G'day from The Isle of Wight!

Appologies to Kent for the four photo 'album' again, but I am in a hurry to meet the ferry and this computer isn't!

I arrived on the Isle of Wight and found Eric's house near Ventnor at about 11.30 pm Wednesday night, after riding down from Ditcheat. It's actually much easier to find places in the dark because it's easier to see the gps screen without the sun on it. On the ferry I met another motorcylist who had just toured Morocco - that gave me another idea!

I have toured around the Isle a bit, going as far as Ryde on the east coast on Thursday. The roads on IOW are quite rough and narrow, so it's difficult to really enjoy them on the bike.

I came onto the IOW to see Eric from Albany who now lives here with his wife Clare. It was great to catch up again and I attended a 'strawberry tea' garden party in the garden Eric maintains. It was a very pleasant experience as you can gather from the photo of the table.

Yesterday was spent touring more on foot and I walked up to the medieval lighthouse they call 'the pepperpot' from where one can see for a long way around the Isle. I also walked down to the coast at St catherine's lighthouse.

The rocks at the south western tip of the Isle are called 'The Needles' because their shape used to resemble needles. Now they are breaking away and just look like pointy rocks. I parked in a carpark in the bush and ended up walking about 4 miles return, in my motorcycle gear, to visit The Needles. It was worth the effort, it is beautiful out there. Then back to town for a meal at the pub with friends - I had seen a sign outside the pub the previous day - "braised liver & onions £7.95" so I had to try it. Not bad either.

Today is another hurried blog as I need to get on the bike and go to Plymouth. It's about 150 miles after I get off the ferry, which is quite a long way in England. They don't have such direct uncoplicated roads here as in Oz. I going there to meet a mate of mine who is in the navy.

i will add a few more photo's to the album before long. I find it's a constant compromise trying to add to the blog and not spending too much time sitting at the computer when I should be outside seeing this beautiful place.