a day in Newatk and Southwell in the rain

This was the day of the great rain storm. Last night I had taken the wrong route home and came out at the road above the service area and continued northward unable to find a cross over at the subsequent service area and having to continue yet further towards Sheffield before travelling back and addition of 20 odd miles which I could have done without. The consequence of the longer journey to the accommodation together with a day in the fresh air resulted in going to bed and sleep around 10 pm for the second day in succession. It was therefore not surprising that I awoke early and started to write around 5am. I continued until seven or so when I lost the work which was irritating. It was not surprising that I felt tired around 8 and returned to bed and slept a little. When I woke and checked the day it was dark and full of heavy rain and I was content to stay in rewriting and relaxing for most of the morning. I had purchased a four pack of pan au chocolat and two for £5 pasta salads and fruit salads for the next two days, plus some skimmed milk. I also had drank most of a bottle of lemon and lime still water, a large bottle, for the same price as the smaller plain still water but there was sufficient for half a flask together with some coffee for the day's trip. I decided to visit Newark on Trent rather than head for the City centre as the rain became torrential. Although the heat rash had cleared up I was in no immediate mood for walking in such rain which was a great pity as there was much to see in this small market town with its imposing parish church of Mary Magdalene and the ruins of its castle laid waste by Charles the first.
The town is the heart of the road and railway network although the Great North Road, the A1, now b passes the town but the main East Coast line uses one station the two railway stations with the second connecting to Nottingham/Leicester and Lincoln. There are river trips and canal type boats and there are buses services to Nottingham, Lincoln, Mansfield and Southwell my next destination. The weather conditions caused me to abandon exploration by bus travel and I toyed with going to Nottingham for a performance of Journey to the Centre of the earth in 3 D as the local Cineworld did not have the technology. The town has a mixture of buildings with many fine examples of Victorian architecture and on one circumnavigation I stopped to turn around as a shopping development where I was surprised to find a new Woolworth store, given the closure of many such stores in towns such as Sunderland although that at South Shields has recently had a face lift. It was an odd place for a picnic lunch followed by a siesta but the rain continued be fierce. The road to Southwell took me past what I later learnt is the best preserved workhouse building in the UK, rescued by the National Trust when it was to turned into apartments. It is the kind of find I would normally jump at but I wanted to return to the Minister which I had briefly explored on a my previous visit to the area. I was imprisoned in my vehicle in the car park for a long during further cloud burst. It happened suddenly and one poor pedestrian was caught in the open without an umbrella and was soaked.

My patience was rewarded and as soon as there was a break in conditions I walked the short distance from the car park, where the stay is free for the first two hours to the entrance when a volunteer was anxious to greet me and would I am sure conduct me around had I not indicated firmly that I wanted a period to reflect as well as revisit at leisure on my own. The church was founded in Saxon Time and rebuilt by the Normans as part of the Diocese of York. The church became the Cathedral of Nottinghamshire in 1884 and for practical purposes has been divided into two parts with for everyday services there is an altar and choir area at the end of the Nave. I sat at the back any my attention was immediately taken by the Sculpture of Christus Rex by Peter Bull 1987 fixed high above on the crossing arch. With hands outstretched the figure appears to be lit, to glitter and I am still not sure of its impact within this ancient building. Similarly I needed time to appreciate the1996 West Window, the Angel Window created by Patrick Reyntiens. This creates a great sense of light and contrasts with the traditional 15th century side widows with Victorian glass. Unfortunately the leaflet and web site do not provide information on two features which affected me most. The first were sculpture to represent the stations of the cross, each a small table on which are scenes in contemporary forms. I was also affected by the Kelham Madonna and Child made in wood. I had hoped to also sit alone the chapter house and think of all those who had sat here in the past deciding upon the affairs and interests of the church but on two attempts I had to share with other visitors as the weather cleared, for a time and people ventured from their vehicles. At the end of my visit I spoke with the volunteer about the town and its community and my conclusions was reinforced after managing some walking. The town centre has a good array of traditional looking shops with several attractive Inns where eating and drinking out at tables in courtyards and pavements is a feature except for days such as this but everything is on a smaller and more intimate scale than Beverley. Similarly while there is green space it is comparatively small. The Burbage Green with Old Court House is the traditional Village Green and is used for roadway car parking but also has the house where Lord Byron reluctantly spent his holidays from school and college with his mother (Burbage Manor).My approach was to locate car parks before exploring, given the weather conditions and that they were free. I followed one sign down a single track lane to where it is located opposite a large parkland and play area but I failed to locate this on the internet with included a virtual tour guide which views fro, the town centre, the Leisure centre and the Minster School. Overall this is a very prosperous, middle class community where there is not the visible signs of poverty although from one car park ticked away used before exploring Burbage Green, the possession of a home were being loaded on an open lorry truck and had clearly been the process of loaded during the storms. The most likely explanation was a house or flat clearance and the furniture looked old and inexpensive. For a town of 7500 it has a 25 metre pool, fitness centre with squash and badminton courts at the Leisure where there are also facilities for young children. Southwell Minster school nearby is considered to be a private school but is a state funded secondary establishment which has recently been rebuilt with the latest facilities as a specialist college in humanities and music. There is an annual folk festival held in June and a race course and in August Ladies Day is the social event of the year where ladies are encouraged to dress up with prizes for best hats and shoes as well as best dressed. A final insight into Southwell life is that at the public toilet visit before I left there were tiny discrete typed notices advising that two good looking gentleman offered male to male escort service which would blow ones mind and that they could travel and accommodate. The treat of the day was an early evening meal at a nearby village restaurant converted from a former Inn which will remain nameless as it rightly should remain a treasure for local people. There is a £15 early evening menu from which I enjoyed a mackerel starter with horseradish, followed by pork with fresh vegetables and small pieces of roasted potatoes served to the table in attractive and keep warm containers appropriate for the rural setting. The third course was a slice of apple pie with a raspberry sorbet ice cream. I drank still water and regretted not having coffee. I was in such a good mood after this meal that I did not get into a state when on the way back to the motel I saw a sign Southwell eight miles after I had travelled at least eight miles from the area, not realising until afterward that this was a different route to the town. This time I worked out that I needed to go south rather than north on reaching the M1 with only a short distance before the service area and crossing over to the motel. There was not much time or inclination for recording and writing before another early to bed night. I kept in touch with the Test Match through the car radio and which revealed that there had been some play in the cricket between Durham and Nottingham, where the home side had reached 100 runs for four wickets and instinct based on experienced suggested that the match was moving towards a draw with two evenly matched sides aware that they had a chance to become county champions for the year.

