On the fast cat across the Irish Sea this morning and landed on the island of Anglesey in Wales. Crossed Manai Strait to mainland Wales and continued north. Our lunch stop was Chester, just over the border in England, a beautiful walled city which goes back to Roman times. We then went Merseyside and toured Liverpool, including going to the Cavern Club, where the Beatles often played. The Anglican and catholic cathedrals in Liverpool are amazing and totally the o...

Took a black cab tour with Peter this morning. We went to Shankill Rd first, which is a Protestant/loyalist area and saw all the UFF murals, then to the peace wall which separates Shankill Rd from Falls Rd (the Catholic area). The wall is 5.8 miles long and extends up into the mountains (there are 47 more walls like this in the city). There are seven gates in the wall and they are only open between 6 am and 6 pm (no exceptions, not even police or ambulance). The ...

Crossed the border into Northern Ireland this morning and straight away you notice the flag flying. All the villages that support the monarchy have flags everywhere and red, white and blue lamp posts and even kerbing is painted in the three colours. Driving into Londonderry/Derry we followed a diversion and the bus ended up stuck at the bottom of a very steep hill. It caused traffic chaos and we had to get the police to clear the traffic and then reverse all the ...

A walk around Cardiff mall this morning and some souvenir shopping while others toured Cardiff Castle. Drove on the M4 past Port Talbot to Pembroke (where the Queen's corgis come from and the home of Strongbow). After lunch, went to Pembroke Dock and boarded the ferry to head across St George's Channel. 4 1/2 hours later we were in Ireland (Rosslare Harbour). Headed through the county of Wexford then alongside the River Suir to Waterford (through the south-east c...

Drove out of Devon county and into Somerset. Stopped at Glastonbury (England's version of Nimbin!). Legend has it that the Holy Grail is buried at Glastonbury Tor. We spent a few hours at Bath and went through the Roman Baths. Water was green and slimy, but very pretty town with the River Avon passing through. The Crescent and the Circus (most prestigious addresses in Bath) very impressive and easy to picture life here in Georgian times when everyone came to Bath...