Setting off in the Camper Van

After London we had a few days back in Hastings with Maureen, fitting out the Camper Van, doing nostalgic visits to Bidborough (David and Maureen's village near Tunbridge Wells)and more fish meals. David was able to indulge his nostalgia with a long walk through the beech forest finishing up at the local pub, the Hare and Hounds. He was able to take Katie past his old village school, the house where he grew up, the village green etc. All good stuff. Finally set off on Monday towards Vanessa's (David's niece)house in Essex. Spent a couple of hours en route finding our way round the Ikea shop near the Dartford Bridge. Ikea is a Swedish furnishing store. Quite stylish and cheap, so very popular. Was amazingly huge, a bit hard to take in really. Spent the evening catching up with Vanessa and her busy family. A great meal out at the Leather Bottle. Next day onto Cambridge. We'd never been there before. The weather had been lousy for several days and continued this faithfully. A bit like an Auckland winter! Cambridge was lovely, very old and genteel. We did some dutiful sightseeing in the rain and then retired to an ancient pub for a beer and a ploughman's for lunch.
Stayed the night with Nic and Diana Hodge from Cairo days. Their daughter Abigail came up from London for the evening. We watched videos from Cairo, mostly of our Thomas and their Abi as 4 and 5 year olds - in the bath, at the beach etc. Lots of fun - great chance to catch up after 16 years. We will see them in NZ in the new year.
Next day on to the Cotswolds via Oxford. Oxford not as pretty as Cambridge but some amazing buildings. Visited Christchurch College. Magnificent architecture. Main claim to fame these days is that Harry Potter was filmed in their great dining hall. I had just said to David that it looked like the Harry Potter dining hall, then found why!
Had our first sleep in the Camper van that night in a beautiful little Cotswolds village, Great Tew. Great pub, low ceiling, lots of low beams etc. the village is charming with lots of thatched roofs and colourful gardens. Doesn't seem to be invaded by tourists. The double bed in the van was a bit crowded with 3 people but was very comfortable and easy to set out! We all slept well. Spent the day exploring pretty villages. All very picturesque. Finished up with a trip on the river at Stratford and a look at Shakespeare's grave.
Have spent the last day with David's cousin Graham Lynch-Watson and his wife Jane in their charming very tall, very skinny house in Banbury, just round the corner from Banbury Cross. Has been great to catch up with them after many years and we haved enjoyed some excellent meals and wonderful hospitality. Put Katie on the train today back to Hastings for a couple of days before she sets off for her au pairing job in Aix en Provence. She has become incredibly independent and is able to travel around Europe by herself without batting an eyelid. We will catch up with her again in the south of france in early October.
Tomorrow we are going to have to take on the NatWest bank again. Opening bank accounts in England is not to be under estimated. They put every possible obstacle in your path, however we are undaunted and determined to get there. Famous last words! After that and stocking up the camper Van larder we are heading for the eastern coast of Norfolk.

London and back

Two busy days sightseeing in London. We hadn't intended to visit London on this visit, but an invitation to stay with David's goddaughter and the arrival of Katie who was very keen to do some London shopping helped us change our minds.
So a train trip with a bus sector to bypas a tunnel in repair and we were there. Joanna had not had a ride on the London eye so we completed that straight away - awesome view of the city. A walk past Trafalgar square, up Regent St, girls in and out of shops while I settled for the Hamleys toy store. Evening drinks at the flat in Earls Court, much smarter area these days, dinner at an Italian restaurant in the pouring rain and bed on the floor.
Next day a long walk to coffee in Kensinton Palace and an even longer long walk through Hyde Park to Marble Arch, girls shopping, and I walked to the NZ monument at Hyde Park Corner. Impressive to look at but not sure what is the point of the random notes on the columns. The Globe and a look at the New Tate gallery in the East End plus a walk through Soho and time for the train back to Hastings for three weary big city tourists.
Today - Friday another beautiful day started with an early morning walk over the Fire Hills on the cliffs to the east of Hastings with Maureen and her dogs. Then time wasted at the incredibly backward UK banks plus fitting out the camper van with bedding and all the utensils necessary for independent living. Some super tasty fresh fish for dinner, and there we are bed time.

Starting Out

We've hardly had time to stop and take a breath since we got here. We had a great flight, slept well and arrived fresh on Thursday morning. Maureen and John had us at the Campervan shop before lunch. There was a big choice, none perfect of course, but in the end we based our decision on the simplicity of setting up the bed. I'm sure that it will take on great importance as the trip progresses. Some of the campervans were quite smart looking but the beds were awful. Ours is a bit of an ugly duckling but the bed is great! We went back on Friday , paid for it , and collected it on Saturday and set off to Henley for John Holmes' birthday party.(David used to flat with John and was his best man many years ago) All this campervan stuff was interspersed with walks down to the Hastings seafront, munching on whelks (refused the jellied eels)and drinks in the local pubs. Steven (David's nephew)his wife, Shona and their son Sam were staying with Maureen also so it was a houseful and lots of eating and drinking of wine.
The weather has been brilliant (until today), so the picnic at Henley was lovely. Very English, including a trip on the river on an umpire's boat. A meal in Henley that night and then back to the Holmes's at Speen, near High Wycombe. Up early in the morning for a walk around the local countryside. Again brilliant weather, so David could be hard to drag away at the end of this sojourn. Enjoyed a very British afternoon tea party in slightly dodgy weather(thank goodness) with all the Holmes's local friends.
Next morning set off south again to meet up with Pauline Cremer, an old friend of Auntie June's who provided a 'home away from home' for the Beale girls during our OE's in England. We had a great lunch at a pub in the Ashdown Forest and a good catchup on all the gossip, which Pauline is very good at. Spent the evening with Feralyn and Jonathon, David's niece and their brood of young children. Simon, David's nephew was there also. Good to catch up and see how the children are growing.
A quiet day at Hastings today, the weather is truly English now. Lousy! But we have been happy to spend the day raiding Maureen's house to fit out the campervan. Off to London tomorrow to see Rozy Winstone(Le Couteur).
The big event tonight is that Katie is arriving back from Italy where she has been with a schoolfriend. It is the first time we have seen her since January. it sems that her phone has run out, so we have no idea when she is getting here, but we are very excited.

Davids 70th Birthday Party

Heres a little test post to get this thing up and running, below are some photos of the birthday party/going away party on Saturday the 4th at Macpherson St.

this is where you can keep us all up to date with your travels!!