Ruskin College at Headington 2008 and where first home used to be

On waking the first thing I thought was that, the weather had broken. The rain had been tropical, fierce and prolonged and on my first look outside, to reload the car, the impression was of more rain to come. It was also chill, a damp chill. I was still governed by the heat rash so made a priority visiting a chemist as soon as I reached Oxford. Having walked Burford, through the town to its riverside and worked out where the Magistrates and Juvenile Courts had been located, there was no need to visit again. Burford marked one extremity of my patch as a child care officer 1964-1967. The Marques of Blanford chaired the Magistrate's Court, his wife the Juvenile Court, and once every six months we reported to the juvenile benches of Witney and Burford on the progress of those children committed to the care of the local authority by the courts instead of an Approved School, following an agreement reached between the Children's Officer and Magistrates in the County. Memories of individuals with whom I worked and of those for whom I worked remain vivid but on those of the children's officer and her husband can be included in the work. Barbara became deputy chief Inspector of Social Work, while her husband was an important child psychiatrist who gave me self confidence in my ability to understand and to communicate with clients in a constructive way. I had heard about the measures taken to cope with influx of visitors to Oxford city as the volume as built up since the 1960's but I had not idea that it had become impossible to park anywhere unless you held a resident's permit, except at the park and ride system and the few official public car parks around the city, The situation was not helped to day with work, to improve bus lanes, taking place along several of the main routes in and out and around the city. This was so along the road into Summertown where I had first lived after successfully completing the Certificate of Child Care Course at the University of Birmingham and awarded the Home Office Certificate to practice as a qualified officer. As a consequence of work along the shopping area I missed the entry to the car park, if it continued to exist. Summertown is the home of the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief and of Oxford City Radio. I had two partially furnished rooms at the top of the house and a tiny alcove of kitchenette, with other facilities shared, including a young couple and their first infant who I befriended as well as one of the other residents who lived at the house for a short period of time. Others I rarely saw, let alone knew. I took the road to Marston, this runs parallel to Ring road around North Oxford.

