My views do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.
May 2025
It looked like it could take up to five hours to get back to Banbury from Cowes, so I decided to stay an extra night after my training and travel the next day. After a full day of firefighting, I was so glad I’d made that decision! I was just a 20 minute walk (up hill) from a shower, while many of my classmates were debating whether to shower before or after their journeys involving ferries and trains.
After lugging around fire hoses and air tanks, my rolly bag no longer felt like much of a burden. I had a room at the top of the stairs, with a fantastic view:
The bathroom went down three steps.
Everything was white, and I was covered in soot.
From my window, I had a lovely view of the garden:
Looking down, the patio looked absolutely inviting. But after heading down hill for dinner and then climbing back up the hill and up to my room, I was settled in. I was done climbing stairs for the day.
The breakfast (included with the room )was also fantastic.
What to do with my day? One of the guys from my course was from the Isle of Wight, so I asked him what I should do to explore. He recommended seeing The Needles. He’d never actually been, but it was a touristy thing to do.
I caught a public bus right outside my hotel, and with a quick transfer, spent two hours watching the island go by from the window. I was exhausted and this was the perfect way to feel like I was out exploring while simultaneously letting my body rest.
I arrived to find a gift shop and an ice cream stand. There was a dilapidated miniature golf course and a few unhealthy food choices. I took the chairlift down to the beach.
Well there they were. I wasn’t particularly tempted to take a boat ride to get any closer. I decided to go back.
I returned to Cowes, picked up my bags from the hotel, and grabbed this gorgeous pizza to enjoy on the Ferry.
When I go on vacation, I like to go somewhere I’ve never been before. This time it was to the Isle of Wight. The Beatles’ song “When I’m Sixty-Four” circled in my head –
“Every summer we can rent a cottage
In the Isle of Wight, if it’s not too dear…”
Well now I’ve seen some of this Isle of Wight! It seemed like a place where families go on holiday. I enjoyed it, but I wasn’t all that impressed, which was totally okay. I was plenty of impressed by my three months in Europe, and hopefully I’ll find more to be impressed with in Hawaii, Alaska and Japan.