Is This Goodbye...

I must confess, that this is not how I wanted to end my blog, and your sharing of our trip.
The last entry was when I was shell shocked – and to be honest, even now as I think of our lost camera, it feels like a whack to the guts with cricket bat. I think it is the pain of knowing that the memory stick contains things that have no relevance to the person who took it. The thought of it laying in the bottom of a bin somewhere, or being deleted is punishing, to say the least.
Our greatest sadness is for the kids. The video camera was the insurance, to compensate for the reality that the kids will remember very little of this in the years to come. Then there is the way that Sam became unofficial tour guide to a lot of our destinations…I think that Shane had already started mentally editing together a tape for Sam’s 21st. And please, in order not to set me off, yet again, let’s not mention the precious footage of our time with the Ormistons. The footage of the evening show/circus, where the kids prepared an order of acts, and even dragged the very obliging fence builder in, to be a participant and audience member.
I lay in bed at night and try to remember the places we have been, and my mind jumps to, "Oh no, I won't remember it", to, "We will just have to look at the photos" I feel the sickening thud, and then think, "No, it is gone" and then I try hard to make sense of it all, and it goes around and around, the solution to the lost memories, being to call on the things that we recorded...

AND NOW....TO MOVE ON
The above was written in Heathrow, yesterday afternoon, before the battery in the computer went flat.
Now we are in Hong Kong, after 12 hours on a plane. In reality, it felt much shorter, as we all slept (if that fretful state of shifting positions regularly can be called that) for about six hours. Throw in two meals and two movies - and the trip is done!!
I do wonder if the ready access to entertainment every minute of the journey, lessens our awareness of what we are going through. I remember my first trip home from overseas, aged 22. It was a reallllly long flight which seemed to last forever, and the deep sense of melancholy that I experienced is still tangible to me on reflection, all these years later. There was such a bittersweet poignancy to it all. I wonder if the reflection that air travel deserves, is now absent from our 'take it for granted' existence, where to travel from one side of the world to the other is just something to be endured, when in fact it is AMAZING. And surely if you are doing it...something major is happening in your life. Even if it is just a holiday - it is something to be treasured and marvelled at - and if you are traveling for some greater purpose - love or loss - how much greater the need for pause. We did not pause much. I think that perhaps that wasn't a bad thing.
Entertainment, in the root meaning of the word, means to switch off: to gaze dumbly. I think that over the last two days of our trip, bad and sad thoughts have been on a constant loop, and this, was leaving a sour flavour behind. To break the brain's pattern, was not a bad thing.
So. Three months and one week are done. All of that time spent planning, and then traveling, is done. It is hard to believe. And when looking homeward, there is a strange sense of emptiness, like, "What now?" I was starting to feel this brooding come on, on Friday morning beforethe loss of our camera (from now on, referred to as B.L.) Since the theft (A.L.) the sense of loss between Shane and myself has been so great, that I think we have a warped perspective - have forgotten the positives. The fact is...this has been a most excellent adventure.
I am proud of my family. The Fulwood Clan feel strong. I feel like we have mainly conquered, and where we have lost, we have done so with dignity, and solidarity. I don't know that we are any different to ever we were, or that we will be different from here on in....(Sam was just commenting to me an hour ago that he realized our family was different to other families. I was intrigued and excited to hear what it was that he felt, but it was something about him not being able to look in the mirror as much as he felt he should....or something like that, which he said he couldn't explain. Made me raise an eyebrow in confusion....)
I am extra glad now of this blog spot. It is the best record that we now have - and I thank you for reading it, because that has made it a much greater pleasure to keep.
I have learnt a few things along the way - but before sharing them, must make my record complete.

Friday night saw Shane drive through the streets of London. That was pretty amazing. To drive past the end of Tower Bridge and straight past Big Ben. We were both in a bit of a shocked state, but were still able to register where we were and what we were doing.
On Saturday we just kept close to Paul's. He suggested an outing - which normally would have been grand, but our spirits were sunk, and we just wanted to start packing and drive nowhere. We also used Saturday morning to make contact with the manager, and later the waitress, from the Running Horse Inn, where the theft occurred. We went walking to shops in the morning for a last gathering of supplies, and then out for tea with Paul, to a great little pub (The Salty Lime? -or was it something to do with anchors?) Then yesterday we had the great pleasure of one last visit with Katie and Jesse, this time with the added bonus of Ant's company as well. They were in town for a baby shower, and so we managed a last get together, and a Sunday Carvery. The meal was great but excruciatingly slow in coming - but that only made the meal last longer, and the company was good, so be it. We felt good being able to hand on Sam's car seat, as a spare for them (for Jesse) The other car seat and the grubby but wonderful two pound stroller were left in the car, to be picked up today (Monday) by the car people / insurance company. I feel like they were loyal to us, and we have been disloyal to them....
Poor Eliza complained a couple of times, on the long drives, that her bottom hurt. I just thought it little wonder, from being cooped up in a car seat for hours on end. Then, last week, in Wales, when I washed the cover, I discovered that there was more or less a hole in the seat bit. Just the right side for a bottom cheek to sag into. One side was smooth, and the other had a pit, with a screw head at the bottom. Obviously there was meant to be a cover over it...It is now wadded up with toilet paper and built up to make a smooth surface. I don't believe it is really reusable. Shame.
From my green seat by the terminal one playground, I have a magnificent view, straight out of HUGE windows, onto the tarmac, with its planes coming and going, and it's hazy back drop of highrise buildings and behind them, mountains. As I have been writing, lights have come on within the building and in its surrounds. Another day is fading. We pulled up at what would have been ten to nine in the morning in the UK, and then had to promptly wind my watch forward eight hours. Wow! That is one way to 'kill' time. Lilli has just pointed out that we haven't had any lunch, and that this is confusing her brain.
She is by far the most enthusiastic about our homeward direction.
On our first night in Innerleithen, I was laying in our room, having a quiet time with Eliza, a goodnight cuddle. Consequently, Sam, Nathan, and Lilli didn't know I was in earshot. I was privvy to their 'goodnights' to one another. (Sam and Lil sleeping in one room, and Nathan in with Cat and Stu.) It went something like:
All: Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight.
Nathan: See you later
Lilli: Yeah. And just remember, we will come and get you
Sam: Yeah. Don't go down to the garden by yourself, we will go down together.

