UK and Japan 2010

Well the blinds in the hotel at Aylesbury were super awesome. The sweetie got up to go to the loo and I asked him what the time was and he said 8:00 and I'm *gah* we have to go! heh

So got up and ready fairly quickly and had breakfast (very similar to last hotel but with actual real bacon instead of some weird pressed ham thing).

Headed out, our first stop being Stratford-upon-Avon. Cute, if very touristy, little town. Wandered up to see Shakespeare's birthplace building, but at £12.50 each ($50aud for the two of us to go in) we decided to give it a miss, as we weren't all *that* interested anyway. Instead we went for a little walk down to the Avon river and saw a boat going through a lock and lots of birds and that was actually really quite nice.

Hedge trimming - large scale

Medieval buildings in Stratford-Upon-Avon

Morris Dancers

Birthplace of Shakespeare

Stratford-Upon-Avon is a canal town, so even the ice creams are sold from barges!

Distances via canals and rivers to other towns

Lock

Canal boat in the lock

Feeding a goose

Swan Water Fountain in Bancroft Gardens

Avon River

Our next stop was Warwick, as we wanted to see the castle. Found parking in the castle grounds by accident (although £5 which was a little steep we thought). Castle itself was also pretty pricey (we got the cheapest option of £17.95 - as the dungeon looked pretty kitschy - and probably a good thing we didn't get it anyway as we were pressed for time enough as it was). Had a bit of a wander around the outside of the main castle, down to the mill house and around the back to see the trebuchet (didn't get to see it in action though). Watched the falconry show which was very cool, although I might have taken way too many photos ;) Then went into the castle and around the towers and battlements, which I really enjoyed but Stu nearly died on all the steps. Then through the chapel, great hall and state rooms, making this one of the rare castles/palaces I've been into that let you take photos!! So quite enjoyed that.

Warwick Castle

Entrance to Warwick Castle

Warwick Castle

Avon River and turbine room of the castle

Trebuchet outside the castle

Victoria, the Crowned Eagle, a new arrival at the castle

This Golden Eagle is having a bath

Young Palm Nut Vulture in the falconry show

Peregrine Falcon in the falconry show

Warwick Castle

Inner part of Warwick Castle

Kids in the stocks

Warwick Castle

My parents have a photo exactly like this one from when they went

Inside the castle there's all these mockups of castle life

Princesses and Knights toilets

No Drinking Brew, or Eating Gruel

Model of Warwick Castle

Chapel in Warwick Castle

State rooms in Warwick Castle

Armaments

Knight on horseback

State rooms in Warwick Castle

Bedroom in Warwick Castle

Entrance to the dungeons

Entrance to Warwick Castle

It was getting a bit late by then (4pm) so left and headed for Nottingham. Did ok until we got into town where we kept getting stuck in the wrong lane and not able to follow the GPS, or having the GPS try and send us the wrong way down one way streets. Went round in circles just trying to get to the hotel :(

So got in eventually. The hotel (the Britannia) is a bit of a dump - we got a smoking room so it smells, everything is a little old and sad, no aircon to speak of, security on the door doesn't work at all, parking and access a pain in the posterior. But it was cheap (£49 including breakfast) so can't complain too much. It's only saving grace is free wifi, which sort of works if you look the right way at it.

So dumped our stuff and headed out again to go to Di's. Again we had issues with the GPS and getting stuck in the wrong lane for where it wanted us to go. Again we went around in circles :( Was very frustrating. But escaped eventually and got away without any further dramas, even getting a FREE parking spot right outside their door (first free parking we've had in this country! Unless you count the half hour we got near the hotel when dumping our stuff). So went out to the local (the Stratford Haven) for a couple of pints, then back to their place for nibblies while Nick cooked up a storm. Dinner was a high-class bangers and mash - absolutely delicious sausages, a herby mash potato that was lovely, and heaps of delicious gravy .. nom nom nom :) Chatted the whole evening, about all sorts of stuff .. a lot about travel, Paul had to get a mention, their recent dramas with M's mother, cameras etc etc. Was a really lovely evening and I have a slight hangover headache to prove it :)