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  • Rell01

Making memories

Setting off on a 7 month trip with my hubby John. 6 months in Europe and 5 weeks in Asia on the way to and on the way back. Читать далее
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  • Rell01Making memoriesRell01
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    Day 22 The Wonder of Creation!

    9 апреля 2018 г., Шотландия ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    Monday 09/04/2018 Caledonian Hotel Ullapool Room 304

    Today was a day of total Euphoria, from seeing God’s amazing creation in all its glory!
    My cup runneth over from just pure joy in seeing the delights I have today!

    Before we left had to give Mum a call it’s her birthday today, tired last night as it was just the beginning of her day her birthday, but they didn’t hear the call! Finally got onto them they are in Biloela having a holiday at a Hotel Cruickshank! They both looked good but very hard to talk to them on a video message, but somehow we managed very well!

    Then it was time to go.......We set off with the day looking totally miserable again low hanging clouds, fine misty droplets falling onto the windscreen as we drive. Going through little village after little village as we head further north the homes started to look like they have a bit of character compared to the lower parts we have just come from... Also noting that the moss of the trees and ground is all dried up not bright green and alive as it was as we travelled through England. Even though it has had snow everywhere and it has mainly melted it is extremely dry.... making everything look old and dead!

    However as we driving into the mountains the snow capped peaks start to reveal themselves in all their glory, and glorious they are!

    A quick stop beside one of the earlier Lochs to take a pic of the low hanging clouds over the water, though this looked amazing... until after we had stopped at Fort William at Maccas to grab a coffee then head on, from here on the world came alive. The mountains covered in snow with Lochs and Lakes reflecting their wonder below like mirrors everywhere ohh what majesty it really was!

    I truly was awe struck, to see it in real life not in a movie is just breath taking....

    The roads seem to lead us further and further into more and more beauty. We had made the decision to side track at Fort William to head over to Glenfinnan to see the Viaduct used in the Harry Potter Movie.... We had been here before but only at a distance when we did our Trip 2 years ago... I was fascinated then by it and didn’t have the time to go to it only see it from afar.... So we get to it and realise the track once to it has been shut off, this was after paying to park, we had to walk a bit of a distance on another road to get to it and the car park to it was free.... Darn.... as we had such a long trip today we didn’t have the time I had hoped to spend wandering round here sadly... So a mad dash up to it and wow it really is huge and unreal to see close up what Feat it must have been to build this huge Viaduct built in 1887 John saw a plague with its date on it, as there was no information about it around, plus it would seem its on private land... and the area was very unkept and run down....What a shame for such an amazing structure to be left in such an unkept way. I tried to take a panoramic of it but it really was too big and also where you had to stand to get its pic was a terrible spot to a actually get the angle right! Ohh I forgot we thought it was disused until the next thing a train comes speeding through and over the top of us wow unreal that it’s still being used, just wonderful.....
    Finishing here after we head over to the Loch and to see the Jacobite Statue again that we also saw 2 years ago, then back to the car and off back to a Fort William before heading north again.

    From here we set our main destination Ullapool... the scenery really didn’t disappoint at any stage, continued right to the door our our hotel!

    We did have a short stop for a cuppa towards the end of our long trip as both of us were very tired, so we pulled up at this little cafe in the highway, really quaint set up all young women serving and very friendly, food looked good but very over priced, so just shared a cake thing. Both wanted something savoury today but too expensive here! I went to the loo and you could sure tell young women were running this little shop, there were buttons all over the toilet paper holder, bling in the light switches and dainty touches everywhere... I laughed thinking how all the blokes going to the loo here how they would find it all. Anyway had the cuppa and off we went again on the last leg of the trip!

    The Mountains even around Ullapool itself have snow on them making the bay look breath taking. A huge big ferry was in as we approached not sure where it goes?

    Our hotel, well when I booked you should and I should know full well, don’t go by the pictures on the web! But I did and it said Sea views well we got heather the room on the web or the sea views, but in the back blocks of the hotel. Plus a very squeaky floor to boot!
    Again you get what you pay for however we did pay more for here thing we were getting something a little better, in honesty even though our hotels have been cheap none have been awful all having something we found great about! Still trying to decide that about this except for the lady on the desk who was very helpful and very friendly!

    For dinner we had planned to stay in but when we saw the menu it was decided let’s eat out... So we set off Down the street try another place, but all the places that only being 2 down the bottom street served pretty much the same as here... So we tried the top street and yep found a pub that served yeah for John Nachos he was over joyed.... Me well guess what I had yep Soup again. Johns was amazing so tasty I even loved it with Jalapeños..... mine was Broccoli and Cheese soup I should have known I would with it being so creamy but ended up crook as from it! Bloody food I really am over it! So off to bed with drugs on board hoping my tummy would settle soon, it took ages... So that’s life just need to live with it and get on.

    We are both really tired at present been on the go for Few weeks now so plan to have a slow day here tomorrow..........    Читать далее

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  • Rell01Making memoriesRell01
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    Day 21 Glasgow Hertiage sites!

    8 апреля 2018 г., Шотландия ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    Another day has dawned, another day to see the wonders we can find!
    We head down to breaky ohh my goodness, the noise... The wedding guests from yesterday’s wedding were all in the dining room and extremely loud and noisy. I thought Aussies were loud when we get together but I think the Scots have it over us! So once breaky is had off we go to down load all my pics then head off to Bothwell Castle!

    On arrival we see lots of fencing and scaffolding, hmmmm! First we walk around it to just take it in seeing lots of fencing around the whole bottom section of it was a bit off putting, then quite a large amount of scaffolding really was off putting! Once we went to pay to go in the guy in the shop told us that there is extensive refuge going on so not to put us off we could go in but you could access any of the usual sights there.... so we decided not to go in at all a shame but not worth it just to see what we had already scene on the outside!

    So off to Glasgow itself to see some more heritage sites! We found the Mitchell Library worth a few pics, then onto the Botanical Gardens to see the beautiful glass hot houses... just unreal their shape and design.... On the way in we saw a Police Tartdis unreal these Scots being like Dr Who to get to work... plus they sell coffee as well with a sign next to it advertising coffees!

    We wander around the hot house and they have so many of the plants I grow at home unreal, to see them here kinda felt disappointed as it was the same plants nothing different for us! Except for the Pitcher Plant Room, sadly most were dead, but many looked great... Last delight was a Squirrel eating happily away!

    Back to the car we had parked at a shopping centre so decided to buy a bit of lunch here and eat in the car... a bit cheaper we thought but by the time we added up our cuppa and food not a lot different to going to a cafe!

    Lesson 1 not always is it too dear to eat out if planned right!

    Next stop the Glasgow University wow what an amazing building it really is, I went to see the Cloisters unbelievable area of amazing arches.... worth visiting for sure we could have had ages looking but time didn’t permit so did we came for and off we speed to out next stop or should I say pass by... Clyde Arc, SEC Armadillo building, a massive building like a big flying saucer, then we stopped at the Riverside Museum and Tall ship.... wow did this place blow us away.. it had so much to see and read there was no way we could do it all so we just looked over the whole place blown away with everything in it! There are over 3,000 objects for transport on display one of the best displays we have ever scene.... from skate boards, to trains, buses, cars, motorbikes, pushbikes, prams on and on and on... all from over the last 2 centuries full size trains not toys, and full size buses, trams and cars etc... so many vintage cars my mind was a boggle.... worth stumbling onto and free to boot!
    Time had come to an end we really have only touched the surface of Glasgow which I was starting to think had nothing to offer!

    So headed home John had cuppa soup and my left over lunch instead of going out... been a big one and to tomorrow an even bigger one we head to Ullapool 7 hrs north and have quite a lot to see on the way, see how we go!    Читать далее

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    Day 20 The accent we love!

    7 апреля 2018 г., Шотландия ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Saturday The Bruce Hotel Glasgow Room 118

    Slow start today, no rush... could go down to enjoy our breaky... John enjoyed the meal, me not so but what’s different food is such a difficult thing theses days to really enjoy but have found I just need to be sustained and I can cope ok!

    So plan for today to drive to Kilmanock to see Dean Castle, seems it’s a freebie, then plan what to do from there...
    So off we set sun kinda out at present.... the countryside todate in Scotland looks very dry and rubbish looking, hope as we head north it gets green... England has been so very green, really thought it would be the same up here!

    Got to the Castle ok had a light bite to eat as we had thought we would have late lunch... then a wander around this Castle... it’s over 400 years old from its earlier state, it takes its name from The Dean which means wooden Valley apparently this is a common name in Scotland... Robert the Bruce gave this land to the Boyd Family. In 1790 it was 2 seperate buildings with the tower seperate to the main house. It was and still is called the Keep which was used to protect the families... This section was built in 1350 the walls are 2-3 metered thick, with only a few windows. Be very, very dark inside it! There were never any arrow slits in the walls of the Castle something that is very rare for a Scottish castle. All the shooting was done from the battlements at the Top... it feel into disrepair until 1908 by Lord Howard de Walden the 8th it took until 1946 to reaper.. After the 9th Lord Howard de Walden died his wife had the Dower House built next door much smaller to look after... Shame we couldn’t see inside... anyway had our walk around and then headed to Kilwinning Abbey again built around mid 1100’s the original clock tower was struck by lightening in 1805 and fell down in 1810, so the one in these pics has replaced that one... it was also. Presbyterian Church at one point, not sure what it is now as a wedding was about to happen while we were wondering around... So I stopped looking to get a peek at the Bride... once I had my little peek finished the pics, then set off to find another Castle that we couldn’t find but by now the rain had started. So off to Morrison’s shopping centre to get John some Coronas and me some toastie things for breaky after we leave here! Last stop another Castle Dundonald Castle... you could get a park to go to it and it didn’t look that exciting to see just a big square box, also wasn’t free like the last 2, so found a spot to take some pics from afar then headed home.... the rain was really coming down now.

