If you have flown in or out of London Heathrow in the last few days you might have performed a double take. Is that a British Airways aircraft in an early 1980s livery? Well yes it is but you haven’t fallen back through time.

The Boeing 757 was introduced into the BA fleet 27 years ago and after years as the workhorse of short haul routes it is finally being retired. To celebrate BA has repainted the final 757 bird in the retro colours of its formative years.

What an awesome machine – single aisle and yet driven by such powerful Rolls Royce engines. Take off and climb even when fully loaded is steep and quick.

When I started traveling as part of my job the 757 helped me get over my fear of flying. After a while I learned what every buzz and click and whirring sound represented. The retraction of the flaps, the sound of the spoilers. Fear of flying comes from fear of the unknown. Learn about what you don’t know and you can conquer your fear – unless of course you are bouncing around in severe turbulence and then I find that fear comes crashing back. Did I say crashing?

Of course, all those years ago, flying on these birds, even on domestic shuttle routes, you would get a three course hot meal in the evening and as much drink as you could handle. A far cry from the thimble full of coffee and the biscuit you get today.

It’s a pity then that as well as deck the final BA 757 out in retro colours, they didn’t also decide to furnish her with retro service as well.

Most people associate Majorca with the high rise concrete mayhem of Magaluf. Here you can start your evening eating pie and peas in the “George and Dragon”, party the night away on endless two for one drinks promotions and then stagger back to your hotel with kebab sauce dribbling down your chest.

This is fine until you ease yourself out of the 18-30 zone and start to look further afield for more refined destinations. Well actually away from the Fish and Chip resorts, Majorca can be just as unspolit and and chilled out as the most desert of islands. Head north to the region of Pollenca and the stunning mountainous countryside hides many jewels of tranquility – villas with swimming pools hidden down single track roads.

Most are within 5 minutes drive of the lovely resort of Port Pollenca and the old town of Pollenca itself – with its traditional farmers’ market and proper Spanish Tapas bars and lively squares.

But if you want a quiet week, the villas are secluded paradises. A place to stock up on beer, wine and food. Load up on reading material. And just let the sounds of the countryside wash over you. Donkeys bray, cockerals call and crickets sing. At night, being so far from the light pollution of the towns, the night sky becomes a cinema show in itself as millions of stars light up above you.

Venture away from Pollenca through a winding road to the beautiful village of Soller set high in the mountains. Take the old style narrow guage railway down to the port and walk amongst the yachts.

Check out www.villaparade.co.uk for a company that specialises in properties in this idylic part of the world.

I still cannot quite get over swimming with these heavenly beautiful creatures. So here is one more photo of them basking in the warms waters of the Indian Ocean with the green jewel of Mauritius in the background.

After this holiday started to fade into the memory as holidays tend to do, we have had the joys of a General Election and the subsequent uncertainty of a Hung Parliament. As chaotic as that has been it has made for nail biting debate on TV, Twitter, Facebook, and in the pub. The final result is bound to create issues for everyone in the UK going forward.

The Ash Cloud is still threatening to take holidays away from families how need a break and creating turmoil for businesses. And if that was not enough British Airways, a company I have admired for years and have been pleased to be their customer, is on the verge of imploding, increasing the the threat to both in equal measure.

The UK is a delicate place at the moment.

At times like these I will always remember my encounter with these creatures unsullied by greed, ambition, power or evil. It re-energises the mind. Makes you appreciate the beauty of nature. Creates confident hope for the future.

We were invited to hop on a speed boat and bounce out on the waves about a mile offshore. It was 8am but the sun was already scorching. Sun cream on and thick. Flippers, snorkle and mask – on.

When we arrived there were several boats all milling around trying the spot the school of dolphins that were alternately leaping into the air like dolphins do, or diving deep and out of sight.

As soon as someone spotted them we were commanded to dive into the sea and let them swim past us. What an awesome feeling watching these sleak, beautiful creatures glide along within touching distance. They catch your eye. They seemed to be having a really good look.

Although slightly scary knowing that the sea was hundreds of feet deep here, we were swimming so hard to keep up with the dolphins that there wasn’t enough time or breath to worry. This was hard work and by the time I got back on the boat I was exhausted. Shaking with the effort.

The dolphins disappeared for a while. The guys driving the boats getting quite agitated as they tried to locate them again. Were the dolphins playing with us?

I did wonder whether they were actually in command. And that the dolphins had come on a trip to swim with humans rather than the other way round.