This is when we were watching a parade here in Cartagena. The person next to me is my friend [who is Spanish] her name is Tania and the lunatics in the background are also my friends. Their names are Pat and Loraine. Hope everyone has a nice year. Livvy’s friend is Miralla (sorry if I misspelt).

We had a great time on a school camping trip.

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/colegiopatronatocartagena/videos/1791295381190129/

 

 

 

 

 

Firstly, we were home schooling and then a really lovely person who worked at Cartagena (Anna) asked us if we wanted to go to proper school, so I said “yes”. I was a bit scared at first but then got really excited. When we finally went I was really happy then nervous. The school was old and pretty inside. I made lots of friends and know all their names.  By the way, I’ve got used to getting up at 07:00 in the morning. When it was the last day of school I didn’t feel 100% but I still went to school. We watched “Finding Dory” and my friend’s dad came and talked all about being a scuba diver. It was very interesting. Once he had finished we played loads of games.

I had made each of my friends a good bye gift which I gave out. It was seeds in a pot which I had grown myself, poppies and corn flowers. They only took a few days to germinate in the heat of the sun here in Cartagena. They all really liked them. I also got lots of presents back from my class and teachers. I felt very  very sad and happy at the same time.

In Cartagena there were lots of parades and festivals. One parade was at Xmas. There were bands playing along the streets with dancers and I got pulled in. it was soo much fun. They were dressed in beautiful clothes and a person from school was a dancer!.  The last one was about Jesus. The first part of it children were giving out sweets (we got loads), the second part was with lots of drummers, fluters, tromboners and saxophone players. It also had loads of floats which were very very very beautiful. We got a card that had parts of the floats printed on it.

The BBQ’s we went to on Sundays have also been great.

When we left the marina in Cartagena Marina, Ulli and Rainer all waved us off. We also had Tim on board( a friend of daddy’s) when we left. He had only just arrived in Spain. We sailed later on. We sailed through the night straight to Cala Talamanca. It was a bay full of boats but a bit shallow so we moved to Cala LLonga – on Ibiza. We stayed here for 2 nights. We went to the beach and went for a swim with Tim (daddy didn’t come because the water was too cold for him). The next day we went to the beach for the whole day and went swimming, played games and had ice-cream. The following day we sailed on to Portinaix because it would get really windy. We stayed here for 2 days and had a meal out with Tim. Tim bought us the dinner. We went on to the beach and just played games as it was too cold for swimming.

Next we went to San Antonio. Here is where Tim goes home, so I’m sad. On Monday we saw an Octopus! It was very camouflaged in the sand because it was grey. We went to Ibiza town by bus and it was magnificent. We went into the Cathedral and it was empty, there was only us in it.

 

Thank you for all your emails.

IBIZA –

Talamanca Bay:- After we had been asleep following the long journey across from Cartagena,  we blew the dinghy up with Tim and put it into the water. Then we got into it and took Livvys bathescope for the first time to check the anchor. After that we checked the keel and saw that it was nearly touching the rock so we needed to move. The following day it was Easter Sunday. When we were going into Mummy and Daddy’s room, we looked on the table and were really surprised. There was: – a cup; a big Easter bunny in a bag with lots of little eggs in the bag too; chocolate coins; and little eggs all on the deck and dotted about the cabins. Once we had collected all the goodies it was time to move on.

Portinaix:- It was very windy and we still have Tim on board. We went to the beach and Tim was very kind and bought Livvy and I an ice-cream, it was very yummy. Mummy and Tim went for a walk up to a big piece of rock leaving Daddy, livvy and I on the beach.  We played lots of games and swam in the sea.  When mum and tim got back they told us they had found lots of rock pools with fish in them and Tim had been covered by a big wave that washed up through the rocks.

Tim took us out for dinner, I had hot dog and chips and for dessert I had an Oreo ice cream.  After this we had to get back to Arctic. It was now very rough and Tim had to push the dinghy out over the waves to try to get us back. He cut his leg really badly and daddy had to row like crazy to get us back to the boat. There was a HUGE wave and we all got soaked, especially Livvy and I as we were at the front of the dinghy. It was a very rocky night and the grown-ups didn’t get much sleep but Livvy and I were tucked up warm and snug and slept through it all.

