22 July Ferry to Milford Haven

No trouble finding the ferry and a nice last hours countryside riding to the Rosslaire ferry. Easy ride back on a calm sea. It was foggy on the way over so did not see anything. `this time a very good day and a special coastline. This has been a very busy coastline for maybe two thousand years. But my sights were set on Milford Haven where I had found a Cafe that had Faggotts on the menu yes Faggotts. Sort of a Welsh mini haggis. I suspect the same sort of ingredients but no neaps.....but I like them. And then it was back to my friends Jane and Keith at Mastelbridge. What a lucky bugger I am ! Keith had recently relaunched his sailing boat so he was taking his family sons wives and fiancé and their daughter "up the river" to a Pub and I was invited. What a good night was had by all.

21 July last riding day in Ireland

I had a great days ride up the coast heading toward my overnight stay near Wexford but nothing could take away the joy of that days ride. Just wonderful. This was another case of find the house. No streets names no numbers and no GPS or fast code. Finally asked a bloke in the nearby villiage. The hostess lived in one of 6 houses her father built and still owns two or three. The villiage is closing down no business no commerce, really sad.

20 July Bantry Bay

If ever there was a day of memorable riding this was it. The southern Irish coast is pretty and pretty sensational. Not only that but has some of the most delightful no paint lanes I have ever ridden. The Sheeps Head peninsula was pretty fantastic but the ride back along the Goat Track to Bantry, another stunning little coastal town, was exceptional. Just a magic day on the bike in spectacular surroundings. Arrived in rural Cork to have another challenging find the place I am staying at. After a meal at the Pub and that was pretty good, I set about finding my host. I did not really understand the house name I was looking for so up and down the road several times until the hostess finally gave up and came to stand in the road. Oh dear. Nice people. The man was a builder and gave me first hand the struggles the Irish have faced. Sad really as they are pretty damn good people.

Cork 20 July

I am being reminded I am not keeping up to date so I left Wales on the ferry in the fog as I think I reported and arrived in Tramore for my evening with Ger and Ciaran. Now that should give a clue that I was in Irelend. What a good night. I had dinner cooked and we sat and talked and watched a TV show, and that has not happened for a long time. But it was great. I need to update this and I will nut for now it is time for breakfast here in Cork.

19 July Kinsale

Rest day which means I walked the local sights. Couple of old forts in Kinsale. Ireland is a history lesson round every corner. Loved it. Was invited for dinner at the BnB. Started off with me two live in's that became three then five and then seven so that meant there were 9 of us so that was interesting but the sup rise was the young irish lass that played the whistle and the drum. What an unusual evening.

18 July Ireland

My first day on the road in this wonderful green land. My first night was pretty memorable with a family that described themselves as artists. What great people not only making me feel so welcome but also invited me to dinner with them. We shared a delightful night of conversation. So the day that followed was fine and fun as I headed off through Dungarvan.A seaside old town. Boars in the harbour and old walls and buildings. Easy to forget Ireland has lived through some pretty tough times. Off down the road to Blarney and that was unplanned. Pretty town. The roads were my favourite type with no paint. Narrow winding country roads that were a joy to ride. Remuera houses on lovely tidy well cared for farms No dumped cars overgrown land farming gorse and junk just people that are proud of their farms. Ireland is a funny place, no street names no numbers, houses have names, usually, and no fast code that let me find any house in Britain with a GPS address. Not in Ireland. I was in the street I was supposed to be in. My host was in the next street. Oh yes we know it says that on the map but that's not what we call it. But the town was a real tourist village once again on a delightful harbour. Dinner at the Pub but all too much tourism for my liking. No real pub meals even in Ireland it's more handled food, you know the sort don't use a spoon to get it on the plate use hands and play with it and charge double. However the after dinner event at a local pub was great. Guitar bass guitar and harp. It was great.

Starcross day off

It is another grey day that intended to use for a trip to Dartmouth. Instead I slept in and went for a coffee at the nearby castle that has recenyly had a change of owners. The refugee son that married the US actress returned on father's death and has taken up residence. I am a bit like his sister. The boys got the money and the ugly sister got a card. Your brother is now the inheritor but thanks for the card and good luck. But now and again we need a day off. Frankly I can not believe how lucky I am. Travel is a total privilege and a joy and anyone that is familiar with my last 10 tears travel will know how good it has been to me. I would have preferre to be able bodied this time but the Ram that butted my knee and tore it apart did not know what an inconvenience he was but I guess that is payback for times I have similarly afflicted someone else. Today I had rain. What a surprise. Every day since arriving. But it is summer so it did not rain all day. Tomorrow inshallah I will visit Dartmouth and then thru the moors to Ilfracombe where I had a little experience last year that took me to a hospital. Falling asleep on a bike. Not to be commended but it has happened before just hope it does not happen again. Pardon me being repetitious but I do love the biking. So I am back to the local for dinet. Hope I can add a picture and tomorrow perhaps can visit the place where theon arch of Britain has such connection. Lizzy met Phil at Dartmouth. Their kids went to sailing school there. I on the other hand will probably feel more at home on Dartmoor where the villains were housed. Having a few problems with email and data so may be a few typo. I need to say on the eve of Great Britain leaving the EU and it looks like they will the sun is out. Must be an omen.

