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USA, UK and Norway
  • Rosie Marzouk
  • Rosie Marzouk

USA, UK and Norway

We start with a week in San Diego visiting Michael’s family. We fly to London and spend 6 days there, then north to spend time with Omnia and Gill and Bob. Next the 12 day walk along Hadrian’s Wall and then Norway and a boat up the coast and fjords Read more
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  • Trip start
    August 30, 2019
    Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
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    1Wet morning leaving Sydney

    Arrived in La Jolla

    August 30, 2019 in the United States ☀️ 24 °C

    I was going to start this blog sitting peacefully in Sydney airport while waiting to board. But checking in was chaotic - actually just bag drop, but we waited for ages while people slowly got processed, repackaged overweight bags etc etc....but after that ordeal all was very smooth. Slept well (with help from serepax) and arrived in LAX at 6 am and this end was super efficient, got through and on to the bus to Union station and managed to get the 8.33 train to San Diego!

    So here we are. Lisi collected us from Solana Beach station. Amr has immediately gone off for a swim at the high school, which closes at 1pm, to loosen up. I am relaxing here, had some lunch and remembered I need to start this blog. It is still August 30 here, so the date is right!

    I may not write up each day religiously while here, but will try and get some photos up. In a week we get the train back to LA and spend 3 nights there before flying to London on Sept 9. We’ll spend 6 nights there and then go to Liverpool for 2 nights, then Buxton in the Peak District with Gill and Bob, then to Carlisle (all these journeys by train) where we meet Carole and John who are walking the Hadrian’s Wall walk with us. That is for 12 days (10 days of walking), then we train to Edinburgh where we can fly direct to Bergen (Oct 3). Then we start our Scandinavian experience - taking a Hurtigruten boat up the coast and into the fjords for 12 days. Amazing. Then we spend a day in Oslo, and 2 in Copenhagen before flying back to LA. Then to Sydney, arriving Oct 26. That is our plan in a nutshell. Details to follow as they unfold!!    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
    Set up for the concert
    Set up for the concertBeach club dinner1

    Fun in San Diego

    September 1, 2019 in the United States ⛅ 23 °C

    It’s now Sunday morning. So I must record our doings before it all disappears into a muddle of times and days! We have been quite active since our arrival Friday morning. On Friday evening there was a party at the Beach Club - a reunion of all the 8 families (including Michael and Lisi) who went to Africa - Tanzania- for an amazing holiday in June. So of course we were included, we knew some of them from before. Probably good for us to be animated and socialise having arrived at 6 am that day, stopped us from falling asleep! Got to bed around midnight I think.

    Woke about 8 Saturday. This household still asleep as it often is on weekends, so Amr and I set off for a walk down to La Jolla village, had a coffee at a favourite coffee place, and I walked back (quite hot and sweaty - it was cloudy when we left but that all burnt off and it was sunny and hot...) while Amr stayed and had a haircut at his favourite barber, and a swim at the high school pool!

    A nice relaxed afternoon then we left at 5.30 to go to Bayside Summer Nights - San Diego Symphony’s equivalent of our Symphony under the stars - lovely event, perfect weather, and a Tchaikovsky spectacular programme! Lisi is a VIP of the symphony being on the board and donors etc, and she had organised a table for us near the stage where we ate dinner first, then sat back for the music!! Perfect. And it was an Australian conductor!!! Great night, great food, great music and I will show photos. To bed again around midnight, so we are getting well acclimatised.

    Now Sunday, and this afternoon Ben (cousin of Michael, Paul and Cathy), his wife Jeannine and their new baby are coming over, and also Peter F. That will be next report!    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
    1
    1

    Now Tuesday afternoon

    September 3, 2019 in the United States ⛅ 26 °C

    Well it’s now Tuesday afternoon. Since I last wrote we had a lovely visit with Ben and Jeannine with baby Sam on Sunday. Very beautiful baby, now 3 months, and with such a great genetic mix - Ben is Anglo-Chinese, and Jeannine is Peruvian/Lebanese. So no wonder he is gorgeous! We had a late lunch and had the leftovers from the African feast (delicious and plentiful). Peter F was there too, so lovely family gathering. Afterwards we lazed and watched the US open.

    Monday was a public holiday here, so another lazy day. Amr and I walked down to the village quite early but already it was so HOT walking back up the hill. Relaxed afternoon. Michael played tennis in the morning, James had an engagement with friends, and we watched more tennis, read, ate yet more leftovers (I think there are still some left!!) and had a lovely day.

    Today, a normal Tuesday. Kids at school, Michael at work. I went down with Amr and swam laps in the high school pool. Haven’t done that for a long time, but it was good, and a lovely cool thing to do, but by the time we’d walked back we were sweltering again!! Will try to confine the walking to dusk I think. Hopefully the heat will have left London when we get there in a week’s time! Not a lot to say, but all is good.    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler

    Last Day in La Jolla

    September 5, 2019 in the United States ☀️ 24 °C

    It’s still hot, and even hotter in Los Angeles if you can believe the weather app! Now Thursday afternoon. Yesterday I didn’t do the hot walk! I did walk Nico early in the morning, but decided not to battle the heat. Lisi took us out to a lovely lunch at a Taiwanese restaurant (a hip and happening chain, and I think there may be one in Sydney) - Din Tai Fung - with Anita and Brian as well. Delicious food. Rather like Queen Chow - yum cha food that you order from a menu...yum. So that was great, and we didn’t feel like another meal. We picked at nibbles, and Michael had leftover fish curry for dinner.

