'Travel a little further and enter a different world.' This is how they advertise Sark on the local radio station. I was intrigued to explore this island where cars are banned and the 560 locals get around by bike, horse, tractor or just walk.
Jess and I took the forty five minute ferry ride to the island on a day off in mid May. The weather turned out great for us as we hired a couple of bikes and rode around the island. We explored the island for a few hours admiring the wonderful natural landscape. The island is five kilometres long and 2 kilometres wide although for a small island though it lacked any good beach to relax on. We rode throughout the island to Little Sark across the narrow La Coupee before taking a walk through the shops on the avenue, the islands only shopping street. Jess and I headed for the pub to have a few drinks. A pint of Carlsberg we were happy to hear cost only £1.80, almost half what the hotel I work in charge. This is because there is no income tax, no property tax and no export duty. Smoking inside pubs has also not yet been banned.
Since returning from Sark I have been doing some reading about the island and discovered it is the last European territory to abolish feudalism, doing so in 2008.
There is also an island named Breqhou located next to Sark which belongs to the Barclay brothers, a couple of famous very rich English twins who made their wealth through media, retail and property. Their wealth is estimated at $1.8 billion.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Liberation Day
This year on May 8 Guernsey celebrated 65 years of Liberation. The islands population turned up in force to join in the party. An estimated 20,000 people were in town on the day, one third of the population. I organised to have a few hours off work in the late afternoon and went into town to see what it was all about.
I arrived in time to watch the cavalcade of cars, marching bands and floats pass through the main street. Islanders waved Guernsey flags and partied into the night. Disappointingly I had to return to work but I enjoyed the few hours and I was impressed by just how much it means to everyone.
The island celebrated sixty five years to the day that the island was freed from the Germans who had occupied the land for four years, ten months and seven days. Many of the islanders left to go to England when the Germans arrived, those who stayed lived in very poor conditions with food being rationed and many locals having to work as slaves.
Reminders of the German Occupation are still visible throughout the island. At Jerbourg point there is a concrete forte during WWII with the NAZI sign still readable. The Germans built forts across much of the coastline although they were never invaded. There are also a number of Occupation museums on the island. None of which I have visited after experiencing the liberation celebrations I now have a greater understanding and interest so I plan to visit the museums soon.
The Monday prior to Liberation Day was also a Bank Holiday Monday and I spent my day off taking part in a photomarathon. I was given a disposable camera and twelve topics and had six hours to interpret the topics any way I wished. My imagination on the day was lacking so not surprisingly I did not win. I was fun to be a part of it and my photos along with the other 70 participants photos were on show at the Information Centre. The competition was part of a month long photography festival in St Peter Port. Professionals displayed there photos in section of town, some of which were excellent and some I found quite random and boring.
While Guernsey and the Channel Islands were celbrating their Liberation the rest of the UK were trying to decide who would lead them as Prime Minister. Gordon Brown's party did not win enough votes to keep power and David Cameron's Conservatives also didn't win enough votes for a victory. So it was left for Nick Clegg to decide after a few days of meetings to take David Cameron's side making Cameron the new leader.
I arrived in time to watch the cavalcade of cars, marching bands and floats pass through the main street. Islanders waved Guernsey flags and partied into the night. Disappointingly I had to return to work but I enjoyed the few hours and I was impressed by just how much it means to everyone.
The island celebrated sixty five years to the day that the island was freed from the Germans who had occupied the land for four years, ten months and seven days. Many of the islanders left to go to England when the Germans arrived, those who stayed lived in very poor conditions with food being rationed and many locals having to work as slaves.
Reminders of the German Occupation are still visible throughout the island. At Jerbourg point there is a concrete forte during WWII with the NAZI sign still readable. The Germans built forts across much of the coastline although they were never invaded. There are also a number of Occupation museums on the island. None of which I have visited after experiencing the liberation celebrations I now have a greater understanding and interest so I plan to visit the museums soon.
The Monday prior to Liberation Day was also a Bank Holiday Monday and I spent my day off taking part in a photomarathon. I was given a disposable camera and twelve topics and had six hours to interpret the topics any way I wished. My imagination on the day was lacking so not surprisingly I did not win. I was fun to be a part of it and my photos along with the other 70 participants photos were on show at the Information Centre. The competition was part of a month long photography festival in St Peter Port. Professionals displayed there photos in section of town, some of which were excellent and some I found quite random and boring.
While Guernsey and the Channel Islands were celbrating their Liberation the rest of the UK were trying to decide who would lead them as Prime Minister. Gordon Brown's party did not win enough votes to keep power and David Cameron's Conservatives also didn't win enough votes for a victory. So it was left for Nick Clegg to decide after a few days of meetings to take David Cameron's side making Cameron the new leader.