About now I chipped in with the command to go to bed and scrap any plans for midnight escapades.

Wish i had written it down at the time for accuracies sake - Cat - maybe you remember the exact lines uttered. That was it essentially though, and it gave us parents a chuckle.

Here are some of the things that I have learnt:

*You can break the mould. You don't have to swim with the current if it is leading you where you don't want to go.

*Pound Stretcher is no substitute for a bakery

*Every third town, has a Royal Oak Hotel in it

*Self flushing toilets like giving you a cool surprise (just ask lilli, who has had to refine her wiping techniques to avoid a bot wash every time...)

*Every third town, has a Cross Keys Hotel in it

*Wet wipes are the world's most adaptable, indispensable, universal cleaners - don't leave home without them

*Yorkshire Pudding goes with everything

*I can not do a Scottish accent to save myself

*Tescos sell everything, and are everywhere

*You are the same person at home, as you are on the road

*The best advice given to us before we left (thanks Sheryl) was to remember, that you have bad days at home - so if you have bad days whilst you are away...it is ok. It is normal and not the fault of the trip.

*We have less "bad days" when not beholden to the clock

*Our children delight us and bring us joy, more and more

*Our children still confound us and frustrate us, more than we could have believed

*Playgrounds are the world's only positive response to 'how should we make our children happy?'

*You can have too much of a good thing ( e.g. in theme parks - the longer we rode the Pirate ship, the less of a thrill it was...)

*People accumulate stuff. It seems to be in our programming. I would love to be de-programmed

*Ford Mondeos are pretty cool for non-descript, non-personality types of cars.

*Television is a sapper of all creativity and 'spare-time' (I already knew this, but plan to be more productive and creative from here on)

*I am extremely shaped by aesthetics. I love beautiful things, for the sake of beauty itself.

*If you really want to spend quality time with your kids, go somewhere where there is nought to do, and stay for a week. I am thinking a tent, in a little town, with the uno cards and space to ride bikes. No agenda of 'things to see', to make the trip 'worth while'.

*I may not be excited about resuming where we left off in our lives - but I am excited about reconnecting with all of our loved ones at home.....you are probably one of them....

Shane is snoring on the green seats, it's dark outside and I now have three kids sitting in front of me, all in time out. The lovely hour or so of play has come to a yelling end - so you see - real life calls - so I should go. And I guess I should say, 'Goodbye'. I don't really want to.
This is the final note to our travel. I think the hugs hello when we get to Adelaide will simply be the start of the next chapter....but I won't write about that online.
Thanks for being a part our adventure.
I would love you all to make a comment at the end of this blog. It would mean the world to me, to know who read along.
I guess this is Good-bye.

Good Bye.
For now.....

The car crash was nothing compared to this!

We have lost the video camera.
That is, we know where we left it, but when we returned to get it - it was gone.
We ate tea at a pub, on the way home from LEGO Land. We took the camera inside with us, because since the crash, the car is in no way secure. We left the pub and returned to last nights hotel to pick up our stored luggage (also because of the car incident). We hit the M4 and headed to London. I realized I had more foot room than usual, and we realized what was missing.
Did the u-bolt. Back to the pub...but no one had handed it in and the waitress had just knocked off...weird given the size and emptiness of the dining room we had been in.
Actually, weird is not the right word.
Gutting.
Devastating.
I can't believe it.
All of August onwards, video and photos. Gone.
How will the kids remember what they did and where they went?
How will we show you?
How did we let this happen?
Why do people steal?

Sam and Eliza both have temperatures again.

A Day We Wont Forget...No matter how hard we try....

