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Published: September 5th 2012
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Thursday, August 23, 2012
Arrival in London on time and the correct day. Unlike the last time I flew from Bangkok with Harrison and somehow managed to miss the plane, arriving a day late. Our friend, Ian (Wheels) was waiting to Whisk us to Woking.
On getting to Casa Wheeler, we are treated to a wonderful dinner and along with a few glasses of wine it makes for an evening of memories and catch-up. Unfortunately, both I and Caroline are wasted and I hit the rack earlier than we should and I for one am awake at 5.00am. On getting up, the table is set and there are lots of goodies for breakfast. I'd like to give this place **** and recommend it to all of my friends!
Wheels has a free day and we drive to Woking to sort out a SIM card for Caroline's IPAD. Bonus! we run into Dennis Royston, another friend from BOAC days and quickly catch up on happenings. It's wonderful to see and catch-up with old friends.
Friday, August 24
th Greenwich is the tourist
More Biggles
Or is that Snoopy> target of the day and to get there it's a train from Woking to Waterloo Station. On arrival, and exiting the train, there's an information booth manned by Olympic Volunteers . How do we get to Greenwich? A lady with a mischievous eye informs us she has just sent four other people to Greenwich by bus, we catch them at the bus-stop and are all whisked away on a long-winded bus-trip around the burbs. I for one know there was a quicker way to Greenwich. Eventually we get there and take a walking tour around the palace that is hosted by an American Lady, living in London. Royal Greenwich is notable for its maritime association, home of the Cutty Sark (China Tea Trader) and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian (0° longitude). New Zealand sit's close to 180. The town became the site of a royal palace (Palace of Placentia) from the 15th century, and was the birthplace of Henry VIII and his daughter Elizabeth I. The palace fell into a state of disrepair during the English Civil War (Oliver Cromwell and his troops occupied it) and was rebuilt by Christopher Wren in the reign of Charles II,
a time-line of about 1660's. Added information, after Lord Nelson was killed, his body was pickled in rum and returned to Greenwich. Supposedly, his men drank the rum afterward!
The rain starts in the afternoon, but on catching the light rail to the Monument and Pudding Lane (the site of the Bakers shop where the Great Fire of London started in 1666, the fire consumed 13,200 houses and devastated the London. On making our way back to Waterloo we decide walk along the embankment and to try and dodge the rain drops. The evening is spent with a neat young couple (Elis and Mike) that spent a few nights with me in Fiji, in May. They recently returned to the UK after traveling around the world. Anyway, Caroline and I spend a lovely evening with them, drinks followed by an Indian meal. After which, its time to take the train back to Woking.
Saturday, August 25
th A five hour coach trip to Leeds is the order of the day. It's time to leave our friends Ian and Annette and catch the National Express coach to Leeds. Unfortunately, it turns
out that there is nothing express about the journey and the coach arrives in Leeds about 75minutes behind schedule. Ann, my sister, has been waiting at the coach station for well over an hour. Finally we get to her house in Horsforth, a Leeds suburb, which we will use as a base for the next 12 days.
Sunday, August 26
th A family BBQ, and an opportunity to catch up with my cousins (the Marshall's) on my mother's side of the family. And it's a fun, fun day, and more to the point, my Mom enjoys herself immensely. Thanks, Ann and Dave for doing this.
Monday, August 27
th (Bank Holiday Monday)
It's raining again! and does so for most of the day. A visit the Leeds Armory; a museum with weapons and armor from 1066 through to the present day. After the museum we go to the movies to see Shadow Dancer, set in the 1980's in Northern Ireland, it's a movie about the IRA. A dark thriller, but I enjoy it, Caroline, Ann, and Dave don't!
Tuesday, August 28
th My bother-in-law, Dave has kindly offered to lend his car for the visit to Yorkshire, but has has to go into the garage for it's MOT. A bus trip into Leeds, a day's shopping, and a visit to the Art Gallery. Leeds, has wonderful Victorian architecture and is a city that has been rejuvenated over the years, once a drab mill town, today it's a 21
st century, modern, bustling city with “industrial history”.
Wednesday, August 29
It's raining again and need to find something to do on a wet Yorkshire day that can be done with my Mom in a wheel-chair. Oh, I do love Google. Question, what to do in Yorkshire in the rain? Answer, drive to Wensleydale to see the cheese being made, then have lunch in the restaurant and buy cheese from the shop. On the drive home we stop at Aysgarth falls and the water is rushing. Normally it's a trickle, and the postcards always show sun and glistening droplets, but today, the falls reflect the rainy weather that has been the UK's summer. In the distance there's a turret and
find that Bolton castle is nearby, however it closes at 5.00pm and we arrive at 4.55pm,. Out of luck, Bolton Castle is left for another day!.
Thursday, August 30
Another day and it's showers again. First, a stop in Wetherby to see my Mom, but after ringing the bell several times we are unable to rouse her. The suspicion is she is tired from the trip on the previous day, or has had enough of me already and refuses to answer the door. Rather than bang loudly, we get back in the car and drive to York . There's a National Trust Historic Monument, The Treasurers House, to be visited. In the evening, it's dinner at Browns restaurant, followed by a performance of Phantom of the Opera. And the music was just as good second time around! The Theatre in Leeds is a wonderful old Victorian building, ornately decorated and apart from the tight seating it is a pleasure to visit and witness a performance of Lloyd-Webers musical...
Friday, August 31
Today I have booked a trip in a World War II biplane, a
Tiger Moth. And it was amazing!. I even dress up like Biggles, complete with flying suit, leather jacket, furry collar, leather helmet and goggles. Biggles, or is that Snoopy!! Anyway, I get to take control for a short time and with the wind in my face , I do feel like a World War I flying ace. It was a real experience and gets my thumbs up. A big thank you to Blue Eyed Aviation, at Neverthorpe Airdrome near Sheffield. After the flying experience we spend the afternoon with my Mom and in the evening have a Living Social Voucher for a Pakistani, Kashmiri meal in Flaxton near York. Unfortunately, it seems closer to Scarborough than York, but worth the drive, the meal is fantastic.
Saturday, Sept 1
Another day with my Mom and a trip to the Cow and Calf Rocks on Ilkley Moor, where we find a pub opposite the rocks and have lunch. The weather is cool and blustery and rather than stay on the moor, drive to Shipley and the Saltaire Mills which house a collection of David Hockney art. David Hockney has moved back to the UK
from Los Angeles where he had attained super-star status. Caroline and I attended a show of the artist at the Los Angeles Museaum of Art in the late 80's. Anyway, he is now back to his roots in Yorkshire and has a studio in the seaside town of Bridlington.
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Heather Stone
non-member comment
Now you've really made me homesick! My former name being Hebblethwaite, but not Ginger, I envied the Biggles flight. I could taste the Wensleydale (2nd favourite cheese, 1st being Swaledale). Really interested to read that Hockney has a studio in Brid., I knew he was back & I believe living on the Wolds. I'll check out the studio next year. I just need to win the lottery to have my old world back again!