17 July Part 3

The next day the 16th I left the Farm near by the Forest of Dean and headed towards Brecon where I had heard of another 10th Century Church. It had extensive damage and subsequent repairs and was a wonderful old building with the Nave of beautiful timbers. It also had a very good organ or so I am led to believe. The Orgains was showing someone how it worked so I was lucky to hear it for a short time. They are simply brilliant instruments. I left to ride through the Valleys of the Brecon hills in seriously deteriorating weather in fact so bad I couldn't see far in any direction. My only choice was to make a run for it which I did back to Mastlebridge where again I stayed with a great couple Jane and Keith. They were off to a Charlie Chaplin play and I to the Cathedral at St Davids to hear the Choir sing a Rossini work which anyone that has seen the Shawshank Redemption would know of Rossini. Unless I am mistaken those two dames were singing a Rossini composition. It was a delight to be there. So home for supper. I have been so lucky with my hosts. The only downside to Air BnB is Air BnB themselves. They are messing up a fantastic concept by Americanising it. Sad really. However Keith was up and a cup of tea came round the door and we were off again. Too many days on the road without a break is having its toll. So while Keith and his lads were taking the boat out of the Barn after 4 years restoration I was laying off as much extra stuff as I could. I was off to Ireland on the Ferry after having a 20 pound disaster booking a Ferry at 2am not 2pm but I made the later one and sailed to Ireland in the fog. Three hours of trying to log in to post a blog. I hate bloody Google. Like Airbnb a good thing that is being destroyed trying to protect their income stream. Forget your customer at your peril. I arrived at the Irish Port of Rosslair and enjoyed a trip through New Rossini and Waterford to end up in Tramore with more wonderful hosts..and I do not just say that but I was offered and accepted a beer while dinner was cooking that I was invited to enjoy. That is not included that is splendid generosity. So tomorrow is planned as much as planning is possible but fingers crossed the weather looks the best I have seen so far. Maybe even a sunny day on the Irish Coast around Sheep's Head in Bantry Bay.

17 July Part two.

So dowe the road from Wivenhoe to Southend on Sea. A real English seaside town of 50 years ago. Fun fair ferris wheels rides and slides and fish and chip shops lots of them. So after a very nice piece of Cod I was off to London. It was concert night at St Paul's. A wonderful night followed by a visit to a fantastic old Pub in Blackfriars. Then it was away West toward Oxford. Not a patch on Cambridge. So on toward Cissinghurst where stories of a beautiful Church became a reality. Right down to the Gold Chalice owned once by Anne Boleyn. But the road called and I was away to Monmouth for a night on a small farmer, dinner in the local pub and a thoroughly good night.

Ireland 17 July

I am in Ireland. After a ferry ride from Wales in the fog I arrived to a sunset. Longtime since I saw one of those. Eventful days. After leaving Lancaster and riding through the midlands the wonderful rolling hills that formerly farmed sheep and created the wool industry and the Mills now all abandoned. The once flourishing towns now full of retirees and a rapidly shrinking commercial centre. So I made it to Cambridge, what a very attractive town. Sadly full of tourists which do not add to the ambience of the town. On to Colchester with the usual rain and delightful countryside. Colchester lacks anything of striking interest but has a very interesting castle with very attractive grounds. So I rode the cycleway I was entertained very kindly by my Airbnb hostess and was even taken to the bell ringers practice evening. What a very nice visit I had to the town of Wivenhoe.

Lancaster 11July

I did wonder how I selected Lancaster but it turned out to be a place of considerable interest. The history is serious and was a Roman Fort. Being on the river Lune a fort on the Lune became Lunecastle and soon Lancaster. Well so I was told. Apparently Bede writes of a very famous battle that it seems may have taken place there as well. My man on the cycleway was telling me this as we rode along. But the best was yet to come and despite the rain I rode the Lake District bottom to top and back and the and back was a heck of a ride. It is a pretty place. The English countryside is pretty special. I saw it again as I came down over the wolds and despite some rain it was a good ride, but of course it rains every day so nothing new in that. Tonight it is Milton Mowbray. Just another fast fading rural town. The move from the country towns is significant but I see a prolly in the press today saying how good it would be for the rural economy to be able to enter the free market and compete without the enormous subsidies paid to French "farmers"... Well the UK had a good weekend, with a win at Wimbledon and the Formula One but it ends there unless Froome pulls of another Tour d France victory. Meanwhile the Pollies continue to self destruct....

