I can't think of a better way to end the year than on a smile! (From an Uncle at the wedding Nik and I went to. NOTE TO NIK: See baby, I stopped calling you Nikki in the blog) ;)

I am posting really early today because we are having a party at our house with Nik's family and I won't get the chance later 'cos I may be a tad merry!? (Is there a law against using a laptop while under the influence?)

So it simply remains for me to quote a bit of T.S. –
'For last year's words belong to last year's language. And next year's words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning.'

See you on the flipside.

Love Mat & Nik
xx 2007 xx

Nikki and I did brave the stores today and found the whole experience as we had suspected. The sales aren't much different from the ones we have all year round.

Just about got time for this picture of Jemima (above) before I watch the Philip Pullman adaptation on TV with my Noo.

New Year is not far now!

I have no idea why the holiday is disappearing so quickly. In fact life in general seems to be getting faster and faster. Does anyone else have that feeling?

Speaking of disappearing, the house may be off soon; there is a bloody gale blowing as I type this.

Nikki spoke to her friend Rachel who got married earlier in the year, which prompted me to process another shot that I took from her wedding. This time it's of two children who kissed during the ceremony. It was a fantastic shot but the camera noise was appalling. Only with Imagenomic software have I managed to make it anywhere decent enough to post.

This problem of noise at high ISO levels doesn't seem to phase the new Nikon cameras. They handle noise so well you can even shoot at ridiculous ISO levels and get decent images. (Just check out my mate Ian's recent shots for examples. ISO 1600 is no problem by the looks of his shots). It is rare I shoot at that level on my D200, as the noise is substantial, and only with a bit of help from imagenomic can I make the shots work.

I did mention earlier this year that wedding bells may soon be in the air. I was so vague that many thought I meant Nikki and I, but no. Not for the moment. I meant rather Nikki's brother and his girlfriend Luce, or should I say Fiance? Rikki proposed and they will get married some time next year. Congratulations you two!

I have just looked at Google Analytics, the service that I use to monitor web traffic to imagi and I am not completely sure it is working. According to my web stats I have had over 250 unique visitors this month which is way over the norm, (the max ever I have had was 90 or so). Not that I am knocking this site, but it is really just a blog with lots of my photos and while it would be nice to think lots of people appreciated my work I am not sure I truly believe that. Still, let's pretend eh?

So for those of you interested, I am posting this picture (above) from Bradgate Park near me in Leicester. I am sure we have all seen similar shots before? The shutter speed is slowed to allow the water to blur and seem to flow within the shot.

I am not sure what it is like in your part of the world but I really hear the wind blowing here. I am missing the Canaries like you wouldn't believe.

Not only have I been stuffed like a turkey with... you guessed it. Turkey! I have also had beef, curry and more chocolates than Augustus Gloop. I did get asked to be the Santa for Rainbows Charity this year, but I couldn't because of my holiday. All I can say is wait till next year as by then I will really look the part.

So did everyone have a great time over Crimbo? We all did here. I had my family over and we went to Nikki's parents house for the big day. It was awesome.

I got some really great and useful presents this year. My headline gift would have to be the excellent iPod Touch. As I don't really use my mobile phone at the moment I didn't want to splash out lots of cash on the iPhone, (although I would love one – my mate Minty has one, the lucky git!) So the Touch was the next best thing. They are absolutely fantastic, great fun and, as usual with Apple, very sleek.

It hasn't all been a complete vegetation this holiday. I did go for a walk at Bradgate park near Leicester and took some photos of the birds on the river who were going crazy for the food tossed to them by visitors.

Christmas is almost here. Nik's family came over tonight and we all had a giggle.

As I didn't last time, I am now posting some quick snaps taken at work on our last day. None of the photos were particularly brilliant so I put a few together out of the shots I took. The people in the shots are, (from top left across then down), James, Kendrick, Ian and Suzanne ,Ian and Joan (a client & friend of ours), Ian then Suzanne. There are none of me or of my boss Craig (sorry pal but none of you came out very well).

Well that is about it from me until after Christmas. So for 2007, Nik and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! x

We finished at work with our traditional head-to-head shoot-em-up on the computers, this time to the tune of 'Call of Duty 2'. We all had an amazing time.

Later last night we went off to our work's doo and had (once again) traditional Christmas curry. It was great fun.

As I am posting here it occurs to me that I should have processed some photos I took at work rather than another holiday snap. Maybe I will tomorrow...

Work will be wrapping up for Christmas tomorrow, although at this rate I may not be. Everyone is cheery and it really is starting to feel like the holiday season.

