It's nearly at an end. Hongkong

Well we are waiting for the final stage of our epic trip to be over. Here's a road weary traveller:


Wifi was patchy for our last few days so that's why there were no posts. And aside from one at touch down time, I suppose this might be it. It's been fun. Though the idea of home sounds nice too.

Love to all, and thanks for tuning in :-)

Mick and Liv

Anne Frank's House

To wait or not to wait? This is the queue that greeted us when we arrived:


Perhaps we should go straight to the Heineken factory?

Mick and Liv

Ah, Brussels

I have found my favourite city. This place is beautiful. The vibe is great and the people are wonderful. This is what I thought Paris would be like, but better.

Oh, and the beer is pretty good too!








The train trip in was brilliant again and whilst the cab was an adventure we were at the hotel in no time. Then straight out to scope out the city. We know exactly what we want to see tomorrow; the museum, gallery of ancient and modern art, the comic museum, beer museum and the palace. That should keep us going! This arvo it's lazy food and beers after a little shopping.

This place is beautiful. More excited updates to follow.....

Mick and Liv

A busy weekend!

It's been a busy weekend which is why there's been no posts, but we've been having such a good time. Thursday we started by visiting Stourton Gardens which were really nice. Just like the photos I'd seen from years ago.





That arvo we spent with the relo's which was fun. I hadn't seen Aunt Dolly and Uncle John since I was 8! We would have loved more time with them but unfortunately had to leave after only 4 hours or so.

Arrived Brixham about 7pm or so. The house that we were staying in was great with top views across town.

Friday we spent walking around the town with Mark showing us where he used to live. It was really nice to see these places having known Mark for so long. The views walking around the headland were amazing. So beautiful. We stopped at a swanky hotel for a drink after our long walk.


Tough life hey?

Saturday we went to Port Isaac after first calling in at Widecombe which was a lovely little village where wild horses roam around right in town!


Port Isaac was beautiful, just like in Doc Martin! We couldn't find as many of the buildings from the show as we'd hoped but did see the doc's surgery! Lunch was nice with another rather nice view:


Sunday was a lazy day; oysters on the pier and a swim in the freezing cold waters of the Atlantic! Sheesh! Freezing! But at least I finally swam on this holiday!

As I type this we are back in London getting ready to head to restaurant Fifteen with the gang. Then tomorrow it's back on the train for Brussels!

Mick and Liv

Bath

Sorry folks. I totally forgot to take photos today, but Bath was great. We used the park and ride as we were warned that parking was rare and expensive in town, and that turned out to be good advice. The roman baths were really impressive.

After Bath we checked out the Cheddar Gorge. We'd hoped for cheese tasting galore. Alas no. The gorge was spectacular but no cheese!

Tomorrow we see the relo's, and then Brixham!


Mick and Liv

The White Horse, Avebury, The Henges

We saw some great sights today, and much less driving, so was a good day. The title of this post shows where we went.


Obviously it's hard to make out the horse in the photo but at least it shows we were there! Avebury was brilliant.





We then stopped at woodhenge which we only knew about thanks to our trusty, now well worn, driving atlas. All the wooden posts are gone now, but replaced with concrete stumps to show the layout.


And then on to Stonehenge. As expected, it was really busy, so we decided not to pay to get inside, and instead peered through the fence - which turned out great! The photos we got worked out brilliant, and we saved 13.20 pounds! Haha!


The photos on the camera are of course much better than this one. Anyway, we felt like we scored one: you get charged for just about everything here (they wanted 3.50 each just to walk and see a waterfall yesterday, and don't get me started on the parking fees everywhere!) so Stonehenge was our little win.

Now in Wells, at another fine pub for dinner!



Bath and Cheddar tomorrow then another night here before on to see the relo's, and then meet the gang in Brixham! Woohoo!

Mick and Liv

The Railway and on to Burford

So we made it to the railway, and what a treat that was! Only 12 miles long but it took an hour each way. Nice and slow. Perhaps the most relaxing thing we've done for ages! We rode it to the top of the Vale of Rheidol, walked to the devils bridge (where three bridges are built on top of each other, the first in the 1100's, the second in the 1700's and the last in 1901) and then caught the train back down. We rode in the open carriage and it was brilliant.









Here's the little engine that could.


The Prince of Wales! How appropriate!

After that we drove to Burford. We've made the Cotswalds!


Tomorrow it's Avebury Circle, the Uffington Horse, and the 'Henge's! Woohoo!

Mick and Liv

Wales - Aberystwyth

We had a look around Carlisle Castle this morning before heading south and into Wales. We decided to head to Aberystwyth to ride the little narrow gauge railway. That's the plan for tomorrow.

Here's Carlisle castle.


Or a part of it anyway. My phone's camera has developed a strange intermittent fish eye effect which whilst sometimes interesting, still isn't supposed to happen! I think it's evident in that shot above. New phone for me when I return I think!

Wales is fantastic. Such a beautiful place. The countryside is gorgeous. We really fluked it with the b&b - water views! The beach is across the road!


Can't wait to ride the railway tomorrow....stay tuned folks!

Mick and Liv

Edinburgh - delayed post

I forgot to post some photos from our trip to Edinburgh castle on Thursday so now that we've got wifi again I thought I'd add a couple.





We took turns putting our heads into Mons Meg, much to the amusement of other tourists.



Love to all.
Mick and Liv

Inverness

Hey folks!

No photos today. I forgot to take any. We made our way to Inverness, only to find that Rock Ness, a music festival is on! Doh! A great line up so I wish we'd known in advance... I would have bought tickets! The Prodigy, Basement Jaxx, The Flaming Lips and others. The town is crazy busy, with kids arriving with all their camping gear. They're going to have a fun weekend me thinks.

