Holiday 2014

Tuesday 16th September 2014

Day 64

Melbourne

We landed at Tullamarine at 05 30 Scotty picked us up, no matter how many people you meet or how

many friends you make nothing beat family.

This holiday has been 64 days it has taken us to the sands of Dubai, St Petersburg to The Gulf of

Norway to Moscow with it's red square and subway, to Barcelonan a city of life and Gaudi to Madrid

with it's bullfights across the straights of Gibraltar to Marrakesh with it's Medina and snake

charmers to London the people we have meat have been some of the best that walk this earth and Val

and I have been lucky enough to have meat them.

But in Peter Allen's words no matter how far or wide you rome we will always call Australia

home.

Love

Len and Val      

Holiday 2014

Monday 1yh September 2014

Day 63

Dubai - Melbourne

Today was a early start to the day bags packed alarm set for 0530, breakfast finished and in the lobby

at 0650 car was there a couple of minutes later for the drive to the airport.a
Departed on time for home and landed at 0530 it was a comfortable flight and Emirates are pretty

good to fly with.

Love



Len and Val

Holiday 2014

Sunday 14th September 2014

Day62

Dubai

Today we did nothing except lay by the pool then we went to the Mall of the Emirates for dinner

back to our hotel had two beers pack our bags and that was it

Love

Len and Val

Holiday 2014

Saturday 13th September 2014

Day 61

Dubai

Today was a lazy day breakfast at 0930 lazed by and in the pool 1400 hrs then went to the Mall and

dinner a mixed where the waiter was pleased to see us as last night I payed him with some Morocco

Dirham which meant I had short change him by 28 U.A.E. dirham the meal was excellent.

Love

Len and val   

Friday 12th September 2014

Day 60

Dubai

We landed at Dubai on time at 0640 today our car and driver was waiting got to the hotel booked in

but had to wait till 1220 before our room was ready had a granny nap till 1600 then went for a walk

to the Mall of the Emirates had a walk around before having dinner at The Butcher Shop and Grill

Then back to our hotel and had a beer at the only place you can get one in this place.

Love

Len and Val

Holiday 2014

Thursday 11th September 2014

Day 59

London

Our last day in London was a very full on starting out at 0830 to catch a train to St James park station

for a short walk to Buckingham Palace where we did a tour of the palace and it's yards.

 

Val in the back yards of Buckingham Palace

 

The tour lasted two hours and was very good.

 

 

Val with her London Bobby

 

We then did the south side of the Thames St Mary Magdalen church in Bermondsey.

 

 

St Mary Magdalen church

 

follow by a visit to St Mary the Virgin in Rotherhithe.

 

 

St Mary the Virgin church

 

After all this it was time to have a drink at the Mayflower Pub

 

 

Len having a beer at the Mayflower Pub in London.

 

Then we returned to our hotel got our bags and trained it to Heathrow had a light meal before our

 

2040 flight to Dubai witch departed on time.

 

Love

Len and Val 

 

 

Holiday 2014

Wednesday 10th September 2014

Garboldisham - London

Today we say goodbye to Roger Jean Molly the dog and Lucie the cat (when she is around)  and got

the train from Diss to London.

After booking into our hotel we walked the north side of the Thames  finding and taking photo's of

the old church's of where the Banks side of the family lived.

 

St Botolph Aldgate 

 

 

St Leonard's Christ Church  Shoreditch

 

We then made our way back to the Stanhope  Arms for our last feed of fish and chips.

 

Love Len and Val

 

Holiday 2014

Tuesday 9th September 2014

Day 57

Garboldisham

Today we return the little car all up we did 891 miles and got 65.6 miles per galloon, a Citroen C3

diesel.

Val and I took Molly for a walk while Jean made afternoon tea, for when Richard and Ther came

over to say goodbye they are great company and a good couple.

That evening Roger Jean Val and I went out for a nice Indian meal in Attleborough.
Love

Len and Val  

     

holiday 2014

Monday 8th September 2014

Day 56

Snettisham - Garboldisham  

Today we left the caravan to return to Jean and Rogers, stopping at Oxburgh Hall a fortified  manor  

house built by Sir Edmund Bedingfeld in 1482, it is still lived in by his descendant's  today.

Over more than 500 years.Oxburgh and the Bedingfeld family have see fortunes. The family's

Catholic faith saw them ostracised from society but the keepers of secrets such as the Priest's Hide.

And of treasures such as needlework by Mary Queen of Scots.

Follow by dinner at the Bedingfeld Arms and old English pub in Oxburgh.

 

Oxburgh Hall

 

Val in the Priest's Hole

 

The grounds of Oxburgh Hall

 

Love

 

Len and Val

Holiday 2014

Sunday 7th September

Day 55

Snettisham

Today our drive took us south to the village of Wisbech to Peckover House.One of the finest

properties in Wisbech. It was built in 1722 and bought by Jonathan Peckover at the end of the 18th

century.

The Peckovers a Quaker banking family gave the building to the National Trust in 1948. The outside

of the house gives little idea of the elaborate and elegant interior. and beautiful  gardens.