    Cami and James left Wednesday morning for a school retreat for 3 days. Not a religious thing, similar to our school camps - a bonding experience at the beginning of the school year. So we said goodbye to them on Tuesday night - James left at the crack of dawn, though we did glimpse Cami in the morning as she left at the normal civilised time - her camp was not as long a journey away as James’. So it is a quiet household, and Lisi doesn’t have to be the chauffeur driving kids to school and activities!

    Today I again went with Amr to the high school and swam laps. Good, and we had arranged with Lisi to go afterwards to a cafe where she’d meet us (thus avoiding the hot uphill walk home), and we planned to go to a favourite Taco Bar for lunch, then off to Whole Foods to get green peppercorns which were not available at any other places we tried. It was the last chance, and we did find them. But a mysterious lack in the shops, even in the fancy food places, is that we cannot find taramasalata anywhere!! You’d think there were enough Greeks in the US that they would make and sell it!!

    So tonight is last dinner - Michael requested chicken with green peppercorns - he always does - and cauliflower cheese. He will be coming home soon. Tomorrow morning we take the Amtrak Surfliner back up the coast to Los Angeles where we spend 3 nights before flying to London on Monday.

    Next episode from LA.    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
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    Now in Los Angeles

    September 6, 2019 in the United States 🌙 24 °C

    This morning Lisi drove us to Solana Beach station and we got the Surfliner back to Union Station. Arrived about 12.45 and first went to the Metro info to get our Tap cards (equivalent to Opal cards)...we got seniors ones (here they only mind about age, not nationality etc) and the cards work for metro, buses etc...and SO cheap..each ride is about 35cents so far...you only tap to enter, no tapping off. Anyway, we were all set, got the metro to near the hotel in downtown LA and were delighted with it!! It is a Hilton, but small (compared with many Hiltons), an older Art Deco building, newly renovated...we love it. Should have taken a photo on arrival, but now it’s all messed up with our stuff so wouldn’t show to full advantage! And also we are in a handy spot close to transport.

    Boiling hot of course, but drier than it was in La Jolla. First we set off to the Grand Central Market for lunch (tacos again) and while there we passed a booth where they take photos of you in funny situations...hard to explain, but tomorrow they are starting properly, and you pay to have a funny photo taken, but today they were having free promos and we sat in a Harley looking sporty!!!

    Then we moved on to our favourite coffee place, Blue Bottle and studied the metro map and decided to go to Long Beach as a new adventure. However when we got to the metro centre found that the blue line was closed for a couple of months so decided to make today our Santa Monica day instead. Good choice as there was a lovely sea breeze, and we had a very pleasant wander. And it also cools off after sunset....we decided to eat at our favourite Mexican restaurant - Mercado- hip and happening modern food, just how we love it. Their special tonight was a watermelon and basil margarita, so refreshing and delicious, and we just had share plates of salads and veges ..yum!

    Now back in our cosy room and all good.    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
    At the tapas bar
    At the tapas bar1The art deco bedroomLA skylinePretty harbour at Long BeachQueen MaryGetty

    Weekend in LA

    September 8, 2019 in the United States 🌙 20 °C

    Now it’s Sunday night. It has been a good weekend despite continuing heat! Yesterday, Saturday, we decided we would try to go to Long Beach...with the Metro closed they put on an express bus for the route we found out that zooms down the freeway, so that’s what we did. Had a wander round there, saw the Queen Mary - the original one that is now a museum - but didn’t actually go in, we just saw her moored. After a bit of hot wandering round we had lunch at a Spanish tapas bar which was fabulous and just what we felt like, and then took the bus back...and had dinner at our favourite little restaurant in little Tokyo.

    Today we went to the market for juice, yogurt and croissant, and to Blue Bottle for coffee...perfect breakfast. Then Amr went to a modern art museum, the Broad, near Disney hall which he says was great...I didn’t go but it sounds as if I will have to next visit. I had a bit of down time, then we set off to the Getty, always a lovely thing to do. Got the metro and then connected with a bus for the last part up into the hills, much more relaxing than the long bus journey we have done in the past. Lovely as always, such a calm place and beautifully set out, and cool and breezy. It was after 6 by the time we got back downtown so we went straight on to dinner, yet again at our Japanese fave!

    Now back for the last night here. We leave tomorrow afternoon on air New Zealand, so can leisurely pack and sort out things in the morning. Next instalment will be from London. It will be Tuesday around midday when we land, so we’ll probably try to wander around a bit and have an Indian meal before we sleep!    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
    An unusual Ibis!
    An unusual Ibis!Our breakfast yesterday

    Arrived in London

    September 10, 2019 in England ⛅ 18 °C

    Well here we are in London, and it’s Tuesday afternoon. Yesterday was a travel day, but we started out with a slightly more substantial breakfast as we knew we wouldn’t be fed on the plane till late in the afternoon. We had seen a place in the market each day which always had a long queue which we didn’t want to wait in, but they obviously did something good. So on Monday morning it was much quieter so we indulged - it’s called the eggslut!! And they do scrambled eggs, and other eggs and put them in a brioche roll....yum! Will show in photo. Then once we had to check out from the hotel, we hung round a bit in the lobby, but made our way leisurely to the airport as no time to do anything else.

