Isle of Man?

I’ve said before that we are thinking of going on holiday with a disabled friend & his wife. We finally think we’ve found a destination that will suit us all – the Isle of Man. The Fox & I were both nervous making the suggestion but were delighted to see our friends’ faces light up at the suggestion. It will be their first holiday together since he became disabled at least 5 years ago.

For me it will be a nostalgic trip. As a young child my family went every year to the Isle of Man, first staying at Port Erin, later at Ramsey. It was at Ramsey that we watched England win the Football World Cup in 1966. That must have been our last visit to the Isle of Man. I have fond memories of Port Erin & of Castle Rushen in Castletown.

For the Fox the appeal is the Laxey Wheel. He used to be the curator of a water mill at one time. Visitors often spoke of the Laxey Wheel. What they said intrigued him so he’s curious to see it.

Our disabled friend is keen to visit the places of his childhood holidays, like me. He is also an enthusiast of the TT races. When he & his wife last visited they discovered a fascinating museum devoted to the races. He would also like to revisit the first pub he ever entered. They’re hoping to stock up on Manx kippers before they come back.

His wife is keen to play some golf on some of the numerous golf courses on the island while knowing her husband will be safe in our company. She’s also keen to revisit some of the places they’d seen together on previous trips.

The Isle of Man also has some practical attractions. There’s no need to worry unduly about insurance or passports. Our golfing friend will get her time on water – an essential in her mind for a good holiday – on the ferry crossing to the Isle of Man. The ferry goes from Heysham, where we live, so it will not take long to get to the port. No need to worry about changing money. No need to worry about the implications of Brexit. I’ve even located at least one hotel with 3 disabled rooms so hopefully we should be able to find a time when we can book two disabled rooms, one for them & one for us.

We’re thinking September, when the schools go back should be a good time to go. We’re already committed to May/June - we’re off to Norway then. They’ve a daughter’s wedding in July. High summer gets too busy & winter can make for rough sea crossings & bad weather when we get there.

We had been intending to go back to Lake Garda in September but we’re not committed to that yet. It has to be admitted we are nervous about booking it with Brexit uncertainty. Maybe by the time we’ve got the Isle of Man trip sorted we may yet manage a trip to Italy this year. Or somewhere else. Though whether Brexit uncertainty will ever be settled is another question.