The existence of countryside within the city as well as the Parks and the river areas is a feature of Oxford which help creates its uniqueness and compactness. During the drive I did come across one small area of road where it was possible to park as the houses all had long drive ways, however by this time I was aware that the cooler conditions had not affected the inflammation rash which made walking difficult and I decided against leaving the car and taking a bus to the city centre. I would investigate if I could park within the city. I continued until joining the London Road turning down the Headington Hill passed where Sir Robert Maxwell had built up the Pergammon Press as well as his family home, before becoming a Member of Parliament briefly and buying the Daily Mirror. The site is close to the former City Polytechnic with both now forming the second city University. Reaching the bottom of the hill I decided against continuing to Magdalene Bridge with the College on the right and St Hilda's on the left and made the sharp right discovering a new college building in the process of completion and ended back along Marston road and this time decide to continue to Headington and the car park next to one side of the Bury Knowles Park and supermarket . I take a ticket for a four hour stay and park the car against the wall which forms a passage way along one side of the park. From the car park around the supermarket and turn left reaching the park where the public toilets comprised a building with a row of four facing the street and a row of four facing into the park each with their own door and available for both sexes. This is a novel approach which present undesirables although does provide personal space for drug users and for those on the street to have a home at night or when the weather is poor during a day, although from their state of cleanliness I assume their use is monitored. Across from the park entrance is the coop supermarket at the end of the road which leads to St Leonards Road where the pair of semi detached houses was made into a top and lower flat each with their own garden space. I occupied the top flat for over a year before buying a first home at Teddington in the Borough of Richmond and Twickenham. It has was demolished, soon after I departed and replaced by a small block of flats. On the corner still is the garden shop and five doors along the post office in the same building as before. It is still as busy with three assistants. I top up my mobile. The four shops between the garden and the post office are now involved with catering. The first offers coffees and pastries at this time of day with street tables and appears popular. Equally popular as the morning progressed is Posh Fish which in addition to the take aways, functions as a restaurant offering a range of fish dishes from £7. There is a Chinese which looks closed and a Turkish restaurant which looks pricey and popular. I try to remember what was the building opposite the cinema looking building. This is now a new block of flats nearing completion available only for key workers in the city. On the opposite side of the road there is an internet café and a bistro type restaurant with street tables. There is a pizza takeaway my side. The traffic light junction here is one of the busiest because of the constant stream of luxury Wifi buses coaches to London. One offers a service every ten minutes and the other appears to be just as frequent. Headington appears to be the second city stop after the central bus station en route to the capital city. From the junction I take the left turn where there is still the hardware and household store used over forty years before and the bakery with café, although there are also a couple restaurants one also looks closed. There are over a dozen such places including a fashionable looking bistro further down the main road, as well as two popular Inns and a small hotel. I found a chemist where during my examination of potentially suitable products a talkative young women who had lost he mobile phone while talking to a Russian man the previous night had come to consume her ration of Methadone which she said was going down well. The product selected appeared to be the most suitable and worked so that within twenty four hours I became fully mobile without discomfort. I debated having lunch at the Dew Drop Inn but decided on a carton of orange fruit juice, half of which replaced the cold water I had drunk from the flask. I bought a couple of rolls although I still had some of the baguette and a small tub of rice pudding which I fancied but no spread which I decided to do without. I enjoyed lunch al fresco using the Havant bought Ham, with the rice pudding and some orange. I finished off the flask coffee. It was then time to revisit Old Headington, where I lived in a converted stable block for my first year at Ruskin College. Old Headington is amazing, an ancient rural village within seconds of the car park and used to be the homes of Tolkein and C S Lewis and other notable academic such as Sir Isaiah Berlin and David Marquand, of Lord Nuffield who made his money from cars and founded Nuffield post graduate college. It is also the family home of Emma Watson who plays Harmione Granger in the Harry Potter films. There is one new building, a church and which is opposite the Christian Counselling centre. The Black Boys used by locals and the White Heart where in term time there is a mixture of accents between Oxford and Ruskin. I continued along what is a country lane as the main college building is set back in tree covered grounds with only the former stable block against the roadway wall. I lived on the first floor in cubicle cell like room with a single bed on one side and a desk on the other with limited area for clothing and books. If someone entertained a wife or girl friend the experienced was shared by everyone.

The majority of students were accommodated in the main house. Now it has become a teaching centre for a Certificate in Social Work Course and there are small residential blocks as well as an additional teach area built around the extensive grounds with border countryside. There were some cars parked by no movement of people so I saw on a seat under a tree for a while and reflected, I moved quickly when I saw the changing colour of the clouds and reached the White Heart when there was a heavy but brief shower I stopped inside for half a pint of diet cola. There was a party of student from diverse lands ordering lunch, and one other inside the Inn who stepped out into the garden area for a smoke when the rain stopped. There were to others in the garden who stayed out under protection during the rain There was only occasional traffic outside and no movement of people anyway in the village until leaving when someone came out of their attractive three storey country town house. On the way back I tool the side road entrance the public Library building located at one end of the park, It is a large park given the size of Headington. With a vast area of grass land and trees. Near the car park and main road there is a good children's safe play area and dotted around a few picnic tables. The area neat the Library building has attractive formal beds of flowers and plants and then an interesting garden of exotic bushes and plants. In the opposite corner there are several tennis courts and activity areas and some men were felling trees nearby. I sat again and reflected more. Down the hill used to be the Oxford City Football ground then dilapidated and playing outside the football league we went occasionally during term time in that first year. Oh dear me I have just lost again all that I have written over the past half hour and I need a bath, and to pack and journey home. The most interesting building in Headington used to be the Cinema where my most memorable experience while living in college during the second year was to see Les Enfant du Paradis with Marcel Marceau and which together with the cinema in Walton Street near the college were cinema art centres with the cinema next to the bus station and the theatre showing popular films from the Sound of Music to Marlene Dietrich and Tosca. The Oxford Playhouse theatre where Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor performed was in the a nearby street with the Randolph Hotel on the corner on the other side of the bus station. I digress because the well known building today in the whole of Oxford is also in Headington opposite the former cinema. This is the house with a full size shark embedded in the roof. I kid you not. My time was up in the car park without paying more and contact with the garage revealed the cost of the work and that a road test was still to be carried out. I therefore made my way towards Bicester and stopped at a service station with a Little Chef to one side and a garage with extended facilities for the traveller including small Wild Bean Café. I waited here until the call of ready came but then circumnavigated the town first to find the garage and then to find my way to the M40 and onto the A34 and A 43 to Northampton and the Motorway. I had a sleep and also loaded the software and inserted the hardware for Wifi connection. There were two available services at the stop but I waited until settling in to the travel Lodge for the next four nights at Trowell on the MI north of Nottingham City. The cost of repairs and services was £300 which I believe is of a similar order to having hired a car and where I had lost about three hours on the first day of travel and a couple of hours this day but where I also was not in any condition for activity. What did I get for £9 a night? A large first floor room with a king size double bed , a full size convertible into a second double bed settee, A large wall length desk with working TV at one end and tea making facilities before a large area to place my case and the hanging wardrobe and shelving plus a bath and other facilities. Admittedly this was an almost on motorway located room so noisy with windows open to let in the air. But I was able to sleep well after dining on red wine with large green olives, soup and a pasta. The rest of the grapes, a Danish and coffee. I had enjoyed fruit juice on arrival and later in the evening. At the Marks and Spencer's store I bought a two for £5 large carton of fresh fruit salad which included strawberries and grapes as well pieces of orange and apple. It was a good portion worth £2.50. I also bought a pack of four pan au chocolat and a single pasta salad. I also decided on an ordinance survey Map of the city area rather than a map booklet. Then miraculously I got myself on line and was sable to eliminate without reading of 90% of the accumulated emails. One alerted that I won £10.60 on the Euro Lottery and two were from cousins to ask that I join in an electronic petition to number 10 in support of a specialist hospital for service categories. Previously I supported the government view and that of the High Command that it was better for the injured to bet treated as close to their families as possible getting the best specialist treatment available. There is still a strong case for this especially as many of the wounded will not be able to continue their service career and therefore using a civilian hospital will help adjustment to what will be a major change again in their young lives. However given the number of casualties, that individuals can be transferred for specialist operations and that medical personnel can be given short term or sessional contracts I am in sympathy with those who want to be with others who have undergone similar experiences and to do so in a service. I suspect costs will be a factor. It is still shocking how we appear to be treating some of those who are wounded and the media could help more by keeping the public informed about what is happening on a daily basis

