Thursday 14th June - Surf's Up!

I was writing yesterday's blog entry in bed last night, had done all the text and gotten the photos just how I wanted them, but could I get it to upload? No chance. After some time messing about with settings, I gave up and went to sleep.

This morning, I had another go......major problems.....the program I use on the iPad crashed and refused to work again. Fearing that I had lost the whole lot, I downloaded the latest version of it and tried again. Phew, my work was still there, but there was no way that it would upload.

I tried posting a test entry directly via the web browser and that worked fine, so I knew that it wasn't Blogger itself that was the problem. No worries, I would just copy and paste the whole thing between the programs.

Yeah, right....because everything with computers is simple isn't it? Eh, no. I had to do it a paragraph at a time, and it would not let me do anything with the photos. Once the text was uploaded, all the formatting had been lost so it was one huge paragraph. I was not a happy bunny.

So, Scallywags came to the rescue, she edited the text on her laptop, and after a looooongggggg wait got all the photos to upload, and finally, after about two hours of messing about, the entry you see for yesterday now looks just like the one I created on the iPad before I went to sleep last night! I hope you think it was worth the effort!!

So, here we are, mid-morning, and still in the process of getting up and ready to go out. It is sunny again after last nights rainstorm, but it is very windy, and the waves onto the shore are by far the biggest we have seen since getting here, hence the blog title for this morning!



Breakfast (which I am about to make) will be Shreddies, with toffee yoghurt and banana.

Today we decided to have a touring around day. The first place we went to was Beddgelert. What a lovely little village it is, full of history, legend, and gift shops that actually sell things you might want at a price that doesn't make your eyes water!

The river running through the village gave up some nice photographs, and the views on the road up to the village offered some impressive views.



The road from Beddgelert to Capel Curig gave us some even more spectacular views, including some of the top of Snowdon. The weather was still sunny, but now very clear, and it was impossible to show the sheer scale of the scenery in photographs. The one below has a house in it - find it and you will start to understand the scale!



There was a small parking spot with views of the Snowdon Horseshoe, again, the photo won't give the full impression of the enormity of what you are seeing.



Now I have a favour to ask of you. Please please please make the effort to drive along the road between the Pen-y-Gwryd Hotel and Llanberis. It is the A4086 through the "Pass of Llanberis".

The journey along this road heading North is one of the most amazing, stunning you will experience in the UK. To begin with the road climbs steeply up into the mountains, before dropping almost as steeply into the pass. The mountains of the Snowdon Horseshoe tower above you to the left, and to the right the remains of mountains that have been quarried for slate and rock tower to your right.

The sight is both breath taking and awe inspiring. That mother nature created such a thing and man then took what he wanted from it against huge odds. It was a sight that I actually felt physically if you know what I mean - I felt it in my heart.

I wasn't able to take any photos as there was nowhere to stop, but there would have been no point anyway - they would not have done it justice at all.

We turned around in Llanberis and took the same route back. It is not such an impressive journey going South on the same road which seems a bit odd, and it didnt seem to take as long either.

After this, we went on to Betws-y-Coed, where we stopped for a look around the town and lunch at a pub. We both opted for the gammon, and I have to say that it was the best gammon that I have had for years.

Leaving Betws-y-Coed, we took the A470 back towards Porthmadog, going through Blaenau Ffestiniog, which was a bit of an eye opener. All of the mountains surrounding the town have been quarried for slate to such an extent that the whole area looks how you would expect it to look if an atomic bomb had been let off there. It is, quite frankly, a mess! It must be very depressing for the locals to have to live there with the remains of their now basically defunct source of income glowering at them.

By now, the weather had changed, and it had started to rain. By the time we got back to Criccieth, it was pouring down. We had planned to go to the local Cadwalladers Ice Cream parlour this evening as they were having live jazz, so at half six we braved the still pouring rain, and trudged up the hill.

The band was still setting up when we got there, and the parlour was filling up quite quickly. We sampled their famous ice cream, which lived up to its reputation. The jazz was supplied by a trio of trumpet, guitar and upright bass. They were very good even though some of the tunes they played were not really the type of jazz I'm partial to.

We stayed until eight, and made our way back. It was still raining, although not quite as heavily. Almost as soon as we got back, the heavens opened again, so our timing was pretty much spot on!

I'm going to end today's entry with another photo taken in Beddgelert, which made us smile. ( by the way, the majority of the photos so far have been taken by Sally)

Wednesday 13th June - Blaenau Ffestiniog Railway

I was woken this morning by a loud rumbling noise. My first thought was that it was my tummy, but soon realised that it was thunder. The rain was lashing down, and the odd rumble of thunder was followed by a bolt of lightning. Thankfully the thunderstorm did not last for too long, but the rain seemed settled in for the day.