    Out for Pizza tonight and our waiter was a real card... He loved our accents, but loved his ha ha so we got to listen to each other... He loved to hear about Australia and wanted to know as much as he could... so he did chat to us a lot...

    Pizza pretty good as well so a great night all around..,
    Off to our hotel with a wedding happening here as well and people all dolled up everywhere!
    Plus smoking all at the entrance to the hotel, nearly killed us going out the smoke haze was really honestly so thick.. I think k the weather didn’t help it escape as quickly... then coming back nearly as many as when we left... still big smokers here in Scotland. I think the smoking rules must be a little different in England co pared to here. Anyway Day done again, how quickly they are going!    Читать далее

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    Day 19 Scotland Here We Come!

    6 апреля 2018 г., Шотландия ⋅ ⛅ 4 °C

    Friday Bruce Hotel Glasgow Scotland Room 118
    A woke to a semi sunrise but the view over the lake was just so tranquil, shame to leave the view! The Days Inn even though in an awful spot to access things was a very comfortable, roomy hotel. The beds were super comfortable, great views and yes I am a bit sad to leave this spot as it really is very peaceful!

    Off up the Hwy we set heading to our first stop The Broughham Castle, near Penrith at a Village called you guessed it Brougham. What a beautiful setting it was sitting right n t to a pretty flowing stream, on a green green field... But sadly it was to early to go into and as we had a long way to go today we couldn’t wait for opening time.... so lots of pics from a distance, good thing I have a great lens on my good camera.... could get in close for some shots... sadly the iPhone only does long distance shots....

    So after capturing some lovely pics off we set for our next destination, Carlisle Castle this was an interesting strategic stronghold for the most besieged town in Britain being so close to the border, it had many battles fought, held Mary Queen of Scots for sometime, The Jacobites even took I over for a period, it later were executed for their evil ways and what they did to the local folk. As the years went on it become a military barracks, now is still in Army control with the Cadets being housed in some of the out buildings. We hav a cuppa here and the young guy who served us talked none stopped about the best coffee and how every Aussie he has dealt with all love their coffee know heaps about it and are very particular about how they have it and how it’s made.....

    Once we had our education lesson on Coffee, he as a really nice fellow but did chat a lot, we headed into the Military museum, really interesting in that it had for every war Britain has fought some before WW1 they had displays of tools, artillery, cloths+++++ used by soldiers over the centuries and years.... very, very interesting. The last display was about the wives of service men over the years going back into the 1800’s where wives even went to war with their husbands.... some having an extreme hardship in doing so, but it kept the marriage together..... during some of the years men had to be in the services for over 7 years before being allowed to serve. Now husbands and wives of military personal are home based no travelling g with hubby or wife on deployment. They say that with internet etc there is no need, but you do wonder if the divorce rate and mental health rate maybe less if somehow families could stay together as they did years ago... I know war is tough in any circumstance but maybe the armed services need too rethink how and what they do with armed personal for there mental health as too many these days are suffering terribly!

    Next stop off to Lanercost Priory, wow was she a beauty in her day.... yep took heaps of pics then had to move into The Roman Fort of Birdswald and Hadrian’s Wall.... coming across old sections of the wall and part turrents along the road as we made our way to the Fort section. Once there wow this section of Hardian’s wall was fantastic.... so much of it here compared to what we saw on our Cosmos UK trip 2 yrs ago.... this makes that section look nothing compared to how much is along this section which is I well preserved. Even goes through some of the little farms along the ridge line it follows we discovered as we headed of...

    Everywhere you go even in Whop whop you have to pay to park they slugged us £4 here which is $8 makes it so expensive to just park at each spot... plus the payment into each Heritage site starts to add up very much indeed... So by the time we hit the Roman fort and you could see a fair bit of it from the fence line Joh was over how much it would be... if we paid for this one it would have been $80 for the day just in sites let alone food costs and parking costs.... my sightseeing is starting to add up and with our little budget have to plan sites to visit, try to get freebies is possible... it’s just there are so many sites in the UK your mind boggles, too many to choose from and decide best value for money... if we were both still working and this was on,y a holiday for 1 trip then we could go for it... but this is 7 months worth of an adventure so have to do some more research on value for money sight seeing.....

    So with no plan to spend at the Fort also because we were by now running out of time as we still had a long way to go to Glasgow, we decided to have lunch instead.... I know if we could make our own lunches it would be so much cheaper but without fridges in our hotel rooms that becomes a bit of an issue keeping g stuff fresh to use. I am struggling with what we carry with us now trying to keep it cool enough not to go off...
    So where we can we share a meal as I don’t eat much sharing can work most times.... I know John would rather his own sometimes but he is good and shares what we can both eat....

    Once feed we speed off down or should I say up the highway towards Scotland.... so many hills still have patches of snow on them makes the drive pretty.... Once we cross the border it’s not as green as England last time here it was so green... and the houses look so different....

    We finally get to Glasgow on peak hour traffic time so getting to our hotel is slow. We finally arrive to a very big hotel all covered in green moss and it’s a modern cream building, it looks so yukky and dirty. Anyway we park and head inside... wow it’s big and has heaps of different restaurants or so it seemed... Once booked off to our room 1/2 the size of our last very compacted looking over a very dirty back parking lot, big hopper bins and the rest of the other buildings. Not quite the views of Days Inn but it’s home for the next 3 days so we will make the lost of it... only had to pay £7 a night extra for us both to have breaky here bonus... guess the proof will be in how it is for that price but worth paying when it’s only $3.50 a night each...

    As we came I spotted a door that that said shopping centre. So we set off to investigate... my glory it’s massive shop after shop after shop.... restaurants, picture theatre and so many e-cigarette shops I couldn’t get over it... so we are set to do something different in this place everything at our fingertips a but different to the Days Inn...

    Out to dinner at the Hotels pub, Grumpy Jacks, food pretty ordinary service great... looks like a left over from the 70’s in its decore and the music they had on was from the 60’s, a bit like stepping back in time!
    Now to plan what to do in Glasgow!    Читать далее

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    Day 18 The glory of Sunshine!

    5 апреля 2018 г., Англия ⋅ ☀️ 7 °C

    Thursday 05/04/2018 Days Inn Killington Lakes room 21

    So today is the last day to explore this lovely part of England. We were told before we came here that we would love this area and we have, it’s rugged natural beauty of the Mountian’s, streams, quaint villages, funny headed sheep and of course the high light for me snow capped peaks!

    Had our breaky and set off to explore the western southern end of the Lakes District. Driving from Windermere outskirts, around the Lakes down to Ulverstone, ending at Barrow in Furness to see The Furness Abbey, before heading back another route to Ambleside, Windermere, Home.

    This was so different to yesterday’s run, not the huge mountain passes we went through, not the running rushing streams, but Lakes large and small, Snow Capped peaks in a distance from the Snow last night, low lands of farming, moors, mud flat beaches, and quaint village after quaint village.

    We did stumble and I mean stumble across a huge Priory with what appeared to be some sort of Asian church beside it, so after having speed past John turned around and we headed up the drive way to check it out! On arrival we arrived in front of this massive gothic mansion/manner we had no clue what it was, but there were cars everywhere so off we set to have a look....
    discovering a Coffee shop we thought as it was late morning tea/ early lunch let’s stay and have a cuppa! But before that we thought we would check out the Asian Church.... we it was as it turns out A massive Buddhist Temple... taking a few pics, we head into the Mansion for a cuppa. on coming in there were a lot of people behind the coffee shop counter all very busy and most with shaved heads, so straight away I realise this is all owned by a Buddhist group! The food was very basic, the service with a smile and there were people everywhere within the coffee shop at the tables out front of the Mansion and inside. Getting a spot to sit was a trick in itself! I decided to have the carrot and lentil soup.... bad plan very tasteless... John had scones Jam and cream and hit the jackpot very tasty... at our table were heaps of handouts on Buddha, the World of Peace friendship group and the many retreats on offer here! Interesting to look at, but not for me thanks.

    Once I decided I could take one more mouthful of the tasteless soup, I set if to have a bit more of a look. As I walked into the foyer which was once full of trainee Priests it now had a huge Buddha type statue sitting there in all her glory, with banners now over the magnificent stair case promoting the cause! It just seemed totally odd with stained glass windows above the staircase, crosses still in the mouldings of the excising building and all of the Priory’s past history for all to see with Buddhist’s touches here and there! The whole place did leave me felling quite cold and sad, but to those there it was a place an enlightenment and peace.... there were many staying in all the old quarters, many sitting in the garden with their shaved heads being part of the enclave, if that’s what it’s called when you are in a Buddhist retreat.... to see this once former establishment that was to the glory of God.. now to the glory of a false God has left me feeling very sad.... For those of you who may not see it that way, I won’t apologise for my passion of following The Lord Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour who did died on the Cross for me and for you, but has given me new life through his rising to life.... to see so many establishments that are now being left by churches and taken over by other new age religions we see the
    State of the church, but not the state of the Risen Lord and what being a Christian is about. I have to remind myself it isn’t buildings that God is in but us, still it’s a wake up call to see just how big a change is occuring with so many old religious buildings being changed.... I do believe God has allowed this to occur but it is sobering to see!

