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I took the bus today because Alexandra said it was quicker and more direct. I hoped I would know where to get off! I counted the stops. Usually when I arrive in a town I walk around to get a sense of the place and gain orientation. This hasn’t been possible because I arrived by taxi, I have been taking public transport and have hardly had any time to explore. Still I am getting the hang of the place and yesterday we had a walk around the centre of town after class.

Today I stayed after class and did my presentation preparation then embarked on an exploratory stroll. I declined the drinks invitations and the invitations to watch the football though I am sure it would be fun. The strain of talking only in French is tiring and I need a bit of respite.

Football fever

A basil and citron sorbet to cool me down.

It was lovely wandering around this city. It is very grand with beautiful sandstone buildings of four stories high and because it is a UNESCO city everything is beautifully preserved. Having said that, nearly every road is being dug up for a new tram line and so it would be lovely to return when all is completed.

There is a famous reflective pool beside the river and opposite the Bourse but in this heat it is full of people lying and children rolling in the water, their bodies reflected on the surface. It is seriously packed everyday. At night it reflects the lights of the buildings opposite.

I am home resting and soon the football will be on downstairs as the family have returned from the beach in time for the game. This home is in the process of renovation and it will be lovely when completed but they are doing it in stages. It is quite large. Hermine plays the harp and one of the older sons plays the piano. I haven’t heard any practicing but the harp is beautiful when you stroke the strings.

France won the match against Belgium and the streets are full of horns tooting, people yelling ‘ viva la France’ and generally making a racket! My room is on the street side and last night there were guys talking and knocking on the neighbour next door. I was too tired to care but I wondered what they were doing so late.

There will be a few sore heads tomorrow in class I think.

Andy and Karen and I left Logaston early so we could take the scenic route to Bristol airport.

This meant following the Wye river in and out of Wales. It is a bit disconcerting to see signs in English then Welsh and English and back again but it is a pretty route and Karen said that during the Napoleonic wars when the Grand Tour of Europe was not possible, there was a Tour of Wye which focussed on the beauty of the countryside and the medieval ruins like Tintern Abbey.

Eventually Bristol appeared and I was surprised by the huge estuary that we crossed. The rivers this close to the sea are subject to huge tides and I was amazed at the deep muddy sides. Looked more like a jungle river. The bridge across is long and impressive almost Like the Golden Gate in San Francisco.

We had a bit of trouble finding the drop off point so we stopped before the parking area and a police car happened to be passing and told us to move on. I jumped out and quickly grabbed my backpack and hugged them goodbye and scampered off before the police returned.

All the haste and the plane was delayed about forty minutes. The system does not display a departure gate till they are actually boarding so you can’t relax while you wait. I wasn’t the only one a bit anxious. A young French guy returning home after studying in Bristol was equally as anxious. He had been at art college studying Illustration and was very curious about Australia. The plane finally arrived and our gate number appeared and we were soon boarding and away. Looking back over England as we took off was quite pretty, like a green and yellow patchwork quilt.

Soon it was France we were over and the coast of Brittany. The sea was very blue and even the beaches looked sandy. The arrival was easy and no fuss through immigration and customs and I got a new arrival stamp, shame I am going home this time in two weeks! Bordeaux is 33C..

My driver is running late so I am a bit anxious but she turns up after I call the contact number and, blessing, speaks English. It is the beginning of the holidays here and traffic is heavy to the airport.

I am deposited at my host family and greeted warmly by Astrid and three of the five children. Rogation has a cockatiel in his shoulder. That is an Australian bird, grey with yellow head and crest. They make pretty pets and are quite common at home. All is in French. My immersion begins which is pretty scary. Astrid the mother is a very attractive, friendly person and makes me feel welcome but she and her husband make sure we speak French all the time.

There is another student, Alexandra who is Spanish and speaks English too. She is only 17 but has completed a short Camino from Sarria and found it an extraordinary experience.

It was good for me to hear of her feelings because I have always doubted that just walking the last 100 kms into Santiago could be so moving.

I am really tired and escape to my room after dinner. The blog will have to wait because I am falling asleep. Another adventure begins.

Karen and I went to Ludlow which is a beautiful medieval town to explore more thoroughly. It was once the centre of government for this part of England so was a rich medieval town with a large castle and a beautiful historic church.

