The Falkland Islands are one of the most beautiful areas of the earth. I lived there for some of my
teenage years and would love to go back. Unfortunately tickets are a little expensive now. Imagine an area the size of
Wales with hardly anybody anywhere. Great hulking mountains, vast plains and
peat bogs for riding across on trailbikes, miles and miles of sandy beaches, wild birds as yet unafraid of man that will come up and feed out of your hand.
I have wonderful memories of Christmasses spent down at the beach lying in the sun - everyone drinking beer, wine or cocktails. Due to its position, it is much warmer than the UK - very little rain or snow as most precipitation is deposited on the
Andes, and the thinner
ozone layer makes for a stronger
Sun.
It was always fun to head south from
Scotland to
RAF Brize Norton, fly to
Ascension Island and then onward to
Mount Pleasant Airport which is about 40 miles west of
Port Stanley. Of course the first few times we went out there, the
Ascension Island to
Falkland Islands hop was by
North Sea Ferry or
Cruise Liner which was excellent. Two weeks at sea from near the equator to 52 degrees south, with a few civilians and hundreds of military bods. I think that was the first time I ever got to fire a
GPMG, a
Rocket Launcher and a
LAW.