    And it is nice to be early at LAX as the international terminal is always rather chaotic, especially yesterday with flights to Japan cancelled because of typhoons, British airways striking....anyway, we made it through with the very efficient Air New Zealand people and had an excellent flight, even nice food! AND such an easy entry into the UK - just put your passport in a machine and through you go - no forms, no people to question you! That is only for the good countries - people from EU countries, USA, Canada, Oz, NZ etc....but so good for us.

    So we went to the underground station, topped up our Oyster cards and made our way to our hotel near Earls Court station. This time it is an Ibis, but in an old Victorian building and again charming, not the typical rather soulless Ibis!

    We have had a walk, quite a long one, to Knightsbridge as far as Harrods, and then back via the Royal Albert Hall to pick up tickets for tomorrow’s concert. A short relax now and then a fairly early Indian meal, and off to bed, and hope we will slide easily into this time zone, because we remain at this time for the rest of our holiday - or an hour ahead in Norway, but an hour doesn’t count. All good.    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
    Proms concert
    Proms concertRoyal Albert HallProms concertBritish Museum

    First full day in London

    September 11, 2019 in England ⛅ 18 °C

    It’s now Thursday morning, but it was too late to write up then. Having had a LONG sleep on Tuesday night, we felt ready to hit the town...but actually, I have to say that I did feel a bit fuzzy despite plenty of sleep. But we did quite a lot. After breakfast, which is included in our accommodation this time, we set off, walked through Hyde Park, saw there was a September 11 memorial, which was ignored even though it was today sept. 11. Nearby there was a butterfly biosphere...a tent with many species of butterflies in a very tropical tent, so we went in just for fun.

    Then we walked along, through Mayfair towards the British Museum where we spent a few hours looking at the fascinating things there. After we wandered the streets, such lovely buildings (mostly) and in passing picked up our tickets for Mamma Mia from the Novello theatre in Aldwych, (that is for Friday) and also for the concert tonight (Thursday) from St Martin in the Fields in Trafalgar Square.

    After more wandering we actually took the underground to Knightsbridge - getting a little wearier by then - and walked to South Kensington, lots of eateries there...had a pre dinner drink at happy hour, then a pizza and salad before walking to the Royal Albert Hall for our Proms concert. Realised we were joining quite a crowd walking in the same direction...there is a real atmosphere at the prom concerts. Found our seats and enjoyed the whole spectacle. Virtually full house, with always people standing in the middle . We thought it was a concert of Bach orchestral suites - it was, but unbeknown to us there were other very short non-Bach 21st century works interspersed....(they can never have a concert there days without something new and “enlightening” it seems!)...however, this did not detract from the Bach...just lovely. It was an orchestra from Dunedin NZ (their equivalent ACO i imagine)...

    So we walked back after the concert, and decided to have our complimentary drink in the bar at the hotel (because we are such faithful silver Accor members!)...so it was almost midnight when we went to bed, and of course, having been fighting sleep during the soothing Bach at the concert, we found ourselves wide awake....

    So here we are, Thursday morning, slept in till almost 9, ready for a new day!    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
    1
    1Leicester Square1New curvy busIn St Martin's

    Another London Day

    September 12, 2019 in England ⛅ 20 °C

    Tonight I’ll try writing up before going to sleep, while the day is still fresh in my mind.

    So we set off after a fairly late breakfast and took the tube to Hyde Park Corner. We can walk all this (yesterday Amr’s watch said we walked 22 kms!) but decided to save it for the later walking. So we had a very pleasant walk round St James Park, Green Park, past Buckingham Palace, looking at all the sights. Ended up in Trafalgar Square and thought we’d have a session in the National Gallery.

    This turned out to be a superb choice. For the beginning of the day I had felt annoyingly fuzzy still, but wandering through the gallery looking at the fabulous art was very soothing, and we both got a new lease of life. We efficiently worked our way through almost everything, and found it was 5.30! Without even the tired hips from museum walking! So it was perfect timing to go to nearby Leicester Square for a meal, and then back to St Martin in the Fields in Trafalgar Square for our Bach concert.

    This was divine. I don’t think I’d ever been inside the church itself. Lovely for a concert, good acoustics. It was the London Concertante who were playing, and they played 4 Bach violin (one actually violin and oboe) concertos, and they too put in a few short non Bach “interlopers”, but they were also lovely - Telemann, Corelli, Piazzola. So a lovely day altogether, and here’s hoping we will fall asleep correctly today! (I think Amr already is!). Will include a photo of the new line in London buses - they have gone sleek and curvy!!    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
    Mullet and pepper sauce
    Mullet and pepper sauceBeetroot tartareAmazing cauliflower

    Friday in London

    September 13, 2019 in England 🌙 15 °C

    Must quickly report Friday before we go off to breakfast - now Saturday morning. It was a great day....we first had a walk around - along Piccadilly, Burlington Arcade, had a pot of tea in Fortnum’s, and ended up in Leicester square to see Downton Abbey the movie. So good!! A feel good movie that anyone who enjoyed the series would love. A continuation of events in the lives of all the people, and gorgeous visually of course. So that was lots of fun, and relaxing, and at 6 o’clock we met Omnia, who is now back in the UK, and going to spend the weekend with us here before we go back to Liverpool with her on Monday.