Notes from a traveller 8 July

This day I find myself in Lancaster. It did not start there it began in Llangollen after a night at the 70th anniversary of their annual music festival. A capacity crowd was well entertained by Mr Brynn Terfel a much accomplished Welsh singer and ably supported by another Tenor and a lady lady Soprano. A jolly good musical smorgasbord. I had previously invested more time and money replacing my GPS which has done about 5 days work in its life and the wireless helmet that it needed that replaced the one "lost" by Holland Post last year. As well there was a recall repair to the bike plus a repair that I had to pay for. The electronic fuel measuring device in the tank that saw me out of fuel because it was misreading got replaced. So another nasty and costly day out. However the investment was well employed today. It was rather good to ride the Peak District. I have this trip ridden the wonderful southern moors, Dart, at Plymouth and the Exe, and now to have ridden the Peak District was great. This weekend I will manage the Lake District as well Inshallah. Life still agreeably astonishes me. I was bought a drink by a lady in the bar. "You are amazing". Isn't it sad that these pleasant interludes occur when we are so safely incapacitated by age and infirmity. What is actually amazing is how protective we all are. Air BnB is still housing me. Tonight I thought I had drawn a blank, no one home. Hence the interlude in the bar but it all came good and my very young hostess was most apologetic, wrong day, sorry. So it was all OK after all.

Wales visit.

I was not just there as a house guest I walked the coastal path, and I rode the Welsh cycleway the next day and I rode to St David's, famous place. So I had a great 4 days before riding north. That was was a terrific days ride along the coast. The Cardigan Bay coast, a name familiar to most Kiwi not because of the Welsh connection but the horse ! But I had already dined on "faggots" a welsh haggis of pig entrails, and delicious, so the opportunity to dine on Laver Bread ( which is cooked seaweed) and is actually a lot more enjoyable than the thought conjures. So I left the sea as delightful as it was and headed into the valleys to Llangollen. A lot harder to pronounce than it looks. So I walked the hills, and I cycled the Canal that goes by the town originally used to freight slate on which half of Wales seems to have been built. Pleasant in fact a delightful town. I discovered there was a music festival on complete with a New Zealand choir, so I have had a few good days and entertaining nights. The downside is that the piece of rubbish sold by Garmin to unsuspecting motorists including motorbikers stopped altogether. I spent 2 days attempting to buy a replacement on eBay and that was a wonderful expose of how total idiots can ruin a good concept. In order to identify everyone for marketing purposes eBay found I had registered in Australia so if I want to but something it has be posted to Australia, so I write to the vendor to ask can it be sent to a town down the road in the UK but eBay says I can not send more than two messages a day even if no one replies ......so commerce stops. However a day in a BMW garage fixed not only that but also a faulty fuel gauge which had me on the side of the road in a hell of a bad place with no fuel until my saviour Mac arrived with fuel and jumper leads, three hours of flashing warning lights takes a toll on small batteries. The guy was Mac Mackenney at Mac@maxadventure.co.uk and if you ever feel inclined to make contact with a proper bloke send him an email and say thanks for saving me. Gotta go

Wales on the Sea

Would be good to be able to attach pictures but still no luck. So I had a stay with Jane and Keith. A proper family of good people that do things. Jane keeps a horse. Keith keeps a boat in his shed that he and his son are restoring. Not only good people but we went to the pub together and we drank wine Jane cooked dinner and I felt as if I was with friends.. But Jane and Keith were away to a family wedding in the campervan so I was offered a stay with Penny (Janes sister) who lives up the road at a nearby village of Staynton with Richard. What fun. I complained to them about the "pub grub" which overall is overpriced rubbish food, mainly sugar and starch and tastes like nothing. Dinner at home was not only good food but after dinner the other guest a delightful lady with a musical gift joined with the hosts to play good old fashioned proper music. How lucky I am.

Wales on the Sea

Would be good to be able to attach pictures but my limited skills seem to preclude that. Left England in the rain and made Wales in the rain and the minute I arrived at my destination it stopped. Another delightful family of Air BnBers at Cleddau which is an estuary on the coast of the Irish Sea. Delightful coastal fishing village. Enjoyed a yarn with a local that sails works on a survey vessel and has a charter boat. His main regret is that Wales have not beaten the All Blacks since 1953. A defeat I do not recall but he certainly does. All good fun.Pity no pictures yet.

