Round The World and other travels
A frequent flyer's collection of trip diaries
July 2008 : The Bailiwick Do : Jersey
Following hard on the
heels of the Isle of Man and Orkney, this was my third visit in as
many months to one of the smaller islands that comprise the British
Isles. Just like the Isle of Man, Jersey is not part of either the
UK or Ireland, but enjoys an independent status. Considering its
geographic location, it's not surprising that the influence of
France is very obvious in the place names. It doesn't do the weather
any harm, either
Reflecting both the French and British sides of its culture, Jersey
is described on its own banknotes and coins as 'The Bailiwick of
Jersey', and this get-together of frequent flyers was in turn known
as The Bailiwick Do. Well, why not?
For some, the fun started on Friday evening, but I and several others had to wait for Saturday morning. After a quick rendezvous at the Radisson SAS in St Helier, our first stop was the underground complex known as the Jersey War Tunnels, providing a reminder that the Channel Islands were the only part of the British Isles to suffer invasion and occupation in World War II. We then made our way to a sunny, but windy, St Ouen's Bay for an al fresco lunch. Next stop was the very attractive Corbiere Point, followed by St Brelade's Bay. Although most of the group were ready for a rest by this stage, I managed to fit in short visits to St Aubin, Gorey and La Rocque before returning to the hotel to freshen up for dinner in St Helier.
Sunday was a somewhat quieter day. I had a quick walk around parts of St Helier before joining the group for a further walk up to Fort Regent, and followed this with a drive to Rozel Bay, including some very winding, narrow roads! After a pleasant lunch back at the hotel, it was time to check out and head for the airport.
My return to Jersey after a gap of 22 years had
been a very enjoyable experience. My main impression was that,
pretty much like everywhere else, the island was a great deal busier
than it used to be, but it was good to see that it still retained
something of its own character too. Thanks to organiser PhilH
and the More Flying Talk crowd for a great weekend
Based at : Radisson SAS, St Helier
