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On Friday it was off to Norfolk and Erpingham to see Steve and Marion. After the discussion as to which train to take, decided on the 12:18, we had a light breakfast, and got all packed up. Teresa showed Boz where their mothers family spent their Russian holiday in the 1940s and Boz showed Teresa the trip to the Middle East.
John took us to the Station and we waited, he was looking forward to the next day as he was off to Wembley to see the England v Belgium game.
The arrival in Norwich by train was uneventful, again just train travel. We grabbed a bite to eat at the station, checked the map for the location of EuroCar the car hire that is located in Dereham (dare im) road and decided to take a taxi which was a great choice. After signing the papers for the hire car, getting the gyp iss (GPS) sorted out we found our way to Erpingham to Steve and Marions.
After meeting up we followed them to Hoveton (Hofton) as the major road route was closed and Steve said it was easier for them to guide us ;-)
The house we are staying in has it's own mooring and a rather large yacht across the water way for the five of us, and had it's own Heron until I scared it away.
The weather has taken a turn for the worse after London and Paraparaumu has warmer temperatures than we are having at present, pretty standard for an English summer apparently.
The Great Tour of Norfolk
After picking Kerryn and Mark up from Norwich station we wandered up the hill to the Castle and a tour that also took in the Museum that is part of the Castle. From there we headed to back to the house at Hoveton, then dinner at The Kings Head with Steve and Marion, before we set off to wander the Erpingham Common to try and see Mrs fox and her children. Well after a short fifteen minute walk and a ten minute wait all we saw was a frog instead. Rosie bounced around through the long grass as terriers do and on the walk back saw a small deer and bats flying around overhead.
The following day was very restful, a birthday lunch for Steve with a chocolate birthday cake, had bread sauce for the first time with the roast chicken. After lunch we went to the Blickling Hall Craft Market, Mark and Kerryn went for a tour of Blickling Hall which is where Anne Boleyn lived as a child. From there is was ten pin bowling time in Norwich with Marions children and their families followed by pizza for a late dinner and a red wine soaking for Marks L&P T-shirt.
Monday was the big touring day, we headed to Pensthorpe Wildlife park and Sandringham, the Queens residence. Teresa went with Steve and Marion to the park as Owen and I took the others to Sandringham.
The two of us returned to Pensthorpe and found that in the hour that we had left them they had only seen one area, the photographer had held them up. The wildlife park was fascinating full of birds with their young, sculptures, and the red squirrels in captivity running around. There were small birds were swooping over the meadow picking off the insects in flight and dragon and damsel flies.
We left Pensthorpe and headed to pickup Kerryn and Mark at Sandringham, the highlight was the 007 Aston Martin replica that was a gift for Prince Charles. There is a sculpture park with carved wooden sculptures spread throughout, I only saw a few of them.
From Sandringham we followed the "coast road" through towns like Thornham, Burnham Market, Wells-next-the-sea, StiffKey, past Sheringham to Cromer where we saw the lighthouse and said our goodbyes to Marion and Steve.
They are great hosts and have a love for the county. From them we learnt about Burgh (Bar ra), and got laughed at for our pronounciation of Roughton (Roar ton), Happisburgh (Hayz bru), Wymondham (Wind um) and Weybourne (Way Born).
We headed back to the house picking up english fish and chips and chinese for dinner and settling in for a royal evening watching the Jubilee Concert, Kerryn has become quite a Royalist since she has been in Engalind.
The last day in Norfolk was viewing the Norwich Cathedral, getting Owen onto his train to London and another game of tenpin before Mark and I dropped the car off and walked back to the train station and our 4pm train to Manchester.
On the train trip to Manchester we went under the Dore and Totley golf course which reminded me of Greg Windsor and wondered it he would decide to travel to the courses of the uk or even Malta, but who knows.
We arrived in Manchester in the wet and cool of the evening with the sun still in the skies, hidden by grey cloud.
That was the finish of Norfolk leg and tomorrow is all about chilling, catching up on sleep and watching Roland Garros.
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