A Right Royal Day Out

It’s not every day you get to meet royalty in their own home. 

It’s not every day you get a personal tour of their country lead by the Head of State. 

It’s not every day the aforementioned Head of State offers to put his robes of state on to pose with you for a photo.

It’s not every day you see the first lady in her dressing gown and hair curlers.

But then it’s not every day you visit the Principality of Hutt River, formerly known as the Hutt River Province, an independent sovereign state in Western Australia.

Feeling Hot Hot Hot over Montserrat

 “Hot Hot Hot” is a famous Soca song that some may know better as a Pizza Hut advert, but few know that is was written and performed by a Montserratian, and by all accounts has become a de facto national song for the islanders. 

Few people know too much about the volcanic island at all other than the fact that it suffered a catastrophic eruption in the 90s.  The only other thing I knew about Montserrat prior to going there was that they had the worst national football team in the world, even the “The Other Final” to the almost as hopeless Bhutan a few years ago.

I wasn’t going to set foot on Montserrat sadly, but instead I took a helicopter ride from nearby Antigua which was my first time in a helicopter and was a total thrill.

First Steps

The key turns in the ignition. Fzzt.  Cough.  Splutter.  “Oh, God” comes Mum’s comment from the passenger seat.

“Bloody hell” murmurs Dad under his breath in a suitably contrasting spiritual response.

Try again.  Fzzt.  Cough.  Splutter.

“Why aren’t we going?” I pipe up helpfully from the backseat, having looked up from my crayons and colouring in book to see what the fuss is.

“Yeah, why aren’t we going?” adds my sister, ensuring the tension ratchets up another level.