CAMTRIER

Started our trip by flying Virgin Atlantic from LHR to Barbados Airport

Tuesday 23rd December 2025: Nice flight during the day well looked after by VA crew. Arrived in Barbados 🇧🇧 in the afternoon and transferred to Sandles Barbados. Had a good look round the resort and then dinner in one of their fish restaurants which was very nice. Very hot and relaxing.

Wednesday 24th December 2025: Nice breakfast followed by a day on the beach. Took it easy with plenty of sunscreen and keeping in the shade. Watched a Barbadian tree surgeon 😆 harvesting coconuts 🥥 🌴 . Needed a helmet on the lilos 😂

Went for a few swims 800m in the warm sea and pool to cool down and do a bit of exercise.

We went for a guided tour round the resort which was impressive with over 20 restaurants. In the evening after a lovely dinner in the Italian restaurant went to a white night silent disco which a scream after being a bit dubious. In fact one of the best nights dancing.

Thursday 25th December 2025: Christmas🎄 Day : Buffet Breakfast at Spice with a Buck’s Fizz. Different kind of Christmas Day on the beach again with 800m swims in sea. Also a visit from Father Christmas 🎅

In evening went for dinner in Chi restaurant for spicey food.Afterwards to a piano bathe and for a DJ night with a bit of dancing which wasn’t as good as the silent disco last night.

Friday 26th December 2025: Boxing Day: Another relaxing day on the beach then went onto the roof top bar and pool. Bit of sunbathing and swimming 🏊‍♂️ in the pool and caught the sunsets

In the evening chose the Parisienne french restaurant for snails and a white fish dish followed by a chocolate desert with a bottle of Whispering Angel Rose wine

Saturday 27th December 2025: After breakfast at spices packed cases and spent some time by the quiet European pool and then went to the Sandles lounge and waited for the pick up to go to the Sailing Ship cruise on the Royal Clipper from Barbados 🇧🇧 cruise terminal. Details outlined below which we were excited about.

Arrived a cruise terminal and checked in and boarded the Royal Clipper and shown to our cabin which was great and unpacked

Then after a safety briefing on the TV went down for 3 course dinner which was delicious and with both chose a fish starter and a nice piece of snapper and chocolate desert.

After dinner of a fish mix starter followed by a snapper dish and chocolate desert, Went onto the main deck and had a glass of Champagne before enjoying the 42 sails being slowly release with a tune from Vangelis “Chariots of Fire” which was a nightly theme as we sailed away. This time to Rodney Bay in St Lucia, a place we had been before over 20 years ago.

This sailing ship will be in this blog many times as we could not believe how magnificent it was with 42 sails, 5 masts, 106 crew, 134 meters in length and only 227 passengers and on our cruise only 160. Here is the Captain

The following gives some images of sailing away to St Lucia on our first night

Sunday 28th December 2025: After a lovely sail rocking me to sleep arrived in Rodney Bay, St Lucia. After breakfast and touring around the boat we found that our tour on the aerial tram had been cancelled, so took the tender to Rodney Bay but not much was happening, so got the tender back to the boat for lunch and sunbathing on the deck. In the evening had another fantastic 3 course dinner before a cocktail and listened to the musicians before going to bed after watching the sail away nightly rising of the 42 sails

Monday 29th December 2025: After looking out from our balcony to Cabrits Dominica and another beautiful day, Went for breakfast and afterwards took the tender to pick up the tour bus to take us for a row boat tour down the Indian river. Leisurely row down the river with speech on interesting facts. Ended up in a refreshment station for a rum pouch or two

Before dinner a nice little surprise of towel art on the bed left by cabin crew

After dinner there was a white night light show with a glass of champagne and a stargazing talk

Over I Km over swimming practicing different drills to improve my freestyle stroke using short flippers & pool buoy as well as general 100m sessions. Real issue of sinking legs and poor catch and pull. Using pool buoy increased my speed due to less drag from sinking legs. Using flippers for swimming on the side drills to encourage better roll during the stroke. Also did a bit of bilateral breathing.

On 26 November traveled by car to London Heathrow parked at Maple Parking and took shuttle bus for a stay at the Hilton Hotel T3 : Had dinner and a cocktail on top floor bar

Next day 27th December walked to terminal 3 to take flight to Prague on BA and met some friends at airport

Arrived at Prague Airport and did the new biometric tests and queued for 1hr 30 minute to get through the new system for non EU citizens entering the EU. Jacqueline with her Irish 🇮🇪 passport sailed through which was annoying as she had to wait for me. We then took a uber with friends to Hilton Prague old town hotel for start of our trip. After freshening up we hit the town to view the wonderful sights of Prague at night before Christmas. Had a meal in a boutique bohemian restaurant before going onto the oldest brewery in Prague

Stopped off for a drink 🍻 at oldest brewery in Prague

Carried on with our sightseeing of beautiful Prague

On Friday 28th after breakfast had a walk to find the pick up place for the night cruise followed by a long walk and tour round the Castle including climbing the tower of over 200 steps for some fantastic views of the City and bridges.

Now many shots of Prague from tower in the Castle after climbing the 200 plus stairs.

After the castle we walked back to the Hotel via Charles bridge taking a picture of Jac’s to remind us of the trip we made to Prague in 2004

Freshened up before going out for our evening boat dinner and music trip along the river on Prague Boats. See tour info and images along the river from boat

Sat at table with the number of our Military Hospital number.

Next day Saturday 29th November after breakfast had a unit AGM went on a veteran tram trip round town jumping on and off after visiting the memorial of 100s of Czech 🇨🇿 pilots that gave their lives in WW2 where the unit left a poppy reef

Our reef on the memorial that was delivered by members at a ceremony on Friday.

Trip itinerary for the tram trip

A few shots during our trip

As we had a dinner and dance 🕺 in the evening went back to the hotel 🏨 for a rest before the evening. Nice meal and dancing until 1.30 in morning. Picture of us all at the reunion evening

Great evening had by all. Sore heads in the morning . On Sunday 30th November after breakfast finished our tour on tram and then linked up with friends for a drink and dinner.

Next day 1 December took an uber to the airport to queue agin to get out of the EU and took BA flight back to LHR and after picking up the car from Maple parking had a 6 hour drive back to Penzance and arrived at 22.3o