When we arrived the Saturday market was in full swing and their were several groups of Morris dancers performing. It is an ancient folk tradition of men’s dancing with bells on their legs and flowers on their hats, danced with sticks or staves. It is very energetic and requires precision with eye hand coordination to avoid hitting each other on the head! It was very entertaining and the three troupes we watched all had very different costumes. One group was from Lancashire and wore clogs so the beating if the clogs added to the folk music. Apparently the mill workers of Lancashire used to wear clogs.

Later I toured St Laurence’s church which had some intriguing carvings on the underside of the seats the monks used to sit on or lean against when praying. It had a most elaborate wall of carvings in the chancel behind the altar too. So many of the churches were ‘cleansed’ of ornamentation during the reformation or sacked during the English civil war but this church had managed to retain its original stained glass windows.

The town has many winding streets of pretty houses and shops. Karen and I entered a shop called Expensive Mistakes which had preloved designer clothes. After a few changes if clothes Karen purchased a very smart black and white outfit, hat and bag for an upcoming wedding. We celebrated with tea and lemon tart!

Next it was Ludlow castle the home of one of the richest men in medieval times. It was built between 1086 and 1094 by Roger de Lacy. Catherine of Aragon came here for her honeymoon but her husband Prince Arthur died 6 months later from the plague and she later married his brother Henry the VIII. The castle was a significant place for quelling rebellion from across the border in Wales.

We rounded our day off by watching Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet. I haven’t seen it for years but it really holds up as a production. Just as powerful as when it was first released. We made a few comparisons between it and the play we saw on Thursday both being modern interpretations.

This is my last day in England and tomorrow I fly to France for the language school. I am a bit anxious but I am sure it will be fun.

Andy is up early laying bricks for his wall, Karen is raspberry picking and I am languishing in bed writing the blog after a sleep in. It has been such a treat to go slow this week.

The weather continues to be sunny and now there is talk of water restrictions for gardens. Andy waters by hand with a watering can which is a huge job. I had thought a sprinkler would be easier but water pressure is not that good here. As it is they have a pump to boost the pressure for the washing machine and I discover to my dismay that the dribbley showers become forceful entities.

When I emerged to shower I used the upstairs bathroom next to my bedroom. I got in as usual and turned on the water expecting a weak flow which I had had the last time I used this shower. But oh no! I was blasted with a forceful stream of water that washed me and almost the whole bathroom. I frantically tried to regulate the taps but to no avail and soon the floor was awash. I quickly threw my t shirt over the shower head so I could get to the taps to turn them off!

Surveying the bathroom I was grateful it was a bathroom where it is built to be relatively safe for water. I wiped up, hung up the soaked bath mat and rug and retreated to my bedroom. It was only then as I was apologising, that Karen told me about the pump that is turned on for the washing machine but makes the showers very forceful. The downstairs shower is just the same when the washing machine is on. The message is, don’t shower while the washing machine is in action! Living in the country, in ancient houses, and English bathrooms are all very idiosyncratic.

By now I have collected my wits sufficiently to dress for a walk Andy has planned along Offra’s dyke on the border of Wales, not far from Herefordshire. We set off along the usual confusing country lanes but soon gain altitude to look over the Shropshire downs. The country is turning golden instead of green very rapidly now and there is a haze of humidity overhanging everything.

Offra’s dyke is a huge ditch and mound about 180 miles long that is along the border of Wales and England. It is not clear why it was built though speculation suggests it was a defining of the border between the two countries. It is a pleasant walk ( up hill of course) with good views and as we reach the top we come across a red dragon! It is a metal sculpture sitting beside a section of the dyke with no explanation as to why it is there. It is rather lovely and certainly whimsical. It isn’t as if no one will see it as we have been passed by several walkers, so it is a well visited path but it was a surprise. Sheep graze nearby and I wondered what they thought about it when it first appeared.

We are only doing a circuit but some walk the whole length. A couple of walkers asked Andy whether a nearby pub was open and he directed them to a shortcut. We stopped for a drink and snack then made our way back to the car. Andy pointed out a laid hedge and explained how farmers bend and twist and weave hazel wood stems to thicken the hedge planting so they are animal proof. The hedge grows the whole time around and from the woven parts. There were piles of twiggy timber nearby that would be used in this process.

After returning to the car I suggested tea at a cafe in Clun (a village within Wales) before checking out the castle. The tea pots came dressed in Tennis themed cosies because Wimbledon is on. A bit different! On the way to the castle we passed one of the oldest lawn bowling greens in the country. It was round. A true bowling green.

