CAERNARFON

What do you need on a road trip? A working car! How about one where the tyre warning light comes on 5 mins after starting - not. Trip was good, lovely breakfast at Morrison's. Caernarfon teeming with tourists, very run down now, loads of empty shops. Castle was good, didn't see PoW. So much walking up & down tiny spiral staircases that Linda's spine got compressed - look what that helmet's done to her head, squashed, or what. Weather getting better after it rained all the way on the drive. Got to get the car manual out to find out what the warning light really means - tyre problem or pencil stuck in my cup.

PACKING...

for the weather in the UK can be a problem. Cocktails or cocking cold? Do I need a language book, or will Google cope with Geordie, Scouse, Welsh & all the others we will come across. Who knows - nobody knows. Our provisional itinerary, 'cos we haven't booked it all is;-

18 May Snowdon, Carnarvon & surrounds.

22 May. Chester zoo for the secret life, I wonder if Boris is still around.

23 May. Lake District. Grasmere etc

25 May. Fort William

29 May. Inverness

31 May. Perth

2 June. Beamish

4 June. Whitby

6 June. Lincoln

ROUND GREAT BRITAIN

Who knows the difference, GT Britain, Britain, UK & England. Have I got it right?

We're about to set off on our road trip so I thought I would prepare with a bit of dancing. Didn't help!

First stop Carnarvon, Snowdonia.

A LOT OF VC's

Yesterday we finished with Rotterdam, visiting Holland America Line headquarters, which is now a hotel and their old 1950's flagship, Rotterdam. The HQ is now a hotel still done out in it's old industrial style with white tiles and lots of open ironwork. The ship is also an hotel and, quite grand & we audio toured it, scampering up and down steep ladders. A nice ship. We caught a water taxi back to town that belted along St 40mph, knot did I hear you say, straight to coffee, pofferties, covered in butter, icing sugar & dipped in hot chocolate. Now in Zeebrugge, the port of Bruges. This was the scene of a WW1 Royal Marines raid that didn't go too well but earned 8 VC's. Derek may know about. Bought a day pass for bus & trams & wandered the coast down to Ostend. The beaches are all lovely around here & De Hasn't in particular looks a lovely town. Lost a couple of passengers to the Belgian NHS. Food's not bad, entertainment OK. Captain's said we are going to roar out of harbour, do much that the boat is going to heel over. I think that's what the captain of the Spirit of Free Enterprise said. Sea day tomorrow, followed by Guernsey.

DOUBLE DUTCH

Been a traumatic few weeks, off to Cyprus....not. Lin broke her wrist few days before we were due to go- had an argument with a tree root & lost. Still ready until consultant said surgery for you, so Cyprus off & on countdown for P&O cruise. That wasn't blown out so we are now in Rotterdam for 2 days. Yesterday was hop on-hop off & visited the modern Markthall, nice stalls & decorations. Then wandered the "cool district" of weird shops & took harbour cruise in panoramic boat & 2 pints of Heineken. Rotterdam is a lovely city with modern pretensions. The off kilter cube houses are interesting, totally impractical, no way of getting a pram or old people(esp with broken wrist) up or down stairs. Now off to ship Rotterdam, hotel New York & pofferties. 

HOME RUN

Now staying with our good Floridian friends, Dotty  & Ray. We've been chilling, meeting our other friends for dinner and visiting the parks. Met Elsie's new friends  Vanellope Von Sweets & Ralph. Just checked an ready to fly, hopefully!

FLORIDA WEATHER IS GREAT

THIS TIME OF YEAR...yeah right! It's supposed to be sunny, low humidity and warm. So far we've had solid 24 hours rain on Sunday, cloud & cold on Monday, and bright sun, but cold wind on Tuesday. That's me sun bathing on the balcony. Northern US is suffering, Chicago is close to its record low today minus 25 F with wind chill down to minus 45. On our last leg now, meeting friends for dinner tonight, flying home Friday, arrive Sat morning.