14 june 2010 Birmingham City

Kathy (Lyns's cousin), Lyn and Rita (Kathy's younger sister) with a Bronze Bull in the city centre.

Birmingham National Symphony Hall which is within the International Convention Centre in Birmingham city centre.

Lyn, Kathy (Lyn's Cousin) and Rita (Kathy's sister).

Mick, Rita, Lyn & Kathy.

Canal in Birmingham City Centre.

Today we caught the bus into Birmingham city centre. Surprisingly it is a beautiful place with modern architecture mixed with beautiful heritage buildings. Unfairly, we had a preconceived idea of what it was going to be like and how wrong we were.

We spent about 3 hours walking around in the large paved areas which are free of traffic. The ICC (International Convention Centre) is spectacular as is the large National Symphony Hall inside which is used for big recitals and concerts etc.

Amongst all this a canal runs through the centre on which one can take their narrow boat all the way to London. Mind you one would have to negotiate dozens of locks to get there so it wouldn't be the way to get there if you were in a hurry.

13 June 2010 Birmingham

Kathy Kench and Daughter, Anita



Norma Cable, Niece of Kathy. She visited Australia in 2008.



Vauxhall Astra Display



Signs on the M42






Royal Mail van in a hurry









We drove down from Nottingham to Birmingham and since we were already close to the M1motorway, the trip down only took an hour taking the M1 and M42 motorways. Again the UK maps on the Nokia N95 were great and took us straight to the door of Lyn's cousin.

Within 2 hours of getting here the house was full of about 10 relatives (cousins and second cousins) and friends. Apart from Lyn's cousin Kathy, who Lyn met when in Canada at a family wedding, we didn't know any of them but they all made us feel very welcome and soon had a huge meal prepared. A great day was had by all swapping family stories and information about life in both countries.

Incidentally our UK phone numbers are:

Mick 07564045069
Lyn 07564045070

No ID required to get a Mobile Phone SIM card. Just walk into a shop and get one.

Some pics of the trip down and Family/friends

12 June 2010 Sherwood Forest, Newstead Abbey, Epperstone Manor

A cute squirrel in Sherwood Forest. NB there is no rabies in England.

Mick standing in front of the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest.

Lyn standing by the Sherwood Forest sign.

Lyn in front of the Major Oak Sherwood Forest.

Mick at Epperstone Manor, Epperstone where he did his Police training.

A gardener made out of chicken wire. Superb in real life.

Superb Lion Skin rugs at Newstaed Abbey.

Newstead Abbey, ancestoral home of Lord Byron.

Newstead Abbey

Mick holding historic helmet, Newstead Abbey (sign said I could!)

Lyn at Newstead Abbey

Today we went to Sherwood Forest, then to Epperstone Manor followed by Newstead Abbey.

Sherwood Forest is where Robin Hood reputedly lived and is about 20m miles north of Nottingham. There is a huge Oak Tree called the Major Oak where he hung out with his Merry Men and under which he no doubt had the odd interlude with Maid Marion (see pic it's not X rated).

Sherwood Forest is a beautiful place with lots of wild life. We saw quite a few grey squirrels (see pic) which are such cute animals. Driving through the English countryside to get there is quite something and Lyn can't get over how beautiful it is.

We heard a cuckoo ringing out through the forest and saw lots of other different birds. And no, we didn't see Russell Crowe or for that matter Kate Blanchett.

After the mandatory tour through the gift shop and the passing over of pounds to the checkout operator we were off to Epperstone, a small village about 15 miles out of Nottingham. We didn't plan to go there but we saw the sign on the way out to Sherwood Forest.

I did my Police Training at Epperstone Manor in the early 60's and was keen to see if the old parade ground was still used. Alas the whole place has been sold to developers and we had a long chat to the chap who bought it. He allowed us to take a few pictures as the Manor was being converted to 6 units with million pound plus price tags. I did a salute on the front steps (see pic). He was also building many more units in the grounds and was planning to build a house for himself as well. Since it has extensive grounds there was plenty of room to build many homes.

It was then on to Newstead Abbey which used to be a priory and the ancestral home of Lord Byron. We did a tour of the Abbey and the grounds which were spectacular with wonderful gardens, lawns and lakes which were full of water birds. We found this exquisite statue of a gardener which was made out of chicken wire (see pic). Also inside the Abbey were 2 lion skin rugs complete with heads (see pic).

As well as a tourist attraction it is also available for weddings and one was being held whilst we were there although we were un-impressed when the bride arrived in a 1975 Ford Cortina (even though it had been done up beautifully). We both thought such an exquisite place deserved better. Anyway, when the bride got out with large visible tattoos on her arms and an ill matching outfit we had to leave!

We grabbed a drumstick from cafeteria (not called that in the UK) and headed home.

11 June 2010 Nottingham Castle, tram trip to Hucknall, Bus rides

Nottingham Castle

Lyn & Mick by Robin Hood statue

Lyn in Maid Marion Tiara

Mick Robin Hood West

Entrance to Nottingham Castle

Cave under Nottingham Castle

View of Castle from below

Ratcliffe-on-Soar 2000mw coal fired power station

Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem oldest pub in England

England (St George) flag on front of Nottingham Council House in the city centre to support the England football team

Today we went to the Nottingham Castle and toured the underground caves with a guide giving us detailed information about the castle and the kings etc. It got a bit complicated and gruesome at times! There is nothing like that in Australia.

We caught the bus into city. It stops right outside our window here at the hotel. From our window we can see the fancy electronic sign at the bus stop which tells you what time the buses are due to arrive and what time it is now and they are correct to the minute. The signs have an aeriel on top so the info may be transmitted to the sign by the bus. It makes it so easy. We then did a tram trip out to Hucknall and back and then to the railway station. The Nottingham transport is very modern .

