Amy's Sabbatical, Adventures in the UK #6

Friday, June 17

Driving in close quarters

Returned to Chester on this day, again by High Speed Train.  Today was the day we picked up the rental car.  We made these arrangements over the internet before we came to the UK.  Huw has agreed to drive (Thank heavens!)  And it is a bit of an adventure getting back to Tim's house.  We have rented a Ford Focus, which is a pretty large car by UK standards.  Most of the cars here are on the compaq size, smallter than the Focus.  Driving a stick shift on the left side of the road, navigating all the round- abouts, is quite a feat. Plus the roads are quite narrow and everyone else is used to driving on these narrow roads, while we are not.  But Huw does really well.  Thank goodness too for the GPS unit (or the Sat. Nav. as the British say), because without it I am sure we would have spent a lot more lost without a clue about where to go.

The dinner party

In the evening we are invited by Tim and Ashlea to their friend's birthday party at a fancy restaurant right next to the Chester race track.    The men are in suits, the women are all in beautiful dresses with plunging neck lines and three inch stiletto heels.  I have brought a brown skirt and a button down shirt given to me by the staff before I left on sabbatical and I am wearing my "Keen" sandals - the only shoes I brought beside my sneakers.  I feel quite out of place among all these beautiful people.  But they are warm and accepting, kind and open hearted, engaging both Huw and I in great conversation.   We eat a three course dinner - which is just excellent.  After every course, the men who came to dinner are instructed by the host to sit in a differet place around the table.  It's an interesting way to keep the conversations lively and to help everyone to get to know each other. 

Lester, the 8 month old
black lab.

Evan got to stay home, watch movies and hang out with the dogs.  I think he enjoyed that better than a fancy dinner. 

Saturday, June 18  on to Abersoch, Wales. 

the beach at Abersoch

We make our first venture into Wales.  As we drive into the Welsh countryside, we notice that everything is written in Welsh and in English.  the Welsh Language seems very difficult - especially in its pronunciation.  Tim and Ashlea have a caravan (an RV) in the hills of Abersoch overlooking the Cardigan Bay. They park their caravan from May to October with several of their friends close by.   We stop in the town of Pwhelli ( I have no idea how to pronounce this!) for groceries. 
After we get settled in the caravan and met all the good friends, we walk down to the beach with the dogs and stop for a drink at the local pub. 


Dinner with friends, again a barbeque of ribs, burgers, lamb chops, and pork loins.  Outside it is windy and raining.  We are glad to be inside the caravan.