Saturday 20 January 2024

UPDATE OF INDEX

To remind my reader of how to view a particular location: 

Click on to the 'arrow' next to the relevant year at the 'blog archive' list top right of most recent blog. This opens up the month selections. Then click on to relevant month arrow and that will open up the blogs in that month.
 
It's a long scroll down to the latest on this list!

Incidently, if using a 'smartphone', scroll down to the bottom of the first page where you  should opt to 'view web version'. This allows you to select the 'arrows' as above. 

If you wish to enlarge a photo, just single click on it.


List of Posts

2011

Jan
1.      The Beginning
2.      At Sea - Now Antwerp - Belgium
3.      Stranded in Le Havre - France
Feb
4.      Crossing The Pond
5.      Noo Yawk, Noo Yawk - USA
6.      Virginia - USA
7.      Washington DC - USA
8.      Columbia - South Carolina - USA
9.      Charleston - South Carolina - USA
Mar
10.    Miami - Florida - USA
11.    Fort Lauderdale - Florida - USA
12.    Savannah - Georgia - USA
13.    Boston - Massachusetts - USA
14.    Boston - Post Script - USA
15.    Niagara Falls - Ontario - Canada
16.    Toronto - Ontario - Canada
17.    Winnipeg - Manitoba - Canada
18.    The Canadian - Toronto to Vancouver - Canada
Apr
19.    Vancouver Island - British Columbia - Canada
20.    Seattle - Washington - USA
21.    Amtrak. Seattle to San Francisco - USA
22.    San Francisco - California (Part 1) - USA
23.    San Francisco - California (Part 2) - USA
24.    San Diego - California - USA
25.    Tijuana to La Paz - Mexico
26.    La Paz - Mexico
27.    Mazatlan - Mexico
May
28.    Guadalajara - Mexico
29.    Mexico City
30.    San Christobal de Las Casas - Mexico
31.    Antigua - Guatemala
32.    San Salvador - El Salvador
33.    Managua and Granada - Nicaragua
Jun
34.    San José - Costa Rica
35.    Panama City
36.    Flight to Lima - Peru
37.    Lima - Peru
38.    Nazca - Peru
39.    Cusco - Peru
40.    Machu Picchu - Peru
41.    Andean Explorer - Peru
42.    Puno (Lake Titicaca) - Peru
43.    Arequipa - Peru
Jul
44.    Panama to Auckland - New Zealand
45.    Bay of Islands - New Zealand
46.    Lake Taupo - New Zealand
47.    Cape Reinga - New Zealand
48.    Russel Birdman Festival - New Zealand
Aug
49.    Rotorua - New Zealand
50.    Napier - New Zealand
51.    Wellington - New Zealand
52.    Blenheim - New Zealand
53.    Nelson - New Zealand
54.    West Coast, South Island - New Zealand
55.    Queenstown - New Zealand
56.    Lake Tekapo - New Zealand
57.    Christchurch - New Zealand
58.    Kaikoura - New Zealand
59.    Auckland - New Zealand
60.    Across the Tasman Sea
Sep
61.    Sydney (Part 1) - Australia 
62.    Sydney (Part 2) - Australia 
63.    Melbourne (Part 1) - Australia 
64.    Melbourne (Part 2) - Australia 
65.    Tasmania - Australia
Oct
66.    Adelaide - Australia
67.    The Ghan - Adelaide to Darwin - Australia
68.    Darwin - Australia
69.    The Red Centre - Australia
70.    Back to Adelaide - Australia
71.    Onwards to Brisbane - Australia
72.    Brisbane to Singapore (Part 1)
73.    Taxis
Nov
74.    Brisbane to Singapore (Part 2)
75.    Brisbane to Singapore (Part 3)
76.    Singapore (Part 1)
77.    Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia
78.    Up Country - Malaysia
79.    Singapore (Part 2)
80.    Mozart. Malaysia to Sri Lanka
81.    Colombo - Sri Lanka
82.    Coffee
Dec
83.    Kandy - Sri Lanka
84.    Nuwara Eliya - Sri Lanka
85.    Back to Colombo - Sri Lanka
86.    Galle - Sri Lanka
87.    The Ancient Cities - Sri Lanka
88.    Trincomalee - Sri Lanka
89.    Negombo - Sri Lanka
90.    Tiruchirappalli - India
91.    Kerala - India

