Loving London

After experiencing the NHS in London and £115 poorer we left Michelle's flat early Monday afternoon to head for Camden Markets, a very easy trip on the underground with no changing of trains required. The markets are vibrant and alternative where anything goes but a lot of fun.  Michelle and I had already decided before we left home that we were going to have a gara rufa fish pedicure.  This is where you plunge your feet into a tank of these little fish and they nibble away at the skin on your feet. After 15 minutes and £10 your feet are lovely and smooth.  A really weird feeling which had us squealing and laughing.  To go with my nice smooth feet I bought a pair of shoes (not at the markets) which made Mich pretty peeved as she was the one after them, they were on sale but not in her size.



The Gara Rufa's nibble Michelle's feet



Cool babes

Tuesday we set off mid morning and ventured futher into town to London Bridge. Michelle shouted Pete and I for a tour of HMS Belfast, an old Navy ship that has been set up as a tourist attraction.  This was Pete's choice for his birthday present and was really interesting.  We spent around 2 hours exploring life below the decks.  After this we walked down to Tower Bridge and crossed over to the North Bank with the intention of getting ourselves down to Leicester Square.  After detouring to walk up the 311 steps of 'The Monument' erected to commemorate the rebuilding of London after the great fire and stopping at a pub for a much needed drink, we arrived at Leicester Square where we booked our tickets for Lion King which we will go to next Tuesday night.  We had arranged to meet Nathan B (Biggs) and Chloe at Leicester Square so where better to wait than yet another pub.  Both Nath and Chloe finally arrived, both looking extremely well, it was great to see them. It seems strange but with both our first meeting with Michelle and Nathan, after the first emotions of seeing them for the first time in 18 months, you very quickly feel as if you're with them in NZ after only not having seen them for a few weeks.  By the time we got home it was around 10.30pm so a long day.

Nathan B arranged to have Wednesday off work and we met him at an underground station late morning where we caught a DLR train out to Greenwich.  We explored the Royal Navy College, the Maritime Museum, The Painted Hall (which took 19 years to complete and is the largest painted ceiling in Europe), The Royal Greenwich Observatory where Greenwich mean time starts and the Greenwich Markets (far more conservative and smaller than Camden).  This area is where the Equestrian Sports at the 2012 Olympics will be held and lots of work was being carried out. It is exactly 12 months today until the Olympic Games start.  From Greenwich we got the boat back into London Bridge and after a full day we went our separate ways home.





Nathan and I in agreeance, he had just told me he wanted a coffee



Part of the Painted Hall



We haven't shrunk, Nath is on a step





Scotland Completed



Portree waterfront

Portree was a great spot and the nicest B & B and best host of our Scottish trip.From Portree we had to back track a bit as there is only one bridge back to the mainland from the Isle of Skye and then we headed for Inverness. We of course had to stop along the way to search for the Loch Ness Monster but unfortunately she wasn't playing the game and we didn't get to see her (or is it a him).

MIichelle spies the Loch Ness Monster

First port of call at Inverness was to get to the specific tyre repair shop that Nath had to use as the previous day whilst touring Skye we had got a flat tyre. Fortunately it was when we had stopped for a lunch break. Both Mich and I heard the air escaping and told the boys we had a flat tyre. They had a quick glance and said no nothing wrong with it. Mich had a laugh and said just wait. Sure enough a few seconds later it was flat as a pancake. Thankfully it was a nice day as all four bags and a few other things had to come out of the boot and it was out for quite some time as Nath and Pete worked out how to use the jack with some egging on from Mich and I sitting in the sun. Anyway had to leave the car with the tyre, so we set off on foot for a look around Inverness. Our B & B that night was about 8 miles out in a little place called Ardersier and as we were all tired we just went down to the local pub for tea. Our intentions had been to go back into Inverness. We had a yummy meal and were entertained by the young man who was barman, waiter, receptionist, but he assured me not the cook. Up early the next morning and thoroughly entertained by our B & B host over breakfast (think the boys switched off but I thought she was a hoot) and then off to Edinburgh. We detoured to Falkirk to view the Falkirk Wheel which lifts boats from one canal up to another. Works like a giant Ferris Wheel. We lingered for a while watching this feat of engineering in action.

Falkirk Wheel

Arriving in Edinburgh Michelle and Nath left Pete and I at the castle (they had been then before when visiting Edinburgh for an All Blacks game) whilst they went off and did their own thing. It was well worth the £15 each to go through all the displays and explore the castle grounds. Preparations are already underway for the Edinburgh Tattoo. We met up with Mich and Nath again and explored on foot some more of the city. After a late evening meal we caught the bus back to our B & B (which we had previously booked into on our arrival in the city) and collapsed into bed for another early start the next morning for the long drive back to London. Edinburgh was our favoutite city in Scotland.

