England Day 80

We spent our least week in the UK visiting rocks and stately homes. We spent one of the only sunny summer days at Brimham rocks with lots of dour Yorkshire folk worrying about our children falling off rocks. We ended up picnicing at the top of a sheer cliff which didn't help, but luckily we all survived.


England is a lovely place to visit, glorious countryside, cobbled streets in pictureseque villages with thatched cottages, quaint places names like Little Ditchling and ... It is steeped in history with loads to do, beautiful houses, gardens and on this visit sculpture parks have featured heavily. There is a downside though, money has to be spent like water at every turn, the weather is totally unreliable; during our last week we had alternate days of blazing sunshine and cold, foggy autumnal days - we never knew what to expect. There are so many people and cars that traffic queues are the norm and road rage standard.

One day you see holiday makers, cerise pink with sun burn, clutching new purchases of pristine buckets and spades, off on their annual beach holiday complete with sandy fish paste sandwiches and a bewildered air at what to do with the free time and space. The next day you see toddlers, swathed in anoraks battling the elements, clutching slowly melting ice creams, beaming serenely, whilst grannies clutch tartan blankets and huddle behind wind breaks that enclose them on three sides and only allow a view of a sea wall, and they are valiantly attempting to enjoy themselves you just have to marvel.



We spent the other sunny day of the trip at Burton Agnes hall near Bridlington. This hall had fantastic gardens with lots of different courtyards with giant-size games in each : snakes and ladders, hop scotch, draughts and chess, hoola hoop and others. There was also (yet another) sculpture park in a woodland walkway co9mplete with giant spiders, 15 huge caterpillars and a myriad of birds and other wildlife things, The kids had a great time while mum and I enjoyed the hall


We did delay our departure from the UK for a few days, ostensibly because of a trip to the circus in the park but also because we were having such a good time with my Mum and PoppaD that it seemed a shame to leave! The circus was great and the kids loved it, Maxi shouted "it's behind you" and "oh no he didn't" in all the right places and Zac was amazed by the balancing acts and acrobatics. A surprise entrance of Superman on the trapeze set the audience buzzing, Zac thought it was played by a girl but then changed his mind, Max was of the opinion that it was the real one!

And so we left England after sad farewells to all (but with a master plan to lure Mum out to Trinidad at Xmas, and a plan for Nolly to visit too). And so with a five hour car trip to Brighton and a final night with Jill and Dave (see Dublin entry and yes Jill we will put a photo of you on here eventually) we set off to Canada.