Blogs from Totnes, Devon, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Tag 302 – Alternative Markettown Totnes Am Donnerstag waren wir wieder alleine zuhause, und Richard schickte mir eine lange Liste mit Aufgaben. Ich räumte die Küche auf und machte den Backofen sowie den Kühlschrank sauber. Danach war Gartenarbeit angesagt: Die Rasenkanten per Hand schneiden, im Vorgarten Unkraut jäten sowie die Erde auflockern. May saugte und kümmerte sich dann noch ein bisschen um die Website. Bevor wir aßen, spielte ich noch eine Weile Klavier. Schließlich brachte Richard Emily und die Kindern nach Hause und nahm uns mit nach Paignton, wo wir den Bus nach Totnes nahmen. Gegen drei waren wir da. Totnes war eine etwas alternative Stadt mit einer Menge individueller Läden, und Emily hatte mir davon vorgeschwärmt. Es gab wohl sogar eine eigene Währung, den Totnes Pound, mit dem man in manchen Läden alternativ zum Pound ... read more

So while we were in Totnes planning the first part of our trip, packing up our house and converting our van(see pictures!) I was thinking about films and books that have inspired me to travel. So in no particular order my top films: The Motor Cycle Diaries (South America), Lost in Translation (Tokyo - Japan), Hideous Kinky (Morocco), Before Sunrise (Vienna – Austria) and Stealing Beauty (Tuscany- Italy). And my books are: My Family and Other Animals (Corfu), A Room With a View (Florence – Italy), Eat, Pray, Love (Italy, India & Bali), The Beach (Thailand) and Round Ireland with a Fridge (Ireland). What films and books make you want to visit somewhere else?... read more

It's two years since I've been to an English Coastal town, so I got pretty excited at going to Totnes. Totnes is cute but much to my disappointment - I found it's not by the sea and it hasn't got a beach and I thought I knew Devon and Cornwall. But it did have endless quaint shops, houses going up hills and around corners, tea houses, cake shops, organic places, pubs and a plant market where I bought a Chinese Bamboo for the performance. And, I really enjoyed just being in an old English seasideish quaint town - though of course let's not forget it - it's not by the sea. And, EDge's first performance in our UK leg of the tour went really well. I was very proud. To see a small clip of Jamila ... read more

Arrived back in Totnes in the early hours of 14th after setting off from Lima on 12th. Iberian flight from Lima to Madrid has ben marked as below average. No small screen on back of seats in front so stuck with the 2 set films. Food pretty dreadful. Lets hope the BA merger sorts this airline out. Then Madrid to London on Iberian with a delay in departure but no explanation or apology offered. Drinks and food charged at silly prices. After Heathrow it was the Rail Air coach to Reading and then the train to Totnes which collected a few young Friday night revellers along the way. Carriage was like a rowdy youth club at times. Arrived in Totnes just after midnight to be met by Lynne who insisted on snapping me on the platform. ... read more

Ordered ''The Conquest of the Incas'' by John Hemming on Amazon as I understand it provides an excellent history of the Spanish Conquest of Peru. Must get to grips on the history of Peru so as to really appreciate the country and its people. Just hope the book arrives before I depart. Done a few mundane things such as buying a decent torch, which will probably be needed in the jungle part of the trip, and getting an electrical adaptor.... read more