If I weren't here.....

I would wake in the summer morning in my Godmothers cottage in the Cotswolds as a child and hear the cocks crowing. Then I would run to the stream in my nightdress and clean my teeth and wash my face and hands there.

I'd be in Side, Turkey, wandering through the old Roman ruins and down to the beautiful sandy beach. Come lunchtime, it's off to one of the bars for a freshly squeezed orange juice and some lahmacun.......

I'm on a tiny little beach in Pefkos, Rhodes- just a stone's throw from our appartment. Most of the day I have it to myself & there are only a few people if anyone else comes along. Those that do come down are always nice & we can have a chat if we want .DH is in the bar by the pool of the aprts. & I will stroll up & meet him for lunch before returning to my sunbed for the afternoon. He will come down for a bit but prefers the shade & likes people to talk to. I can read a book a day & if I get too hot the sea is shallow & there are loads of fish to watch.
In the evening we will stroll to our favourite Taverna where we get the most wonderful welcome.
Unfortunately I doubt we will be able to get there this year unless things get better quickly once this is all over.
I can dream!

I would be in our small apartment on the island of La Palma. My partner flew out two and a half weeks ago and I was due to fly out last Thursday. She is now in total lockdown only allowed to go to the supermarket and I am stuck in West Yorkshire. It’s likely to me months before we get to be together again.so I would like to be sipping wine on the terrace and eating fresh mango and pineapple.

I'd be in Brazil, where my father was born. I'd be at the Iguazu falls, walking along the tree lined path looking at the huge volume of water from the main waterfall and countless smaller ones. I'd stop at a shady bench and just look, and because some water may have blown in there may be a beautiful butterfly or two to share my space. Then I would go back to the little coffee shop where you can sit outside with your coffee and enchiladas. Everywhere around wherever there is a puddle there are thousands of butterflies of every size and colour...So beautiful!

If I were able to transport myself it would be summertime in Aix en Provence in the south of France where my dad grew up and where we came to live when I was 18. I’d walk down the Cours Mirabeau to sit in Les Deux Garçons and order one of their delicious black coffees and a croissant and sit in the early morning sunshine watching the world go by. Growing up we had heard so much of this place where my dad had lived and now he was back with us sharing his dream and meeting all his friends and their families. Magical moments to remember and I’d love to be there again now x

I'd be in our campervan somewhere in Europe, probably heading for Provence, turning West and trundling all along the coast towards Cadiz, stopping for two or three days wherever the fancy takes us....................

Ah Bohemian, the bluebell woods of Buckinghamshire. How I'd love to be able to walk through them again, preferably with my much -missed Mum and her old dogs Bandit and Joe.

I am there with you! I have never been to Portugal. It sounds lovely.

mine would be on top of snow covered mt cook in new zealand having arrived there by helicopter, looking around at the freshness and how peaceful it is, then to turn around to find my 2 darling grandchildren pelting me with snowballs, to me at this moment would be heaven on earth.

I would be up in the North West of Scotland enjoying walking in the mountains. Flask and butties out on some remote ridge and enjoying the views but being Scotland it might be raining!

I would be in Sorrento, staying in my favourite hotel, then DH and I will stroll along to the town and go into our favourite restaurant. Sitting outside and people watching we would have coffee/tea and a huge Rum Baba each, no where does rum babas like they do. Followed by a gentle walk down to the harbour to watch the boats. Back to the hotel, which is also a cookery school, seated around the communal table then the cookery students serve up several courses of whatever was cooked that day. Always delicious.

What a lovely discussion. I would be a) in the Maldives and going out with my snorkel to spend ages looking down into the sea. Then I would take a stroll around the island in the white sand and stop off at the bar for a cocktail. Or b) I would be sitting outside our hut at Runswick Bay (just north of Whitby), watching the grandchildren damming the stream on the beach below me, with a mug of tea in my hand. Or c) I would be looking out of my hotel bedroom onto the Grand Canal in Venice, watching all the boats and gondolas go by. I don't know which is my absolute favourite, but as I get older it's probably b).

