February 4th 2012

Due to this computer not talking to my camera you will have to wait for a visual catch up. I will paint in words such visions you won't mind at all. I hope to add pictures when I can get to an amenable computer.

So this will be catch up and I will head each bit so you can avoid the bits you don't care about. Here goes:

Adelaide Airport

Time for a last Cibo's iced coffee and a quick read of The Age that someone had kindly left.  Look! Max's name.

Kuala Lumpur Lounge

Airport Lounge
As everything in life works out there was the good and the bad of this carefully planned occasion. After all it WAS 8 hours. I soon exhausted the food offerings. The help yourself gin and tonic was a delight and others would have enjoyed the beer on tap. The showering was slightly less refreshing as it was cramped and a bit dated. I coped with that by sprinkling tea tree oil around and then I walked around the four arms of the terminal. The trouble was that we had quite a bit of turbulence on the flight and this unsettled me a bit. I had watched a fabulous film called 'Toast' though. Then it was time to settle down and sleep - there were still 7 hours 35minutes to pass. There were no stretching out chairs except for the massage  chair that I felt was selfish to monopolise, unlike various other customers. So finally some sort of twisted position allowed a little sleep. ..................after 8 hours we boarded and were off!

For Pij xx

Arrival At Heathrow
My British passport and hand luggage let me sail through especially as there was no one on customs at 5.30. Got a bit wary when the ticket machine showed signs of grinding my credit card to bits so paid cash for my ticket on the very fast train to Paddington station. Had to get on quite a slow train first then swapped. Holographic cable tv appeared for jaundiced travellers - you know; the latest stock market etc. Then I waited at a coffee shop for awhile which was quite good as I could get everything out of my bag and try to remember where it should go, put it back, then panic as my purse seemed to have disappeared when i needed to pay for my full English and vat of coffee. I can't explain a flat white; thought I had but got an Americano with a tiny jug of hot milk! Pictures are coming.

My first full English

Paddington Station was the one I needed for my journey down to Newton Abbot in Devon so I sat in front of the board which said which trains were in and weren't and if they were clean. Lots and lots of others joined me because one had to wait till they revealed the correct platform - about 3 minutes before the train left! I was feeling strange and trying to contact loved ones and getting nothing out of the phone boxes. Sorry to all who received very early morning texts. xx

Of course I got on in time and found my seat in the 'quiet car' - the only noise was from a person methodically crunching through a whole bag of snacks. You know rustle, clamp, crunch x4, swallow, rustle, clamp, etc. I tried giving her the British disapproving glare but she was so involved in her pleasure it fell on blind eyes. She was intensely messing with the quiet. (this was partly my jet lag judgement)

Watery Sunshine

On the trip I remembered the grimness of grey, drab, wet living but immediately preferred it to the horror of days followed by nights of unrelenting heat. After the built up area the amazingly beautiful countryside. Watery sunshine then snow. Nearing Newton Abbot the train runs right along the sea and the waves crashed onto the train at one point. I love that bit.

Homelands at Newton Abbot

Newton Abbot is well known to me so I just got a taxi for the short but steep ride to my wonderful Homelands B&B run by Ian and Jane. WOW what a place. One night would set my brain straight and then to meet Ted. (a bit of deception here as i told him i was arriving the following day. It all worked out and he got a bewildered laugh out of it)

OK. This is taking so much longer than I have tonight. You might like to return for more adventures. Especially as i forgot to tell you about the amazingly handsome man I sat next to and slept with of course.

see you! XXXXXXXX