Tuesday 31st July Drive to Pagham and Beyond

Mums day of rest so its Beatrice & I let loose on the roads for a drive to Bognor and where ever else we might end up.

Impressed myself my getting on to the right roads without any U turns and on to the motorway heading for Southampton.

Getting the hang of the Ford Focus and am remembering that its a manual and you have to put the clutch in when you are stopping or else it stalls! Just got to get the hang of which side the indicators are and of course the radio.

Drove into Pagham area trying to find Dursley where the aunts use to live and where when we were children we spent some summer holidays. More by luck than skill we found Barrack Lane and the house just as I remember it. Parked the car in the little shopping area and walked to the end of the lane and on to the beach. Pebbles, no sand,just pebbles. We crunched our way down to the sea and spread ourselves out on the warm stones. We know the water was very cold as we watched two young girls with their bodyboards make quite a few attempts to brave the freezing water. They eventually made it.

Walked along the beach and found the pathway we use to take and up back past the house to the car.

It was time for lunch so we found a great pub and a two meals for the price of one suited us fine.

A drive into Bognor passing the old pier that had been half destroyed by the storms 10 years ago, to the end trying to find somewhere to park. Bognor was full up as the sun was shinning and it was at least 21degC. The beach goers were out in their thousands.

Saw Butlins, I felt it was a place to avoid though I understand it is very popular and has been there since the end of the war though much changed.

We kept on driving and decided to visit Arundel Castle and village.Home of the Duke of Norfolk for the last 900 years.( You would have thought that he might have done something about moving by now wouldn't you.)

By the time we arrived it was too late to tour the castle so we decided to take a walk around the joint and then on into the village.

Stopped by the river Arun and the boat shed,looked into the antique shops had a ice cream and wandered back to the car to complete our 10000 steps for the day!but not before we took a second look at the yellow car that was chugging its way down stream,obviously having taken a wrong turn but seemed to be making good progress. Quite a handy idea really if the roads are all jammed up.

Had enough for the day and we thought about the drive home which was going to take us a couple of hours. In fact it was trouble free except for the areas where they had sign posted (! Queuing) The speed limit is 70mph but I must have been the only one doing that as I was being left behind, I'm getting the hang of it though and will have another go at it tomorrow when we catch up with Richard and family in Newbury.

Arrived home about 6.30pm, Mum had a drink ready for us and had a cooked beautiful meal and was looking quite glamorous as she had been to her hairdresser, on the buggy of course.

Wrote the blog up and so to bed at 1030 tired and ready for a good night rest. Wow this travelling is so tiring.

Christchurch Monday 30th July

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Good nights rest. Beatrice is feeling better.
10am and Mum is on to her buggy and raring to take off into Christchurch to the weekly markets.
We had to adjust the speed so we could keep up, Mum has got it down to a fine art, up and down the curbs ducking under the railings through the footpath. We had to get a move on to keep up!
A good look through the stalls, thought of Keith and Kate as we did the same thing when they were with us last year. Keith and his Chinese bags that he had been looking everywhere for.
Beatrice bought a stylish hat and we filled our baskets with fresh fruit and Mums salmon she likes.
Stopped off for coffee at the Ducking Stool Cafe. The couple of comments I made didn't go down too well with Beatrice. (I must remember to take the camera with me in future)
Sat outside in the sun looking at the historic buildings and mews. Its just history everywhere you look.
Back home for lunch and recharge the buggy for Mum. She also needed a rest as we had to have the feet done at 1.30.
Drove Mum down to the surgery and she introduced me to her Doctor. Very nice and in fact a Kiwi who had lived and worked as a nanny in Sydney many years ago. She's very kind to Mum and said how great she was keeping.
All done back home for Mums rest, all I had to do was to take the buggy off the charger and park into her garage. Felt such an idiot as Richard from next door had to advise how to start and drive it. I nearly took off and drove through the wall!
However all safe and sound and now parked.
Mums has her home help visit to assist her getting in and out of the bath and do some of her ironing.
We'll have a quiet evening tonight as we have all been very busy.
Making arrangements to drive to Newbury on Wednesday to catch up with Richard and his family. Sort of half way as we can't get over to Wales until the middle of August and he can't wait to see us all. Thanks Richard.
So tomorrow is a rest day for Mum, Beatrice and I will take off for the day and do some exploring whilst she has a rest.

PS Decided to go out as Grandma was expecting her home help at 6pm to assist her to have a bath(getting in and out) and to do some ironing(imagine my surprise when I got home o tell me that a beautiful young blonde had ironed my underpants for me)

Anyhow Beatrice and I set off to walk into Christchurch to go to the local pub Ye old George Inn

it being the oldest inn in town and dates back six hundred years although I have to mention that it was rebuilt as recently as after the civil war in 1646, so its not THAT old!

