Cookham Dean, Berkshire, England

Staying with friends Vanessa and Andrew and their tribe, Alex (15, my Godson), Harry (13, aka Hazza), Chloe (11), Archie (Wheaten Terrier) and Scruffy (my best mate the guinea pig). Chilled out in the local village for the first few days, with visit to the local pub - the Jolly Farmer, Marlow, Cookham and walks in the woods, commons and along the Thames. So good just to hang with old friends and enjoy the local life.

Our Brisbane friends April and Klem came over to England a few years ago to teach and happen to live nearby in Bourne End, so of course we have enjoyed a couple of drinks together at the pub and having an Aussie BBQ reunion. Weather has been magic, first week was HOT, 31 deg everyday, days long with sunrise about 4am and sunset about 10pm.

I am trying a beer at every place I stop, the Marlow beer was fine for one, but a bit bitter for me.

We had an interlude for 4 days in Dublin (see separate post) and after returned to spend more time at Cookham Dean before our flight out to Rome on Sunday 18th July ast 7am. In the last few days we have been into Marlow and Reading and spent a day in London. We walked the streets of the monopoly board starting at Regent Street where Mel discovered the young persons' fav. clothes shop, Top Shop. Higlight of the day was happening on the Movie Premiere of Karate Kid and got to see Will & Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan. Alex got a hi-five with Will Smith and hasn't washed his hand since! We saw many of the great sites in London from Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus to Soho and the West End. We finished with dinner at Maxwells in Covent Garden. Great day!