    So we found an amazing Basque restaurant right near the Novello theatre where we went to Mamma Mia. We had been going to have Italian yet again, but Amr spotted this place and it was absolutely fabulous!! Really special, and not madly expensive, but divine food, and really artistically presented. The only photos of this day will be food!! After that great meal we went round the corner to Mamma Mia....such fun. Full theatre of ABBA fans, and great show, energetic and happy...so altogether a feel good, happy day. Must get ready to go to breakfast!    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
    11

    Another fabulous day

    September 14, 2019 in England ⛅ 22 °C

    It was truly another great day! Now sitting in bed, having just been watching the last night of the Proms live, singing along with Rule Britannia, Land of Hope and Glory and Jerusalem and feeling the vibe, especially as we were there in the Royal Albert Hall just a few days ago!!

    But to start at the beginning, we set out this morning and walked from Earls Court to Covent Garden, cutting through Hyde Park. I haven’t been talking about the weather since we arrived here, and that is because it is so good, just so comfortable - not too hot or cold!!! And today was a beautiful cloudless Saturday and Londoners were out and enjoying it. We have so enjoyed the feeling here...it is busy but doesn’t feel uncomfortably crowded, and people are so cheerful and friendly. In Covent Garden there were lots of people of course, many buskers being cheered by crowds. Omnia left us about 1 o’clock as she had arranged to meet friends, and we had tickets for a play - Bitter Wheat - a play with John Malkovich playing a ghastly Harvey Weinstein person, very clever and entertaining in a rather horrible way! Fun to see John Malkovich live though, even in this awful role.

    Then we wandered a bit more till it was time for our dinner at Nopi, an Ottolenghi restaurant just behind Regent Street. We went there last visit to London and love it. We booked the downstairs part, which is less formal, sitting at a large communal table, with the kitchen in view...much nicer than the noisier and less intimate upstairs...and the food as usual is amazing. Ottolenghi’s creative combinations. We had several share dishes - things like grilled octopus with watermelon and coconut! All were delicious.

    So back at the hotel by about 9.30, in time to watch the Proms and write this up. Perfect. Will put photos that show the vibe of the day.    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
    Me with Kate
    Me with KateOriana and MintyOrianaThe girls photographing us!

    Last London day

    September 15, 2019 in England ⛅ 25 °C

    Yet again it is balmy sunny weather. Londoners are in heaven enjoying it, sitting in parks and basking. And of course it is great for visitors too!

    Today Omnia was seeing more friends, and we had an arrangement to meet Kate Gorely at about midday. We love seeing her, the only Gorely who lives in London, and she had also organised for Minty and Oriana (her cousins, my cousin Susan’s daughters) to come too. Such fun. I had seen Oriana a few years ago when she was in Oz, but don’t think I’d seen Minty (Araminta) for about 20 years, when she was running a vodka bar In Soho!! So we met at Brixton, near-ish to where Kate and Oriana live, and had a leisurely light lunch in a Brixton pub, in the garden courtyard. Very pleasant, and a lovely catch up.

    Amr and I had walked from the hotel to Victoria this morning, where we caught the tube to Brixton, and coming back we got the train to Green Park and walked back from there so we have had our dose of walking for the day. Amr’s Apple Watch says we walked about 17 kms....we have to keep ready for the official walk in a week’s time!

    Now back and about to have an Indian meal with Omnia. Another really lovely day.    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler

    Now in Liverpool

    September 17, 2019 in England ⛅ 13 °C

    It’s now Tuesday morning and I should write up yesterday briefly before we start our day. It was a travel day, just a train to Liverpool, but it took quite a while! We had booked online and got a very cheap fare, direct non stop from London Euston to Liverpool Lime Street, but discovered that it in fact took almost 4 hours, compared with the 2 hour fast ones! Didn’t matter, quite pleasant on the train - we made many stops - went through Rugby, Leeds, Coventry, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and many others!!! Only drama was that we got behind schedule and at the 2nd last stop they said we couldn’t go on to Lime Street (Liverpool central station) maybe they lost their slot at a platform? Anyway, we were all off loaded wondering what was happening, but luckily we had Omnia calling to say that it was as easy to pick us up there, so we could leave all the chaos and go with her. Omnia had also got the train back to Liverpool, but she was on a train that left a bit after us, but arrived over an hour earlier, so she had time to get her car to pick us up...

    So now we are here at her very charming house for 2 nights. Last night we had dinner at the house of a delightful colleague of hers. A young, vibrant Egyptian doctor (Egyptian by birth but essentially English) with her husband and 2 sons. Great fun, and delicious meal - Egyptian hospitality and food. Now off to start this day. No photos yet.    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
    Dinner last night
    Dinner last nightMouth of the Mersey into Irish SeaPimientos al padron

    Our Liverpool Day

    September 17, 2019 in England 🌙 11 °C

    I almost forgot to write up today, so am now sitting up in bed, hoping to have an early-ish night...now 10.45, so will try to think quickly!

    It is a bit cooler here than London, and we are wearing jackets and warmer clothes at last! But it was cloudy at first, then sunny, so another gorgeous day. We just hope all the rain and bad weather is t waiting till we are walking next week!

    So this morning Omnia dropped us off at a walking track beside the river - Mersey - which leads into the city, about a 6 km walk. Lovely walk, especially as we hadn’t walked hardly at all yesterday. Walked round the waterfront area - shops etc, and had coffee there, then into the central shopping mall -like area. Had a small lunch - found a tapas bar (again) and had our favourite pimientos al padron, just like in Spain. Then at 2 we met Omnia at the Apple store as she was buying a new iPad, and of course Amr was giving advice!

