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  • TravelerUK and a bit of Asia 2024
    1
    1
    Day 13

    The Scattering and more Family fun

    September 4, 2024 in England ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Today was an important day for our UK Trip. Christine and Tricia's Mum had requested that some of her Ashes be scattered on Stinchcombe Hill in Dursley. So we arrived in the UK with an official box and paperwork for ashes for both Mum and Dad. Cousin Colin had requested to join us as he had fond memories of the girl’s Mum when he was a child. Stepanie, Mo and Mike also came along. The day was a bit grey and misty, which added to the occasion. We drove in convoy up to the top of Stinchcombe Hill. Locating a secluded path - away from the golf course - Christine and Tricia scattered the ashes into a grassy area with a great view of the surrounding countryside. Tricia recited a poem, and Christine sang a waiata (in te reo Māori). We then returned to the rest of the group. All very moving.

    We returned to the St Bartholomews church just down the road from our house, where several extended family members had been buried. Sadly, some were buried in unmarked graves, so we only had an approximate location. But we have now visited and that’s all good.

    We then drove to a celebratory lunch at the Tudor Arms in nearby Slimbridge. The food and company were great. Thanks, Colin, much appreciated.

    We went for a quick walk to see the nearby canal, which had real longboats and a road bridge that swung away from it while we were there.

    We said our goodbyes and left, although we will bother Colin and Stephanie again in a few days.    Read more

  • TravelerRoad Trip été 2024
    1
    Day 16

    Au revoir Bristol direction Worcester

    July 21, 2024 in England ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Aujourd'hui nous avons passé la matinée à jouer puis nous sommes allés au Pub pour manger le Roast du dimanche une tradition so British.
    C'était un super moment en famille.
    Ensuite on a fait une petite balade digestive.

    Au retour a la maison les petits se sont encore amusés et moi je suis allé faire du foot avec Timothy.
    Nous avons tous goûté ensemble et on a fait nos adieux...

    C'était un super moment passé ensemble mais il est temps de reprendre la route pour demain nouvelle aventure.
    Ce soir nous sommes sur un parking a Worcester.
    Ville avec une sublime cathédrale classée une des plus belles d'Angleterre.
    Il y a aussi un fleuve qui passe ou l'on peut faire des balades en bateau.

    On verra bien tout ça demain au grand jour.    Read more

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  • Avoiding the heat EU tour
    4111
    Day 103

    High and mighty

    December 15, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    After the success of last night, we awoke and made our way over to our included breakfast (thanks again for the cmas present!) And enjoyed a full English, with plenty of coffee and toast.

    After that, we packed our room, checked out, and punched Gloucester into the GPS. After a few hours we arrived in the centre of the city. We were a few hours early to check into our next accommodation so we explored the city centre for a while. We also made our way over to the gigantic Gloucester Cathedral. We already planned to go over in the evening as they have an event on, but some of it was going to be blocked off, and it was going to be a lot more busy. So while we had the time we went in and explored. The cathedral is huge and absolutely beautiful. We walked around there for over an hour, exploring the cloister, where multiple Harry Potter films have had scenes shot, and upstairs where we got a very good look at the large stained glass windows which was completed in 1350 and at the time was the largest in the world!

    Eventually we decided to go check in (and our parking ticket was going to expire...) So we went and drove the short distance to our accommodation.

    Once we moved everything in we went and explored the bar and food truck that this roadside hotel has. Lo and behold we ended up with a pint each and some nachos! After eating, we went back to the room and rested for a while before going out into the city again to view the cathedral at night! It was still impressive, and better yet when we got inside there was a choir singing with an organ. We walked around and looked at the Christmas themed stuff and enjoyed the music. Fortunately, since we already did the exploration in the day, we didn't have to fight the crowds. So we left, got a bite to eat, and came back to the hotel!

    Step count: 11.7k    Read more

  • TravelerUK 2023
    13
    Day 15

    Highnam and Gloucester

    August 6, 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Today began with us streaming into Rugby's memorial meeting. That was good and the speaker had a lovely tenor voice which came through the mic and added to the experience. Their streaming tech was up to Jeremy's standard, unlike last week which was on Zoom with truly terrible music.

    We had a quiet lunch at home and then the plan was to visit an Open Garden which was at Highnam Court just down the road. The driveway was easy to find but there was no way to open the gate. Plan B was to go to the neighbouring church as you could walk from the Church carport. Murgatroyd led us to another gate that was only accessible on foot. When exiting onto the main street we could only turn left and found ourselves heading into Gloucester. OK looks like we visit Gloucester first and visit the garden on the way home.

