Walking back up the hill to view Washington's ancestral home, we ran into a most memorable individual. Out in front of the village post office, a spry elderly man intercepted us, and asked if we were Americans. We assured him that yes indeed, we were Americans, and engaged him in further conversation. He had a most unusual accent, which to my ear sounded like a strange combination of what we heard in Scotland, but blended with English and maybe even Irish . I haven't heard any Welsh accents so far, so there may have even been a bit of Welsh mixed in there as well. It had an interesting sound, but was far easier to understand than some of the accents we heard in Scotland.
We mentioned that we were on our way up the hill to see the Washington house, so he offered to show us the way. We talked about Washington, about America, and about a myriad of other things as well. Horace was his name, Horace Stevens, which we thought was interesting, since the maiden name of our grandmother, Florence Glines, had been Stevens. Maybe Horace was a long lost relative!
Horace mentioned that he was walking on a bit further, and offered to show us the most impressive view in all of England. Well, who could turn down an opportunity to see the most impressive view in all England Horace said he was 75 years of age, so we figured, how far could it be?
Horace led us up the hill, still talking 90 miles an hour. He commented on the local architecture, the trees and fields, the local birds and animals, his life as an engineer working on guided missiles before he retired. After we left the town behind, we walked on for about a mile further, and rounding a corner, we were able to view the surrounding country side for miles around. It was very charming, and we paused to take pictures.
"Oh, it's not here", Horace told us. "It's not much further, just a bit farther ahead. I've even seen people from Japan coming up for this!" Well. All the way from Japan! This we had to see.
Walking on a couple of miles further, Horace announced that we were coming up on a very famous local manor house, Leighton Hall. Sure enough, we rounded a curve, and there we saw the gate for Leighton Hall, the very same gate we had stopped at a couple of hours earlier in the day. We had originally driven there from the opposite direction, and we had no idea that we had walked that far. Horace told us that the view point was not far ahead, and that we should be grateful that we had him along as our personal 'Indian' guide, since the trail to the spot wasn't particularly easy to find.
Now by this time, Barbara was beginning to suffer the tortures of the damned. We had all thought this was going to be a short walk, so she hadn't bothered changing into walking shoes, and was still wearing her 3 inch wedge sandals that were slowly but surely flaying the skin from her toes. She was a trooper, though, and taking Horace at his word, felt that she could continue for a short while still.
Horace turned off the roadway, and led us through a path into the woods, and to a kind of crude step ladder designed to let people climb over a gap in a stone wall, but that would keep sheep or other livestock from getting out that way. How charming, we thought. Shortly after crossing the wall, I stepped into a wet cow pie, in my sandals, and discovered the less than charming aspects of our pastoral stroll. From that point on, we kept our eyes on the path, warning of cow land mines as we spotted them.
After about a mile on the forest path, and after crossing another wall or two, we finally came to the view point, and Horace wasn't exaggerating. The view was breathtaking. To the north, we could see the part of the Cumbrian Lake District, and it's surrounding mountains. To the west, we overlooked Leighton Hall, a large country estate surrounded by fields, gardens, and forests, and further on, we could see the river Kent where it flowed into Morcambe Bay. It was well worth the walk, and the opportunity to take many pictures.
After a brief rest, we retraced our steps back to the road, and Horace suggested that instead of going back the way we came, we could take a different way back that was about the same distance, but would allow us to see some additional sights on our way back to Wharton. Well, if it's about the same distance...
We did indeed see a great many additional things, to include an old Quaker church built in 1657, and we passed by a Monastery, which we decided not to add even further distance to our trek to go see. We passed through a couple of additional villages, and walked along roads that made us want to climb over the stone walls when cars would pass us by as a high rate of speed. By this time, it was March or Die time, and Horace was setting a brutal pace. He was a machine. God save us from little 75 year old men.
Part way though our trek back to Wharton, Karrie could tell that Barbara was hurting, so being ever prepared, we paused briefly for the application of band aids to Barb's blistering feet. As we approached Wharton, I mentioned to Steve and Karrie that when we got back to Wharton, instead of driving back to Leighton Hall for the tour, that we stop at the George Washington Pub instead for lunch and a couple of pints. Barbara agreed that was an EXCELLENT idea.
Finally staggering back into Wharton at the end of our forced march, we invited Horace to join us for lunch. He declined the invitation, but came into the pub with us to converse further. We figured that all in all, our 'short' walk to the view point and back covered about 7 miles. We were all glad to have a chance to sit down, and take a load off!
It turns out that the owner of the pub is quite a fan of the United States, and one of his back rooms is a shrine of sorts dedicated to John Wayne. The walls were covered with pictures of the Duke, and in one corner, there stood a life sized plaster statue of John Wayne as well. How could we resist?
All in all, it was an excellent, although very tiring, adventure. We all slept well that night.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
George Washington's Ancestor's Slept Here
We spent much of the morning booking our ferry trip to Dublin. It turns out that all the ferries leaving from Liverpool are auto ferries that require you to book a car as well as yourself. We were planning on turning the rental car back in when we got to Liverpool, so we had to search for an alternative means of getting to Dublin. Steve got online and found that a little farther down the coast at Holyhead, they have passenger only ferries that take three hours to get to Dublin, which was much better that the auto ferries leaving from Liverpool, at those are slow boats that take 7 hours (!) to make the trip. We called the rental car company to arrange to drop off our car at Holyhead, and to pick another car up in Dublin (it was much cheaper that way than taking the car on one of the Liverpool ferries as well).
After getting all that sorted out, it was much later in the morning that when we usually set out, so we decided to stay close to the resort. Fortunately, there was a fine country estate named Leighton Hall only a few miles away, so we set the GPS to Leighton Hall and set off.
After getting all that sorted out, it was much later in the morning that when we usually set out, so we decided to stay close to the resort. Fortunately, there was a fine country estate named Leighton Hall only a few miles away, so we set the GPS to Leighton Hall and set off.
On a side note, we have decided on a name for our GPS system. We have it set to use a female UK English voice, since in order to get American English, we'd have to have a TomTom CD to upload the different language. The voice setting is pleasant enough, but sometimes she can be annoying, so we have christened her Nagatha Christie.
We drove down yet another series of very narrow English Country roads, (one of which was named 'Snape Lane', which for Harry Potter fans has a sinister connotation), but when we arrived at the gates of Leighton Hall, there was a sign that said that the tours were open from 2 - 5 PM. Checking with the brochure from the resort, sure enough, that's the way the fine print reads as well. We were 4 hours early. What to do?
