You'd think I'd be tripping over internet cafes...
...but they are as rare as hen's teeth around here. It really is a problem to keep in touch at the moment but I've finally found one here in Portsmouth, near Jason's grandmother's house. Jason, Will and Aunty Jan have gone off to go up in the Portsmouth Tower thingy (which we ran out of time to do yesterday). So Marianna and I have gone for a walk around the shops and found this net cafe tucked away in an optometrist shop (???).
We've had a busy few days. Tuesday Jason's Aunty Jan and her husband Barry arrived and we spent most of the day driving around having a look round the place with them. Barry has a GPS which makes it very easy to get around - it literally tells you "100 yards turn left", "at the roundabout take 2nd exit" - quite cool. We visited and walked around Portchester Castle, parts of which were built in the 11th century, so it was pretty special. It's all a ruin now except for the church which still has Sunday service. It was absolutely amazing to walk around such an old place, you could almost hear the ghosts talking to you.
Then we came back to Nan's house and Jason's Uncle Martin and Aunty Sue and her husband Mike arrived. We spent a few hours chatting with them but had to leave as Marianna was getting very tired.
Wednesday (yesterday) we spent the day on the Portsmouth historic waterfront. We took the hovercraft over to the Isle of Wight and came straight back. It was cold and foggy so we didn't feel like hanging about. But at least we can all now say we've been on a hovercraft and been to the Isle of Wight. Then we strolled around, had some lunch at the fanciests Nandos I've ever seen and then Jason took Will on a tour of the HMS Victory (they both loved it) and Barry had a tour of the Mary Rose. Us girls just pottered about and I bought some nice books about Portsmouth to take home.
By the end of the day Marianna was getting very tired and cranky. She is teething and quite grumpy compared to her usual happy self. So Jason dropped me and her back at the hotel and he and Will went to have dinner with Yvonne's old friends Bob and June. They live very close to our hotel and they all went out to The Seagull (one of the MANY pubs around the place) for a steak dinner.
Marianne did not have a happy night though. She was very restless, drinking a bit of her bottle, falling asleep, waking up grumpy, having a bit more of her bottle but not wanting to sleep again, on and off all night. I was very bleary eyed when we awoke this morning.
Anyway, now she is sleeping in her stroller so all is well. This afternoon we are going with Jason's cousin Diane to meet her other daughter Carrie and have lunch at a pub in Arundle. Tomorrow we are driving to Surrey to visit with Jan and Barry's son Glen and his wife and two boys. Glen came out to Australia about 8 or 9 years ago and had dinner with us and Peter and Maureen. So it will be nice to catch up with him after all these years.
Well, not too long now before we head home. As much as I'm enjoying myself here I really am feeling quite desperate to get home. I want my own things around me and to start getting into a good routine with Marianna. I can't wait to see all the smiling faces when we get off the plane.
We've had a busy few days. Tuesday Jason's Aunty Jan and her husband Barry arrived and we spent most of the day driving around having a look round the place with them. Barry has a GPS which makes it very easy to get around - it literally tells you "100 yards turn left", "at the roundabout take 2nd exit" - quite cool. We visited and walked around Portchester Castle, parts of which were built in the 11th century, so it was pretty special. It's all a ruin now except for the church which still has Sunday service. It was absolutely amazing to walk around such an old place, you could almost hear the ghosts talking to you.
Then we came back to Nan's house and Jason's Uncle Martin and Aunty Sue and her husband Mike arrived. We spent a few hours chatting with them but had to leave as Marianna was getting very tired.
Wednesday (yesterday) we spent the day on the Portsmouth historic waterfront. We took the hovercraft over to the Isle of Wight and came straight back. It was cold and foggy so we didn't feel like hanging about. But at least we can all now say we've been on a hovercraft and been to the Isle of Wight. Then we strolled around, had some lunch at the fanciests Nandos I've ever seen and then Jason took Will on a tour of the HMS Victory (they both loved it) and Barry had a tour of the Mary Rose. Us girls just pottered about and I bought some nice books about Portsmouth to take home.
By the end of the day Marianna was getting very tired and cranky. She is teething and quite grumpy compared to her usual happy self. So Jason dropped me and her back at the hotel and he and Will went to have dinner with Yvonne's old friends Bob and June. They live very close to our hotel and they all went out to The Seagull (one of the MANY pubs around the place) for a steak dinner.
Marianne did not have a happy night though. She was very restless, drinking a bit of her bottle, falling asleep, waking up grumpy, having a bit more of her bottle but not wanting to sleep again, on and off all night. I was very bleary eyed when we awoke this morning.
Anyway, now she is sleeping in her stroller so all is well. This afternoon we are going with Jason's cousin Diane to meet her other daughter Carrie and have lunch at a pub in Arundle. Tomorrow we are driving to Surrey to visit with Jan and Barry's son Glen and his wife and two boys. Glen came out to Australia about 8 or 9 years ago and had dinner with us and Peter and Maureen. So it will be nice to catch up with him after all these years.
Well, not too long now before we head home. As much as I'm enjoying myself here I really am feeling quite desperate to get home. I want my own things around me and to start getting into a good routine with Marianna. I can't wait to see all the smiling faces when we get off the plane.
posted by deepkickgirl @ 3:10 AM
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