 

Peckover House

 

 

The Gardens of Peckover House

 

The Garden of Peckover House

 

Tonight we went to the Rose & Crown Hotel in Snettisham this week it was voted the best

 

pub in England and we agree. Val had Heritage beetroot & honey roast nuts salad and I had

 

Chargrilled veal chop, salt roast potatoes, roasted courgettes, caper &mustard sauce, .washed  down

 

with a pint of the best.

 

 

 

The Rose & Crown Hotel Snettisham

 

Love

 

Len and Val

Holiday 2014

Saturday 6th September 2014

Day 54

Snettisham

Today our drive took us to Dereham a village that was founded in 654 AD again we drove past

Sandringham Castle did not call in as queenie was not there again.

After a couple of wrong turns because of poor sign posting we arrived in Dereham. We found the

church that we were looking for but there was a wedding happening.  By the time they left the church

it was all locked up so we don't know if it was the right one or not, it was the right address but

a different name to what we had. But it was a good day for a drive.

 

The Gateway to Dereham

 

St Nicholas church Dereham

 

Love

 

Len and   Val 

 

Holiday 2014

Friday 5th September 2014

Day53

Snettisham

Today our drive was to the coast first via Dersingham then past Sandringham castle to Fakenham

(be careful when you say it) to Cromer where we had lunch and it is a must to have a Cromer Crab

salad.

After lunch we made our way to Felbrigg Hall with its walled gardens, we were unlucky the hall was

closed today but the gardens were well worth the trip. Then to Sheringham Beach with not a

grain of sand in sight just pebbles, rocks and cliffs we then took the coast road back to the van.

 

The Beach at Cromer

 

Felbrigg Hall

 

 

Len in the walled garden at Felbrigg Hall

 

Sheringham Beach

 

Love

 

Len and Val

      

Holiday 2014

Thursday 4th September 2014

Day 52

Snettisham

Today was a lazy day after breakfast it was a walk along the beach here at Snettisham then on the

way back a feed of blackberries the feed was that good we did not have lunch in the afternoon we just

laze around till dinner we then went for a drive to Heacham where we got a Pizza and had it down on

the beach and watched the sun got down.

 

The Bird life on the beach at South Beach Heacham

 

Sunset at Heacham South Beach

 

Love

 

Len and Val

 

Holiday 2014

.

Wednesday 3rd September 2014

Day 51

Snettisham

Today we headed  to the area where George Bennett and the Hart family came from. They were

 about five miles apart. First to Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalene then to Runcton Holme just to

see the villages and the churches  where they had come from.We did not have much luck in finding

any information in the church's at Runcton Holme is   now  closed.

We left our name and address at St Marys Wiggenhall.

We had a great lunch at The Hare Arms in Stow Bardolph before we headed back to the van

it was a stop at the Cock Inn.

 

Wiggenhall St Mary Magdalene Church

 

St James Church Runcton Holme

 

 

The Cock Inn St Mary Magdalene

 

Love

 

Len and Val

       

Holiday 2014

Tuesday 2nd September 2014

Day 50

Snettisham

Today was not a early start we had a lay in so it was a little drive along the coast our first stop was

Hunstanton with a ice cream and a walk along the beach and the promenade in the sunshine it was

very enjoyable. The via Brancaster Staithe, Burnham to the sea side village of Wells next the sea

then making our way back to the van.

 

Val on the fore shore at Hunstanton

 

Len on the fore shore

 

 

The Cliffs on the fore shore at Hunstanton

 

The village of Wells next the sea

 

Love

 

Len and Val

       

Holiday 2014

Monday 1st September 2014

Day 49

Garboldisham - Cambridge - Snettisham

Today we started out by heading to Cambridge Stopping at Anglesey Abbey with its Gardens and

Lode Mill.

Then headed for Roger and Jeans caravan at Snettisham where we will be for a week a long drive by

English standards but it is just on two hours and not that hard except for trying to find the signs

behind the trees.

 

The Grounds of Anglesey Abbey

 

Another of the Grounds

 

Anglesey Abbey

 

The Cam river Cambridge

 

Love

 

Len and Val

Holiday 2014

Sunday 31st August 2014

Day48

Garboldisham

Today was a leisurely start to the day with a visit to the local car boot sale had a small and early

lunch before Roger Jean Val and myself went to Norwich for dinner at The Rushcutters on the banks

of the river before going to see Killer Queen at the Norwich Royal Theatre a very good night was

had.                                                   

                                                                Love

                                                            Len and Val

Holiday 2014

Saturday 30th August 2014

Day 47

Garboldisham

Todays drive took us to the south east to Ipswich and Felixstowe a sea side resort with is beach boxes

 and not much sand but still very popular with rides and  jumping castles for the Childern casino and

bars for the adults and fish and chips for everyone coming back to Garboldisham cress  crossing 

through country lanes just taking our time.

 

The Bathing Boxers at Felixstowe

 

 

Foreshore at Felixstowe

 

Saturday night we went to a local trivia night at a local village club simular to a R.S.L

 

and I won the raffle of 15 Quid good night.

