Flackley Ash Hotel And Restaurant Rye

As this is my first ever entry that my background is of someone who has travelled the United Kingdom an awful lot and has travelled to a lot of Europe, Australia and New Zealand. I will have a lot more to contribute in the coming months, but that is it for now and I hope that I shall enjoy meeting many new people and share your thoughts and experiences.

this week i was caught crawling. obvioulsy i've been secretly manoevering around without them knowing - but today they spotted me. i enjoyed the oohs and ahhs and their obvious pride in my new-found talent was quite sweet - but they now watch me like hawks so i'm going to have to learn better stealth manoevres.

been out and about doing christmas shopping - don't know what the fuss is about- santa does the hard work and surely i can't be expected ...

After a good nights sleep, we all woke up to a strange object beginning to break through the clouds....the SUN!! I must say that after 5 days of rain, it was a very welcome and just goes to prove that it doesn't always rain in Wales!

Once everyone had packed & sorted themselves out, we set of for Cardiff in bright sunshine. I even had to put on my shades!

At ...

Well I'm getting quite excited now! last night I met Colin, Wendy, Leigh and Sarah, 3 of the team that will be riding with me. They were all really nice and Wendy had even made me a leather waistcoat but I might have to cut down on the doughnuts as it was a little snug!

It was good to meet them all and we discussed the trip, what gear everyone was taking and what the weather would be like. I told them that the sun always shines up North! but I don't think ...

... reading ‘No Popery’ are displayed with pride. Later on in the evening, at one of the seven bonfire sites, a giant effigy of the Pope will be obliterated with explosives to the sound of cheers and laughs. The anti-Catholicism is entwined tightly with a sense of national pride and identity. At the war memorial the societies took it in turns to hold a remembrance service for those who fell in the World Wars. Giant placards of poppies, studded with fizzing fireworks, were held ...

... grass remains.

We took a walk out on the lowlands before we headed for the train station: acres of flat land and grazing sheep with colored blotches on their backs, some sort of brand. In the distance we could see the ruins of Camber Castle.

We had a two- hour journey home and arrived back on the Brompton Road, not far from our flat, in the bustling dark ...

... close White Hart pub and had a very filling and pleasant dinner before an early night in front of the Television watching, through the static (another disappointment) the highlights of the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games. Of course many people would have been delighted at staying in an authentic (but how authentic was it?) 16th century building, but that was not what we thought we had booked into.

Today almost no wind, so we did the whole trip on the engine. No tackling, going straight, well, we arrive at a decent hour. Again a new experience though: a lock, and there is a traffic jam! Everybody waits to get in, so we all are there side by side, trying to keep the boats noses right where it has to be, without bumping the one into the other. Frank is doing a super job, and ...

Today, we leave for Eastbourne, and the wind is not very good (grrr, they had forecasted S-SE wind, but well, forecasts are not this good those days), which means we will have to tack, which will reduce our speed! The weather is ok, even some sun, but we get tired. We reach Dungeness, pass it, but soooo slowly... Frank starts to evaluate our ...

... in Florida for 6 months from Nov 06 to May 07 - all being well and the good Lord giving me good health in the meantime. My trip has been a magical experience and I know Michael was looking after me on my journey - I had no bad experiences and never felt worried or concerned for my safety. I hope you have enjoyed reading my diary as much as I have writing it, and when I decide to complete the unfinished bits I will keep you posted!!