Tina and Tony Tour 09 Part1 - The English Experience

Hello from Hampshire

We have just had a good aussie style bbq – and some Urquell beer – and some french red – after returning from a day trip along the south coast to Swanage, Poole and Christchurch……

I thought it was about time for a short update….

THURS 6/8

Arrived in sunny Romsey…the quinntensenial(you knoe I cant spell) south of England village . Trees, hedges, rambling streams, town square, little pubs, etc etc ….just beautiful.

Claire and Andy are great hosts..

FRI 7/8

Went by bus to Winchester…magic history…then train to South Hampton to meet Claire after work. Went to a Walkabout pub to watch the aussies perform ….6 wickets in the last session of the 4^th test…..then watched the ROULETTES perform over the solent as part of Isle of Wight celebrations before dinner at beaut pub

SAT 8/8

Drove to Bichester (pronounced bister) to shopping outlets …guess who planned that

SUN 9/8

Picked up hire car for week…trip to costswolds….pleased to get upgrade to VW Jetta Sports 2.0

Then local Mass and a 6k walk down the ~test way~ to a magnificent manor called Mottisfont

MON TO Thurs

Drive to Stow-on Wold for three nights….The Cotswolds are everything you hear about ….absolutely magical villages …..very similar design and looks one to the next….

There must be 4000 such villages in the Cotswolds….I think we probably missed out on seeing 20 or 30 ……The TGE (Tour Guide Extrondaiire) was at her best….

Stanton (named after Brett Stanton the Ess footballer ???) and Burford were the highlight towns

FRID

Claire wagged work and we drove to Storhead….wow

It is described as “ one of the worlds best landscaped gardens “

The house was fantastic but the gardens ……

Bernard… you need to tell Andrew (..of Jenny Smith Gardens…for those of you who don’t know him) that Pools, ponds, and pergolas are out….we need to start doing lakes, stone arched bridges and grottos about the size of our house…..minimum property 50 acres.

By the way Bernard, you can tell our Henry that “ Henry the Magnificent” designed Stourhead..

SATURDAY

Trip along the south coast with Any, Claire and Soloman…..he’s a great little man. Today he corrected me …ghosts don’t live in Castles ..only Kings do

Tommorrow…we are off to London town to spend the day with Janine Mitchell, her husband Brendan and their two kids …then off to Belgian on Monday……

POINT OF INTEREST..

I went to the local servo to fill our hire car yesterday…..there were 10 pumps…one hi octane unleaded…two unleaded…and SEVEN diesel…..

A bit different

Dad, Tony or ???