Icelandic Volcanic Ash
Eyjafjallajokull. These random letters spell out the name of the Icelandic Volcano which caused chaos for many travellers in Guernsey. The volcano eruption itself did not makes news headlines it was only a few weeks later when the ash caused the closure of UK airspace that people started to take notice.
The ash itself was not at all visible in the skies over Guernsey and for most of the week the UK airspace was closed the inter-island flights to the other Channel Islands continued to fly. I have never seen the skies as clear as they were that week with only a few aeroplanes flying. The flight ban occurred in exactly the same week as I arrived into the UK last year. Luckily for me it had not happened last year as it would have caused major disruptions to my trip. Guernsey is only about thirty minutes flight from London although it can take up to twelve hours on the slow ferry to reach Poole then another few hours to get to London. This extended trip is what a number of our guests had to endure in order to get home when the flights were cancelled. It was the busiest week Condor Ferries had had for years.
I did not need to fly anywhere in the week the airspace was closed. Jess and I though were planning to catch a boat to neighbouring island Herm. The ash cloud did not stop the boats and we enjoyed a relaxing day of sun on Herm.
Herm is the closest of the major islands to Guernsey and after just twenty minutes on the boat we reached an island with no cars, no tarmac roads and just a couple of tractors. The whole island is only one and half miles wide and three quarters of a mile long. Jess and I took a couple of hours to walk around the island sitting for a while on the beautiful shell beach. We then started a pub crawl through the two pubs on the island before returning to the hustle and bustle of Guernsey.
It was a fun relaxing day and a good change not to see any cars for the day as Guernsey is said to have more cars per head than anywhere else in the World. Guernsey drivers very good at reserving as many of the streets are too narrow for two cars. There are also a large number of Porsche's and BMW's for an island where you cannot drive more than 50 kilometres an hour.
The ash itself was not at all visible in the skies over Guernsey and for most of the week the UK airspace was closed the inter-island flights to the other Channel Islands continued to fly. I have never seen the skies as clear as they were that week with only a few aeroplanes flying. The flight ban occurred in exactly the same week as I arrived into the UK last year. Luckily for me it had not happened last year as it would have caused major disruptions to my trip. Guernsey is only about thirty minutes flight from London although it can take up to twelve hours on the slow ferry to reach Poole then another few hours to get to London. This extended trip is what a number of our guests had to endure in order to get home when the flights were cancelled. It was the busiest week Condor Ferries had had for years.
I did not need to fly anywhere in the week the airspace was closed. Jess and I though were planning to catch a boat to neighbouring island Herm. The ash cloud did not stop the boats and we enjoyed a relaxing day of sun on Herm.
Herm is the closest of the major islands to Guernsey and after just twenty minutes on the boat we reached an island with no cars, no tarmac roads and just a couple of tractors. The whole island is only one and half miles wide and three quarters of a mile long. Jess and I took a couple of hours to walk around the island sitting for a while on the beautiful shell beach. We then started a pub crawl through the two pubs on the island before returning to the hustle and bustle of Guernsey.
It was a fun relaxing day and a good change not to see any cars for the day as Guernsey is said to have more cars per head than anywhere else in the World. Guernsey drivers very good at reserving as many of the streets are too narrow for two cars. There are also a large number of Porsche's and BMW's for an island where you cannot drive more than 50 kilometres an hour.
Easter weekend
Easter weekend was due to be the start of the busy summer period but it came and went without any real increase in number of guests. It also came and went without any change in weather, it was still quite cold with top temperatures under ten degrees.
Throughout the Easter weekend I worked for the hotel at a local hockey tournament selling burgers and sausages. I was given the role by the hotel manager Paul who told me as I was an Aussie I knew how to cook a barbie. I wasn't going to disagree. I stood in the freezing wind and pouring rain, so much rain in fact the tournament had to be postponed a day because the pitch was waterlogged.
Jess also arrived in Guernsey just before the Easter weekend to start work at La Barbarie, a hotel and restaurant about thirty minutes walk from Jerbourg. Jess had been working at a hotel in Devon in south England although she had not particularly enjoyed her role there.
Easter weekend did though mark the opening of most of the tourist attractions which had been closed since I arrived. The first museum I visited was the home of Guernsey's most famous former resident Victor Hugo. Victor Hugo is a famous French author, he lived in Hautaville House in St Peter Port while on exile from France. I have never read any of his novels although I am familiar with the West End production Les Miserables which is based upon his novel of the same name which he wrote while living in the house. The house has not been lived in since he left and is now ironically owned by Paris and the French consulate for the island. He made it very obvious it was his house by engraving his initials all over the house and building almost a shrine to himself. I also visited the house to admire the stunning views I had read about and true they were stunning. Unspoilt views of the harbour as well as neighbouring islands Herm and Sark.
