2014

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My 2014 nomad diary.

Left Australia 10th April arriving Tulla with only 10 minutes to spare after a flying pack. 

UK April 11 to 19. Arrived London & onto Hermits cl, Burghfield Common (sounds like something out of Harry Potter) in Berkshire to stay with friends I met sailing Dahna, Neil and Steven. Was met by blue sky and sunshine, a most unusual experience for Britain however still cold.  Checked out Blenheim Palace and despite having on every layer of clothes I possessed, it was freezing but we braved the Palace maze and while Dahna and I made it out, the guys are still keeping the hedge to the left and have yet to find the exit.

Onto Orpington in Kent to Vathana (ex physio colleague) Tom, Neesha and Austin for wonderful family time.

 Yummy lunch at Michael Caine's old restaurant Chapter One, now Michelin ranked, followed by an amble in the Lullingston countryside to test Austin's walking legs. 

Road trip via Shere, Sussex which is a tiny quaint very old village where the pub and town buildings are often used in big time movies. 

Picnic'd and hand balled me to Steven for the drive to Curry Rivel, a tiny hamlet in Somerset to catch up with Linda, another colleague who only recently moved back to UK. Wizzed by Stone Henge standing out like warts on a nose so crossed that off the list. 

Day trip to Lyme Regis in Dorset which is on the Jurassic coast where the tide was out so far the boats were standing on their keels in the mud and the poms were actually swimming while we were in layers of clothes cos it was freezing!

Lunch in the quaint fishing village pub of Beer and a lovely drive back with a stop in Crewkerne at The George, one of the oldest Stage Coach Inns. Note to self, always allow extra time when cruising the country roads of England especially when navigating goes askew and one does a circle!

Next day road trip via Glastonbury abbey ruins, Wells cathedral and Bradford upon Avon but it has been a rush - one needs time to amble slowly and do justice to this beautiful countryside and towns.

 I have learnt a hamlet doesn't have a church and a village has one. Caught up with Trevor and Lesley who we met sailing in Greece last year however we will be in different seas this year.

Onto the ferry at Dover with the towering white cliffs and huge castle atop, a stark backdrop to the busy port and variety of number plates heading to Europe. Quite surreal.

Europe road trip begins at Calais and onto Reims, where all the french kings have been crowned, then onto Epenay, champagne capitol of France where we checked out the Moet and Chandon champagne house. There are 140km tunnels of caves full of champagne under the region - seriously! 

It was tempting to slide a bottle into my bag whilst on a tour. Here the country side is vineland as far as you can see. And guess what, my camera battery ran out hence no photos so please imagine me in front of a huge magnum of Moet and cellars with racks of champagne bottles and fields of vines.

Due to easter not much open which was disappointing so after the obligatory picnic in a park with baguette, cheese and wine ( when in France one must and it is so my fav lunch) onto Troyes full of wonky but spectacular half timber houses sort of tudor style and in serious need of propping up. 

Walking along cobbled alley ways gave one a spooky sense of impending collapse. There were 6 huge churches but only one had an easter sunday service ( attendance somewhat declined) so I gamely went where methodists fear to tread and attended a catholic mass celebrated in french in a freezing 600 year old church - interestingly quite palatable when you don't understand the words.

Every French town appears to be rolling out their ornate carosel for the summer.

Today driven all day to Strasbourg with a spontaneous side trip to Baccarat (home of the crystal and cos we saw it on the map) in the rain - at least I got to wear my new raincoat! 

Countryside all productive with wheat and rape seed so a crisscross of lush green and yellow. Like the road trip in UK, I wished for the luxury of time to wander through the most picturesque tiny old villages along the way and savour the culture and history that Is around every corner.

Arrived Strasbourg which is a city right on the german/ french border and a mixture of cultures, food and architecture. Put Steven seriously out of his comfort zone by not having accommodation booked and did my usual 'wing it' to find a hotel which can be a challenge in the old centre zones as parking is impossible and often no cars allowed. The old part is unbelievable with the most enormous cathedral towering over the whole city which can be seen for miles away as you approach the city.

 I can attest to its height as did the climb up and my legs are still screaming in protest.

It is a city surrounded by waterways and a boat trip took us past the so very old historic building to the extremely modern and extremely economically wasteful Council of Europe home.