    Enough of my religious rant for today, into the trip.... so having left the Priory behind we find ourselves by the sea. We had stopped to look at the sea for a few minutes and buy an ice cream when I spotted this very tall skunk building in the distance. So off we set to look at this finding a very quite pretty village literally along the sea wall. Turns out the tall thing was a very tall brick we think sea maker even though on land on the beach thats more grass lands than beach, it looks like it could have had a light in it at one stage so maybe used as a form of a Lighthouse as well.... John said it has a lean on it I didn’t see it as all my pics have a lean to one side I am constantly fixing so probably looked straight with my natural lean.....

    Then we spotted in the distance a castle ruin and set off to see it as it was on a tiny island near a fishing village, but once in the village you couldn’t see the island from where we could get access so gave up and headed onwards...

    Next stop the Furness Abbey, this was once a massive set up with a huge wall all around the hill above the Abbey, access through aches on most sides of it that being it was once called St Mary’s of Furness dates back to 1123 it as once the second most wealthiest and powerful Cistercian monastery in the country! It was disestablished in 1537, wow that’s a long time ago... I just love the history of these places.... around the shed if it was a lovely old pub that has been from the looks of it recently bordered up.... we were to,d by some locals a few days back, many of the old pubs are shutting up shop with the fact people can by their grog in the supermarkets now and cost of living.... on the other side of the Abbey was a lovely little stone house now a cafe so we stopped for a cuppa before the long drive back....

    The drive home was better than the drive over as it took us back into the hills p, seeing areas like Fairy dells all the bright green missy areas around the trees and under the trees on mounds that made it look like any moment the fairy’s would appear...
    Small Lakes we could actually park near to have a look.... again quaint villages that had so much character it would have been wonderful to really look around....

    All in all another wonderful day of sights and pleasures.... How blessed a life The Lord has given me, I feel very humbled to be able to see just half these sights. But to see as many as we do, I am very grateful....    Читать далее

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    Day 17 Rain Rain go away!

    4 апреля 2018 г., Англия ⋅ 🌧 6 °C

    Wednesday Days Inn Killington Lakes Room 21

    Another day of rain, but like the Brits, don’t let the weather impact your life...
    So off we set for a day of sightseeing..... most of it was in the car due to the rain situation.... As you drove around soon realise that nothing stops a Brit from enjoying the outdoors.... rain or sunshine they are in their droves out there enjoying the Mountains, Dales, Lakes and anything gives them that outdoor experience... all in their wet weather gear. the mountain outdoor stores are making a killing over here... even saw linesmen working away in the rain... all go here no matter the weather.

    The scenery today has been unreal, huge mountain ranges with waterfalls tumbling down the sides from all the rain, patches of snow still here and there!

    We stopped at Windermere on the way, to go to Beatrix Potters display, but too many in the line up in the rain and we are squibs so had a cuppa and headed on... like all the towns around this area there is so much to see and take in so many quaint little villages it was overwhelming to be honest if you wanted to spend ages looking you around would not be disappointed in anyway. Each place had something to offer by way of a sight.

    We drove over 3 passes today, sorry forgot their names just know the roads felt a bit like a goat track and seemed to be heading to heaven.... Passing other cars on these roads is a bit of a feat in itself but we all managed, lots of prayer I can tell you as we did....

    Our stop for lunch was at a quaint hotel by itself on one of the back roads... great spot to stop.... had our first Ploughmans wow was it packed and very yummy, meat, cheese and salad items. All our staples in one plate finally hit jackpot.

    Trying to actually see the Lakes was a total disappointment, unlike Aust and many other countries we have been too, Lakes are for the people therefore you can actually look over the Lakes even stand by them. But not so where we have been today, bar one.... all are totally built in, the only access to the Lakes is if you stay in one of the many hotels, campgrounds etc along the lake shores.... you can see, them as you drive by but there is no parking access to stop and really look at them. So most of my pics were are we drove by through the very wet windscreen... another point is the sheer volume of people at each of these areas is unreal.... I suppose when you have a small country and millions of people it’s bound to be so....

    We are so blessed to have the wide open spaces we do and the opportunity to really spend time in them.... By the time this big trip is over I am 100% sure John will have already planned his next desert trip just for peace and solitude!

    We made it back in one piece, I had the rest of the ploughmans we didn’t finish John had can you believe it a can of Spam..... Spam ohhh my goodness not sure how he could have but he did... No kissing him tonight I hate the smell of spam, even made him wash the can so the smell didn’t permeate the room.... awful wife aren’t I.....

    I so wanted to spend time in Keswick it looked so lovely, but by now our day was getting late the rain wouldn’t stop so onwards we went... like Windermere it looked like so many interesting shops, a bit of a Malaney with heaps of Art shops could have wandered for ages... but nope couldn’t stop!

    The days are flying by.... I am missing others to chat with, even though Johns good company it’s different conversation you have with friends that you miss when away for a long time... But it is what it is so suck it up again princess I say!    Читать далее

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    Day 16 Ohh but when it shines!

    3 апреля 2018 г., Англия ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    Wednesday Days Inn Killington Lakes Room 21

    A slow start today no rush, the weather is awful again and the plan is to just look around Kendal....

    So with our own breaky under our belt we set off to find the first Laundromat we have used in the UK
    First place we found turned out to be a big industrial washing machine makers.... no help with our washing unless they want to do some pre trails in their machines! Finally found one and it was manned by a lady who was helpful but a bit Surly.... tried to go for a walk while the machine which cost £5.00 which is $10.00 for one load... decided to do just one load and do the rest the whites by hand! Anyway back to the walk we set of with no umbrella mistake No 1 always carry your umbrella when it’s overcast in England... got down the road and down she came, tried to get some shots but even a local commented, it’s not the best day for photography love....
    So back we head, having to kill time in the Laundromat... once washed we placed them into the drier, but had to keep putting in £’s as they wouldn’t dry. It wasn’t a huge wash so worked out after a bit the machine just sucked your money with no drying really done. so packed our goods decided to dry the most of it which was semi done back in our room in the towel heater...

    Then off to look around the shops and discover Kendal... it’s a pretty town and what I love about all these places is as you walk along you see an alley and it opens into another whole world... behind the front walls are intriguing little other interesting shops and pubs, cafe’s and other quaint sights! I will admit I didn’t wander down any just toke shots from the openings but you could see some of the intriguing sights from there!

    Lunch we had at the supermarkets very upmarket cafe.... but somehow we both ordered food that wasn’t quite what we planned. They did taste ok but here we had the chance to eat something really nice and yep we stuffed up....
    Anyway as John says it’s only food and you only need it to sustain you.... he doesn’t quite see food like I do as a passion....

    Had a wander looking for a big long coat for me decided to try the 2nd hand stores, ohh my goodness Kendal has about 10 of them all for each worthy cause... Cancer foundation, Heart foundation, RSPCA, Salvation Army, Oxfam, my goodness I have never seen so many... and to be honest they aren’t that cheap, pretty exy really.... I did find a coat not the type I wanted but a red one not real thick but looked good and was longer so John said get it, it was £7.50 which is $15 so not cheap by our standards like Vinnies.... I do wandered if some of the charities which I know need the money are out pricing themselves with so many cloths so cheap these days.... but I guess for most people it can be about the fact you are supporting an organisation. For others it’s about surviving life!

    After all our looking around and stocking up on a few grocery item, we set off to find Kendal castle and yeah the Sun has come out. Wow what a difference it makes with the sun out.... things look alive not dead and dreary....

    Found a way to the castle you have to climb to it from all accesses and there seem to be a few a according to Tripadvisor . So off we set on these awful muddy up hill climb. John toke the short cut, straight up the hill, I started and kept slipping. I could see I was going to be on my bum in the mud so backed down and went the correct but longer and safer way! Once at the Castle it is set on a hill overlooking all of Kendal great spot to view everything. Has had a huge mote around it, now sadly not as deep and the castle itself mostly in ruins... but still has most of its walls around it and some parts of 2 corners which had turret’s, one still barely there. What made this one so interesting is the curved ceilings if the lower rooms hadn’t seen that style before in any other of the castles. Ohh by the way it was a bonus Free to see....

    It was so muddy around the castle from all the rain some spots were just too wet to access. Sadly it appears this Castle has had some very basic changes done for people to access it.... but nothing more. I see the steps into the turret was through Heritage Lottery Money... there was rubbish over all the sides of the mote walls and rubbish bushes growing all around 2 sides of the castle. Considering it’s fair smack in the middle of the town and hundreds of people must visit it, the care factor really seems minimal, sadly for it reflects on the town.

    We have noticed the sheer volume of rubbish laying around the UK has been huge, like there isn’t a real care factor... the highways are just littered all along and plastics bags etc you can see why banning would help, but I feel it’s not the total answer to the rubbish issue world wide... maybe have to get near like Singapore which is pristine. Anyway I can only do my bit and make sure my rubbish goes into a bin....

    Headed back early for bit of RnR.... cooked my soup in the plastic container in the kettle again works a treat... Day done!    Читать далее

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    Day 15 White Wonder!

    2 апреля 2018 г., Англия ⋅ 🌧 1 °C

    Tuesday-Days Inn Killington Lake Room 21

    Slow start today..... joy of joys looked out our window across the cemetery to the chapel and snow abounds.... Wow how wonderful it is.... the scene it just so pretty..... when they predicted Snow I really thought they were like home with predicted rain, talking through their hat! But they were spot on.....

