Hallwood Farm Oast Cranbrook

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 ...

... Velindre hospital we were given a great welcome by the fund raising team, who made us tea, coffee & kindly posed for photographs with me.

Next stop, Bristol via the new Severn bridge.

Thanks to Lyndsey's hard work, we were given another great welcome & supplied with hot drinks and more great photo opportunities with the staff.

I'm now back 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 ...

... shrub. Before long a line of people began trudging into the field, launching their burning torches onto the fire as they went past. The bonfire was soon a raging inferno.

Then came the fireworks. My God they were spectacular. There were three men, all costumed, standing on a platform controlling the display - like crazy conductors; masters of the fire. A constant stream of fireworks hurtled towards them from zealous spectators. Most public firework displays are impressive ...

... slowly we all process into the lock. While the lock fills with water, we wait, and we are given a berth number. Well organized!
Very chice marina. A little too much to me! Rather expensive, lots of terraces, restaurants, fancy places, cinema's, but no decent chandlery! We will only stay 2 nights. We think.
The next day, Frank starts to fix something near the anchor ...

... the evolving tidal currents, the distance still to do, and realizes we would only arrive around midnight! We left at 8 AM, it is now 3 PM, and we are not even half the trip! Frank decides to turn back, very wise!
And this is funny, because now we have the wind in our back (do not know the english sailing expression!), such a comfort ...

... watch an intro video presentation in a small enclave under one corner of the castle structure. Armed with a little history, we then set off at our own pace to explore.....absolutely beautiful views of surrounding Rother Valley can be enjoyed from the battlements and ramparts. Amazingly small spiral staircases lead the way upwards...great space-savers, but I can imagine many a tumble down these in the castle's hey-day! Well worth a visit if you're in SE of UK.

... who I knew could/would arrange a day of gliding, so Zento were asked to come along as well, it was now just finding a spare weekend amongst all the flights that we have booked. Today was the day, off we drove to the Kent countryside that is John's place. A quick cuppa before we left, once downed, we were on the road. Upon arrival, we ate breakfast before Alan, our fellow BT pilot arrived. We filled in the paperwork, then made our way to ...

... stone circle just out of Iverness with a split standing stone, which is a time portal on and around the solstice. And guess what this stone circle had a split stone. Im totally convinced this is the one from the book!! I didn't travell through time though :( Our next stop was Drumossie moore (the Culloden Battle field). This was a very sad place as it marks the end of the Highlanders way of life and culture. Large stones with the names of the clans buried under them mark the ...