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Published: April 7th 2017
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Woolly says – The sun was up but the females seemed intent on having a lie in, they just don’t seem to have the stamina these days! If he worked as hard as we do then he might understand! Woolly says – After what seemed like years of preparation and searching for all relevant items, car keys, camera’s and of course snacks for the journey our new car, Belle, was finally pounding along the tarmac and through the country lanes. First stop Swansea and one of Zoe’s suggestions for a day out at Planatasia. Having driven round the city several times I was about to suggest abandoning the car on the next car park and walking, as Jo drove the wrong way onto the next piece of road, I cringed and mimed that I was being mammothnapped to the lady in the car next to me. A stressful ten minutes had seen us circumnavigate the city several times and having finally spotted a sign for our destination, I turned left, much to the shock of the oncoming car. Woolly says – I was a wreck, as I staggered out of the vehicle, I needed a much needed soothing snack. Having wiped the jam from my ears onto Jo’s jacket and managed to wedge the crumbs into her bag I trotted over to what appeared to be an entrance. A large arrow pointed to the right, having checked that the rest of the party were in attendance I wandered through a car park, over a building site and into a shopping centre, seeing Zoe’s eye’s light up at the shops on offer I quickly spotted another arrow and raced in the direction that it was pointing. Several minutes later I found myself three paces away from the original door and arrow having walked round the entire building!!! The young man at the counter took our money and I gazed about me, lots of aquariums lined the walls with stick insects, spiders and cockroaches peering mournfully at me from their fake leaves and twigs. I shook my head at their surprisingly small habitats and moved on, rounding a corner I found myself confronted with two heavy doors which even Jo struggled to push open.... I told her to have breakfast! Beyond the humid air filled my lungs
and the lush bushes and trees lined the pathway. A rather lovely waterfall gushed into a not overly large pond where huge and I mean huge fish were racing round in circles.
The ideal photo opportunity and one of us wasn’t slow in striking a pose. Woolly says – The price of fame! A ramp led us upwards to a high cage where small cotton tailed tamarinds stared out sadly, I sighed and followed the exit signs. The whole visit had lasted less than an hour and although the plants had been interesting and the information good all of us felt a little deflated, I heard a squeak from the rear. Woolly says – I DO NOT squeak, I had merely suggested, having consulted my Mammoth Places to Visit, the Gower Peninsula for some views. This appeared to meet approval and as we sped off once more I settled down to a snack. With the city behind us we bumped across a cattle grid and onto some moorland when I nearly swallowed my doughnut whole as a herd of long haired cattle stood waving their tails at me. As we cruised round the country lanes I caught flashes of the sea in between the bushy hedgerows, turning right we drove through the prettiest of fords, I was interested to see what the Gower Heritage Centre had to offer.
Established in 1990 as a crafts centre, the 12th century water powered corn and saw mill were renovated and the centre has continues to grow. I could hear the water gushing through the wheel and headed off to have a look at the mill itself. In full working order I sat and watched for a while before strolling onto the side of the small river and past pottery and art workshops before spotting a sign for a tea shop, well who could resist. With bellies full and the mammoth trying to fit another chocolate brownie into the hood of his hoodie we passed by ancient farming equipment, the tractor seats looked less than comfortable but each vehicle with their big round headlights appeared to have personalities of their own. Woolly says – before Jo could commence on her ‘cars looked so much nicer’ lecture I pushed the girls towards the animal enclosure knowing that a cute Guinea pig and a soft bunny would have them cooing in delight. I wasn’t wrong and as I chatted to the Polish chickens and gave weight loss advice to the rather chubby goat I could see the petting overload in progress, in the interests of saving my fellow animal I pointed meanfully at the clock on the nearby wall and having ensured that they had washed their hands I led the way back to the car.
The lanes seemed to get narrower and windier as we neared the coast, having taken one wrong turn and arrived in a private parking area overlooking Three Cliffs Bay, Zoe quickly jumped out of the car taking a quick snap as I turned the car round and we sped off just as the lady of the house opened her front door. Woolly says – I cringed and slid slowly down the window and onto the seat where I couldn’t be seen, I really do need to find some new owners, this just isn’t good enough! Having bumped back along the track we sped through the final few miles of tiny roads before descending into the bay of Oxwich, further embarrassment awaited me as the women smiled sweetly at the car park attendant who instead of charging them £3.00 GBP just waved them through the barrier, I started composing my hiring ad in my mind. Pulling up particularly on the beach, I leapt from the car and onto the yellow sand, the wind whipped through my fur and the waves threatened to bite my paws, I sighed happily, today is a good day.
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D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
Wooley Travels
Swansea is on our short list of towns to visit. A long story but we booked a room in Swansea Wales once when we intended to book Swansea Tasmania