Wales and it is raining

Never mind. Bath was good. People were killed and I am pretty keen on Air BnB. It must be the fact that everyone is identified that makes it seem so much less challenging. I have never done much BnB before but will now, but they need to fast track the booking system. Log in search send request and then wait. Log in again to find the address to go to. Great for English who book ahead for everything but not for Kiwi bikers who do not know a day ahead where they will be. With good reason. I have taken shelter in a Starbucks while it rains. The weather map says it will clear in 40 mins but I am due way over west by 4pm. I booked in last night. With better weather and an extra 40 minutes I could have ridden through the Brecon Beacons so that was a pity. Meanwhile I have no pictures to add. Technology is actally a reverse process because it works less well and takes longer the smarter the boffins try to make things. So shortly I will clad in wet gear mount the bike and ride through the wind and rain in this wonderful British summer.sorry about the picture it was the only one that would load. I hope she has had two lambs in my absence.

Bath 28 June

Finally made the hot baths at Bath. Not the historic Roman ones the new overpriced poorly made and badly organised baths nearby. The water was great but the rest of it was a pathetically organised and built outfit that would normally be seen as an embarrassment. Never mind I had two hours in gloriously hot water. Can't attach pictures yet the iPad is a totally pathetic device sadly. In fact "i" Mac phone whatever are pretty poor. I wasted an hour finding that out in the Apple shop today. So tomorrow Wales.

Wells 26 June

Today is Sunday. The weather forecast was OK so I had a cup of tea. The Landlady Sally put my washing which was very kind of her as that is not in the deal but she has a washing machine that runs off solar power which was pretty smart. It needs enough sunshine to make it work and apparently there was. So I was off to Wells England's smallest city. It apparently gets to be a city because it has a Cathedral. A rather recently built Cathedral about 1200 but on an old site. It is handsome. I thought after visiting Bath Abbey and seeing the restoration work that was done on more than one occasion how capable British craftsmen were, and the same was true of Wells, but the sad part is the 'were' observation. If Britain is to go alone it needs to regain that skill. By comparison I went to the local Pub, for dinner, widely advertised as the Sunday Roast. I got there at 5.30. They had no food. Roasts had 'run out' so I asked what else was available as did a member of others that followed me, And the answer was nothing ! No food to eat. That attitude will send Britain broke. How sad. My landlord Neil was shocked and shared some of his dinner with me which was kind but he and Sally were similarly shocked. No food at the Inn. However Wells was a delight. The Cathedral was glorious. The music was great and the experience to be remembered. Sorry about the pictures. I have not worked out how to get them from a camera to an iPad. Maybe a visit to the Apple Store tomorrow will rectify that. Wells is An old town which had a well of course hence the name or so I am led to believe. But an old town and a c enter of justice from whence many good citizens of the United States up until independence and then Australia were "transported". And I mean hundreds of them. Crime was punished by hanging, being drawn and quartered and for lesser offences transportation. I am reluctant to say it but if the UK is to flourish after leaving the EU they may have to toughen up again. The soft life will not cut it. The Poms and not just them will have to go back to work to survive. The social welfare system should be a reward not a right. A reward for citizens not immigrants that choose to move countries because they do not like what is going on in theirs. The freedoms and privilege that the Poms and other democracies now enjoy is because someone worked and sacrificed to make it possible. We the current generation are using up that wealth consuming what was made and handed to us and we are borrowing against it and not replacing the investment because we want it now. Little wonder a "Syrian" and I use that description because for some unusual reason back in the days of the dark isles like around 500ad foreigners were called Syrians as the book 500AD claims, or any other immigrant sees the European style democracies as a great place to go. It seems that part of the Brexit mindset was a reflection of immigration fear. The interesting thing is second generation immigrants as quoted in the press were equally as defensive of the U.K. Borders. It appears Mr Johnston, and he is the current favourite for the Job of PM will have his work cut out. And not just Bojo as he is called. The whole nation.

Great day in Bath 25 June

All UK is still unsure what happened. The guy at the next table is still confused about what it means but he us still going to Greece in 2 weeks to get married. Why? "She wanted to". Are you Greek no my Grandfather wash Polish. I a m a contract Roofer working at the University replacing the roof. Anyway I had a big day. Brekky at Sally greasy spoon. Full English 6 pounds and no sign of an increase in the value of the Kiwi yet. So I went down from the village I was staying in High Littleton. Parked the bike at the Globe in Newton St Loe and rose the cycle on the Bristol Bath then the Toe Path to Bradfield on Avon. It didn't rain much but it totally hosed down thunder and lightening etc about 5 minutes after I got back to the Globe. And now having had a beer a WI e and a meal the sun is out and I can return to High Littelton dry. I hope. What a grand day. I totally enjoyed the whole thing even watching a few overs of cricket at the local ground in Bradfield on Avon. Poor wicket but it had been raining so as they say the outfield was slow. Bath is a rather attractive city. Lots of people friendly aspects. Had a walk through the Abbey which has had more facelifts than Joan Collins. It is not an ancient Abbey but it was built and rebuilt many times. That Abbey is a testament to what Britain is about even if it uses Polish tradesmen. If it regains that sense of this is who we are no problem but if it becomes fractionalised it will be lost. I did way to the two F116 fighter planes of the UK Airforce supplied by the USA. So who will win Brexit it will take a leader of Churchills strength to pull this off. I recall standing on the Railway line in Hammersmith as he passed, in his coffin on his way to his burial plot. There were thousands of people standing by the railway line. How odd. But England might need this sort of leadership again. So a cracker day. Tomorow I can perhaps visit Wells and hear the organ play. There is a Cathedral there and they play the organ and sing. That would be pretty good. But I have some washing to do as my canal side cycleway was wet and sometimes muddy. What a good day...so far. The "local" pub had about 12 dogs in it last night. Let's see what to ight brings so time to get up the road. Put my cycle on my bike and go.

