Episode 1A very cheery hello to all my adoring fans, I’m back again!
Well, here we are again, back in Arundel.The summer wore on hot and humid. The turtles came and laid and the eggs turned into hatchlings and ran down the beach to the sea, never to be seen again most likely. Not many nesting turtles on Oaks beach this last summer and the hatching rate wasn’t real good either, never-the-less L assisted in launching a good number of them.I did get to the beach on only one occasion to see the hatchlings and also to have my photo taken in the life guard tower. That, however didn’t go to plan; L placed me on the seat, climbed back down again but before she got out the camera the wind blew me down and I landed, very indignantly, flat on my face on the ground, how embracing; No more attempts were made. I was concussed for a good while after that.Then the cases were packed up so I had to find myself a spot in one before it was closed, and on a sunny April day, hot as hell still, we headed off to the airport in Bundy and our journey began.On and off aeroplanes and through airport security scanners numerous times then some 33 hours or so later we emerged into the arrivals hall at London’s Heathrow airport. We took the tube into London and along the way saw that the sun was shinning, the daffodils are out, the trees are beginning to show signs of budding out and loads of people were out and about enjoying such fine weather. It was a bit chaotic at Victoria station where L picked up our train tickets from the machine and because the train line on our route was undergoing maintenance we had to find the coach station where there was a shuttle bus to Clapham Junction. This involved lumping all our luggage up even more staircases than usual. Escalators and lifts are quite rare commodities on London’s train stations. Yet another staircase at Clapham Junction then a very crowded suburban train to East Croydon where we joined our train to Arundel. This took my lot, who were already very jet lagged an hour and a half just from Victoria station to East Croydon. The train from Victoria to Arundel usually only takes 1hour 35 mins. It was then another hour and 20 mins to Arundel. It was actually Ford station, a bit further on where we all got off. We choose this station because exiting it doesn’t involve a climb up another long set of stairs with all the luggage, and it is still quite handy to Heather’s. Dawn met us and took us back to Heather’s where as usual we were cordially received and very much relieved to be at the end of our journey. It doesn’t get any shorter no matter how many times you travel it.The next day David went and got our Rangie out of the lock-up, it is quite near Ford station, so now we are mobile again. The D promptly got the flue so is laid up until further notice. I’m glad I’m a stuffed toy and don’t get the flu, it doesn’t sound nice.The lovely weather gave out to showers and strong gusty winds. Well, it is only April after all.As time goes by I will keep you posted on any new adventures we undertake, that is if I can get this secretary of mine to oblige, she does not improve with time, just the opposite I fear.continued April 27thWe have had a couple of trips to London. The first was to put in for our Russian visas. Well, as It seems I still don’t need a passport of visa being a stuffed toy as I am, it was D and L’s visas we applied for. The Russians get a little bit more nit-picky each time they apply. This time they had L sign a letter to say that she wasn’t going to drive the car at all and both sign a letter to say they weren’t going to look for work. Bloody Hell! do they really look that desperate: As they both have several used Russian visas in their passports you’d think things would get easier but it just doesn’t happen that way. While we were in London this time we stayed overnight at the usual hostel in Stepney Green. It’s a comfortable and affordable place and there are some quite cheap cafes nearby offering Asian and Middle Eastern food. Very tasty! We didn’t get much time to do anything else, it having taken all afternoon to get our paperwork done with the help of Visa 24 (an agency), and the next day it was well into the afternoon before we were done at the visa office. We then spent the rest of the day at the Museum of London. D who still wasn’t well after a bout of the flu and collywobbles sat and rested while L had a look around. The museum traces the evolution of the city from prehistoric times to present day.Never-the-less they did successfully apply and the next time we went up to London for Anzac day we collected the passports. Again we stayed overnight at the same hostel. They are getting to know us there.After collecting our passports we headed off to the wreath laying service at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, just near the entrance to Downing Street. There was a huge crowd here, many more than L was expecting. She had thought, silly woman, that being a work day there might not be so many people around but it didn’t happen that way. The day was overcast and rain threatened but didn’t eventuate during the ceremony. Prince Henry of Wales (Harry) laid the first wreath on behalf of his Grandmother. He had also attended the dawn service in Hyde Park, my lot didn’t go to that. There were a large number of other wreaths laid here on behalf of the different armed services as well as one each laid by the High Commissioners of Australia and NZ.At the end of the service it was a mad dash through spring time crowds to Westminster Abbey for the Anzac service there.Prince Harry attended this service too, along with the High Commissioners and the Turkish Ambassador. It seems as if the latter may become a regular. Last year was the first time he was invited apparently. Again L enjoyed the service and found it very uplifting. We had seats very near where L was seated last year so didn’t get to see much, but we were in good company, this part of the Abbey is poets corner. L took a few illicit photos, not that she was the only one, plenty others did likewise.As we exited the Abbey the bells were ringing, what a wonderful sound, and they drown out the traffic a little bit.By this time it was beginning to drizzle. We made our way back to the Cenotarph and got some photos of the wreaths without lots of people around then went on to Trafalgar Square and caught a bus to St Johns Wood. The purpose of this trip is to see Abbey Road and the studio where the Beatles used to do their recording and the famous pedestrian crossing that features on the cover of the Abbey Road Album. The bus journey took us through the centre of the West End, along Pal Mal, up to Piccadilly Circus, up Regent Street and along Oxford st. Past Marylebone tube station and Lords Cricket Ground before reaching St John’s Wood tube station, where we alighted. We easily found Abbey Road but not the crossing altough it turned out we had merely missed it. There was road works going on and stuff all over the road so the crossing wasn’t obvious from the way we approached. After a long stroll up this pleasant residential street, well nice for some, for me it was traumatic, I very nearly fell out of the backpack onto the pavement, then what would have become of me; we had a late lunch in a nice little Italian place, then we found the crossing on our return walk and the recording studio nearly. Some of the workmen’s bollards had been moved: With a couple of hours still before our train back to Ford we easily filled them in with some culture at the National Gallery. Could spend days in this place.Well that about brings you up to date, from here who knows! Ten Minutes ago we had a light snow flurry: Summer is coming!!!!!!Till next time,Benny Bean Bear signs off© Lynette Regan April 27th 2016