Albright Hussey Manor Hotel Shrewsbury

... further south to start the journey in the light of the advancing winter - but as a man once said, "Go big, or Go home!" (I make no judgement as to whether he was a wise man). Starting in Amsterdam is more memorable and allows me to pass through three more countries (Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg) for the sake of an additional day or two on the road.<br><br>The countdown is at 15 days and 21 hours...

An early start from London and back in Crewe by 9.15, shortly thereafter I had the slightly surreal experience of helping someone move into my flat. Many hands made light work and we had all of the stuff moved into the flat within 30 minutes.<br><br>After a fantastic lunch I went back and removed the very last of the stuff, including the bike and the backpack; and now I am staying at Steve's ...

Well I am happy to report that despite postal strikes I have my passport back and a multiple entry visa stamp inside.<br>I was so relieved to have the passport back.I really do not like to be parted from it.<br>All I have to do now is get through the next 4 weeks at work.Oh well I am sure I will manage.<br>Bye for now.

Well now the time has come to start preparing for the next trip away.<br>Yesterday was taken up with getting passport photos(why do they always look like mugshots?)<br>I had to have my picture taken twice.In the first set it looked like I was smiling and the guy taking the photos asked me to keep my lips together for the next lot.<br>Well I dont know about this.<br>Why cant passport photos have us looking happy.Surely we are not ...

... reasons.<br>Hellooo I tried to book an airline ticket with my card,this is one of the reasons I have a card, to book things online.<br>Anyway they unblocked my card I got my ticket and all is well.<br>But don't you love the banking system here.They are so security conscious that if you try to use your card they block it so you don't get ripped off.<br>Never mind I will be in Thailand soon,hot sun,cold beer and all will be fine with the world.<br>

Afte a lazy start to the day we headed out to go see some locals of the New Forest starting first with the donkeys then the ponies, cows, pigs, squirrels, ducks and geese - oh and manybe some sheep too! <br><br>We headed up around Frogham, over the High Corner Inn to the pub at Fritham, the Walter Tyrrel and the Rufus stone, thru Beaulieu and back up ornamental drive before heading home to have dinner at the George! Great day not too rainy and very entertaining!<br>

Afetr and early start thanks to a wake up call from 'Freinds', we headed off to Beeston. We visited Beeston Castle courtesy of the Poyntons.<br>Spectacular veiws from the hill top and castle site.<br>Later we drove to theShady Oak pub for a pint and food (in the ...

... After that we headed west to Shrewsbury and Telford. Getting towards 6 pm we got a bit worried about where we would sleep but found a great pub at Wellington on the outskirts of Telford.<br><br>Computer time is a bit difficult this week but there may be more news in a few days.<br><br>Sorry no pictures this time.

... Olive! They were so eager to meet us, they had just stopped by to say hello - welcome - and, we'll see you later! <br><br>Our drive from Wales to Shrewsbury was fairly easy - though we had to carefully watch for the road signs. We certainly laughed at each others' attempts to pronounce the various Welsh village names listed on the road signs we passed! "Ll's," "dd's," and a few extra "y's" made most words quite challenging ...

... have been pretty rough for all the folks who weren't involved in the big debate between Catholic and Protestant, having their churches half demolished. This means that there are a lot of patchwork churches where you can see a distinct change in style at some point in the building. Some ruins of the demolished parts are left, but sometimes they were used for peoples' houses or other purposes. To be continued...