2012

Jan
92.    Goa - India
93.    Bombay - India
94.    Delhi - India
95.    Palace On Wheels. Rajasthan (Part 1) - India
96.    Palace On Wheels. Rajasthan (Part 2) - India
97.    Palace On Wheels. Rajasthan (Part 3) - India
98.    Palace On Wheels. Rajasthan (Part 4) - India
99.    Palace On Wheels. Rajasthan (Part 5) - India
100.  Calcutta - India
Feb
101.  Rangoon - Burma
102.  The Train To Bagan - Burma
103.  Bagan - Burma
104.  Mandalay (Part 1) - Burma
105.  Mandalay (Part 2) - Burma
106.  Inle Lake - Burma
107.  Ngapali Beach - Burma
108.  Bangkok - Thailand
109.  Siem Reap - Cambodia
Mar
110.  Phnom Penh - Cambodia
111.  Saigon - Vietnam
112.  Hanoi - Vietnam
Apr
113.  Sa Pa - Vietnam
114.  Ha Long Bay - Vietnam
115.  Beijing (Part 1) - China
116.  Hong Kong
117.  Beijing (Part 2) - China
May
118.  Mongolia
119.  Siberia - Russia
120.  Trans-Siberian to Moscow
121.  Moscow (Part 1) - Russia
122.  Moscow (Part 2) - Russia
123.  St Petersburg - Russia
124.  Helsinki - Finland
125.  Rovaniemi - Finland
126.  Up To Kirkenes - Norway
127.  Hurtigruten (Part 1) - Norway
128.  Hurtigruten (Part 2) - Norway
129.  Hurtigruten (Part 3) - Norway
130.  Hurtigruten (Part 4) - Norway
Jun
131.  Bergen to Oslo - Norway
132.  Oslo - Norway
133.  Copenhagen - Denmark
134.  Hamburg - Germany
135.  Hook of Holland - and Home
Jul
136.  The End
Aug
137.  Post Script - London
138.  Stand-by For More...

2013

Sep
139.  To The Democratic Peoples Republic Of Korea (North Korea)
140.  Pyongyang 1 - North Korea
141.  Pyongyang 2 - North Korea
Oct
142.  Kaesong and Panmunjom - North Korea
143.  Back to Pyongyang - North Korea
144.  Pyongyang 3 - North Korea
145.  Samjiyon and Mount Paekdu - North Korea
146.  Daehongdan County - North Korea
147.  Chongjin - North Korea
148.  Hamhung - North Korea
149.  Wonsan and Mount Kumgang - North Korea
150.  Mount Kumgang 2 - North Korea
151.  Mount Kumgang 3 - North Korea
152.  Wonsan Again - North Korea
153.  Back To Pyongyang and On To Nampo - North Korea
Nov
154.  Nampo and Back To Pyongyang - North Korea
155.  Train To Beijing - North Korea
156.  The Finale
157.  Impressions of North Korea
158.  Vids From North Korea
Dec
159.  Zambia
160.  Battledore Farm - Zambia
161.  Cool Bananas - Zambia
162.  Banana Hazards - Zambia
163.  Back On The Farm - Zambia
164.  Continued Jollities - Zambia

2014

Jan
165.  Christmas In Darkest Africa - Zambia
166.  Lusaka 1  - Zambia
167.  Lusaka 2  - Zambia
168.  Livingston (I Presume) - Zambia
169.  On Safari - Botswana
170.  Ndola N'Home - Zambia
Feb
171.  Onwards To Sarf America
Mar
172.  Buenos Aires and The Wedding - Argentina
173.  Around Buenos Aires - Argentina
174.  Jujuy Province - Argentina
175.  Salta - Argentina
176.  Cordoba - Argentina
177.  Mendoza - Argentina
178.  Santiago (Part 1) - Chile
179.  Olmue and Valparaiso - Chile
180.  Santiago (Part 2) - Chile
Apr
181.  To Osorno and Bariloche - Argentina
182.  Bariloche - Argentina
183.  Ruta National 40 - Argentina
184.  El Calafate - Argentina
185.  Tierra Del Fuego (Part 1) - Argentina
186.  Tierra Del Fuego (Part 2) - Argentina
187.  Iguazu - Argentina
188.  Buenos Aires - Finale - Argentina

2015

Jan
189.  The Saga Of My Nearly Lost Hat - UK
Jul
190.  We Wish To Apologise... - UK
Aug
191.  Those Blasted Announcements... - UK
Sep
192.  Tuscany By Train - France
193.  Mulhouse to Montecatini - Italy
194.  Florence - Italy
195.  Around Montecatini - Italy
196.  Lucca and Pisa - Italy
197.  Venice 1 - Italy
Oct
198.  Venice 2 - Italy
199.  Venice 3 - Italy
200.  Turin - Italy
Dec
201.  'Nam Revisited - Vietnam
202.  Saigon Again - Vietnam

2016

Jan
203.  Merry Keesmah - Vietnam
204.  Up The Mekong - Vietnam
205.  Happy Noo Yeer - Vietnam
Mar
206.  Snowdrops - UK
207.  Turkey - An Inspiration
208.  Istanbul Or Bust
209.  Budapest - Briefly - Hungary
210.  Brasov - Transylvania - Romania
Apr
211.  Bucharest - Romania
212.  Onwards To Istanbul - Bulgaria
213.  This Was Constantinople - Turkey
214.  Up The Bosphorous - Turkey
215.  The Turkish Bath - Turkey
Sep
216.  Up The Kennet - UK
Oct
217.  Down The Baltics
218.  Tallinn 1 - Estonia
219.  Tallinn 2 - Estonia
220.  Tallinn 3 - Estonia
221.  On To Riga - Latvia
222.  Around Riga - Latvia
223.  Riga Finale - Stuck Up A Steeple - Latvia
224.  Vilnius...And The Dark Side - Lithuania
225.  Vilnius...The Bright Side - Lithuania
Nov
226.  A Damp Day In Warsaw - Poland
227.  Berlin And Bed Bugs In Brussels - Belgium
228.  Cultural Day In Lille - France
Dec
229.  Bah Humbug And Chrexit - Vietnam
230.  Laid-Back Laos - Vientiane - Laos
231.  Va Va Vang Vieng - Laos
232.  Vang Vieng Voom Voom - Laos

2017

Jan
233.  Luang Prabang - Laos
234.  Luang Prabang And Elephants - Laos
Oct
235.  Ariba Ariba and Off to Cuba
Nov
236.  Havana Wander - Cuba
237.  Havana Further Wander - Cuba
238.  On West to Viñales - Cuba
239.  Cienfuegos - Cuba
240.  Ye Olde Town of Trinidad - Cuba
241.  Santa Clara. Viva La Revolución - Cuba
242.  Varadero. - Cuba
243.  Guanabo. Playa del Ested - Cuba
Dec
244.  Back to Havana - Cuba
245.  Havana Finale - Cuba
246.  Chrexit 2017 - Thailand
247.  Phuket and Beaches - Thailand
248.  Phuket Town - Thailand
249.  Saigon Again - Vietnam

2018

Jan
250.  Wats in Chiang Mai - Thailand
251.  A Day Out in Chiang Mai - Thailand
252.  More Chiang Mai - Thailand
Feb
253.  Chiang Mai - Bangkok - and Home
Apr
254.  Silly Signs
May
255.  By Plane to Ukraine
Jun
256.  Kiev Part 1 - Ukraine
257.  Kiev Part 2 - Ukraine
258.  Chernobyl Disaster. The Background Story - Ukraine
259.  Chernobyl Part 1 - Ukraine
Jul
260.  Pripyat. The Ghost Town - Ukraine
261.  Chernobyl Part 2 - Ukraine
262.  Bermuda or Bust - Bermuda
Aug
263.  St. George's - Bermuda
264.  More Bermuda
265.  Carnival Time - Bermuda
266.  Hamilton - Bermuda
267.  Finale - Bermuda
Sep
268.  Update of Index 2
Nov
269. Colombia. Caramba
270. Bogota. A Prelude - Colombia
271. Transport around Bogota - Colombia
272. More Bogota - Colombia
273. Medellín - Colombia
274. More Medellín - Colombia
Dec
275. On to Cartageña - Colombia
276. Santa Marta - Colombia
277. Bogota. Post Script - Colombia
278. Chrismiss 2018 - Thailand

2019

Jan
279. Saigon Again - Viêt Nam
280. Vietnam Underground - Viêt Nam
Apr
281. Amsterdam Cultural Tour - Holland
282. Yodel-ay-ee-Hoo around Switzerland
May
283. Yodelling on and back - Switzerland
284. Down the Balkans to Ljubljana - Slovenia
285. Down to Split - Croatia
286. Split to Dubrovnik - Croatia
287. On South to Montenegro
June
288. Cetinje - Montenegro
289. To the beach - Montenegro
290. Bar and back home - Montenegro
Sept
291. To Japanada (or Canapan)
292. Vancouver Island - Canada
Oct
293. All Aboard the Westerdam - Canada
294. Juneau (Juneau What?) - Alaska
295. Onwards Westwards
296. Past Kodiak Island and Beyond
297. Across the Bering sea
298. Kushiro Briefly - Japan
299. Arrival Yokohama - Japan
300. Kyoto Intro - Japan
301. More Kyoto. Day 1 - Japan
302. More Kyoto. Day 2 - Japan
303. Hiroshima - Japan
304. Nagasaki - Japan
305. Brief Visit to Kure - Japan
306. Tokyo - Japan
307. Sayonara Nippon - Japan
Dec
308. (Not) Christmas Again
309. No 'Ell in Far East - Thailand
310. OMG!. Pattaya - Thailand

2020

Jan
311. Sodom and Gomorrah - Thailand
312. Back to 'Nam Again - Vietnam
313. Đà lạt  Part 1 - Vietnam
314. Đà lạt  Part 2 - Vietnam
Apr
315. Lockdown. Week 1
316. Lockdown. Week 2
317. Lockdown. Week 3
318. Lockdown. Week 4
319. Lockdown. Week 5
May
320. Lockdown. Week 6
321. Lockdown. Week 7
322. Lulok Island. Part 1. Arrival.
323. Lulok Island. Part 2. The Village.
Jun
324. Lulok Island. Part 3. The Hills.
325. Lulok Island. Part 4. The Aztecs.
Jul
326. Lulok Island. Part 5. The Coast.
Aug
327. Lulok Island. Part 6. The Capital.
Sep
328. To Stockholm - Sweden
329. More Stockholm - Sweden
330. Yet More Stockholm - Sweden
331. Uppsala - Sweden
332. Tällberg - Sweden
Oct
333. Mora - Sweden
334. Back to Stockholm - Sweden
335. Finale Stockholm and Home - Sweden
Nov
336. Zanzibar or Bust.
337. Stone Town - Zanzibar
338. Nungwi - Zanzibar
339. The East Cost - Zanzibar
340. Bwejuu - Zanzibar
341. Back to Stone Town - Zanzibar
342. Tortoise and Spice - Zanzibar
Dec
343. Temple, Shops & Slaves - Zanzibar
344. Mainland Tanzania and Back - Tanzania
345. More Stone Town - Zanzibar
346. Further Haunts & Sights - Zanzibar
347. Final Fling in Zanzibar
348. On to Ndola - Zambia
349. Gone Bananas Again - Zambia

2021

Jan
350. Back to Livingstone (I presume) - Zambia
351. The Falls and Zambezi - Zambia
352. Booze Cruise and Wildlife - Zambia
353. Back to the Bananas - Zambia
Feb
Now back in Stasi UK and travel illegal or difficult and expensive until 202?
Mar
354. Single Life - UK
Apr
355. Single Life 2 - UK
May
356. Single Life 3 - UK
357. My Little Covid Rant
Dec
358. More Frustrations and Events - UK
359. Chrexit 2021
360. Onwards to Bangkok - Thailand
361. Back in Bangkok - Thailand

2022

Jan
362. Pattaya and Jomtien Revisited - Thailand
363. Art in Paradise Pattaya - Thailand
364. The Highlife in Bangkok - Thailand
365. The Train to Kanchanaburi - Thailand
366. The Bridge - Kanchanaburi - Thailand
367. More Sights around Kanchanaburi - Thailand
368. 50 Ridiculous Rules
369. Out and About around Kanchanaburi - Thailand
Feb
370. Back to Bangkok - Thailand
371. Bangkok and Home - Thailand
May
372. Return to Warsaw - Poland
373. By train to Ukraine - Ukraine
374. Checkin' Kyiv - Ukraine
375. More Kyiv - Ukraine
376. Encore and Farewell Kyiv - Ukraine
377. Train back to Warsaw - Poland
378. Krakon to Krakow - Poland
379. More Krakow and Home - Poland
Aug
380. Old Buffers and Geriatrics Pool Society
Oct
381. Silly Signs and Nutty Notices
Nov
382. To Brussels and Beyond - Europe
383. Tally Ho! To Tirana - Albania
384. Touring Tirana - Albania
385. More Tirana - Albania
386. Yet More Tirana - Albania
Dec
387. Toodle Pip Tirana - Albania
388. Chrexodus 2022
389. Saigon Saigon - Vietnam
390. The Journey to  Đà Lạt - Vietnam
391. Đà Lạt Revisited - Vietnam
392. Đà Lạt Day Tour Part 1 - Vietnam
393. Đà Lạt Day Tour Part 2 - Vietnam
394. On to Nha Trang - Vietnam
395. Hué - Vietnam

2023

Jan
396. The Dee Em Zee Part 1 - Vietnam
397. The Dee Em Zee Part 2 - Vietnam
398. Uncle Sam in Vietnam - Vietnam
399. Hué back to Sài Gòn - Vietnam
400. New Year in Saigon - Vietnam
Jul
401. Bits and Bobs
402. To Portugal. Algarve - Portugal
403. On to Lisbon - Portugal
404. A Trip to Bélem - Portugal
405. A Day in Cascais - Portugal
406. Encore Lisbon - Portugal
Aug
407. To Porto (or Oporto) - Portugal
408. Up the Douro - Portugal
409. By Train Again to Ukraine - Poland/Ukraine
410. Around Lviv. A Start on Svobody - Ukraine
411. Lviv and the War - Ukraine
412. Churches and More in Lviv - Ukraine
413. Lviv Finale and Home. Eventually - Ukraine/Poland
Dec
414. Chrexit 2023
415. Off to Taiwan - Taiwan
416. A Start in Taipei - Taiwan
417. Taipei 2 - Taiwan
418. Taipei 3 - Taiwan
419. Up Taipei - Taiwan
420. Taipei. Post Script - Taiwan
421. South to Tainan - Taiwan
422. Hot Springs in Guanziling - Taiwan
423. Further South to Kaohsiung - Taiwan
424. More Kaohsiung - Taiwan
425. Around the Coast to Taitung - Taiwan
426. North up to Hualien - Taiwan

2024

Jan
427. Return to Taipei and Onwards - Taiwan/Vietnam
428. Taipei Finale and Home - Taiwan/UK

Thursday 18 January 2024

TAIPEI FINALE AND HOME

 2nd - 5th Jan 2024

My travels took me from Taipei (top) anti-clockwise around the island.

I arrived at Ho Chi Minh (Tan Son Nhat) airport at 9pm on New Year's Day for a 1.00am flight back to Taipei. It was to be a rather sleepless night and following day as I could not book into my cheapo hotel in Taipei until 3.00pm. Anyway it all went according to plan and I eventually relaxed in a pleasant café (called Oumi) near the hotel where I spent some time fiddling about on my computer. On getting into my hotel room I found that I had lost the lead to recharge my phone. It could only have been in the café. I went back and the lady there said she hadn't seen it. Oh damn and blast! As it happened, on going back there for a cup of coffee and a sticky bun the next morning, it was handed to me, without me even asking, neatly wrapped in a plastic bag. During the course of my time in Taiwan I had stupidly left three other items (my guide book, my notebook and another electric lead) at different locations. On thinking where they might be I went back and all were handed to me. Or, at Baihe as described previously, they phoned my hotel to tell me my notebook had been found. The Taiwanese are incredibly honest and helpful!

For my final full day in the city I wandered around and then decided to visit the University area which is to the south of the centre. Taiwan has several top-class universities with no less than five in Taipei; the most prestigious being the National Taiwan University which attracts many foreign students. Left: The tree-lined avenue leading up to the library of the National Taiwan Museum.

There are some splendid parks around this area and, advertised in my guide book, Riverside bars in the Gongguan  area on the banks of the tributary River Xindian. I wandered over for a look.

Right: The line of bars and cafés along the photogenic riverside. This is not my photo. When I passed by (mid-afternoon) they were all closed and shuttered! Maybe because of the New Year holiday, or perhaps they opened later in the evening.




Left: Also nearby is an area, on a hill, known as 'Treasure Hill Artist Village'.




Right: It comprises steep  steps  leading up to a rabbit-warren of narrow passageways with many galleries, studios, workshops and cafés. I was told it is hive of student-oriented activity featuring exhibitions, art installations and impromptu dance performances with light shows and things happening on the green at the foot of the village. When I got there everything was closed! (apart from a guard-post). I suspect the 'students' are all still on holiday.

I ambled up and through this almost deserted 'village' to the main street through Gongguan. As with most streets there are wall-to-wall cafés serving, mainly, noodle dishes. I can't think why there are so many and all so similar. 

However, almost hidden away between these cafés is a bar; the Bitter-Sweet Bar (left). It is only marked by a small illuminated sign above an unprepossessing door and I found it by accident. I went in. What an amusing place! The two barmen, one of whom was called Bob, from Burma (Myanmar), were hilarious and even generous with free drinks. I got chatting with a most engaging couple; a charming French girl studying at the university for a 'Masters Degree' in mathematics and (not sure if he was her boyfriend) a Taiwanese chap called Lucas. They were great company. I had to leave before, as Bob advised me, I got 'wobbly'!

I made my way back, not too wobbly, by Metro and after an evening coffee at the Oumi café went to my hotel before leaving for home the following morning. That about sums up my visit to Taiwan. I'm sure I will have missed out on several interesting sights and subsequent observations. 

Aspects which I may not have mentioned (it seems a long time ago when I started these 'diaries' and I've mostly forgotten what I have written previously) are:

1. The lethal slippery marble-like surfaces of many pavements when they are wet (which was often the case).

2. The Taiwan sports scene. It seems to revolve, as I saw on TV, around Baseball and Snooker. I did see a couple of large Baseball grounds. Right: Taipei Baseball Stadium (not my photo!).

3. All the cheap hotels I stayed in had one significant improvement on hotels in most other countries. The bedside lights all had gently illuminated light switches. This meant that if you got up for a pee in the middle of the night, you weren't blindly thrashing around, with devastating effects, to switch the lights on. I can't think why this obviously helpful 'aid' is not available, if not compulsory, in all hotels.

The next morning, 4th January, I caught the MRT express train back to the airport (Terminal 2 this time) for my China Southern Airlines flight, initially a 1hr 30min flight to Guangzhou, China. Then a 19 hour hold-over before the flight on back to London Heathrow. It was similar to my hold-over at this airport on the way out which I described, with photos, in the 'blog' at the beginning of December. The only difference being that I used, to max advantage, the excellent facilities (apart from no 'Google') at China Southern CIP Lounge on two occasions; 4.30pm to Midnight when they close, and 4.30am to near my departure time at 12.15pm. I even got a bit of sleep.

One small 'incident' occurred. Following a thoroughly chaotic and intrusive baggage search on passing through to the transfer area, I found, after being happily ensconced in the CIP Lounge, I had lost due to all the unpacking and searching of my bags and clothes, another vital electric charging lead. I risked going back (after an hour) to the search area in the vain hope of seeing if they had found it. I was confronted by a very officious security lady who insisted on taking my passport and boarding card. I thought this could mean trouble! There was much shouting and gesticulating and I thought I was going to have a big problem here. As it happened I was shouted at to go to a side area where another security officer handed me the missing lead! I hugged him in gratitude, and my passport etc. were handed back to me. A small miracle.

The 12hr 30min flight back to LHR was uneventful and reasonably comfortable as I had been allocated, free of charge, a seat at one of the emergency exits with extra leg room. On getting to my seat I found the Captain's hat on it. Why it was there I have no idea. After trying it on I made sure it was returned to him.



We arrived at LHR at 5.15pm local time. It was dark, wet, cold and miserable. Terminal 4 was typical LHR mayhem and I really wondered whether I was in New Delhi. On getting to Terminal 2 I eventually caught a bus (£15) to the town of Reading from which I hoped to connect with a train to my home town. No such luck! All trains had been cancelled due to 'floods'. The British rail system is never prepared for a bit of rain, wind, snow or ice if, indeed, the train drivers are not on strike.

Left: A comparison in Taiwan.

At last I found a bus which took me to a town near my home town. No further public transport thereafter. I am lucky to have a helpful neighbour who drove out to collect me and I got home at about 10.00pm Phew!

Well, it is SO NICE to be back in jolly old UK. 😧 Where next?