I am 60 quid lighter today after getting a power pack for my macbook. At least I can stop worrying that my lappy is going to burst into flames now.

My friend at work has just bought a D300, which he let me play with a little bit today. Man, you have to love Nikon! I got Nikon Pro through today with, (yes you guessed it), specials on the two new models in its range so I will take a look over that tonight. I just love how well the new sensor deals with high ISOs and the results are staggering.

I would love to get one of the new cameras. Maybe in the New Year. We shall see.

Another picture from Gigantes tongiht. This time I thought I would try it with less colour, inspired really by old photos I saw of the hotel in one of it's many public rooms. These photos showed that back in the 60s and 70s that the hotel used to be the only thing in the bay at Gigantes. My how things change.

I can't post much tonight as my power adapter cable has broken and I have taped it up just to get enough power to post something to imagi, (but I don't want to push my luck too much!) This would seem to be a common problem with mac cables, not helped by the fact that they cost about 60 quid to replace. This illustrates my biggest cripe with macs. I love the machines but Apple really inflates the price for its kit to really high levels. Steve Jobs, sort it out!

I am back and it's great to see the guys and get stuck in to work but I can't help remembering the easy-going times in hot Gigantes.

Also work was a lot better today as I had slept normally unlike yesterday when I was running on no sleep. The reason for this was a big delay on our return flight to East Midlands because of an accident with two small planes near the airport. One plane crashed as a result of this mid-air collision while the other limped to East Mids, which then closed and forced some planes to re-route to Birmingham.

Of course being delayed and getting no sleep is nothing compared to the horror of losing loved-ones in an accident. I just can't understand what the families of the victims must be going through.

You ever see the bit in Terminator 2 when the T1000 has been super-heated and then coated in Liquid Hydrogen? That was us last night disembarking from the plane in -3 degrees.

It's good to be home.

So this is it. Not long until we are going back to the UK.

It has been a wonderful, relaxing, hot, peaceful, fun, indulgent holiday.

Now that we are coming back I can't wait until we touchdown at East Mids. I am ready now (apart from the flying).

We really got so lucky with the weather. It has been so hot apart from one morning; that's better than May when we came before. I really do prefer two weeks to one, (unsurprisingly).

I did want to post more photos but the connection here has been playing up so I am just praying I can get this page posted. There is plenty of time back in the UK for photees.

See you all soon,

Mat & Noo x

The week is really going far too quickly for me. Don't get me wrong, when I am away I always love coming back to England. Just something about the place makes me feel happy. You could be forgiven for not understanding this. I mean England can be expensive, a little repressed and certainly far too serious but when I land at the airport, no matter the weather, I always feel relieved to be back.

I have joked that I would love to live abroad, in a sunnier climate, but really I am not sure I would last that long.

Today's snap is of the hotel on the walk back last night from telephoning the folks back home.

I am now looking forward to seeing the guys at work. Christmas is always a great time for us and I can't wait, although I bet there is loads on when I get back.

I was looking over the google analytics results for imagi this morning. I had noticed that last month was my lowest yet for unique visitors, contrasted greatly against October when I had my highest, (this was the month I got a 'noteworthy' mention on photofriday). To my amazement this month has already beaten the best months total figure with a huge amount of traffic coming from Spain. I guess the references to Tenerife must have something to do with that.

I do like Tenerife. It's quite inexpensive to come here. This holiday has been unbelievable and really hot at a time when 'ol' blighty' is wrapped in cold. The islands do suffer a little from the stigma of Las Americas and its supposed 'Ibiza' club culture. It's true, Americas is very busy, noisy and littered with 'touts' but places like Gigantes are like little gems hidden on the island. Don't get me wrong, if you want to party Americas is the place to be but you also can have peace, beauty and culture too on the island. To my mind Ibiza has the same problem, everyone thinking it is just a young, party paradise but I hear the old village there is absolutely beautiful.

I am typing away by the pool today. I can't go swimming, (my trunks lost integrity – see below), but I am quite happy, on the sunbed in the beautiful warmth of the day. There is a gentle breeze; it's not cold, just beautifully soothing and the heat warms the body and the wind refreshes it.

I was starting to miss home a bit. There is only so much lavish lifestyle you can take but today going home if far from on my mind. Still, only a few days left. Better make the most of them.

**UPDATE**
I didn't get to post this page earlier and am just doing so now before I nod off. Doing nothing really takes it out of you.

