Am I too old for this?

If you are wondering why we have gone quiet on social media and why this blog hasn't moved for 4 months since our Scotland post (https://www.hirojack.com/blog/spectacular-scotland-stole-our-hearts#/), this post is for you. And for those who are looking to find out where this sunny stunning place is, this post is also for you! 

CHANGE

Change is the act or process through which something becomes different. Change is undeniably uncomfortable. In the past year, there were many moments I asked myself: "Am I too old for this?". It was the same question I asked myself when Debra suggested I furthered my studies. After all, I've been out of school for a whole decade. The last time I dealt with citations, academic journals and writing an extensive research, I was terribly miserable. Moreover, we've just spent 7 months travelling through South-East Asia on our Grand Tour at that point (www.hirojack.com/blog/category/the-grand-tour-2022) and life will be so different settling down again across the world.

We coped very well in the first part of my journey but the past 4 months were really difficult months. I spent most of it imprisoned to my chair in the study reading through countless research, tabulating numbers and trying to churn out a Masters dissertation while doing my best to be present for my family. Gwyneth would come and sit on my lap and ask why my word count hasn't moved much. Matt would lament about the severe lack of FC24 games between us. The whole family wanted their daddy and husband back. At times this change felt too difficult. 
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All the stats to digest....I hate numbers!

It is finished!

Out of the discomfort of change, I'm happy to report that we are all alive and well. The dissertation is complete and the process has made me immensely grateful for my family. I'm also very thankful for all those who prayed for me and check in on how we are doing. In Gwyneth's words, it's an extinction! (Go figure the grade! Clue: it rhymes).

I'm so glad we chose change. Our lives are so different now compared to early 2022. Change has opened our eyes to new perspectives and helped us make better choices. Change has taught us new skills, grew our confidence, healed our wounds and soothed our grief. We now speak a little different, eat different and hang out with a different bunch. But we cannot imagine life without these differences. Oh yes, I think I've answered my own question. No I'm not too old for this. 

​Now we are confronted with more changes. How should we order our lives from this point? What sort of work should I dedicate my time to? Should we restart Hiro & Jack Co. here in the UK? We don't have ready answers but we've learnt that embracing change is a good thing. 

It wasn't all work in the 4 months of silence, we did find time to visit Hafren Forest in Mid-Wales, Skegness on the East Coast of England and tried absorbing all the intelligence in Cambridge. You can find them posts on Facebook and Instagram! 

CORNWALL
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I won't blame you if you thought we've gone across the channel for a holiday at some sunny European seaside destination. We did consider that. You see, we are on British Summer Time and it is metrologically summer here in the UK. However, there were many moments we've considered turning the heating on at home. It is rather ridiculous when night time temperatures are low enough for grass frost in summer. Sick of the gloomy, rainy and cold, I studied the forecast and satellite simulations extensively looking for a sign of better things to come. Lo and behold! I realised that there was some sunshine to be had in Cornwall. That's how we ended up escaping the rain through our 636 mile (1023km) road trip.

​Our first stop was 2 hours away at Gloucester Services South Bound along the M5 motorway. It was voted the best rest stop in the country and I had to see what the fuss was about. As it turns out, it was the best rest stop I've ever been to in my entire life. It had spacious and clean toilets, as well as AMAZING food. The cherry on top of the cake is the massive farm shop that featured drool inducing local produce and yummy drinks (ahem*...cheese and gin...)

There is even a little pond outside complete with ducks and ducklings. The kids spent some time trying to talk to their duck friends but I'm pretty sure the ducks didn't understand. It was then time to continue our journey south towards Cornwall. 

Many dead bugs and hours later, we finally arrived in Cornwall and it was SUNNY! But you'll notice we are all still wrapped up like most people on the beach because the wind was still pretty chilly. The blue waters, waves crashing, adorable dogs and stunning landscapes made our evening one to remember! 

I have utmost respect for the people boating and learning to surf at the beach. That sea was far too cold for comfort. I think we wouldn't survive a minute in there.

