Llangollen Wales

We went for a train ride on the Llangollen Railway which travels about 10 miles to the town of Carrog where the train stops for about 1/2 hour before returning to Llangollen.  There is a lovely tea room at the railway station.

We were hoping for a steam train but it was a diesel engine.  However, we were in the first carriage right behind the driver with a big window looking at the rail line.  It was the best view, a better view than you would have from a steam train.

The Chain Bridge

Llangollen Wales

We were visiting relatives in Nottingham when a friend of Colin's got in touch after seeing a post on FB and said you are not far from Llangollen, come here for a few days you will love.

So we did, and yes, we loved it.  We had perfect weather.  We spent 3 nights there.  We stayed on the outskirts of town in a hotel and spa which was an easy picturesque 10 minute walk alongside the river into the village.

We booked ourselves a narrow boat trip on the River Dee which goes over the Pontysycyllte Aqueduct, nicknamed the stream in the sky.

The 18-arched stone and cast iron structure is for use by narrowboats and was completed in 1805 having taken ten years to design and build.  It is 38m above the ground.  Quite a dizzy height.  We sailed over it in the very narrow channel and the following day we walked over the aqueduct on the narrow path that runs alongside the canal which carries one boat at a time.

It is an amazing feat of engineering.  Quite an awesome experience to both sail over and walk over the aqueduct which is the tallest one in the world.

Clandon Park Surrey

Last year we visited the recently reopened National Trust property, Clandon Park in Surrey.  The Palladian Mansion had been destroyed by fire in 2015.  The Trust opened the property up to the public again in 2016 to show how much damage had been done to the interior of the house with the structure of the house still standing.

It is a painstakingly slow project of restoration and preservation and ultimately rebuilding the interiors of the mansion.

it is interesting to see what has been happening since we last visited nearly a year ago.  This is the biggest project the National Trust has ever undertaken and it took several years to find the right architects to undertake the work.

Photos around West Sussex

Littlehampton

Lunch with family and friends at the Crown and Anchor Dell Quay

Portsdown Hill - overlooking Portsmouth

Us at Portsdown Hill

Arun River with Arundel Castle in background

Us in Arundel

cute shop window, Arundel

Arundel Castle

A week at the Witterings

1000 foot bench at Littlehampton

Littlehampton

We are staying with relatives in Birdham near Chichester.  West Wittering is the nearest beach and East Wittering is a small village.  

It is a very picturesque area of West Sussex.  There are many beaches and quaint villages to visit within a short drive from here.

We went to Littlehampton, Dell Quay, 

Bognor Regis, Aldwick and Bosham.  Bosham is probably my favourite. It has a fabulous history.

Inhabited by the Romans, Bosham was the sixth most important town in Sussex in the 8th century. Legend has it that the Danish King Canute sat on a chair surrounded by his courtiers and commanded the waves to go back - they did not, an exercise which showed that even the great Canute was mortal; he got his feet wet! King Canute's eight year old daughter was drowned in the Brook Stream and is buried in Bosham Church in a Saxon coffin at the foot of the chancel steps.

It was from Bosham that Harold II set forth in 1064 to negotiate with William of Normandy, a voyage that led to William the Conqueror's return in 1066; Bosham features in the Bayeaux Tapestry.

Bosham

Bosham

Our European trip 25 June 2019 to 30 September 2019

We are now in the UK.  We have been here two nights now and waking up at 4am each morning.  Hopefully we will be over that very soon and waking at a normal time.

Our first night we were at friends house so had to be very quiet at 4am.  Laying in bed waiting till we heard people moving about before getting up.

Last night we stayed in a pub across the road from the church where the funeral service and wake will take place around midday today.

Getting here was a bit of an adventure which began with Qantas cancelling our flight out of Canberra.  We were due to depart 5.10pm and the aircraft was parked up at the gate but no boarding announced we waited and waited and eventually got a text message which simply said your flight has changed.  We waited a bit longer and then went to make enquiries and they said there was a mechanical issue.  We then told them we were checked through to London connecting with Emirates out of Brisbane and we wouldnt be there in time to make the connection.  I started to cry as I said we have to get to London for a funeral.  They said they were looking into it.  They later paged us and said we were now going on an Emirates flight out of Brisbane 2 hours later.

We left Canberra at 7pm on the same plane that had been sitting at the gate since before 5pm. The one they said had mechancial problems.  I was so angry.  It was clear they had simply held over the 5.10pm flight till 7pm as the 7pm wasnt full.

When we got to Brisbane and transferred to International we had to go and see Emirates staff as the boarding passes had us sitting in different rows.  I asked if there was any possibility of sitting together for bereavement reasons.  They moved someone and we were seated together.

We arrived in Dubai in ample time to connect with our original flight from there to Heathrow.  In fact we had about 4 hours wait.  I didnt mind that at all.  Would rather that than miss another connection.  It is a gigantic airport.  Took an hour from when we got off the plane, via the stairs to the tarmac, onto a bus, a longish bus ride and then a train ride and then a long walk to our gate.

When we got on the next flight we heard an annoucement from the cabin crew to say that there would be a delay as a passenger had become ill and needed to be medically evacuated from the plane and their luggage located and removed from the flight.  That took about 45 mins maybe a bit more.

Finally we were off.  It was a good flight into London and only took 6.5hrs but then we circled the airport for about half an hour before landing.

We then went and collected our hire car and fortunately didnt have far to drive.  We stayed overnight with friends in Cobham where Colin grew up.  It's very close to London and Heathrow.

We are now catching up on emails etc while we wait to get ready for the funeral.  We are going to the private cremation first, followed by the church service.  Colin has prepared a eulogy to read out at the service.  Hopefully he will be able to get through it.   After the church service there will be a wake at the Duke of Wellington pub which is a lovely old quintessential English pub.  

We are staying in another pub across the road from the church and the pub so it's very simple.  I wanted to take any stress out of the day for Colin.  Apart from driving to Leatherhead for the private cremation prior to the church service he doesnt have to drive anywhere again today.  It's all walking distance from here.

a few more photos of beautiful St Ives

the path leading to town from our flat

St Ives beaches

Barbara Hepworth Gallery and Garden

This door is the most photographed in St Ives

St Ives Harbour at low tide