Life is all about how you look at it.
Good stuff happens - and you need to be quick to recognise it and be readily grateful for it.
And Bad stuff happens. And you need to look around you and remember that things could be worse.
Last night Sam slept fretfully, and awoke with whimpering at about midnight complaining of a clanging head. He was feverish and in need of panadol, but then slept through the night, and seemed not so bad in the morning. Eliza, however, slept through the night, but awoke claiming that she had felt sick in the night, and that her head was thumping....
We went down to the breakfast room where her first mouthful of juice was pretty promptly returned. However, she then went on to eat and drink (and has done all day), leading us to believe that it was the headache and temp leading her to an upset tummy. As the day has worn on, we believe that the cold they have all contracted seems to be related to ear problems. A visit to the doctor is on our tentative programme for tomorrow.
THIS, however, is not why the day will live on in our memories forever. That dubious honour belongs to the Mondeo. Our faithful new acquaintance that seems like an old friend. Or silver work horse which was due to be looked at on Thursday night for a likely sale. Our blessing in disguise (so much more economical than if we had bought one of our other choices.)
So, this worthy car pulled up at a round-about, on a dual lane roadway. We all sat there, the kids nursing their various headaches (Eliza sleeping, head slumped), Shane contemplating changing lanes, and me....I am not sure...listening to the radio and zoning out for a minute....when, BANG! We were thrown forward, then back, then....bang! Forward and back again. It was all so quick, and in the second that it took, one had time to think, 'What the...car crash...are we going to be okay?...this is unbelievable timing - we need to sell this car...', by which time, it was over. I turned around to check the kids, and was met by Lilli (with eyes the size of saucers) asking, "Was that a car crash?". I established that 'yes' it was and that we were all okay.
The culprit was an elderly woman,who was seventy five if she was a day. She had a passenger who looked even older, and both seemed calm, and most thankfully unhurt. She quite calmly said to me, "I don't know how that happened." Her car was amazingly unscathed. The plastic over her number plate was crazed, and there was an odd mark on the front of her bonnet. We figure now, that the second bump was her car coming our from under our car.
And the Mondeo?
Well, that poor old thing has probably seen it's last day. Her boot will no longer shut, and the structure of the boot is severely changed, with the latch no longer able to align with the snib on the lid. The bumber is a mess of broken platic, through which the foam can be seen, and the sides are pushed out a little at the back.
A couple of policemen came along and followed us around the corner, where there was quite literally a B and Q, to make sure that no stuff fell from our boot. It didn't. The back of the car is now closed up with gaffa tape and an occy strap. IT makes me feel sad when I look at it. Poor car - it didn't deserve to end its days like that.
This is of course presuming that it won't be fixed. I can't believe that it would be possible to repair all of that damage for less than a grand, which is definitely more than it is worth.
There are of course many things to be grateful for. Firstly, and most importantly, NO ONE WAS HURT.
You can't really top that one.
And the timing - well, if it was going to happen then now is better than in the first week, or even halfway through. We don't have the dilemma of whether or not to buy a new car.
Our heads were a little sore from the headbanging. And our nerves greatly shaken. Emotions raw. But about two hours down the road we were able to talk about it, beat by beat. Important - especially for Lilli who was mightily freaked out.
Now we just wait to hear back from our insurance agent tomorrow, to find out what the next step is.
So there you go.
A day we wont forget,...and a few days to come which are now highly uncertain. A disappointed buyer out there, and possibly the missing out of a a visit to Shakespeare's town, in order to visit garages. So be it. We are all here, and we are all okay. The trip has been excellent to say the very least and if this is the only thing that goes wrong - we count ourselves very blessed indeed.

Plus there is Sam's ultimate happiness still to come. Legoland.

Tonight we are holed up in a B and B in Oxford, where one feels that the price is as painful as today's crash, for the car business will eventually be sorted out, but this is money that will just be gone. Forever and unavoidable. (our change of plans meant a change of accommodation venues as well, and at five thirty at night, in the middle of a city where the cheap hotels are booked out and you only have about six numbers to call, and a three year old who is in real pain, you take what you can get)
I will end on the surprisingly pleasant note, that the weather today was beautiful, and tomorrow is supposed to be even better. Maybe 21degrees, which is probably about what it will be at home as well. We should be acclimatised on our arrival!
Goodbye for now, from those who are shaken, but not stirred.

Scraping the tip of the iceberg...or slate heap

I feel as if we are just starting to get a glimpse of what this place is, and who these people are, just as we are ready to make our way out of the country. Cymru is Welsh for Wales, by the way, and indeed, it is another country entirely. I can not believe that it has taken me this long to come here, nor that we nearly skipped it. The scenery we have seen in the last twenty four hours is fit to rival any that we have seen elsewhere, and the villages really gorgeous. We visited a Slate Museum yesterday, and took a big step closer to seeing who these folk are. Good is one word that simplistically (and romantically) comes to mind. Hard working, honorable folk, with fervent faith and community spirits. Of course, that is quoting (ad hoc) from the captions under black and white photographs of quarriers, some eighty or so years ago. I can not comment on the feel of the people now, as I have not met enough, and will not get to now.
Today we left our lovely hosts and cosy van - situated, I should ad, near the town with the longest name in the world. I can not even attempt to spell, write or say it, but I can tell you that it starts with Ll, and goes on for at least the length of the Alphabet! We videoed our Welsh slate-splitting demonstrator saying it yesterday, so you will have to watch the video if you ever want to hear it. We have driven for quite some hours, heading through Bewtsy - Coed, to the coast, and then down to the Brecon Beacons. We stopped at a Gold mine for a wander, and tour, at about three, and then got here (a castle) at about tea time. We did a tour of the Victorian mines, and panned for gold, but really didn't have enough time before they were shutting the place. Fascinating to learn, was that the site was actually a Roman Gold Mine to begin with...
We were going to go for a walk when we finished our two minute noodles, but it was getting too dark...at seven thirty at night!! Do you remember that when we arrived, said it was not dark until about ten PM? Shows how long we have been here. Scenery is also starting to change, as a patchworky colour is creeping into the trees that we see on the hillsides....Autumn starting to create her glorious colours. Wish we could be here to see them...
Off to Shakespeare country tomorrow, for two nights only, then windsor, then two nights at Paul's, then ....
Someone has rung about the car who is really keen, so we are trying to get him see it on Thursday night, so that if he decides not to take it, we still have two days to organize other viewings.
The car is a wardrobe on wheels. stuff is under the seats and in the corners of the boot. I am having kittens at the thought of getting it all to the airport, so am really hoping that our keen possibility takes it, as he will do an airport pick up, enabling us to get our luggage to the airport without lugging it through the tube.
Can't believe that it is nearly all over.
Anyway, as they say in Wales, Lainswerrcheff lewwneasllchwen

