A new shuffle

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I'm on my third day of my forty day and forty night adventure. Far from being a self impose exile, my journey so far has been one of planes, trains and automobiles - lots of sitting down, a bit of dribbling, quite a few movies and a lot of fairly uninspired airline catering.

Aside from catching up with the latest movies, breathing in a lot of recycled air, giggling as the man in business class changes into his PJs, resisting the urge to slap the stupid whinging woman across isle, gagging as some heinous individual farts in my vicinity in the immigration queue, acting confused while not certain as to whether I'm on the Heathrow Express platform or the District Line and generally being a little tired at the end of 30 hours travel, one does have the opportunity to reflect on the absurtities of life.

A not so absurd reflection appeared before me as I was sitting in Elaine and Stuart's lovely conservatory. I was thinking that this time just over four years ago, I was enjoying a lovely breakfast in their backyard, oblivious to the fantastic adventure that was ahead of me on my cycle across Spain. You plan your trip, you have an idea of what it will be like and where you'll be staying, but in reality you've got no idea what you'll experience. Recently I've been really enjoying turning on my little iPod Nano and setting it to shuffle mode and I've rediscovered some brilliant songs and albums that I wouldn't normally select as my playlist.

Travelling is a little like the shuffle - you really have no idea what's next, but when you're in the midst of it you're having a great time and you don't want it to end - or you want to play it again.

Apparently I brought the sun to England! It's been quite lovely since I arrived here. Yesterday, Elaine & Stuart took me to Hever Castle in Kent - the home of Anne Boleyn. The inside of the castle was amazing, but what was more stunning where the extensive gardens and the man made lake. I took Elaine & Stuart out for a spin around the lake in a little row boat which was fun - I had to stop myself from competing with the 4 year old girl who was attempting to row her family around the lake too! I was imagining what it would be like with some of my brothers out on the lake too in similar boats - it would decline into a full blown Olympic regatta before the hour's boat hire was up.

Well I'm about to head off to York this afternoon to catch up with an old work mate and then off to Ireland on Thursday for a spot of cycling in County Cork & Kerry.

Adios amigos
Ange

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Photos

Hever Castle
Moat, bridge & castle

Hever Castle 004
About the only posed photo of me you'll see - Stuart made me do it!

Tudor Chess
A topary chess set & sun dial

Ange & Stuart
Rowing on Hever Castle lake

Comments

[chinois]

nice work!
Toots, Happy adventuring! Hope to have another adventure of my own in the not to medium-to-long-term future. Keep bloggin! Mwah

[Juz]

bon voyage
Glad you arrived safely apart from inhaling a few noxious gasses. Keep up the posts for us armchair travellers. o x juz

[Paul]

Top 5?
Clearly, the question that you're just begging me to ask is, "What are the top 5 pleasant surprise songs that you've encountered since turning the Nano onto shuffle?". And no, I won't take "I don't know" as a valid answer. Keep avoiding the farters!

[Emma Plowright]

Thanks for news
Hi Ange, Loved your insightful thoughts on travel and all it's delights. Hever Castle looks devine. You must have taken the sun with you as it is beautifully wintery here. I'm bracing myself for drumming tomorrow night with out you! Em