    My time this morning was taken up with catching up in 2 days of diary... I best not do that again it really puts you behind... plus the computer is playing up when trying to down load my 100’s of pics. So once again I have a melt down, John trying to remain patient with me but ready to chook me, finally takes over the process.... He finally understands that there is a glitch in the set up and figures out how to go around it... but still doesn’t change the fact I lose it every time I hit a wall with the photo down loading process..... So I have to pull my head in so to speak. Enough personal disclosure!

    So once packed, off we set only to get about 2 mile down the road and we hit a road block on the back roads of the area.... well it turns out in the UK farmers have right of way on any of the roads.... the local farmer in this area was shifting his cows obviously to get the milking done... and a line of cars were behind him as he walked them up the road.... not one car tried to go around. At home all the cars would have zipped around the cows and away, but no not one behind them went around all travelling at 10 kms an hour as we went along them. Cars and trucks coming the opposite direction did go past but very, very slowly.... interesting to watch the respect they give to their farmers. I saw a sign at one of the stops we made a few days ago, telling the public that the Farmer was the life blood of the UK that they have right of way and were to be respected.... shame our government doesn’t have the same respect for our poor farmers who do it tough so often.....
    Anyway the cows eventually made it to their milking shed thank goodness so off we speed....

    The Hwy was mayhem, with 1,000 heading him from the Easter break.... but what made it difficult was the weather was just awful, misty, raining, cold and miserable +++..... the traffic going in the opposite direction to us kept coming to a stand still, you could see them at a stop for miles! Be frustrating on that side of the Hwy..... heading north didn’t seem as bad!

    A stop at a roadside service centre for late m/tea, ohh my goodness it was packed with 100’s of people.... this service centre was like a mini shopping centre, cloths shops, grog shops, pokies, mini super market and fast food.... had our break then off again..
    Got nearly to Kendal then off the busy Hwy finally and I to the quaint township of Kendal.... found a shopping centre to stock up before going to our hotel.... after all this stoggy food we needed some fruit.... love their little supermarket very neat and well set out.... got our stores had a wander down the street before heading to our hotel.
    First realisation is it is on the Hwy no where near town, second realisation is it is at a Service centre, filled with 100’s of travellers and no one stays in this hotel for yep we had booked it for 4 nights.... not 3 like we thought.....
    I wanted to cry, I firstly said to the girl, bet no one books here for 4 nights, she looks at me and says they did think it strange..... then when I asked the girl was there a restaurant, nope sorry just next door at the fast food outlet.

    The room I will admit is great, plenty of room, unlike others we have had, and yes has a view over the snow capped mountains and the lake... bonus!

    On going next door for lunch we quickly realise there is definitely no fresh food all fast food, sandwiches, rolls, wraps and Maccas.... but no fresh veggies, salads or even soups.... So lesson is really research where your going to stay even check out eating spots before booking.... the pic on the website does make it look amazing with Lake views and that to a point is real.... just made it look like a lovely Manner.... but as we know and well understand we pay cheap we get cheap. That’s the trade off.... so suck it up baby!

    The room is pretty quite really considering we are next to a major highway, and there are people coming and going... we can see the bunnies and there are heaps, darting all over the lake banks... the little buggars have dug 100’s of holes everywhere you really will have to be careful when walking or you’ll fall down a one of the many holes out there!

    Anyway it is what it is so as time goes by I am sure it will be like any of the other hotels we have used to date just as a base to head off from....
    Trouble is I have an expensive taste with a budget account, so I have to cope with what we have.... warmth and views what more do you want.    Читать далее

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    Day 13 & 14 Castles, Abbey & busy roads!

    1 апреля 2018 г., Уэльс ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    Sunday-Monday! Buck House Hotel Room 5
    The last 2 days have been really full on with lots of driving to see sights! Distances are far but due to traffic, narrow roads and people +++++ everywhere as it’s Easter weekend, the journeys have been slow.... that’s good in one way as I get to take pics easier and bad in another as we have had long full days getting home around 7pm so we are very tired.....

    We are staying at Buck House Hotel a Room 5 this time. A quaint hotel a few 100 years old.....

    Easter Sat saw us head out to the northern Coastal area of Wales.... we managed to see a couple of Castles from the outside as too expensive to go to all of them, so we decided to circumnavigate some and only see a couple from inside!

    We tried to find the first castle Ewloe Castle only to get a bit lost on a muddy track that was very difficult to use putting mud all over our boots then trying to get down a slippery slope we decided that this Castle wasn’t worth falling in the mud, so we set back for the car. It is raining lightly today so makes it a bit hard looking...

    Next stop was Flint Castle this one was a freebie thank goodness, so a quick whip around before heading to the next one up the road....Rhuddlan Castle this one blew us away as we came across the marshes towards it... what a sight, we also got to go into this one... looking around just before crowds arrived. From the top of the castle you could see the river flowing towards the sea, also all the township around as with nearly all the castles now surround by suburban sprawl.

    Then onto Conway, tourist Mecca.......What blew us away especially when we drove towards the Conway Castle was its sheer size, absolutely unreal. We felt so small against its huge features just driving towards it.... with 100’s of people around today, it became impossible to get a parking spot to stop and look so sadly all I could do was take pics from the car! Not ideal with something of this magnitude really needed time to look slowly, this was time we hadn’t planned on. Conway is on the coast so we were able to see some of the coastline.... as everywhere else the ocean goes out a long way and all you are left with a murky mud flats.... the odd boat high and dry. This makes their coastline look unattractive to us, but I guess to the brits it’s the norm....

    Across to towards the eastern point of Wales we stopped at Beaumaris Castle this one was crawling with people as well. We did find a spot to park, at a cost... set off to look and realised it was just far too crowded and too expensive so a look around the outside, tried to find a lunch spot but gave up on that as well.... people, people everywhere.... so back in the car by now it’s 3pm and getting hungry so lucky I bought a bit of fruit and some bickies so we munched on them hoping to find somewhere to eat.... We arrived at the Eastern most point if Wales Holyhead to look for some Roman ruins, driving around and around the very tiny narrow streets of Holyhead with no signs to show us where to go we gave up, on food and finding the sites.... So setting the Nav for home headed back down the Hwy this time instead of through the villages. Driving through the villages are unreal as you get to see better scenes but much, much slower. Got back in Tim fir a meal, I chose a prawn cocktail knowing that it wouldn’t be like home.... but in all honesty it was terrible.... it didn’t last too long in my tummy at all.... Got to talk to Kristian, Kate and James for my about to be Birthday here in the AM, but my birthday at home now...

    Getting meals in Wales has been just awful, tasteless gluggy food.... to be honest we haven’t had one meal you could say wow that was lovely....how can you stuff up mashed spuds, well they did at our hotel... not sure what they did but it was stodgy thick and a big lump on the plate with no flavour... even the chips are flavourless.
    We eat to sustain ourselves definitely not for enjoyment...

    Our 2nd day of sightseeing here was my birthday. Starting with breaky at the hotel, wow oh wow the scrambled eggs were amazing the first tasty meal I have had.... sadly could only have a bit! A walk along the Dee river here in town after breaky.

    Bonus if today is the Sun is out Yeah..... so I took a few pics of the bridge again with the Sun on.

    We set the Nav for Valle Crucis Abbey, in the Snowdonian NP. Ohhh wow what an amazing day of magnificent scenery. Snow capped mountains, deep valleys, craggy Rocky Mountains, all adding to the unreal views... Pretty villages again crawling with tourist plus, plus.... Heaps of people tenting it.... not sure how they cope with it in this weather... plus 100’s of people walking everywhere, over mountains, down in the valleys, along the canels and fast flowing rivers.... so much to take in as we drive your mind is in over drive...

    We made it to the Abbey well worth the visit.... we meet an Australian woman who has been travelling since Aug she won’t head home until a July.... she has been to so many countries, started her trip as a volunteer at a Bamboo Camp for Elephants.... She told us it was the most difficult thing she had ever done, they worked them really, really hard all were women over 50 paying good money to be there and all for what was from the sound of it slave labour.... She then went to Africa tripping around then Europe where she would have stayed longer only to realise she had clocked up her Schengan Visa Days all too quickly... it really is a problem for the long term traveller who wishes to see these countries and has the money to do so... part of the issue of crack down now is all the refugees with no money and no homes... there has to be away if sorting it out so travellers can stay linger and be legal...

    We did stop for lunch at a village called the Crown Inn.... ohh my glory the meal it was honestly like pig slop.... looked like it and tasted like it. It really is becoming a waste of our money eating out here hopefully the food well I prove up north...

    We drove heaps through the valleys and mountains as the scenery was just so amazing. Getting home late again, but feeling better than yesterday as mainly scenery compared to traffic of yesterday’s run.... nothing amazing happened for my birthday, Johns not into birthdays like I am. So pretty much an ordinary day other than him asking did I enjoy my birthday... what was I going to say No... of course I did but always lovely to share it with others... Thank goodness for FB they know how to make you feel loved with all the wonderful wishes....

    Day done another just horrible meal, sadly I couldn’t eat again. I will be losing more weight at this state of affairs as the food really has upset my gut something chronic... Just have to make up with it after we hit Europe!

    All in all unreal feats of man made buildings, unreal natural scenes it has been a great day all in all for my birthday.... Thank you John for bringing me here to see it all.....    Читать далее

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    1

    Day 12 The road is long and some Narrow!

    30 марта 2018 г., Уэльс ⋅ ⛅ 3 °C

    Saturday Buck House Hotel Rm 5

    So off to our next destination today, heading north towards the top end of Wales..... the fridge being the front foyer worked a treat, bet the next place doesn’t come with such an expensive refrigerator......