Cool Britannia on Post EU day

The English are waking up to a new world today. It was signalled by the conversations I had but it is still a surprise. Life will be different for sure. What it will mean for Britain and for perhaps even New Zealand will be interesting. There is already talk about expats working and living in EU "coming home" to live in Britain. Where they will live will be interesting and how they can afford it will be even more difficult. I spoke to some folk that left Auckland to live in small town NZ and the house they own has stayed at the same price and the one they sold has doubled. So they can not return to Auckland ever. I wonder how the Brits will manage to do the same thing. It will be hardship for many but perhaps the cost of moving to Portugal for a retiring Kiwi may become a lot easier. So the English summer is still to arrive. Rain every day so for but yesterday. What a lovely ride. I left the Exe estuary and rode down the coast to Dartmouth on the river Dart. Then up the river through some of the prettiest countryside I have ever ridden. On to the Dart Moor and again a picturesque countryside. A magical ride down country lanes. To a small village where again I stayed in an Air BnB recommended by my saviour on the roadside. Mac. The lady I am staying with was in NZ in Otago for a time. Back in her home town again. Today I will head toward Bath. The 10 day forecast is as they say 'shite" . A change of plans is in order and if the prospects do not improve weather wise I may look at going to Spain for a couple of weeks to get warm.

Starcross 21 June

Good thing I got some practice yesterday because my effort to be more active than just sitting on a motorbike was tested. The trip down the south coast from Exemouth to Plymouth was great. Sitting in a train looking out the window is easy travel. Getting round Plymouth with bad signposting was harder. The good thing about being list is that something usually turns up. No exception today when I found myself on the Plymouth waterfront at the Prince William Wharf which oddly has a couple of Rams heads on the archway on which the prince is represented in statue ( the old prince not the current one)...but there was River Cottage cafe and they served a damn good bacon butty with and egg and with a coffee things were OK It took forever to get out of the city on to the bike trail. Grrrrrr ! The ride once I found it was good. Plenty of up hill till we reached the moors on the top. It was about 20 miles and it was a good effort but smart to come home by bus. The English countryside is so much neater and tidier than most places I have visited but is not keeping up the standards. Never mind a big day out. Rewarded by dinner and a couple of beers at the Ship Inn. The common view is that the older people say get out of EU and that seems to be refugee related, because the demand on health and education is disrupting every day life. The young people are apparently claiming no more change lets just hang in. Interesting.

Starcross

No I had never heard of it before either. A small town I guess which was the gateway to Exmouth a coastal resort only accessible by ferry from yes you guessed it Starcross. There was an engineer that put it on the map once for a air compressed train that he developed that was a no go. I see the wharf at Exemouth is on fire today. I guess it wouldn't matter if it were yesterday as it missed the ferry and had to go home on the train. Not much of a place for attractions. A train station a Castle where the local Earl lives and the cycleway. The last item the reason for my visit.

The Church at Corfe

It is not particularly significant. It is not special but it does to me reflect what is special about the UK. Now as far as I can tell and that may be wildly inaccurate this place starts its history about 980 AD. A bloke called Alfred gets knifed by his Step Mother. He becomes a legend because he ruled for 4 years only. Hence the Nasty Step mother stories. I can not recall her name. She then appointed her Son Ethelread As the King. This seems to be the same bloke they called EthelreD the Unready because he got thumped at Hastings where a chap called William.popped over from France and gave Ethelred a good stuffing before lunch ! So now William is William the Conqueror, after a mornings work, and it is the sone William that in 1086 built the Castle at Corfe. It stayed in the ownership of the King until Elixabeth 1 sold it to a mate for 4750 pounds as I recall and now the place is a ruin. Perhaps that says something about the cost of keeping a castle. However that is not the end of the story because in the 1600 time when Olluver Cromwell wanted to be King and decided to attack the boss in what I believe is called the civil war the opposition troops occupied the church as a stable while they lay siege to the Castle. The nasty Roundheads took the lead from the roof to use as shot and the organ pipes as gunpowder casks and generally wreaked havoc. But the story does not end there for me because today as I was passing a church near Exeter I was informed that the Castle nearby was a focus if the civil war as well as no doubt every decent sized home of ostentatious wealth was given the favours handed out to loyal Royal supporters, and the Castle at Powderham would be no different. However the !riofers' mending the tiles that prevented me from entering the nearby church were most proud of the cannon shot holes in the church wall. Now protected with steel mesh ! So that was a good story.