Well, a couple of miles previously, we had seen a sign that read "Old Wharton Rectory", and we had figured we might catch that on the way back. Since we were so early, we decided to go see that instead.
Backtracking, we drove into the village of Wharton, following a couple of small signs directing us to the Rectory, but after a while, we figured we must have missed it, so we pulled into the parking lot of a convenient Pub. Asking someone who was washing windows outside the pub, he explained that the old rectory was back up the hill the way we had come, but it was only a short distance, so he invited us to leave our car parked there so we could walk back up. Since parking space is always at a premium over here, we took him up on his kind offer (and it seems that every place we have visited so far involves an uphill trudge, anyway, so why should this be any different?).
Sure enough, after a short walk up the hill, we saw a ruined building a short way off the right side of the road. The roof was missing, but you could make out the layout easily, and it was very interesting. There was a large active church across the street with a large cemetary, so we toured that as well. The church in Wharton, according to a history we read, has been active at that site for 1000 years. Out in the cemetary, we met a local resident that presumed we were visiting Wharton because it was the ancestoral home of the family of George Washington. When we told him that we had no idea that was the case, he directed us to another part of the church that had Washington's geneology traced back to the year 1000! It turns out that Washington, according to their records, is decended from the Kings of Scotland at the beginning of the last millenium. His ancestors were prominant citizens of Wharton in the 1600's. Washington's great great great grandfather emigrated to Virginia at about this time.
After leaving the Church, we went back to the pub for the car, and decided to stop for a cup of coffee. The barkeep had a thick Scottish accent, and after talking to him a bit, we decided that he must have been kicked out of Scotland because he preferred Guinness to malt whiskey. He told us there were more historic buildings in town, including a home lived in by Washington's ancestors back up at the top of the hill, so we decided to check that out once we had finished our coffees.
To be continued...
Well, a couple of miles previously, we had seen a sign that read "Old Wharton Rectory", and we had figured we might catch that on the way back. Since we were so early, we decided to go see that instead.
Backtracking, we drove into the village of Wharton, following a couple of small signs directing us to the Rectory, but after a while, we figured we must have missed it, so we pulled into the parking lot of a convenient Pub. Asking someone who was washing windows outside the pub, he explained that the old rectory was back up the hill the way we had come, but it was only a short distance, so he invited us to leave our car parked there so we could walk back up. Since parking space is always at a premium over here, we took him up on his kind offer (and it seems that every place we have visited so far involves an uphill trudge, anyway, so why should this be any different?).
Sure enough, after a short walk up the hill, we saw a ruined building a short way off the right side of the road. The roof was missing, but you could make out the layout easily, and it was very interesting. There was a large active church across the street with a large cemetary, so we toured that as well. The church in Wharton, according to a history we read, has been active at that site for 1000 years. Out in the cemetary, we met a local resident that presumed we were visiting Wharton because it was the ancestoral home of the family of George Washington. When we told him that we had no idea that was the case, he directed us to another part of the church that had Washington's geneology traced back to the year 1000! It turns out that Washington, according to their records, is decended from the Kings of Scotland at the beginning of the last millenium. His ancestors were prominant citizens of Wharton in the 1600's. Washington's great great great grandfather emigrated to Virginia at about this time.
After leaving the Church, we went back to the pub for the car, and decided to stop for a cup of coffee. The barkeep had a thick Scottish accent, and after talking to him a bit, we decided that he must have been kicked out of Scotland because he preferred Guinness to malt whiskey. He told us there were more historic buildings in town, including a home lived in by Washington's ancestors back up at the top of the hill, so we decided to check that out once we had finished our coffees.
To be continued...
The Glines invade Lancaster
We woke to a beautiful day, sun shining, lake side sparkling and geared up for another day of tourism. Lancaster is only a 20 minute drive from Carnforth on the main highway. After a mostly safe journey (Steve came within inches of a wild coach/bus!) we parked in the city and walked some charming cobbled streets to the town center.
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We took the tour of the Lancaster city museum -a most impressive and comprehensive review of the history since Roman times. Leaving the museum Brent realized the weather was going to be unseasonably warm and required shorts to survive touring the town that day. Fortunately in the town square was the British version of TJ Maxx (TK Maxx here) and 15 minutes later walked out comfortably attired. A short walk up a steep hill and we found Lancaster Castle. There was a waiting list to go on the guided tour, so while waiting we got photos of the city from the Priory and got to hear the church bells ringing at noon.
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The ruin was lovely to walk around but there was very odd music coming from speakers placed in the tower. Turns out it was a modern composition created as a rememberance of the Pendle Witches and their trials and tribulations. Eerie whispery stuff with wailing and cries. My taste in music tends more to something with a beat you can sing along with - not something that would scare the willies out of me if it were after dare in this ruin! We enjoyed tea sitting outside on the patio in the late sunshine, then made our way back to the car. We had convienently parked at a grocery store parking lot - so went in for supplies. Food here is much higher priced than in the states, but we have found some bargins. We got dinner for 2: main dish (salmon steaks for us, chicken with sauce for Steve and Barb) side dish, dessert, and a bottle of wine all for 10 pounds (approx. $15 American) Hard to beat that deal anywhere.
Half hour drive "home" and we settled in for the evening with a summer dinner on the deck, and a nature documentary on the BBC for after.
Another fantastic day in the UK.
Our tour guide for the Castle had an amazing facility for dates and places, names and circumstances. I haven't known anyone who could pull facts out of a hat like that since my 10th grade history teacher. The Castle is a working court and prison - and we saw barristors and solicitors (lawyers) in full wig and black gowns in the hallway (yes, they really do wear that get up when in court!)
The Castle has a long history -http://www.lancastercastle.com/home.php , and we heard about everything from as far back as the times Robert The Bruce stormed the castle, the Pendle Witches, and Heraldry in the Shire Hall. I really enjoyed the tour and wished I could be here in the fall for the night time tours with the ghost stories! Chills and thrills. Perhaps some other visit.
After storming the Castle we left Lancaster and drove down to Clithroe to see a Norman Keep ruin.
The ruin was lovely to walk around but there was very odd music coming from speakers placed in the tower. Turns out it was a modern composition created as a rememberance of the Pendle Witches and their trials and tribulations. Eerie whispery stuff with wailing and cries. My taste in music tends more to something with a beat you can sing along with - not something that would scare the willies out of me if it were after dare in this ruin! We enjoyed tea sitting outside on the patio in the late sunshine, then made our way back to the car. We had convienently parked at a grocery store parking lot - so went in for supplies. Food here is much higher priced than in the states, but we have found some bargins. We got dinner for 2: main dish (salmon steaks for us, chicken with sauce for Steve and Barb) side dish, dessert, and a bottle of wine all for 10 pounds (approx. $15 American) Hard to beat that deal anywhere.