    Had some down time after we got back, then went out to dinner at a nearby North African restaurant, new since our last visit, and met some friends we knew from before - very nice Father, mother and daughter. And the food was absolutely delicious. Small share plates, not unlike Ottolenghi in combinations and flavours.

    Tomorrow we set off again, getting a train (2 actually) to Buxton. A busy fun week. Will include a photo of dinner last night. Lovely family and amazing feast! The 2 sons with their Afro hair...the younger one, aged 11 I think, has been picked by the Liverpool football club to be trained as a future star player - he is in a rigorous programme of training, even at this age!!! They go all over the country, and Europe for matches...he must be good!    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
    1
    1

    Train to Buxton

    September 18, 2019 in England 🌙 11 °C

    Another fun day! Amr and I started by having a walk along a cycling/walking track near Omnia’s house where we have walked before...as we were embarking on another train journey. Not such a long one this time, but involved 2 trains, changing at Manchester Piccadilly. Omnia drove us to Lime Street, and on the way we passed the famous Beatles landmark Strawberry Fields.

    Each train journey was about an hour, all on time and efficient, and we chugged through lovely countryside arriving at Buxton about 3.30. Gill and Bob met us at the station. Lovely to see them! They just got back last night from 10 days in Crete.

    Checked into the hotel and had a little walk in this very charming town. Had early dinner in a pub (pie and beer!) and went to the Opera House, a lovely old theatre, as we had tickets for an evening listening to Ranulph Fiennes. Gill had seen that this was on and we had agreed we’d all love to go. And it was absolutely fantastic. What a man! Explorer and adventurer, broken all sorts of records crossing Antarctica, circling the world on water and land via the Poles...and at 75 he’s still going. He was extremely funny, speaking in a droll deadpan way about his exploits. So that was a highlight. Tomorrow a full day here with Gill and Bob.    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
    Bakewell
    BakewellChatsworth1

    A Day in rhe Peak District

    September 19, 2019 in England 🌙 11 °C

    A fabulous day. Met Gill and Bob for breakfast and they had worked out a plan for the day - our one full day together. Instead of wandering round Buxton, they took us round the area in the car, visiting and passing through so many picturesque villages - stone houses, pretty gardens - going on 2 walks - one beside a small stream and at the end of the day we went up to a high rocky edge which we walked up and what a wonderful view from the top over the whole countryside. And again it was perfect weather! After starting quite cold in the morning (about 10° I think) it warmed up until we only needed t-shirts walking in the sun. Then deliciously cools off again after sunset. This wonderful weather now makes me nervous for what will be in store for us next week!

    A highlight of the day was a visit to Chatsworth - the Stately Home and estate of the dukes of Devonshire. It is in this area so we drove in and parked and walked round the grounds. It is enormous and you can pay quite a lot and visit inside the house and garden, but that would be a serious several hours, so we walked and admired from outside.

    One small town we stopped in was Bakewell, very pretty, where we bought cheese and had a tea break, with their local specialty Bakewell tart, and we stopped for a beer and nibbles before we did the walk up the ridge. So we were nicely hungry when we returned to Buxton and had a Thai meal. We had seen the restaurant last night and that it was busy and full so thought we’d try it. Excellent, and now ready for bed.    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
    Buxton gardens
    Buxton gardensAmazing carving of a tree trunkView down to Buxton

    Buxton to Carlisle

    September 20, 2019 in England ☀️ 16 °C

    A very varied day. We heard from Carole and John yesterday that they had arrived in Edinburgh but that their bags had not, and that they may not be able to meet us in Carlisle today as planned...frustrating situation, people didn’t seem to know where they were....anyway, to cut a long story short (bags mis-tagged etc) the bags miraculously arrived this morning, and all the original plans came back into action- and we have met them here in Carlisle this evening, had dinner together and all is well!

    So to start at the beginning of the day, we met Gill and Bob who had to leave early afternoon to drive almost to London for a 50th wedding anniversary with friends. But we spent a lovely morning with them. First had breakfast and had substantial food, brunch really, and it did keep us going till dinner. Then Gill knew a nearby walk up to another high spot above Buxton and it was magnificent. On top is Solomon’s temple, nothing to do with king Solomon or religion, but I believe I was a folly of one of the Dukes of Devonshire a few hundred years ago. Anyway, it had a magnificent view over Buxton and the surrounding countryside and amr says we walked about 12 kms, so that was good before our train journey.

    We got to the train station early as we had checked out of the hotel, and Gill and Bob had gone, and realised we could catch any train back to Manchester as they were not booked seats and local trains, and also the second train from Manchester to Preston which was similarly unbooked seats, but this second one turned out to be extremely busy, and we were glad we weren’t even later on a Friday afternoon. Each journey was almost an hour, and we got to Preston in tons of time to find the platform for our last train to Carlisle. We had to wait for the correct train this time as it was a big express from London to Edinburgh and thank goodness we did have seats as it was also madly crowded.

    All went well and we are now safely ensconced in our Ibis near the station and have enjoyed catching up with Carole and John, and ready for new adventures.    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
    Carlisle castle
    Carlisle castleOur B and BOur roomChurch next to guesthouseSolway at low tide

    Now at the Walk's StartingPoint

    September 21, 2019 in England ☀️ 22 °C

    We spent a few hours this morning in Carlisle looking around. A beautiful cathedral - 12th century- and a castle. And another cloudless day! At midday we assembled at the hotel and took a taxi to here - Bowness on Solway. Solway is the firth of Solway, the other side is Scotland. At low tide, which it is this afternoon, there is just a small amount of visible water, but fills up when the tide comes in. Such a delightful very small town, and we are staying at an extremely charming B and B, which was the old rectory of the nearby church and just round the corner from the only pub, the King’s Arms where we are having dinner.

