VISITING THE RELLIES
It seemed like a difficult task to get from London to Preston in the middle of the country - it was as easy as pie. Fortunately, DP is an excellent tour consultant and booked Barberscat and Driver on a train. It took just 2.5 hours to get to Preston - I'm told it takes 4 hours by car, so this was a good option. We had fleetingly considered hiring a car, but the idea of getting out of London, and worse still, getting back into London was enough to scare a couple of bushies to death.

We had good company on the train - a broad Scot going home for the weekend and an Italian woman going on holidays to The Lakes. Bab & BiB met us at the station and the fun began. Next day was teeming with typical weather, so we checked out their showroom for a kitchen and a bathroom that we could fit in our suitcases! I wish!!! They have some swish stuff here, nothing like we get in our home town. Beautiful curved glass shower cubicles specially treated to 'reject' the scum from the soap and hard water. Shower roses and water delivery set-ups that would empty a dam in Oz in 10 mins. It must be wonderful to have so much water that they are making new showers to deliver 20 litres of water a minute. It is beyond description, so suffice it to say, we were more than impressed.
Day 2 to the Lakes District with Bab and BiB. BiB could be mistaken for Jack Brabham, and he got us there in quick time. Once again, rain gave us a damp view of Lake Windermere, but it is nice to see the area in its usual dress. Food and innumerable cups of tea form a large part of sight seeing with the rellies, and we sat in a tea house in Bowness to watch the rain over the lake, walked through a picturesque village in the rain, and then it was lunch time. Off to Ambleside, past the miniature house on the bridge and probably my 10 photo of same, and then to lunch. By then the rain had gone and we drove through the narrow, fence lined lanes into the Langdale Pikes. It was freezing, but beautiful. There were streams of water teeming down the hills, and lots of black and white sheep dotting the hillsides. I couldn't believe the determination of the locals to enjoy the weather as they strode off, raincoats dripping, hiking sticks in hand, up those hills and into infinity - it was much warmer in the car. We arrived home in good time for yet another meal - dinner at a local Italian restaurant. We tried sea bass, a whole fish, baked with crispy skin. Driver loved it - I was ambivalent - too much pepper and too many bones.
Day 3 was a general drive around the district with Bab. We went to the 'centre of England', Dunsop Bridge. This has only recently been determined as the centre, so little advantage has been taken of this amazing tourist point. There was only a little shop / cafe called Puddleduck, and a village green covered with hundreds of ducks. But very pretty. Driver was excited by the appearance of a tractor towing a large dray of hay over a bridge meant for a pushbike (well, it WAS narrow). He is missing his farming activities, so a few days in the country was a good tonic for him. I think we was counting tractors, balers, harvesters, etc, as we peeped through the gaps in the hedges and stone fences. Part of the road went straight through a group of farm buildings and the farmer was moving his sheep. More excitement as the sheep tried their hardest to go the opposite way to the one in which they were being driven. We stopped at a pub for lunch - soup and meat pies with vegies - and later, home for dinner - bangers and mash. The waistlines were now starting to stretch.
Day 4 - over the country with Jack Brabham to York, one of my favourite cities. For the blokes, we spent some time in the railway museum. Large steam engines of all types, including the Flying Scotsman and Stevensons Rocket. Also saw some royal carriages, all done up like palaces. Once again, never enough time - off to see the Minster. How many photos do I have of this beautiful building?? Well, I now have even more. This time we went underground to the crypt to see where they have uncovered parts of buildings back to the Romans, Saxons, Normans, and then the 'modern' foundations for the Minster. It is always the history in these places that fascinates me - it is hard to believe the age of the buildings. Of course, a -visit to York is not complete without a walk on the city wall. There is now much more city outside the wall than inside. We had a late lunch which included Yorkshire pudding and lots of potatoes (let the belt out another notch), and later, a stop for coffee - Barberscat and Driver did not eat!
On the way home we caught up with Michael and Liz, son of cousin Babs, and dinner at the Ship Inn on the Ribble River. More food ........ can't fit any more in! Driver has gone over the next mark on the scales and I am not game to stand on them.
And now back to London on the train. It has been a lovely stay, and we hope our rellies will repay us with a visit Downunder before too long.