Half hour drive "home" and we settled in for the evening with a summer dinner on the deck, and a nature documentary on the BBC for after.
Another fantastic day in the UK.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Lancashire
Lancashire.
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We made it in one piece and got settled in our new digs. Pine Lake resort is situated just outside the town of Carnforth, north of Lancaster. We have a larger cabin than in Scotland with a view right on the water. Swans, Canadian geese, ducks and coots swim nearby and came to visit us for breakfast.
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Dinner that night was at the resort restaurant. Very good steaks and Brent experimented in black pudding which we all had a taste. Black pudding is some sort of patty made with blood and oatmeal - and tasted way better than it sounds.
Again, I am finding England is not America with funny accents. It took me 10 minutes to figure out the shower system here. It is not intuitive, and of course no written instructions are posted since EVERYONE already knows how to use a shower.
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Yesterday morning over breakfast on the deck with the ducks we reviewed some of the brochures and info books the resort gave us for local sightseeing. None of which had a decent map of the surrounding country. So first step of the day was to the resort desk to ask for a map. It's Sunday which means no one with any actual knowledge will be available to answer questions. Same situation driving into town for the visitors center - no maps. Fortunately the truckers gas station down the road had a good selection of maps and we found one that had not only this area, but included Ireland. So now we had a better idea of where we were in the country and proceeded to Sizergh Castle (pronounced "size - er" gh is silent)
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Lovely castle, bit smaller than Dunrobin in Scotland but every bit as old. This place was maintained by the National Trust with docents around every corner - all happy to scoot you as quickly as possible to the next room. If you had a question they pointed you to read the printed material available. The inside of the castle had impressive carvings on the oak paneling - but the furniture seemed a bit shabby with old saggy 1940's slipcovers on most of the chairs and couches. Barbara and I noticed a lot of dust and cobwebs, and figured that was typical for a castle from the 14th century.
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On the other hand - the gardens were amazing, with a very surprising and large variety of Japanese maples. We enjoyed walking around the grounds and had a cup of tea and carrot and ginger soup to revive. I felt very virtuous after eating my veggies and promised myself something "bad" for dinner!
Next stop was Levens Hall. We happened on this location by accident. No brochures advertising at the resort, but happened to see the sign on the roadway and decided since we were in the neighborhood to stop by. What a shock. The hall and gardens were magnificent. Everything inside this beautiful home sparkled and smelled wonderful. Not a cobweb in sight. It was so obvious the place was taken care of with love and consideration for preserving this treasure for the future. Levens has been in continual family ownership for 700 years. The staff were so kind and informed, happy to answer questions with something other than a finger pointed to the reading material. Not as many people crowded in so we were able to examine all the artifacts in detail.
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And the gardens! Gasp! Wow! Speechless! Wait...I have to come up with a few words - this is a blog! Imagine a visit to Alice in Wonderland's world in real life. Fantastical shapes on the topiary, charming vistas at every turn, quirky willow maze with the white rabbit (well he was bronze actually) waiting at the center - and the roses. I never REALLY knew what a rose smelt like until I was in the Levens rose garden. When we planned for the last 2 years to come here I had hoped and dreamed of being in a garden like this. Dreams do come true.
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Steve had the highlight of his trip happen at Levens. They had an example of a steam engine that had been used to carry the cars for carnival rides to various towns. Steve chatted up the engineer and before we knew it he was getting a ride around the parking lot! Good times.
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As we were waiting for Steve's ride to finish we were greated by a charming lady wanting to know if we were going for a ride as well! Happy to be spectators we chatted about our visit and raved about the wonderful condition of the home. The lady said she was so happy we liked it, and explained she had to give the caretaker a feather duster from her closet to take care of the delicate paintings. It was then we realized we were speaking to Susan Bagot, the owner! Her husband Hal joined us shortly after and we had a lovely discussion of the gardens, the gift shop (sigh... if only I had more space in the luggage my wallet would be soooo much lighter!), and Steve's special treat to ride around on the steam engine. Wonderful people and so happy we were able to meet them in person. Run, do not walk to: http://www.levenshall.co.uk/.
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Brent - While we were in the gift shop, we chatted with the cashier, and she asked if we had found any good restaurants. We replied that we had only been in the area for a day, so she offered some suggestions, even though giving dining advice was, as she said, a 'dodgey proposition.' In one of the villages close by, she suggested that we try the Ship's Inn pub, which we found easily, which lay right along side an estuary leading to the Irish Sea. The tide was out, but it was still a very picturesque setting. Karrie had the baked chicken, I had shrimp scampi and chips, Barbara had lasagna, and Steve had a different Italian cheese and noodle dish. Along with a pint of Guinness, a very nice meal in a very nice setting.
On our way out, we chatted with a couple of the patrons, one of whom turned out to be the owner of the place. I was wearing a 'Doctor Who' tee shirt, which received high praise from everyone there, Doctor Who fans all. We then had a long discussion about the Doctor, various actors who've played him recently, and the current episodes. Since we get episodes in the US quite a bit delayed from when they are shown in the UK, we had to insist "no spoilers, please!!"
Karrie - Back on the road again following dinner, Brent set our car GPS to find the shortest route back to the resort rather than the fastest route. There is a real difference between the two settings, it turns out. In no time we found ourselves going from a dual carriage road way to a single lane road, then to a narrow farm road, and finally to an unpaved goat path where the hedges on both sides brushed the sides of the the car! A half a mile later we decided this shortcut was looking like it ended in a farmer's field, so we backed out until we could find a place to turn around. England doesn't need any kind of amusement parks - they have country roads! Very exciting. Resetting the GPS to find the FASTEST route quickly returned us to civilization.
Again, I am finding England is not America with funny accents. It took me 10 minutes to figure out the shower system here. It is not intuitive, and of course no written instructions are posted since EVERYONE already knows how to use a shower.