Jess and I spent our days off in April exploring more of the sights of Guernsey. We visited The Little Chapel, it is said to be the worlds smallest church and is completly covered inside and out in porcelain making it quite a sight. We also went to Cobo Beach and Vazon Bay where the beaches are much flatter than near Jerbourg. The island also has a Castle known as Castle Cornet located just off St Peter Port along a long concrete pier.
Throughout the Easter weekend I worked for the hotel at a local hockey tournament selling burgers and sausages. I was given the role by the hotel manager Paul who told me as I was an Aussie I knew how to cook a barbie. I wasn't going to disagree. I stood in the freezing wind and pouring rain, so much rain in fact the tournament had to be postponed a day because the pitch was waterlogged.
Jess also arrived in Guernsey just before the Easter weekend to start work at La Barbarie, a hotel and restaurant about thirty minutes walk from Jerbourg. Jess had been working at a hotel in Devon in south England although she had not particularly enjoyed her role there.
Easter weekend did though mark the opening of most of the tourist attractions which had been closed since I arrived. The first museum I visited was the home of Guernsey's most famous former resident Victor Hugo. Victor Hugo is a famous French author, he lived in Hautaville House in St Peter Port while on exile from France. I have never read any of his novels although I am familiar with the West End production Les Miserables which is based upon his novel of the same name which he wrote while living in the house. The house has not been lived in since he left and is now ironically owned by Paris and the French consulate for the island. He made it very obvious it was his house by engraving his initials all over the house and building almost a shrine to himself. I also visited the house to admire the stunning views I had read about and true they were stunning. Unspoilt views of the harbour as well as neighbouring islands Herm and Sark.
Jess and I spent our days off in April exploring more of the sights of Guernsey. We visited The Little Chapel, it is said to be the worlds smallest church and is completly covered inside and out in porcelain making it quite a sight. We also went to Cobo Beach and Vazon Bay where the beaches are much flatter than near Jerbourg. The island also has a Castle known as Castle Cornet located just off St Peter Port along a long concrete pier.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Getting to know Guernsey
A capital which is known as town, a tax haven and locals who call themselves 'Donkeys.' These are the few things I knew about the island of Guernsey before I arrived to start work on March 1st. I was hoping the taxi driver from the airport would know where they were going because I had no idea.
I started work at Hotel Jerbourg located on the South East corner of the island. The hotel is located on the edge of a cliff just beside Jerbourg point. To walk from the hotel into St Peter Port, town, takes roughly forty five minutes. Luckily there is a bus service which picks up just outside the hotel, although the bus takes an indirect loop route into town and takes thirty minutes.
St Peter Port is the capital of Guernsey although it does feel a lot more like a town than a capital city. There are no major fast food restaurants, the steep cobbled streets are instead lined life expensive clothing stores and restaurants. St Peter Port is the home of the islands government as well as the major bank branches and many museums. The island is self governing separate from the UK but still comes under its rule enough to make it legal for me to work here.
The Donkey reference is a nickname given to the Guernsey people from their neighbour Jersey for the stubbornness. The Guernsey people in return call Jersey locals toads, as their are toads on Jersey and not Guernsey.
The island has a population of 60,000 which increases dramatically in the summer time. It was evident as March progressed that the number of tourists visiting the island was slowly increasing. The official language is English, although all the street names are French, there is also fortifications built by the Germans dotted around much of the coastline. The island has its own currency equivalent to the British pound but not usable in the UK.
The tax haven status is something I am still unsure about, I will explain it at a later stage. I do know that it is very expensive to buy or rent a property on the island, especially if you are a newcomer to the island. One bedroom flats for a newcomer can cost more than £300,000. This is because newcomers have to buy from the open market and not the local market which is reserved for long term islanders. A house on the local market for £230,000 would sell for more than £900,000 on the open market. This is why it is an island for the rich and famous. The newest celebrity to buy a house on the island is formula one world champion Jenson Button who purchased a house here in April. It is luckily also when considering all this that accomodation is included at the hotel as part of my job.
It was evident after a few weeks in Guernsey that I had a lot to learn about this little island.
I started work at Hotel Jerbourg located on the South East corner of the island. The hotel is located on the edge of a cliff just beside Jerbourg point. To walk from the hotel into St Peter Port, town, takes roughly forty five minutes. Luckily there is a bus service which picks up just outside the hotel, although the bus takes an indirect loop route into town and takes thirty minutes.
St Peter Port is the capital of Guernsey although it does feel a lot more like a town than a capital city. There are no major fast food restaurants, the steep cobbled streets are instead lined life expensive clothing stores and restaurants. St Peter Port is the home of the islands government as well as the major bank branches and many museums. The island is self governing separate from the UK but still comes under its rule enough to make it legal for me to work here.