The Welsh Highland Railway

It is a big call to make, but we believe we have discovered the most picturesque of all the places we have visited. Beddgelert. There was a gentle rainfall for the majority of the time that we were in the town, and yet its appeal was still glaringly obvious. Had the sun been shining, I can’t imagine how head-over-heels we would have been about the place.
It is a village, nestled on the side of a mountain, which is part of the Snowdonia National Park. We left from the station in Caernarfon, and wound our way around the foothills of Mount Snowdon at some stage, but as there were no bill-boards on the side of the hill, pointing up and reading, “Mount Snowdon”, I am not sure exactly what that specific landmark looked like. I expect that it was pretty much like all of the rest of the hills that were around us. There were parts of the journey that reminded me strongly of the West Highlands of Scotland, and more specifically, the Isle of Skye. Visibility was pretty poor, as there was low cloud on the way there, and fairly constant rain on the way home.
Rather than simply sit for two and a half hours one way, get off, stretch our legs and take the return trip, we opted to get off at about the three-quarter mark, and stroll around a village for an hour and a bit. That is how we discovered Beddgelert. We even got to stay there longer than anticipated, when we reboarded the train at the station for the return journey (glad to be out of the steadily worsening rain), only to learn that the station’s water tank was empty – meaning that the steam train could not fill up – meaning that we couldn’t leave. We waited for an hour and a half in our carriage (too comfortable to be bothered stretching our legs once again) whilst the engine was given enough water to get to the next station, fill up, and return to us. We got back to Caernarfon much later than anticipated, but it really didn’t matter.
Over dinner, Lilli began to fade a little, and was happy to get to her bed. She has a head ache today . I guess it is her take on whatever the other two are getting over. Hence another quiet sort of day. The bonus of this, is that I am writing my blog in DAYLIGHT hours, late morning instead of late evening, and that is a treat. Adding to the cosiness is the fact that the rain that set in yesterday arvo has not let up, so the lure of going out is weak at best. We do plan to head to an electricity museum after lunch. We should be able to manage that much!
Wales has been a bit of a mystery to us. When one thinks of Scotland, there are a myriad of images that come to mind and we would all of heard of the Scots from childhood, in jokes, stories or songs. Then there are the Irish, and same again, there is plenty of imagery on the internal files to draw from. The same goes for the English – perhaps our most formed notions of them are gathered from “Fawlty Towers” , ‘Doctor Who” and “Danger Mouse”, but they are images, regardless. But then mention Wales… and what do you get? Perhaps if you strain your brain you think of mines and choirs… but as to personality, character, national identity…nada. Sorry. Could be just me. But nothing.
Are there no stories that I can recall. The only jokes I know of are Brits, paying out the Welsh accent…and that is it. Pardon my ignorance.
It is this ignorance, however, that fuelled my determination to get over here. With time so short, it was tempting to keep going down the Eastern side of England (we never made it to the eastern most tip – sob), but I really didn’t want to have visited every other part of the UK, and miss this. Driving over the border, I felt like we had entered the territory of a tucked away sibling. You know the ones, common in centuries gone by, when a child was deemed ‘an idiot’ and sent away never to be spoken of again, as if it really didn’t exist. Why is Wales never mentioned – what signs of idiocy has it shown, so great, that it is ‘a secret’. Is it quite simply that it IS tucked away? To the edge where the thoroughfare need not travel? Perhaps it is the language thing? A lot of people speak Welsh, not English, particularly up north here. But doesn’t that make a place more interesting than not? It is like entering a truly different country – more so than Scotland or Northern or Southern Ireland. Perhaps, because they have their own language, their separate identity is also stronger, and they really stay somehow removed from the rest of the UK.
I can’t answer these questions, I am only glad to have the chance to visit this pretty part of the land. I only wish that we had as much motivation and drive as we did two months ago, to really explore as much as possible. At best, this end of trip, unwell pace, will allow us just a glimpse of all that is on offer here.
B.T.W. have published our car ad on Gumtree, Uk. If you look it up you can see our great little Mondeo, and a couple of shots of Lilli as well….

Cymru

Up until breakfast, and even during it, we didn’t know whether we were going to rent our room for another night, or whether we were going to hit the road. Shane phoned a static van in Wales, who were able to accommodate us, and we decided we were off. Not without one last wonder through the winding lanes and road width malls of York. Definitely a shopper’s paradise.
We got to our van at around five thirty at night. The welcome we received was hearty – like that of old friends. My only disappointment was that the good folk are Manchurians. Nothing wrong with that of course, but it does mean that we can’t listen extendedly to a Welsh accent, nor find out how Anwen is pronounced. (Lilli’s middle name, which we chose from a book, never having actually heard it pronounced – it is Welsh).
From our van (called a Static van, as it is without wheels…it is much more like what would call a small transportable…and is very comfortable indeed) we can see Mount Snowdon. This is the highest mountain in Wales and the name root for Snowdonia National Park.
Today has been a slow day in every respect. Sam has been off for a few days, and last night had quite a temperature. I say quite, as I am without a thermometer, and can only say that it is definitely high, but doesn’t seem deadly. Comforting, eh? Eliza has been a bit of a frustration today and has fallen to pieces regularly…and yes…this was symptomatic of her coming down with something as well, and sure enough, tonight, at tea, when I was hot enough to want to swoon and she was all rugged up and complaining of the cold – I realized that she too, now has a temperature. It is just as well that we are here for four nights in a row, as it seems plenty of rest will be needed for those amongst us.
We did manage to get to the Caernarfon Tourist info centre, and walk around that town. (the town itself is famous for its castle, and walled areas in the city) We did get the car washed, photographed, and the ad nearly up online. (makes the end feel very real when we are getting down to business end things like that).
Tomorrow, all being able to move, we will probably catch a steam train up Snowdon Mountain, or at least around it, on a scenic journey. There is also a slate quarry in the area which is apparently really interesting, plus a spattering of old houses and castles to visit.
Guess you will know as we go…