Yesterday morning over breakfast on the deck with the ducks we reviewed some of the brochures and info books the resort gave us for local sightseeing. None of which had a decent map of the surrounding country. So first step of the day was to the resort desk to ask for a map. It's Sunday which means no one with any actual knowledge will be available to answer questions. Same situation driving into town for the visitors center - no maps. Fortunately the truckers gas station down the road had a good selection of maps and we found one that had not only this area, but included Ireland. So now we had a better idea of where we were in the country and proceeded to Sizergh Castle (pronounced "size - er" gh is silent)
On the other hand - the gardens were amazing, with a very surprising and large variety of Japanese maples. We enjoyed walking around the grounds and had a cup of tea and carrot and ginger soup to revive. I felt very virtuous after eating my veggies and promised myself something "bad" for dinner!
Next stop was Levens Hall. We happened on this location by accident. No brochures advertising at the resort, but happened to see the sign on the roadway and decided since we were in the neighborhood to stop by. What a shock. The hall and gardens were magnificent. Everything inside this beautiful home sparkled and smelled wonderful. Not a cobweb in sight. It was so obvious the place was taken care of with love and consideration for preserving this treasure for the future. Levens has been in continual family ownership for 700 years. The staff were so kind and informed, happy to answer questions with something other than a finger pointed to the reading material. Not as many people crowded in so we were able to examine all the artifacts in detail.
Steve had the highlight of his trip happen at Levens. They had an example of a steam engine that had been used to carry the cars for carnival rides to various towns. Steve chatted up the engineer and before we knew it he was getting a ride around the parking lot! Good times.
As we were waiting for Steve's ride to finish we were greated by a charming lady wanting to know if we were going for a ride as well! Happy to be spectators we chatted about our visit and raved about the wonderful condition of the home. The lady said she was so happy we liked it, and explained she had to give the caretaker a feather duster from her closet to take care of the delicate paintings. It was then we realized we were speaking to Susan Bagot, the owner! Her husband Hal joined us shortly after and we had a lovely discussion of the gardens, the gift shop (sigh... if only I had more space in the luggage my wallet would be soooo much lighter!), and Steve's special treat to ride around on the steam engine. Wonderful people and so happy we were able to meet them in person. Run, do not walk to: http://www.levenshall.co.uk/.
Brent - While we were in the gift shop, we chatted with the cashier, and she asked if we had found any good restaurants. We replied that we had only been in the area for a day, so she offered some suggestions, even though giving dining advice was, as she said, a 'dodgey proposition.' In one of the villages close by, she suggested that we try the Ship's Inn pub, which we found easily, which lay right along side an estuary leading to the Irish Sea. The tide was out, but it was still a very picturesque setting. Karrie had the baked chicken, I had shrimp scampi and chips, Barbara had lasagna, and Steve had a different Italian cheese and noodle dish. Along with a pint of Guinness, a very nice meal in a very nice setting.
On our way out, we chatted with a couple of the patrons, one of whom turned out to be the owner of the place. I was wearing a 'Doctor Who' tee shirt, which received high praise from everyone there, Doctor Who fans all. We then had a long discussion about the Doctor, various actors who've played him recently, and the current episodes. Since we get episodes in the US quite a bit delayed from when they are shown in the UK, we had to insist "no spoilers, please!!"
Karrie - Back on the road again following dinner, Brent set our car GPS to find the shortest route back to the resort rather than the fastest route. There is a real difference between the two settings, it turns out. In no time we found ourselves going from a dual carriage road way to a single lane road, then to a narrow farm road, and finally to an unpaved goat path where the hedges on both sides brushed the sides of the the car! A half a mile later we decided this shortcut was looking like it ended in a farmer's field, so we backed out until we could find a place to turn around. England doesn't need any kind of amusement parks - they have country roads! Very exciting. Resetting the GPS to find the FASTEST route quickly returned us to civilization.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Week 2 of Excellent Adventures in the UK
Good bye to the Scottish Highlands and Hello to the Lancashire countryside. We are currently hurtling down the highway in a tightly packed BMW. Luggage transport for 4 adults + reasonable rental costs for the car = Barbara and I squeezed like sardines in the back seat for the 5 - 7 hour road trip south. No matter - we can compare notes on the views on either side of the drive when we stop for lunch.
Yesterday we spent the day doing a final shop at an outlet mall in Inverness. Got some great buys on Single Malt Whiskey, lambs wool scarves, and assorted other goodies. I have a new favorite cookie - Cornish Ginger Biscuits. Yum! On the way back to the Locanhully Resort we stopped in Carrbridge to look at the very, very old (1750) arched bridge and the peaty brown water rushing under. There was a fragrant Mock Orange bush in full bloom near by that I couldn't resist plucking a few flowers from. I've been gathering a few wild flowers from our locations and pressing them to frame later as a rememberance of this trip. I hope they all make it ok.
Since last night was spent packing we got 'take away' from the Resort Pub. Fish and chips for all - and shared a last pint with Frank, the charming barkeep who regaled us with tales of his time in the British Navy. He also clued us in on the local politics, great routes to take for viewing the Highlands, and not-to-miss sightseeing. When asked about the Scottish Parliment's discussion about the possible seperation of Scotland from England, Frank said that the country was currently split about 40/60 with the majority in favor of staying with the current connection with England. It does seem the 40 percent that is for seperation is very vocal - we are seeing a lot of "Free Scotland" written on barns and bumper stickers.
Prior to bed last night Steve and Barbara took a walk around the resort, and found an obsticle course. Barbara made sure the perimiter fence wasn't electrified prior to Steve making a run on the course! The resort really was lovely, and our cabin had a sun room facing out to the mossy green Aspen forest. We fed the ducks an American treat of leftover microwave popcorn. We are all for sharing our cultures on this trip!
English to American translations:
Chips = French Fries (no salt, no ketchup!)
Crisps = Chips
scone = biscuit
biscuit = cookie
Tatties and Neeps = potatoes and turnips
Bangers and Mash = sausage and mash potatoes
Gammon = ham steak
Lorry = truck
Coach = Bus
Flat = Appartment
To Let = to rent
Lay by = highway turnout
Single Malt = Delux Scotch Whiskey
Tube = Subway/train
Queue = waiting line
Nackered = what happens when you break your vehicle's tie rod
Gob smacked = what the wife's expression is when you break the vehicle's tie rod
Friday, June 24, 2011
Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.
We went to visit Loch Ness. Took the tour, saw no monsters.
Drove to Dunrobin Castle, owned by the clan Sutherland. We had a bit to eat in the tea shop, but discovered that we had arrived just as things were closing, and it was too late to tour the castle. They said we could bring our receipts back the next day, and tour it then.
