The Wonderful, Incredible, Historic Isle of Wight

A place where madness is not only tolerated, it is encouraged.

I am staying in the family home of a friend I met in Sydney ten years ago. It is like a castle. And for good reason, there's been plenty of royalty here.

I knew Miss Darling was special when I met her - as did everyone else. Once in Sydney she worked somewhere for only a week and other staff members were crying at her farewell morning tea.

The rest of the family are like that too. Eccentric and extremely likable. I keep making comparisons to my own family, so many similarities; and then I found out I actually have relatives on the Isle of Wight.

This explains a lot.

They are also very hospitable and more than polite. It is a privilege to stay here with them.

The Isle of Wight is the largest and second-most populous island in England. Only two-and-a-half hours from London by train and ferry.

When I stepped onto her shores I was bought back to books I read in my younger days, the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and the Famous Five. Those holidays to the country where imagination, adventure and mystery thrived. It has made me realise how British my culture is; I never thought I had much culture at all. 

Right now, one of the Darlings is opening his birthday cards, freshly delivered in his letterbox. Again, so traditional and very British.

And this is me right now. 

The house is Georgian, St Mildred’s Church next-door.

‘Do you ever see any ghosts?’

‘Oh yeah loads, some of them were really nasty, they used to try and push people down the stairs.’

‘How did you get rid of them?’

‘With great difficulty, some of them didn’t go willingly, I can tell you that for free.’

There is a well in the garden outside. The family have looked at old maps going back 400 years, the well never features at all so the conclusion is that the well is much older than that.

There was naval training close by in the past and by default, a naval cemetery, which perhaps accounts for some of the ghosts.

I’m not very psychic, but I don’t sense any bad spirits here. I slept well and woke late. It was so quiet.

The most astonishing thing about this house is that Queen Victoria used to visit here and had strong connections to St Mildred’s next door.

The stone floors when you walk into the house are ancient and worn, the kind of wear and tear that only happens after hundreds and hundreds of years.

The best thing about this house is that you can book it on AirBnb. I can’t recommend it enough.

I was just delivered an Observer (the Sunday version of The Guardian) by the Matron of the House, because she knows I’m left-leaning. Lol, so left-leaning I will topple over any second.

They have convinced me to stay another night.

And I have convinced my family to come stay here when they visit.

Last night we walked down a grass path to get to The Folly for dinner. They even do vegan food. 

An absolutely lovely evening. 

The big clock in the house has chimed again, it is time for relaxing. 

Very happy Albino Kiwi right now.