Jul 21 - safe arrival

That was quite an experience, landing after no sleep and then driving four hours on the other side of the road.  Everything went like clockwork and on time -- landing, passport control, baggage (although the bike was the last thing out, whew !), and then wheel along to the car rental which is onsite at Gatwick.

Once out of the airport, I was immediately on the Motorway, so everyone was going the same way which is easy.  The NAV did its job nicely although it did take me off the M-way early for what it considered the shortest/fastest route and I had some country driving on narrow roads on the "wrong" side of the road.

I had calculated that 3pm was the earliest possible arrival time and that it would be closer to 5pm.  As it happened, the NAV calculated 2:15 and I was there by 3pm.  Amazing.

We visited for a bit and then I showered and we went to Helen's, their daughter.  Mark was at the big Cricket match but the three children were there.  Helen is the eldest, now 51.  She and Mark are both lawyers.

Their house is in what used to be the granary of this estate/castle, expanded upon.  The gardens are amazing.  Helen was out tending the chickens when we arrived so Allan and I went and gave her a hand.  We then had "tea" (coffee for me) and some muffins/cakes of course.  We were back to Allan's around 9pm -- yes, I was still awake -- and we started watching the DVD that I'd brought which was a video that my Dad had taken of them on a barge trip here in the UK at Neil's wedding, or perhaps Duncan ... have to check on that.  Neil and Duncan are their boys, two years and four years younger than Helen.

The driving -- the toughest part was not so much making turns or being on the left-hand lane but rather positioning the car in the lane.  You don't realize how much you are used to simply positioning your body with respect to the lane to put the car in the center of the lane.  Being on the right-hand side of the car means that you have to position your body in the right hand side of the lane for the car to be in the center, if you know what I mean.  As a result, I tended to be at the left edge of the lane, until I got used to it.  I'm not sure that I'm quite there yet; time and more driving will tell.

Today -- put bike together; go for a short ride with a friend of Allan's; whatever else.

Tomorrow -- visit Harry and Eric

Wednesday, don't know.

Thursday, head for Chingford.

Onward !