We went to Dalmore distillery to try some scoth, then the Culloden Battlefields. I'll have to research that a bit more. I felt a bit ignorant walking around there and we already have so many souvenir guide books so we didn't buy one that I could have referred to. I'm kind of regretting that. Might go grab one on the way out tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, off to Loch Ness and then a ruined castle (forget the name at this moment) before a squizz at Ben Nevis, then legging it down to Carlisle. We are fast running out of time so need to head south.

Oh, I said no photos today but as I'm typing this at a pub, our entrée arrived and now I have something to share. I've heard of your soup coming with a bread roll, but IN a bread roll?


Haha! That's classic.

My chicken Rob Roy is on the way. That's chicken breast stuffed with haggis! Woohoo! I had to try it before we left Scotland...

Mick and Liv

Hadrian's Wall and Edinburgh

We spent a couple of hours at Chester Fort on Hadrian's Wall this morning. That was fantastic. Those nutty Romans - there was no stopping them when they'd decided to build something! Stopped at another spot that was a bit more remote to see the wall as it stands today.


It's a bit hard to see in the distance in that shot. This one was taken in the opposite direction.


After this we drove to Edinburgh. We went a country route rather than the motorway and were glad we did. It was beautiful scenery. Just what I'd hoped to see in Scotland.

Spent an hour or so wandering around for a laundrette, and now rewarding ourselves with a couple of local ales. Another perfect day!

Mick and Liv

Hexham

Hey folks.

Had a great morning checking out York Minster. That was really impressive. Checking out the foundations of the earlier buildings there was great, especially the roman fortress including the street drainage that continues to serve it's original function to this day, all while buried under the current minster. Amazing.

We walked around the old city walls to get there and they were also impressive.


So after that it was onto Hadrian's Wall and we are near there now in a town called Hexham. Tomorrow we'll check out the wall, then on to Edinburgh!

Love to all,
Mick and Liv

We made it, Dad!

We found it!


And what a house!


We started the day at Colchester castle which was great, and then went onto Moyns Park as the photos above show! Then we found the town where Dad went to primary school:


(excuse my ugly mug obscuring that photo!)

It was great to see these places that I've heard Dad talk about over the years. Now I can relate a little bit more!

So after that we legged it to York. About 3 hours up the freeway. We found a great little guesthouse (thanks Lonely Planet guide!) and have now ventured into town and found a great pub in which to watch the cricket. Come on Aussies! The pub is right by the river - a beautiful spot. Oh, and we walked past what is left of York castle on our way here.



Tomorrow, York minster, then northwards for Hadrian's wall!

Mick and Liv

Colchester

We arrived here after a largely successful trip out of London (only one wrong turn) and found a really nice B&B. Only just enough time for a walk around the castle before a local pub for dinner, but we'll be back at the castle tomorrow for a closer look. It's built on roman foundations so appears to have some interesting history to it.





After the castle visit tomorrow it's on to Moyns Park and surrounds where dad grew up. Then if time, on to York. We are keen to get up into Scotland within a few days if we can.

Some rain in France this morning, and here this evening. And freezing cold! A nice rainbow on our walk back to the B&B though, although probably hard to see it in this photo:


Until next time, over and out.

Mick and Liv

Goodbye France, hello England

Well, after a couple of lovely nights in Reims we drove into Paris early this morning. It ended up being pretty easy thanks mostly to the fact that it was early Sunday morning.

So after a brief and unwelcoming encounter with a grumpy and very rude border control person (what was her problem?! Sheesh! We haven't even crossed the channel and the Brits don't seem welcoming - I miss France already!) we are now speeding across the north west of France again.




Now, if I can just remember to drive on the proper side of the road in a couple if hours we should be right!


Mick and Liv

Reims - champagne tour

The day started well (awesome, all the champagne houses are within walking distance of the hotel right in the city, not out in the country as I had assumed) but then took an ominous turn. Piper Heidsieck, one of the two must-see houses we had planned in visiting, looks like this:


Closed for renovations! Doh!

No matter. Taittinger is just around the corner. We are booked for the 11:30 tour. As I type this we are sitting on the lawns eating quiches for breakfast, awaiting our tour and tasting. How very French!










Bon appetite!

Mick and Liv

Reims

Well here we are.


And again it's a lovely place. This shot above was taken from my seat outside the micro brewery - and guess what we are up to already:


The drive here was nice though thanks to some unexpected road closures, we had to take a detour. That turned out to be a great thing as we stumbled on a lovely town called Gray with a lovely lock and weir and some jatz cracker cakes - the éclair tour continues!











Tomorrow we tour a couple of champagne house, one of which according to the brochure, contains 25 million bottles in the cellar! Sheesh! We might have to accidentally lose the tour guide!

Love to all,
Mick and Liv

Dijon

Hey folks!

We dropped Mark and Kate off at Montpellier airport this morning on our way from Aigues-Vives to Dijon. We left at about 9 and arrived here at about 3:30 - which makes it sound like a much longer journey than it was. We spent at least 30 minutes being lost here in Dijon too which was hilarious! Anyway it was all worth it; our hotel is a gem, and we went out for a drink and then dinner which was great.

The town here is a uni town, so all the people are young and beautiful. It's a really lovely city, with narrow streets and a lovely palace. Here's a few shots of our drink and dinner venues:








And here's my beautiful wifey:





Thats all folks! Tomorrow it's Reims, the capital of Champagne!

Mick and Liv