    We couldn’t check into our rooms till 4 o’clock so we walked round the town, checking the starting point of the walk and enjoying the ambience and scenery. Quite a lot of walkers round, many who went the other direction from us, walked east to west, and have just finished! They say it was lovely, and of course they have had superb weather. I have already unpacked my poncho to have ready in my backpack! But meanwhile all is just wonderful.    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
    The firth with tide in
    The firth with tide inStatue of Edward I at Burgh by SandsSt Michael's church

    First walking day in the rain

    September 22, 2019 in England 🌧 13 °C

    First, last night’s dinner at the pub was good. I had a steak and managed to avoid too much stooge! They offered Carole chips or jacket potato with her lasagne!! Like they do in Ireland, everything comes with potatoes in some form. (She said neither please, just salad!).

    And this morning we had a good breakfast, continental and full English choices, and a good start before walking. Despite going to bed with still a perfect day, by this morning it was raining as predicted and we set off in our rain gear at about 9.30. It wasn’t heavy all the time, and sometimes almost stopped, but enough to get pretty soggy, and the ground, even though it hadn’t rained for a week, immediately got very muddy and puddly. With the consistent rain I found that my poncho wasn’t as impermeable as I thought. We’ve always been so lucky with weather on our Caminos that it may not have been put to the test and my t-shirt got quite wet which was uncomfortable and cold. It is much colder today, and hard to remember that yesterday we only wore a light shirt, and many people just had shorts and short sleeves. Any way it was all part of the fun, and it was a short flat walk today, along the firth and half way towards Carlisle. We did about 15 kms, and walked to Burgh by Sands (pronounced bruff). It is a tiny town, but famous for a statue of Edward I where they fought Robert the Bruce...Edward died here, but now buried at Westminster Abbey. Also there is a very old church, St Michael’s, built partly with stones from Hadrian’s Wall, dating back to 13th century, with some later additions (or maybe the later additions were 12th C!!). And it had been a garrison during the wars. So much history!

    But as the inn at Burgh by Sands is closed at the moment, we were taxied back to Carlisle for the night (all part of the service) and tomorrow we get taken back to Burgh by Sands to walk back to Carlisle! So it means that we are 2 nights and this very pleasant B and B, and don’t have to pack up tomorrow morning, and have 2 days to get washing dry! So we are getting to know Carlisle well, and are going out to Indian tonight. Paul our taxi driver recommended one that is the “best in Carlisle” so we’ll put it to the test. Indian food in the UK is very good, better than I’ve found in Australia. But the other Asian cuisines - Thai, Malay etc are not anything like as good as in Oz.

    Tomorrow’s walk is even shorter than today - about 12 kms I think, and still flat. The hilly more demanding part comes in the middle, so this is a lovely gentle start!    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
    Last night's dinner
    Last night's dinnerOur signposts, sometimes the acorn alone

    Second walking day - no rain!

    September 23, 2019 in England ⛅ 17 °C

    Just relaxing and washing before dinner. Had a great Indian meal last night, and we plan to get back there tonight as from now on probably less choice in very small villages. We did our walk today, and have finally officially walked to Carlisle!! We were taxied back to Burgh by Sands to begin, and started later - about 11.15 - as the prediction was for better weather later in the morning and into the afternoon. As always the predictions were a little off, and the morning was fine, but so also is the afternoon, and at 4.30 it is still even sunny, so we had a good 13 km walk.

    It was basically flat, though we did go up and down the river banks now and then, and there was a lot of walking through mud and boggy ground, and through fields avoiding the bogs and cow pads, so it was quite hard work some of the time. We are following the Hadrian’s Wall pathway signs which are black and white rather discreet acorns, not nearly as obvious as our Camino yellow arrows and scallop shells, or the red and white signs in France. We are training our brains and eyes to notice them...one mistake today took us down a particularly boggy path till we finally reached a field with a chained and padlocked gate and had to turn back. So we are getting vigilant!

    But it was beautiful scenery, cows and fields and along the river into Carlisle. Tomorrow we finally leave this small city (small enough that we feel we now know it quite intimately!) and head off into smaller towns and villages for the next 6 days of walking, then we have 2 days walking through Newcastle upon Tyne where we finish.

    This morning I did a really risky thing - I bought new walking shoes!! Amr suggested it, and it did seem the only solution to my rain sodden shoes, which were still wet this morning, and which were obviously no longer waterproof and would be wet the whole 10 days. I last used them in 2014 on the Coast to Coast and I think they have sat disintegrating in my cupboard since then. So I have to report that the risk paid off - got some great shoes on sale - £80 reduced to £40 - and I wore them all day and they were so comfortable and coped with the mud and puddles...phew...they are now truly worn in and no longer look pristine! Tomorrow and for the rest of our walking days rain is predicted...we know that this won’t necessarily mean that we walk in rain, but I am happy to have proper shoes that have a chance of keeping my feet dry.

