2014/1 En Route

  Straight through via Hong Kong to a  UK with brilliant sunshine for the May Holiday weekend in Hastings  - fish for supper, kippers for breakfast. Stan the van had suffered from a very very wet but mild winter with green growth to be washed off as the first job.   It was ‘Jack in the Green’ (look it up) weekend in Hastings, the Old Town teeming with Morris dancers, ‘clackerty’ boots with bells, green or very fancy dress, hop skipping and jumping with squeeze box music, pubs crowded.  Bank holiday Monday, Jack leading the procession with drum band music reverberating in the narrow streets.  Up on the hill a crowd sat on the grass to taste the local brew and watch the dance teams. 

 

However not to be outdone, Monday was also the motorbike rally with over 10,000 bikes (the paper says 30,000) in town creating a constant background roar. All car parks, verges and centre reserves filled with every sort of 2 and 3 wheel machines. All this with sunshine and the pebble beach backed by amusement parks etc – all go as I imagine the good old Hastings heydays.

Of course the weather couldn't continue and we set off to the end of Sussex over the South Downs  to lunch with David’s old friends with whom he shared a house many moons ago.  Thence a two day visit to some fine country houses and gardens all part of the National Trust (entry free with our NZ Historic Places card).  Spring in the gardens and on the Oh so narrow roads (driving Stan’s  left hand drive as close as possible to the hedge).  The fresh green leaves (well a green/lime in fact) with sun and rain – beautiful. There is so much unspoiled wood and  pasture in the South of England.  A night parked on the harbour at Bosham and back to Hastings.   Final preparations to fit a new house battery and a new skylight with gale force winds in Hastings, lets hope the Channel is calmer tomorrow. Final Stan check up, fill up with water, load up the clothes ( why do we keep bringing clothes etc over and leaving more here – will we ever learn?)  Joanna picked up her Spec Savers specs (so much cheaper here) and to the supermarket  to stock up with UK specials and David to load up the bikes.

Have to have one last visit to a pub for a drink (or two) and another comfortable night and shower in Maureen’s house. We should be off in the morning (Sunday the 10th May) via Dover castle to catch the ferry.  Joanna has planned a route south via Lille, Belgium and Switzerland to Genoa – we shall see.

Note David has a new UK phone (old number deceased) new one 00447437191507 but only use if urgent and preferably with text message, we will access email when WiFi available.