Thursday, 13 July, 2017 – weather same as yesterday
This is our last day on the boat. The original plan had been to stay in Hampton Court but in order to connect with their next booking, we have all decided to go back up the river. This means travelling a fair distance and against the current which will mean around 1 MPH slower effective speed. So we start out early, on the go before 7:00. In fact, we hit a Lock pretty much straight away. This one is “backwards” from the ones we have previously done in that we start low and water is added in the Lock to lift us up to the next level on the other side.
The water just starting to fill inThe water almost up to the top
Wendy was controlling the Lock because it was too early for the Keeper. In fact, we went through another Lock, again unassisted. Wendy then made breakfast.
Bacon, eggs and mushrooms for me
We stop near a Lock, as we had on the way down, to load up with water, which adds another 30 minutes to the journey. We finally, after over 6 hours of travel, make it to a mooring in Staines which is not too far from Egham where we had stayed on the first night.
This mooring is just about perfect – we are very close to taxi access which we will require tomorrow morning
Julie goes prancing of course. A few photos:
Drinking consultants – love itThe Crispy Duck!Grog shop
In the mean time, I have a good nap. When I wake up I have been abandoned – Graham and Wendy have gone for a walk and the boat is locked up. Eventually they return and the day is really nice. So pretty much like my last day in Lyon, I decide to go out for a tour of Staines. My photos:
The SwankeeperRandom Art?Water feature – missed their change for exiting from other orificesEntrance to that parkA war memorialThe Town Hallmore Town Hall
I walk out to the main street and a couple of signs grabbed my fancy.
That could have been my favourite eating placeOnly Poms could have a name like thisA second river runs through Staines to the ThamesThe Famous London StoneAn explanation of the reason for the London Stone
Apparently Staines is well steeped in history. It came about in Roman times when the Romans built some of the bridges.
Our boat from above. I had not noticed the solar panels before
Julie returns too and Wendy makes the last supper.
Ocean Trout and lots of salad for Juliewith Vegies and mustard sauce for meWendy, Julie and Graham in a farewell pose at the back of the boat
We have to leave tomorrow for our next stage of the journey, which means we will have to pack the suitcase. Off to bed
The rain has stopped but it still is quite overcast. It looks like another gloomy day like yesterday. But in fact, it reminds me of some typical Melbourne days where the day starts very grey and slowly improves until the weather is at its best at sundown.
We are off early again and after going through a couple of Locks it is time for breakfast.
Julie starts the day with smoked salmon saladAnother Mexican omelet for me, enough chilli this time
Graham also had a Mexican omelet after we finished our sailing for the morning, not as much chilli as me but he did like it. We have settled into a mooring at Hampton Court.
There are a few “paddle wheelers” on the river
Julie goes out prancing again. One of her tasks is to select a restaurant for tonight but she also takes photos, here are some of them.
CastleInside the castle walls
Cook Bookand anotherQue? I thought the point was to drink wineAdditives
Love the guards
There had to be DuckAlthough we are supposed to be in Hampton Court, in fact most of the area around is MoleseyA Canadian Goose
Julie returns and says that the locals had recommended a local Lebanese for tonight. She also has write-ups for a couple of other restaurants, but we decide on the Lebanese. She then heads off again for more prancing.
The main bridge into Hampton Court er MoleseyIt is only 3:30 and the mooring is full. It is important to grab one early on the river
Julie returns and we get dressed to go out. It is a bit of a walk to the bridge and then down to the restaurant.
Waiting at the bridge for the rest to catch upOur restaurant. What does a Giraffe have to do with Lebanese?The girls in situThe BarThe Restaurant Name
We ordered Whitebait for a starter. It was quite overcooked and not really that nice. The mains then arrived.
Calimari salad – not that specialditto the “special” lamb filletsThe Lamb Shank was quite goodCucumber and Yoghurt
With three of the four courses not that good, if this is the best restaurant in town then ……. Off home and crash.
The weather is quite grey and the sky is threatening this morning. Plus I did not sleep much last night, too good a sleep the night before. But we soldier on. We depart from our mooring early, before 8:00 in order to miss a nasty Lock Keeper at the next Lock. Thus control of the Lock is under Wendy’s guidance.
Wendy in the distance controlling the Lock
After that Lock Wendy makes breakfast, a treat again.
Scrambled Eggs and Smoked Salmon for JulieMexican Omelet – from leftover potatoes from last night, which I cut up and “extra hot” chilli flakes
The chilies were not that hot and hence the omelet was not as spicy as I prefer, more chilies tomorrow. We go through a few Locks and moor at Weybridge at the intersection of the Rivers Thames and Wey.
