L Driver

The maiden voyage is well under way . As yet we have only parked in driveways or village churches .

The last 2 driveways have been more difficult as you can see . Leaving the Rolls Royce driveway  I am helped by cousin Penelope and filmed by film director Annie Perkins .

I sometimes wonder why I did not buy a smaller camper van but then one cannot always explain ones actions , the only thing I can say is that for comfort Pattys wagon is great, even the fold out extra bed seems to be quite comfortable, according to Annie .

Finally we are in the Olympic village of Weymouth /Portland . What a wonderful place. We have  had a good tour around this English holiday resort on the Jurrassic coast  and are very impressed.

You must have heard of Portland Bill (as Annie would say a good trivial pursuit question.)

That is here on Portland . That is the bay where the Olympic athletes are staying and where the Olympics are being held . Closing of the right side of the bay of Weymouth from the heavy seas it makes a natural theatre for this event , though some events are of course held further out at sea.

Yetsrday we took our Olympic seats, a grassy bank, on the headland Nothe which is to the right as you come out of Weymouth harbour.

We arrived in the city centre on the Park and Ride, we where the only 2 passengers on board. They put the price up to 14 pounds insteda of 2.50  for the Olympics so no one uses it . Now it is for FREE. Quite a story illustrating the Olympics, GREED of some, travel companies,  hotels etc have put up the prices that no one came. London is empty and the Olympic lanes not in use any more.

Luckily Weymouth thought different and have made a free sport complex on the beach for the kids to experience everything from rowing to rugby cricket etc. fantastically arranged , further real sea side donkeys , an old fashioned fairground , merry go rounds and more, we northern kids enjoyed it all, bringing back memories of holidays in Butlins etc. . 

So England will not get rich from ther Olympics only maybe in Medals, and in housing and facilities for young people in the years to come. It seems that they have planned this well. Time will tell. The comments and discussions about Lord Coe are not not always positive, Kate our new driveway owner says he sucks up to the Royals and aristocracts.

England is rejoicing and enjoying the wonderful television coverage and even the weather Gods are smiling 

Entrepeneurs are also flourish.

On the headland above Weymouth we became citzen of Nowhere Island, an island towed by a whale to England from the Antartic in the company of a fox and a seagull and I believe a few more animals. No not Noahs Ark, a piece of public installation Art with a super story to tell. Check out  www.nowhereisland.org and read the concept behind the project - and become citizens too.

We met a couple on the bus on the way back. They had  3 children aged 11 weeks, 2 years and 5 years , they  had won the tickets on the lottery 2 years previously. Then they only just had 2 children. 

They had left home in Luton that morning at 4 am to be there .

We where on the return bus at 6.00p.m so they still had to find a fish and chip shop for diner. Then drive home and they where so happy  they ahd done it . Of course the grassy headland is not only good to see the boots but a great playground for children.

It seems the locals go there for picnics with there children in the summer evenings. NOT NOW. That makes them a bit pissed of naturally . Every story has 2 sides

L driver with a camper van and L driver with the Olympics . 

Motto of this story you can only learn by doing 

The text of one the English womens rowers who got Englands first Gold was  :-

If you don't try   and put everything into it you will never know if you can succeed.