 

Nik and I woke in the night to strong winds blowing the Christmas decorations against the wall of the hotel. Now I have no problem sleeping with ear plugs, practiced from my days living in the flats at Aylestone road where the soundproofing was nonexistent and the walls were made from paper. Nik on the other hand has no such luxury so she didn't sleep so well.

This morning the wind was really blowing and the sky was grey. It wasn't cold, as the cloud had kept the heat locked in, but after a while the cool wind managed to bring the temperature down a tad. Oh and there is some rain too. Nothing like precipitation that you get in the uk, more like sea-spray rain.

I do actually quite like this temperature, but that is probably as yesterday I really felt the heat, walking in the desert. I do however look forward to more heat tomorrow, (as forecast).

This is the first day of non-sunny weather and I have no complaints. I have already had far more sunshine than I thought possible in a December, and it's hardly frosty!

I am however feeling pretty lazy today and am typing away on the bed while Nik has hit the gym. I just didn't want to exercise today. I also am a little fed up with the breakfast here. Don't get me wrong, there is a great selection but I have had some kind of cooked breakfast every day since I got here and I am just not in the mood. (God knows what all this fried crap has down to my stomach!?)

Tonight we have got Canarian night, which seems to be a little like Hawaiian night from last week to me. Again, though it sounds like it I really am not complaining. The food here is good enough for me not to have one thing for dinner but rather choose a bit from the all the different choices available (buffet). It must look a bit strange to have roast beef, sardines, chips, pasta, peas, salad and spring rolls all on the same plate but hey, I like all of it and can't just have one type of food.

As you can see we also saw Dolphins after the Whale sighting, near the giant cliffs. We didn't get quite as close to these fellas. Mainly because they were so fast but also because they got really close to the base of the cliffs, (the Giants).

The Giants – the cliffs that give their name to the bay. They are impressive and the second highest sea cliffs in the world! I did get loads of shots of boats near their base, which really give the sense of scale. I will probably post one tomorrow.

The weather is getting better slowly but that's ok. Nik and I have played scrabble, eaten macaroons and played snooker and I have, of course, been typing this blog.

Nik is on my shoulder here as I finish and is reminding me that she has also been shopping, to the gym (I included that earlier baby) and reading her book. Good for you Noo!

I have also deleted the flickr badge from the side bar as it really slows this page loading, and the photos on it are old ones from a stag doo I was on years ago.

It seems it is freezing in the UK and I am really worried about going back because it is so hot here and I think the shock will be really uncomfortable. I mean today we got stuck out waiting for a bus, but hang on. I am getting ahead of myself.

First here is a photo from the boat trip on Monday (below).

We went out and after half an hour, as the guide said, we ran into a pack of Pilot Whales. It was unbelievable! There they were, not 6 feet from the boat, not caring much about us along side them. The guide said they loved this spot as it got very deep and they could fish easily for their food, and after gorging themselves they would swim along and let any Tom, Dick or Harry besides for a nosey.

We did later come across some more marine mammals which I got another shot of and will post that later in the week.

Yesterday began with feeding as usual and then Nik and I hit the pool. We did take some time to have a go at ping pong to which Nik then went and made another 'mouse' revelation (see last entry). This time it seems my swimming shorts had not taken kindly to being machine washed quite so often and had gone, well, rather see through at the back. So picking anything up is now quite out while I wear my trunks. Thankfully Nik made this revelation without many people being around, and it put Nik off the game enough for me to trounce her in the ping pong. Silver lining and all that.

Today we went on a walk we used to do when we were staying at the Bahia Princess, a hotel in Playa Fanabe, which is in Costa Adeje. This walk consisted of going up the cost until you hit the desert then carrying along up and down the cliffs all the way to the bus-stop a few miles up the coast. At least that is what we thought. It turned out the walk was a lot shorter than either I or Nik remembered and we covered the terrain fairly quickly, even in the hot sun.

However, when we got to the bus-stop we weren't prepared for the wait. We knew it may be a little time but 1 1/2 hours later there was no bus.

It did finally arrive but not before we both felt pretty rough. Me from a Migraine I was suddenly getting, which thankfully a few pain pills helped me avoid and Nik from being in the boiling midday sun for too long.

All ends well thought as we made it back and had cool drinks and crisps at the hotel, sporting seriously dark tans.

Quick update – as I was finishing this entry Nik came in and annouced she has figured out why the bus took so long. While they do run hourly (as we knew) they do it on different routes, end to end, so it is actually a 2 hour cycle they run under. Brilliant!

Nikki turned to me, her eyes wide. "Mouse," she whispered.

