HOT HOT HOT!!!!!!! We have done a river cruise, walked around palace and did some night shopping at a market. ( HUGE) Surprisingly we still have some money left but our suitcases have somewhat shrunk in the humid city and have struggled to get them closed. Now waiting for shuttle to air port for final leg home to Chch.
TIME TO SIGN OFF NOW.
Marie, Malcolm and Sandy.
Drove to Stonehenge today and walked around the rocks with thousands of others. Then onto Avebury which was much nicer ( less people ) and were able to wander amongst two big stone rings which encircled the village.
That night we had a lovely evening with Mike and Gill ( Sue Lintons family) at a little english pub half way between Reading and Newbury ( where we were staying for final night in UK).
On our way to Heathrow we spent a few hours in Windsor. Enjoyed a tour of town on Hop on Hop off bus. Delivered car safety back to airport then on our way to Bangkok.
Another quiet day as Sandra and Marie still feeling poorly and Malcolm starting to cough and splutter also!!! We went to Wells and explored the cathedral and surrounds. This cathederal has become Sandra's favourite one visited so far. Smaller but perfectly formed!! It has a mechanical clock that is the 2nd oldest in Uk and shows the position of the planets and phases of the moon.
Then on to Cheddar gorge where a glacier carved out the limestone cliffs during the ice age into a gorge 138m deep in places. There are lots of caves and a 9ooo yr old human skeleton was discovered here in 1903. Along with the caves and canyon, Cheddar is also famous for the nations favourite cheese ( cheddar ofcourse!!) And it has been produced here since the 12th century.
On our return to our travelodge from Painswick we made a short diversion to the old Gloucester dock yards. The 1820s warehouses now xvery tastfully converted into apartments and eating establiments on the lower floors.The girls pictured on the last lock on the river severn.
From Cheltenham to Bath today on route to Warminster so a realitively easy drive today. A visit to the Roman Bath House filled in several hours. What an amazing place to think that the original baths were built by the romans 44AD above the natural hot springs of the city. We then enjoyed a stroll around the central city and along the Avon river ( viewing Pulteney bridge which is lined with shops like Ponte Vecchio in Florence) and up to view the Georgian houses on Royal Cresent and around the circus (a ring of 33 houses divided into 3 semi circular terraces) .
On our way to our new accomidation at Warminster, we had a short stop and stroll along the Sumerset coal canal (1805_1893) recently reopened at the junction of the Kennet and Avon canal at the Dundas Aqueduct.
On everyones agenda when they visit Straford upon Avon is Shakespeares house so thats what we did along with so many other tourists. We were jostled through the actual house but the museum part was less crowded. Afterwards we had a leisurely stroll through the little streets and along the Avon river. Since we had travelled a long distance that morning from Scarborough we decided to call it a day and continued onto Cheltenham.
Because both Marie and Sandy are feeling poorly with the flu we decided to have a quietish day visiting the village of Painswick after reading about it in the Lonely Planet book and we weren't disappointed. It was an unspoiled village again just picture perfect and the only visitors were us. The churchyard had 100 yew trees that had been clipped like giant lollipops. Nearby we visited a Rococo style garden, the only garden of its type in England. Designed and built in the 1740's and restored beautifully.