I would be sitting on the rocks looking out at La Corbiere lighthouse in Jersey.The sea crashing against the rocks,sun warm on my back,seagulls crying out overhead. And,as it's all a dream,my beloved family members no longer with us would all be with me. That would be heaven right now.

Today we should have been driving north to the Highlands of Scotland for a week, so that's what I'd be doing, with days of walks and exploring ahead.

If I wasn't here I would be in Florence Italy at a little pavement cafe drinking coffee and people watching with a book in my lap in case I felt like reading instead. The sun would be warm and I would be wearing a hat, waiting for lunch time.

If I weren’t here, I would be walking the Cornish coastal path from Mousehole to Lamorna Cove. There would be a light breeze, and the sea would be deep blue sparkling with sun diamonds and foaming over the rocks. The smell of ozone would fill the air, little birds would tweet and flutter through the yellow gorse and the bay would open up below in a circle of sand and peace. Ahhh...

It would be a gloriously sunny day, a cloudless sky and I would be barefoot walking in the edge of the sea on Morfa Bychan beach near Porthmadog in North Wales. I would be drinking in the backdrop of the Snowdonia mountains and lost in childhood memories.

If I weren’t here, I’d be in a square in Verona, people watching and drinking coffee or maybe eating lunch in the warm sunshine before heading off down an old narrow street to my favourite shoe shop!.....?

I'd be waking up on the overnight ferry to southern Corsica looking forward to exploring that part of the island. We had a camping holiday in the north a few years ago, at the end of May. Not too hot, not too many tourists at that time, beautiful countryside and wonderful, slightly different, food.

DoraMarr we overnighted in Turin a couple of years ago when travelling back from Florence by train. Our landlord recommended the cinema museum so we went there, spent about 5 hours there and still didn't see it all. Stunning building. Have you been there? If not, it's well worth a visit. We'll be going back there again, if we ever get the chance to travel.

I would be dressed for swimming, on the edge of the Mar Menor, near La Manga, about to be walked, by partner, down the sand and into the sea, where it is safe for me (with flotation device) despite disability, because of the lack of waves. My two sons, who are presently 80 miles away and overdue a visit, are, of course, here too. My elder son, a fluent Spanish speaker, will order our lunch when we emerge from the water.

On the beach at Garlieston, or indeed pretty much anywhere in Scotland, which I love dearly.

Or cruising down the Norwegian Fjords in June blessed with glorious weather and the bluest of skies. I was up and down like a yo yo taking photo after photo. Then spending the evening sipping cocktails in the rather swanky bar. One of our happiest holidays...

Trisher I am here in Tavira, there are many places worse to be right now and I am happy to be here. It is so lovely, and so quiet at the moment, the Roman Bridge and town square are empty. But I do miss my coffee and pastel de nato so much. To make you feel slightly better, today it is raining heavily!!

St Martin on Il de Re
A French island.
We were due to revisit this month.

I can feel the warmth of the sun on my back.

The oyster shells crunch under my feet.
The sea is a calm and turquoise.

We are having lunch al fresco with my sister in little restaurant on the beach.
The gentle waves lap the rocks and the oyster catchers search for their own food.

One of my sister's springers lies across my feet, a little reminder that a titbit or two would be very welcome.
My DH is in seafood heaven.

We wander along the beach into La Flotte.
It is market day, the stalls are awash with a rainbow of colourful fruit and vegetables.

Tomatoes and olives are purchased to accompany a selection of cheese and french bread, that is to be our supper, which we will enjoy on the balcony of our appartment, that in times gone by, would have been the residence of the governor of the island.

In the evening we walk along the marina, to sit outside our favourite bar and chat with the locals and joke about rugby with the owner.

Night has now fallen, boats bob gently in the breeze, a pale blue light that surrounds the marinas edge gives a blue glow to every craft.

The church stands tall looking over St Martin, it too is lit by lights, giving it a golden yellow.

We stand to admire and as my DH stops to take aphotograph, a bright full moon rises like a halo above the church.

As we continue our walk, we chat and make a promise, one day soon, we will bring our grandsons to visit our very special island.

If anyone is looking for an escapism book,
Sea of memories by Fiona Valpy
Is novel set partly in Edinburgh and on Il de Re.