The Centenary Duck

10/1/10 Brrrrrr

2010-01-10T20:20:00.002Z

Well freeze my feathers...

8/1/10 Santiago de Compostela, Spain

2010-01-10T20:14:00.002Z

St James' bones are buried here in a silver coffin

Well, it was like this, First we went to... and then we... and after that we...

6/1/10 Sailaway party on PO Oriana

2010-01-10T20:08:00.002Z

Land of Hope and Glory and other tunes were sung

4/1/10 Tenerife on PO Oriana

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3/1/10 On the Bridge PO Oriana

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2/1/10 Gran Canaria

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I stayed on the ship and enjoyed the views

1/1/10 Dinner on PO Oriana

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31/12/09 New Year's Fireworks in Madeira

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Too dark to see me but aren't those fireworks just magnificent!

31/12/09 On tour in Madeira

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28/12/09 Lifeboat practice on PO Oriana

2010-01-10T19:31:00.005Z

They didn't have my size lifebelt, but nevermind, I can swim well

Nice, huh?!

26/12/10 Boxing Day Cotswold Hunt

2010-01-10T19:27:00.003Z

I decided to stay hidden here - those dogs were on a mission to hunt!

10/12/09 Flying back from Orlando to London with British Airways

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8/12/09 Hanging out in Orlando

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It's a hard life for a duck

7/12/09 Me and my American Cousins at Disney

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Look who I found!! Can you see the family resemblance?

7/12/09 Downtown Disney, Orlando, Florida

2009-12-09T21:42:00.005Z

On the Boardwalk at Downtown Disney. Planet Hollywood across the water over there.

Look at me - taking an easy ride...

If the wind changes do you think I'll also turn to brass?

6/12/09 My first Christmas Tree, Marriott Worldcenter, Orlando

2009-12-09T21:33:00.003Z

Can you see me! Can you see me!
Wow, this is a huge tree - and a very pretty one as well.

5/12/09 American Airlines Miami to Orlando, Florida

2009-12-09T21:31:00.000Z

Another day, another flight. It's a 757 this time. Not my usual British Airways but at least American Airlines is related to BA. You'll notice the hot tropical thunderstorm going on out there. Whoever said it was weather for ducks??

Not just any Club lounge, it's the Admiral's Club Lounge.
Now why is it an Admiral when we're flying not sailing? Huh?

4/11/09 Key West; Southern most tip of USA Mainland

2009-12-05T13:29:00.003Z

Well this is a very proud moment. It is the farthest South I have been so far. These are the co-ordinates 24°33′33″N 81°47′2.51″W I learnt I am very very close to the Tropic of Cancer which currently lies 23° 26′ 22″ north of the Equator. I am almost in the Tropics!

Two people asked me if I was a travelling Duck and whether I would be on the Internet. I realise now I need my own business cards to hand out as I travel.

4/12/09 Key West, Florida, USA

2009-12-05T13:19:00.006Z

Ahoy me hearties! Is that Cuba I see?

Went on an Old Town Trolley Bus tour of Key West. Saw all the sights.

Everything here is the "most" the "highest" the "longest" etc..

Ah isn't that nice! This mosaic is on the pavement just near the southernmost tip of the mainland USA.

3/12/09 Biscayne Bay Boat Trip - Miami: Island Queen

2009-12-03T23:00:00.003Z

About to go on my first float trip - oh, I mean boat trip. This is my first time at sea. I'm doing a trip round the Bay checking out the port and little islands inhabited by celebrities like myself.

On the flightdeck one day - and the next I am on the Bridge of a boat! Good view from up here.

2/12/09 On 747 Flightdeck BA207 London to Miami

2009-12-03T11:14:00.003Z

Thought I would come up to the flightdeck of this 747 after we landed to swop a few flying tips with the crew. I never realised flying was that complicated. All I do is get a bit up a run up and start flapping. Heaven only knows what they need all these switches for!

2/12/09 British Airways BA207 London to Miami

2009-12-03T10:25:00.008Z

Nice lounge here in Heathrow Terminal 5.

That's my plane - woo hoo - it's a Boeing 747!

Nice and cosy up here in the Upper Deck. This was before everyone joined us.

A nice member of the cabin crew said "Belt Up" - so I did

Tea anyone? The gallery up here is very big...

23/11/09 Walking in Toronto

2009-11-24T11:11:00.004Z

Can you see me in he picture above? The colours of the leaves on the trees are gorgeous at the moment. Good places to practice my camoflauge techniques.

Looks like there are lots of dogs around so I had better stay up here.

As if I would skateboard, huh!

23/11/09 Meeting a Canadian Guider

2009-11-24T11:07:00.003Z

Well, what do you, I got talking and met Marg who was the Executive Director of Guiding in Canada for 5 years. She knew about the Centenary and we had a good chat. We spent the day together - she is now working on really important stuff like making sure residents in long term care homes have a safe, comfortable and high quality experience.

23/11/09 Toronto, St Michael's College

2009-11-24T11:03:00.002Z

This is a lovely University Campus. Lots of old buildings and all very clean and organised. I couldn't decide whether to join the Italian or the English Lectures. So I decided to go for a walk instead.

21/11/09 Flightdeck British Airways 99 London to Toronto

2009-11-24T10:53:00.002Z

Wow, here I am on the flightdeck of a Boeing 777. We're cruising along at 36,000 feet somewhere over Greenland. This is the highest I am ever going to get - not bad for a duck, eh? A very nice cabin services director called Julian organised for me to visit the flightdeck. Human travellers can't get in here so it's a good job I'm a duck.

Next stop Toronto, Canada.

18/11/09 Dunstan Hall, Norwich

2009-11-21T10:14:00.005Z

This place looks Elizabethan (the first Queen Elizabeth - a long time ago) yet was built only in 1859. I would have like to check out the golf course and ponds but didn't get a chance.

And yes, I didn't think it was appropriate to be stuck in a bush for the photo - but, the things I do for the sake of a picture...

8/11/09 Bristol and on stage for the first time

2009-11-11T17:24:00.006Z

Cool huh! Here I am on the podium about to talk to lots of people. The stage lights are a bit bright and next time I must ask for microphones that are the right size for me.

I'm at the Academy for Large Scale Change which is something run by the NHS for senior leaders. We're at The Bristol Hotel, in Bristol (like there's only one hotel in Bristol? Strange name for a hotel...).

I also posed with Deene Barratt of the NHS Institute - that's her hand!

6/11/09 Does a train count as a place?

2009-11-11T17:18:00.003Z

I'm off! I was a bit embarrassed about having my photo taken at Didcot Parkway station (near Oxford). You know how it is, you start to pose and then the crowd watching starts to pull faces and cheer. It was all too much for me. So my first travelling picture was taken on the train. We were travelling at an amazing speed because it was an express train. So fast I got a bit blurred.

I hope you noticed I was travelling first class. I am aiming to keep up the high standards. A duck does need to be comforted.

Do you think the train counts as a place? Let me know by sending me a message using the comments feature in this blog.

1/11/09 That's one place I am not going!

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I'm just about to start my challenge of visiting 100 places by the 20th October 2010 (20-10-2010.. get it?!). There are so many beautiful places to go so I am not sure how I am going to decide which should be part of the 100. So I thought the best decision I can make right at the start is to decide where not to go. The moon looked so brilliant that I would to check it out, but I am going to have to be realistic. No moon for me.

By the way, I presume you know why I am visiting 100 places? It's the Girlguiding Centenary. A whole year of celebrating...