    Our plan was to weave our way up looking at various spots I had found on the Castles Map....
    First stop Merthyr Tydfil now say that fast, we were looking for an old tunnel..... we did find it but it had been filled in with mosaics. Seems there are about 21 former tunnels that ,any are trying to get restored for use by Bikes or for tourism. But like many of these old fellows people don’t see their future potential until they are done. it would seem on some research this one is over 2ks long that’s unreal, all done by hand built in mid 1800’s. Interesting history but a total disappointment on getting to it!

    Tried to find a number of others but either past by the signs and there is no way of turning back in these roads or we had to go off road which John was not too happy to do as it was only narrow enough for one car, muddy, wet and no way to see oncoming cars..... We even had to back up at one stage for a car not good with tight hedges with spikes buts sticking out don’t want to damage the hire car do we!!!

    Next was a quick drive around A Castle now a very well restored Manor.... looked worth a visit just didn’t have the time sadly.... so pics from drive buy is all I did! Not sure of the name of the village this one was in sadly forgot to write it down. Then we hit Brecon Beacons Nation Park.....and wow we have snow drifts of the side of the road and snow capped mountains. What a view with open plains, rolling mountains and snow... and cold cold when you get out of the warm car...
    onto Brecon to look at the Brecon Castle ruins now attached to a very posh Castle Brecon Hotel. Again a look from the outside it stood next to a lovely old bridge so got 2 for 1 here..... then up the Hwy or should I say weave through the smaller villages to have lunch at Newtown for lunch... Again nothing special so far the food has been very bland and uninviting.....
    Another castle up the road at Welshpool was Powis Castle total restore filled with tourist.... another one that would have been worth a visit if time permitted..... last castle of the day was Chirk Castle like Powis restored and now a major tourist attraction. We also came across a double Aqueduct with the Shropshire Union Chanel going across the bottom one.... you couldn’t get to a spot to take a regally good pic of the double feature it was.... it’s unreal to see at 70 feet high and 710 feet long, with a canal tunnel at the end 450 yards long.... we are in UK here no metric sorry......
    We walked from one side to the other into England one end and Wales the other end..... very interesting.

    Well our day of looking has come to an end and we need to get to our hotel.... the nav took us our all the back roads think we would end up in the digglies. But we arrived at. Buck House Hotel, it’s an old English or in this case welsh hotel. And yep had to carry all our huge bags up little tight stairs to our compact but comfortable room over looking the Chapel and cemetery on the other side of the street....
    The locals all checked us out, as we had to parade in and out of the dinning room. Did take our bags through the front door so no one could see how much we really have...

    The noise in our room is like being with a Bill and Vic in the Dandenong’s years ago in an old pub there.... Very noisy and lots of music coming through the Lounge below.... See how we go for sleep tonight. A meal that again was pretty bland. Back to upload 3 days of pics..... what a pain the computer kept having a glitch so unable to complete this project. I had myself in one hec of a state by now, upset gut from peas and unfinished project. So bed time I think today has had enough.....    Читать далее

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    Day 11 Ohh what misery

    29 марта 2018 г., Уэльс ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C

    Our only day in Cardiff to have a look around and wow the sun is out with clouds but out! Here we at Hotel Campanile Room 17 working out our plan after having breaky in our room, with disposable cutlery a collapsible bowl I bought along and the front foyer section of our room as the fridge! And yep the food in our fridge bag is sure cold enough! Once we had our energy supplement for the day, muesli for John and little toastie biscuits for me with ham and cheese what more could you need, off we set! The plan was to do the Hop on Hop off bus, but once we found a short term parking spot I front of the magnificent city hall building we set off on foot to fond a tourist info building. What we did find instead is the Cardiff Castle which we had planned goi g to today, only once we saw it realised we had been there on our UK trip less than 2 yrs ago..... how bad are our memories....
    Both of us were very embarrassed that our memories are so short we couldn’t remember we had been in Cardiff before... at least we did remember once we saw it again. But pretty bad to go to it again to remember and not even remember we had been there until we saw it!

    So with this info now tucked into our minds we decided that maybe the hop on hop off bus wouldn’t be such a good idea. Instead we would head to a near by village to another castle and do some shopping. John wants to buy me a longer puffer coat for my birthday.
    So off we go down the Hwy to Caerpilly Castle stopping at a smaller shopping centre on the way... we had thought it would be bigger than it was.... however it did have a cheap store so we could finally get a shape knife or so we thought... this is turning out to be a difficult task, no one seems to sell serrated knives or even sharp knives are difficult to purchase.... so with soap for John and some window wipes for the car we set off for the Castle again. As we drove to the site our minds were blown away as it was so huge and amazing well worth the coming. We decided to have a cuppa first mistake that was, as the heavens decided to open while cuppaing and we forgot our umbrellas. I had even said to Joh last night I best put my umbrella in my backpack you never know when we will need it. Then like the Castle episode must have just forgot and stuck it back in my suitcase, as you do when the weather is so unpredictable as it is here!

    Fortunately I had a plastic disposable raincoat in my backpack, and John was able to buy one thank goodness as we couldn’t have looked at this Castle at all without them, for this wasn’t some little shower it was a heavy storm that ended up going most of the day, only stopping as we drove home then commenced again as we made it home!

    The Castle was just unreal, a total ruin except for a few bits restored, but mind blowing how big it really as, how thick the walls were just unreal.....
    Heaps knights had built the castles after the Roman nobles had invaded Wales from England to protect themselves they built these massive strongholds..... but once this had finished the Parliaments of the day become scared the knights would hold too much power so started to blow up the castles... they didn’t succeed totally but did make a huge mess and dent to these once magnificent buildings!

    By now we were getting pretty wet, Johns sand shoes were saturated, my sleeves from holding my camera up and trying to hold my plastic head in place where dripping... my camera had a few hitches even though I keep wiping it must have got some water in it.... so note to self and a stern warning from John to be very careful with it as this is just beginning of the trip. I have to get some sort of a set up to use the camera in this awful weather or I won’t get any pics when the weather turns like it did today. And after seeing the weather tonight on TV it’s the going to get worse..... sadly even snow predicted!

    Off to another shopping centre once finished found a knife but in all honesty they only have a couple.....decided to have lunch here as well and like most cheap places the food was just awful, I couldn’t eat my soup, too cold even after they nuked it!

    Next we set off for another Castle, Castle Coity..... being in the car was a bonus it gave us a chance to dry out a bit and get warm..... got to this Castle which was situated in a little village. The walls of the castle were backing onto all the homes around it... kind of surreal to be honest for us, but guessing normal for them, to have a massive Castle ruins in your backyard, As you do......we also noted that it was 5 mins to closing time so we just made it.... again it blew us away and even more so as this one was free.... but huge and would have been another magnificent structure in its hay Day! The weather is just so cold so hard to concentrate but we did long enough to see it is glory. So pleased we came to this one... there are just heaps and heaps of castles in this lower part of Wales I could spend days wandering around the country exploring all these amazing buildings... hope to see some more tomorrow as we head north. Shame we have to head north, but to see more we do.

    We found a shopping outlet on our way home, so off we set to buy John a pair of waterproof boots and me a coat. John’s looking produced new boots, inner gel soles, and new jocks cause silly him packed all his old ones and they were totally had it.... that due to a man packing not the wife... as for me well darned if I know where they buy their long puffed coats.... everyone’s seems to have one but can’t find where they buy them. Looks like no birthday present for me as John planned.

    Got back to our room to warm up.... John didn’t want dinner as he had had some heavy meals today. So we came up with a plan to put my little bit of soup left in a plastic container inside the kettle after boiling it.... so in it went x 3 boils later and yep out she come all hot and yummy.... worked like a treat only due to the fact the lid would open enough... so soup had I set I myself up to upload all my pics but such a big day and I needed shut eye. So off to bed for this little bird. Another day not loading pics, can’t leave it too long or the job becomes a nightmare sorting out days!    Читать далее

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    11

    Day 10 The weather and the Abbey

    28 марта 2018 г., Уэльс ⋅ 🌧 6 °C

    Today we set off for new horizons, however the weather is just terrible, wet freezing and miserable.
    We packed up our goods and shackles, poor John having to carry them out to the car getting very wet.... but not as wet as their poor postie here in his long shorts and thin long sleeved shirt and a cap on his head, not rain coat, no over coat..... I decided he must have been numb so couldn’t feel just how cold it really is!

    Said our thank you’s to our Host Marsha and off we set down the Hwy! John had plotted a map off the fwy so hopefully we can find some sights! So pleased we did as we pulled up for a cuppa at a Farm Cafe and while there they had heaps of info on sights coming up, this is where we found the Glastonbury Abbey Boucher...... so resetting the Nav we headed to Glastonbury. Was that change worth it unreal sight to visit. They think it was built in the 1100 century but not totally sure.... as history hasn’t been as kind with info for this place as it could have been. Legend also have it that King Arthur, Guenveur are buried here. but the story also goes the Abbey was badly burnt and the Monks were broke they feel they told the story about Arthur to get people to visit the Abbey hence bring money to keep it going.... So truth or fiction the tale still goes on....

    From here we headed onto the awful freeway, but made our way down to the bottom end of Wales coastline to Weston Super Mare long name not sure why it’s called this but meant to be like the Goldcoast of Wales.... unreal place to visit with its fancy hotels, huge promenade and massive pier into the ocean, also what looks like a man made island jutting out into the ocean with fancy hotels on it!!!! It often gets call Weston Super Mud as the waters are so muddy and yukky looking it has huge tidal changes each day going out for a very, very long way!