UK 2016

It is the 20th. Bloody Google wants to make all things the same so if I have more than one profile ie as isolve or as a traveler Google gets silly. But they are American ! Even the Poms have seen the good Ole USA as the enemy in commerce. But one day summer will come to the British Isles but not this week. I have ridden for 15 years plus all over the world and have never before had rain for 7 days in a row. I left London for New Milton after two nights in the big town and loved the place the hustle the bustle the city the action the Opera and the history. But I was equally happy to leave. New Milton is positively rural. I like it. The bike was looking good. My host was acting like a pommie dork sadly. He did not identify when I was coming so I was a problem. Could not believe after 3 years and visiting on 6 occasions that I was a problem for his management and security the poor bugger. He had to stay with me at all times (he claims) to avoid insurance invalidation. I think it is nonsence and he is having an emotional crisis 'at home' but never mind. I collected the bike having stood at the gate for 2 hours at the agreed time 2 pm (I didn't know you were there). Sadly it left me short of time but made my first night at Core in OK time. The Air BnB turns up some great stays and this was one. Swiss Cottage was 'a council flat' in London perfectly adequate, the stop in New Milton was clean tidy friendly and good. The Corfe Castle was special. More later. So my first stop at Corfe was a biking on the push bike experience. It was good because it rained and I was forced to take shelter in a Pub. A good Pub and I found a 'friend'to consider the important issues facing the world as you do in a Pub and had great afternoon sheltering from the rain that passed without notice. Dinner at the local Pub of course. Day 2 was a motor bike ride through a Township that had been commandeered by the Army in the war. Neglected ever since. Just and abandoned town. Odd really. The Coastal Township nearby was again different. It seems unusual that people would flock to a place to sit on stones under a grey sky threatening to rain but if you have two weeks and this is what it is this is what you do. I attended the local pub again with about as much enjoyment and that was not much. The good part was a visit to ghe church the following morning before I left ND this will be the subject of my next record.

New Milton to Swanage

Did the Air BnB overnight stay. It was very good. My stay in a Council flat in London was most interesting. How bloody depressing living in a flat by the railway line that ran all night. It was not un-acceptable for two nights but did make an interesting change from the sounds of a river and a rooster in the morning. So I caught the train from London after a breakfast in the Borough Market and a pretty good coffee.Trains are how the Brits travel. They all take the train and of course the underground is essential. I was able to go from Swiss Cottage to Westminster ( Parliament) Waterlloo ( Railway line) to London Bridge (Borough market) sand walk across the Bridge and be in the City ( Saint Pauls and all those things). Managed to score a ticket to a show at the Globe on the afternoon before I return and a play at the National Treatre so I will be all loaded up with live entertainment before I depart. Word of caution the Cash Passport cards that are widely promoted are a bit temperamental and the organisation most unhelpful. This nonsence over information security is very unhelpful. It may help them avoid liability but it does not make anything safer or easier in my view. The big news in England is not that they beat Wales (at soccer) which they had to to avoid being dumped from the World Cup but that an MP was shot for wanting to stay in the EU. It seems from my passing interest that the MP's want in and the people want out....well the great mass of poorly informed people that is. My Pub advisor says it is all about the European Court of Justice that decides what's the Law in any of the members states that is the problem for him. The average POM would not know what the Court of Justice was but they do know about immigration, job losses, and the services they are not getting, and that is more of a motivation I suspect. There is so much misinformation I doubt a sensible outcome will be reached based on anyone actually knowing all the answers. There is so much speculation and Polies telling half truths, well no surprise there,that I would be surprised if anyone knew the full story. The Pollies say one thing and the journalist oppose. Oddly enough the Pollies on both sides seem to say stay....but still the people in large numbers say go. Yet the claim is that go will mean that costs rise, but stay has the Government paying huge sums into the EU coffers. Wish I understood but I guess that goes for the voters too. The countryside here in Devon is magical. Narrow lanes beautiful stone houses with tile or thatched roofs. Lots of tress it is very picturesque. Yesterday my host had me on a cycling tour that was great. Only problem was it was poor weather so had to resort to a 300 year old pub. And the reward was not just a good yarn with a local but a pickled egg eaten in a packet of crisps with a couple of chillies. Now that was pretty special. My companion was a mine of information. He says I may be lucky enough to find a stone bridge in this area that still bears a plaque that says "any person damaging this bridge shall be liable for transportation". What different times we live in. Today my host has some motorbiking lanes that are only open on weekends to ride. I am not far from the Coast at Swanage and yesterday's ride was on the edges of Poole Harbour claimed to one of the biggest natural harbours in the world. I see the Skye has more blue this morning so fingers crossed for a good day in the countryside.

