mybigadventures.com

Hello everybody,

I'm beginning to feel more like a proper teacher type person now, particularly given I have officially attended two - yes thats right - two staff InSeT days! Blimey do teachers know how to have a good time - I'm sure you're all curious to know exactly what happens on these 'training days' but you're going to have to keep on wondering as now I'm a teacher type I'm bound by the secrets of teacherdom - yes thats right teacherdom. Hmm I think I might have drunk some funny orange squash or something, this post is a little bit strange and mostly an unnecessary waste of time. However on the bright side, since my last post, I have almost 8000 words. That is not to say I have 8000, useful or insightful words, just that I have managed to bluff my way to the end and hit the word count. I have absolutely no doubt that I'll still be working on it late on Thurday if not Friday morning, but hey ho!

Only a few more weeks and I get my life back (temporarily) - then I just have to worry about securing some kind of employment. Meep. I hope the sun is shining wherever you are, and fingers crossed for some warmer weather (the electric heaters in the flat have been costing us a fortune to run!). Cheerio ta ta for now  

OK, so I couldn't think up anything imaginative for the title of this blog, its late and this computer is not being very helpful. We've just uploaded some of our Vienna pictures, we still have Slovenia pictures to upload and will try and get round to it ASAP. Unfortunately this computer is very slow and like the best of us can only manage to do one thing at once . . and thus it has taken about two hours to sort out and upload the 5 photos you can now look at


Above you'll see one of them so now you only have 4 to look at HA! Will try and fit some more updates in when supplied with the equipment neccessary for such an undertaking.

In other news we are now in Bratislava, we've just come from Vienna and for those that don't know we didn't actually make it to Croatia. There was nowhere to stay on the Friday and I didnt fancy kipping on the street so we skipped it and went straight to Vienna where we stayed 4 nights and a splendid time. The weather has been fabulous to date (touch wood) so fingers crossed it'll stay that way for a while yet. We're here for 2 more days before moving on to Budapest. Thats about all our news for now. Hope everyones well, talk to you all soon. Feel free to text us . . . we probably wont reply but its always nice to receive a message. OK cheerio for now I guess . . Love Ben and Danica

Today, we continued our adventures in the local area (and a little further afield). We started off at Runnymede, a small area of landscape by the Thames, owned by the National Trust. It is regarded as the birthplace of democracy as it marks the spot where King John first placed his seal on the Magna Carter, marking the beginning of democracy. It was quite a small area of parkland, with two different memorials - one to JF Kennedy, a memorial following his assassination, and one to the Magna Carter itself. Both were surrounded by woodland, so we wandered in the area for a little bit, enjoying the bluebells and spotting a few bunny rabbits darting into the bushes. We had a mosey around for about 40 minutes, although it was quite cool in the shade compared to our previous days out. We walked back to the car park along the river, and made our way to the tea room by the car park for some lunch. Just for a change, we were served immediately in the cafe, and the server even went to make our sandwiches while we dithered about drinks. Such efficiency!

From there we made a short-ish journey to Ham House for a return visit. When we went last time, it was in January 2016, so it was a little different this time, with a good show of tulips in the kitchen garden and a spectacular display of wisteria against the Orangery (tea room). The gardens are certainly well-manicured - lots of topiary carefully shaped and 'coiffured'. There was a partiularly symmetrical arrangement of spheres of lavender and curry plant in one part of the garden, divided neatly into sections by box hedges and cones. We managed to get into the house just before 'last entry' and were suitably impressed - it's all fairly original (so we were told!) and very luxurious, with quite a range of styles and furnishings. Had to speed round a little bit towards the end as they were due to close, but just about saw everything!

We treated ourselves to an ice cream (well, I had a coffee and his lordship had an ice cream) and sat next to the wisteria, enjoying the fine fragrance! Then we ambled slowly back to the car, along the Thames again (a different part this time) and then made our way home.