English adventures May/June 2008

I'm going to do this bit by bit 'cos six weeks is a long time  and I saw so many things that I can now take off my to-do list   

I went home for 6 weeks this past spring/summer   I say home, my husband says I made a visit to the land of my ancestors  anyway whichever way you look at it, I spent 6 glorious weeks in England alone  I flew into Heathrow on May 21st and had a wonderful time navigating the bus terminal before finally deciding that a cab was the best option to get to my hotel down the Bath road! It was bluddy hot at 7.00pm & I was in a long-sleeved t-shirt & cardigan with a woolie vest as well  tongue hanging out describes me very well   I was so darn tired but do you think I could sleep? NO! I was soooo excited to be on English soil I kept waking every hour or so...worse than a kid whose been told they're going to an amusement park & can do anything they like & eat anything they want.

Anyway first thing the next morning I took a bus to Hayes & Harlington where I caught the 1st of 3 trains to Chester. Chester never changes as far as I can make out. Being May the crowds were less than July. I spent 3 days in Chester and walked and walked and walked. I don't drive so walking is the only option in most cases   I went shopping at Chester Oaks  and did the river cruise on the Dee. Walked through the cathedral, shopped at Tesco...hehehe and Grosvenor Park is still beautiful!  The photo I took of the squirrel was demended by our daughter. My previous visit to England was with madam and she still remembers the squirrel that followed her round Grosvener Park....so I was under orders to bring her back a photo of one.

While there I made a trip up to Manchester via Warrington. Harvey Nichols is very nice...bought some lovely comfy shoes there and on the wole Manchester is a very pretty city. But I ran into a pick-pocket later who got more than he bargained for when he thought to make me his target   Lets just say that threatening to cut off parts of his anatomy & stuff them down his throat after hunting him down was more than he bargained for from this lone female traveller

After Chester I went south to Shrewsbury.

It's many years since I was last in Chester Jen, but looking at some of the pictures in POE , I agree it has not changed much apart from the ones of the race track.

Sounds like you have been in Oz a while by your description of what you'd do to the pick-pocket.......... lol :)

I don't think we've met, Jen.  How do you do.  Your trip sounds like it was terrific, apart from the encounter with the criminal.  Glad you showed him.

I'm excited to read all about your experiences in England.  It sounds like you started your trip off well (especially with the good weather).

Your run in with the pick pocket reminds me of that very scene in Crocodile Dundee. You didn't happen to have a knife on you did you?

Can't wait for more, and I'm really enjoying your photos. 

Thanks for all the great comments everyone   You're safe Peter  

This kid was about 20 and watching people...he looked me in the eye and moved around the crowd to be in my line of vision.....there were signs put up by the police in the side streets about 30 feet away from where I was that pick-pockets were operating in the area and as I have an illness that limits my mobility I figured that confrontation was the better thing to do plus I figured he had an accomplice who I couldn't see   I had a leather satchel that usually held my lap-top that I'd just taken my camera out of...(because of the twit I missed getting more photos)

Shrewsbury: A beautiful town with so many wonderful houses...hehehe and fabulous lanes to investigate Rowley's House Museum has the most wonderful four-poster bed from 1593 with hangings and bed-cover made by a group of 200 volunteers. I do have pics but I don't think they're good enough to post here   We had a near on full day of rain which drove me indoors to the Darwin Centre where I discovered the delights of TK Maxx   ....oh God I wish they were over here!!! I bought three Portmeirion dinner plates for £4.99 each (to go with the other 3 back in Melbourne that cost $50 each!  )....which I then had to lug around the rest of England for 5 weeks and protect from breakages. Had a wonderful afternoon tea, a real afternoon tea, at Camellia's in St Alkmond's Place  I saw my first ever swan nest down by the river near Wyle Cop.  And in general I toured every last street in Shrewsbury city.

I made a visit over to Wolverhampton as I used to have a pen-friend from there many years ago...so many sad grey faces and people unlike Chester & Shrewsbury......but I found Primark I wish they were out here too!!! And also trekked across to Birmingham...another crowded city, much like Melbourne except for the haze and accents! And it was soooo hot!

I left Shrewsbury to travel further south to beautiful Ludlow.

Oh Jen, I have Portmeirion too. I've been collecting it little by little over the years. I'm sure it was a pain lugging it carefully all over England, but now when you eat off of them (I use mine every meal) you will be forever reminded of this trip.