Week 67 6 -12 July CRD57

Sunday 6

Started a bit earlier today packed up our camp for the last time.  Another good breakfast and we were on the road at 8.50am. 164k gravel road back to Thargomindah. We had one stop and arrived at 10.45am. Took a photo in front of the Thargomindah sign then to the caravan park to clean up, change and repack for our flight home. We took the bikes to a container near the airport and then walked over to book in for our flight home. Flight home was on time and we got home ahead of time landing in Brisbane before 5pm. We said our goodbyes and Nay picked us up. Got back to Ben and Nay's welcomed at the mailbox by Robyn and the kids. Was pretty tried. Think the flat out ride took it out of us a bit. Nice to sleep in a bed. 

Monday 7

Nay had booked me a doctors appointment to have my rib injury checked out. Doctor was a good guy who sent me for an xray and prescribed some Panadol Forte. Xray showed the rib cracked and some possible bruising on the lung but I was clear to fly. Robyn and I have some morning tea. Did some shopping mainly for small travel pack items. We then went back to Brookwater for lunch. Ben went into work. Turned out he did not need to be there he was still meant to be on leave. Meridy came over for afternoon tea with Matt and they took the ute back to their place. We all went out to tea at the Beachhouse at Orion. Ben took us into the airport. To catch out flight. No hassles boarding. We got our seat up graded  to a quieter section with a  free seat between us. Flight left on time at 1.55am.

Tuesday 8

A long day's travel. Flew to Dubai we had about 5hrs in the airport there. I caught up on all the Tayla Relph videos in prep for next weekend. Then to London flight was about an hour late. Hotel was not as close to the airport as I had expected. By the time we were getting into bed it was 11pm coming through customs in the UK was very easy. Basically walked in. Easier than it will be getting back into Australia. 

Wednesday 9

After breakfast at a Cafe which was probably more expensive than breakfast the hotel we stayed in we got a taxi to the car hire place. Paid money and upgraded our car to a hybrid BYD. We made our way too our accomdation in Victoria in London City. Kate was there before us a left a note to meet her in a Cafe around the corner. And there she was. From there we started on all the things we wanted to see in London. Because this was Kate's fourth visit she was our guide. We saw the Thames, the London Eye. Big Ben, St James Park, Nelson's Column, The Duke of York, Bunningham Palace, Wesrminster Abby, The market werre Elisa Doolittle sold flowers, The streets were narrow there were lots of people.  The combination of very old buildings, alfresco dinning, narrow alleys, ostrantous monuments and large and smaller green spaces made in an attractive place for me. See thing you had heard about and orientating them to each other. Eg Big Ben is near the Thames and not near Hyde Park which is huge. St James Park is adjacent Bunningham Palace which has large grounds but as a building is not that impressive. You can not walk past 10 Downing Street. That seems to be a statue to everyone including commandors from the colonies who were concidered to have made significant contributions. Alot of walking and more to see tomorrow. It felt be bit like Melbourne with a lot more years. 

Thursday 10

This morning Kate took us on a Geogrette Hiera walk tour where we went to visit the street and locations she talks about in her historical novels. So many of the shops still exist selling custom made hats and shoes and the like. The most impressive we visited was Hatchard a 4 story book shop. We finished we lunch in Green Park. Very nice day. From there we picked up our car and then our bags and headed out of London. Cause we had time and I did not want to mess with tolls we took a slower way. We headed for the Mill Wheel House in Hartshorne our location for the next 4 night while we went to Donning Park WSBK via Great Gidding Grandfather Hopper's birthplace. To my surprise it was a bit like home rolling fields of ripe wheat, bailey and oats. When we arrived at our accomdation we found it had been sold and and the old owners left with our money. Although frustrating the new owners were great and the room we booked was still available. Booking.com were not to bad either. Explaining what had happened was the hardest part. The fact it does not get dark was the hardest. 

Friday 11

Today was Donnington Park for WSBK. It was really hot and there was really hot and no shade. So I put on my best Australian with my near to useless Aussie SBK bucket hat. Most of the best viewing was from the infield and the coolest place on the track was the tunnel under the track. There were few places you could get close to the bikes like you can at PI. Just after the gate you get a good but brief look at the Melbourne Loop and from the in field at Goddard's. The track has a lot of elevation and great grass viewing areas particularly of the back of the circuit from Hollywood to McLean's. Tayla Qualified 9 and Tara 20th. 

Robyn and Kate did some exploring. 

In Derby. Did some shopping and visited the grounds of Elvaston Castle for afternoon tea before picking me up. 

Saturday 12

We went to Burton in Trent for breakfast the morning. A lovely cafe Kate found with a nice owner happy to chat with us. From here we did a bit of shopping. Brought 2 umbrellas and I got some thongs. From here we went to the track on time from Tayla Relpha's first race. She started will from 8th she lead the second pack most of the race before dropping back to 13th. Tara Morrison started 19th and finished 19. Supersport Ollie Baylass started very well bit fell off. Tom Booth Aimoss finished 2nd on the Triumph same as he did at Phillip Island. In SBK Remi Gardener finished 9. Local Alex Lowes had a huge crash from the lead in front of us that saw his bike break in half. After the races it took ages to get out. The traffic management was poor. We shower and went to tea at the Greyhound Hotel in Swadlincote for dinner. Bed at 9pm sun still up.