We drove back to Inverness, and tried to visit a shipping center, but everything was closed. We need to adjust our expectations with respect to shopping hours. (Karrie - Who knew that the only thing left open in the Highlands after 4:00PM was the Pub! Even McDonalds and Pizza Hut closed in the Inverness Mall by 4:30PM)
The next day, we drove back to Dunrobin, and the tour of the Castle was terrific. The smoked salmon sandwiches at the tea shop, by the way, are fantastic!
Karrie- Brent didn't mention that he played his pipes in front of the castle, and as soon as he started tuning up the "OFFICIAL" castle piper jumped out the front door and started playing. Sheesh... some people are soooo competitive!
While at the Castle, we also saw a falconry demonstration. Karrie wants an owl now (they had owls in addition to falcons). (Karrie - Who wouldn't want one? Just look at this cute little guy only 7 month old - completely adorable even when eating mice head first!)
On the way back from the Castle we stopped at the Glenmorangie distillery for a taste test. Very good, but we decided we all liked our scotch more smoky that the sample we tried.
The next day, we drove down to Balmoral Castle, the residence of the Queen when she is in Scotland. Again, an amazing tour.
Had another scotch tasting, this time at the resort, along with a scotch tutorial. We sampled 3 types of scotch, one from the Islay region of Scotland named Cragenmore. Very smooth and nice, but again, not very smokey. The next one was from Speyside, near where we are staying, named Highland Park. Very good with just the right amount of smoke. The last one was from an Island Distillery, don't recall the name, but it was so smokey it was almost like biting into a charcoal briquette. Karrie didn't care for it at all, but on occasion, I wouldn't mind having a dram now and then, but it wouldn't be for frequent consumption.
After the whiskey tasting, the resort had Scottish Night. I dressed in my kilt, and they had a very nice dinner (I tried haggis for the first time. Not bad, really), and a bagpiper and accordianist. Now normally, I don't much care for the accordian, but the musician we had was very accomplished, and put on an entertaining show. At the break, I talked with the piper (who was all of 13 years old), and mentioned I played the pipes, so they talked me into bringing them down, and after we adjusted the tuning on each of our pipes, we played a duet. They said I was the very first piper they had ever had coming from America so this was a noteworthy event for the Lochenhully resort.
Yesterday (Thursday), we drove to Edinburgh (prounounced, I am told, Edin-burrrrrrrrrr), and toured the Castle there. Now when I was in Germany, I saw a lot of castles. They were mostly ruined, but I have to say the castles in Scotland are amazing, and Edinburgh Castle is the most amazing yet. For one thing, it's HUGE. Still in use by the British Army, as well.
After touring the castle, Karrie and Barbara both had one request. They HAD to have British High Tea. We tried to get in at the Balmoral Hotel (which looks like a castle itself), but reservations were required, and alas, we had none. Just down the street, however, we found small hotel that served high tea as well, so we sat at a window, across from the Sir Walter Scott Memorial, sipped our tea, ate our scones with clotted cream and jam, and had a far better time than if we HAD gotten in at the Balmoral Hotel.
Today, we went back to Inverness to do the shopping we missed earlier in the week, which was a lot of fun. The rest of the day will be spent packing and resting in preparation for our drive down to Lancashire England for our next week of adventures.
It was a Dark and Stormy Night in Dennypace...
While waiting, we did our best to make friends with the natives. Steve had mentioned that we were all from Utah, so naturally, they asked him, "Are you all Mormons, then?" Steve answered yes, but I said no, I was a Roman Catholic.
Strike 1.
The white haired fellow I was talking with glared at me for a moment, and in a thick Scottish burr said, "Well, yer in the wrong bar, then laddie. This is the PROTESTANT bar, I'll have ye know! But we're a fine tolerant lot, that we are, so we'll allow ye to stay." Yikes!
Then I mentionted that I played the bagpipes, which interested them highly, so we started talking about piping, and the wondered how a American like I ever decided to take up piping. "Are ye Scottish, then?", they asked.
No, mostly English we think, Welsh, perhaps some Scottish, and a good bit of German."
Steeeee-rike 2!
"German!" He cried, "A German, are ye? Not only are ye a Catholic, but a German to boot. Yer pushing your luck, for sure!"
Fortunately, there were no further strikes, fouls, or errors committed, and we had a great time talking to everyone in the bar. I got a lesson in profanity (apparently my swearing was entirely too tame for white hair's taste, so I was instructed on how to swear properly, which was very impressive as a matter of fact, but I'll not repeat what I heard here!).
Eventually, the tow truck driver arrived, so we said goodbye to all our new friends at the Anchor Pub, and we were bundled into the back of the cab of the truck (very spacious actually), and they towed us about 30 miles to pick up a new car in Dundee. By the time we got the car, it was about 3:00 AM, so we crashed at a motel for six hours or so, and then continued our trip to our destination at the Lochenhully Woodland Resort, near Inverness, the next day.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Fighting our way out of London
Brent - When it became time to depart London, Steve and I left the hotel to walk to the tube station to take the subway to the Avis pick up point. The tube system that had been so easy the day before suddenly became much more complicated. It seems that most major maintenance on the subway system is performed on the weekend, and the entire line near the hotel was closed for repairs.
After checking with other folks at the station, we walked about mile or so to the next station, where we caught a bus that took us to yet another station where trains were actually running. Once on the train, after a short while, we alighted at Waterloo station, and proceeded to search for the Avis car rental office, which is located 'near the London Eye'. So far we are about an hour behind schedule.
After spotting the Avis office, more by accident than by design, we picked up the car and a GPS system, and started across London back to the Hotel to pick up Karrie and Barbara.
Traffic in London, even on Saturday morning, is a thing to behold. Steve did an excellent job of driving, while in the front passenger seat, it was my job to periodically scream, "Drive on the left side of the road, the LEFT side", and the ever popular, "BRACE FOR IMPACT!!!"
Arriving at the hotel, and kissing the ground, thankful that I was out of the car for a brief period, we stuffed our bags into the back, and followed the GPS on our route out of London. Now that Karrie and Barbara were with us in the back seat, we passed the time singing in 3 part harmony, "My God, My GOD, we are all going to DIE!!!" By the time we finally made it out of London, we were 3 hours behind schedule.
Once on the Motorway (British for Freeway), the hysteria now reduced to managable levels, we enjoyed traveling on a road way that was wide enough that our left hand side mirror no longer ticked against parked cars, while our right hand mirror simultaneously ticked against cars in the oncoming lane.
After several hours of driving, Steve and I swapped out, and I got a chance to experience the joys of driving in the UK, and it was Steve's turn to remind me to "drive on the left hand side of the road. The LEFT side of the road!!!"
