Stardate: 83536.36 15 July, 2006
Posted in Life and Times! at 9:26 am by Marg
Well…
Yesterday we took a trip up to Upwood to deliver Robin’s artwork to his brother Neil after I had had my nails well and truly massacred at the battle of Biggleswade and right hand thumb nail was killed by a Vietnamese ‘nail technician’ – (very inaccurate description) – but £15 later, I was happily on my way with damage filled in and looking like Lady Godiva once more!
We found Neil and Jan’s place ok. We spent a lovely evening there and were treated to a beautiful Engish dinner of Roast Beef and Yorksire Pudding, with summer veggies, with venison pate for entree and home-grown strawberries and cream… YUM!!! We also consumed quite a few bottles of vino!
In the morning, Jan did us proud yet again with a banquet table fit for Kings! We decided that we could only manage toast and jam tho’. So here’s the plug…
Providence Place is the BEST Bed and Breakfast place in the WHOLE of Huntingdonshire! TRUE!!!
We came home to Mary and George’s and then went to Kate’s and off to ‘The Crooked Billet’ pub for afternoon drinks in the sun. We relaxed and enjoyed the sunshine with David, Kate, Bailee, Mary and George.
Then home for dinner. Off to Mags tomorrow. 
Hope my cold is better… Have felt quite crappy all day… 
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Stardate: 83530.94 13 July, 2006
Posted in Life and Times! at 9:46 am by Marg
Today we went to the races at Newmarket- Glorious day- sun blazing down.
Unbeknown to us, it was ‘Ladies Day’ and all these women were being bussed in from God knows where in their hats, sunnies and dresses!
Thankfully I wore a dress today, so didn’t feel like I stood out too much. Tried on a hat that I could have rented for £30 for the day!!! Thanks, but no… But have the photo for proof! It was bad enought the cost to get in – £18 each (NZ$54!!!! Yikes!) But I guess it is once in a lifetime.
Stopped in at ANOTHER quaint pub on the way home, and then had a lovely chinese dinner in the chinese restaurant at Sandy. Wow. Better than our Chinky restaurants, which was a surprise. They did have NZ wine on the menu – a Cloudy Bay Sav. Blanc for £48 (NZ$144) so we gave that a miss and had a nice French Gewurtstraimener instead!
Thats all for now!
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Stardate: 83529.56 12 July, 2006
Posted in Life and Times! at 9:37 pm by Marg
Rather than repeat typing the big long email R sent to his work, here is a copy of it. Yes, I know I’m lazy, but it tells of all what we have been up to so far, but of course, from his perspective!
Everything is great here in the UK and a week has already gone by. The flight over was quite good with little turbulence (most was landing at Heathrow. The two hour stopover at LA airport was a waste of time really as we had to formally enter the US, get finger printed and photographed just to sit in an
outdated transit lounge with no facilities and
it was very hot to boot! Arrived at Heathrow right on time at 10.55am UK
time on the Wednesday to pouring rain –
“welcome to sunny England” said the flight attendant (from Wales she
was………!!!!). Took about an hour and a half
to get off the plane and be bused to the terminal – long story and was a
little frustrating but it happens all the time at
Heathrow. Did the immigration thing and we got all our bags etc no probs
and Margaret’s family friends were waiting there to pick us up – I think
they
wondered if we were in fact going to turn up because of the long delay
disembarking.
Anyway we were soon on our way up the A1 to Stevenage and then on to
Sandy (in Bedfordshire about 45 miles out of London). We stopped off at
Stevenage to see some more family friends and I said let’s go for a beer
– so we stopped in at a small pub in Stevenage called The Mallard (just
wouldn’t you know it, the twot
Labour govt even follows me to the UK !). Anyway I achieved my ambition
of getting into an English pub on the first day and the beer tasted
good. Got to Sandy (Mary & George’s place) about 4pm – we were feeling
quite good as the travel pills had helped us but the lack of sleep
factor did kick in later. I think I crashed about 9pm that night
so I thought I lasted quite well for an old bugger!
On Thursday we went down to the village of Sandy to have a look around
(and go the bookies for a bet) and to buy some train tickets to London.