The two white posts in the distance are commerating the signing of the Magna Carta at that locationThat is the River Wey which is about to join the ThamesThe boat at moor. Note the threatening sky
In spite of the weather, Julie went out prancing with rain coats, umbrellas etc. These are some of her photos.
Julie said I had to put this picture in because of the colours
We asked Julie later if she had got wet, because it really started raining, but she said no because she mostly spent time in shops. You may ask why I did not go out with her, I think that you just got the answer.
Selfie with a potential hand bag purchase (she did not buy it)
Julie comes back just before the serious rain starts
The rain is getting harder and we need to close up the boat so we don’t get wet inside i.e. “batten down the hatches”. Wendy makes dinner for us which features fillet steak.
with salad, vegies, potatoes and gravyOn my plate
Lovely as usual. The rain continues to increase, it rained all night, bucketed down. So we retire to bed early.
No, we are not on the Proud Mary but instead the “Down the Hatch” rollin’ down the Thames and not the Mississippi. We in fact sleep in, late for us, and when I get up we are ready to go down the river.
Looking down the Boat from the CockpitTons of birds and a single SwanMoving into my first ever LockWe fit 5 boats in that big LockAll the Water in the Lock has run outExiting the Lock
After that first Lock, Wendy makes breakfast for us.
Ham and Cheese Omelet for meScrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon for Julie
All delightful. Before long we go through a second Lock.
The Lock Keepers CottageWe berth for the day outside of Egham
Julie hops off the boat and goes wandering for the afternoon. Some of her photos follow:
A MapDucksand more DucksLots and Lots of DucksNice looking Pub
Another accidental selfieOur favourite RoseSalmon, of course
Julie eventually returns and Wendy puts on dinner.
The Table is setChicken Breast wrapped in Bacon with a mild bleu cheese sauce, potatoes and beans
We have a few more wines. I watch part of the 11:00 news with Graham and Wendy and then join Julie in bed.
Today we leave Oxford for our next adventure. We have a bit of an issue in our travel with the first problem being that the road in front of Keble College is to be blocked off for some race or event, making it difficult to get a taxi in. So we arrange for a taxi to pick us up from the Lamb and Flag. After our last Oxford breakfast, we hump up the suit cases and walk down the path to the front of the Lamb and Flag.
A plaque in front of the Lamb and Flag commemorating among other things, the Authors C.S. Lewis, of The Chronicles of Narnia fame, and JRR Tolkien from Hobbitt and Lord of the Rings fame. They used to drink regularly at the Bird and Baby across the street.
Our journey involves a taxi to a car park near the train station as the tracks are being worked on that Sunday. We catch a bus there which eventually takes us to Didcot Parkway. We then catch a train from there to Slough. From Slough we catch a Train to Windsor. As we get closer in, the trains become more crowded with the last one extremely crowded.
As we are entering Windsor, we notice that there are at least 100 busses parked. It is a beautiful day and it would seem that everyone in England is on the water. Windsor is not a small town by any stretch of the imagination and the train station is quite large.
I will not go into the gory details but there is “animated discussion” between Julie and myself as to where we are going and the random walk being used. Eventually our Host for the next several days comes out to meet us and we arrive at our destination. BTW: I am amazed at how friendly the Poms are turning out to be. As we were wandering along the river, suitcases being towed, a gentleman asked me if we are lost and need help and then points out where we were to go. Lovely.
So our destination is a large barge on the River Thames which has been converted to a small “hotel”.
Our Hosts Graham and Wendy greet us on the back of the boat and it isn’t long before I have a G&T in my hand. I was a bit flustered about the “foot journey” here and it is a bit warm and humid, but I settle in relatively quickly. After a bit of a delay while our room is being prepared, we move into it with our big log suitcases, Julie’s is apparently the heaviest that Graham has ever experienced. The set-up is very nice.
The Main BedroomdittoThe lounge, dining and kitchen area
Julie goes for a walk around Windsor while I rest. These are some of her photos.
There are birds everywhere
CathedralEton CollegeA selfie outside of Windsor CastleFood market
A bit of an Oxymoron here
In the fleshyet moreI am surprised she did not buy one
One thing I must say is that the Internet access is great. Compared to the nightmares I experienced in Oxford, it is a real treat.
Julie returns from her prancing and has brought several bottles of wine with her. It becomes dinner time. The main course is slow cooked lamb casserole which has smelled good all day on the stove.
What is all that green stuff Lois?Julie’s plateMy Plate
Our Hosts have set-up table and chairs on the lawn outside the boat.
It is a big open park with lots of folks having fun. One group is tossing around Frisbees and Soccer balls. Another, with people from the sub-continent, are playing a variation of Cricket, sort of. They eventually fade away.
You can get an idea how long the boat isBirds everywhere
We got through a couple of the wines Julie had picked up and then it was good night. We had one of our best sleeps of all time!
