Tuesday 14th July 09

Hi from Dubai. Our flight from Heathrow was delayed in leaving by 30mins but we had a tail wind and arrived in Dubai at 3.05. It was  34degrees Celcius. By the time we got our bags, got our ride to our hotel and got to our room it was after 4.30.

Up again at 9am to meet a lady from a tourist agency who gave us some ideas and thoughts on what to do. We booked a half day tour starting at 2pm. We went to have breakfast and met down in the lobby.

Back out into that lovely heat. It was a long afternoon and was a reasonably good tour. Would have taken a lot less time if we hadn’t had wait at a few stops for some people.

It is an interesting place and we found out June July and August is their off peak season because of the humidity which was about 75% or more. No one stays dry.

Our last stop was the gold souk and we have never seen anything like it. Shops upon shops with 18ct, 21 and 22ct gold. Windows just of so much gold it almost looked fake. And watches, jewellery bags pashmina’s but in this souk mo9stly gold and diamonds. Problem was we only had about 40mins and we were bombarded from all sides with people wanting to sell us something. I did look at some earrings but we aren’t used to bartering and it was hard to quickly convert from Dirham to US$ or Aus dollars. Ended up walking away. Owen bought a watch (yes kids, ANOTHER ONE)
but even that was a tag team job. Not something we enjoyed.

Finally got back to our hotel at 8pm and we hadn’t had any lunch and not a lot to drink so went to and english pub in the hotel. Now time for night night as we have an early wakeup call

Almost home

Sunday 12th July 09

Well our last full day in London. My back still not as good as it could be. We had made arrangements to meet Nicole Daley, a friend of the family, who is working over here. She is working as a night nurse with a young baby so she met us for breakfast. She was here for about 2 hours and it was great to catch up, although she said it sort of made her homesick.

We then spent the next few hours watching Mark Webber win his first Grand Prix and then off for a walk.

We walked for nearly 1 1/2hrs, not really meaning to but you think you are walking around the block, but you never seem to get there. We managed to walk through the Chelsea shopping centre which was quite busy.

So now it is only waiting to leave tomorrow. We don’t have to check out until 12noon so we will probably have a late breakfast. Our flight is 5pm UK time and we get into Dubai at 2.50 in the morning. We are staying in a hotel until our next flight out and should arrive home on Thursday morning around 7.30-8am.

Can’t wait to catch up with the kids and Mackenzie. She is now crawling, pulling herself up on things and has cut 2 teeth. Lots of changes while we have been away. Hope she remembers who we are, and doesn’t cry.

Well this will probably be our last posting. See you all soon

Owen & Lyn

Saturday 11th July 09

Yesterday morning I bent over to wipe my leg and something gave way. I got up and I was very careful for the rest of the day.
This morning I was struggling with my back so today has been a rest day. Went to breakfast, lie down, went to lunch, lie, went down for a drink etc at dinner time. I read a book and slept and Owen watched TV and slept. Really eventful day.

Friday 10th July 09

Today we went to Madam Tussauds. Thought we had a 2 for 1 ticket but had to line up to get it. We queued for an hour before they let us in and then we had to pay 50pound. OUCH. and we were only in there for 1 hour. Good but not really worth the money and so many people inside around all the popular people it was hard to get a look in.
We then got a bus tour which was at least 2.30hrs but we got off at St Paul’s cathedral. We decided not to pay to go inside. The outside is interesting enough. We then walked from there to Tower Bridge. Just a wee bit further than we thought. Lots and lots of tourists, long queues for the Tower of London. We had some lunch and walked the bridge and then hopped a bus to go back to the hotel as we are going out for dinner with Nick and Karen Oliver and meeting them in Trafalgar Square.

Taken Wed 8th July 09

Trafalgar Square

Thursday 9th July 09

Today we started out a bit later again about 10.30 and walked over the road to the Victoria and Albert Museum. All national museums are free so that was a good start. So much to see. Parts of the building itself was spectacular. By about 2.30 we decided we had seen enough and walked up past the Natural History Museum which had a long queue outside it. We went further looking for the Science Museum. After nearly walking around the block we found it. By this stage it was after 3.30 so we were hoping a lot of the school groups would be gone or going. There were a lot of larger exhibits and lots on space.
We left there and walked around Sth Kensington a bit until our feet started barking and said enough.