Because of the weather, we decided to go to Pwlhelli as there is a market there on a Wednesday, one which claims to be the largest in North Wales. We set out with high hopes of finding some local produce.

By the time we were on our way to Pwlhelli, the rain had pretty much stopped, and the skies were brightening up. The journey didn't take too long, as it was only a few miles. More by luck than judgement we found the market and, more importantly, somewhere to park.

It was now quite sunny, and we were already doubting our choice for the day, and when we discovered that the market was actually rather a let down, and was just the same as any market you could find in any town, we were very much in the mood for a change of plan.

We had a brief wander around the town, but there was little to keep us interested, and so we headed back to the apartment much sooner than we had expected to so that we could check on the timetable for the trains. We found that the next train left Porthmadog at 1:35pm, which gave us around 45 minutes to spare.

Once back in the car, we quickly got to Porthmadog, although finding somewhere to park was a bit less simple. The carpark at the station was full, and so we had to use one of the normal ones, which was not only quite expensive, but also meant that the timings involved with our trip were tight.
Our original plan had been to take the train to Blaenau Ffestiniog, stay there for about an hour and a half to have a look around, and then go back on the train. This would have made us way too late for the carpark, and so we had to get there, wait while they refilled the tender for the engine and then come straight back.

As it happened, this was not the end of the world, as it appears that there was very little to see once you are there. It is a very bleak town, dominated by the remains of its previous slate and mining industries. Even in glorious sunshine it was not too welcoming, but thankfully the journey there and back on the narrow gauge steam train more than made up for it.

The route the train takes is both beautiful and awe inspiring. I gather that it is the only railway in the UK that has a spiral in it. This is something that makes train enthusiasts from all over the world want to experience it. Now don't get it into your head that it is like going on a roller coaster ride at a theme park, because it is not anything like that, but it is quite something to see the track go around a small hill and double back over itself. At one point the front of the train is pointing 180 degrees different to the rear of the train.

The track winds it's way up the sides of mountains, through woods, and alongside small cottages. Many times along the route you could reach out of the window and touch the cottages it passes. There are numerous level crossings, most of which just have lights and beepers on them rather than gates or barriers. At one point the train actually goes across  and along the main street of a village before carrying on up the mountainside.

The views just get more spectacular as you round every corner, and no matter how hard you try, photographs just cannot do it justice - they give you no idea of the sheer scale of the scenery.

The carriages are obviously very narrow and not particularly comfortable to ride in. Thankfully the journey is only an hour and ten minutes each way, but even so, the harsh ride gives you a numb bottom by the time you reach your destination!

The sun shone for the whole trip there and back, and it was all very pleasant, and we are very pleased that we have done it. Yes, I would do it again, just not too soon - I need to get over the aches first!

The evening started to come over very dull, and the clouds took on a threatening look. Eventually the rain came, and the wind picked up. By now it was almost dark though, so we didn't mind. Considering the forecast had been for rain all day, we can't complain.

Tuesday 12th June - Portmeirion

Well one thing is for sure - the bed is REALLY comfy! We both slept very well, and agree that this is probably the most comfortable bed that we have had in any of the places we have stayed. Indeed, it is probably just as good as ours at home.

I had the inevitable lie in this morning, and when i finally awoke, it was to find the sun shining, and the start of a glorious day. Despite the weather forecast threatening rain again, the sun has shone pretty much all day, and even though there have been clouds, there has been no sign of the wet stuff. (so far.....the forecast on the TV for tonight and tomorrow is not good)

We took advantage of the good weather to go to Portmeirion - as Sally said, i have wanted to go there for years, so it would be a shame to miss out on going on a nice day......it "might" be the only one we get....

We are only a few miles from it, and so it didn't take very long to get there. I think it took almost as long to discover how to get into the car park as the rest of the journey had taken! The entrance driveway seemed to go on for ever.

Once into the village, i have to say that i was not disappointed - it wasn't quite how i expected it to be, but if anything it was better. Its always a fear that when you have looked forward to something for so long that it turns out to be a let down....that was not the case with Portmeirion.

Yes, it would have been nice if you could have gone into more of the buildings and looked around them, but i can understand why they wont let you. We had a good wander around the village, checking out the shops, and the bits you could go into.

We went down as far as the beach, and even walked along the coastal path for some way. The sand seems to go on for miles, but i gather from the info that the tide can come in very quickly.

The buildings in the village are truly stunning - you feel that you are somewhere in the Med rather than in North Wales. The colours really sing to you. It is wonderfully designed and well looked after.

