Sunday, 24 June 2012 - Sussex or Bust

Sunday is our moving day (the last Sunday of our trip).  Today we are off to bother some more of C & T's relatives, Sue and Andy in Sussex.  It's also Christine's special birthday and we are planning a stop in Malmesbury where she was born.

After a quick walk around Cirencester again, we finished packing, loaded the Ford and set of for Malmesbury.  Got there just fine and found a car park near the centre of town.  Walked around , although most shops were shut.  We did find a cafe and, as is now traditional, we stopped in for a coffee and something to eat.  Feeling replete we wandered over to Malmesbury Abbey and had a look around, a service had just finished and we ended up talking with some of the locals, as well as admiring the church.  I was especially interested in the old manuscripts that they had on display - stunningly beautiful, and colourful.

3 of us, Rachel's well-travelled bag, and the Abbey

Imagine making a mistake while doing that!

We left the Abbey to see something really unusual, so unusual I took some photos.  Yes, the sun was shining.

Malmesbury Abbey in the sun

We left Malmesbury heading down a side road to look for a house that Tom and Elaine lived in when Chris was born.  Didn't find the house, but we did find a bolt, which went into our tyre.  This is a modern car and has no spare wheel (not a good idea), only a pump and some gunk that wasn't going to fix a bolt hole.  The tyre didn't go down so we decided to chance our luck, but we only got as far as Swindon when it deflated (gracefully).  We called the AA (Hertz rental uses them), they sent a truck to get us off the motorway, it took an hour, but otherwise was a good experience with the AA guy ensuring that the tyre people were coming to sort the tyre, which they did, fitting a new one.  Of course this was an 'accident' and we ended up paying for this tyre.

So off we went again, now a couple of hours late, and meeting the traffic heading back to London, so we were very late getting to Sue and Andy's.  Just in time for the World Cup football featuring England.  I know Andy was a bit worried that our arrival may upset that, but he didn't have to worry - we were all following this by now so we were eager to watch also.

A strange day, but we made it.

Tricia said:

Christine's birthday today.  Went to Malmesbury, had coffee.  Got puncture in rear tyre (bolt).  Called AA, had to be taken off Motorway.  Tyre fixed at service stop.  Late arriving at Sue's.  Watched Football.  England lost