Things went uneventfully until I inadvertently took a wrong turn off the motor way, causing us to have to make our way through narrow village roads trying to make our way back the Motor way, when I had to dodge to avoid an oncoming car and bumped into an obstruction, bending a tie rod in the suspension. We spent the next several hours in a charming Scottish pub named the Anchor, waiting for a tow truck. The people were VERY friendly, and VERY helpful. A local mechanic even took a look at our car and confirmed in his expert technical opinion, "Aye, she's knackered, all right." To be continued...
After checking with other folks at the station, we walked about mile or so to the next station, where we caught a bus that took us to yet another station where trains were actually running. Once on the train, after a short while, we alighted at Waterloo station, and proceeded to search for the Avis car rental office, which is located 'near the London Eye'. So far we are about an hour behind schedule.
After spotting the Avis office, more by accident than by design, we picked up the car and a GPS system, and started across London back to the Hotel to pick up Karrie and Barbara.
Traffic in London, even on Saturday morning, is a thing to behold. Steve did an excellent job of driving, while in the front passenger seat, it was my job to periodically scream, "Drive on the left side of the road, the LEFT side", and the ever popular, "BRACE FOR IMPACT!!!"
Arriving at the hotel, and kissing the ground, thankful that I was out of the car for a brief period, we stuffed our bags into the back, and followed the GPS on our route out of London. Now that Karrie and Barbara were with us in the back seat, we passed the time singing in 3 part harmony, "My God, My GOD, we are all going to DIE!!!" By the time we finally made it out of London, we were 3 hours behind schedule.
Once on the Motorway (British for Freeway), the hysteria now reduced to managable levels, we enjoyed traveling on a road way that was wide enough that our left hand side mirror no longer ticked against parked cars, while our right hand mirror simultaneously ticked against cars in the oncoming lane.
After several hours of driving, Steve and I swapped out, and I got a chance to experience the joys of driving in the UK, and it was Steve's turn to remind me to "drive on the left hand side of the road. The LEFT side of the road!!!"
Things went uneventfully until I inadvertently took a wrong turn off the motor way, causing us to have to make our way through narrow village roads trying to make our way back the Motor way, when I had to dodge to avoid an oncoming car and bumped into an obstruction, bending a tie rod in the suspension. We spent the next several hours in a charming Scottish pub named the Anchor, waiting for a tow truck. The people were VERY friendly, and VERY helpful. A local mechanic even took a look at our car and confirmed in his expert technical opinion, "Aye, she's knackered, all right." To be continued...
Monday, June 20, 2011
Playing catch-up
The tower complex was far larger than we had envisioned, which took longer to see than we had planned, so we missed the Changing of the Guard at our next stop off the tube, Buckingham Palace. Even so, Buckingham palace was very impressive, although there weren't many touristy things to do there beyond stare in awe at the palace and grounds, and take pictures. Steve insisted on having his picture taken multiple times in front of the very impressive gates to the palace. Gates are his thing, I guess.
Our next stop, the Albert and Victoria Museum, was absolutely amazing. This is an enormous museum, free of charge, that contains a vast collection of exhibits for many periods of history and subject matters. We spent 4 or 5 hours there, including High Tea, and felt like we had barely scratched the surface of what was available to see. Very highly recommended.
One mandatory formation we had to attend based upon orders from Susan, Karrie's mother, was that we HAD to find a pub that served authentic English fish and chips. So, on the way back to the tube station, we spotted a likely looking pub named The Minories, and decided to give it a try. It was a terrific spot, very busy, but the service was excellent, the Guiness was plentiful, and the fish and chips was everything one could wish for. So, Susan, with respect to Operation Fish and Chips, I am pleased to report Mission Accomplished.
To be continuted tomorrow. We're still a couple of days behind, but it's getting late. Coming next, "Fighting our way out of London!"
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Quick Watson. The game is afoot!
Brent - Arrived at London Heathrow yesterday. The clock said 9:30 AM, but I knew it was half past two in the morning, body time. I've never been able to sleep on an aircraft (not a particularly good idea when flying F-4's), so I was jealous of my brother, Steve, sawing logs nearby.
Karrie and I are really enjoying traveling with Steve and Barb. They've done a lot more travelling than we have, so they are a good resource, but so far we have been cracking each other up routinely. Just before we were getting ready to board the aircraft at the gate at JFK, Barbera was talking about how the terminal, while comfortable, didn't offer much in the way of entertainment during long layovers. "Maybe if we were members of the Mile High Club, things would be more interesting."
Well, yeah!
There were lots of giggles and grins all around us. Of course, Barbara meant the Delta Airlines frequent flyer VIP club, or whatever they call it. She's a real Utah girl, though, and didn't think of the usual definition of Mile High Club until she saw everyone's reactions. There's more entertainment to be had on a long layover at JFK than you might imagine.
Our hotel was a lot farther from Heathrow than we had thought, and it turns out that there is more than one Crown Plaza Hotel in London as well. While arranging for transportation, Steve at first had booked us on a shuttle to the Heathrow Crown Plaza through the transportation desk. While talking with the agent at the desk, we asked him to point out where our hotel was located on a map of London, and we found that our hotel was actually all the way across the city. Getting across London turned out to be far more expensive than we had though it would be. We looked at taxi service, bus service, train service, subways, and possibly getting our rental car a couple of days earlier than planned. Transportation in London isn't cheap. We finally settled on hiring a van and a driver to deliver us. Public transportation would have been a bit cheaper, but not by much, and would have involved wrestling with our luggage through several stops, and STILL needing a taxi or two for all our gear for a good portion of the trip anyway. We were all fried from the trip, and didn't feel up to it. Turned out to be the best option by far, as traffic in London at mid day is interesting, to say the least.
Karrie - I believe we got an unintended tour of London. As long as we were able to keep our eyes open we did see the London Eye, the Tower Bridge, Thames River, and lots of unidentified churches and cathedrals. What Brent forgot to mention was the driver we got to take us from the airport to hotel, though extremely polite, was looking pointedly at a map the whole way! Lesson learned: London is NOT America with funny accents. Just because it is common for US airports to have free shuttles from airports to local hotels, don't expect that commodity overseas.
Afte we all collapsed in a coma for a couple of hours, showered and a change of clothes, we all met for our first encounter with a London pub! The Crowne Plaza is located at the old Dockyard area that has been renovated to a huge convention complex. Lovely neighborhood with great dining and views of the river. We found the Fox@excel and enjoyed Stout and Cider and upscale pub food. Our waiter was French and didn't seem shocked that the loud laughing American savages asked to have our picture taken at the table. Good times!