I was using the 35mm film camera, which made a nice change, while Sally took command of the digital one. This meant that while she was going crazy with hers, making sure that we have photos of everything, i was trying to be a bit more "artistic", and was brushing up on my technique. It was good practice for me on calculating the exposures.....despite it being a couple of years or so since i have needed to, i was still able to predict the required exposures pretty accurately,and didn't need to make too many changes once i had set them and looked through the viewfinder to check the readings the camera was giving.

We spent four hours or so at the village, had a couple of cups of tea, and a turkey & salad roll each. We also took advantage of the road train to have a look around the woodland section of the estate.The whole visit was very successful in our opinions, and very good value at £10.00 a head.

On the way back to Criccieth, we stopped off at the Lidl in Porthmadog to top up on provisions, before heading back to the apartment. I managed to fall asleep during the early football match, having gotten myself very comfortable on the beanbags in the bay window. I have managed to create a kind of nest for myself with them, and once i get settled on them, i'm as happy as can be!

Dinner was a mix of tuna, mackerel and salad, which was both tasty and filling. The evening is still very clear and the views are MUCH better than they were yesterday - you can see much further and the tops of the mountains in the distance are very clear today. The waves are lapping onto the shore below the window, and sound a lot more fierce than they look. It almost sounds stormy, and then you look and it all seems quite gentle really.

Sally is busy doing some colouring for her cards, the football is on the telly, and all in all, it has been a really good day. Let's hope for another good one tomorrow!!











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Monday 11th June.

We awoke to a dull an drizzly morning. As we couldn't get into the apartment until 4pm, we didn't have to make too early a start, and so, I took advantage of a lie in.
This also meant that by the time I was up, some of the neighbours had gone to work, and I was able to move Sally's car a bit closer to our house. Otherwise it would have involved a bit of a trek with all the luggage to pack the car.
I got the majority of stuff into the car, and then we had a lovely breakfast of bacon, eggs and mushrooms. Very tasty indeed, and a good way to fuel the day.
We managed to leave just before 11am, but had to make a brief pit stop at the post office to get a few parcels posted. This meant that it was more like 11:15 when we left properly. By this time it was raining pretty heavily, and it was rather unpleasant. We hit the M6 and headed towards Birmingham. The traffic was very heavy, and the spray made visibility quite poor. We elected to take the M6 Toll road to avoid the worst of the traffic around Brum, and this proved to be a good move.
As usual the toll road was pretty much empty, and we able to make good progress. Not only that, but it seemed we were outrunning the weather too, and by the time we got off the toll road near Wolverhampton, it had virtually stopped raining.
As we got further along into the journey, and over the boarder into Wales, the skies cleared and the sun began to shine. Which meant that we were treated to the breathtaking beauty of the mountains. This truly is a stunning country, it just needs some half decent weather to appreciate just how beautiful it is.
We had a very brief stop for some fruit not long after Welshpool, and then made another stop at a craftmill near Dolgellau where we had a cup of tea. It turned out that the couple running the cafe were from Coventry originally! It is a small world.
Carrying on the journey again, we hit a lot of roadworks - they seem to be doing an awful lot of work, and in places it would seem that they are making the roads wider. They would be better employed making the hills less steep in my opinion!!
Passing through Porthmadog, we saw an Aldi and Lidl almost next door to one another, and rather than give our custome to the dreaded Tesco that we knew are there too, we elected to use Aldi, and bought a few bits that we needed. Unfortunately, it had started raining again, and come over very cloudy.
Criccieth is only a few miles further along the road, and we soon arrived, and then had to find the place we are staying. This proved to be easier than we expected, and it really is just across the road from the beach. If it weren't for the low clouds and poor visibility, the view from the apartment would be astonishing. We can just about make out the shapes of the mountains across the bay, but on a clear day, it would be magnificent.
The apartment itself is lovely. The three flights of stairs may well kill us off by the end of the holiday, but apart from that it is great.
The living room, dining room and kitchen are all one large room, with two comfy sofas, two bean bags in the bay window, large TV, dining table with four chairs and a nicely laid out and equiped kitchen. (Hob, oven, microwave, fridge, kettle, toaster and dishwasher)
There are two bedrooms, one has a double bed, the other two singles which can be made into a king sized - that is the one we will be using. The bathroom is set out as a wetroom. Its all very modern, nicely set out, newly decorated, and so far we have no complaints.
There was some milk waiting for us in the fridge, some cake, and a box of assorted twinnings teabag. Very thoughtful.
I sort of watched the England v France game, though it was not very exciting, so I was more than happy to star writing this during it.
Dinner was chicken, bacon and cheese. It may sound a little odd, but we are following the Slimming World diet, and today was a "red" day which means we can eat as much meat as we want, and have to watch the carbs. I haven't gotten my head around it really yet, but Sally has, and we have both lost weight on it so far, so who am I to argue with it.
We went for a walk along the seafront after dinner for about an hour. It has become a very pleasant evening - not sunny, but dry and fairly warm.
Back at the apartment now, Sally is watching the telly, and I'm going to finish this up before doing some reading I think. I'm sitting on a bean bag in the bay window, with the sounds of the waves crashing onto the sand drifting up to me, and the smell of the sea catching me too.
A lovely end to the first day away. Here's hoping for decent weather tomorrow!