San Antonio:- When Tim had come from England, he bought us a really great present – a swing for the boat. We tried it out here for the first time and it was so much fun. I was a bit worried at first to do it as you have to hang over the side of the boat over the sea, but I soon got the hang of it and was running along and jumping out really wide. As we hadn’t found a big shop we needed to explore and find one. Mummy had been told about a Lidl but she found it and it was just a building site where they had closed it to make it better so we ahd to go on a hunt. We found a very big one but it was a really long walk away from the boat. We shopped then radioed Daddy to get him to come and get us from the beach, but he said that Arctic had been dragging her anchor so Mike from Kealoah V came to get us instead. The next day Tim went home, it was very sad but we hope he will come back and spend more time with us.

We had a problem with the generator and Mummy and I took the dinghy to shore to try to find a chandlery to get the parts. We found somewhere, ordered the bits and then had to wait for them to be delivered – 3 days!.

Benirass:- We had come to this bay as it was very special, especially on a Sunday. The entrance had a big rock in the shape of Queen Victoria (whoever she is). We were here with 3 other boats all friends of ours. There were hundreds of purple Jellyfish in the water and Cate got stung really badly so we decided we didn’t want to go swimming. We went on a long walk with all our friends and came back and had a drink on the beach. On Sunday night, lots and lots of people came to the beach as the drummers drummed till the sun set. We danced on the beach with a lady called Rose and it was so much fun. There was a market selling clothes and jewellery which was nice to look at.

We took the dinghy out the next day to San Miguel and looked into some caves. We saw sea cucumbers and lots of purple rocks as well as sea tomatoes- they are sea urchins that stick to the rocks but look just like a tomato! We beached the dinghy and went looking around the shops for a bit and on the way back to the cove, we went passed a big blue boat that was anchored in the outside of the bay. It was huge.

 

MALLORCA –

Porta Vells:- When we got in to this bay there were hardly any people here.  The next morning Livvy went snorkelling with Cate for the first time. Later on a lot of boats appeared and the ones with German flags were testing to see who could be the loudest. Meanwhile Livvy and I were sitting on the front of the boat painting as it was a very beautiful bay and Daddy was fixing the generator again! Livvy and I noticed that lots of the people on the other boats were drunk. In the evening they all went off and we put our music on as loud as we could to say goodbye to them. The next day it all happened again but in the evening we went for a walk. We walked to the caves and saw that they were very big and one had a little temple in it.

Illetes:- I went snorkelling for the first time ever here. It was really good but a bit scary.

We went back to the boat and daddy had to go to right to the top of the mast as the light was not working.  He ended up going up 3 times, he was very brave.  There were lots of problems on the boat here. The freezer stopped working and the water maker broke too. So we went on the bus to Palma and mummy and daddy went off to find the parts we needed to fix things and Livvy and I went with our friends Cate and Mike around the city. It was really fun and interesting.

We went snorkelling again but with Rainer this time around the shallow parts. I don’t like it when the weed is there as I think something is going to come out and get me.

(we have since heard from our friends that a shark was caught at this beach only a few weeks after we had been here).

We had to go into a marina on the pontoon to get the freezer fixed. 2 men came and put a new electrical bit in as the old one was water logged from the freezer pump when that went wrong.  It was a lot of money but at least we could have ice creams again.

Santa Ponsa:-

The bay was a big bay and was lovely and turquoise. We went in for a snorkel and we saw a big fish. We went back onto Arctic and fed the fish with some bread. When we were feeding the Sea breams, a barracuda came swimming by and all the smaller fish swam out of its way. The next morning mummy went shopping and we went to the beach again. When mummy got back she had bought us all an ice cream. When it was the evening we celebrated Lisa’s and Christians birthdays. Lisa promised to take us for a swim the next day. So we got up nice and early and went in for a swim with Rainer and we had to swim across to Lisa’s boat as she wasn’t up yet.

We also had a nice bbq on the small beach with friends of ours and Duncan from Samji took us back to our boat in his dinghy really fast as he has got a bigger engine than us. The BBQ was fun sitting on the rocks with the sea by your feet.

 

Pollenca:-

After we had arrived we went for a walk with Rainer coming too and we saw where the search and rescue planes landed because we had walked right to the end of the front. It was a lovely pine walk. The next morning we went on a really long walk to a different bay. Some of us decided that we would go back but Daddy and Livvy decided to walk down to the beach. They went in swimming and on the way back up the rocky path, Livvy fell and hurt herself.

The next day we went out to dinner with our friends. After the dinner we had our dessert and we chose a vanilla ice cream which was inside a toucan.

