1st August 2011
Scott was in Sydney celebrating his 40th Birthday as we sped across Normandy and through the Chunnel to Ashford in Kent.
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| Speeding through Kent |
We were welcomed in West Malling by Ben's great friends, Pete and Jen.
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| Welcome in Kent |
With so few days there we made the most of the time.
2nd August 2011
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| Train to London |
The next day we went to London by train.
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| Where's the flying Pig? |
Then took a London cab to Her Majesty's Theatre for a Matinee.
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| Crossing to Her Majesty's Theatre |
Can you guess the show?
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| Wrapped Chandelier from the Opera |
Later we walked through St James Park near Buckingham Palace,
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| St James Park |
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| Is the Queen at Home? |
...before dinner with the family, Jen's not the Queen's!
3rd August 2011,
Then we were off to Leeds Castle, which is not in Leeds as you may think, but down the road, just 5 miles out of Maidstone in Kent.
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| Preening |
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| Complete with a moat |
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| A strong defence |
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| with wall and moat |
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| and a thatched cottage!! |
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| Pete, well defended |
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| A castle with an illustrious history |
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| Jen in the castle gardens |
With the sun still high as we drove home, we called in for a drink by the river.
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| Little pub on the canal |
Watching eskimo-rolls was an inspiration. These students of kayaking spent more time under the water than above. I'll stick to sailing!
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| Eskimo rolls |
4th August 2011
This was the day I first went to Canterbury, which is also in Kent. What an amazing city. Try this sometime.
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| Walking on water |
And in the Cathedral, what a feeling to be on the stones where Beckett's blood was spilt over 700 years ago.
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| Canterbury Cathedral |
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| No Catholic Martyrs for King Henry |
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| Graham, Ben and Jen |
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| The Band |
5th August 2011
All too soon it was time to fly south, like the birds, to warmer climes....
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| Much warmer! |
Back to wonderful Lamma Island, Hong Kong, for a brief stop-over....
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| Off to catch the ferry |
....to enjoy again, its easy happy lifestyle and friendly people.
7th August 2011
We had lunch by the Harbour in Stanley with Lili and James.
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| Happy time with good friends |
And came back to Lamma on the Aberdeen Ferry.
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| Aberdeen, getting taller every day |
9th August 2011
We took off at night and flew over the lights of Hong Kong.
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| China's Jewell |
10th August 2011
The next morning early, we were looking down at my childhood home, Cronulla, Sydney, Australia.
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| Port Hacking River. Draw a line across the river mouth, from Jibbon Point in the foreground, to Cronulla, the next peninsula. |
Ben had several more hours by air and by bus to meet his family in Hamilton New Zealand.
It was an incredible trip for us both and oh, so good to be home.
Thank you for sharing it with us.
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