A visit to Portsmouth Harbour part one

Although handicapped by a heat rash in an intimate area I was determined to make the most of Monday before heading north to Burford in Oxfordshire for an overnight stop. I had reorganised my luggage in such a way that I would only need to take the communications and entertainment bag, plus the attaché case and food out of the car for the overnight stop. I planned for an early breakfast of, well by now I had a pattern of two croissants, grapefruit segments, fruit juice and coffee taking a pan au chocolat for later. I also planned to reach Havant by 9 am, giving me half an hour to get sun aftercare lotion and investigate a wireless link for the lap top before being eligible for a cheap day return train ticket into Portsmouth.

I considered using the bus but wanted to spend as much time as I could in the city before heading northwards for the overnight stop. I had difficulty putting money in the machine for a place in the almost full car park and fortunately an assistant came to my rescue and took the coins to another machines and brought me over a ticket to where the car was parked at the far end of the park. I must wrote about the contrasts in the behaviour of people towards me now that I am regard as old by others. In order to reach the shops I had to walk over an external bridge which involve a walk up over gardens to the left where one house had to large trampolines, another a single trampoline with side protection to prevent falling off and a play pool while a third had a larger pool possibly a hot tub and a barbecue patio area. This confirmed my impression that when one neighbour goes for something others tend to follow as if they give permission to each other. In this instance they were being brave as any activity in the gardens would be under constant observation not only from all the users of this foot bridge but there was a second linking pathway to the side of the house with the most expensive array of garden furniture. In contrast them there was one house which had attempted to create levels of privacy by a series hedges between gardens and within the garden although the height of the bridge still enabled passers by to overlook. They also had to contend with the noise of trains to Waterloo, to Victoria and to Brighton. I found a major electronics and appliance store in the shopping centre but they did not have the wireless device in stock but I felt I was making progress. I then found a chemist, not a chain store, where three assistants were waiting for their first customer of the day. Yes they had some sun after care sun for 2.99 but it was part of a two for one special offer and but they only had one tube, would I like some sun tan cream instead so I chose factor 25 and threw my existing out of date supply which appeared ineffective at the earliest opportunity. On the way back to the station I noted a car on this side of the station which would have avoided having to walk over the external bridge. I was determined to make the trip into the city although I was handicapped by the heat rash which made mobility difficult. On the train I was entertained by a mother with one or two daughters and pre school son who was taking three other teenage girls on a shopping trip singled handed, five teenage girls and small boy was a challenge for anyone. I quietly wished her success (to myself).I was able to tale a quick look at the free London based Metro newspaper when the main story was the survival of Gordon Brown as Prime Minister. It is significant that the Cabinet have not rushed to his defence and that a momentum is building up behind my Member of Parliament, David Miliband. It would be a mistake for him to stand, unless as with Heseltine it is to make way for someone's to take the crown although whoever won would have to go to the country for an endorsement. My instinct is for Harriet Harman. I decided against going to the Spinnaker Tower and chose the Naval Dockyard and although I knew I had time for only a couple of attractions I took the annual season ticket at the concession price for Seniors of £15.50 and which included gift Aid, providing entry to four major attractions, HMS Warrior 1860, The Marie Rose Museum and Ship Hall, the HMS Victory Walkup and a Boat trip around the Harbour, plus unlimited access to the Royal Naval Museum, the Dockyard Apprentice and Action Stations, the various restaurants and other facilities on what is n exceptionally large site and which in turn is only a small area of the restricted naval dockyard, I found the experience overwhelming and moving and regretted that I was handicapped and with a limited time. It is my view one of the most important attractions in the British Islands. My first interest was to take a boat trip around the port which included a view of the warships remaining in the secured naval docks and where the next trip was at 11am. I considered visiting the HMS Warrior but the assistant advised that there would not be time especially if I wanted a good seat on the boat. I took the advice and made a slow walk around the site finding toilets and getting my bearings. There is a cavernous store of naval antiques would could have occupied the rest of the morning. However my mind was on my previous visit to the Naval dock gates which were close to where the public entrance is now. Sometime between 1947 and 1949 the son of one my mother's brothers who had become a USA citizen and arrived in his ship at Portsmouth and at least a dozen of us went to see him. There was the three aunties. There was the son and his wife of one with both recently demobbed from the army after serving in world war two. There were cousins and a friend of one on whose lap I went to sleep on the return journey. It took us all day to get there and get back. (I need to know who went as I remember some but not everyone).We waited at the gates with lots of young women anxious meet American sailors with their presents of nylons, chocolate and chewing gum. Everyone came out at the appointed time except our relative. Enquiries were made and it was discovered that he was confined the ship for some misdemeanour. Representations were made and it was agreed he could meet us at a nearby café but under escort and on hearing about the numbers he had managed to acquire nylons for the lasses and chewing gum and chocolate for everyone else. It was the second great peace time event of my life after seeing the street lights come on for the first time, with oranges, lemons and bananas the third. The trip around the naval harbour was extraordinary especially as we were able to watch three visiting Japanese vessels depart, police launch ensured that we kept our distance but there was no restriction on photographs and film. Everyone had crowded on to the top deck whereas I quickly discovered the best