Death

Its one of those things that you think only happens to other people and will never happen to you......... Getting older. Otherwise known as 'the end of life as you know it'. Its taken me more than a month to build up the courage to write about it.

I had an early indication that something nasty was going to happen when I broke my achilles back in February, but I never thought I would turn 30!

Anyway, its happened now, and to help console me my lovely wife secretly organised an early funeral where friends and family gathered to bid farewell to my younger days (well friends anyway). Nobody seemed to realise the deep meaningfullness of what had happened as they all seemed intent on having fun.

The jousting competition was fiercly fought

Yana was crowned champion and rode away on her prize steed.

Me going "I can't even count that high, how am I supposed to blow them out?!" (Cake baked by forementioned lovely wife)

A pack of thugs picking on a poor elderly cripple (if anyone recognises someone here, could they please contact the nearest police station - 6 Shillings and thrupence will be offered for information leading to arrest)

The funeral tour as we went around (and around and around) the world famous magic roundabout

Anyway, I've survived for more than a month in the dreaded 30's now, and in fact I am more mobile than when I turned 30, so it can't be all bad. Further evidence can be seen in that I can still use a computer and program a VCR - I'm almost beginning to believe that its all been a big lie!

Many thanks to everyone for turning up to commiserate. It was a lot of fun and given that some people hadn't seen each other for 6-7 years it was a great excuse to get together!

Easter Weekend

For Easter our friends Nick and Clare, who just recently moved to London, came to visit us. We had initially planned to go to Wales, but because we left it a bit late, all the camping grounds were booked out. England is not New Zealand, where you can just head off at short notice and still expect to find plenty of accommodation. Instead we stayed at our place and went on several day trips into the surrounding area. Here are some photos of our day trips (taken partly by us, and partly by Nick or Clare).

Day 1:
First we walked up to the Uffington white horse, which is a 110m long stylised prehistoric hill figure, cut into the grass to reveal the underlying white chalk. And then we headed into Oxford to look at its amazing buildings.

The head of the Uffington White Horse

Lindsay, Yana and Kerstin walking up the White Horse Hill

I think this is the All Souls College, in Oxford

The Radcliffe Camera (a reading room)

Hertford Bridge

Such tourists...

Day 2:
Our second day trip took us back to Lechlade, where we had been a couple of weeks prior. We had a nice picnic on the banks of the Thames river and then hired a row boat. The boat was a little hard to steer, but in the end Lindsay and Nick found an efficient method of moving forward without going in zigzags.

Clare being the oars-woman

Yana in her life-jacket after surviving the mighty boat-trip

Day 3:

Our longest day trip had us driving through the Cotswolds in the campervan. We stopped off in Bibury and had a look around. Then we stopped in Withington, where Yana had a sleep and we had a road-side picnic. We went for a walk into the four possible directions, as far as the babyphone would reach, and explored the little village. On the way home we stopped in Cirencester, looked at the church and had a drink and some chips in a local pub.

Arlington Row, a row of 17th century weavers' cottages in Bibury

Easter Sunday at the church in Bibury

A pub in Withington

Day 4:
On our last day trip we went to Bradford-on-Avon, a nice little town by the Avon river. We had a look around and ended the day with a nice meal at a pub right by the Kennet and Avon Canal.

Town bridge in Bradford-on-Avon

Lindsay, Yana, Kerstin, Clare and Nick in a park in Bradford-on-Avon

The Kennet and Avon Canal

Us enjoying our pub meal