Wednesday 8th July 09

London: breakfast was busy. We had to wait for a table at 8.30am.
Didn’t plan anything for today but decided to head down to the river. Came out of the underground at Westminster to be looking at Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Busy area. Went down to the river and asked about cruises. We didn’t want a short cruise so found one that was 3hrs all up. We went down the river past several bridges including Tower Bridge which is impressive and stopped at Greenwich and then on to the Thames Barriers. On the return journey we got off at Greenwich and walked through the grounds and a couple of buildings of Greenwich University then on to the National Maritime Museum, Queen’s House and the Royal Observatory. I rained again, thanks for the umbrella Carole, and then we headed back to catch the 5pm boat back to Westminster.
Too early to go back to the hotel so walked, to Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly. Found the theatre area and had dinner just up from Piccadilly.
It’s true what people have been telling us, that you don’t hear much english on the streets, it just seemed to be a sea of tourists and so many different languages.
Stood up after having dinner and was as stiff as a board and feet moaning. We then had to get on the tube. Push, shove, don’t care, just got to get on that train whether there is space or not. (not us of course, but Owen is threatening to tomorrow!) Got back to our room at 7.30pm to find a lovely note from the american girl we had dinner with last night, thanking us for inviting her to join us. Was lovely
Forgot to give you the web address for our hotel.
http://www.sarova.com/rembrandt/ We are in a superior room. Not a front view of course.

Tuesday 7th July 09

Off to London. We had a nice brekky and slid the suitcases down the stairs and headed off to the station. I am in trouble for buying too much stuff. Both suitcases are quite heavy but we haven’t weighed them yet.

One hour to London and then had to buy tickets for the tube and find the right platform. Lots more stairs. Poor Owen has had to carry the suitcases again and again.

Got out at South Kensington station. It is true what people say about people in London. They only think of themselves. Too bad if you are lugging a suitcase and struggling to get on and off trains, platforms etc. No one gets out of your way. By the way it was also raining, but we managed to walk the 7mins from the station without getting wet. Busy, busy, busy. Road works, cars, buses, horns honking.

When we booked this hotel 2months ago we decided then to stay somewhere “nice” so that the last six days of our stay would not be a let down. So far so good. Right across the road from the Victoria and Albert museum and several other museums.
And just down the road about 500yards, Harrods. So of course had to go and have a look. It’s also sale time. They only have one per year.
I have never seen so many handbags in my life in one store. I only looked at one price and it was about one thousand pounds but there was %off. Don’t forget I was with Owen and our cases are full so I couldn’t really look too much and it was busy of course. It is an amazing store and very large, so much they give you a map to get around. The food hall was fabulous and you could also sit and eat at a few bar areas. Also checked out the Diana and Dodi memorial.
It was still raining so we decided to get back to the hotel.
Went down to the dining room for dinner and invited a young american lady, Michelle, to join us as she was dining alone.
It was lovely. She is here for a conference on Religion and Violence. Her college offered to send her. She is also thinking of going to study to become a pastor next year. When we told her our son-in-law was a Baptist minister, she said she was Baptist too. Funny how God works sometime. Most enjoyable.
Not sure what is on the agenda for tomorrow as there is more rain predicted. We even had some hail tonight.

Monday 6th July 09

We had a leisurely breakfast chatting with an elderly couple from near Croydon. We finally looked at the time and it was 9.45 so decided we had better head off to Oxford. The car had to be back by lunchtime. We had another long traffic jam but we did get through town well. We dropped off the cases at the hotel and then went back to drop off the car. All was well and as we headed off into town about .4of a mile it started to rain. Fortunately not too heavy. We then went to the Railway station to see about tickets to London and purchased them. Then back to the hotel to register and we were able to come into our room which looks out on the busy intersection but with double glazing can't hear it at all.

We went out to get the Hop on Hop off bus and travelled one circuit and it was raining so decided to stay on a while longer. We got off in the city and had a little look around but better for me not to look too much at the shops as I can't buy any more. (Both cases were expanded today although Owen was able to close his again.)

We then headed back to the hotel and about 15mins later it absolutely bucketed down so were glad we had come back.

We are just relaxing now and will go out for dinner.

Sunday 5th July 07

Today after a leisurely breakfast, we went to see some of the pretty villages of the Cotswolds. We started off in Stow In The Wold, then on to Broadway, to Snowshill and visited a manor house there, then on to Chipping Cambden. Lots of stone houses around 16th and 17th century and lovely to see. Got home around 4 and watched the tennis then off for dinner.

Heading in to Oxford tomorrow to offload the car, stay in a hotel overnight and then train to London on Tuesday. One week until we fly out for home. Yeeha!!

It’s been good but we are ready to come home.