The Flying Scotsman in York

I find that my thoughts are more and more turning homeward. And I wonder. Is it simply because we are in the last week and a half of our trip, therefore very close now? Or is it because, after almost three months away (it will be three months on Saturday) one has simply 'had enough'? Both yesterday and today there was a total slump in my energy (early afternoon, surprise, surprise) - but really, really hard to work through. It took me back to the beginning of our trip when I reflected philosophically about how you keep your chin up when the kids are flaking it, and muster 'adult' behavior to 'keep them going'. Well today, Lilli was feeling sorry for me and saying that I should just come back to the room and curl up in bed (yes, she was reading my mind - but no, I wish I weren't so obvious and pathetic). Ha. We are supposed to move on tomorrow, but I am wondering if another day here might be a good idea. Visit a laundry mat as our planned outing for the day. Walk through the streets and be able to poke our noses into the shops as we go. Stroll by the park over the road, which we haven't even set foot into. Do some schooling. (something that has been much less regular than my original plans had it at. I suspect that the week and a half at home before school returns will be hard on the kids as I sit them at the table and do some catch ups.) Don't panic grandparents...your grandkids will graduate from primary school yet!!
Yesterday we visited what is possibly York's second most famous attraction, the Railway Museum. It was a rainy morning so we went for the treat of the road train, which transports you from York Minster to the museum (for a fee, of course). The Museum itself if free, and is an amazing example of what sort of learning can take place in this world for free. There is one big shed full of engines and display engines - like the rail trains where the mail was sorted enroute. The Hogwarts Express engine was here, and dozens of others, a contingent of which, were parked around the remaining turntable in the shed (there used to be three). You can imagine how cool this looked, all parked in, their noses facing one another around a massive circle - and all under cover. This shed also led to the Flying Scotsman museum, where they are in the process of restoring the original to working order. A very costly process, but supported by all, as the Flying Scotsman is one of Britain's best loved trains.
My favourite shed was on the other side of the museum, where, once again, a myriad of different trains were 'stationed' alongside of platforms. These were representative of lots of different eras and some you could sit in. Amongst the collection was their oldest train, Queen Victoria's Carriages. I think I am a bit of a Victoria fan. I certainly like her taste in colours. Everything was lined with cushioned blue. Probably it was a royal blue? There is no illumination in those carriages, as the textiles are all very fragile, and the carriages themselves are treated with chemicals and air testers to maintain for as long as possible the interiors. Actually, there was a carriage there of the Dowager Queen Adelaide's, which was in fact older than Queen Victoria's, however, it was only on loan, so I guess didn't count. Also interesting.
I wish I was more into trains, so that I could have enjoyed myself still after the two hour mark, but in truth, as I mentioned at the start, my legs didn't want to move me anymore, and my brain stopped caring, my eyes just wandered vaguely over stuff with minimal absorption. I can recommend it wholeheartedly, never-the-less, as a brilliantly set up place.
Today we visited the Castle Museum. So cool. I am such a sucker for loving anything to do with 'how people lived' and so this was the place for me. They had rooms set up, stuffed full of reality. Fenced off, granted, but that makes perfect sense. There was a Victorian Period Room, a Georgian Room, a couple of 17th Century ones. These led into the displays of recent history. For example, how rooms used to be cleaned, how toilets were used, laundry done (they used to wee in the water, as a cheap and readily available bleach), midwifery practices, wedding attire and funeral arrangements. This section then led to a 'street'. Cobble stones, flanked with Victorian style shop windows, and the odd horse and cart on the road. It was all in real size, and went in lighting effects, from day to night and back again, so that you could see the street in both lights. In the night time there would be 'candle' light, flickering from behind the lace curtains, above the shop windows. Said windows, displayed all manner of objects from a hundred to two hundred years ago, and covered the gammet of life from the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker.... To be honest.....I don't remember a butcher shop or bakery - but there must have been at least the latter - and as for candles, there were no sticks, but lots of candles hanging in bunches from the ceiling of the candle shop. There were clothes, shoes, toys and sweets.
The second half of that museum was not so exciting for me. More modern times, up to the sixties. One thing that was funny, was watching the way that people from throughout the sixties display, all flocked toward the telly in the corner when the Doctor Who music came on. We all stood and watched - I told the kids how Uncle Michael used to love this show, in a terrified kind of way, and would watch it from behind the couch- as soon as the two minute snippet was up and some other iconic thing was on screen, everyone left. Just like that. Kudos to you, Dr.Who.
The kids were in their beds before seven thirty tonight. The second time that we have managed that since leaving home, if my scrambled mind serves me correctly.
In the morning it is a full English breakfast for me. It is my most pleasing thought, as I drift off each evening.... hope you have a good brekky...

Sleeping (or not) on a boat.