    Tomorrow is a 17 km walk (which probably means a bit longer), and I hope Carole and John won’t find it too long. They kayak and cycle but aren’t as intrepid walkers as we are. But today and yesterday were a good mild introduction to longer walks I hope.    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
    Rather wetPost walk relaxation!

    We have finally left Carlisle!

    September 24, 2019 in England 🌧 15 °C

    Today we left Carlisle for the last time! And we are now out in the countryside - we walked to a small village called Walton, but were picked up there and are staying at a very beautiful guest house at Brampton nearby. The walk today was about 20 kms.

    So we set out early, that is straight after breakfast. Quite a lot of rain was predicted but we have realised you never know exactly when, and how heavy it will be etc...so when we started it was cloudy but fine, and stayed that way for quite a few hours. It was beautiful walking along the river and again through fields with cattle or sheep. Still quite muddy and boggy in parts, and quite hard work.

    So all was well till finally the rain did start. We sheltered under a thick tree and hoped the squall would pass, as it looked bright around the edges! And that paid off, it did calm down and we walked on, in rain gear but not in a downpour.

    Then finally, when we were seriously close to our destination it teemed. We found a shelter - they have these - a place with refreshments - chocolate, chips, drinks, even ice creams, with an honesty box to leave the money. We didn’t need the food as we had lunch from last night’s Band B, but we needed the shelter and we could sit and eat our lunch and watch the rain. We almost called the taxi that was to pick us up at Walton from there, as this time it really looked set in rain, but it finally did ease and we decided to set off again. And were happy we did as it was a beautiful section and it was barely raining.

    When we got to Walton we found a bus shelter as it did start to seriously rain again and called the taxi...it was funny, as after a while a car pulled up by the bus shelter and we waved and started to get in ( we weren’t actually in, but obviously approaching) and the woman looked surprised and laughed and said she was just posting a letter, not picking us up!! Finally our ride did come and we came to this amazing gorgeous place. I would take a photo except it is raining and I’m not going out in it! But will try in the morning before we leave.

    The very gracious hostess said to leave any wet things and she put them in the drying room, and we were shown to our rooms. Now sitting in a cosy living room with a fire, having tea and wine! Dinner is here, we have just chosen from a menu. There is a sweet blond 17 month old called Archie who wanders in now and then - very good, doesn’t touch the tea things, just checks us out and peeps behind chairs. I think his grandmother is our hostess, and the daughter appears now and then ...I think they are busy making dinners. Several other cars of people have also arrived. Very comfortable!!    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
    Black water

    Day 4 of walking - now at Gilsland

    September 25, 2019 in England 🌧 15 °C

    We left our beautiful hotel this morning and sadly I forgot to take a photo before we went...it was such a lovely place and worth of recording! Dinner there last was great, also breakfast. So they drove us back to Walton where we resumed our walk.

    Of course rain predicted all day, or showers etc, but we had none!! I never put any rain gear on, and occasionally there was the odd drop, but never enough even make you damp. So that was lovely, and I think I see rain on the window now that we are safely ensconced in tonight’s B and B.

    Today we walked 14.3 kms. It is hard to describe today’s walk specifically as it was more of the beautiful rolling countryside looking like a picture postcard. Sheep and cows, green hills. But we did come upon real Roman ruins, and a length of the Wall! And now we will be seeing quite a lot of Roman rubble as Amr would say. Also we crossed a fast flowing river, which has black water from peat, which once had a Hadrian bridge over it. We keep being told there is some strenuous walking coming up...climbing up and down rocks, but today was relatively easy. We did cheat now and then by walking along the road when the official path went parallel but in a field that was muddy and boggy after yesterday’s rain. They are quiet country roads, and the sloshing in mud isn’t fun!

    We are now at a village called Gilsland at a very nice modern B and B. Amr and I are in a room in the annex above the garage - just lovely, spacious, with washing machine and dryer!!! So you can imagine that is heaven for Amr! We go up the road for dinner at the local pub, where we had a beer when we arrived as the village, as the B and B people never want us till 4 pm. We booked to have dinner at 6.30...it seems that quite a lot of people eat there and the bar lady recommended to book...looks a good menu so here’s hoping.    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler

    Day 5 completed, now at Twice Brewed

    September 26, 2019 in England ⛅ 11 °C

    A successful funny day. We walked almost 18 kms- and these are fairly tough kms. The path is signed, with the very discreet acorns, and sometimes a signpost with Hadrian’s Wall path engraved in very old wood, almost rotten and falling apart...but it is very easy to go off track. So it is better than the Coast to Coast experience, but not without a bit of stress, and today I have to say that at the last 2 miles we admitted defeat and descended to the road visible beneath us and walked the last 800 metres or so to our destination!

    But we had fun. Set off at about 9.15 - cloudy, no rain - and all went well. More of the beautiful countryside that we have been accustomed to. We did make a small mistake quite early, but easily got back on track and walked along another section of Wall, and up quite a climb of stone steps, with a stunning view at the top. The trouble is that you follow along fine, then go over a stile or a gate to the next field and you really have no indication where to go. There is no definite track, just grass with no direction, and it is easy to pick the wrong way. And these are HUGE fields, many acres, and there aren’t so many people that you can follow along. Sometimes it is obvious and you can see a stile or gate or signpost in the distance, but not always.

    So we muddled along, mostly on track, and avoiding as much mud and bog as we could, loving the scenery and views, and the Roman bits that are there. Quite a lot of wall - more than I had expected - and all quite amazing. Every now and then it rained slightly - enough to put on coats, but never lasted long, and was sometimes even sunny.

