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Our captain , recalling days in racing dinghy , is weaving in and out of the fleet with his accustomed accuracy and dexterity , when he discovers that super-yachts are surrounded by a ring of un-confidence . The other schoolroom was decorated with biblical quotes and examples of calligraphy , many in an embellished old-German script that we could n't read . Sometimes Nikki 's parents ca n't really understand what the distinction is between " going out " and not " going out " - - and Nikki tells us we're in good company ; her friends ca n't understand either . And on 1 April ( or thereabouts ) she landed a job in the local cinema . On the way he stopped in San Francisco ( highlight : cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito on the other side , returning by ferry ) and Belfast . One day Mum and Ian joined Dad for lunch , and there were certainly no complaints about the food ! no women ( once the Dykes had gone past ) - - well , no real women , anyway - - and precious few in the good-humoured crowd either . Easterly gales were forecast but he decided to return single-handed anyway . Dad and Mum still look after themselves , but - - at 90 + and 80 + respectively - - it 's getting harder and harder . New Zealand 's South Island would have been French but for the fact that a boatload of French settlers destined for Akaroa tipped off the colonial English when they stopped at Russell in the North Island , whereupon the latter boarded their fastest boat , raced down , and hoisted the Union Jack to welcome the settlers . Our host and hostess , very personable people , invited us into their house for a wee dram of strong home-made " wine , " either white ( gooseberry liqueur ) or red ( rhubarb liqueur ) . We happened to be there on midsummer 's day , and were treated that night in the castle grounds to MitSommerNacht Traum , not Shakespeare 's play but a torchlit medieval celebration with jugglers , acrobats , fire-eaters , a ( female ) snake-dancer and spider-tamer who wore little else , medieval tradesmen like blacksmith and cobblers , and medieval craft stores . Last but not least , one day in November we set the alarm for 4AM and sat outside for an hour to watch the meteor shower , an exciting display of shooting stars - - did you see it ?