St Austell and Newquay, kicked off this trip for me!

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It has often been said about holidaying in Britain - "All you need is a spell of good weather, and the trip is as good as it gets", but I also wonder how many non-Brits have made that declaration, and what percentage of that claim pertains to some kind of patriotism. In the case of this trip though, the weather was as favourable as could have been hoped for, and the choice of destination as Cornwall did all it could to add weight to the above statement. A 2-night stay in Newquay was specifically planned so as to be able to enter the surf on Newquay's Fistral Beach, where the conditions are favourable at low and high tide periods. For the novice surfer, a little patience is involved to be able to reach the stage where you are actually adept at catching and riding the waves, but there's no denying that the location is great, and a good indication of what to expect from the stunning Cornish coastline. The town of Newquay itself may give the impression of having gone into decline, as much as it may give the opposite impression of having been developed. This might well seem paradoxical, but the abandoned properties nestle alongside the latest developments, making the visitor wonder which direction the future of the town is heading off into. A meal out at the Indian Dining Club restaurant did, however, provide ample evidence to suggest that the local dining scene is in no danger of losing its flair. A last-minute decision prompted me to motor to St Austell, simply because it is one Cornish town I had not been previously acquainted with. The town itself is by no means blessed with standout features, but is a pleasant enough place to spend a couple of hours whilst you work your way through the county of Cornwall's towns, villages, beach resorts and attractions in between which make up the entire fabric of the UK's poorest county, which seems to gain most revenue from tourism. That said, tourist attractions are to be found here in abundance, so a little local knowledge led me to try my hand at go-karting at a terrific purpose-made circuit just a few miles east of Newquay. St Eval go-karting circuit is a true petrolhead's dream, and the 1.2 km long track is set out like a well put-together scalextric track, replete with overhead bridge and pit stop-like starting grid. So this was indeed a 'Cornwall in a day' experience, and not really recommended to a complete newcomer to the area, who would fare better by staying for longer, and letting the slack pace of life seep into their soul. For the initiated however, this was indeed a cracking start to a domestic trip which was already holding its own by the very end of day one, with further treats in store.

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