I looked over at her from the sunbed, unsure if I heard her correctly. 'Mouse. What mouse?.' I looked over my shoulder, but I could see nothing on the stone wall behind me nor anything down toward either of the rows of other holiday makers baking on their sunbeds. I remember thinking, 'what the hell is she on about?' I shrugged my shoulders and went back to reading 'the crossing' straddled across my sunbed.

"Mouse!" came the reply, this time accompanied by wide eyes.

I looked again. Nothing. "What are you on about?" I said, irritated now. Then I had an epiphany, funnily enough, from remembering something that happened to my grandad years ago. We were playing badminton in the back garden in their old house in Hyholmes, Peterborough. We had just sat down and mum and nan started to laugh hysterically. I looked over to see what was so amusing and there, about the size of an egg, was my grandfathers testicle, hanging like a lifeboat out of one side of his shorts.

I am sure you now know where I am going with this?

Yes, looking down I came face to face with one of my testicles in its desperate bid for freedom from my trunks, looking far pinker than I remembered, contrasted against my black shorts.

I tucked it away and started laughing, remembering my grandad and the family and how he suffered the same embarresment.

"That's my legacy then," I struggled through the hysterics, "looks like I have come full circle. I can't wait till we have kids and my boy flashes his first ball."

After a while, and after explaining what happened to Nik's folks what happened; to which Nik's mum laughed and Nik's dad muttered something and went back to sleep; I lay back on the sunbed and I was left thinking about my brilliant grandad.

'Aint life grand?'

Yesteray we went out on a boat trip but I will tell you more about that tomorrow, once I have processed more of the shots I took. Here in the meantime is one photo from the back of the boat as we sped away from Los Gigantes.

We have been doing more of the same here at the hotel. Our daily routines governed by our eating habits. Breakfast, lunch, dinner have replaced the watch.

Nikki's folks head off today which is sad but we all have had one hell of a week. What a great way to start our holiday.

One thing – the time is going so quickly I can hardly stand it and I am definitely in no rush to get back to wind, rain and cold.

There were many boats heading in and out at one of the many marinas near Americas. The lady on the boat above seemed more engrossed with the sites down the beach that the many buoys ahead of her vessel.

It's still so hot here; so much so I have retreated to our room to get out of the relentless sun, and to finally add to imagi.

Lets see – We got here ok. We did the usual thing for the first few days. The usual thing consists of eating a huge breakfast then spending the first part of the day either playing sports or walking around trying to shift some of the huge calories from the breaky.

We have played tennis which was great. We did almost play bowls but the green here at the hotel was occupied and we couldn't be bothered to go over to the one in the bay, (plus you pay extra for that green).

I played tennis far better than I thought I would, having not picked up a racket for years now. I remember now how much I enjoy the game.

We did go on the bus on Wednesday to Playa Fanabe (below), then we promenaded along up to Los Christianos. Its a nice walk but the touts, restauranteurs and excursion sellers get in the way a bit. It's not the nicest area either, it being the touristy part of the island, molded with innumerable bars and tavernas all selling the same nasty looking food and cheap beer. (I make it sound really bad, but it actually was lovely to stroll along past). Nik's folks and her brother got really nice watches recently so we went and had a look at the Omega selection in their Jewellers on the promenade. Big mistake! I saw a truly beautiful watch that I would love to get. A mere snip at 2,000! Oh well, maybe one day.

I was quite thankful when that trip was over as my ankle, (the one that normally goes during badminton and so has to be strapped,) was starting to hurt. Needless to say when we returned to the hotel it went straight in the cold pool water.

Talking of cool water I took quite a few snaps of some of the surfers we saw near Fanabe (below).

For the most we have been resting this week but I have been in the gym twice and swam twice. The only problem is my goggles are old and letting in water. I did get some other goggles from one of the locals that Nikki's parents befriended years ago; A chap they come to see when they are on the island. Unfortunately these were crappy kiddies ones and just as good at letting water in. It is frustrating swimming a length then having to stop to empty your goggles before you start the next lap.

(Below) you can see the typical streets we walked along near to Los Christianos.

I am posting so many photos today as I have been a bit slack. Sign of a good holiday!?

Here (below) an old couple enjoy the beautiful sun on the Ocean near Americas.

 

Oh and Nik didn't like the other photo of her, preferring this one (below) instead, except that she then said she didn't like this one either. Oh well, too late. Women!

What can I say? I am here on sunbed under a brolly in 28 degree, bright sunshine. Not bad for December!?

