Barnett Hill Guildford

... It’s not particularly difficult to get to or even expensive in comparison to the majority of places around the globe?

I think people generally think of Nepal and the Everest base camp, or of orphans perhaps? Both of which I haven’t been able to include in my itinerary for this trip, despite having tried. There’s too much training involved in attempting the base camp and you need to be ...

... of it’s existence.

So apart from the Lost City trek which sounds like a total adventure in itself… having to carry all my stuff, wading across rivers, scrambling over rocks and sleeping with monster mossies…. I haven’t booked anything else yet!

I’ve just won a bid on ebay for the Lonely Planet Panama guide, so hoping that arrives this week before my departure and then I can get some ideas of how I’m ...

... Did not look anything like a palace. Not too fancy or huge. It was the home of Late Princess Diana. The entrance of the palace potrayed the statue of King William III, the first resident of this palace after its acqusition. On the side of the palace was the Sunken Garden. It was so colorful and beautiful. There were 2 levels of flowers, mostly tulips of many different colors, and a pond in the center. Adjacent to the palace was a statue of Queen ...

... we were told we were locked in and couldn't leave until 4:30am. This worried us a bit but the English lady assured us we would be fine. Once 4:30 came, the doors were unlocked to let the neon blanketed prisoners out of the sleeping quarters and we were able to locate the terminal 2 alitalia desk. Just as our luck would have it, no one was there and we were given a tip that the desk doesn't open til 5am. Ok. So we wait. 4:45 we still ...

... find the start of the Great Eastern Highway. It starts here, inland, beacuse this if where the first solid ground starts and they couldn't build roads on the sandy soil. Everything was brought here from the coast by put and then put on the road. Ergo the reason for the town of Guildford.

... Eve service. I was bitterly disappointed - I'd been holding that image in my head ever since we first discussed this trip - but I really wasn't up to going. Instead we retreated to our B&B, where we watched Pirates of the Caribbean on TV. Oddly enough, it was among the most fun times we'd had thus far. I'd forgotten how much I loved that movie. Sitting on the end of our bed, squinting at the tiny TV, and laughing our heads off at Captain Jack Sparrow and the rest ...

... Lister, Joule, and the like - plus a very very impressive tomb of one Isaac Newton. Buried nearby in the floor, where everyone could step on his ultra-plain marker, was Charles Darwin...we suspect there is some ulterior motive and some great stories behind this one. After Westminster we walked through several vast parks and green spaces, past the hordes of crowds gathered outside Buckingham Palace (a band was playing the Beatles ...

... underground in the site they were found - but I was far happier sunbathing and watching my club Everton play out a highly unsatisfactory draw with Aston Villa on the telly. I did however get some more tubing in (i.e. float down a river in a tyre) - but this time the bar stops had been replaced by the odd rapids. Crazy, and fun! From there we went on to Caye Caulker, a Belizean island in the Carribean Sea. I don't want to build the place up in case all you people ...

... and it will be full steam ahead. The efforts I did make extended to a lunchtime wander down to Oxford Street but it seemed like a few thousand other people had the same idea. I decided to scuttle back to my desk and make an order or two through Amazon.......a few quid spent on postage and packaging seems to be the way ahead in my book.

... After descending from the emotional high of victory - consider that is something to try just the once. Perhaps I should announce my retirement while I'm at the top of my commuting game... who knows. I get home and find Bob the Builder has left a hole in the front of the house as part of the building works. It turns out that tonight is probably going to be the coldest night for about 8 months - I think I my well have to go out to find some warmth....... How ironic is that?