The Donkey reference is a nickname given to the Guernsey people from their neighbour Jersey for the stubbornness. The Guernsey people in return call Jersey locals toads, as their are toads on Jersey and not Guernsey.
The island has a population of 60,000 which increases dramatically in the summer time. It was evident as March progressed that the number of tourists visiting the island was slowly increasing. The official language is English, although all the street names are French, there is also fortifications built by the Germans dotted around much of the coastline. The island has its own currency equivalent to the British pound but not usable in the UK.
The tax haven status is something I am still unsure about, I will explain it at a later stage. I do know that it is very expensive to buy or rent a property on the island, especially if you are a newcomer to the island. One bedroom flats for a newcomer can cost more than £300,000. This is because newcomers have to buy from the open market and not the local market which is reserved for long term islanders. A house on the local market for £230,000 would sell for more than £900,000 on the open market. This is why it is an island for the rich and famous. The newest celebrity to buy a house on the island is formula one world champion Jenson Button who purchased a house here in April. It is luckily also when considering all this that accomodation is included at the hotel as part of my job.
It was evident after a few weeks in Guernsey that I had a lot to learn about this little island.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
My birthday and leaving London
On our last weekend in London Jess and I threw a housewarming/house leaving/my birthday party at our house in Leyton. Jess invited a few of her friends and a couple of my mates Joe and Blacky, who I met last year on my Europe trip, came along. Many of our housemates joined the party and had friends come round so it was a fun night and a good way to farewell London.
The day before the party on the 25th of February, I celebrated my birthday with Jess and a friend of mine Leah as we spent the day touring the sights of London. Leah a university friend of mine had just arrived in the UK. Leah left us to catch a bus to start work and Jess and I went to Notting Hill to admire the million dollar mansions until rain forced us to go home.
Jess had secured herself a job at a hotel in Sidmouth, Devon and with me going to Guernsey we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. We did not know when we would next see each other.
I wasn't sad to be leaving London. It had not worked out for me and I was looking forward to starting again in Guernsey, to me a completely unfamiliar island.
The day before the party on the 25th of February, I celebrated my birthday with Jess and a friend of mine Leah as we spent the day touring the sights of London. Leah a university friend of mine had just arrived in the UK. Leah left us to catch a bus to start work and Jess and I went to Notting Hill to admire the million dollar mansions until rain forced us to go home.
Jess had secured herself a job at a hotel in Sidmouth, Devon and with me going to Guernsey we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. We did not know when we would next see each other.
I wasn't sad to be leaving London. It had not worked out for me and I was looking forward to starting again in Guernsey, to me a completely unfamiliar island.
London Life
Watching Fulham FC play at Craven Cottage the conditions were much different from the last game I had been to see. Andy and I had worn shorts and t-shirt to the football in late August. This time around in the middle of February Jess, her friend Bushy and I were all rugged up and I was still freezing cold. The 90 minutes felt much longer to me. The cold weather did not deter the crowd who turned out in force to support their team against Ukranian team Shaktar Donetsk. Fulham won the UEFA cup game and 2-1 and have since continued to win to see them make the final against Athletico Madrid which will take place on the 12th of May.
Attending another football game was on my list of things to do now I knew my time in London was coming to an end. In the same week I visited the Imperial War Museum, spent a night out in Camden town and went inside the Old Bailey (one of the world's most famous courthouses) during a trial. Jess and I also took a tour of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis. The venue looked quite a bit different than when I was their for the tournament last year as they regrow the grass every year.
I still wanted to visit Cambridge as I had not yet been there so I took the National Express on a day trip from London. Disappointingly as was the case when I visited Oxford many of the colleges were closed to visitors. I did take a walk around the colleges and watch the punters in action, I didn't take a ride though. Punting is when a person stands in a flat bottomed boat and pushes a large stick against the bottom of the river bed. It is now a very popular tourist attraction in Cambridge. I did enjoy admiring all the grand architecture but I couldn't study there.
Attending another football game was on my list of things to do now I knew my time in London was coming to an end. In the same week I visited the Imperial War Museum, spent a night out in Camden town and went inside the Old Bailey (one of the world's most famous courthouses) during a trial. Jess and I also took a tour of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis. The venue looked quite a bit different than when I was their for the tournament last year as they regrow the grass every year.
I still wanted to visit Cambridge as I had not yet been there so I took the National Express on a day trip from London. Disappointingly as was the case when I visited Oxford many of the colleges were closed to visitors. I did take a walk around the colleges and watch the punters in action, I didn't take a ride though. Punting is when a person stands in a flat bottomed boat and pushes a large stick against the bottom of the river bed. It is now a very popular tourist attraction in Cambridge. I did enjoy admiring all the grand architecture but I couldn't study there.
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