Old friends

One minute Dave was chatting, beer in hand, the next his bottom was on the gravel and his legs in the air. The deckchair had given way with a loud rip. When Kath and Dave last visited me, this deckchair was a bright red, comfy and secure. Dave chose to sit in it on the day it gave up hope and surrended to old age.

Their 2013 visit was in June and five of us travelled around in their camper van recreating our Famous Five archaeological trips of the last century. This time, August was too hot to venture very far and of the original five, there are only 3 of us left so a copy-cat trip would have been tinged with sadness but Finley hopped into their new van for a photo before they left.

It's lovely having old friends to stay, especially these two who I worked with for 6 years in the 80s. Our friendship has spanned almost from first jobs to retirement. We had lots to reminisce about and we fitted in a quick visit to Yali boatyard which is one of the few places that hasn't changed much in 40 years, even if everything around it is hard to recognise. A bit like us - no longer sun-bleached yachties. A bit like my deckchair. But its message is still clear and shall be heeded.