 

Love

 

Len and Val 

 

Holiday 2014

Friday 29tn August 2014

Day 46

Garboldisham

Our drive today took us south to Long Melford via Berry St Edmunds to Melford Hall a 16 century

building owned by the Parker family and  cousins to  Beatrix Potter.

 

The main street of Long Melford

 

Melford Hall

 

Love

 

Len and Val

 

Holiday 2014

Holiday 2014

Thursday 28 August 2014

Day 45

Garboldisham

Today we picked up the car in Attleborough a Citron C3 we then went for a drive to West Dereham

stopping at Northwold, Whittington Wretton to see if we could find any thing in the church yards

found a couple of Bennett  and a Reeve that we have to check out then a nice drive back through the

English country side.

After dinner Roger and I went to the bowls club where Roger had practice and then a couple of

pints.

 

The Church at Whittington

 

\\

 

Old Head Stone

 

 

Love

Len and Val

Holiday 2014

Wednesday 27th August 2014

Day 44

Garboldisham England

Today was bright and sunny morning so Val and I caught the local bus to Bury St Edmunds a one

hour ride away and it was market day so it was a very busy town.

 

Market day in the town of  Bury St Edmunds

 

St Edmundsbury Cathedral

 

Bury St Edmunds shopping strip

 

Where we had a lovely meal of English fish an chip sitting in the sunshine in the town square.

 

Love

Len and Val

 

 

Holiday 2014

Tuesday 26th August 2014

Day 43

Garboldisham England

Today started of as yesterday with a steady rain still coming down so we caught up on our photos and

arranged the hire of a car and check out maps.

                                                            Love

                                                       Len and Val

Holiday 2014

Monday 25th August 2014

Day 42

Garboldisham

Today was a do nothing day every one got up late and just relax all day it steady all day so we all

stayed inside.
                    Love

                    Len and Val

Holday 2014

Sunday 24th August 2014

Day 41

Garboldsham

It was a late breakfast to start the day then Roger and I went down to check out Bardwell cricket club

as they were having a six a side knock out cricket day and a beer festival after tasting a couple of

pints we went back got Val and Jean and had a great day on the green watching the cricket and

enjoying a couple of pints or three we finished around 1900 and a great day was had by all.    

Holiday 2014

Saturday 23rd August 2014

Day 40

Diss

Another well earned lay in till 0915 then after lunch Roger Jean Val and myself had a short drive to

the little village of Bardwell Suffolk about  miles to see if we could find anything in our family tree

and we think we were successful Val and Jean are checking it out tonight,

On the way back home we stopped at the Bardwell windmill witch is on the millers walk after that

there was a stop at the Six Bells Inn and had a local pint.

 

The Bardwell Church

 

The Wind Mill in Bardwell

 

The Six Bells Inn

 

Then on the way home just to top everything off we stopped and got fish and chips for dinner

 

then washed it all down with a couple more pints.

 

Love

 

Len and Val

 

Holiday 2014

Friday 22nd August 2014

Day 39

London to Diss

A real lay in today for the first time a 0900 breakfast  then to make our way to Liverpool Street

Station for a 1130 train when we got to Gloucester Road station we found out that there was a train

drivers strike witch meant instead of going straight to Liverpool St we would have to take another

line and change trains and come back to Liverpool St carrying our bags up and down stairs.

 

Liverpool Street Train Station

 

Finely made it and a nice train ride thru the English country side to Diss where Jean and Roger

 

meet us and had a nice quite afternoon and evening with a couple of beers.

 

Love

Len and Val 

 

Holiday 2014

Thursday 21st August 2014

Day 38

Madrid to London

Today was a early start to the day as we had a 1050 flight to catch our car picked us up at 0750 for

our 25 minute ride to the airport then we had a 22 minute ride by driverless train to Terminal 5 for

our flight to London's Heathrow airport where it took 30 minutes to go through customs  then to the

underground where we found out  the blue did not stop at Gloucester Road because of renovations

but with our knowledge of the system we just change lines at Hammersmith and got to our hotel no

problems.

After checking in and a little rest we went out for a feed of  English fish and chip.

 

English Fish and Chips

 

The place to get them The Stanhope Arms Kensington

 

Love

 

Len and Val

  

Holiday 2014

Wednesday 20th August 2014

Day 37

Madrid

The tour is over but got early to say goodbye to those who were leaving on the second and third bus

and the ones who were leaving on there own like Wayne and Kathie had breakfast then went back to

bed for a couple of hours then had a walk down town to the museum of modern art with Robin and

Sue then back to our hotel repacked our bags had a light dinner and tomorrow we leave Spain.

Love

Len and Val

Holiday 2014

Tuesday 19th August 2014

Day 36

Granada to Madrid

Today was the last day on the road a 420 km drive into Madrid thru the Spanish country side and the

land of Don Quixote the wine centre of Valdepenas We visited one of the bodegas for a taste

and lunch.

Then we drove up to the windmills on the ridge above Consuegra for views over the plains of             

La Mancha before driving to Madrid.

This evening we had our farewell dinner and said goodbye to our new found friends, it was a great

dinner. Thanks to Jorge and Antonio for making our trip so enjoyable. 

 

Don Quixote

 

Windmills on the Ridge

 

Love

 

Len and Val