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Nearly ready.......

Hooray, hooray, we're on holiday!!!

Yes, at long last, it's that time of the year - time for our holiday. Now remember, we hadn't imagined that we would get to go away this year because of the house move, but as this isn't going to happen for quite a few more months by the look of it, we decided to go for it.

So, what exotic location are we jetting off to this year? Well, we are going abroad.....kind of....to Wales. This time we are going to North'ish Wales, to the town of Criccieth, which is not far from Porthmadog.

I have never been to that part of Wales before, and i am REALLY looking forward to it, not least because i have wanted to visit Portmeirion for many many years. (ever since seeing the TV series The Prisoner i suppose)

Of course, the weather over the last few days has somewhat changed our expectations - there have been some pretty major flooding not very far South of where we will be staying during the last 24 hours or so. Sally spoke to the owner of the apartment this morning, and all seems to be OK where we will be, but even so, we have to expect fairly wet weather, and anything else will be a bonus.

Here is the website of where we are staying:-
http://www.menaiholidays.co.uk/accommodation/details/marine_terrrace_pen_y_garn#

I have spent some of the evening planning the route and checking out a few places to visit while we are there. I'm not making too many plans, as a lot will be dependant on the weather, and i don't want to be disappointed.

The important thing is to have a rest, chill out, and enjoy our break from work.

I'm taking the ipad, which should allow me to blog, play games and read books/magazines. I was hoping to take some radio gear to do some portable work, but i have pretty much abandoned that idea now. I will take a small receiver with me, but no proper HF gear.

Also, now that i have got new glasses, i'm hoping to get back to doing some more cross-stitch. I haven't touched my big project for months, and it would be great to make a bit more headway into it.

Right, that's enough for tonight - more to come!!

keep calm.......

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wow - where id THAT quarter of a year go?

OK, so i have just realised that it has been THREE months since my last post......and then i wonder why i don't have more followers!

Right, so what has been happening here? Not a lot, and quite a lot all at the same time.

Sally and I have put our name down on a new house - it hasn't even been started yet, but hopefully they will start building it around July time, and so it should be ready for us by the end of the year.

It is a three storey, 4 bedroomed semi on the new estate on the ste of the old Peugeot works on the Humber Road here in Coventry. Why do we need a 4 bed house when there is only the 2 of us you ask, and the reasoning is as follows....

The master bedroom is on the top floor (ie the "attic"), that will be for us. (unless my snoring gets any worse, in which case i may be relegated to the garage!). One of the bedrooms on the middle floor will be set up as a permanent guest room - this means that we can have people to stay without the current palava that we have. The hope is that Ron & Beryl will come and stay, and if they like the area, possibly move down here themselves. It also means that if any of the parents are ill at any time, there will be somewhere for them to stay while they get better. Craig, Rachel & Frankie or Sean, Arancha & Xavier will be able to come to visit too and stay over.

The other "big" bedroom on the middle floor will be Sally's craft room/office - she is already planning how it will be set out with all her "toys", and the hope is that she will be able to get even more crafting done. The "small" bedroom will be my radio room, and will probably also have the ironing board in it - so i will be able to play radio while doing my chores! Excellent. This room also faces onto the rear garden, which is pretty vital for the antennas.....

Talking of which, i am already planning my antenna "farm", and the hope is for a wire dipole, HF multi band vertical, 28mhz vertical and VHF/UHF vertical - yes, the neighbours are going to love me!

We hadn't planned to have a holiday this year because of the house move, but have decided to have 10 days away, and are going to Wales - Criccieth near Portmerion. I have never been to that part of Wales before and am really looking forward to it. The apartment we are staying in is just across the road from the beach, so hopefully, weather permitting, we will be able to have some evening walks along this.

Unlike previous years, i have not yet made any major plans or notes of places to visit, and apart from wanting to go to Portmerion, have decided to wing it and make it up as we go along. A lot of it will depend on the weather anyway, so it is probably better to do it this way rather than get too many hopes up.

Enough for now, i just wanted you all to know that i'm still alive ;-)