The castle was built as a fortification to keep the Welsh under control and was grand in its time but has been a ruin for nearly 400 years!

Returning home we hustled to get ready for dinner at Andy’s sister Susie’s home. She and her late husband Ivor used to own Dunkerton Cider but they had just sold it when Ivor passed away. Susie still lives next door to the business and grows apples for the cider. While we dined we could hear the sounds from the restaurant that was part of the cider business. Susie has a huge garden and vegetable garden so she has some help to manage it. She has a haha(? Spelling) which is a ditch that is designed to blend into the sightline so you don’t notice it but it discourages animals (rabbits) from raiding her vegetable garden. I hadn’t heard of such a thing before. The gardener was leaving as we arrived and she admitted to trimming one of the bushes into a McEnroe chicken shape with headband!

The haha in the foreground with orchards in the background. Can you see it?

It was a lovely evening and good to see Susie who is still adjusting to the loss of her husband. It is only just two years now and still painful. People seem to expect you to ‘ get over ‘ grief like it is an illness but you never ‘ get over’ losing the love of your life. All you do is learn to adjust to life without them. Life becomes about learning who you are now as an individual. Susie remarked on how she could plant want she likes now without Ivor’s input but then it is those tussles that you miss too; Having someone with whom to talk things over. Karen’s Mum Sue is also making that adjustment after losing her husband twelve months ago. It is never easy.

Karen and Andy had bought tickets for a performance of Romeo and Juliet at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon. They have a friend Ishia Bennisson who is playing the role of the Nurse and wanted to catch her performance and visit with her. They had bought a ticket for me too which was so thoughtful.

We needed to leave by 8.30 because it is at least 2 hours drive away, depending on traffic. Andy had thought we might have time to visit Kenilworth Castle beforehand but the traffic and the early start to the play made it too difficult to enjoy a visit without rushing. Instead we explored the town and visited many significant places at our leisure before the play. The swans were congregating in one spot beside the river as evening drew near. I have never seen such a sight or so many swans in one place. We kept wondering if there was a special term to describe a group of swans.

Shakespeare’s birthplace

The riverside

Shakespeare’s burial place in Holy Trinity Church and the walkway of 10 lime trees, each signifying an apostle.

The play was interesting with a modern staging and a determination to make it relevant to young audiences. I enjoyed the performance but I felt the delivery of words was sometimes rushed. Energy overcame the poetry of the dialogue. Some of the acting was very good and I felt the full impetuosity and passion of youth was well portrayed. Ishia was very good as the Nurse, her experience showed. She has been engaged as a (directurg?) person to facilitate the realisation of scripts to production for a theatre company in Oregon, in the United States. She works with writers and directors and finds it very exciting and interesting as well as being an actor. I have only recently heard of this type of role in theatres since Janine has been involved at the Malthouse Theatre at home. .

By the time we finished dinner at Carlucci’s (Sicilian food) it was getting late but we visited her digs which look onto the river. They are owned by the company and rented to the cast. She can sit on the terrace and learn her lines for another production while listening to the water rushing over the weir. There are even waterlilies. It is a gorgeous aspect.

We returned home about 10, much quicker because there was hardly any traffic in the late evening. The light was so golden on the hills and fields. I keep reciting snippets of My Country by Dorothea Mackellar so I must be homesick.

The love of field and coppice,

Of green and shaded lanes,

Of ordered woods and gardens

Is running in your veins,

Strong love of grey-blue distance,

Brown streams and soft dim skies.

I know but cannot share it

My love is otherwise.

I love a sunburnt country,

A land of sweeping plains,

Of ragged mountain ranges,

Of drought and flooding rains,

I love her far horizons,

I love her jewel sea,

Her beauty and her terror-

The wide brown land for me!

…

I think this beautiful summer that the English are relishing makes me homesick. Go figure!

I slept in today, or rather stayed in bed late. It was so luxurious to dally rather than be up and packed ready for breakfast at 7.30!

I feel for Debra who went back to work on Monday. I certainly need these few quiet days. Karen went to the Poetry Festival at Ledbury and though I was tempted ( I went last time I was here) I decided to remain at home.

I explored the woods on the property and I am amazed how much they have grown since I was here last. You can hardly see down some of the walkways. I have observed all the renovations on the house and wandered through the garden and the field with the van. It is a rather wild garden with lots of secret spots.