After a long walk, we headed to rest for the night. Like the Scotland trip, Debra and I didn't get the best sleep. We are just so used to sleeping separately from the kids. I must remember to bring ear plugs the next time we share a hotel room with the kids. I need to scream this again...How do co-sleepers out there do it? HOW?

The next morning we woke up to a slightly warmer day and beautiful sunshine. A short drive down really narrow rural roads later, we arrived at the coast in Marazion where St Michael's Mount sat. The tidal island is home to a small group of houses and a massive castle on top. I looked at it, felt green with envy and wished I had a house like this. 

After an arduous climb up the mount to the castle, my envy very quickly dissipated 🤣 
No way I climbing a hill and ALOT of stairs just to get home. That aside, the architecture, history and views were most fascinating. You will be forgiven to think that this is just a tourist attraction but it isn't! The island is still inhabited by people and the castle is still a family home. I just love that there is so much effort to preserve history, culture and communities here. 

At low tide, people can walk across the causeway (visible to the right side of photo above) to the nearby town. When the tide is high, the island is only accessible by boat. We visited when the tide was high and when we left, the tide was just beginning to recede. That meant we had to catch a boat both ways. It's best to check the tide timings if you intend to experiencing walking across! 

We only managed to catch a glimpse of a portion of the causeway on the way back. The receding tide also revealed the seaweed. Am I weird for thinking they look absolutely delicious? I mean, they make Sushi and Miso soup with these!

From Marazion we drove 90 minutes to get to Tintagel to another incredibly gorgeous location. In my opinion, St Michael's Mount and Tintagel are the Crown Jewels of Cornwall. Am I missing something else in Cornwall that's even more impressive? 

CURRY PUFF

We arrived at the village of Tintagel past our lunch time and our stomachs were protesting. The beautiful town was littered with chip shops, ice-cream shops and other touristy shops. There were quite a few tourists and you'd expect a place like this to have really easy access. My advice is, put on proper shoes. I've learnt through all the travelling that remarkable views always come with a price. You either work for it physically or you pay for it. We chose to walk but for those who rather pay, they can pay for an expensive 2 minute long ride on the quintessentially British Land Rovers.

We got ourselves some Cornish pasties at the cafe and they were mouth-wateringly tasty! And they reminded us of the curry puffs we ate growing up in Singapore and Malaysia. Look at it, you can't blame me for whipping out my phone to look up history about this. Other than its size (the pasties are palm sized), they look almost identical. 

True enough, my research showed that the British brought their Cornish pasties when they ruled over Singapore/Malaya in the 1800s. The locals adapted the pasties and modified it to their taste. I a little lost for words when it comes to describing the feeling I had discovering the connection between the curry puffs and pasties. 

Here's a little more about these tasty treats:

Curry puffs: Deep fried and fillings are usually made of potatoes and/or boiled egg, sardines/chicken mixed with a spicy curry paste. Modern versions include creamy chicken etc. 

Cornish Pasties: Baked. Fillings are beef, potatoes, onions. The crimped sides were made thick so miners who work in filthy conditions can still eat without getting poisoned or sick. They hold the sides and eat the rest of the pastie before dumping the part they held with dirty fingers. 

After we've filled our tummies with delicious pasties (and crisps)...we made our way towards the coast line, bridge and ruins. The tiny little white building was where we had our pastie before we climbed to the point to take the photo below. You'll burn some calories to say the least....

If you are afraid of heights, it might get scary for you. Sheer drops in many places but the views make it all worthwhile. The clear skies we were blessed with made the blues of the sea come alive. This made the experience infinitely better!

We were absolutely knackered at this point. The markedly lower stamina is probably the result of being cooped up for too long through the winter and spring. As the kids fell into deep sleep in the backseat, I reflect on how grateful I am to be out and about again on my 4.5 hours drive back to the midlands. We are making plans for the rest of summer and fingers crossed, the weather will behave....