was built in 1924.

The tunnel wasn't particularly well lit but the surface was flat and level and the guides had torches. Where the tunnel ended, there was an option to descend to a lower level but we decided against this as there were lots of people on the narrow and steep steps. We then walked back through the tunnel to the main entrance and walked a short distance to meet our driver and headed back to Iglesias.

On the way back we passed Nebida where abandoned zinc and lead works overlook the sea but we didn't have time to visit this site.

Porta Flavia had been a very interesting visit and had recently hosted a world extreme diving event.

Back in Iglesias we caught an earlier rail replacement bus back to Decimomannu and waited for the next train back into Cagliari and we were soon back in our hotel room for a Gin & Tonic. Room 31 and the hotel generally were excellent but it would have been nice if there had been an ice machine in the lounge.

Dinner was to treat Yolande to a GF Pizza at the Man.Gia GF Restaurant which was about a twenty minute walk away. On the way we saw a kitchen shop and were able to buy a cheap kettle as our room didn't have one and this will save me my 0700 visits down to the coffee lounge on the first floor.

​The GF Pizza experience was excellent and a real treat for Yolande!

A taxi took us to the eastern end of the Poetto Beach for our 8Km walk back to the Marina Piccola where we planned on having lunch.

The first section was all sand and quite hard work but then a much better path was used for the majority of the walk. An old abandoned watch tower lay in the water just off the beach and a group of cormorants were sat on the top. The Tower of Carcangiolas was buit during the Spanish period and dates back to 1591 but it now lies on its side in the shallow warm waters I was wading through.

We crossed over the road to see a flamingo but it wasn't very pink! We were using sun cream as it was very hot but a coastal breeze helped to keep us cool.

Morning coffee at the Jinny Beach Club Resort and then Aperol Spritz cocktails further along at the Twist Beach Club.
​
Reaching the Marina Piccola we found the Villa Elysium Restaurant which proved to be very good. We sat on the upper terrace overlooking the marina and the Poetto Beach we just walked along.  The restaurant was predominently seafood but they made a nice creamy mushroom pasta (GF) dish for Yolande whilst I enjoyed a sardine starter followed by a mixed fish dish with chips and then a lemon sorbet which was very refreshing. The staff arranged a taxi back to the hotel for our late afternoon siesta.

We enjoyed an evening walk down to the waterfront where we saw some very expensive motor yachts and looked across at the very large Grimaldi RoRo ferry as it was about to sail. An enjoyable part of the walk was to stop off at the Gelateria Peter Pan where Yolande enjoyed a GF cone and strawberry ice cream. I went overboard and ordered a Banana Split which was excellent.

It's so much better waking up with a kettle in the room with no early shower and getting dressed to go down to the coffee lounge. The trip over to the supermarket was then easy enough to pick up items for our in-room continental breakfast with the wonderful fresh orange juice.

After breakfast we took a taxi up to the Museo Archaeologico Nazionale which was very interesting and a very well laid out museum. From there we walked across to the Bar Al Buon Cammino for our Aperol Spritz morning cocktails before descending into town.

Our route took us passed the Cagliari Amphitheatre which had once sat 10,000 spectators keen to watch fights between men and animals, the execution of death sentences and gladitorial fights. The site was carved out of the Hill of Buon Cammino between the 1st and 2nd Century AD and not built from the ground up like most amphitheatres.

From there we walked into Corso Vittorio Emanuee 11 which is a paved street lined with food outlets and we had a simple lunch at the Su Stampu Pizzeria.

After lunch we walked down to the Bus Station to buy tickets to get to Pula tomorrow morning to visit the ancient city of Nora, chosen by the Phoenicians as their main base in the area.

Dinner was back to the Eclipse - To the food and back Restaurant ​but my choices really didn't suit me that much but Yolande had a nice main course. I enjoyed a Sambuca before we walked  back to the hotel.

We boarded the 0915 bus to Pula and it was quite full. Heading westwards on SS195 we saw many pelicans on the wetlands to the north. We passed the large oil refinery where a number of tankers were moored on the jetties which extended out into the sea.

After 50 minutes we arrived in Pula and offloaded in the high street next to the Buddha Cafe which we visited for a coffee and to use the facilities. The staff kindly arranged for a taxi to take us down to Nora. Alighting from the taxi I popped into the Rada Restaurant to book a table for lunch at 1230 and then we purchased our entry tickets for the Nora site.

Pula lies 35 kilometres from Cagliari, in South Sardinia. It has fascinating origins and is today the gateway to Nora, one of the most famous tourist destinations in Sardinia. Inhabited by just over 7000 people, Pula once was mainly an agricultural town. 

