Been so busy the last 4 - 5 weeks. Picked up our motorhome and drove back to Oxford to park up at Spencers farm and start to get things in order for our trip to Europe.
Bruce and Nat have their motor home there as well also doing Europe preparation and we are counting down the days to crossing the Channel. Planning has been meticulous right down to our travel plan. We'll get off the ferry and turn right, shouldn't go too far wrong.
Sold our car but we have a scooter we bought to have on the back of the motor home for getting to explore European cities as it's not practical to park near the city centre.
Our son Tait arrived via Heathrow to spend 10 days surfing in Portugal with some London living mates so we met him at Heathrow, spent best part of the day with him then picked him up at Luton when he returned and we headed to the south coast in the motor home for some great catch up time before dropping him back at Heathrow for his return flight to PNG....
Meanwhile we had moved the narrow boat a couple of times as our mooring times expired. We left our motor home at the Willington marina and will transfer the last of our belongings to the motor home when we arrive. The distance of the delivery trip would normally take an easy 10 - 12 days but we put in some 10 hr solid moving days and did it in 7 days which included two nights in Birmingham..
Parked in Oxford...now got 130miles on clock...
Getting the feel... Certainly a lot less room than a 57FT narrow boat...
No automatic washing machine now... Ringing out the washing... Washing machine on ground at rear.. The tumble drier is a piece of rope in the wind..
Pub down London with Tait and his M8 Nick... A Real Ale pub..
Nick said the beer was good...
I'll choose the next stopover...
Back on the Lager ..... every ones happy..
Ex "Rossi" Lex Moto 125.... No back street alley to small...What did I say??..
Trying out the out door dining gear for Europe....
Off down South of UK with Tait...
First stop Sandbanks down by Bournmouth.... "Billionaires Alley", price of real estate reputedly some of the dearest, per sq, metre , in the world...
Friars Cliff... rows of beach huts awaiting the holiday mobs....Lower the verandah, throw open the doors...turn that chalky white body into a Lobster...
Tait enjoying the view with the Isle Of Wight in the distance...
The Needles off the end of the Isle Of Wight...
Headed through the New Forest area but the weather was too wet to take decent photos although there was some nice villages....
Sign posts are handy when one doesn't believe the Sat, Nav......
The rain had stopped by the time we made it to Brighton...
A stroll to the end of the pier....
No strolling on the old pier...
Past the bandstand.....
And to the....
Royal Pavilion.. built from 1787, A bit of the Ol' Curry Muncher styling...
For King George 1V as a beach residence...
Author Peter James lives in Brighton and the Pavilion features in his Roy Grace series of stories...
Back to move the NB Nth, to Willington for her new owners...
Left Cropredy on a Tuesday morning.. Temperature about 8c with a wind chill making it feel like 2c and heavy showers and strong winds on and off all day....
The NZ flag showing signs of a battering... 2yrs of weather and a couple of black berry bushes as well....
Came across Barry & Sandra, NB AreandAre, who were heading to Crick. Stopped and had a Yakk....
Temperature raised slightly so Nat, & Bruce resumed their fitness regime along the tow path and raised things more...
Bruce says "I'll sit and watch"...
Heading up the Hatton Flight of locks...
Bruce says "I'll stand and watch"...
Two "Tow Path Babes"...
A Bit Sad.....The very last lock after 2yrs of canal life.....
You can tell it has warmed up.....
As we turn into the marina at Willington, Derby...
A shake down trip in the motorhome to Cornwall was the next mission.
First stop on the way.....
Teignmouth...
The sun was shining....
Although not on their "idea" of a pier...
Came across a line up of...
Early model Motors.. They were being used in a feature film being shot here featuring Colin firth. Apparently about some local dude who entered in a around The World single handed yatch race but left "I'll prepared" so to save "Face" with the sponsors and well wishes took a short cut and made out he was were he wasn't. Rather than be found out and return he apparently "Committed Sideways" at sea never to be seen again although they found his yatch..
More Cornwall and Viva La France soon....
Glad to know you are getting sorted to travel Europe, although we are sad we won't see you on the cut again!
ReplyDeleteNext time you are heading to Cornwall, let us know as we have friends there who run a bike hire business in Bude and I think you two would enjoy a bit of pedal power!
Looking forward to reading the next series of adventures, you two,
Cheers, Marilyn and David
Best of luck with the next stage of your adventures. Do hope you keep the blogging up while tootling around foreign parts - we always enjoy your writings.
ReplyDeleteRobin and Jenny home in NZ exploring the country in Romany Rambler (caravan)