We are back in the UK and have paid a quick visit to the shipping depot at Felixstowe to swap over some of our gear. We also sorted out some of the packages we have sent back there during the first 4 months of our trip - there were only 5 packages, mainly containing fridge magnets, spare clothes and a few t-shirts that were put in to our suitcase to carry home in October. After an overnight stay in Ipswich we found a car wash to get the bike cleaned after our drizzly ride from Dunkerque.

Next stop was Birmingham. You may ask why as we have already been there once on this trip. If you are a follower of sport, as we are, you would know what is happening in Edgbaston starting on Wednesday 29th July. That's right - the 3rd Ashes Test between Australia and England. Our return early to the UK has allowed us to indulge in another sporting event. We have tickets to the first day of the Test! We attended an Ashes Test in 1997 at Old Trafford in Manchester and said then that we would love to do it again - well, we are!

Our hotel was at Minworth, on the north side of Birmingham about 16 miles from Edgbaston. We were not sure how long it would take us to get to the ground through the traffic so we left at 9am. We needn't have worried as traffic was reasonable and we found parking at a school for £5 only about 300m from the entrance to the ground. Our seats were in a temporary stand and had a great view of the pitch. After walking around the ground we settled in for the day. Michael Clark won the toss and elected to bat - we thought we were on a winner. Little did we know!

After a shaky start, it just went from bad to worse for Australia. We lost 3 wickets for 38 runs in the first 12 overs. Rain interrupted play and we hoped that would allow Australia to regroup - no such luck. Australia could only manage 136 runs for the day off 36.4 overs. Highest score was Chris Rogers on 52; no one else got more than Voges on 16. For England, Jimmy Anderson took 6 wickets for 47 runs - a great effort which the crowd responded to by singing a Jimmy Anderson song - ask Greg to sing it for you when you see him next!

When England came in to bat we hoped that we could do to them what they had done to us. Again - no such luck. We still hoped for the best when Adam Lyth was out in the 8th over. However, when rain interrupted play again (for the 5th time) with 19 overs still to be bowled for the day and England was only 3 out for 133 we had to admit that Australia was in deep trouble.

Although the results for the day's play were not ideal, we did have a great day. Our seats were terrific, we were prepared for the rainy weather and enjoyed the company of the surrounding crowd who were basking in England's successful day without being nasty.

Our next stop was Blackpool - selected because it was a good spot between Birmingham and Glasgow for an overnight stay. We had been here before in 1997 - also our last time at a Cricket test in England - so that was a good enough reason to stay here again. Our hotel is on the main road through Blackpool and has a lovely sea view. We spent the afternoon wandering around this holiday playground teaming with families here on their summer break. We walked to the end of the Central Pier and snapped photos of the town's icons - The Blackpool Tower, The ferris wheel and the piers. Blackpool is also renowned for its annual Illuminations - over 1 000 000 lights on display that span the 10km length of the promenade. Unfortunately, they do not start till August - only 2 days away; we will have to see them next time I guess.

Tomorrow we ride to East Kilbride for a couple of week's rest before the next leg of our journey.