Andy used to farm pigs and sheep some time ago but now married to a vegetarian and wanting to be free to travel, he has given that up. The old shed is going to become his studio for painting when he finishes the brick wall, the patio and other concerns. Now they are retired they are both free to pursue other interests.

The van has a great view over the farmland to the hills.

This is a lovely part of the world and I enjoy the garden, especially the raspberries! The rest of the day was just reading and doing some travel arrangements-very relaxing. I did stir myself to get tea for Andy who is building a brick wall along the edge of the garden beside the wood and pick raspberries. Nothing too arduous!

sunset over Logaston, Herefordshire.

We set off early and seriously, I can only say I knew we were going south because Herefordshire is south of Chorley. We went on freeways, big roads, back lanes most of which are bordered by hedges. Only occasionally do you get a view of a wider expanse of country. It is like green tunnels to me! This was where the monks used to ritually wash before prayers. They were Cluniacs. We saw the order’s churches in France.

Karen and Andy took me to Much Wenlock Priory, a beautiful ruin but still so stately. While Andy took a walk ( research for a book) Karen and I explored the village and its shops. The town is home to William Penny -Brooke’s who was responsible for re starting the Olympics in 1896(?). I found a range of inspirational cards in one shop that had exquisite little arks and angels and a large wooden ark. Kirsten’s Oscar would have loved the wooden arc with all the animals. I did not buy a thing other than the cards! The one I liked most was out of stock.

Then we set off again via Ludlow another architectural delight of maintained Elizabethan buildings and castle. So quaint but hard to take photos of. Then we arrived in Logaston. Karen and Andy have a guest coming to stay in their caravan which lives down the field. He is a musician and likes to come for the quiet when he is writing, so Karen set off to the shops for special provisions for him and Andy and I got stuck into the raspberry patch. We picked about 5 kilograms not counting what I nibbled on! Raspberries and cream for dessert, and breakfast. We realised I was here about the same time four years ago. This is half of one box.

Bruce, Lyn and I left Scarborough this morning. They were heading for London and I was going to Preston, where I was to meet Karen and Andy and Karen’s Mum Sue who lives at Chorley in Lancashire.

The train passed a large fire in the heathlands that has been burning for several days. Apparently it was started deliberately. When we arrived at Sue’s place the sound of fire engines was constantly in the background. After all the quiet of the country, civilisation is rather jarring. The traffic in and out of Preston was like peak hour and it was Sunday afternoon! The world is such a busy, bustling place so that the countryside is more and more appealing.

Sue is a watercolour painter so I was very interested to see her work. She is very accomplished and seeing her work made me keen to get back to painting again too. I spoke with Jonathan and Ziggy this morning and started to feel the first pangs of homesickness. Not long now before I return.

We ate a lovely home cooked meal in the garden and then Karen’s sister Fiona and her husband John came for tea and another delicious meal of salads( with avocado!) was eaten. Such a lovely change from Pub food! The weather is still warm and so eating outside was also enjoyable, barely a fly to swat. Karen had made a scrumptious Rhubarb fool for dessert. All was devoured without a squeak. It was so nice to have something different, not a huge serving, and so deliciously fresh and light. Civilisation has its perks too! Fiona works in FE, Further Education, and has responsibility for a huge number of courses. It was very interesting discussing the English system of vocational training and seeing how different it was from the Australian system in which I worked.

The weather is a treat which I didn’t expect in England and everyone is so enjoying the sunshine but the gardens are very dry and they don’t seem to open windows as soon as there is a cool breeze. The hotel at Scarborough was stuffy, yet there was a fresh sea breeze blowing outside. The staff were saying how hot it was but all they needed to do was open a window!

Today we all made our departures from our lodgings. Lyn had been treated like she had contagious gastro and was very upset because she had been isolated by the host and we were not happy either. We understood what the host was trying to prevent but it was completely unnecessary in Lyn’s case. However she would not waver. She had been helpful in other ways but refused to budge on this and had not wanted Lyn to stay at all.

We were glad to leave in the end. We felt she was mean and only gave us two tea bags and some others only one! When we had arrived she barely gave us a moment to get in the door before she was asking us what we wanted for breakfast. We weren’t impressed. Small things like that leave an impression. Her breakfast wasn’t great either. A disappointing final place but it hadn’t ruined our experience. She booked taxis for us all which was very helpful and after saying our farewells to Moyra, Kathy and Debra we left for Whitby.