New Milton

The home of NZL07. The chap that stores the bike is great. Nice business that I should replicate somewhere else. However NZL07 is looking good for her upcoming holiday. Nearly packed and tomorrow it will be time to hit the road. New Milton is interesting. Not much of anything of any consequence really. The flourishing trade in the town is charities. Must be 10 shops either trading or giving away used items. Amazing. Not much else is any good however. Service is poor products are minimal for example no Pub providing evening meals. In fact it is a residential village. Like most of the rest of the Democratic free world. A place to live and go to work. That's all society really does now. It provides a service doing what you would normally do for yourself but do not have the time because you are doing something else for someone else frequently paid for doing it by the Government. The old economics model of people actively engaged in doing very little. Like Councils. Identified in the article in the paper as a significant cause of price escalation in the property market. They derive income from obstructing people. Most people do not want or need their obstruction. Simple example if I engage a Registered builder why do I need someone less qualified to charge me to hold up the work until he has seen it. Why ? I suppose it is fair to say they might cheat. Well Lawyers do and mechanics do so why are builders different ? The Brits decide to stay or go with the EEC. Even the small minded Brits will surely realise that it was the EEC that saved their economy whet it was a basket case do why sell out to petty mindedness ? I believe that answer is evident. They fear someone else might get a benefit. In a word envy ! They will just manage to stay in there after plenty of politics of fear. We will cut services and raise taxes. No clear evidence but lots of ranting. So maybe the case is not do clear but the way they are going the Poms will have moved to Portugal where they can afford to live and the UK will be occupied by foreign asylum seekers ! It's all mad really.

Waterloo

I have ridden through France and Belgium many times and I always try to go past the Waterloo momorial. I have even been to the top of it and looked across the flat land where according to History records the battle was won due to a shower of rain however that needs to be qualified. What did catch my eye was a notation on a wall in the Pub where I was about to done. The Pub being called the Marquis of Anglesey. Now according to legend the then King George the Third have this land as a reward to Henry Paget and gave him the title of the Marquis. How nice ! What was a far better story was at the end of the battle a cannon shot took off Mr Pages leg who then remarked to Wellington By God I've lost my leg and Wellington in an act of unbridled compassion responded " By God Sir, so you have". Now that is a pretty profound historical moment but he must have been a tough old Paget, two wives and 14 children he would have needed a pub to care for that lot.

Londoninium

It was supposed to be an easy day of exploration but turned into a long day and nearly having a ziz in a pub after a couple of pints of porter. London as the home of the brits is pretty good. As an Irish poet told me while having a coffee in the Borough Market it's OK Monday Tuesday and Wednesday then it turns to shite. And I suspect he is right. So I did a lot of walking and chatting to bemused passers by. Not many people talk in cities a specially to odd looking old blokes. But it does not worry me. I even had a laugh with a Sth African but we won and they lost last week and his regard for the AB's is undiminished. My best laugh of the day however was saved for my walk down Fleet St. And there on top of a magnificent old building was a statue of a bloke with his masculinity (how was that ?) showing) and to my eternal delight I discovered it was the Aussie Embassy. I did enjoy that. So after finding Europe again because I asked at the Opera House for a toilet, and no you need to walk a block and pay 50p to P. The CTV will show a bloke climbing the barrier because after 3 attempts to put my 50p in and rejected I was more focused on completion than compliance. The only place to pee free is a Pub. Thank you Fullers. So tonight it is Opera. Very excited but the option of staying at home in the Air BnB is unattractive. A very neglected Council flat in St Johns with a protection order they are so unusual, well I hope he is right but fear they may all be run down dumps. It is magic to be in the "City" however. This is a special place. To visit ! The Cafe at Pelorus Bridge is still pretty special even after the Borough Market or Covent Garden.