We left the next day and I steered the boat out of the bay as 2 aeroplanes came right across us and I had to slow down to let them land. They were the search and rescue planes we had seen when we went for our walk.

Dragonera:-

At the beach Livvy and I were picking up some rocks and dropping them back into the water again. When Livvy picked up one rock she got stung by a jellyfish. It really hurt her and she was upset. We went back to the boat so she could stay in the shade.

The following day we went for a walk up Dragonera. When we were on the way up, mummy told our friend that Livvy had been stung and he said to put vinegar on it. We saw a seagulls nest with an egg in it. Finally we reached the top after lots of water breaks – hurray. Christian flew his drone whilst we had our lunch. We threw some of the bread to the lizards and they took it and ate it. When I ahd finished my apple, I put a piece on my foot and a lizard came up on my leg and licked the sweetness out.

When we were on our way back down we saw a newly hatched gulls chick. It was so cute and it blended into the rocks really well, it was very camoflagued.

 

MENORCA –

Cala Covas:-

When we arrived in Cala Covas we went fishing and I caught one but it let go of the hook before I could get the net. After that we went in swimming even though I don’t like swimming when I know there are fish in the water. When we got out daddy wanted to know if we wanted to go on a little walk with Rainer. Livvy and I both said yes. We took the dinghy and Livvy and I went exploring along the cliff faces. We wanted to get to the end of the cliff but we couldn’t because there was a huge Prickly Pear cactus in the way so we stopped and turned back. First we thought we had got lost but we soon found our way and went back.

The next day we went on a different long walk to the next bay, we saw a beautiful tortoise with a blue and yellow shell. We got really close to it and I touched its shell. We also found a white mule. He followed us until a really tricky part then he stopped. When we were walking down we heard him braying again. In the evening we flew in our hammock chairs along the edge of the boat. It was great fun.

 

Cala Galdana:- The first time we went in it was very rocky and rolly so we went to see if we could anchor in another bay. We couldn’t because it was pretty busy and a bit rolly the same so we went back again. The swell dropped and it wasn’t as rocky or rolly any longer.

In the morning we went for another really good walk. We walked to a really nice bay. When we were there we saw a big land cave so we decided to explore in it. Inside it looked like people might once have lived in it. It had rooms next to each other; it was just like a house. When we climbed down the stairs it was easy but going up is something else, it’s really tricky.

Livvy and I went in for a swim the next day and we swam over to Maritha because Rainer was in swimming with us. We were supposed to be going to the beach but it didn’t matter, this was fun too.

Addaya:- When we got into the bay Duncan and Pat off Samji were already there and came over for a chat. Once they had gone, daddy, Livvy and I all went skinny dipping. Livvy and I swam over to Samji and said hello.  We got out, dried off and then went to find the shops for more food.

The following day we went on a swallows and amazons hunt to find a secret lagoon.  It was soo secret that we went round in circles trying to find the entrance. We were all meant to be going snorkelling but I didn’t like it so mummy and I stayed on land and went rock pool hunting instead. We found a catfish under a rock, lots of red crabs with yellow spots on their legs and blue diamonds on their backs. We also saw blue and green fish. Duncan and Pat came over once we got back to help fix our outboard as it had stopped working on the way back. Mummy and Daddy had to row us back half way each.

In the evening we went across to Samji for a few drinks and they played music. Livvy and I danced and played. It was fun.

Binebeca:-We only stayed here for one night. We went to the beach and made some new friends. Their names were Harry and Olivia and they were on holiday. We played making sand castles on the beach with them for a long time and daddy talked to their mum and dad. We found the shop to get some milk and Livvy and I also got a ball attached to a piece of elastic which is good fun.  It was a bit rolly in here and the wind was due to get stronger so we moved to Cala Covas.

Mahon:-

The water wasn’t very clear here but we still went swimming. Maritha and Rainer had lost a piece of their foam and I picked it up and swam it over to them. When we got out of the water we went on a little walk to see some ruins. We wanted to look around the fort too but it was too expensive for us so we just walked around the outside.

The following day we motored to the town in the dinghy, it was a very long way.  We wanted to find the lidl but it was too far out of town to walk to so we went to the Eroski instead. In the afternoon some more of our friends came in and we invited them around for some nibbles. The next morning we went back to the town and this time went to Mercadona. On the way back we bought a chocolate brownie it was delicious.