Premier Inn 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...

... for a few days; thanks Steve. :-)<br><br>This week will consist mainly of waiting for my next vaccination and another set of goodbye drinks but the process of refining the contents of the pack is practically neverending. Tonight i started filling plastic baggies with spices and wondering idly whether or not they will get me arrested at customs... might have to reconsider the larder options.<br>

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.

... man)<br>So anyway.I got the photos done.filled out the forms then raced off to the post office to send everything to the Royal Thai Consulate.Had to be done this weekend as I am trying to avoid the massive postal strikes that are rolling out across Britain at the moment.<br>So hopefully next week I will have my passport back with my new visa in it and the last 5 weeks of work will hopefully not drag too slowly.<br>Thailand awaits.<br>

... 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 a night of jet lagged induced sleep we traveled across the Welsh border into a town called Chester. This is in the county of Cheshire in England. Two countries in one day!! NOT BAD!!<br><br>Chester is famous for a number of things from horse racing to the wall that the Romans built in AD 79, that surrounds the city.<br><br>We had a wonderful day walking around the shops. The weather was a refreshing change from the Florida heat!! A beautiful day to spend outside.

After a great few days with Ian &amp; Pauline we took off west through North Wales. Had Paulines ham cobs on the promonade at Rhyll overlooking a windswept beach but in glorious sunshine. Carried on around the north coast to Conway and then followed the river south to Ffestiniogg past the slate quarries and then to ...

... to throw my way. Then it's just a medical kit of essentials and £200's worth of anti malarials! Can't complain, though- I'd rather all that than die, and I don't suppose my family would be very happy either! I am just the teeniest bit alarmed about the millions of nasty diseases I could contract/ the risk of getting charged by a hippo (no, seriously), but there's only about 1% of me that nervous- the rest is just excitement! I'm literally counting down the days!