We also visited the Royal Bird Protection Society which is just on the
outskirts of Sandy – it was just amazing – they have about 43 hectares
of land and are totally run on charitable donations. Had lunch in a
quaint family run café then went on to Bedford town for shopping and
went around the gourmet market that was being held – there was some
fantastic food , cheeses, meats all sorts really for sale and some of
the stall owners were funny to talk to!
We did the London thing on Friday 7th – the bombing anniversary day .
Our train came out at King’s Cross and the police and press were
everywhere. Got some
photos of the memorial area at King’s Cross. We were actually on the
tube, stopped at Edgeware Rd when the 2 minute silence was observed at
midday. Went to see where I used to live in Maida Vale – at first I was
a bit disoriented and then I couldn’t remember the name of the road (you
know that fading memory thing that happens
to some of us!) . Anyway we walked in the direction
that I thought was right and then there it was, Shirland Road – looked
quite different for most
parts from 22 years ago but the flats where I used to live are still
there and Marg took a photo of me standing outside the one where I think
I lived – wasn’t quite sure
of the number (memory thing again). Went to Oxford Circus and had lunch,
very busy place as always and lotsa sales on so I had to keep a close
watch on
my tour manager’s wallet! Went to John Lewis’ store – lots of variety
there of stuff to buy. Then went on the bus to Knightsbridge to Harrods
(you women would just love that place), drove past expensive real estate
opposite Hyde Park. – all too much to see there in a short time. Harrods
was also very busy with all the sales. Marg bought a couple of things
and I took her photo standing by statue of the Arab owner Al Firehead (
or however you spell his name!). Then went to Piccadilly Circus as I
wanted to the place again with all the colours and lights, just amazing.
Then as we were walking down towards Leicester and Trafalgar Square I
heard my name called out and
turned around to see Lewis Grant (Taylor Grant Tesiram) and his wife and
son – we had a good chat, they had been to Germany to the World Cup,
then France and
now a bit of the UK before going back to NZ. My prediction of a
France/Italy final was correct ! pity about the penalty shootout. Had to rush back to Kings Cross for the train back to Sandy and that was
an experience and a half – the Piccadily line tube was jammed packed at
7pm and I mean really
full ! good to get out of there.
On Saturday we went back to Stevenage (I drove George’s car so was a
little apprehensive getting used to the traffic volumes, road signs and
all the roundabouts again) and went out on the town with Mary & George’s
two children Kate and David and Kate’s partner Chris (Kate was our
flower girl at our wedding and she now has a little baby herself – time
flies). We went to three of four pubs and then ended up at an Indian
restaurant about midnight for a fantastic meal – northern Indian cuisine. Stayed the night
in Stevenage and drove back to Sandy and had a barbeque for dinner and
watched the cup final – the weather hasn’t been that great so far and
the temperatures have been a little cool so we hope that their summer
hasn’t finished yet! In saying that everything thing is very brown over
here and there has been little or no rain for weeks until we arrived.
On Sunday morning watched the second half of the All Blacks/Australia
tri nations match and then later we went with Mary & George up to
Shuttleworth (a few miles from Sandy) and really out in the countryside
to the Bedford County fair – it was fun and therewere even a couple of
NZer’s there doing a sheep show – I went up to one of them after the
show and introduced myself – had a good chat, he was from Ch’ch.
On the way home we stopped at a quaint country pub called the Hare and
Hound ( you know the low ceilings, small bar etc – something to be
appreciated).
Yesterday we went to thru to Cambridge city (about 30 miles from Sandy)
and did the open top double decker bus tour – you can get off at various
stops around the city and walk around. Some of the streets are tiny and
reminded me of walking around the streets in Venice at times but all in
all a beautiful place.
It is a city steeped in history of course and the university is made up
of about 31 colleges – some 16,000 students study there and they all
ride bicycles and they
the students are not allowed to bring cars in to the city without
special permission – certainly has the effect of keeping the traffic
volumes down. Lots to see and do in Cambridge , had a pub lunch , later
in the afternoon it rained. Stopped off at a couple of pubs on the way
home and tried some local real ales – good stuff!
Today we are going up to St Ives and then tomorrow (Wednesday) we
are going thru to Newmarket to the races which should be an experience
and fun and on Thurs we have to go Upland (about 25 miles north of
Sandy) to deliver a painting we brought over with us for a friend’s
brother.
Well that’s about it for now folks.
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