So I finished writing last night's blog draft and tried to sleep. I lay there, with the voice in my head repeating, "Don't think of the Titanic; Don't think of the Titanic; Don't think of the Titanic" and so on. It was amazing how loud the noise of something hitting the hull was....I mean, it was probably just the waves but it sounded suspiciously like ice bergs....then there was the slight motion which didn't shift the outside of your body, but definitely produced a shift in your inards, changing your centre of gravity. I could feel my stomach leaning towards the hand rail on my top bunk, with the pressure growing and growing, and then easing and easing until it began to try pulling me towards the wall. I assured myself that it was obviously normal - it is just that it is hard to simply let go and trust hat all is well. Thought I did really well actually, and sleep came remarkable easily - until Eliza requested my help at 4am to get back into her sleeping bag (she was curled up in a port-a-cot). After that, I was back to being alarmed by the noises again, which seemed louder than before, then my phone rang at about four thirty am with an anonymous caller who said, 'Hello, hello, hello'. Then I lay there silently, waiting for the 4.45 wake up call, which didn't come until about 5.15! A hastily consumed (and unapetising) breakfast was consumed, and we were on our way.
The kids fell asleep in the car as we drove to York and I too suffered from my regular affliction of automatically shutting eyelids. This is a truly frustrating trait which has worsened as we go. At first I was far to consumed with absorbing all I could see - and wouldn't contemplate sleeping in the car. Then, I would try to consciously have a ten to fifteen minute nap while we drove, to get the tiredness out of the way. Then, as we left Scotland, it took on a whole new level of uncontrollability. It wasn't that I would try to stay awake, so much as I was constantly surprised at finding my eyes shut. I would quite literally realize that my eyes were shut and all was dark, and then would sit up and wonder what I had missed. It was very annoying as it was our last drive through Scotland and I didn't want to sleep through it - but try as I might, the emotional price I had to pay was an inability to stay conscious.
Sometimes when I know that I am falling asleep and don't want Shane to know that his dozy wife is drifting off again, I have learnt to continue the fall of my head into a motion that makes it look like it was intentional. For example, if it falls back towards the head rest, I pull my shoulders up and back, as if I was taking a good stretch....if it falls forward, I lift my hands at the same time, as if I just wanted to look at them - checking that I still had them or some such. He probably knows full well that I am only half conscious...probably can't tell the difference from normal....
We were in York, parked and on our way to the tourist info centre by 9.45 am. We booked a B and B and checked in. We also visited our first antique shop, which Ruth had told Sam we would find plenty of - of which he was most excited, but quickly discouraged as he professed to never be able to afford anything within it. He was right.
After lunch we walked in and through the town, to York Minster. This is one of the finest examples in Europe of a cathedral of its age. It is brilliant. It was built over a period of a few hundred years and our guide led us through the church in order of its building. When Cromwell's army marched through the land wrecking things and stripping churches of their wealth, the commander of this areas' army refused to hurt the Minster, as it was the church where he grew up. That is why it is such a fine example of intact history. There are little chapels throughout the Minster, before Henry the Eighth's time there would have been up to fifty of them, but Henry took a huge number of them down when he was busy stripping churches of all their wealth to boost his own purse. It is always so good having a tour whenever you can - you learn so many things you would have otherwise been ignorant of. Like - that the first man ever named as an 'artist' in England, was the man who did the East window in the Minster. It is the size of a doubles tennis court and has been there for SIX HUNDRED years. AMAZING. Also amazing is John Thornton who designed and made the whole thing, in its entirety, in three years. It tells in pictures, the story of creation, from the beginning of time, to the images of Revelation. His stained glass has lasted better than any else in the world and is currently being restored in a massive operation, using new techniques with longevity promised. It inspired me and reminded me of the importance of art in our lives. Go Ness, go Sunshine, the church needs you. The world needs you.
We walked the streets a while longer, had a coffee in a Starbucks as a treat....it felt like a necessity after my sleep deprived night and oddly timed meals. We met a street sleeper named Frankie, who refused the kids offer of a banana and apple, but was grateful of a pound. He explained how he needed the brandy or something similar that he was drinking in his coke, to ward off the shakes if it rains. Easy to believe really. Sam was kind of transfixed and had to be pushed to get him moving when we said goodbye.
Speaking of transfixed - before we had begun our tour of York Minster, and were wondering around under the cathedral high ceilings, a voice came over the PA. It was a deep, resonant voice, that broke the silence, and startled us all a little. Lilli's eyes flew wide, and she froze as she listened. The voice went on in its deep, soothing manner, and gradually, people everywhere stopped to listen to what it was saying. It quoted something familiar about coming to the Lord in the holy communion...and then all was silent again. People started moving off, in various directions, and for a second longer, Lilli stood watching us all. She then approached us, put her hand to her chest and said with a nervous laugh, " I really thought that was God.... talking to me."
We laughed. Quietly. She did have quite a spiritual moment a little later, however, when each of the kids were given twenty pence, to buy and light a candle, at the little chapel of Saint Nicholas. They each chose someone to dedicate the candle to, and to pray for. She was really buzzing at the end of her prayer time. I think it says a lot about God that you can be in the middle of a swarm of tourists, and still so readily enter His presence.
Whilst on God stuff....I am reminded of something that Sam did, in China. A waitress was taking our orders, when Sam looked up at her, and said, without pomp, "Do you know Jesus?" What the??? Where did that come from? I believe we drew in a sharp breath and didn't let it out. In seconds I had run the gauntlet of thoughts from, 'wow, he is a real evangelist', to 'I don't think confronting people and forcing them to respond to something so personal, is a really effective way of letting people know how loved they are"...Sam held his eyes steadily on her, and it quickly became evident that she didn't understand English well enough to know what he was asking. When she turned her attention to him again, he dropped his eyes for a second, then looked back at her and ordered a lemonade. It was an interesting moment, and I don't believe that we have seen or heard the last from Sam, and his desire to tell people about our good God.
I must conclude, sadly, by switching from the eternal to the earthly. I must share that I found the best bargain shop ever. We were walking through the Shambles, one of the oldest parts of York and chock-a-clock with shops (on one street we quite honestly walk past houses that have been standing -lived in - since the 1400s). I had found a voucher for 15 percent off at "The World of Beatrix Potter" shop. In the Lakes District, this store had often stocked Flower Fairy products, and with Eliza's birthday so soon after our arrival home, I wanted to poke my nose in. All was fairly standard within, excepting a staircase which led to 'bargains and specials'. Oh man. They were not wrong. I have NEVER seen so many flower fairy products, let alone at such mental prices. I was in there an inordinate amount of time, and whilst I feel ashamed of spending precious tourist time shopping, and of getting a kick out of consumerism, I had to share it because quite frankly - it was a buzz! Eliza's birthday can come whenever it wants - we are ready for it!!