place was at the front or rear of the saloon deck where I was able to photograph without the heads of others appearing in frame or blocking the views of the children. There were a score of vessels which we were able to see at close quarters, the majority in active service. There were decommissioned vessels including several who had participated in the Falklands campaign and had been replaced after their vulnerability to modern rocket assault had been exposed. The running commentary was excellent. In the distance we had pointed out the Submarine training facilities as well as the vessels used now a training ships. We then called in at the new marina type shopping development which includes the tower having also passed close to what is called Spice Island and is now given over to a huddled collection of Inns and restaurants, both areas to visited, hopefully. I then visited HM Warrior, in its day the most powerful fighting vessel on the seas. In order to explore the three below levels it is necessary to use steep ladders with for the most part ropes help one up and down. I had difficulty and discomfort butt grateful that I did not miss out, The main deck comprised a score of large breach loading cannon type guns each requiring 18 men to fire and maintain. The men slept in hammocks slung over the guns and improvement to when they would sleep on any available hard space and they eat at tables between the guns with food prepared at a central galley. There was no privacy or room for personal possessions and as one observant young pointed out to his parents there are no toilets or bathrooms! The captains quarters were impressive in contrast with all the atmosphere of a London Club. The quantity of other weaponry and ordinance was impressive but only served to emphasise the danger to everyone although in the instance of the Warrior it was a fast ship with the power to sink opponents using just a couple of forward mounted guns. I also explored the next deck to see the quarters of other officers, the workshops and. I did not go lower to the steam power house which made every other warship obsolete and can be regarded as the most ship to have ever been built. For those who can travel within a day I would recommend making a visit to the Warrior as one trip other wise there will not time to digest the information provided or speak at length to the available crew guides. This also applies to the Marie Rose, the only remains of a fighting vessel for the time of Henry the Eight. Known to have been sunk in Portsmouth Harbour in 1545. Like many people I witnessed the raising of the remains on television in 1982 and have since watched one or more films about the finds of objects and the restoration projects. I did not see the hull in this instance which is kept in a "dry dock " sprayed previously with water and not with a waxing preservative to prevent the timbers from drying out and disintegrating. Some 190000 objects were retrieved and many of these are on display in the museum, Shortly after arrival there was a showing of the hour long BBC film about the location of the wreck, the raising to the surface, and the information which the objects have provided about the life of naval men at the time. I watched half the film which I have seen before and then the rest of an hour in the museum, but it merited a whole morning or afternoon of a visit. I had been on site for four hours and felt that given my condition with increasing difficult in walking without painful discomfort, I had had to end the visit in this instance but determined to return and to the Isle of Wight. I decided to return to Havant where I left by rucksack the car and made my way back to the town centre where I purchased a sandwich, a bottle of water and a packet of crisps from Boots for £2.99, My dyslexia meant that when looking to see what was included in the meal deal I missed the hundred or so notices in deal in deal in deal marked on the display units. That evening or maybe the next I watched a programme about commercial sandwich making in which those from Boots rated the best in terms of healthy content. I eat these on a bench in the shade under a tree. Having not heard from the garage about my car I decided to withdraw cash from the nearest machine and called in at the nearest supermarket on the way back to the station where I bought a baguettes, a jar of large olives a three for the price of two deal on packs of salami and cured natural ham for a picnic feast that evening. Why I did not go back to the chemist for advice o the heat rash is a puzzle. It was around 4pm when I decided to commenced the journey to Burford in Oxfordshire which formed the end of my patch as a child care officer 1964 1967 and where I had represented the county at the juvenile court chaired by the wife of the Marques of Blanford and where her husband chaired the Magistrates Court which I also had occasion to attend in my professional capacity. To get to Burford I decided to journey west along the M27 and hen take the MS back north and then across from Oxford via Witney, However the MS was closed because of an accident and traffic was also congested at the next exist so I continued on taking a route to Salisbury, Marlborough Swindon and then directly to Burford via Lechlade. This journey takes one through some of the most glorious of British countryside full of quite villages with thatched roofs, However Salisbury was busy at rush hour so seeing a large supermarket and a Staples office store and left the traffic for some cold water and to see if Staples had a wireless link. This was a very successful detour using the toilet and drinking down a bottle of cold water before finding a helpful assistant to recommenced a Belkin wireless card to go min to the external slot thus keeping free the USB slots. The cost was £20.The weather changed and I reached Burford just before a tropical thunderstorm. The Travel Lodge and Little Chef were at the junction at the end of the road I had taken as it reached the A 40, thus avoiding having to extend the journey in search of the over night stop. Both building are built with stone facades to fit into the Cotswolds character. The location meant that I did not get to see the town again but I had visited within the past five years so my memory remained, Unfortunately either because of the location or the storm or both there was not mobile phone reception so I did not try the wireless. The receptionist seemed surprised that I was on my own so perhaps there is no mobile phone link anyway and the rural isolation would make it an ideal retreat for lovers of all kinds. I enjoyed my Picnic feast with two glasses of red wine, bathed and had an early night going to sleep, waking sparingly and rising early. However the rain was torrential at times and I wondered if the hot spell was over.