It was the first Phoenician city in Sardinia (8th century BC), an important commercial crosswords and port of enviable location, in the isthmus of Capo Pula, from which it was possible to set sail in any weather. Nora, which developed fully in the 4th century BC under Punic rule, was conquered by the Romans in 238 BC and became a municipium in the 1st century AC. During the two following centuries, it lived its maximum splendour: urban growth and eight thousand inhabitants, in addition to being caput viae, the starting point of all of the roads on the islands. 

​We enjoyed our walk around this fascinating site before returning to the Rada Restaurant for drinks and lunch on the verandas which overlooked the surrounding areas. Apertol Spritz cocktails before lunch of course. Yolande ordered a chicken salad whist I chose pasta with lobster - we both enjoyed our chosen meals in such a fabulous setting.

After lunch I phoned the taxi driver we'd used earlier and he came to collect us and dropped us off at the bus stop for the 1426 back to Cagliari Bus Station from where we walked up to our supermarket and then returned to our room for an afternoon siesta.

Dinner was to the nearby Tandoori Restaurant which was very nicely furnished. The food was quite reasonable overall. 

 We'd both woken up early sadly, possibly due to noise outside in Piazza Yenne which our room overlooked but generally we didn't hear much to disturb us. After our breakfast we walked down to the station and caught the 0922 train to Oristano where we arrived at about 1045.

We walked into town and enjoyed a coffee in Piazza Mariano and then walked in the central part of Oristano with a brief stop to buy a few gifts to take home. We passed the medieval Tower of Portixedda which had been part of the old city walls which were pulled down in the 19th century.

We explored the central area around the 13th century Torre di Mariano 11 Tower in Piazza Roma which is surrounded by narrow alleyways and up in Piazza Eleonara d'Arbora found a nice place to enjoy lunch. The Barber Cafe menu didn't have much for Yolande to eat but they prepared a nice mushroom GF pasta dish for her which she enjoyed - made to order! 

We caught the 1437 train back to Cagliari and enjoyed a siesta. Walking back up to the hotel we stopped in the Sardissimo delicatesen where we enjoyed a glass of wine in this fabulous shop in the nearby Piazzetta Savoia square. Also in the square was a tapas type bar offering GF food so we went there for our evening meal which was very good - Taccas Anni 60.

Wherever we visit on our travels we always like to visit a market so after breakfast we walked (2Km) to the Mercati Civici San Benedetto and just before arriving there stopped for a coffee at a small but very local bar.

Once in the market there were lots of photographic opportunities and whenever I asked a stall holder if I could take photographs I always received a positive response.

From the market we had a longer walk (4Km) across to the other side of Cagliari to the Old Wild West Restaurant. This was well worth the effort as it was decorated in real wild western fashion and we sat in a mocked up Chuck Wagon for drinks and lunch. Suprisingly they didn't offer a margarita which we'd have enjoyed but the food was very good and after lunch we walked (2Km) back to the hotel for a siesta.

We enjoyed our last Gin and Tonics before walking to the Man.Gia GF Pizzeria for our last dinner in Cagliari.

Awake at 0700 to finish packing we left the Hotel Baylle at 0830 with a taxi to the airport where we had to wait a short while before checking in and passing through security and enjoying one last Aperol Spritz, made by me, in the lounge.

We purchased three bottles of Pallini Limoncello which is Yolande's favourite.

The flight back was just over 2hrs but at LGW we had to wait over half an hour for our luggage before picking up the car for us to share the drive home.

​We'd both enjoyed Cagliari and our trips out of town into the countryside and we can both highly recommend the Hotel Baylle.

Highlights of my career as an International Mountain Leader include:

• 25 Himalayan treks and expeditions
• 5 Mt Toubkal treks
• Recce treks to Kilimanjaro, Peru and Nepal
• Travels through 80 countries
• 3 UIAA Hill Mountain Skills courses delivered at the Kasbah du Toubkal and 1 for Climb Indonesia in the Central Highlands of Java, Indonesia
• Hill & Moorland Leader Award in Wales as one of the most frequent provider of this course as Bigfoot Services Limited
• Additional qualifications achieved include IEMA Associate Certificate, NEBOSH General Certificate and ISO Auditor
• Training Provider for Rescue Emergency Care (REC) for all courses up to L5, Royal Geographical Society (RGS) Off Site Safety Management (OSSM), the National Navigation Award Scheme (NNAS) for all courses and the Institute of Occupational Safety and health (IOSH) for Working Safely and Managing Safely
• Meeting and working with a wide range of people from many countries and cultures from across the world