    Gloucester is not a lovely city. Some bits felt quite grotty and rough. It was also quite busy today. We had a stroll through an antiques shop as well as Gloucester Cathedral. This isn't my favourite Cathedral. It's a bit gaudy. We didn't stay too long, and Ian was glad we still had hubcaps on our hire car!

    Time to give this open garden another crack. Same problem. You would think if someone wants to attract visitors to their place they would put some decent signs up. The driveway we were directed to was correct, but was for the owner, not the public. We tried the church again and this time we were able to find the church carpark and walk over to Highnam Court, although it was now 4:10pm and it closes at 4:30. The ticket people didn't charge us and let us have a quick run around the property.

    The gardens were very impressive after all that. Very formal. There was one section called the Knot Garden which looks like the hedges are weaving under and over each other. A pity we didn't have time to relax and enjoy the gardens or the refreshments in the Orangery.

    We popped into the church where we had parked. Not huge, but such a pretty one! Everything was so ornate, and the artwork was truly lovely with beautiful Bible quotations.    Read more

  • TravelerUK 2023
    112
    Day 14

    Cirencester: Market Day

    August 5, 2023 in England ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    Today we drove to Cirencester as it was Market Day. Markets are always a bit unpredictable, and I while I love artisan craft markets, I didn't want to drive 30 minutes for a perfect home grown pumpkin. Thankfully Cirencester did not disappoint. A very pretty streetscape, old wonky buildings, lots of lovely shops and a bustling market (and a Church of course!)

    My raincoat got a workout again. Some of the markets are outdoors in front of the church. Some of them are indoors in Corn Hall. There were lots of lovely things! I nearly bought a bag made from cork fabric. It feels lovely and is waterproof. It feels like a cross between leather and fabric. I did buy a necklace made from Italian ladder yarn. The trouble with me and craft markets is that I look at all the creations and think "I could make that" or "I'd love to give that a try" and I'm generally too tight with my wallet. The thing is, time is not a limitless commodity and the reality is I'm not going to get around to trying all these things so I should just buy something if I like it. I love textile creations the most.

    We also found an impressive antiques shop and Ian found a few treasures. There was a fascinating coin collection in there: Roman coins from Bible times, eg first Jewish revolt in time of Domitian.

    St John's church was also interesting to visit (and dry!). This also had a very ornate pipe organ. I really want to hear one of these played! I'd love to be there when someone is practising. They had a fundraising shop at the back and I found a few more Hannah Dunnett items.    Read more

  • TravelerBack to the UK
    21111
    Day 10

    It's an Oxford thing...

    July 6, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Fantastic day. We meandered, tramped and traipsed around Oxford for a full day.
    The history of this place was everywhere we looked. The buildings, footpaths and alleys just oozed old and the languages we heard as we walked, informed us that we shared our day with travellers from all over the world!Read more

  • TravelerThe Motherland & Beyond
    1
    Day 23

    Down the country lane.......

    June 9, 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    What is more exciting than going to the Morgan factory? Driving a Morgan down a country lane also walking a country lane with my new BFF, Coco.
    Bev took me to their local church and to see the Tithe barn opposite the church. Located in the church grounds was a very ancient bee hive or Bee house to house hives.
    M.y good friends arranged for me to meet their good friends, Martin & Vanessa of Rosetree Cottage, and head out in their 1998 Morgan, I was in heaven.
    The next day, we headed for the Forest of Dean, where we .trekked through a Royal forest that Henry VIII once hunted in, and probably King Charles hunted for Camilla in, or was that lusted after............
    Saturday evening, we all headed for Tewskesbury to hear Dave's Choir, Cotswold Male Voice choir, world famous! Before the concert, we toured Tewkesbury having an ale in a 14th century pub still serving beers in barrels.
    Today, even more cars. Dave took me to Highnam Court, a stately home owned by a friend. There were classic cars on show that would be exstinct or never seen in NZ.
    These experiences really make England such a great place to visit. Within a 10 mile radius of my friends house and village, there is more history and experiences than we can ever imagine in NZ.    Read more

