What a first impression!
How sad to see this rubbish-strewn lay-by - no cleaning, no care! Of course there shouldn’t be a need for that if only people were more conscious! I always feel that if you can transport a full container then why not an empty one? But obviously a regularly-emptied bin or bins is necessary here and in the many other lay-byes we saw. Such a contrast to France where lay-byes and picnic areas are provided with sufficient bins which are regularly emptied and the areas kept clean.
We stopped for one night in Folkestone, two nights in Essex where we were able to briefly catch up with many old friends then on to Norfolk - our main stay in a lovely house in beautiful grounds where we stayed with family there for the first time and saw many other friends…
 |
| Winter trees in Essex. Amid the wintry trees birds remain unseen but their glorious melodies brighten up the scene. |
 |
| Winter trees in Norfolk. |
...with just one night staying with other friends in their new surroundings on the Norfolk Broads…
Views from our lodge windows...
Friends feeding herons from their window.
…and the next day a brief visit to a friend on the Suffolk coast and to see him working in his new art gallery.
On the whole, journeys were good - apart from jammed queues for the Dartford Crossing which we were forced to sail past to the route into south London then to east London and Essex via the Blackwall Tunnel.
There was a mix of weather - snow, sleet, rain, dry but cloudy days but some sunshine.
We stopped for one night in Calais before returning home the following day…a total of 2,100 kilometers (1,304.88 miles) - didn’t my 82-year-old husband do well...!! I rarely drive these days thanks to medication but doubt I would want to drive on Britain's very busy roads anyway!
We were sorry not to be able to see everybody we would have liked to but it was lovely to see so many - all of whom cosseted us and we felt very spoilt and loved which is not a bad start to the new year.
I think we've been run down into something resembling a third-world country, but I'll stay off the politics, and just say that the places you stayed look lovely, and I'm very pleased you had such a good time seeing friends and family. Love the photos of the Broads and the windmill - and the heron feeding!
ReplyDeleteThankfully, many good things this trip to outweigh the bad but it is sad when one can remember what things used to be like. Apparently, the herons - there is a second one partly hidden - visit the boat every morning for their breakfast!
ReplyDeleteI can remember when France seemed a dirtier place than England.
DeleteDo your friends live on the boat? Sounds fun.
Perhaps your memories are about the same time as the Keep Britain Tidy campaign - overdue for bringing that back! Our friends manage this place: http://www.kingline.co.uk/ and live in a studio flat above the boat house. We stayed in the lodge next to them and it's all very well set up and in beautiful surroundings. On Facebook I am friends with Clare - Clayton runs the Facebook page for King Line.
ReplyDelete