There is only one railway station now which used to be the Midland Station (now called the Nottingham Station). The old Victoria Station was demolished and replaced by a super shopping centre (Westfield).

It cost 3.20 pounds (just gone up from the published 3 pounds in the travel brochures) for unlimited travel for the day until 4.29am the next day so we made the most of it. It gets light at about 4am and it doesn't get dark here until after 10.00pm so we could be out late but we like to get home at about 5pm as we are usually buggered by then. We have to wear our airline masks overnight otherwise we would never get any sleep with there being very few totally dark hours.

Boy the buses were packed on the homeward journey. We sat upstairs as they are Double Decker buses and you get a great view but I (being a mechanic) was a bit worried they were going to tip over with all that weight above the centre of gravity.

We had a good look around the shops today and the jewelery seemed expensive and the electronic goods a bit cheaper than Australia. They have Samsung and LG TV's but also other brands that I haven't heard of. A 32" Samsung 100Hz LCD TV with LED back lighting was 475 pounds. Whilst we were in the city centre some council workers erected this huge St George flag on the front of the council house in the city centre. The flag is used as the flag for the England football team. I don't know why that is. Anyone help?

The Merseybeats who are doing a concert locally, arrive tonight (2am) to stay here at the Tudor. We are looking forward to that! They can't be doing too well as they are staying here!! I must Google the Merseybeats to see how famous they were.

The distant shot from the top of the Castle is of the Ratcliffe-on-Soar coal fired power station which produces 2000MW of electricity.

10 June 2010 Visit to Aunty Rita & UK Postcode Info

Aunty Rita's back yard

Lyn Aunty Rita and Mick

Lyn and Aunty Rita

Firstly I need to tell you about the fantastic postcode system they have here in the UK. I guess it is really designed to simplify the mail system but an added benefit is for people who have a GPS (and isn't that everybody?). Every town/suburb/street/house group has a unique postcode consisting of up to 7 characters which if keyed in to the postcode box on the GPS, takes you directly to the road, then all you do is enter the house number. It's brilliant and we use it all the time.

Today we awoke to more English rain and made our last visit to relatives. We went to see Mick's Aunty Rita in Arnold about 15 minutes from here. She lives in a lovely little house with a very green garden (See pic).

We went for lunch at a local eatery called the Toby Carvery at a place called Colwick (pronounced Collick).

Nice day.

Tomorrow we go to The Nottingham Castle. Martina Hingis was there today posing in front of the Robin Hood statue. She and many other tennis stars are here for the Nottingham tournament. She has announced she will be playing doubles with Anna Kornikova but I don't think it is at this tournament.

9 June 2010 Visit to Muriel Needham and St Johns Church

Lyn Muriel (Micks cousin) Mick



Lyn and Muriel looking at pictures of our Grandson (of course)



Mick and Lyn inside St John's Church, Carlton Nottingham



Colwick Woods, Nottingham



Lyn inside room Tudor Hotel Nuthall Road



England Flags



England Flags











After our "Full English Breakfast" we set off to visit a friend of Mick's family, Muriel in Arnold. Muriel visited us in Canberra (not sure of the exact year)about 1992 and we have kept in contact by a Christmas card every year since. It was nice catching up with her again and she was so pleased to see us.

When we left Muriel's we went back to St John's Church in Nottingham where Mick (when he was much younger than he is now) was a choir boy with the voice of an Angel. (No guesses as to who is writing this.) There we met the Vicar and his wife.

Joyce who had been to England to take their fathers ashes to be scattered with their mothers ashes in 2008 had been overwhelmed by the help, support and kindness given to her by the vicar in organising this and officiating at a small service when the plaque was unveiled.

So on receiving an email sent out to friends of the church by the vicar asking for donations towards a new organ, she thought it would be a nice gesture to make a donation. After a short discussion with us (20 minutes international phone call) we agreed that we would make a joint donation towards it. After meeting the Vicar and making our donation, we had coffee and bikkies and the Royal Tour of the church. He was most pleased and overwhelmed by the generosity of many who had received the email and was now well on the way to meeting his target.
He could also talk the hind leg off a dog!

He had a lot of knowledge about the history of the church and the surrounding area and I was upset to find out that a fellow choir boy with whom I used to sing duets at weddings (Michael Horrocks), had married my girlfriend, Jill Lane. The bastard. Oh well, I suppose she was my girlfriend when I was 12 years old.

We then left and did a tour of Netherfield and Colwick Woods (see the beaut picture) before heading back to the Tudor Hotel whereupon, after what had been a mixed day weatherwise with some sun, it started belting down with rain.

Joyce asked about our accommodation. There is a picture of the outside The Tudor Hotel in the 6 June post and I have included a pic of the inside here. It is a large house converted to a 7 room guest house with mostly ensuite rooms I think. We only have a shower and basin in our room and the loo is just across the hall.

There is Wireless Internet which is free but I couldn't get it to work as it came up with an error so I am using my O2 wireless broadband which works OK most of the time.

NB The English sure reckon they are going to win the World Cup. We went for a pub meal at The Fox tonight just down the road. Checkout the ceiling...

8 June 2010 Visiting relatives

Aunty Edna, Lyn and Mick








Woke up this morning to pouring rain. The traffic was still roaring around so we stayed home, caught up with washing and planned our next move to Birmingham.

In the afternoon we drove down to West Bridgeford past the Notts County football ground (Soccer to the uninitiated) to see Micks Aunty Edna (his mothers brothers wife).
She had good hearing but still could not understand what Lyn was saying.

Here's a picture.