2022: How was it for you?

It has been a strange year. All in all. We started the year still under COVID restrictions, unable to do the things we like to, but come March all restrictions were lifted at least in England. So for many of us, its been a case of catching up on two years when we couldn't travel. I did some trips: To Denmark in March where the plan was to have a team meeting and discuss issues that one of our factories. In the end, it was more of a trip to see and catch up with friends. I met my old RAF comrade, Shaggy, for beers and laughs. As well as taking him Marmite and Bovril. I also met my old boss, Charlotte, and a fellow former auditor, Flemming. They both thrived since leaving the company, although their new jobs and employers are not perfect. But it was good to chat and be part of the team again, if only for an hour or two. I also went to see one of my old quality inspectors, as Brian has had more health issues, but then recovering from a procedure that should have fixed his heart. April saw me leaving the snow and frost of England behind and jetting off from Stanstead to Rhodes for seven days of organised orchid hunting, and in that week saw 42 new species. The trip saw me meet new friends, and in an almost unbelieveable coinicidence, the deputy headmaster from my high schools was on the trip. And he recognised me. I have great memories of the trip, but it wore me out. 6 days climbing up and down hills and mountains, with little break between. Tuesday evening we were all shattered and there were hints of bad humour in the minibus on the way back to the hotel. But next morning, we all got second wind and as the pressure to see ever more species eased, we chilled out and really began to enjoy ourselves.

In JUne we went to Wales for a week, staying in a hotel owned and run by a former RAF Armourer, although we never served together. So, good times and much beer in the evenings, and travel and snapping during the day.

The week started to be planned as Jools wanted to go on the UK's longest, highest and fasted zipwire, so I tagged on two orchid hunts, as well as some churchcrawling on the only wet day.

We did two railtours in July. The first one to Norwich, in order to meet up with friends, who were both struck down with flu, so couldn't make it, so I took hundreds of shots at the Anglican Cathedral and St Peter Mancroft before having chips on the market.

Second trip was a very long day, from north London to Middlesborough to a freight only line along the North Sea coast to a gypsum mine.

As you do.

I went to the Isle of Wight to cary out audits, and yet still had time for some churchcrawling and take a shot of a huge liner heading out of the Solent.

Quite a sight.

And finally back to Norwich to visit the Beer Festival for the first time in 5 years, meet some friends and take yet more shots of churches.

Other than that, I finally got to see a White Letter Hairstreak at Warehorn:

And a Marsh Fritillary in a bog in Snowdonia thanks to a tip off from a botanist:

On top of that, I got the moth trap I had been threatening to get, and some stunning moths captured through the year: Poplar Hawkmoth

A Light Emerald:

And a Merville du Jour: There were two large fields of Lucerne at the end of the street, and they had several Clouded Yellows flying around, feeding and breeding. I sepnt many hours chasing the large butterflies around:

And best of all, we in east Kent were graced with an influx of Queen of Spain Fritillaries, with colones found at Walmer and Barham. THe one at Walmer then bred, and so a second brood was seen and photographed by me and the rest of the world: