Friday 30 May 2008

Flying visit to NZ

Unexpectedly Amy is making a v quick trip to NZ next week. Time to see if flat whites are in fact as good as they used to be....

Spain III - Villa Pepe with friends

Today is our last day at Villa Pepe. We're here with the usual suspects (Ange, Neil & Emma Webster, Fran & Graham, Amber, Jess & Andrew and Leona & Patrick).

It has been a very relaxing week with the biggest event each day being the trip down to the local alcampo to get more tapas and bbq food. I think we'll all go home a few kilos heavier!

Here's a few photos and I hope to add more when we get home from the masses that G has taken.







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The Home of Cricket

As a treat for the boys Fran organised tickets for the fourth day of the NZ v England test at Lords. We were lucky and got a full day of play - it was 'brisk' but thankfully did not rain...


Fran, Jess, Graham, Andrew & Paul


Picnic time - check out the boys in their lovely ties! Andrew, Jess, Fran, Graham and Paul.


A bit of the day's play.


The Members' stand.
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Monday 12 May 2008

Hunstanton & around Norfolk - Bank Holiday Weekend - May 2008

When may arrives as do a run of Bank Holiday Weekends, a bit like to moral equivalent of Labour Weekend back in NZ. The first weekend of May heralded the start of summer and we headed to Norfolk with Fran & Graham. We had picked Hunstanton in Norfolk as it was close enough to get to by a train after work... but as F&G had a car it was all the more exciting as we got to go on a road trip!

Hunstanton is one of those classic British seaside towns. The population soars in the summer and is full of quirky things like joke shops, whelk stands and an amusement park.



Outside our B&B - Paul and Graham


A little hard to tell in the super small photo, but there's a sign for the "Surf Shop". Not too sure where the surf is.

The plan was to do a couple of walks and to enjoy some wide open spaces. On day one we headed to one of the more coastal paths.


The start of our semi coastal walk.


Paul, Amy & Fran on the farm path.

It was inland first and through Burnham Thorpe, the small home town of Lord Nelson. His father had been a minister in the local church and the church is full of naval memorabilia and information about his life. The churchyard was also a lovely place to rest in the sun.


Inside Lord Nelson's father's church.



And of course the local in the village was called the Lord Nelson (and as we'd only been walking for a couple of kms it was a bit early for the first pint).


Paul, Amy & Fran on HMS Victory

Further along in the country we came to the grand estate and farm park of Holkham Hall.

Holkham Hall Graham who was controlling the camera was very interested in the guys preparing the cricket pitch.


Paul, Amy and Fran after a restorative lunch.

First sight of the beach.

Amy and Fran re-living their summers at the beach.


The long coast walk back.

It was great to be at the beach again and to walk in the water for a bit. And it was white sand too!

Day two - Pedders Way

On the Sunday we headed inland on the Pedders Way (no link sorry!), on the old Roman road.


A path marker.


Fran playing with the free range chickens


Paul, Fran and Graham at the refreshment stop.


Spring in the air.



And then the drive home.


Day 3 - Ely Cathedral (and a well deserved ice-cream stop)


Door to the cathedral.


Inside Ely Cathedral

The Nutshell, Bury St Edmunds

[Photos of us inside to follow]