Random Thoughts, Observations and Other "Stuff"

• Roads -

We have done them all. Single country lanes, dual carriage ways and motorways. This country is insane for roundabouts - some that are no bigger than a silent cop, some nice and normal with 4 roads leading on and some that are just madness and have multiple lanes and traffic lights. The country lanes are beautiful, but can be scary when you meet oncoming traffic - this is, however, preferable to the roundabouts.

I loooooooove the roads - sometimes country lanes and sometimes "A" roads (60mph), that are lined with trees. The trees are so close to the edge that the under branches have to be trimmed to keep the roadway clear but the upper branches are allowed to grow unrestricted. This makes a green archway over the roads - magic!!

There are lots of "lay-bys" on the roads (especially "A" roads), but they are usually surrounded by trees or hedges, so you can't see any scenery from them (in most cases) - :-(

There is an amazing amount of incredibly beautiful scenery to be seen from the roads,but where there is scenery there is never anywhere to pull over. Ray actually says this is a good thing otherwise we would never get anywhere because I'd be stopping to take photos all the time!!

You know how we have electric road signs powered by solar energy? Well - here they are powered by tiny windmills!

• Buildings/houses

Way too much and too many to describe, but I did want to point out that the stone used is different in different areas - in other words - "local stone" is used. This means that although you see buildings of similar styles everywhere, they still look different and therefore interesting because the stone is different.

• Flies

Ray saw a fly and brushed it away within the first couple of days of being here. he now maintains that he will not see another one! Maybe not, but there are still some other annoying insects that particularly like white clothing.

• Animals

Sheep look weird with tails!!

I saw my first squirrel in Wales the other day (more on Wales to follow) - Ray says it was a grey one - apparently there are other kinds

Good news - I have seen several badgers. Bad news - I still don't really know what one looks like - think Pacific Highway and kangaroos.....

In Wales we saw traffic lights specifically for cows - Go figure!!

• Climate

We have had fabulous weather - although I don't think I'm actually sunburnt. It's T-shirt and shorts weather - other than one feezing cold, wet, windy day in Wales - think Crookwell or Orange in winter!

A.A. Milne wrote "In winter I get up at night and dress by yellow candle light, in summer, quite the other way, I have to go to bed by day." - I have not seen darkness and I have (as usual) been up some mornings by 4.30am. I have been going to bed by 10.00pm. Why do they need daylight saving time???

• Stone walls and hedges

Specifically the ones separating paddocks (I think that should be fields??). I love the look of them. You can describe the scenery as "patchwork" or something quaint like that, but I have to tell you that from my point of view the great thing about them is that they make the landscape symmetrical - Ya gotta love that!!

• Food and drink

Glass milk bottles with tin foil lids, delivered by the milkman?? You betcha - they still have them!

Altogether too much food and we are only eating twice a day.

• Exercise

We have been here 9 days and if I have to walk up any more stairs and hills (and I just know I will), then I am going to have the best gluteus maximus outside the Russian Olympic Gymnastics Team!!