  • TravelerThe Motherland & Beyond
    1
    Day 22

    Malvern & Morgans

    June 8, 2023 in England ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Another gorgeous day in the Motherland, and today I'm going somewhere very special. I'm off to the Morgan Motor Company and factory in Malvern to pick up my new Morgan and to arrange shipping. I had kept this quiet, but in keeping with my single status, I needed a "chick magnet," and what better than a Morgan with me in my Tinder shots.
    I arrived at the factory and was greeted enthusiastically by the staff. Before getting my new Morgan, I did a tour of the factory. Morgan's are the last true British hand-made sports cars in the world - every single man's dream....... other than Rachel Hunter(NZ super model).
    Morgans are made in some of the same hand-made processes and machines used for the last 75 years. The car is still made using Ash wood in the frame, aluminum hand beaten panels and boxing, and leather from Scotland. Touring the factory was like letting me in Santa's workshop. I was in awe of the tradies producing such quality. My guide said that they produce about 1,000 cars a year and every part except the engine and tyres are handmade.
    Most Morgan's today are fitted with BMW engines (so sad), and the majority still have manual gear boxes. You can have any colour combination, leather and wood finish, and a choice of solid, mag, or wire wheels. What amazed me on the tour was how close you were to the production, standing right along side of a tradie hand beating fenders or hand planing wood. I watched a skilled seamstress manipulating the leather into beautiful car head rests and other tradies crafting the wood facing dashboards and bending Ash into shape for the structure - British craft at its best.
    The tour ended up in the gift shop where you could buy every conceivable extra for your car from hand crafted driving gloves, exquisite Morgan wrist watches through to British wicker picnic baskets.
    This was a tour not to be missed!
    By the way, I did tell you, I got my Morgan..........................................................................embossed woollen scarf and decided to ship it back home in my bag. I will really look the part in my Tinder photos.....(sigh)............

    (Now you didn't really think I had bought a Morgan sports car, did you?😉 (not at $180,000 and a 12 month waiting list - Gordon Bennet! 🫢))    Read more

  • TravelerThe Motherland & Beyond
    2131
    Day 20

    Three Counties in a Day

    June 6, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Tuesday, we set off to explore Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire. This was a lovely road trip, first arriving in Ledbury, a market town, where we strolled the main street and lunched in a pub dating back to the 16th century. I'm sure the beer was 16th century, warm and flat(as a flea's fart - a local saying).
    After lunch, we headed off to walk in a large estate, Eastnore Deer Park, admiring the countryside and taking in the view of a local Eastnore castle still in private hands. The countryside is almost manicured with perfectly straight trees that haven't been ravaged by winds and fields with plenty of colour and wildlife.
    Wednesday, we made the pilgrimage to Worcester city and the cathedral. A magnificent Roman town with reminents from AD600. We toured the great cathedral and wandered the docklands as Worcester was a port, now home to some luxury vessels and long boats.
    In the afternoon, I had fourty-winks, and then Bev and Coco (the dog) took me on a walk up a country lane in Hartpury. The afternoon was finished off by scones, clotted cream, and strawberry jam, oh to be an Englishman once again.    Read more

  • TravelerThe Motherland & Beyond
    21
    Day 19

    Cheltenham via Birmingham

    June 5, 2023 in England ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Jarlath and Jenny dropped myself and "Mr Boofle" off at Rugby station after a great few days of reminicing and seeing Rugby and surrounds.
    Of course, the day I left Rugby, British Rail was having a few issues, and I had planned to meet my friends Dave and Bev in Tamworth and then head to Cheltenham by car. But never fear, the Motherland is criss crossed with rail and while the direct route to Tamworth was not running(overhead wires were down), I jumped on the train to Birmingham and then down to Tamworth. Met an interesting character on the train who said his cell phone wasn't working and he needed to get hold of his Governor as he was returning to prison; "Could I phone ahead for him and tell his Gov he was going to be late?" ( as with my new aquantaince, I was just out of minutes 😉)
    I arrived in Tamworth to be met by Dave and his brother in law Rob. We headed off to Robs house where I met up with Bev, Dave's wife and Sally, Rob wife and their son , Wills. Rob, Sally, and Wills had been in NZ earlier this year, and I had a drink with them on the Wellington waterfront. Dave and Bev, whom I first met in 1983 in the Motherland, had been to NZ and stayed with me in 2020 just after my accident. It was a great reunion. After sitting in the Tamworth sunshine in Rob and Sallys backyard sipping tea (a cracker of a day), we headed to the "Tame Otter," a local pub by the canal.
    After a traditional British pub lunch, we walked the canal seeing a number of " narrow boats" and interesting sites. These narrow boats are so interesting, and as with British Rail, canals also criss-cross the country and in past had acted as trading and shipping channels for the country. They are still in existence and functioning over 300 years later.
    So after a pleasant afternoon in Tamworth, Dave, Bev, myself and Coco, the spaniel, headed to Cheltenham. Oh, how I love Britain!    Read more

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