On safari - Not!

Of course yesterday's post was a bit of a spoof. The  nearest I would get to a safari trip is watching Sir David Hattonburger whispering away to camera from some exotic jungle location. Nope, yesterday's post was inspired by a relaxing and slurptitious bottle of Reserve de la Saurine on the return home from a trip to the deep south. The safari lodge mentioned in the 'true story' was actually a spa hotel somewhere in Yorkshire and the only wildlife spotted, and heard, was a 'hen party' and a few 'stags' - hence the noises!

As for the authentic picture of the local wildlife, that was actually taken in Settle on the way home when a coffee (and cake) break at 'Ye Olde Naked Man Cafe' (honest) was required. The town was celebrating the end of its two month long Flowerpot Festival in which the locals create and build their own flowerpot 'sculptures' and install them all around the town. Great for the kids!

Settle and its assortment of cafes, tea shops and coffee houses is also a favourite haunt of motor cyclists and invariably there is a selection of machinery gathered in the town square for a gawp, and a chat with the riders, including this visual and aural treat, the Valkyrie .

This is no bike for the faint hearted, or weak legged, tipping the scales at a third of a tonne (plus!), but with a 100bhp, 1800cc flat six Honda engine to propel the beast which delivers turbine smooth progress. Hard to believe that this glorious machine is 20 years old, eh? The rider's helmet was a perfect match too - and I don't care if it's not 'politically correct' these days, I liked it!