Purchased this little bit of real estate

Hadrian's Wall

Nathan is big on history and was keen to see some of Hadrian's Wall so we detoured off the motorway and took some country roads to get to a section of the wall. We were able to walk through a farm to see some amazing bits of the wall. A very good detour and well worth doing, amazing to think the wall was built nearly 2000 years ago.

The only other stop of the day was for a late lunch at a motorway stop and then on into London. Due to road works on the M1 our journey was slowed, with us eventually arriving at our London base at around 7pm tonight. It will be good to be based in one place for a few days and catch up on thjings like washing. It has been a full on 12 days since we left home but thoroughly enjoyable and finally we are getting some good weather although today was wasted being in the car all day.

In the Skye

Exactly 36 hours after we left Napier we landed at Dublin airport where we picked up our rental car and headed into the city.  It was great to have the rental car firm expecting us with a car ready, the cheap GPS system we bought off Trade Me to get us directly to our accommodation where they also had us booked in. A relief to know that all the hours I spent booking our holiday all worked.  Yeah for the internet. Surprisingly after all that flying and sitting around airports (2 hours at Heathrow with Michelle whizzed by as we caught up on all the news) Pete and I felt remarkably good and after a quick shower headed out to explore Dublin even though it was already about 8pm. 

From Dublin we headed to Blarney via Waterford and Cobh.  Cobh was the last port of call for the Titanic and is a picturesque area. We enjoyed a lovely evening in the pub at Blarney and the next morning walked to Blarney Castle where we both kissed the Blarney Stone and explored the castle and grounds. 

What's Pete looking at?

Check over my right shoulder - that's what he's looking at

View from top of Blarney Castle

Pete kissing the Blarney Stone

After Blarney we travelled to Killarney and drove around the Ring of Kerry which took about 3 hours!  Its only just over 100 kms but with narrow roads and people who can't drive plus lots of tourist buses it took a lot longer than expected. 

Village on Ring of Kerry drive

Our plans for the next day were to drive the Dingle Peninsula before heading to the Cliffs of Moher. However due to the inclement weather our B & B host suggested that we wouldn't see much from the Peninsula and suggested we head straight through to Cliffs of Moher hoping for better weather. This is what we did, the weather did improve, showers instead of pouring rain!  The Cliffs of Moher were spectacular but a bit scary at times as the wind was so strong, if it was behind me, it was actually picking me up and if it was coming towards me, stopped me completely in my tracks and I could not move. 

Cliffs of Moher

That night we spent at Galway and the next morning got up early to head back to Dublin with the only stop being at Killbegen to visit reputedly the oldest whiskey distillery in the world. 

Kilbegen Whiskey Distillery

We arrived in Dublin about noon and headed into the city for a good look around, walking for miles.  Late afternoon we ended up at the famous Temple Bar for a few drinks and to enjoy the entertainment. All in all we loved Ireland, I especially loved the Irish accent and the gorgeous men with the impossibly long eye lashes!  Pete's observation was that the women were mainly big breasted! We also know why Ireland is so green - it rained every day we were there.

Tuesday saw us up at 5am as we had our flight to catch to Glasgow. Good old cheap Ryan Air.  Pete and I couldn't understand why everyone was queing up at the boarding area when we hadn't even been invited to board.  After looking at my ticket I realised there were no allocated seats. Only a 35 minute hop over to Glasgow where we manged to get ourselves on a bus into the city and then another bus to our hotel. Even though it was only around 10.30am our room was ready and we were able to refresh ourselves before setting out to explore Glasgow which we enjoyed even though we were feeling a bit tired by the end so took a good old Marks and Spencer meal back to hotel with us. Wednesday Michelle and Nathan Andrews arrived in Glasgow to pick us up and take us on our Scottish leg of our journey. The trip through to our first stop on the Isle of Skye past Loch Lomond took us through some lovely countryside into the Highlands.  We visited Eilean Donan Castle just a few kilometres from the bridge over to the Isle. Today we have travelled over a big percentage of the Isle to our second night at Portree, a lovely fishing village.  I think fish and chips may be the meal for dinner but that will be after a few drinks at one of the local pubs of which we saw many on our walk around the town.

Eilean Donan Castle

Snack at Portree

Travel Day

The last couple of days have been really hectic getting last minute things done and still a few more yet to do - get my hair cut (and coloured) for one.  A few last things still to be packed but all those decisions on what to take and what to leave behind have been done. It was strange walking out of work yesterday and knowing I won't be back for nearly seven weeks, a dream come true really.  Only trouble is the bank balance will reflect all those weeks without pay! As Mich is on two months holiday on full pay I can see who will be shouting who for a change,  Nurse Wendy don't forget you're bringing my coffee that first morning back at work - I will need it.  Maybe a couple of valium too if you can swing it, other than that I'll have to raid the ritilin out of the safe.

Feeling excited to see Michelle, Nathan and their other halves.  We're hoping to not have to go through full customs at Heathrow so that we can catch up with Michelle and exchange birthday presents before our flight to Ireland.  Her birthday is 15th and Peter's 16th.  Michelle says Pete's present is seeing her!