Best Western Calcot Hotel Reading

Day zero: Departure<br><br>Packing's done, but today&#8217;s list has a dozen or more things to do (all easy and mundane) &#8211; take meter readings, returning a forgotten library book, squeeze the car into the garage etc.<br><br>An early Christmas card is dropped off by Claire and Derek, near neighbours who amazingly in a few days are doing their own extended world trip, and whose paths cross ours in Cairns in four weeks time.<br><br>Steve is coming at 2.30pm to ...

<br><br><br>"Whatever can go wrong at the most inopportune moment, will" Sod's law<br><br>All I had to do today was to get the laptop ready for travel: clear out old files to make space for photos, transfer my planning files with all the hotel, travel and other necessary detail; and check in.<br><br>First the laptop email chose ...

"We're leavinghome" Beatles<br><br>Leaving thehouse for three months over winter can be a bit of a worry, and besides, thehouse insurers don&#8217;t like it.<br><br>Fortuitously,Barbara and Steve will be house sitting. Good friend Barbara and new partnerSteve have both recently left failed marriages and are looking to start a newlife together. So the arrangement suitsthem, suits us, and suit our insurers. <br><br>But even so,much has to be done to get the house ...

Booked my ticket to the States 2 weeks ago and been sorting out all my stuff at Bekey's house since then. Seems to have been a relative success, packed up the last of my worldly goods and moved boxes to Mum and Dad&#8217;s house. Was pretty sad to be moving out, I&#8217;ve been living with my big sister for about 18 months and have really enjoyed it. Bekey&#8217;s taken good care of me (lots of delicious meals, yum) and we&#8217;ve had a lot of fun. Had lots of cuddles ...

... funny comedy really! <br><br>Had lots of fun navigating the London Underground and Noma really doesn't like poeple with wheelie cases! our shins will never be the same!<br><br>That night Andy and Bec had organised to visit us. 30 minutes in and they dropped the news on us! Bec'is Pregnant!! Yay. Happy days! Of course we had to have a few drinks to celebrate!<br><br>Anyway,<br><br>So the day had come when Chezza had to leave us! We dropped her off at ...

... bbq (wow! dan! seems unreal!) There I met Dan's family, Jack, Tetley (who's a twin) and Dan's dogs. Their family is so different than mine. They're so relaxed, and taken back about anything and everything. Seems like I come from a strict family that didnt let me go outside on my own. I was quite jet lagged so I decided to skip out on the pub ...

... well, find them we did! We got one to take us to a downtown club for an exclusive birthday party, another group took us for indian food, and they all accompanied us to different pubs around London...big surprise. <br>On one of them many rainy mornings, my friend Alex and I went to the museum of Natural History. The building was so beautiful ...

... back to medieval times when the hillside was one of the few dry places where people could graze animals and grow crops. The tor has been a place of pilgrimage for over 10,000 years. Many thousands of people still visit each year, some for its links with religion, legends and beliefs, and others because it is such a renowned landmark. On the summit is St. Michael's Tower, part of a ruined 14th century church. It was built to replace a previous church which was destroyed by an ...

Friday night was spent chillin' at home and recuperating from the week after a drink and conversation at the Shire. On Saturday I got up and ran into the village to get my hair done for the evening's festivities. I had been invited to a Christmas party with the Richings Players theatre troupe and it is a costume party, so I have to fit the part. Kirk is planning to go as the Phatom of the Opera and I am to go as his ...

... followed by Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania etc etc heading down south before eventually ending up in South Africa and flying back to London on February 25th. From there, we re-assess. If the funds are still holding out nicely and the enthusiasm is there, for a quick break, then overland to home! Is this a plan or what!!! Anyway, feel free to join whenever/wherever. We are flexible! Hannah