    This was our first place to have English Fish and Chips over looking the amazing modern pier. After lunch we had to head off accidentally heading the wrong way finding an old pier totally in ruin. It’s called the Birnbeck Pier and locals are trying to have it restored it dates back to 1864 and has an amazing history in itself.... looked so sad it state if disrepair. I took a heap of pics and found some great graffiti while there so a few pics of this and off we set for our hotel, for the next 2 nights...... I was so sure it was for 3 nights, but sadly for 2 so our looking around here will be a bit rushed sadly!

    On arrival at our hotel first look it was like our cheap hotels at home 2 levels and not flash, but the Italian at the desk was friendly and helpful. Our room was neat clean, twin beds this time and yep no fridge. But because it’s so cold here and there is a little entrance way between the main door and another door into our room we are using it as our fridge hope it works feels cold enough!
    Had a walk to Lidel like Aldi to get some plastic plates and cutlery but no luck, so went next to it another lot of shops and very little in the line of what we needed to just have to do with what we can for breaky plates in the AM!
    Had dinner at the hotel restaurant but very bland, as John Says you get what you pay for!

    Another day down, had some great highlights on the way!    Читать далее

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    2

    Day 9 Bath ohh Bath

    27 марта 2018 г., Англия ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Off to Bath today and the weather is just awful, cold ++++ and wet and very miserable after yesterday’s sun, even though it was cold!

    I don’t do cold very well since losing my weight! It’s something to do with the op apparently. Many sleevers have low cold tolerance post surgery! But I am trying to cope as best as I can!

    We had planned to walk to the station to catch the train but as it’s so awful we drove there instead!

    Made it ok lucky I was sticky beaking at another couple and see what they were doing as they were heading to Bath as well, or we would have ended up in a London instead we were on the wrong platform... all rectified after calling out to them across the track to see where they were heading, then once we realised a mad dash up and over to get our train! Once on the train there were all these ticket things on seats, mind you the train was very full.... we didn’t know what they were and without glasses these days I can’t see a thing. So we sat and hoped for the best! I found out on our way back that they are reserved for people who pay for them, but not always the whole way might be from one town to the next! I thought about this and decided it must an English thing a bit OCD in that people don’t like change and have to have same routine right down to their seat on a train.... me with my English heritage now realises where some of my silly idiosyncrasies come from! Bit sad really that a simple train journey and people need sameness, I am not that bad! I hope! Mind you I sit in nearly the same seat at church each week, if not the same seat the same area! Near the door so I can look out, when I should be concentrating.

    We made it ok got out of the Stn and just as we were to cross the road in the miserable coldness saw a Hop on Hop off bus so ran to it and paid to do the trip as walking wasn’t looking real fun.... sadly though you couldn’t see out the window real well so very limited pics and there was no way I was sitting on top just far to freezing!
    It was worth doing to hear the commentary about Baths history! Back in the day when Bath first became the people would be taken in a special chair that would carry them to the hot mineral baths and back home again, talk about pampered! They were literally taken from their beds to the baths without having to get out of bed and were taken back to bed again, by the carries! What privileged lives they sure had!

    Anyway Bath is an Interesting city again I missed getting pics of the amazing Circus circuit unreal buildings even by today’s stands they are unreal, the weather was just too yukky to get a good shot!

    After the trip on the bus we got off and wandered around, finding sights I wanted to get pics of and finding new sights! Had to stop as it was just so cold for a warm cuppa at a lovely little cafe warm and toasty didn’t want to leave! Both had a delight as it was too tempting not to, couldn’t eat all mine so took for RON. In our wandering as we got off track and a little lost, but in doing so found this amazing old church door I saw on the bus I couldn’t take any pics of it as to wet on the windows. So as John was working out how to get back on track I could take my pics! Only thing is the footpath is so narrow I had to keep stepping on the road to get my pics and had to time it between cars going by.... I managed it but not something one should do I know very dangerous and as we would say at home crazy bloody tourist what were they thinking!

    After looking for quite a bit John decided we had to use the rest of our ticket to do the other 1/2 of the tour call the country tour the other was the city tour, so on a bus we got again only this time as the rain had stopped and the clouds were parting. But the cold up top was unreal, I did brave it got a few pics but didn’t enjoy it as much as I would like to being so cold. The guy commentating was unreal, he never drew a breath. John and I got off the bus laughing our heads off at just how much he could talk! To be honest we were mentally drained from just listening to him go on.... we decided to look for an English pub for lunch just needed to be warm and cosy and English pubs are just that! I love the way they decorate their pubs here so homely and quaint.... so many interesting prices to look at so very different to our cold bare pubs!

    After our meal of soup for me and steak baguette for John time to head home, so back to the train Stn, a lot bigger than Bradford on Avon....
    Again the train was packed, so finding seats difficult I got one on a reserved spot but turns out it was for the Stn after ours thank goodness John had to stand...
    I was so pleased to be back in Our little cottage warm and cosy. I had to repack my suitcase as I couldn’t find snitching every time I used it. Sort out our food issue, as there will be no fridges from here on sadly. UK doesn’t have fridges in the room unless you pay dearer for your room or request one then you still pay for it. I discovered this on our last trip here when I had to juice every morning.... most nights I had to get ice bought to the room to keep my drink cool or place it in the fridge in the reception area.

    Soup for dinner as easy to do, repacked then off to bed after a little TV for a change! The days are flying...    Читать далее

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  • Rell01Making memoriesRell01

    Day 8 Delighting in old

    26 марта 2018 г., Англия ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    Our little cabin in the backyard is turning out not too bad! We set off after another restless night to discover the delights of Bradford on Avon.... and she didn’t disappoint. The wonderful quaintness of all the old buildings were different to many other small villages. On a quick look we thought this one was small to but it’s actually quite large!
    Walking to see the delights we pass by all the terrace buildings all cloned and without personality... Compared to the buildings of old we really have a lot to answer for ours in the last 70-30 yrs are really bland! But they are home to many and after talking to John about it decided if we knew no different we guess we would be living the same! Fortunately we don’t live like this!

    The town itself is built around the Avon River also not very big, but quite pretty and has a lot to offer the people who use it! Some of the houses are built right on the water line unreal when you think about how they did it back in the day! No modern equipment to help them prepare the River banks, just mans hands and simple tools!

    We spent a good few hours walking around and at every turn finding more quaint buildings and sights!
    A cuppa in a warm very large coffee shop with dogs in it, dogs can come into the shops here it would seem and as the floors were wood every time they barked it echoed something terrible! Not looking forward to a total dog friendly country but it is coming in Aus, we can see the writing on the wall! Not that I dislike dogs, I just feel and this is me Restaurants and coffee shops should have them outside.... but with the weather so cold here no one wants to sit outside, hence the dogs inside!
    Our last sight to visit was the Barton Farm and massive most amazing Tithe Barn, the workmanship in the barn with the wood ceiling is just unreal and so beautifully built!

    We headed back to our little abode to make some lunch with all the food we bought, has to be eaten.
    Then off to Lacock another wonderful old village used in the Harry Potter fins for its buildings. So very different to Bradford on Avon, but as interesting as here but different. Again we wandered around checking out the unreal old buildings some in Tudor style that had the most crooked twisted wood supports that are centuries old yet... are still doing the job of holding the houses together! Unreal to see just how it all works even today!

    A cuppa had in old tea house, we didn’t go to the Abbey as planned it’s the main reason people come here, the cost was a bit much with us on a budget it has to be just look from a far for me I am afraid!

    Joh has come down with a flew so once back home I had to dole him up the. He slept for over 2 hrs so late dinner after 8pm here and agin our own goodies.

    Another wonderful day of adventuring to see the sights!    Читать далее

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  • Rell01Making memoriesRell01

    Day 7 Onwards to the adventure

    25 марта 2018 г., Англия ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Today is the start of the real adventure! After all our months of planning and putting things into place we can finally say here we go!

    Had our last buffet breaky at The Holiday Express Inn... John had packed our car and spent considerable time trying to figure out the Nav we don’t have but we do???

    Off we set towards our destination making the decision to head off the Motorway to go along the country roads as that is where life is happening!

    Our first stop was Henley On Thames where the hold the Long Row boats regattas. What a truly wonderful delight this stop turned out to be, it wasn’t planned just happened due to the amazing looking bridge we spotted as we drove into town! The plan was to keep going but after crossing the bridge we couldn’t help ourselves.
    We parked and John’s first challenge was to work out how to use the parking meter box.... apparently it was even challenging for the locals as well!
    The weather here is a winters day in Biloela, but unlike Bilo it doesn’t rise above 10 so with a sneaky wind really baring down , we venture out to check out this little village!
    What a truly wonderful delight it turned out to be filled with unreal history and buildings that left us in awe. So much to take in so much history we can’t comprehend!

    We walked around the bridge up the street and too my delight I found a whole street of amazing old doors, I am sure many must have been hobbits in the past as the doors were so short!
    Many of the buildings had crooked supports that were 100’s of years old still supporting these unreal old buildings. It made us laugh as we checked out just how crooked they really were.

    Sadly after taking heaps of door shots and seeing long row boats rowing up the Thames, it was time to head off!

    Our next stop was Tesco found accidentally, but it was time to stock up on food to cut costs! A trolley load later we had all our goodies, just having to remind ourselves everything is double what we pay at home!

    Loaded with goodies we head off to our last port of call to the White Horse in the hill...... the roads we knew would be narrow but this time we have a bit bigger car so more of a challenge to not side swipe someone or be side swiped. We made it to the spot we had planned on to discover it was up a hill that you had to walk to amongst the sheep, plus the poor, and the wind!

