Goodbye Plymouth Hello again Bridport

Saturday 11^th Jan

Our body clocks seemed to have changed as we are not waking up before 8.30am! I think it’s because it’s still so dark but it could be all the fresh air and late nights we have been having. After breakfast the 4 of us walked up to the local shops for a newspaper. It was a very sunny and beautiful day. Linda & Ian cooked us sausage sandwiches (very British) while we packed and took last minute notes from their vast array of travel books. We hope to catch up with them down the track somewhere in Europe. They have been wonderful hosts and was sad to say goodbye. Set off back to Bridport in glorious sunshine and lovely views. Arrived back in Bridport and went straight out for a walk with the dogs down The Bay (West Bay). Went to the Taj Mahal Indian restaurant for a great meal with David, Sheila, neighbour Tracey, Gary, Sharon & Abby.

Dartmoor & Brent Tor in the distance

Outside Linda & Ian's

Crocuses blooming early

Linda & Ian's back garden

Another sunny day! with Theo the cat

Bridport-West Bay

Great mates

Taj Mahal

Shopping Day

Friday 10th Jan

Drove into Plymouth with Ian (Linda at work - she has worked for Wrigley’s for over 30 years and is retiring this May.) Did some shopping and picked up some more walking/camping gear that we need and we also bought a Kindle as we have decided to carry one instead of 2 lots of books for each other as we have been told they will be hard to come by in Europe and we will have limited space in the Motorhome (picking it up 24^th Jan). In the evening we went down to The Barbican (harbour area of Plymouth) to a fish & chip restaurant called Rockfish. Friends of Linda & Ian’s joined us - they are making plans to immigrate to New Zealand soon.  The meal was HUGE and delicious.

Cod & Haddock - delicious

Rog-look-Chilli salt! Yum

Noss Mayo

Thursday 9^th Jan

Spent the morning sorting out emails, paperwork and insurance (yes we finally got someone to insure our motorhome- Down Under Insurance! $2,000 for 12 months!) About midday Ian David & I (Linda was at work) drove through Newton Ferrers and did a 2 hours walk around the village of Noss Mayo! What a place! What a walk! It was fantastic - sunny - muddy - quirky houses on very steep hills with stunning sea views. One house we walked by was used in the making of the movie “Sense & Sensibility”. We had a ploughman’s lunch in The Ship. It was a walk we will never forget.

House in movie Sense & Sensibility

Mouth of The River Yealm

A dull grey day!

Wednesday 8^th Jan

We checked out of our B & B in Penryn and it was terrible weather - we have been very lucky so far as the bad weather has always been when we are driving. Headed back to stay with Linda & Ian (David’s cousin) in Plymouth for 3 nights. They were both at work until 5.30pm so when we arrived in Plymouth (via The Tamar Bridge) we went into The Drakes Circus (large shopping centre) to sort out some I.T. issues and get some advice at the Apple Store. We then drove to The Yelveton Nursing Home to visit Jean again (David’s Auntie) It really was a grey,  dull, miserable day and David and I were very sad to say goodbye to her L We still had some time to kill so we drove to the village of Horrabridge and had a pint in The London Inn. Arrived in time to help Ian prepare the meal before Linda came in from work. After a few wines and discussions on which route to take when we head off into France we fell into bed.

Insurance please!

Tuesday 7^th Jan

We were woken early in the morning by a terrific thunder storm - the loudest one we have ever heard. Had a lovely full English breakfast then went back to our room to try and sort out insurance for our motorhome! What a nightmare that is turning out to be! As the majority of companies won’t insure us as we are not permanent residents. Think we have found one company who may but their premiums are very high (but what do you do?) After a very frustrating 3 hours on the internet and making phone calls (with no results!) we needed to get outside. You have most probably heard on the news in Australia about the awful weather the UK is having - well - we have been very lucky and today was no exception, a sunny day and another lovely walk (although muddy). We walked a 4 mile loop from Flushing via Mylor. It was very scenic again. We spent a great evening having a lovely meal with Ron & Pat and later Gary, Chloe and Gary’s son Sam joined us. Ron was his usual clowning jovial self and we all had a good laugh.

David getting a bit annoyed!!!

David a bit happier now!!

Onto Penryn

Monday 6^th Jan

Packed up the car again and went to Chapelford House (Susan & Peter’s) they have been renovating it. It has stables with 4 horses and one pony and an indoor riding school that they hire out. It was very impressive. We said our goodbyes to Susan and Alison (wasn’t too sad as Ali will hopefully catch up with us in Spain or Italy). We then drove to Penryn in Cornwall to visit David’s Uncle Ron and Auntie Pat. 25 years had not changed them much at all and David remembered many great summer holidays with them as a child. Had a nice catch up with tea and scones (clotted cream yum) before checking into The Bay View Bed & Breakfast for 2 nights up the road. Drove to Falmouth to see David’s Cousin Gary and wife Debbie. They have a lovely home and have 2 lovely girls Chloe & Amy. We enjoyed a lovely home cooked meal with them before falling into bed at our B&B.

Exeter

Sunday 5^th Jan

Today is the first day it has rained ALL DAY!!!!! First thing we skyed Mum & Jess and then Tracy & Roger to hear how glorious and hot the weather is in Australia!!! Went over to the hotel to join Susan & Peter again as they invited us for breakfast (it was very good). After breakfast we helped take down the restaurant Christmas decorations as the hotel is closing today until the 22^nd Jan (for winter maintenance). Ali David & I then drove into Exeter and Ali dropped us off at The Exeter Cathedral while she went shopping (very large City). After looking around The Cathedral we did some Motorhome shopping!!! It was a bit exciting (pillows & sheets etc.) we then bought some more quick dry/no iron clothes. Met up with Ali who had bought us some gorgeous things for our Motorhome (cutlery/knives/mirror etc.) and also some bras for herself! One was a horse-riding bra (in the picture) and the others 34 double G ones! that have to go back as they are too small!!!!!!!! She has always had magnificent breasts!!!!! Back home to a Sainsburys Meal Deal Dinner (£10 meal for 2 includes main/dessert and bottle of wine!) 

Ali in Exeter

The horse bra!!!!!