Sleepy head
View from the bedroom window
The cows are in the meadow - well away
This is the station
This is how you pronounce it
This is what it means
Every holiday has to have a day like today’s – probably best remembered later and laughed about.
The day started well with a great breakfast overlooking the garden, watching the blue tits feeding from the bird feeder and chatting to the hostess. We were also treated to the same lady singing along with a CD of a Welsh choir – very enjoyable indeed.
One of Himself’s desires (after watching many episodes of “Bargain Hunt”) has been to visit a boot sale and he has been avidly checking dates and locations during our travels. Joy of joys, a boot sale was advertised in Bangor for today! So it was back to Bangor, with Doris programmed to the website address. This is the stage when everything really started to fall apart. Doris obviously had a different destination with the same address programmed into her and we were well on our way to Snowdonia when we decided we needed to return towards Bangor. Not easy turning around on narrow country roads with stone walls and much traffic. After turning up an even narrower side road, we eventually returned to Bangor and followed the yellow direction signs to the boot sale. These suddenly stopped when we were in the middle of an industrial estate, so asked directions of a local. Not far away, found somewhere to park, paid our entrance fee and then discovered we were in a large shed of absolute junk which was obviously leftovers from garage sales. No “Bargain Hunt” cameras would ever have visited this place!
Five minutes later we were back in the car and at this stage Doris decided to have a hissy fit and refused to progress past the first screen. Much discussion (or similar) ensued about how we were ever going to find our way back to the B & B (out in the middle of no where!) without Doris’ assistance, let alone navigate the remaining eight days. Using maps after having a GPS was not a wonderful thought, although possible, of course. The decision was made that a new Tomtom would need to be purchased, but we had to find a shop! A kind lady told us to drive towards Caernarfon and we did come across a Curry’s PC World (think Dick Smith). An extremely helpful lady agreed Doris was being difficult but could be fixed by connecting to our PC – back at the B & B which we couldn’t find! So she offered to do it for us (for a small charge) and soon had the poor dear up and running again.
By this time, the morning had disappeared and the temperature was starting to drop. We headed back to the Isle of Anglesey and the station with the longest name in the world. Of course, there was a gift shop and restaurant there, along with eight tour coaches and rather more cars. After making our contribution to the Welsh economy, we continued on to Holyhead and back along the north coast. By this time the weather had closed in completely, so we headed back to the B & B.
The countryside here hasn’t been anything of outstanding natural beauty, mainly farms, very green and the majority of the houses have a pebble-dash coating. Unfortunately, the grey day only made the grey houses appear rather dreary.
3 comments:
Beryl and I never had any technological troubles. The marvels you mention simply weren't around in '95.
I hope it hasn't soured your enthusiasm too much.
On a different note, I wonder if you've seen any Teletubbies from your bedroom window? The landscape looks remarkably familiar, thanks to so many hours spent with our grandchildren in front of ABC kids' television. I've had my suspicions about the purple one (and my youngest grandson's fondness of him) for some time!
The last time I was in Wales it was 'Ride your Bike NUDE Day'. Now that would brighten your day!
Beryl liked the Teletubbies too, towards the end. It was one of the few things that would engage her, even when family wouldn't.
It was nice to see her smile, and a glint in her eye, if only for those few minutes every morning.
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