    So off we set realising it would take a lot longer than we had, as we had set a time of 3pm to meet Marsha our Airbnb host!
    So after walking in amongst the Lee and poo of the Sheep and unable to get up closer to the Whitehorse made in the 1500 with chalk stone hammered into the hill side in the shape of a white horse! We decided to head off in a hurry to meet out deadline, only after getting in the car and realising it was later than realised we decided to contact Marsha to tell her sorry we are running late!

    She was great about it and told us how to get into our room as she would be out when we arrived!

    We finally made it to Bradford on Avon but discovered that we couldn’t access the road to get to the Airbnb. Seems after we tried for many roads and ways to get there we phoned Marsha to ask how do we get there! Marsha who had been in London all weekend suddenly remembered they were doing up the bridge in town. So with new instructions off we set through the neighbouring village only very big village Trowbridge to do a backwards way to get to our home for the next 3 nights.

    Once here, the reality of this Airbnb even though private was in someone’s back yard and really we aren’t sure about Sharing space with others, but with no opinion this is it! Not all Airbnb’s are about sharing your personal space but to a point when you are in someone’s backyard in cute cottage it’s still their space!

    Well here we are and have to make the best of it on meeting Marsha who was a lot younger than we thought and really lovely what more can you want.

    Plans may be a bit different we had thought but still ok, so here we go fi the next few nights to enjoy the sights of this area and if today is any indication it will be wonderful.

    I had soup, John had nuked bangers and mash we have plenty, and have just realised we won’t have a fridge in the next few places, buggar got too much for the fridge see how we go,    Читать далее

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    Day 6 The finer details complete!

    24 марта 2018 г., Англия ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    A bit of a restless night with our body clocks out of whack, but we did get some sleep.

    Our room at the Holiday Inn Express Room 228 is just lovely roomy and very comfortable plus breaky is part of it and only cost us $80 aus a bit over the budget but worth it after the huge haul!

    We had our breaky, not bad for what we paid, a hot buffet. I tried a few more bits than normal and paid for it all day! This food business is going to be a challenge....
    Our plan today is to pick up the hire car from Victoria stn.

    1st step was to get back on the shuttlecock. Th Hotel, back to Terminal 5 to find the underground railway to get to Victoria Stn.....
    John is finally realising that asking helps..... so we asked how to at Terminal 5 and yep it went like clockwork all the way! Even had to change trains at Hammersmith to the country line that took us right into the heart of London and Victoria Stn....

    As we had no way of using our phones at this point we headed to Maccas to get the address of where the car was, John had left the paperwork at the hotel😭.
    Well this turned out to be awhile but drama..... nothing goes to plan with us with the small things!
    First step we learnt that the Sims from Singapore which were still in our phones can’t receive texts from Maccas here in UK....so we could look up the address... plus all correspondence was on. Our phones but as we could log onto net we could see anything as it wouldn’t down load! Next problem we couldn’t get the new sims out of the phones to put our old ones back in as we needed something like a paper clip to this we didn’t have.... the issue was we had to be at the hire car company by 12md it was now 5 mins too and we had given ourselves heaps of time! I had to head to the loo so while there gave it all to the Lord.... pls help us sort this mess out! While looking in the mirror at the loo I looked at my earrings and realised we could use them to take out our Sims..... Praise you Lord for the light bulb moment! We got the Sims out yep got the phones to work, so we thought we will call them to get the address.... by now we were both in panic mode thinking we would be charged a lot extra cause that is what the contract said! Little did we think about using the Maccas wifi once we got our sims in all we could think about was letting them know we didn’t have their address and a bit lost!

    We called them yes all good.... set off to find them... turns out there are 3 big stations in Victoria 1 the underground, 2 the Express and 3 the Bus coaches Stn and yep you guessed it, it was the bus coaches so no way we would have known that, we could have been hopelessly lost for ages! But God is a wonderful God He does look after us in times of stress and we found the car hire place!

    Then for the lesson.... as we were signing all the paperwork, I get a text fro Telstra to say we had just clocked up $100 on our ph, that quick call cost a fortune, what I did forget was when we got our Sims in Singapore you had to put Mibile Data on to get them to work, not sure why, but in my panic I forgot to turn it off when the old Sim went back in. When Joh checked it last night we discovered by the time we put in our UK Sims it had clocked up $185..... nothing we can do, I must have had something running in the background using data! I have looked to see what but can’t work it out! So note 2 to travellers make sure you always turn off your Mobile Data,I always do but in panic forgot momentarily and now we have to pay big time for a silly mistake!

    On a lighter note we have a band new car upgraded as they didn’t have the one we booked, it’s a Volvo very smick and neat!

    So as we could leave the car parked with Hertz we decided to head out and see some sights. A wanderer around and we found Westminster Abby and Parliament House , a pommy pub for bangers and mash share lunch, a huge March not sure why but seems it was a protest, hundreds of bobbies everywhere! A walk around St James park and yep Buckingham Palace! Some really lovely sights, amazing buildings both old and new!
    On our way back we called into the Underground building where we saw a Vodophone shop after researching we decided in getting Vodophone Sims as they go over 50 countries in Europe and had a pretty good data deal.... so now we have UK phone numbers and can use our data without a huge Telstra bill!!

    By the time we did all this it was nearly 5pm so we hot footed back to get our hire car, then figure out how to get back to our hotel....
    When we signed all the paperwork, the guy asked us do we need a GPS, we said no we had our own, thank you very much.... he was going to charge extra if we said yes! The thing is now nearly all cars have Inbuilt GPS which is all part of the use of the car now a days, they really are shifty buggars, all about the $$$$$. But thank goodness it does have one as it as our way home.

    Back safely on dark, it’s been a very cool miserable day weather wise no sun at all... A friend who has been travelling around the UK for the last 4 weeks told me they have had 3 days of sun in all that time! Ohh well we are in the UK....

    Day over all our planning has come together now let the adventure begin!!!    Читать далее

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    Day 5 Onwards we head!

    23 марта 2018 г., Англия ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    Today we set off for the UK via Dubai. A long day, a long haul.
    However we both managed to fill it easy enough with movies, both watching what we wanted not having to consider each other in the choice! That’s a bit different!

    I watched heaps of chick flicks on both flights, ones I could have a good cry in.
    There is something to be said for Qantas it really is an amazing Airline to go with! Service, food, comfortability all in one! We flew with Qantas for the 1st leg to Singapore then onwards with Emirates even though the whole lot was with Emirates they use Qantas for some legs mainly from Aust!

    Emirates is OK, but just doesn’t come up to the same standard both in, attentiveness and food quality! Comfortability was similar, but all in all it just didn’t cut it the same!

    Our stay in Dubai didn’t happen, we were to have 11/2 hrs here, but as the flight had a delay in landing only due to the holding pattern, we had a mad panic (or should I say me in a mad panic) to get through to the next flight as it was boarding as we landed! We did make it but my goodness was it a crazy 20mins of running trying to find our way through the Dubai airport, onto connecting trains to take you through to a different terminal to get on our flight!

    Then at the last minute we got separated as they wanted to search John, he thought I took off without him, but i was told to keep going..... He was not impressed by the time he found me in our seats....
    but in any airport you do as staff says especially in The UAE..... any we made it ok.... we did meet another couple once we hit London who were really upset about the whole experience, saying in the future they will book longer between flights! In hindsight we could say the same but you consider 1 1/2 hrs plenty of time, guess it’s not! Note to all who travel book plenty of connection time when traveling OS, otherwise the heart gets a good work out, physical by running and emotionally through stress!

    On arriving in London first part was baggage collection, ohhh my goodness this nearly took as long as the flight!....... well that’s an exaggeration but it did take an hour to finally get our suitcases, many others were getting very upset they were so slow, but this is becoming the norm when we travel, baggage collection can be very distressing and slow, so just go with the flow! If they don’t turn up I now pack incase cloths in my carry on and some small toiletries as it has happened before!

    Once we had our belongings we had to negotiate our way from Terminal 3 to Terminal 5 so we could catch a shuttle to our hotel! We soon discovered Heathrow airport is huge with many levels many escalators and nooks to get through to find your way around! But as we didn’t have to rush it was a lot less stressful than Dubai! We did manage with both our very heavy suitcases up escalators trying not to topple over.... we did it....... both very weary and tired but elated we had managed to find our way through the maze! Before we knew it we were at Holiday Inn Express Terminal 5 Hotel. Booked in and in our rooms just before all the hoards of tourists arrived behind us ( we aren’t tourists we are travellers ha ha). Had a light dinner of soup both of us and off to bed, it’s been a huge huge day, but we are here.    Читать далее

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    Day 4 Another hard day on the feet!

    22 марта 2018 г., Сингапур ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    What amazes me about Singapore (and sorry for those who have read previous blogs) I am blown away by their architecture. Last longer stay here I was amazed, but since then they have built even more unreal buildings. This place is full of design and interest! But way, way too dear for budget travellers. So a good thing we are only here for 2 days!
    Staying at the Robertson Quay Hotel in Clark Quay.

    Our day started with me having a Melt down with my phone and the computer, trying to unload all my pics as the phone is full to the brim. I really am over having a 16g phone for a photographer that’s like an ant! But it is what it is so put up with it.....
    I can hear John in my ear! It was so full it kept shutting down Instagram my program I share me pics to the world! That and the fact I hadn’t pre set up my 2 baby hard drives that I upload my pics to daily had me going around the twist. But survive I did and poor John trying to cope with my mental break down, I have got to get more patient with this process if both of us are to survive 7 months of pic taking.

