July 2008
Landed in the UK. Our flights routed us back through this way from Asia to South America which meant we could have a catch up with family and friends. We first stayed with Dave’s Mum and Dad and saw our nieces Izzy, 3 and a half, and Sian. A walk in nearby fields…the sun dazzled and it was a beautiful day in English countryside…until it tipped it down later.
Next to stay at our good friends Stuart and Mary’s in London for a few days, with Finn (10) and Cal (5). Time to recoup, re-stock and plan the next leg of the adventure. We made the most of a sunny Sunday (after a late night before drinking round the table with mates Paul T. and Micah) and went for a walk in Kew and along the river. Back at Stuart and Mary’s flat, Cal went out to a cowboy party, Micah was still around as he’d slept over negotiating his long limbs in to one of the kid’s spare bunkbeds. We’re all a bit knackered.
14th July I headed north on the train to meet my niece Sarah May, now 7 months old and born whilst Dave and I were travelling in Mexico so this is the first time we’ve met. Emma was on top form and I met up with some old childhood friends Jane-Anne and Val and relatives Eileen and Trevor. Reminisced with Mum over old photos and Sarah May is the happiest baby I’ve met; fantastic to spend time with her. Wandered around town to the Abbey, down the pier and up Church Street to the market place. Visited our old village and celebrated Mum’s birthday. The sun stayed out for the entire visit and Northern England looked beautiful.
Down to Farnham to see James and Stef…pub grub, talked until the early hours of the morning and an early rise with breakfast of boiled eggs and soldiers before a 2 hour drive further down the country to Bristol. James reckons his middle age has definitely settled in; he heard ‘Uptown Girl’ on the radio the other night…and turned it up. In Bristol we caught up with Duncan, Jayne, Max and new arrival, 2 week old Jed. Stayed overnight, went to the pub and spent a lot of time telling travelling tales and laughing.. Sunday morning drove back to London and over to the East End to see Jules and Rich and my old cat Stella, who is currently living with them. Rich cooked up a great BBQ whilst Dave talked computer geek stuff with Jules. We all shared stories about Mexico, it being one of their favourite holidays. It’s wonderful to be able to see so many friends and family after almost 9 months away.
Back to London where we took Finn and Cal out for the day by tube train to Kensington. At Kensington Gardens we see the Prince Albert Memorial commissioned by Queen Victoria in memory of her husband. The restored gold leaf statue of Albert faces south in a canopied pavilion with the four corners of the world depicted by statues surrounding it. The Royal Albert Hall on the opposite side of the road is an architecturally glorious venue. More fun for kids is the boating on the Serpentine, all 4 of us in a fibre glass pedal boat…many hilarious almost disasters. Cal has got in to a routine whilst we’re staying…he gleefully wakes us up really early by jumping on the bed and enjoys competing with Dave about whether the living room curtains should be open or closed each morning (the light reflects on his TV programmes). Their overheard negotiations are very amusing.
A trip to Odds Farm taking Cal out of London to visit Izzy. Sheep, goats and jumping on Dave.
Proof to American friends that we do have beaches in the UK and blue sky on occassion. Dave and I took a 2 hour drive from London down to Dungeness and Camber Sands on the East Sussex Coast. We clambered on sand dunes, dipped our feet in the sea.
At Dungeness we visit Prospect House, the former home of filmmaker Derek Jarman and where he spent his last days before dying far too young. It’s serene and imaginatively designed with a wonderful coastal garden.
This is our last stop before packing and leaving on Monday. First to New York then back to visit new friends in Mexico and on in to Central and South America. No firm plans as to where we’ll go but hoping to get to Guatemala and possibly Costa Rica and Panama…but it’s all open and flexible so we will see where the maps take us.
The Travel Diarist 