Having spent the first 33 years of her life seeing little of the world and rarely travelling far from Manchester, Ann’s life changed and with her second husband she began to travel the world, exploring Africa and Asia as well as most of the countries of Europe.

In 2020 her husband Cliff wrote this letter:

During the past 30 or so years and 25 countries later with you Ann I have seen you

Ski over a frozen lake in Sweden

Admire the young skateboarders beneath the Eiffel Tower in Paris

Cross the river Danube over the Charles Bridge in Prague

Stand on the edge of a semi dormant volcano in Java

Follow silver dolphins off the coast of Zanzibar

Ride a wobbly bicycle in Villa Villekulla in GotlandÂ

Stroll down the Ramblas in Barcelona

Discover the Craic in Dublin fair City

Look up at the Lemurs in the tropical forests of Madagascar

Dive into the azure Mediterranean off the island of Gozo

Explore the ruins of ancient Rome

Watch eagles soar over the Pyrenees Mountains

Enjoy the view over the beaches in Donegal

Be pensive as you made your way through Ann Frank’s house in AmsterdamÂ

Beam with pleasure as you rode the water taxi through the canals of Venice

Laugh when playing on the beaches of the West of Scotland

Climb over the basalt columns of the Giant Causeway in Northern Ireland

Hold my hand when we walked the length of Rhossili beach in Wales

Braving the rain whilst camping in the Loire Valley in France

Toasting friends on holiday in Budapest HungaryÂ

Admiring the statue of David in Florence Italy

Doing handstands in front of Stormont in BelfastÂ

Cheering with the Portuguese as we watched them win the Euro Cup

Arriving exhausted to meet in Jakarta via Abu Dhabi airport

Peering into the scrubland on Safari in KenyaÂ

Sitting and watching the Black Sea from BulgariaÂ

Finding peace in Croatia where there once was war

Standing with your daughters beneath the  Juliet balcony in Verona Italy

Wine taste with our friend the Vintner on the banks of the Mosel in Germany

Wander among the Mosques and markets of Istanbul

Look up at the upside down umbrellas in Deventer Holland

Walk along the remains of the Berlin Wall in Germany

Hold your silence when in Auschwitz Poland

So many beautiful memoriesÂ

Ann’s birthday was the 21st of March and Cliff’s was the 20th so most years to celebrate they went away for long weekends, starting with Paris.  On her last birthday Cliff made her this card:

Happy Birthday Ann!

It’s been a joy and a privilege to share so many (38) birthdays with you!