Well here we are in the Dales and despite the cold and the bleak, it's an incredible experience.
After we arrived in Gatwick airport we picked up a nice Peugeot station wagon (or Estate as they like to call them over here) and headed north to Cambridge.
Our good friends had waited up patiently and kindly had everything ready for sleeping. After 48 hours with the minimum of sleep I was ready for it. I never seem to be able to sleep on a plane. If you want to recreate my experience in the 'comfort' of your own home, climb into a washing basket for 14 hours and have a small child kick it occasionally.
Anyway, the next day we headed into Cambridge town to wander around, shopping and have a pub lunch. Let me say here that there are one or two differences between Cambridge and downtown Caringbah..but they both have a Subway. Go where you will in the world... you'll find a foot long.
Returning to Cambridge was like stepping back in time (I was last there in '04). Some things were changed but really not much was different. It was like opening an old box right at the back of the wardrobe and finding all sorts of knick knacks that you had forgotten about.
The next day we headed north with our friends and had high tea at Betty's in Harrogate. I had an excellent red pepper soup, which made up for the driving around madly all over the place looking for a place to park. A pot of tea as well... tradition must be upheld old chap.
It's remarkable to me the way the English master the art of the understated, the sorts of things that would have a people at home worked up into an apoplectic fit has the english saying things like "I felt a bit let down".
Then it was off to Keld, located in the heart of Yorkshire national park. Next update : Keld
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