We had a couple of drinks sitting out side in the court yard where the stage coaches use to pass through to pick up the convicts to transport to Oz.(picture should be here , not the start of this)

Well it was back home by 7.00pm and happy to say that we had achieved our 10000 steps for the day.

Mum had cooked a great salmon dinner and with a couple of glasses of wine it was great to help me fall asleep on the couch until it was bedtime. And so to bed after a busy day.

Christchurch Priory. Sunday 29th July

I'm up and down to the local shop to pick up a Sunday paper, so we could all have a read as Mum likes her Sunday Mail.

Breakfast and ready for church at 10 am at the priory. Over a thousand years old, if the walls could speak!

Mum really enjoyed it as she sometimes finds it hard to make the trip by herself so I was her steadying arm and fellow worshipper.

I really enjoyed it as well and absorbed myself in the atmosphere of the centuries old church. I Could imagine King Henry Vlll soldiers riding through the church and up the nave smashing and looting the place. You can still see all the damage and destruction they did.

Not confirmed so I went up for communion holding a hymn book so the vicar could see that I was still a heathen. I was touched on the head and was blessed for my sins. I think I felt quite good after that.

Had to get home as we were invited to lunch with Jo and Richard.

New Zealand lamb and wine, roast potatoes, runner beans and a baked apple to finish with.

All very filling and after it was a sit down in the lounge, whilst we went through the travel log of their visit to New Zealand visiting their son and daughter in law who had recently moved there.

We were so tired we took the book home as Mum had dozed off next to me and needed her afternoon nap sitting in her favourite chair in the sun. I didn't think it was such a bad idea either.

Quiet time, reading the papers and resting up and so to bed.

Tomorrow its the markets in Christchurch and the choropodist for Mum and not much else.

Bournemouth /Saturday 28th July

Well the clouds look really threatening, however pleased to say the sun came in and out and no rain whilst we were walking about.

Today it was a drive into Bournemouth and an attempt to drive along the beach front as we have done before. Of course this is the height of the holiday season and we soon found out that to do that we had to get past the guard standing by with his satchel waiting to relieve us of 12 pounds! $30!!

But, we just want to drive along and come back out again , I tried to explain.12 quid mate and that's all he said. So we threw a U turn and decided to drive another route to get into Bournemouth.

No problems after a bit of an in and out of a few places we managed to find a park and pay of 2quid ,so we were all set for a couple of hours.

Out with the wheelchair and 1.20 pds we were on to the pier. Mum very excited, said she hadn't been there for years.

Then it was off for a walk through the gardens checking out all the flowers,birds and squirrels.

A stop for a sit down to listen to the local musicians doing their bit from the bandstand. Deck chairs out everybody enjoying the music, sunbathing as best they could between the clouds that were gathering, all very pleasant.

Time for lunch so off to the Riva Cafe in Southbourne, too windy to sit outside so we found a spot inside and enjoyed a light meal and a cup of tea.
Off home for the, yes you guessed it, the afternoon nap.
Needed the rest as we are expecting the neighbours to visit for cheese and biscuits and a small sherry at 7 pm. Since we had eaten a big lunch we decided to have our evening snack when they had gone.
At 1030pm and after quite a few sherries Jack & Jean decided they had better go home as they had to be up and ready to be picked up so they could join their 7 day cruise. Its just unfortunate that it happened to be around where all the flooding was. Never mind they were told they would just go the other way. We will no doubt get a full report when they return no doubt over a few sherries!

So it was scrambled eggs and off to bed. All very tired. I decided to stay up and watch a documentry of the mountains in Scotland.

Beatrice getting a bit better and not coughing so much during the night.

French Markets-Christchurch 27th July

Its off to the French Markets in the High Street, Christchurch. The flags are out and its oui,oui,merci beaucoup etc etc all over the place. Bought some great cheeses and did some of Mums grocery shopping. Sunny and cool, no rain. Beatrice still coughing and spluttering trying to throw off her cold. Everybody a bit tired so back home for lunch and of course the obligatory afternoon rest.
Not for me though, I'm off on foot across the Tuckton Bridge and alongside the Avon to the Wick ferry. 60p and I'm back across the Avon to the other side into Christchurch.A look into the Red Museum to check out the local art show, feeling a bit guilty I haven't started to do any of mine, a walk around the local book/art shop and then back home again. Everybody still resting so I make the tea and wake them all up!