Where to begin?

Packing for the holiday went painlessly; it's not like it is the first time we have done it. The main problem was contending with my pitiful fear of flying. It goes back to a year ago, (before that time I have always loved to fly, especially when I was a boy). Coming back from Tenerife that previous year we hit a lot of turbulence. I mean the kind of thermals that shake the plane furiously, knocking all the bags in the overhead lockers about. Then, mixed in with that the plane would occasionally drop, like going over a humpback bridge too fast in a car. During this the pilot says over the speaker that he is going to try and climb over the updrafts!?

My first thought was, 'that can't be a good idea considering the ground (safety) is the other way.' And in hindsight it wasn't a particularly great move as all the bucking got worse; so much so that a women behind me started to scream. That is when I panicked.

I was looking over at my Nik and thinking. Hang on! I am really enjoying life. I have so much to live for, so many people I love, so many things I want to do. I am not a dad yet. I have only been alive 35 years. Ending up as fish food at the bottom of the Atlantic is not really what I had in mind for my life. I mean I was sitting there looking at Nik, (who had her eyes shut, muttering and trying to reassure herself), and I actually thought there was a possibility we could come down.

Statistically that thought was absurd. Flying is still the safest way to travel but tell that to yourself during a turbulent flight.

Also I was to realise later, something that really didn't help. I was getting ill. Nik and her family had eaten soup in a mountain restaurant near Teide and we think the food wasn't hot enough and the ingredients had probably had been washed in the local water as that night the family had a major case of diarrhea.

Now I didn't get sick until I was back in England, but I only had a bit of the soup that the rest of the family had so we think that delayed the onset of the illness in me.

I mean feeling bad is bad enough but cramped up on a plane its murder.

Anyway, I am convinced this contributed to the experience and hence augmented my fear of flying. I mean this time around it got a bit rough, and I was sweating a bit, but not to the extremes of that flight a year ago, all-be-it the turbulence was minor by comparison.

In the battle of instinctual reaction versus intellect, you can ignore your feelings for only so long. After all they have kept our ancestors alive through all the years when man was on the menu. But the reality is, no matter how scared you are. If you give in. If you never fly again, think of all the beautiful holidays you would miss. Now that is scary!

And besides, as I said, statistically you are more likely to be in a car accident than come down in a commercial jet, (and considering the way I drive I know which is more likely!)

More holiday photos now, as you would expect? Here then is my girl, slurping orange juice in the sun. Luurvly!

More soon...

Here is the first of the holiday photos (I took some snaps today).

I will fill the blog out more while I am on holiday, as I do have net access and time on my hands but I can't tonight because I am totally beat.

Soon we will be on holiday and I can hardly wait.

I thought I would post a warm picture seeing as England is freezing at the moment.

Works been busy but very rewarding. I am trying to immerse myself more in design in all areas of the business as well as do a little teaching/guidance for the new artworker on the team. Its strange and even though my duties have seemingly doubled, I am enjoying my time more.

The fantasy football game I am in at work continues to be great fun. I am not the best expert on the game, like some of my colleagues, but I am enjoying just having a go. I am second at the moment which means I am doing far better than I thought I would. Catching Ian the leader, however, seems nigh impossible.

My mum is feeling better and will be going on to a new position in the New Year so that's fantastic news.

Everyone here abouts in Leicester are great. People are now getting ready for the holiday season. My friend Sam is having her baby soon so I hope she doing ok. She has gone home to be with her family for the birth so I am sending all my love (incase she reads this).

Hopefully the plan at Christmas at work is to play some network gaming on the final day, eat whole chickens from the supermarket, washed down with mead and then go out for dinner! Yes, all a bit random but I think its all a great idea although I can see it all getting a bit messy. Mead mixed with Indian, (yes, we seem to always have Indian at Christmas), is probable not the best concoction to stir together. We shall see. I am looking forward to it none-the-less.

In fact the only problematic thing at the moment is when we go away I shall have to fly and I am yet to really get past my fear of that. I wish I could remember being younger and more care-free, as this mental state seems far more conducive to flying than my present one. Instead I shall either have a drink or sit there with my nails digging into the arm rests for 4 hours or so. The fear has not been helped by the weather forecast stating we will have to fly through really bad weather initially. You know what? I think I will just not think too much about it all. Gulp!

One other thing I regret is not having had enough time to see my friends who I grew up with before the holidays, but we will just have to get together now in the New Year, (so if any of you are reading this, when is good for you? Scals, John, Nick, Neil, Mick).