Snowballs in August!

My last blog focused on how we actually got to the Falklands, so for this one, I hope to give you a feeling of what it's like to actually be here. I will try to be as concise as possible, I promise...

The weather! It's Winter down here in the southern hemisphere and there is no denying the fact that it's very cold. As I write this we have been here for 4 full days, and all but the first have greeted us with snow – much to the delight of Olivia and Evie, who have been throwing snowballs, playing on sledges in the garden and trying to make a snowman. Before we got to the islands we were 'warned' that it would seem that it was possible to experience all 4 seasons in one day. This is so true, as one minute the sun can be shining, the next we could be in the middle of a blizzard – this pattern has continued all week without fail. What is a constant however, is the wind! It blows consistently strong, pretty much all the time and being mid-winter here, creates a 'nice' wind chill factor to really cool things further. This may all sound grim and depressing, but this wintry spell has only served to the add to the wild and beautiful nature of the islands (admittedly we are still in the 'honeymoon period' and I will probably be moaning about the weather soon enough) and give it a month or so the weather will be improving as the islands welcome the warmer seasons. However for the moment we must be resigned to the fact that we will have to spend an extra period of time getting ready to go out. Gone are the days of quickly slipping on a pair of flip flops, while just wearing a T-shirt and shorts, replaced by an extra 5 or 10 minutes of layering up and adorning ourselves with a long list of warm accessories: gloves, scarves, hats and sturdy boots. Leaving the house has suddenly become a greater logistical issue!

After the weather, what has struck me most has been the natural beauty of the islands. Without a car yet, we have limited experience of the islands so far, however a quick guided tour of the immediate area with Karen (my new head), a number of bracing training runs and of course the amazing view that greets us every time we look out of our living room window have all served to reinforce this place as a beautiful wilderness. Other than the above mentioned view from our window, we have Surf Bay and Gypsy Cove within a 10 minutes' drive (and about 20 to 30 minutes run). Both are beaches with the most amazing white sand looking out to a very icy looking south Atlantic. Unfortunately Gypsy Cove is a suspected landmine area, so inaccessible; however it will be a great place to watch the Magellanic penguins over the coming Summer. Surf Bay will undoubtedly be a regular haunt for us, as it looks a fabulous place to hang out and is literally only down the road – especially when it's warmer.

One of the biggest draws of the Falklands to tourists, nature enthusiasts and even scientists is the wide variety of fauna that inhabit the island. Currently it's the wrong time of the year for the islands' most famous inhabitants: the penguins, seals, sea lions and the imperious albatross. These will be steadily appearing on our shores over the next few months. So not a huge amount to speak of in this respect so far, apart from lots of ducks! They are everywhere here, waddling in and around Stanley, in and out of gardens and down the middle of the roads, as if they own the place. The 3 commonest species are the Kelp Goose, the Ruddy-headed goose and the Upland Goose (this latter species are the most common within the town from my own observation). By far the most unexpected avian resident of the islands have been the enormous black Turkey vultures soaring in the sky and even roosting in a line of evergreen trees within Stanley. Apparently they feast off the carcasses of sheep and even pick off the odd stranded or sick living sheep, making them wholly unpopular with the local farmers. It was certainly a little unnerving watching one menacingly glide over me while out running near Gypsy Cove yesterday. Running alone, in the bleak and barren landscape, with no one around for miles, an Arctic wind blowing off the angry sea, I couldn't help but think whether this black menace above me was licking his beak at the prospect of another meal below him.

So finally, onto Stanley and it's human inhabitants. It's small, but has all the basics (bank, schools, police station with jail, post office, pubs…), beautifully quiet and the people are amazingly friendly. For me personally the town has a nice feel to it. Tourism creates a big income for the islands, so there are also quite a few gift shops. We are constantly getting waved to or people are always saying hello and smiling. The local population is also fiercely patriotic. Everywhere you look you can see Union Jacks, the Falkland's flag (which includes a Union Jack) and stickers telling people to vote 'yes' (a legacy of the recent referendum over question of staying part of the UK or not). Stanley also has some very quintessentially British aspects, such as red telephone and post boxes, pub and street names such as the Globe Tavern and Thatcher Drive. There are some other things we are going to have to get used to however. The general price of things is high – fruit and vegetables especially – due to most of it being imported. There are a few things I will not be eating any longer, simply because the cost of them is ludicrously high – blueberries at just under £6.00 a punnet are unfortunately well and truly off the menu! Meat is cheap however – very cheap. Lamb and beef is all locally produced, is extremely good quality (grass fed) and at least half the price to UK meat. Fish is also plentiful and cheap. What also surprised me is that alcohol is cheaper than the UK – reason alone to move here if you ask me!!! It appears that the cost of import is offset by a much lower taxation. Getting items not available here will be much more challenging and will require a good deal of forward planning. Most things will have to be shipped, as air freight will be uber expensive. This means Christmas presents ordered in September…