    We set off again on foot to find a camera parts shop as the grip on my 18-300 mm lens has stretched and if no use... over worked the poor thing. After a bit walk we found the store only to be told no they don’t sell parts. So we walked to the nearest train stn and caught the train to the Botanical Gardens. We managed to spend a few hrs there, but in all honesty I really thought Singapore’s BG would be heaps better than it was.... don’t get me wrong it was still lovely but I truly thought it would have a wow factor and it really doesn’t.

    From there we made our way back to the trains, getting the hang of this now and it’s so cheap. This time the destination was The Arab Quarter! Not very big but hit all the senses, worth our visit! Had a great lunch in a Moroccan restaurant yummy food.
    Then a wander around to see all the graffitied walls around the restaurants. From here we walked to see Raffels Hotel again and sadly, very sadly it was all covered up having huge Reno’s done..... so no Raffels shots but plenty of shots of un real buildings....

    We have walked kilometres again today and our poor feet are telling us!

    We set off in this huge shopping Mall to see if we could find an ATM my goodness it was huge and hardly an ATM in sight.... so we walked and walked annnnddd walked finally found one that would let us have just a bit of money, then we saw a cafe with 3 beers or 3 ciders for $ 15 which for here is cheap cheap..... John paid $25 last night at dinner.... so 3 strongbow was ordered and after that we didn’t want to move. But finally did then found a station we could catch and interchange some trains to get home.... Back by 6 pm long day but another day of good sights to delight the senses....    Читать далее

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    Day 7 Villages of History

    22 марта 2018 г., Сингапур ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Today our true adventure begins, after all our planning we can set off on the next part that being UK and Scotland! We have our breaky, John has the car packed ready to go, GPS kinda worked out and off we set, planning to only use the Motorway for a short time!
    We found on other trips the true life of any country is off the motorway! So off we set, our first stop truly by accident or more as I spotted the lovely Bridge was Henley on The Thames! What a little treasure trove this village was! Unreal old buildings and really pretty River where plenty of long boat rows were practicing. Heaps of push bikers everywhere all in their Lycra.... and unreal doors I could click away with! We sadly only had an hour and half here but worth every minute!

    Our next stop was Tesco down the Hwy again found by accident, this was where we stocked up with some goodies to eat as our next accomodation is an Airbnb at Bradford on Avon....
    Loaded with all our delights we set off for the next spot that was to be Whitehorse hill.... a massive horse made from chalk stone made around 600 yrs ago and has been where people go to see it on the hill for centuries.
    Once there we realised there was a fair bit of walking involved and sadly we were running out of time to make our Airbnb hosts time she set fir us to arrive!
    The horse was easy to see so amongst the sheep and dare I say heaps of poo sheep poo, we walked as far as time allowed took a few shots and back to the car to get to our spot!
    As the roads are so narrow travel time is longer than we planned so we had to text Marsha to let her know we would be late!

    Once we found the Bradford on Avon village hitch 1 the road was blocked where we had to go to get to her house, we tried a number of ways all to no avail. So in the end we phoned her to ask how we could get there. By now we were over an hour late! She had forgotten that they were closing the bridge for 24 hrs for repairs, as she had been in London for the weekend..... just happened it was the 24 hrs we were arriving so made it difficult to get to her house! We had to go back to the next village Trowbridge to drive around the Avon and come in another way.... lucky for us there was another way!

    We found it and yep it was a little room self contained built into the back yard a small backyard compared to ours.... the room was neat and tidy with most stuff we needed!

    Marsha is lovely younger than I thought she would be, but we still unsure Airbnb is for us you are beheld to a family or owner in most cases and have to fit in to their schedule. Which is fine but puts you under pressure, this you really don’t have as much with hotels! down side of hotels not in most cases self contained! We really thought this place had a washing machine as we need to do some washing, but nope it hasn’t and only a microwave I had bought sausages to cook for breaky, looks like nuked snags coming up!

    The village is unreal in itself so quaint and pretty can’t wait to explore it!

    Our night went ok had soup and John had nuked bangers and mash. The room is ok comfortable enough but you are in someone’s yard! See how it goes we have 3 nights here!    Читать далее

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    Day 3 21/03 A day of footwork!

    21 марта 2018 г., Сингапур ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Tried to sleep in with not much luck, our body clocks are still in Qld time!
    So awake at 4.30am then, 5am, then by 6am we had had enough so out we got!

    The routine has started so cuppa, bible reading for me, computer game for John, showers, drugs, write up the blog off to breaky!
    It is an included breaky here which John loved I couldn’t have much of there food! Lucky I kept 2 pieces of the meat pizza from last night so I could have one today and one tomorrow.

    After trying to use their not very good wifi John headed to the 711 to get 2 $15 SIM cards so we could use our phs. The deal had a great data package it’s for 7 days we are only here 3 but anything to make life easier!

    Phones ready to go with data but couldn’t get it to work as a phone don’t know what we are doing wrong, but if we lose each other we can use What’s App to all each other! So yes bowling crew it does come in handy!

    Around 10 after much stuffing around we headed out for the day by trusty foot!
    Lucky John through in his sandals at the last minute as Day 1 he had a blow out, lucky I packed the glue! Every single trip we have had shoe issues and needed glue so this time I packed it from the last trip I had a shoe blow out! So glued up and stuck under one if our very, very heavy suitcases to set it hopefully to last a bit longer!

    So in our sandals mine which are brand new we set off to discover the delights of Singapore by foot!
    What a day it turned out to be! We enjoyed every minute of the wander 3 is to the gardens by the bay, but I am sure 3ks become 5 or 6 with all our side tracks! But worth every minute!

    After all the sights found by foot we finally made the Gardens by the Bay, wow oh wow what delights it held in store! I said to John there are 2 things in life that I love very much and that’s Sunsets or rises, so that’s 3 and flowers! And this did not disappoint, peach blossoms from Japan in one dome, and orchids abound in the other! I was in 7th heaven. I promised myself to go steady with pic taking in this trip as it’s so very long,but sorry I couldn’t help myself it was just so amazing. Even John got into flower taking as it was so unreal.

    Singapore delights every sense by way of architecture and design! There is just so much diversity from the old to the ultra modern it really is an amazing place to be in! It will be such a contrast to where we are heading but a good contrast!

    I remember the first time we came here this is our 3rd visit I said to John Tim and a Jess would love this City with all its diverse design, they would be in 7th heaven! We will have to see what the future holds for them won’t we!

    Well we made it back in one piece a long day, my feet held up even with new shoes finally picked a good brand Reikers a German brand worth the bite extra I paid I am convinced after today!

    We caught the train back $1.50 each so cheap, and so quick after walking all the way there! We didn’t Kate get to the Roof top bar not dressed for it hope we can do it tomorrow, I really want to see the Gardens by Thea Bay by night light!

    Bought a tiny bottle of wine on the way home $9.50 here what would be $4.50 at home, John found a Radler beer so he was happy!
    All I All a great day, and no I won’t tell you how many pics I took!    Читать далее

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    Sights on our way in!

    Day 2 20/03 Robertson Quay here we come!

    20 марта 2018 г., Сингапур ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Well we made the customs gauntlet and yet I was looked at by the customs girl she kept looking at me intently, I had to say I lost a lot of weight. She had a bit of a hesitation but stamped it, what a relief the first customs and a bit of a pause to the heart! Anyway I am here so all is good!

    We managed to find the cheap shuttle to take us to our hotel $9s, bargain a good start to our cheap travels see how good we can go?

    The shuttle had a number to drop off over the city so great we got a look at Singapore by night as we went and we were the last drop off so great got to see how pretty it looks at night here!

    Our room we yes I know it was going to be small but John didn’t so he was a just a little taken aback on how sqeezey it was! But once we worked out where to put the bags all good, got everything we need and freezing too boot glad I have warms with me!

    On Mum and dads recommendation we tried the Italian Restaurant next door very very popular, great food had a yummy pizza and yep the alcohol is as we remembered very expensive! So only 1 drinky tonight!

    A quick jaunt to the local 711 for water then off to bed! We are only 2 hrs ahead here but feels more!

    A good start to the adventure!    Читать далее

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    Day 1 Off to Singapore

    20 марта 2018 г., Австралия ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    So today we are setting off after all these months of preparing ready to leave Oz for 231 days!
    To b honest I do feel a bit apprehensive about the time, I was feeling very happy at home especially with all our Reno’s we have just completed...... and leaving James has been harder than I imagined!
    Everyone tells you once you have grandies you fall in love with them and until you do become a grandie yourself you really don’t know how the little cuties dig their way into your hearts! Plus the poor baby is so sick at present with a bad flu hope he gets better soon!

    But here we are at the airport heading to our first stop Singapore! We hav been here before but so much has changed since our last long stay! We had a very short stay 2 yrs ago this time a few days to see some sights!

    Next stop Singapore now for the customs run!    Читать далее

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    3

    Day 1 & 2 Pre trip log

    18 марта 2018 г., Австралия ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Spending family time. Had 3 days with John’s Mum and Dad, then 3 days with my Mum and Dad, now last 3 days with Kristian and a Kate and baby James who turned a big 1! Even had a flying visit from Tim and a Jess, how special was that! 2 days to go!

    Sunday I had the honour of I spending a few hours with my cousin Colleen and her husband David! Seems we have travel in common! It was so great to have this time together been since childhood that we last had quality time together! They are heading to a European river cruise in late May! It doesn’t look at this stage our paths will cross but you never know what will happen!

    Monday was final packing day ohh my goodness what a drama with all my meds on board! I spent 2 hrs getting all the paperwork organized if customs goes through our stuff! I pray not!    Читать далее

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    20 марта 2018 г.