Childhood holidays recreated

It is becoming difficult to switch back to my feelings of only four days ago when I decided to visit Sandown and Shanklin on the Isle of Wight for the first time since the early 1950's. After the amazing experience of 20 20 finals day I did not fancy joining the tens of thousands rushing to the Naval dockyard to see the twenty vessels, including visits on board ships, and considered that it would be quieter going in the opposite direction. I pondered what to do over breakfast of two croissants with marmalade, grapefruit segments, orange fruit juice and two cups of coffee, leaving a “pan-au-chocolat” for later, which was just as well because as the wrapped tin foiled sandwiches had to go and I did not fancy the bananas or pears, there was just one container of prepared salad mixture for the day, together with one flask of hot coffee and one of ice cold water. I hoped I would have sufficient to keep me going on my travels and my practice of eating as I felt I needed to rather than according to conventional times.

Following the previous night's route into Havant I saw a sign to railway station before reaching the town centre and found a large car park where for I could park all day for £1.50. This proved to be the first of several occasions when strangers asked fro information and I was able to pass what I had just learnt on. The individual commented out aloud ask a visitor of you want an answer. The train fare was something like £3.60 return and for this day only the train stopped at the next station because of the navy days, before going to Frat ton Park the home of Portsmouth Football club, the central Portsmouth and Southsea before Portsmouth Harbour. It is only a short walk from the platform to the entrance of the Fast cat Ferry service every 30 minutes taking 20 minutes with five minutes for passengers to alight and five for them get on board. Because of my age I was entitled to seat by the exit and there was just time to acclimatise to this new environment before reaching the end of the pier at Ryde and my first memory realization. Memory has blocked out unnecessary information for half a decade. It was only on arrival that I remembered the length of the pier and that only first timers or people like me walked into the town and bus station with everyone else being picked up by friends or taxis or taking the island train which goes some six miles from the pier to Shanklin. This is made up of carriages from the London underground (Tube) system. After finding the male toilet I was prepared for the interesting walk take care when two vehicles passed by in opposite directions and the other first time visitors who stopped to admire the view. I watched the train depart and wondered if I was making the right decision given that the morning was progressing and I longed for coffee and the pan-au-chocolat. Sadly I watched, unknowingly, the first bus travelling in the desired direction, a single Decker, leaving the small bus station at the end of the pier, and to wait for sometime before the next, a double Decker, arrived, unloaded, and reloaded but was then immediately away, through the town into the countryside. At the ferry office I had picked up a copy of Wight Life which contained a double page spread map of the Island, providing a calendar of events. I am going to leave to another day reference to my interest in the island arising from relayed information related to "child care" issues as none of that information has been independent verified although it does provide a potentially challenging perspective on island life away from that presented to the tourists, see however what is happening now re Jersey and the "child care" revelations emerging The island which is just under 150 square miles with under 60 miles of coastline has a resident population of around 140000 with an imbalance of elders who are attracted by the climate and living abroad where British is the main language unlike parts of London and other major cities and towns and an a for a major part of the year as they go to further education on the mainland many meeting their future partners establishing their occupations and first homes away. The residents, especially those of generations will have mixed views about the extent to which the island is given over to long and short stay tourism. At the ferry station I acquired two excellent guides to the island for free and both contained a map. The first is magazine style island which begins with a calendar of main events plus and second list all notified events at the time of publication, called Wight life and the other a pocket guide. Later I also obtained a tourist map book and all three provided information to the extent that I immediately wished to make a longer stay. Traditionally the Island is known for its Cowes Week sailing regatta, when all the posh hotels are taken by the country and London smart set of the day. I have a poster of the first Rock festival now established in June and there is a second music festival, the bestival, There is the food "Garlic festival with 300 stalls and 20000 visitors and an international sporting event with 500 competition, with action sports in the air, land and water as well as art and live music, On the day of my visit I quickly discovered that Girl Aloud were appearing the former summer residence of Queen Victoria Osborn House. There is also great access to the Island with several crossing points for vehicles and pedestrian/cycle travellers, some 400 a day which is over 15 an hour. My route from Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde, with the vehicle ferry from Portsmouth to Fishbourne, From Southampton there is a passenger Catamaran to West Cowes and vehicular to East Cowes. From Southsea there is foot passengers to Ryde, vehicle Lymington to Yarmouth and passenger from Keyhaven to Yarmouth. There is also a chain ferry between East and West Cowes.I did a coach tour or two wishing that we were able to go in our own time. There is the needles areas where for many year I had a souvenir container of different coloured sands and several Chines small gorges or ravines but the various wildlife and adventure parks, the historic sites, river and steam engine trips are all post 1940 developments.I alighted from the bus at Sandown which I remembered well with its street of shops parallel to the road beach where wooden ladder take you down to the beach unless you go to northern area where there is no road and direct beach access. I believe the first time we stayed at Bembridge which then had a country village atmosphere but no beach so we had to take the bus to Sandown. I also remembered the pier which looked the sane externally. It follows the traditional organisation of arcade amusements designed to separate you from your cash, then a place to have an all day breakfast or fish and chips, or dunkin donuts, then an open walking area with a few seats, then a couple of rides and then a precarious area for fisherman. It is not a long pier which is why is has survived whereas that at Shanklin became derelict and was destroyed altogether in a storm. There are still the canopied high back deck chairs which I eventually persuaded the aunties as doing so was considered superior to lying out on the sand. It was time to move on to Shanklin where I had forgotten that the town is some distance from the sea front, missing the town stop at the small bus station and then deciding to get off at the Old Village, making key way back and have a look at the theatre where I was unable to remember if we were able to afford a visit or if in deed there were summer shows.. I bought the map booklet in order to work out where I was, sitting at a bench by a church and then made my way down the steep hill to the sea front at the most southern end of the bay where there is a miniature golf course which I always wanted to play but was not very good at and where there were public toilets. There used to a great long pier here but it became derelict and then was destroyed in a storm. I vaguely remembered that was a lift to the cliff top but was not in operation when we visited and the present one was built around1955, has two lifts and costs 60 p for pensioners one way. My memory is that we went to the children's parade although whether this was at Sandown where it take places to day or at Shanklin I cannot remember. I am certain that one year we did go to Shanklin rather than Sandown for the illuminations. On my way back I found a bus stop just before the town bus station where I missed one again and though I did not have long to wait thinking that the time table applied to the stop. There I met a grandmother who was waiting for her son in law to take her his home so she would baby sit while the parents and older children went to see Girls aloud. One of the daughters was to be Princess in the parade. I did not recognise much about Shanklin on explore much although I was tempted by one restaurant hotel offering a dressed crab salad and another which offered steak on a slate like hot slab with vegetables served on a second plinth. The journey back was not enjoyable, first a half an hour weight for the bus. Then although I arrived in time for the 6,15 ferry it was cancelled for operational reasons so there was a great queue and scrum for the 6.45 which set off five mins late which was crucial because although I made my way directly to the station and along the platform past the five coach train, it pulled out before the stated time, When I challenged the station attendant he first lied and then admitted that the off was signalled some thirty seconds before departure time and that he worked for the railways and had nothing to do with the ferry service which sums up just what is wrong with the private enterprise system. As it happens I had a choice of train with those going to Waterloo and Victoria also calling at Havant as well as the departing train along the coast to Brighton but for some, including one family off the ferry there was an hour's wait. Back at the motel I enjoyed a made up evening meal of packet soup, packet pasta, Danish and fruit, water and coffee. It had been a very short visit back into childhood and at the point I was not certain when or if I would return, despite remembering that we had stayed at the third resort Ventnor. I was also experiencing personal discomfort with what I hoped was a mild heat rash in an intimate area of the body but nothing affected the sense of having recaptured part of my childhood.