So Much To Write, So Little Time

I write this on a ferry, as it pulls out of the Port of Belfast, on its way to Liverpool. The exciting thing is that it is ten twenty pm - and we are sleeping in a cabin, on board. Unfortunately, this involved dinner being at about eight thirty at night…and now it is nearly ten thirty (and I am pretty sure we are all still awake – but a few of us are very near to laa laa land) – but we will be awakened at a quarter to five….yes, a quarter to FIVE, to come down and breakfast, and prepare to disembark. Today all of our meals have been late – I’ve a good idea that tomorrow they will all be on the early side. (am also determined not to think of a certain other ship that sailed from this port nearly 100 years ago….)
On the blog side of things, I feel terribly behind. Days glide by, and in the evenings, Shane is often on the computer looking for our next lot of accommodation (or booking ferries). Add to that that this week has seen us getting home late some nights, and there really hasn’t been much time to write. So, apologies on the silence, and on the brief understatement to follow. What we have seen deserves more – but this must do.
Thursday we drove up to Cushendall, to follow the coastal route up and over the top of Northern Ireland, aiming to finish in Portrush. Once we hit Cushendun, we realized that one of the tyres was making a funny ‘woomp, woomp,’. It was a boofy nail sticking out of the passenger rear wheel. The good news was that we were not losing pressure, so didn’t have to put the spare on – just set out for the nearest tyre garage. This was not as easy as it seemed. One town had two places but neither were able to do us until two…which would have been fine, if waiting around were an option, but it wasn’t. By then we were dead close to Carrick-a-rede, where we were planning to cross the rope bridge, so we went ahead and took our chances, and did that while we were there. (the bridge looks heaps scarier in photos than in real life…which I guess is good, because we will look more impressive as well.)
After that , the tyre was still up, and we progressed on our way west. Town after town was without garage, and then we were up to Giant’s Causeway…..but the voice of my father urged me on….we drove straight by it as the tyre was really urgent. We had ascertained that the Causeway remained open until dusk, whereas garages would not. We eventually had to go right through Portrush, and Portstewart, to Coleraine, where we found four otherwise unemployed tyre fitters, ready to do the job. Poor sods. We had been told by the tourist info lady that it would cost around thirty quid to get it fixed, so when the guy offered us a hot drink from the coffee machine – we all had a hot chocolate. The job was done before our drinks were even cool enough to sip – and it only cost us seven Pound!! Oops. I think we drank nearly half that cost. Hope they weren’t on the brink of bankruptcy, or we could be the straw that broke the camels' back.
We made it to Giant's Causeway which is quite simply an amazing spot(and from where we gazed fondly across the ocean to Scotland) There is a build up of hexagonal shaped pile-ons, like an uneven road, jutting out to sea BUT it is a natural phenomenon. They are about the size (on top) of a stepping stone that you may put in your garden, and they vary in height. Please look up a photo of it on this marvelous web if you don’t know what I am talking about.
We ate tea in Portrush and then drove the hour and a half home. Late night. We had planned to catch the train to Dublin on Friday but for various reasons changed our minds late Thurs night. Drove to Donegal Town instead, via Fivemiletown for a playground, Enniskillen for a picnic lunch on the loch (where we were harangued by a hissy swan and Eliza had her lunch snatched by a cheeky duck), and Belleek, where we toured the very famous pottery factory. Well, okay, I admit that I hadn’t heard of Belleek until that morning – but it is indeed famous, and very interesting touring the factory. As soon as we left Belleek, we were into Southern Ireland (the Republic). Funny how Southern Ireland, actually goes higher than Northern Ireland, but Donegal, where we were, is on the Western Side of the isle. Tea was in an Irish pub (duh!) and I had fish and chips…just so that next time I am in an Irish pub in Oz, I can look at the menu and know that I had Donegal Catch, in Donegal. We strolled around the Diamond (the old market which the town is built around) and again, headed home to a late night for the kids.
Saturday we visited Cooktown (mainly because we had to drive through it and there were market stalls everywhere) and went to Springhill House and then the Wellbrook Beetling mill. The house was a great glimpse back in time with lovely gardens – just park like mainly. (Some boys rescued two kittens who were struggling to get out of the pond whilst we were there. The kids wanted to keep them of course! I wondered if there was a groundsman somewhere cursing his inability to tie a good knot – did not mention this possibility to the kids as the horror of such an idea would be , er, horrifying, to them) The Beetling mill was a new and therefore refreshingly interesting visit. We saw the whole process, of how flax is taken and used from the stalks in the fields, to the linen on your table. Love watching the kids learn all of this stuff…-love learning it myself.
Today we went to church in Armagh…were nearly late as we left Dungannon and headed off in a north westerly direction to Omagh, instead of the south easterly direction of Armagh. Got ourselves sorted, and walked in not too discreditably late. We were going there to hear our friends brother (host’s son) Mark, preach. Felt really under-dressed in our jeans and sneakers – there were women wearing really lovely hats. I think that is cool. There should be much more hat wearing….
Had cups of tea together afterwards, just around the corner with Mark, his kids and Ruth. Was a really nice way to wrap up our time with them all. We look forward to seeing them in Australia next time they come to visit. We certainly have been made to feel so welcome.
Our last treat for Northern Ireland was to meet Charlie B and his lovely Roz and Rebecca at the Ulster Museum, in Belfast. It was four by the time we found the place, so we had a very quick wander through then went back to the Baxter’s for an amazing afternoon tea (by which time it was really tea time proper – but we had tea waiting on the boat, and they assured us that they had had a late lunch, so we were all prepared to hoe into a spread of three different sorts of scone, choccy cake, biscuits, pikelets and crisps. Urgh. I feel disgusted with myself and well satisfied all at once!!)
I have still to tell a couple of tales from Scotland and of famous kiddy antics – but the days are so rushed now, as we begin to count down our trip….only fourteen days left….