Saturday 4th July 09

Left Madingley, near Cambridge to head towards Oxford. We decided to go into Oxford to find out where the railway station was and our hotel that we will stay in on Monday night.

TRAFFIC JAM. Probably the one of the worst and then we missed where we wanted to go and had to turn back again and then we couldn’t get near it because of more traffic so gave it up as a bad joke. We wanted to find out information on the train and luggage etc.

We then went on the Cotswolds again to Broughton on the Water. It was a lovely and busy village. The river is diverted through the town and there are 5 small bridges over it and it is only deep enough to paddle in. Lovely stone homes and a pretty village all round. After a couple of hours we then went on to find our farm stay for the weekend. It has a lovely garden and the room is not the one on the website but is a large double with a private bathroom about 4ft away. Nice.  We have just cleaned out the car and tried to fit everything into our suitcases. It fits but we haven’t tried to close them yet. We will probably expand them both and hopefully they will not weigh over the limit!! I am fortunate Owen is able to carry mine as I don’t think I could lift it. Will be fun getting to the train station and into London and our hotel.

We have decided that we will go in by train as we don’t feel like being bumped up and down and caught in traffic jams.(even though we aren’t driving) We haven’t used any trains yet so thought it would be good to try.

http://www.bouldfarm.co.uk/

Friday 3rd July 09

Today we headed east to the coast at Great Yarmouth and then followed the road north around the coast through Cromer, West next the sea, Brancaster, King's Lynn.
A little bit of rain but overall a good drive. Weather a little cooler and hopefully a better nights sleep.
Off to The Cotswolds for the weekend and another farm stay

Thursday 2nd July 09

Duxford Imperial Air Museum.  (alllll day)

We arrived at Duxford at 10.15 and headed for the furthest point to work our back toward the exit. It’s going to be another hot day. At least walking around outside we had a breeze which helped. We were nearly at our first destination and a spitfire took off. He then proceeded to put on a display. There is going to be a airshow on the 11-12th July so not sure if he was practising for that. It looked beautiful flying past and he came quite low.

We then went inside the American Museum and it was great. We then heard another plane start up and it was a Sabre, then a B25 Light Bomber. So we were thoroughly entertained and then we thought we should look through some more of the displays.

All in all a good day, hot indoors but nice to get out to the breeze. We finally got around to their no 1 hangar last and we can now say we have been on the Concorde. The public are allowed to go in and it was set up with equipment and not all seats. Normally it would hold 100 passengers, two seats each side and good leg room and a bit wider seating.

Now back at our base we are tired and hot. Hoping the weather is going to get a little cooler. I think there is rain expected tomorrow.

Wednesday 1st July 09

We headed off to Cambridge this morning. It wasn’t a huge distance so we had plenty of time to have a good look around. Lots of trees, parkland, river and lots and lots of bikes.

We eventually found a carpark after missing the park and ride area and then walked into the city centre. We saw the Hop on Hop off bus and got on for a tour for about an hour. There are 30 colleges and one University. You have to belong to one of the colleges to get into Cambridge. Students cannot have a vehicle within 5miles of the university. It was a good way to see all the buildings etc although to see some of the schools properly you need to go on a punt and we decided not to bother. We then went looking for our farmstay. Not as far out as we had thought. So far we are the only people staying. We arrived a bit early so took off again and went to the American Cemetery. It was quite interesting.

http://www.cambridgeshirebandb.co.uk/beckbrookfarm.html

Mon/Tues 29/30th June 09

We left York and headed for Derby and Owen’s cousin’s house. Cath and Paul work so we weren’t getting there until about 5pm.

We decided to cut across to the coast and go that way via Grimsby, Skegness, Boston and then inland across to Derby. It took us a long time to do the trip as the roads were busy and winding not having lots of places to pass and also roadworks.

We had a great time with Cath and Paul. They gave up their bed for us and took us out to dinner with their son, Liam and his girlfriend, Sarah. We had a nice meal and lots of chatting. We were made to feel very welcome and we were just sorry that our timing only enabled us to spend so little time with them. We are hoping to see them in a couple of years in Aus.

We left their place around 1pm and headed off towards Cambridge somewhere. We rang a farm stay and headed for that in. Once again took us longer to get there than we thought. It is in a little village and it operates as a farm, caravan site, cafe, and I think maybe even has stables. http://www.peartreefarm.net/

The temperature has gotten very warm and got up to 30deg today. Very warm although the humidity wasn’t as bad. We are feeling the heat and finding it hard to sleep at night. It is going to be very hot, over 30 for the next 2 days at least. (ah!!) We are being told that this is not their normal weather.