1445 A challenging journey to Portsmouth

It is just as well I wrote that I had prepared myself to expect the unexpected during my journey of 340 miles on Friday from the North East of England to just outside Portsmouth.

I had packed my main suitcase the previous night and gathered together in an organised fashion everything required in three medium sized soft trolley bags, plus haversack and document briefcase. The first task of the early morning was food. I prepared four sandwiches of cheese and ham wrapped in foil and then placed in containers for Saturday and Sunday and then prepared two mixed salads in containers of lettuce, salad pepper, cucumber, olives, tomato and chopped fine pieces of salmon in a tomato and basil sauce. There were two Danish type pastries and fruit, strawberries for Saturday with a banana and a pear, and grapes for Sunday with another pear and banana.

In the second bags I prepared a large salad for the journey, some prawns in shell, two Danish type pastries, the remainder of ham, cheese, lettuce cucumber and tomato which would not last my absence but my last until Monday Tuesday. There was also picnic cups, glass and plate, knives forks and spoon, kitchen roll, waste bags, tea towels.

I posted two Blogs where I had difficulty doing so before bedtime. I assembled luggage in vehicle as would be required during the day, in the evening and could be left overnight in the vehicle. I check weather forecasts. Plants inside and outside the house were watered, washed up and had a cup of coffee. It was still 9,30 when I left having hoped it would have been closer to eight o'clock. I had decided on the Benny Goodman Carnegie Hall concert, the two LP's of the Music Hair and Miss Saigon tapes, her first back up tapes of Long Play records and the second a back of the double tape.

I love Miss Saigon I saw the original London production three possible four times enjoying the music, the spectacle and the Madam Butterfly storyline. I adore Madam Butterfly have a CD Performance. I began the day with Miss Saigon and completed the work before arriving at the Scotch Corner service area for prepared coffee and a Danish. It was a glorious sunny morning and I remember remarking to myself that the vehicle was running like a dream. Ho Ho Ho!

