roemin around

Using a GPRS connection via Asda mobile on Xubuntu to see how much data is exchanged in a typical blog update using GTBlog (without checking the results). After much late night oil finally cracked how to set up everything for a MS Windows less communications using Wifi , GPRS or modem over Cellular while away this year. Just need to set EZpc up the same way now and find out how to set up GPRS with a local French/Spanish pay-as-you-go SIM!

Off to the show on Thursday to get some ideas

The maps and site guides are out so the question is where should we go. With Euro close to a £1 and the cost travelling up 50% up on last year, maybe the question is where can we afford to go this year. But will it be a good summer in England this year? Probably not, so I guess its off to Spain or Portugal again but perhaps not for quite so long as last time.

Took advantage of a couple of days of late October sun to view the autumn colours at Forestry Commissions Westonbirt Arboretum, near Tetbury in Wiltshire. It was a late decision to go, so we spent Tuesday night in the Cotswold water park at Cirencester. The remaining short drive next morning was thru some very nice and no doubt very expensive little villages en route to Westonbirt and we then spent most of the day walking in the arboretum. Ideal time and weather to see the brilliant colours of the acers and take lots of photographs of course. Its the national arboretum and as such it covers a big area with a huge variety of trees, but at this time of the year 2 walks are signposted, of about 2 miles each to take in the best of the Autumn foliage, which we did before and after lunch. We were not alone - thousands of other like minded people were doing the same. Click link in the Blogroll for a selection of photos. Then drove up to Broadway in the late afternoon and arrived at a CL behi...

Once again the day started sunny, but after the disturbed night, we treated ourselves to breakfast in the cafe. Amazingly the Haven stay worked out at £14 for the night for the two of us, including a full English breakfast with coffee and toast!!! Had a look at the two fishing lakes (for future reference) and a walk down the promenade just outside the site, to the Yacht club. The tide was out which means Burnham is just one big expanse of mud flat - not very attractive. By lunch time we were north of Bristol, still sunny, so decided to find a NT place to stop for a couple of hours and Newark House near Wooton under Edge seemed to fit the bill. Turned out to be an interesting old hunting lodge on the southern edge of the Cotswolds with uninterupted views down to the Mendips. It is still lived in too and has recently been used for filming some of the TV series 'Tess of the D'Aubervilles' including the final episode murder scene on Sunday. The northward journey home thru Strou...

After a very stormy night, Wednesday started surprisingly sunny and we enjoyed a nice run down to Okehampton to see Barbara and John and an equally pleasant onward journey. So pleasant in fact that we decided to stop off in Exeter to see the Cathedral and the old quay area whilst buying a replacement mini Wok from Lakeland. Judging by the number of people shopping in the High street and queueing to pay £2.35 for a Costa coffee, there is not much of a credit crunch in Exeter! Booked the Haven site at Burnham on Sea (£5.60 a night !!!) and headed back to the windy Devon coast for the night. Rosemary 'thru together' a meal of fresh Mackeral fillets from Oakhamton, with Goan masala paste from Rick Steins deli and leftover pillau rice (plus added peas and peppers), with a bottle of Pinot Grigio. So pleased with the result it has even made the blog! We were awoken at 4.00am by a loud clap of thunder, which shook the van, followed by hours of rain and hail !!!

We headed back along the north coast and by the time we got to Padstow the weather was not bad at all, so we parked right on the side of the quay, much to Rosemary's horror, for a couple of hours. Enough time in fact for Rosemary to find a weird fish rucksack and a take away form Rick Steins fish and chippie. It was actually local caught squid, which we ate in the van and was delicious. Next stop Port Isacc, which is too narrow even for us to attempt, so we parked up on the cliff car park and walked round the coastal path and down to the harbour. Very exposed and blowing a gale on the headland! We browsed the gallery, found Doc Martins cottage, had a cappuccino and retreated back up the path. Bude looked a good place to stop the night so I looked for sites while Rosemary did a bit of shopping. Passed 6 big TV crew caravans by the beach. If they were filming rough seas it was perfect - waves crashing onto the shore. Eventually found a cheap £9 site just out of Bude for the night...