Karrie and I are really enjoying traveling with Steve and Barb. They've done a lot more travelling than we have, so they are a good resource, but so far we have been cracking each other up routinely. Just before we were getting ready to board the aircraft at the gate at JFK, Barbera was talking about how the terminal, while comfortable, didn't offer much in the way of entertainment during long layovers. "Maybe if we were members of the Mile High Club, things would be more interesting."
Well, yeah!
There were lots of giggles and grins all around us. Of course, Barbara meant the Delta Airlines frequent flyer VIP club, or whatever they call it. She's a real Utah girl, though, and didn't think of the usual definition of Mile High Club until she saw everyone's reactions. There's more entertainment to be had on a long layover at JFK than you might imagine.
Our hotel was a lot farther from Heathrow than we had thought, and it turns out that there is more than one Crown Plaza Hotel in London as well. While arranging for transportation, Steve at first had booked us on a shuttle to the Heathrow Crown Plaza through the transportation desk. While talking with the agent at the desk, we asked him to point out where our hotel was located on a map of London, and we found that our hotel was actually all the way across the city. Getting across London turned out to be far more expensive than we had though it would be. We looked at taxi service, bus service, train service, subways, and possibly getting our rental car a couple of days earlier than planned. Transportation in London isn't cheap. We finally settled on hiring a van and a driver to deliver us. Public transportation would have been a bit cheaper, but not by much, and would have involved wrestling with our luggage through several stops, and STILL needing a taxi or two for all our gear for a good portion of the trip anyway. We were all fried from the trip, and didn't feel up to it. Turned out to be the best option by far, as traffic in London at mid day is interesting, to say the least.
Karrie - I believe we got an unintended tour of London. As long as we were able to keep our eyes open we did see the London Eye, the Tower Bridge, Thames River, and lots of unidentified churches and cathedrals. What Brent forgot to mention was the driver we got to take us from the airport to hotel, though extremely polite, was looking pointedly at a map the whole way! Lesson learned: London is NOT America with funny accents. Just because it is common for US airports to have free shuttles from airports to local hotels, don't expect that commodity overseas.
Afte we all collapsed in a coma for a couple of hours, showered and a change of clothes, we all met for our first encounter with a London pub! The Crowne Plaza is located at the old Dockyard area that has been renovated to a huge convention complex. Lovely neighborhood with great dining and views of the river. We found the Fox@excel and enjoyed Stout and Cider and upscale pub food. Our waiter was French and didn't seem shocked that the loud laughing American savages asked to have our picture taken at the table. Good times!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
To JFK and Beyond!
So far, so good. The late night showing of Lord of the Rings kept us up late enough that our typical crack of dawn wake up call by our dog Jack didn't happen til after 7AM. Coffee, eggs, shower and zip up the luggage and out the door with last minute instructions to Kevin. Airport was a breeze, and flight to New York went wayyyyy faster than expected. For some reason I still haven't figured out the time zone differences - and expect that won't kick in for at least a few days after we're on UK time.
We have a 3 hour layover in JFK so we decide on a decent dinner prior to the flight. I had the best steak flat bread sandwiches with chipotle sauce, YUM! Apparently we all had a great time chatting over dinner - including the very silent family sitting next to us. I watched the father laughing at all our stories, and hanging on every word. Funny but kind of sad to see that, but I guess we were more entertaining than his own family.
Got a quick call in to my Mom in Florida, and son Joe in Las Vegas. Speaking of phones - we have opted to not upgrade our cell phone plan to include Europe, and will just purchase a 'disposable' phone over there with low cost minutes and will send that phone number out to all our emergency contacts. We will have internet access so y'all can contact us by email or blog comment. Strange to think that you can get online easier than make a phone call! Welcome to the future. I can't wait til they finally get that whole transporter thing worked out.
Our flight into London get's in tomorrow morning about 9:30AM their time (whatever time zone that is!) and then with getting through immigration, and wandering around in a daze for a few hours we'll be heading to the hotel -THE Crowne Plaza - with the view of Big Ben, and Parliment, and the Thames, and ..... Well, put it this way - we're going for the royal treatment to start this trip off. No idea what we'll be sightseeing for the 1st day, but I expect some severe caffeine jitters trying to stay awake.
We have a 3 hour layover in JFK so we decide on a decent dinner prior to the flight. I had the best steak flat bread sandwiches with chipotle sauce, YUM! Apparently we all had a great time chatting over dinner - including the very silent family sitting next to us. I watched the father laughing at all our stories, and hanging on every word. Funny but kind of sad to see that, but I guess we were more entertaining than his own family.
Got a quick call in to my Mom in Florida, and son Joe in Las Vegas. Speaking of phones - we have opted to not upgrade our cell phone plan to include Europe, and will just purchase a 'disposable' phone over there with low cost minutes and will send that phone number out to all our emergency contacts. We will have internet access so y'all can contact us by email or blog comment. Strange to think that you can get online easier than make a phone call! Welcome to the future. I can't wait til they finally get that whole transporter thing worked out.
Our flight into London get's in tomorrow morning about 9:30AM their time (whatever time zone that is!) and then with getting through immigration, and wandering around in a daze for a few hours we'll be heading to the hotel -THE Crowne Plaza - with the view of Big Ben, and Parliment, and the Thames, and ..... Well, put it this way - we're going for the royal treatment to start this trip off. No idea what we'll be sightseeing for the 1st day, but I expect some severe caffeine jitters trying to stay awake.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
One day to go.
Tomorrow is our big day. We woke up this morning bright and early (5:30!) and after several cups of coffee I prepared to tackle packing. It's now almost 4:00 PM and I'm taking a break. I had to be brutal with myself. I cut my clothing allowance down to the bone. I've got compressible things in zip loc bags, electronics in protected cases. The biggest part of the job was searching for all the indispensable travel sized things I've been squirreling away for the last few months. I found these wonderful flat sheets about 6 inches by 4 inches that contain laundry soap/fabric softener, and after you use them to do the laundry, you can throw them direct into the dryer for anti-static. How cool is that? Since we're gone for 3 weeks, I fully expect to be doing laundry.
Let's talk about shoes. I know we will be walking. A lot of walking and standing on every type of surface in every type of weather. After all, we ARE going to be tourists! That means sensible flats with great support, that won't fall apart in the first puddle. This isn't an issue for most men, certainly not for Brent! For me, this is a sacrifice. No chic little heels, wedgies, espadrilles, peep toes, or any other shoe that is incredibly sexy but can't be worn for longer than a couple of hours without the need of a paramedic. I will just have to compensate by wearing great scarves. Scarves pack flat and light. Shoes pack bulky and pokey. Just don't look at my feet.