The taxi driver, Fred was a great source of information and very cheerful. He dropped us at Whitby Abbey ruins which we explored then walked into town. It is very charming and was so busy with tourists. A bit of a shock to the system after our quiet two weeks crossing the country. Captain Cook trained here for his sailing career.

I had wanted to get a piece of jet as a momento so I was interested in checking out the shops. Jet is actually fossilised wood and it is found in and near the sea. Whitby is renowned for it. In its raw state it looks like coal but polished it is a rich shiny black. I decided on a bangle and I am very happy with it.

Bruce, Lyn and I then took a boat ride out of the harbour into the North Sea and back again. The water looked calm but the swell was high at times giving us a good rock and roll. It must be treacherous in a high sea. The beach looked a bit miserable but the beaches to the north of the harbour wall had pretty bathing boxes. We had lunch near the dockside and ate crab sandwiches and Czech beer!

After sauntering around the shops our taxi driver returned to take us to Scarborough. He made mention of it as a bit rough, but not as bad as Middlesbrough where he said ‘they would steal your eyes and come back for your sockets!’ Middlesbrough had taken on mythical proportions as the birthplace of Dennis in the group. He always said it was a tough place but I don’t think he would like that comment.

Our hotel looks out over the beach and I can see how grand this place must have been in its hey day. The day was hot so there were lots of people at the beach and even in the water. There is a cable car/ funicular that goes from the town down to the beach.

They have a major problem with gulls. They are roosting on the buildings and the bridges so their is bird business over everything!

We found a Chinese restaurant for dinner because we can’t face another pub meal and it was delicious. We have missed our rice and vegetables!

All up we have walked a grand total of 8 kms! That is a rest day.

This morning was a later start due to the fact that Lyn had a recurrence of her diarrhoea and could not walk the final day after all. Plans had to be made to get her to our destination. Paul also was still shaky but felt he could walk.

We were waiting around when the steam train came out of the shed and backed up to the carriages at the station. The steam engines have been running since the 1830s and are now run by volunteers. Alan took the train(he was the only paying passenger!) We were all like little kids trying to get a photo. My Thomas the tank engine moment. After our excitement subsided we started the very long climb out of the valley up to Sleights Moor. Talk about a long and winding road- this one was a 1000 foot high slog.

When we crest the hill we can see the sea! The end is in sight which spurs us on despite sore feet from the hard road surface. Colin and I are suffering from really sore feet. He has arthritis in his big toe which coupled with blisters makes walking tougher and I have a very tender spot under the ball of my foot. No matter, we will be there at the end. We pass the Low Bride Stones and then the high Bride stones, worn down now but apparently they were originally large circles. After crossing the main road we headed off the moor into a pretty little hamlet called Littlebeck and walk beside a creek within a shady forest Littlebeck Wood over soft (!) leafy ground past the hermitage, a huge boulder hollowed out for a shelter in 1790. Next we arrived at Falling Foss a pretty waterfall and Tea Rooms!

When we arrived at Hawsker, the last village before the end I get all excited by a street sign stating 2.5 miles to Robin Hood’s Bay only to have my enthusiasm dashed by Paul who tells me that the road is not the C2C! We eat lunch on the corner, leftover muesli bars, fruit and chocolates.

We go along the road for a little while then enter a holiday camp of mobile homes . They are all neat and new looking but the place seemed so soulless.

Now we are on the cliff edge and it is very dramatic scenery. I can’t really feel my foot now because I am excited to be nearly there. Amongst the rough path Kathy Turner takes a bad fall, banging her hand hard on her walking sticks. The shock of the fall bring tears to her eyes and she is quite shaken for a moment. Bryce and Debra help her to stand and we wait despite her protests for her to regain her equilibrium. Then we see Robin Hood’s Bay from a vantage point. Lyn has come out to greet us!

We all walk down into the town past our accommodation and down to the water. Lined up we throw our stones in. In my case one for me and one for Peter. We are all exhilarated, hugging and congratulating each other. What a journey!

Now for a drink! I ordered a bottle of Prosecco for we women. The men had Wainrights Ale. We signed the book and received our certificates of achievement.

Now to get cleaned up for the farewell dinner at the Victoria. Colin who sings with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir gave us a rendition of Jerusalem. It brought the whole restaurant to a standstill. His voice is fantastic. Lyn and I said we would not be singing Waltzing Mathilda after that! It was an emotional evening.