Before reaching Scotch Corner there were already roadside earning notices that the M25 was already a crawl between the junction with the M1 and the M3. It was time for plan B and in fact I kicked myself for not checking the alternative beforehand. This involved continuing on the M1 until Northampton Service area and turn off and taking the A 43 on the road to the Midland cities by Silverstone race track and then taking the A 34, joining the M40 briefly, and then following the A34 all the way until connecting with the A3

I continued in good spirits deciding on lunch at the Nottingham Trowell Service area where I would be staying for the cricket the following week. It was very hot and later I learnt the hottest day of the year. The radio had advised of significant chaos on all major roadways with several closed for hours at a time because of accidents as families sent off on their annual long holidays intermingling with the usual Friday rush to complete travels and get home for the weekend as quickly as practical. I remember what Friday afternoon on the M25 was like and chided myself for ever contemplating going that way.

The shock of the day was the news that Labour had lost their second safest seat in Scotland to the Scottish Labour Party. This was not a surprise to me as it was evident that the Prime Minister and the Labour Party hierarchy had lost touch with the mood among their own supporters as well as the middle ground of those without party political allegiance. I anticipated that despite all the arguments about changing leadership there would be open talk of doing so. As the day progressed, especially the run through of the first editions, it was revealed that Cabinet Ministers had told the PM directly or indirectly that he had to change his position and that of the party over the summer or there would be a move to replace him.

I also listened to Dr Mark Kermode do his run through of the Top Ten box office films of the past week before reviewing the latest releases. Just after Silverstone as I approached a junction the traffic became stationery and within a couple of minutes police arrived to close the road ask the oncoming traffic to take the slip road as I was able to do and then find that the road was clear the other side of the junction and have time to look back and see a horrendous accidents. Shortly after leaving the A43 for the A 34 I pulled up at a lay-by for a cold drink and because I was tired, There was a great sign earning that the area was a lorry theft hot spot so I decided to continue to the M 40 Cherwell Valley service area for a longer break and where the A34 then went via Oxford to Portsmouth and Southampton.

A couple of minutes after setting off I note that the radio had stopped and then as I approached a roundabout and was going round the engine cut out completely and there was a smell of burning. I got out as quickly as I could removing my coast and brief case on an island junction rather than the central roundabout. The car was in a dangerous position as vehicles swept round and also continued from the direction I had travelled. I contacted the AA who advised it could be up to an hour before I am reached despite advising of the dangerous location I try and direct traffic away from my stationery vehicle so I advise the police. I sped the next half hour directing traffic. Police contact to say just has information passed to them and will send two officers to assist. AA then phone to say 5 mins away. I am taken off round about to safe lay-by near by and the officer then attempts to sort out the problem. Definitely electrical burn out but what ? Two community police officers to establish everything is OK so there must have been communication between police and AA. Possibly some of the motorists/ lorry driver advised of my situation and efforts.

AA officer works out that when I left the lay-by the starter motor had jammed and then burnt out and would need replacing. Vehicle jump started and then road tested. I then drive vehicle with AA following to Bicester, garage of Worldwide Automotive Ltd. They will arrange starter motor and advise of cost Monday, cash payments only and then be ready for collection on Tuesday. Later all out cost £35 ho ho but provide Citroen Car T834 AKX for my use until then, Find garage in Bicester and add fuel. The slowly get only way having transferred all the luggage from one car to another. There is rock festival at Blenheim this week which may or may not account why road is choc block ahead so I follow other vehicles as they take a different route joining in A 34 later when the road is clear but stationery opposite direction. Road goes round Oxford towards Newbury. Decide to go to services to stop and find out about car lights, radio etc. Miss turning and go to new private secured village situation and motorist impatient as I try and work out what to do. It is a weekend of impatient motorists!

Go to McDonalds at Service area and have McChicken meal with Diet Coke on outside bench in the warm evening. Before leaving car note an alarm sounding and that rear lights are on. Because of what has happened before mind has stopped thinking. Ring mobile of garage and they think it is to do with having unintentionally put side lights on. I turn off lights but alarms sounds continue. Only later do I work out this is clock alarm going off at wrong time. Muppet. Will decide to tell garage later. I write down the car registration number on garage card. This was brilliant given subsequent events.

Drive on anxious to try before darkness but must have misread map because road takes me away from Portsmouth to Southampton and the M27. This is OK as it will help re morning but it is getting later and darkness descends as I am on M7 towards Portsmouth and A 3. Pass junction 8 required for the morning and note roadwork’s area for extra time morning. Come of junction before by mistake and read of map in off road area does not really help. Rejoin M27 and take A3 but which slip road at the junction do I take. In the end decide on Waterlooville and what luck as once approach end of slip road there is sign saying Havant. This involves taking dark area of overhanging tree. At end of this area there is a road to Leigh Park and to Havant and decide to go to Havant and before reaching town centre see sign Rowlands Castle and follow this road for sometime and then straight ahead I see Harvester and next to it Innkeepers. Park. Register at Bar as requested and alas my room is on first floor which involves negotiating three doors with luggage.

I eat greater part of salad in lettuce bowl, Danish pastry and coffee. By the time I have done this I am tired and ready for bed. Must have arrived around 10pm and with unpacking and food and preparing for morning and then some writing midnight passes and onto at least 1 am. I am so looking forward to tomorrow do not sleep well and wake up during night do some more writing.