    By the end, when we knew we were close we just couldn’t find the right way. We had followed some bad advice to follow an easy low track rather than the high one which would have been correct. She had said it would all lead to the right place...but it didn’t, for us anyway, and we muddled along high in the hills, but not as high as the wall, and finally gave up and descended to the road. That was in itself extremely difficult as it was uneven with tufts of long grass and holes, and when we reached the bottom of course we had to cross a seriously boggy patch. Later looking at the map we found that that area was called the East Bog! However we made it to the road, and found our accommodation right on that road, except that we approached it from the other direction. So in a way we had taken a short cut! Anyway, it was an adventure and our B and B tonight is another lovely place and we stay here for 2 nights, as tomorrow is a sort of rest day. Not really, as the plan is to do a 15 km walk round a lot of Roman ruins and museums near here that are not on the trail. But we are sort of free to do what we like in our own time.

    So tonight we went for dinner at the pub down the road, the Twice Brewed Inn. Good food and atmosphere, and we’ll go there again tomorrow night. The other end of this village is called Once Brewed! Crazy! Anyway, all good.    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
    VindolandaThe Twice Brewed InnOur guesthouseWhat we have to climb tomorrow!

    Semi rest day at Twice Brewed

    September 27, 2019 in England 🌧 10 °C

    Today was set aside as a circular walk from here to see the local archeological site and museum- Vindolanda. The route they suggested took us up on the official walk for a couple of hours, then down and round via the museum etc. but we decided to skip the walking part and have a day off as would have to do it tomorrow anyway (except we figured later that if we had done it today we could then get a bus to the next place and resume from there) - but we didn’t, so we have quite a big walk ahead tomorrow, with some notorious climbs! Amr and I had a reconnoiter of how to get back to the track (as yesterday we accidentally arrived through the bog!) and found the track and also saw what an enormous climb faces us first thing!! A bit daunting, but at least we’ll be fresh.

    So today we did walk anyway, to the places of interest. Vindolanda was a Roman fortress and the whole town is gradually being excavated...it is so interesting....feels a bit like walking round Pompeii. And they are still digging up many objects that are displayed in the museum. We wouldn’t have had a chance to visit it without this day of no definite plan, and also it is so good to stay in a place for 2 nights.

    It rains on and off, and will continue to do so by the look of it, but not often does it pour drenching rain, and there are many gaps with no rain at all, so it’s not miserable. And our accommodation has been exceptional. We are now relaxing in the guest lounge, sipping wine or in my case a Pedro Jiminez sherry! Amr says to assure Paul that they are Riedel glasses! There is an honesty box for the wine - £2.50 for a glass. We will go to the Twice Brewed Inn again for dinner...it was good.    Read more

  • Rosie MarzoukUSA, UK and NorwayTraveler
    Under the sycamore tree
    Under the sycamore treeOne of the views from the top

    A wonderful day, the best yet!

    September 28, 2019 in England ⛅ 9 °C

    Today was fabulous! We had anticipated difficult climbs and a long distance, and although this was true, it all worked out amazingly. We started with the first steep climb that Amr and I had looked at, and it was manageable - you needed to take great care on the stone steps, a mistake and you could break your leg, but somehow it was not bad - maybe because we went slowly and carefully - but whatever, it was ok, and the rewards were magnificent views as we walked along the ridge. This continued, as we knew it would, after a level ridge walk down we went again, and up the other side - no zig zag to get up and down. This continued many times. One of the most spectacular downs was to Sycamore Gap which is famous for being the spot where they filmed the Robin Hood movie Prince of Thieves. We all had photos there, and another group of people took all four of us, and we took their group etc. there were quite a lot of walkers out today, and we realised that it is Saturday and people are out for weekend walks. Lots of locals, not just people like us.

    Another feature of today’s walking was MUD....lots of it. This is not a complaint, as we had no rain!! Occasionally there were droplets of most, but I never needed to put on my poncho, and it was beautiful and even sunny sometimes. The mud situation was bad, but then got funny once we had to get through an unavoidable bog and all had to go deeper than our shoes - even Amr in his quite high boots got waterlogged. So for the rest of the day we walked with wet feet and socks squelching along, and it still was good. Our shoes were so muddy that when we arrived here at our accommodation the first thing we did was to get a hose to clean all the mud off before it dried on.

    But it was fantastic with views of this gorgeous countryside, walking amongst the cows and sheep who all mix together in the fields, and today we were well marked with acorns and signs - we are getting expert at spotting the little white dots of the acorn sign in the distance at a stile or gate.

    So after the many ups and downs we finally walked smoothly, that is on the level, along the Wall and finally came to our end point of walking which was the Chesters Roman Fort. It was a marathon 22.3 kms, which doesn’t sound all that far by Camino distances, but this was tough walking. Carole and John were Trojans as we knew this was very arduous for them, and we all made it with gusto.

    We had to telephone when we got to the Fort and were picked up by our host, Dave, who is at present salmon fishing in the North Tyne river, but his wife, daughter and granddaughter are here looking after us and we have just had dinner and are retiring to our rooms. When we first arrived, after we had cleaned the shoes and left them to dry, there was the cleaning of ourselves and particularly our socks which took many rinses to clean! But after dinner, wine and showers we are very content.

    I will put on photos of today, but there is no way photos can capture the perspective of the steepness, or the whole picture. But I will try.    Read more