Londoninium

It was supposed to be an easy day of exploration but turned into a long day and nearly having a ziz in a pub after a couple of pints of porter. London as the home of the brits is pretty good. As an Irish poet told me while having a coffee in the Borough Market it's OK Monday Tuesday and Wednesday then it turns to shite. And I suspect he is right. So I did a lot of walking and chatting to bemused passers by. Not many people talk in cities a specially to odd looking old blokes. But it does not worry me. I even had a laugh with a Sth African but we won and they lost last week and his regard for the AB's is undiminished. My best laugh of the day however was saved for my walk down Fleet St. And there on top of a magnificent old building was a statue of a bloke with his masculinity (how was that ?) showing) and to my eternal delight I discovered it was the Aussie Embassy. I did enjoy that. So after finding Europe again because I asked at the Opera House for a toilet, and no you need to walk a block and pay 50p to P. The CTV will show a bloke climbing the barrier because after 3 attempts to put my 50p in and rejected I was more focused on completion than compliance. The only place to pee free is a Pub. Thank you Fullers. So tonight it is Opera. Very excited but the option of staying at home in the Air BnB is unattractive. A very neglected Council flat in St Johns with a protection order they are so unusual, well I hope he is right but fear they may all be run down dumps. It is magic to be in the "City" however. This is a special place. To visit ! The Cafe at Pelorus Bridge is still pretty special even after the Borough Market or Covent Garden.

London on Monday

Having flown round the world I was excited to by the prospect of heating the organ at Westminster. But the combination of an overzealous immigration officer that took 20 minutes and a phone card salesman that took another 20 and a gammy knee that slowed walking I got to St Margaret's Church known as Westminster Abbey 20 minutes late and missed the recital. Bugger. So I went to the Red Lion in Whitehall to get a beer no one knew what a "mild" was but they had little English so I finally got a Porter a dark beer and had a chat to a Welshman and an Aussie both celebrating a woman's Birthday. Then I found a wine bar cavern that had been there for 300 years. So old it had a royal charter and no Licence called Gordons after the original owner. That was fantastic. No English serving people. More English sounding patrons but not more than half. So my visit to Europe is just currently located in what was England. Well the Queen is English but of course her husband is European. So today I may get on the Jubilee line and go have breakfast at the Borough Market with some Europeans. Tonight is an Opera at the Royal Opera House called Nabucco written and performed by Europeans. That will be most exciting I hope. A grey day at 6 am but maybe not raining. I got rained on yesterday so today a coat and a brolly. And let's see if I can find a bit of old England.

London

I arrived on the day of celebration for some 90 year olds birthday. Good show. I feel like I have been on a plane for about that long. Can't complain about China Southern. No problems that affected me but they do not issue travel plans so when a person that looks like they were born in another part of the globe gives me the third degree because I am not carrying a return ticket I could take umberage. But here I am in the land of wonderful history and buildings and hardly a Pom to be found. The economy of Europe must be dying. I have not spoken to a service person with an English accent yet More follows but I am pretty aghast.

Greetings to anyone who cares

You know that I write this so I have something to remind me that I was once a human when I am lying dribbling leaking and shaking in a ward somewhere and someone asks what did you do when you could actually do something ? Well this is what I did that is such huge fun and fulfilment. I am an unusual bunch of contradictions with no understanding of other people. And no I was not dropped on my head as a kid but perhaps I should have. There are not many people I have met on this journey that actually give a stuff whether I was here or not and to be fair it was the same for me. To state the obvious I am odd. I don't mean extra fingers toes or cocks it is mental. I was not as the psychos say appreciated as a child, in fact I was an embarrassment. Couldn't see, couldn't relate to people well to be fair it's hard if you don't see faces....so I made no "connection" with people and have not got a lot better. There are a few that have taken the time and I surely recognise threat handful and love them for it. But I have never lived in the past. Biking has given me a freedom and independence that I have never felt, except perhaps on Dolphin ( a 43 foot wooden boat).....and I have had the odd mishap there but nothing that threatened anyone else. My biking is the same. My professional life was the same. I believe I harmed no one and helped many. In fact that was how I remained so remarkably poor and yet still managed to eat. But for a "retard" I think I did pretty well. None of this is meant to induce sympathy. If it encourages some to communicate with a little less expectation that would be good. But I am just getting on with life. I love biking. Not the bike so much, that is just a better behaved horse ( I went to and from school on one of those).....but where it enables me to go. I have been to places I did not know existed. I gaze in awe and amazement and JOY ! Dammit being alive is good. And Inshallah I am going to carry on. So I am away to Blighty. Heathrow. Long time in a China Southern plane but they are all the same as long as they get you there. But this is about acknowledging that I am on the road again. Can't wait. Some old bloke on the plan be up mentioned I can't be much of a biker. Riding a R1200 GSA......his son in law broke a land speed record last year well good on him but I would never dare make a derogatory comment about his choice to look and sand as it sped by. Life to me is. A bit more than a sand flat. I would be interested to see the speeder after a week on Russian roads ! What ever lights your fire ! And now having read the books I am off to see what I can. I hope you enjoy the ride. I will do my best.