catch,n Up....part 2....

While moored up in Paddington we had a day of visitors to the NB....

First up our sons, Tait, friends turned up for a collection...

 

Nick on the left, who has been in London for a couple of months, and Ricky who only arrived the day before called to collect a selection of fresh baking that Leonie had done for them.
From our home town in NZ they were familiar with Leonies excellent baking and didn't need two phone calls to make the meeting.....

Then from Hastings,NZ, a good friend of Leonies mum was in London and we were pleased Sue caught up with us.....

Leonie, Sue, Sue's son Andrew who lives in London and his partner Laura.....
Great to catch up with everybody....

Next day, Monday, was an early start as we headed to St, Pancreas Station to meet the Euro Star from Paris.....

On board..

 

Special Cargo... son Myers and partner Liv, over on holiday from Melbourne.....
Walking from station to catch bus back to NB.......
After 15 months it was awesome to catch up and spend 3 days together....on the NB moored in Paddington....

We all done the customary sightseeing thing.....

 

From the South Bank Thames walk..... Liv's sister Alice happened to be holidaying in London at the same time..... (second from left).....

 

A close distant view of Tower Bridge....

And a....

 

Closer view ..... Alice, Liv, Myers.....

Then on to....

 

 

St, Pauls Cathederal... plus done the many other sights..

Which lead to...

 

Dehydration.. so a pint or two and some lunch was had....

During the day we got a phone call from two Intrepid Travelers saying they could meet us at the NB later, about 4pm...

So it was a bus and a couple of tube rides back to catch up with...

 

Paul & Elaine, Sammy & BomBo... Just returned from motor homing around Europe and looking very well for it....Great to catch up and share some of their helpful motor homing knowledge....

Next day Liv, went shopping with Alice so Me, Myers and Leonie checked out a couple more sights...

The big blue cock at Trafalgar Square.....

Followed by the....

Water fountains.....and Lions.. OHH and Assshhoonnnssss.......Trafalgar Square....

 

All that walking and seeing led to more of a thirst....
We met up with the others and went to Camden Markets for a feed at the street stalls...

 

Preceeded with a beer or two at a Camden pub.....
Myers gets that style from his Aunty Jo........

The 3 day visit was all to short... Myers and Liv, carrying on to see other European sights....

 

Catch'n Up.....part 1....

Having fellow Kiwis on the boat and tripping down the Thames has been down right time consuming.


Moored at Teddington lock awaiting the trip down the Thames the night befores sleep was broken about 3am by a bloody good electrical storm. The thunder and lightning was spectacular followed by some heavy rain which managed to splatter shit off the towpath all along the side of the NB...

Got the camera against the bedroom window....

Lightning thunder and rain....

We had to be in the lock by 7.15am.....

Cup of coffee and compulsory live jackets for the tidal Thames....

In the Teddington lock......

With 7 other NB,s.....

We ended up leading the pack....

There's Leaders and Folllowers.... some turned off at Brentford lock....

After days of stinkin hot weather it was fairly cool with a gusty wind and then a shower of rain appeared...

Nat decided to rug up and...

 

Give her best impression of a Blowfly........

With the houses of Parliament and Big Ben approaching it was time to.....

Smarten up Bruces appearance..... Remove those large Grey hairs in the eyebrow line.....

Without a local.......

The rain didn't last long and.....

 

The closer we got to London the less the wind blew.... and a bit of sun broke through.....
Captain and 2nd Mate...... Passing Westminster......

Every one does things in their life that they can look back on, some with pride and amazement, others with disgust or regret. If someone had said to me 5 years ago I'd be passing under the Tower Bridge on a NB I would have said "Yeah Rite" you need certifying.....
So to have done it twice in 2 months is something I will look back on with no regrets...only wonder... even relegates memories of doing laps around town on Friday, late shopping, night in the two tone MK111 Zephyr farther back in the memory bank....

It was then up too.....




Bruce and Nat to steer under the Tower Bridge...... Bruce with the "I see a new Land" look....
Nat with the " A strong wind blowing from behind" look.....

Through the centre and....




Out the other side....

Then hand over the controls....

 

 We were there doing it again......

 

Maybe a Dream job for a sign company.....

Wrap a warship in vinyl........

There was a fair bit of a chop and waves on the river at times....

 

A following NB ploughs through.....

By the time we reached Limehouse the tide had dropped several feet and the plan to enter the open awaiting lock is to pass the lock, turn into the outgoing tide then steer for the gap between the concrete walls...

The first NB.....

Approaching the entry... the water looks deceptively calm here but there is strong currents, eddyies, bouncing off the walls both sides and one has to get the NB in the right spot.....

I didn't by 1 metre......

And the current took control of the front of the boat and gave the imposing wall a "Bit of a Pash"....
no damage....

Was going to stay the night at Limehouse but as it was only about 11.30am we decided to push on to Paddington, about 9 miles and 12 locks.....

Passing through the....

Islington tunnel was another first for our crew...... spot the Opposum in the Headlights.........

As the day and journey progressed it got real hot.... By the time we reached Paddington basin it was 31 celcius....

Which was a good enough reason for.....

This "Gonk Head," pissed,  aged and naked man to swim in the canal... he tried to get out but couldn't so swam along,"Dragging Weed", to a narrow bridge hole to try there.... Just the right place to get squashed by a passing NB... We just turned the next bend as he again tried to get out of the canal so there's no Apendage shots.....

At Camden market locks.....

There was a large crowd watching and asking questions as we waited for the locks to fill...

Also at Camden there was plenty of Crap in the canal which caused a lack of propulsion...
So.....

Down the weed hatch with a sharp blade... Nat lent her hand to Pulling.... I did the cutting....

And in no time......

The prop, was free and we regained forward momentum.....

We arrived at Paddington basin, London Central, about 5pm and pulled into the last vacant mooring. The dude on the boat in front said it had been vacant all day.....

The evening was spent replenishing the lost fluid levels on the rear deck  with....

Live streaming of the World Match play darts from Blackpool on the roof... Perfect some would say......

Next day we had a visit from Leonie's cousin from Hastings, NZ who has actually been living in Denmark for about 12 years....

Doing the London visit.....

Jason and Ben.... partaking in food and liquid refreshments.....

And having......

A real good time....

Late in the evening......




Ben says to his dad "time to go, c.mon you gotta stop drinking all their beers"...

"Okay Okay".......

 

"You lead the way"......was great catching up....... Jason & Ben........