Wales

I spent four nice days with Jane, Ian and the kids after returning from Europe. On Wednesday I drove to Snowdonia in Wales. I was caught in a massive traffic jam on the M25 for two hours trying to leave London, but it cleared just before I was about to give up and go home. I camped for three nights in Snowdonia in a camping ground that was at least half mud. On Thursday night there was a big storm but my tent held up well. My goal in Wales was to do a few of the things that I had not had a chance to do when I visited last Easter. Top of my list was to climb Mt Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales. The day was not great but the climb was relatively easy. It was very crowded at the top, with a lot of people having come up on the narrow gauge railway that goes to the top of Mt Snowdon (the "cheats" route). Climbing Mt Snowdon meant that I had climbed the highest peak in each of England, Wales and Scotland (as well as the highest peak in Ireland). Climbing those peaks was not exactly the same as climbing Mt Everest without oxygen but it has been fun. On top of Snowdon-

On Friday I went on the narrow gauge railway from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Porthmadog and back. The railway winds through a picturesqe route in the countryside. I also visited Portmeirion, a small Italianite village in Wales. It was built by an eccentric Englishman over 50 years from 1925. It is a place I have wanted to visit for a long time, as it was featured in the TV series "The Prisoner". I had watched repeats of "The Prisoner" in NZ in the 80s. Portmeirion village-

On Saturday morning I went on a tramp to Molwyn Bach, a "mountain" near Blaenau Ffestiniog I had visited last year, when it was covered in snow. So it was interesting to see it in the "summer" (top temperature about 18C with intermittent showers). On Saturday afternoon I drove to Liverpool, because it was relatively close and because I was curious about it. On the way I stopped on Bounday Road in Chester. As the picture shows it looks like an ordinary suburban street. Except that the houses on the left hand side are in England and those on the right are in Wales. It is the only urban area on the English/Welsh border where this happens (and as far as I am aware there is no equivalent place on the English/Scottish border). It would be fascinating to learn more about the place. For example, do people on the English side have English accents and those on the Welsh side Welsh accents? I could have knocked on a few doors to find out but I do not think that they would have welcomed my interest.

I cannot say that Liverpool is the nicest city I have visited but it was pleasant enough and the Scousers add atmosphere. On Sunday night I stayed with Nikki and Olly in Chippenham. Nikki's friend Jordan (a NZ guy) also stayed. On Sunday we visited Avebury (more standing stones) and the White Horse of Uffington (my third visit but still one of my favourite spots in England). I drove back to London in the afternoon with Jordan, who needed to catch a train from London.

Travelling to Wales completed the itinerary I had put together in April for my travels with my car. So my next goal is to sell the Focus and to then prepare for my trip to Thailand and my return to NZ.