Brent got home from work and I had him take out everything he wanted to bring. I then carefully edited (how many t-shirts does one man need?) and added forgotten items. Then came inserting his Prince Charley jacket, vest, and full kilt get up into a location that I hope will minimize wrinkles. If TSA decides to unpack and search Brent's bag, I'm making them pay for a dry cleaner!
Now it's time to close and pack up my trusty laptop and all it's accessories. Kevin will be here in the morning to haul us and all our carefully packed bags to the airport. Sometimes I do long for the days when gentlemen and ladies packed large steamer trunks with every luxury available for a trip overseas, and there were porters that would tote your trunk for a dime tip. Of course - that was before you had to pay a small fortune for every pound, and use your own brawn to cart your stuff. I'm trying to think of it as a free weight and aerobic workout. No gym or trainer needed!
Oh... almost forgot. As incentive to get us into the European time schedule, we're going to a late movie tonight. How could we resist kicking off a trip to the "Land of Tolkien" with The Lord of the Rings, Fellowship of the Rings Extended Version - playing for 1 night only on the big screen again.
Let's talk about shoes. I know we will be walking. A lot of walking and standing on every type of surface in every type of weather. After all, we ARE going to be tourists! That means sensible flats with great support, that won't fall apart in the first puddle. This isn't an issue for most men, certainly not for Brent! For me, this is a sacrifice. No chic little heels, wedgies, espadrilles, peep toes, or any other shoe that is incredibly sexy but can't be worn for longer than a couple of hours without the need of a paramedic. I will just have to compensate by wearing great scarves. Scarves pack flat and light. Shoes pack bulky and pokey. Just don't look at my feet.
Brent got home from work and I had him take out everything he wanted to bring. I then carefully edited (how many t-shirts does one man need?) and added forgotten items. Then came inserting his Prince Charley jacket, vest, and full kilt get up into a location that I hope will minimize wrinkles. If TSA decides to unpack and search Brent's bag, I'm making them pay for a dry cleaner!
Now it's time to close and pack up my trusty laptop and all it's accessories. Kevin will be here in the morning to haul us and all our carefully packed bags to the airport. Sometimes I do long for the days when gentlemen and ladies packed large steamer trunks with every luxury available for a trip overseas, and there were porters that would tote your trunk for a dime tip. Of course - that was before you had to pay a small fortune for every pound, and use your own brawn to cart your stuff. I'm trying to think of it as a free weight and aerobic workout. No gym or trainer needed!
Oh... almost forgot. As incentive to get us into the European time schedule, we're going to a late movie tonight. How could we resist kicking off a trip to the "Land of Tolkien" with The Lord of the Rings, Fellowship of the Rings Extended Version - playing for 1 night only on the big screen again.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Testing! Is anyone out there?
Well... here we are! This is the intro to the new blog that Brent and I are starting prior to leaving on our big adventure to the United Kingdom with Brent's brother Steve and wife Barbara.
We have been planning this trip for 2 years now, and want to share our experiences with all our friends and family. Brent and I will both be contributing to this blog, and adding pictures and video with hopes of updating daily. I've never created a blog before, so be prepared! There may be a few hiccups along the way.
This is my last few days working as a Support Tech for Ikano, and I have some mixed feelings about leaving my job. When we began planning our big trip, I saved up for the 3 weeks vacation/off time. The company laid me off (and all it's other US employees) last March 17, and I expected to just take the full summer off. Instead 1 week later the company called me and a very few other techs back to help out during the 'transition to overseas support' - a really nice way of saying the new support wasn't working out very well. So I've been continuing my job, and now will take a week off prior to leaving the country. I find myself waking in the middle of the night making mental lists of everything that needs to be done prior to leaving. That is typical for me, since I'm naturally a list maker. My packing is obsessive - something like the scene where Jack Nicholson is packing in "As Good as it Gets"! Brent is the opposite - he can put 2 shirts and a pair of socks in the same space I can pack 1 month's wardrobe! Now I realize bagpipes are very bulky and unwieldy to pack, and you can't take a bagpiper to Scotland without his pipes! So this next week I will be organizing packing for both of us, getting our phone's set for overseas calls, credit cards/banks notified, checking health insurance coverage, and assorted other errands. Plus we want to spend some time with Joe since he'll be off on his own adventures with his dad.
Oh heavens... What am I doing writing a blog?! Put me in front of a keyboard and I just start 'chatting away'! I'm not sure Brent is much better - so y'all will just have to put up with us until we get better at self editing.
If anyone has suggestions of places to see while in England, Scotland, and Ireland - packing tips, travel advise, or just want to make a comment - feel free to chime in! Cheers!
We have been planning this trip for 2 years now, and want to share our experiences with all our friends and family. Brent and I will both be contributing to this blog, and adding pictures and video with hopes of updating daily. I've never created a blog before, so be prepared! There may be a few hiccups along the way.
This is my last few days working as a Support Tech for Ikano, and I have some mixed feelings about leaving my job. When we began planning our big trip, I saved up for the 3 weeks vacation/off time. The company laid me off (and all it's other US employees) last March 17, and I expected to just take the full summer off. Instead 1 week later the company called me and a very few other techs back to help out during the 'transition to overseas support' - a really nice way of saying the new support wasn't working out very well. So I've been continuing my job, and now will take a week off prior to leaving the country. I find myself waking in the middle of the night making mental lists of everything that needs to be done prior to leaving. That is typical for me, since I'm naturally a list maker. My packing is obsessive - something like the scene where Jack Nicholson is packing in "As Good as it Gets"! Brent is the opposite - he can put 2 shirts and a pair of socks in the same space I can pack 1 month's wardrobe! Now I realize bagpipes are very bulky and unwieldy to pack, and you can't take a bagpiper to Scotland without his pipes! So this next week I will be organizing packing for both of us, getting our phone's set for overseas calls, credit cards/banks notified, checking health insurance coverage, and assorted other errands. Plus we want to spend some time with Joe since he'll be off on his own adventures with his dad.
Oh heavens... What am I doing writing a blog?! Put me in front of a keyboard and I just start 'chatting away'! I'm not sure Brent is much better - so y'all will just have to put up with us until we get better at self editing.
If anyone has suggestions of places to see while in England, Scotland, and Ireland - packing tips, travel advise, or just want to make a comment - feel free to chime in! Cheers!
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