Thursday 26th July

-Up early to find a sunny day with some cloud, however the wind is keeping the temp down to about 16deg.
Mum keen to get out for awhile so its off for a drive to Avon Beach. Sooooo windy that we dove into the carpark so we could have lunch in the Avon Cafe. Passed the car park attendant who fought the wind to stand upright but was still able to say he wanted 6 pounds to enter($15). However the deal is he gives you back some change depending on how long you stay. OK so into the Cafe. Enjoyed a nice meal, fish & chips for mum and me and a prawn salad for Beatrice. We enjoyed watching the windsurfers who were really whipping along and the table and chairs outside being blown along the deck and crashing into each other. It must really be hard to make a quid is this country if you have to rely on the weather. So a fight against the wind helping Mum to get back to the car and the encounter with the carpark attendant to see if we were going to get any money back. We had just been over the hour so I was expecting the worse. He took our ticket pushed into his machine and came back and handed us a fiver!
Then it was off home again so Mum could have a rest.
A miracle, the clouds cleared away and the sun came out from 3pm on and we enjoyed sitting on the verandah reading the paper and of course having a little snooze to keep Mum company.
Wow we must do some exercise or we are going to end up very out of shape. Perhaps tomorrow........

A Grey Summers Day

Yesterday, Wednesday it was raining for most of the day and very grey.The sun did come out for a few minutes but found it too hard and went back in again. A bit of a chill in the air at around 17deg with the wind.
Beatrice spent the day in bed trying to get over a nasty cold that she exported from Australia, she also trying to keep well away from Mum as she dosen't want her to catch it.
Took Mum into Christchurch, checked out the local indoor swimming pool for the (lane times) so I can do a bit of swimming.
Today Thursday its very grey again and it looks as though its going to be much the same as yesterday. I really feel sorry for all the holiday makers who have come to the 'seaside' for their summer holidays. No wonder the newspaper is full of ads for get aways to the Med etc so they can get a bit of sun and warmth. Of course the flooding problems are a real concern and with the ongoing rain it will probably get worse. Luckily none of the family have been affected.
We look forward to the weather improving, Beatrice getting better and getting out and about.
Oh no! its just started to rain again........................

Arrived Safely

Arrived in London after a few delays. After a delay of an hour due to (engineering problems) which I thought was a bit of a worry we took off for Singapore. We were told later it was air-conditioning failure. Our seats were just what we ordered in the steerage area just two side by side with quite a a bit of extra space.

9 hours later in Singapore. All off loaded so we walked around the terminal for 45 mins then back on and off to London. All sorts of meals and some sleep and a few attempts at looking at the in flight entertainment we arrived. No problems through the immigration and customs and there was Sue's happy smiling face.

Off to get the car and down to Christchurch.

Weather just beautiful, some sun and about 17 deg.
Found Mum looking great and just the same as she was when we were with her in Jan 06. Doing really well.

Some lunch a quick snooze and off for a walk into Christchurch.

Wednesday 25th.
Overcast and some slight drizzle. About 16 deg.

I'm off to make myself some breakfast and then out for a walk.

The Day We Were Left Behind....

Fun times at the airport pre departure.......

Mum appeared to have no trouble filling out her departure form....


Dad seemed to need a little guidance from Danielle....

Danielle and I went and bought nail polish to cheer us up....

Last minute double portrait of the happy travellers at the food court...

Trying to find the flight details. We couldn't.....

Running away to Customs. They were very excited!

Have fun Mum and Dad. We'll miss you. Don't forget to buy us lots of presents to ease our pain at being left behind. Sorry about the car. It should be fixed by the time you come home.... XX

written and photographed by Marisa which explains my absence which was lucky because I was having a bad hair day and Danielle had made my nose white by applying too much make up on it at shop where we bought our nail polish. She thought it was very funny. I didn't....

Doing the packing

Well, its a cold raining Sunday afternoon and its packing time. Get all the clothes out and pack them. Next take all the clothes out again because some how you have much too much and try again. Will I need this? or that? Whats the temp over there? Its just got to be warmer than in Beacon Hill right now. However the phone call from Sue tells us that the top temp there is not much over ours! Its their summer! Grief!

Beatrice has a cold and hopefully will be feeling a bit better before we board for the 24 flight. I'm OK.

Well its back to the cold room downstairs and probably doing the packing all over again and I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't get some sort of assistance from my dear wife who will manage to rally up enough strength to sort me out.

This time next week!

Lunch with Katie Balgowlah RSL

Today we met up with Kate and had a very enjoyable couple of hours having lunch washed down with a very nice drop of wine. We will miss her but hope she will (get on to the net) so she can follow us on our travels.

setting up the blog on a cold Sunday afternoon at Beacon Hill

Have just spent the last few hours getting a lesson on how to set up our travel blog from our darling daughters we now have a good idea how it all works.............

July 15th Beacon Hill NSW Australia

Not long now until we leave, soon we will be saying this time next week we will be......................