Maybe it is too early to write this. We are on the ferry to Northern Island, having left Scotland this morning.
The ferry is pretty swish, I may add. There is a game arcade, a soft play area, at least four coffee shops, a gift shop and free cinema areas, along with a multitude of seating arrangements. We are surrounded by cuttings, as we sort through our pamphlets, brochures and tickets, trying to get our various scrap books up to speed. I estimate that a good portion of the weight that we carry is in paper.
So. Scotland. Thud. The cause of the squeezing feeling on my heart. Country or people? I don’t know….but it sure has been a lump-in-my-throat kind of 24 hours. To say good-bye to Cat and Stu this morning, to wave Nathan off to school, and have one last hold of Lady Laila…ouch! It hurts. I have no doubt that someday we will all meet again – it is just a sad fact that there will be many years in the interim, and little Laila will no longer be little, and it is highly improbable that the boys will dress up as firemen and pirates and run around together laughing merrily. Still, thanks to the merits of Skype, we need not miss out on the growing up milestones, and certainly the kids will get a lot more out of our chats from now on.
I have to keep weighing up the call of Scotland with the realities of life. If we were to live in that beautiful place, and dwell amongst the wonderful friends we have there, we would need to forfeit time in our own beautiful land, and relationship time with our own families and friends back home. I need to keep reminding myself of this so that the sense of grief doesn’t become too mighty! That and the fact that the alternative to a sense of loss would be to not have these relationships in the first place…and what is a little hurt, compared to the warmth that these people bring into our lives. I wouldn’t want to save us from the pain by avoiding the joy. So I must suck it up. Deep breath. Blink back the bloomin’ moisture in my eyes.
Time went so swiftly that we only managed one visit with most of the people and places we wanted to see. Again, we are in trade off mode: I would have dearly loved the time to wander the town and know the lay of the land. To have become a part of the rhythm of life in Innerleithen, for the kids to feel like locals, however, had we done that, we would not be about to enter Ireland. Maybe some other day.
We are about to pull into port. To wind up, I can say that we had one more trip into Edinburgh together, (on Monday) where we visited Greyfriars Kirk, grave yard and Greyfriar’s Bobby’s grave. What an inspirational dog. A lesson in loyalty that goes above and beyond. Within the Kirk we were given a brief history lesson by a most informative highlander – full of fact and colour – (and wearing the black watch tartan, the same as Sam’s kilt, much to the latter’s delight) This we followed up by a tour of the Museum of Childhood. Such a great attraction, especially given the free admission.
Shane took the kids home and Cat and I did some serious kiddy gift shopping. Such fun – only too rushed and too impossible to repeat.

We are now in Castle Caufield, Dungannon, where the welcome has been tremendous, and the familiarity feels comforting. (I stayed here once, twelve years ago...so I am guessing the warmth comes very much from the home maker, and not from my familiarity.) I can't seem to go too long without choking up or welling up - so I think an early night and busy day tomorrow, are necessities.
I look forward to telling you all about Giant's Causeway and any other wonders we encounter along the way.

Perhaps the shine is wearing off...

There is a wondering for you. When wandering around Edinburgh Castle and feeling little motivation, is it because you are just having a bad day, or is it because 'the shine is wearing off'? Granted, Edinburgh Castle is a lot more of the same, in a very general sense, to what we saw at Stirling only the day before (including the two 'Cromwellians' teaching us about arms). I commented to Shane that I was conflicted in my efforts, for it seems that the second I walk away from a plaque that I have just read, I forget all that I just attempted to absorb, on the other hand, from time to time you read something which is just 'POW' and you know that you will retain that very interesting new fact. (Devoid of exact dates, perhaps, but there in some form or other).
Whether it is that there have been enough castles and fortifications this month, or whether I was just in a funk is irrelevant for now, and either way, a visit with an old pal changed the tone of the day dramatically. As cheery and wonderful as ever, the lovely Dean was instantly endeared to the kids, and three hours flew by all too rapidly. We had time together in the park, and shared a meal at the pub, before catching the bus back to the Straiton Park and ride.
The day prior to Edinburgh(on Wednesday), we visited the Melrose Abbey. A beautiful setting. Scenic space, with the stone ruins in various stages of recognisbility, from walls with rooves intact still, to stones in the grass - and an audio guide to help you discern what was what.
Friday saw us run around the district a little, driving through Traquair, to St Mary's Loch for our lunch, on to Selkirk to visit the Baxter's outlet, and then home through Galashiels to get the shopping. Our aim was to get back to Innerleithen in time to pick Nathan up from school. More than anything, the kids want to just play together. The back yard is all they need to fulfill their ambitions and adventures. They therefore were most pleased with yesterday's arrangement, which involved me helping out Cat at the church fete, selling her soaps, and the kids spending that time hanging out here at the house together - Shane at the reins. Stu was at work, so Shane had all five to watch, but as usual took it in his stride. For which we were grateful. He helped the kids put the tent up on the back lawn, and they all slept in there. We were surprised that they did actually fall asleep by about ten thirty - and then disappointed when they were all awake by three thirty!! They were all brought inside when it became apparent that they weren't going to go back to sleep without chatting for a while - and as we had a big day planned, we wanted them to get some rest at least....
All of us slept a bit over the usual seven am, Shane was allowed the longest, given that it was Father's Day back home. We eventually got him up so that we could consume the banana pancakes that we had semi prepared the night before...so that we could head off to Vogari Park. There is a big old lovely house, set in a park, with a couple of fantastic playgrounds scattered throughout. Poor wee Nathan, had just finished his first two weeks of school, and that, mixed with a full day of play yesterday, and topped with a night with hours missing fom the sleep quota, were all too much.
To be at his favourite park and not have the energy left to play was most disappointing, and we headed straight home from the park (skipping one of the places we had planned on visiting) in order to give the kids an earlier night, complete with baths and vege soup. All good, and hopefully all well tomorrow.
In the morning we are heading back into Edinburgh for a visit to Greyfriars Bobby's monument and the kirkyard. Cat and I will stay in and do a lap up Princess Street.
We plan to head to Northern Ireland on Wednesday. Between now and then, there is just another visit to Peebles to fit in, when I plan to take a wander up the Tweed and past the Neidpath, and then it is time to see if we can magically condense all of our bits and bobs into the four suitcases, ready to hit the road for our last burst of touring. Only 21 days left until we head home...