Thursday, October 28, 2010
Being blown off the end of our world. South Stack Holyhead.
Hello from Wales.
Wild and windy Wales!
Yesterday we had the best journey ever to get here in exactly 6 hours - and this included a stop for a while in Costa Coffee for a bite to eat, a drink and time in the relaxing, peaceful warm with the newspapers.
The rest of the day was spent relaxing and shopping for food and all sorts.
Bill bought wooden coat hangers and paperclips and devised a system for me to hang the wee night bag on - having left the normal one at home.
What an adaptable engineer he is!
Today we have been to the end of Great Britain - Holyhead.
Next stop Ireland.
Indeed our phones accused us of roaming and warned us that the charge for calls would be higher from overseas!
We went to the glorious hills. cliffs and seascapes around South Stack lighthouse.
It was very, very windy.
There are 140 steps down to the lighthouse - not actually open today - and we set off.
Bill and Ashley got all the way down.
Ecky soon needed shelter from the wind. I continued down a little way, but realised that I was close to being blown over.
Ecky and I felt like if the wind got us we would be blown all the way to Ireland!
Bill reported that it was really hard climbing up those 140 steps in the fierce wind.
The men came and found us sheltering in the RSPB cafe.
We ordered a large pot of warming tea.
We chatted with the RSPB person - not about birds really.
He heard that we came from Sussex and asked where.
Amazingly he was from Crawley too - he had attended the school that I had first taught at and went on to Thomas Bennett. Matthew Baldwin is a bit older than Jamie and Ashley and has a bad memory for names - and we failed to pinpoint any people that we both knew.
After an exciting time on that terrain - photos some time next week, I guess, we went into Holyhead for some lunch.
The weather was still wild and windy.
We walked over a fascinating modern bridge to the harbour. No boats were on the move - indeed sailings had been cancelled for the next foreseeable hours.
We felt so sorry for the young woman sitting there with a huge suitcase and a small toddler girl in a push chair.
I wanted to invite her home with us and suggest she try again tomorrow!
Wonderful day really - leaving us tired out.
Lots of bracing fresh air and exercise.
Bed time will be most welcome.
Wild and windy Wales!
Yesterday we had the best journey ever to get here in exactly 6 hours - and this included a stop for a while in Costa Coffee for a bite to eat, a drink and time in the relaxing, peaceful warm with the newspapers.
The rest of the day was spent relaxing and shopping for food and all sorts.
Bill bought wooden coat hangers and paperclips and devised a system for me to hang the wee night bag on - having left the normal one at home.
What an adaptable engineer he is!
Today we have been to the end of Great Britain - Holyhead.
Next stop Ireland.
Indeed our phones accused us of roaming and warned us that the charge for calls would be higher from overseas!
We went to the glorious hills. cliffs and seascapes around South Stack lighthouse.
It was very, very windy.
There are 140 steps down to the lighthouse - not actually open today - and we set off.
Bill and Ashley got all the way down.
Ecky soon needed shelter from the wind. I continued down a little way, but realised that I was close to being blown over.
Ecky and I felt like if the wind got us we would be blown all the way to Ireland!
Bill reported that it was really hard climbing up those 140 steps in the fierce wind.
The men came and found us sheltering in the RSPB cafe.
We ordered a large pot of warming tea.
We chatted with the RSPB person - not about birds really.
He heard that we came from Sussex and asked where.
Amazingly he was from Crawley too - he had attended the school that I had first taught at and went on to Thomas Bennett. Matthew Baldwin is a bit older than Jamie and Ashley and has a bad memory for names - and we failed to pinpoint any people that we both knew.
After an exciting time on that terrain - photos some time next week, I guess, we went into Holyhead for some lunch.
The weather was still wild and windy.
We walked over a fascinating modern bridge to the harbour. No boats were on the move - indeed sailings had been cancelled for the next foreseeable hours.
We felt so sorry for the young woman sitting there with a huge suitcase and a small toddler girl in a push chair.
I wanted to invite her home with us and suggest she try again tomorrow!
Wonderful day really - leaving us tired out.
Lots of bracing fresh air and exercise.
Bed time will be most welcome.
