Now I'm in Beijing, here's a little of Norfolk, UK.

I love that each region of the UK is unique. Accents still vary, unlike the universal Australian one. Construction materials differ, depending on local stone. Houses in the older areas are often hundreds of years old, even though the interiors may have been guttered and modernised. Norfolk is flat and seasidey. It also has Sandringham, the Royal estate when King George V1 died, bringing Elizabeth back from Africa to take on her father's job.

This lighthouse overlooks the North Sea and a flotilla of offshore wind turbines.

Wanna buy a coastguard building? I think it would make a wonderful holiday let.

And the Queen visited there once. She may pop in for tea again one day, when she's bored at Sandringham.

There are these amazing cliffs. Tim would have explained the fantastic layering.

The North Sea isn't toooo cold...

Like all good beaches, civilised dogs are allowed.

These beacons stretch around the whole coast of England, each visible from the next. When they can find the fuel.

It's all very lovely. And the fish 'n chips are good too!

Sometimes the locals wade, and if they remember, they bring knotted white handkerchiefs to protect their heads from the sun. No donkey rides though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Warsaw, Siberia, Beijing......the Easy Way. en route.

Duller than Mongolian pony, less adventurous than the Trans-Siberian train, but relatively painless.

Before Sino-Australian relations begin, I will treat you to a retrospective of Scotland's subtle treasures.

One day,after walking for many miles in the hills and glens near Loch Ness, we entered the Cameron Estate, a beautiful sheltered Glen, and the site of the massacre by the English-loyal Campbells, who accepted hospitality, then rose before dawn to slaughter their hosts. As you do.

There was a small stone chapel with these stained glass windows.

 

As ever, there was water.

And mossy trees.

 

 

Zurich Today, Gone Tomorrow.

A Statue. In Zurich. On a horse. What more do you need to know?

Me ( not a statue) in Zurich. On a bridge. It is warm.

My lovely neice Arabella is the reason I came to Switzerland. She and her husband live in a satellite town, Zug, based around an old town centre. They live in a house that has been refitted with a super modern white contemporary interior, with lots of glass walls so the neighbours can see in. None of the back gardens offer privacy either. Welcome to the Fishbowl.

Arabella took me to see this lovely old church. It had windows made from thinly sliced large multi-coloured gemstones. As well as this metal door with various Biblical scenes.

We sat outside near the lake. There was a live band, and older people dancing. We wished we could dance.

We wandered past the expensive shops and looked in the windows, like at this jewellery display.

We were happy to just look at them, just as we liked this display of tomatoes.

The cars here are a bit old....time to retire this Dodge.

Then we went home for a nap.

I did see three cows and a mountain, in the distance. Yup, that's Switzerland Folks.

 

Heathrow to Zurich, via an accident traffic jam on the M1.

Yes, more retrospective shots til I get to an Apple shop. Oh my, we're not off the runway and already they're making announcements in non-English. Help...let me off...I forgot to take Swiss-German lessons.

This is the lovely Eugenia who is a lawyer in Moscow and is so much more besides. She's entertaining us with a bread roll puppet.

The amazing Israeli duo, and John, a creative English businessman who was doing the Fiction writing stream.

The Porter in his office at the front of St Catharine's: Very Important People, Porters.

An American Serviceman from Alabama, waiting with us for the Cambridge-Luton Airport bus. As Louise noted, he got a faraway look when he talked about Alabama. He works on the number-crunching side of the Army Medical Corps, and had been based in Cambridgeshire.

The lovely and very talented Jessica Datema, from Brooklyn. It was a privilege to hear her life stories and get to know her a little. Amongst her various accomplishments she teaches writing.

Well, you'd expect a nicely composed notice in an academic building at Cambridge, wouldn't you.

Doors, so many beautiful doorways.

This was a special one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Haggis and Neaps. And find the Bananas.

Although the Scots try to kid you that Haggis is a wild creature captured on mountainsides, it's really offal pudding. And damned delicious.

 

Here are the Cook, the Bosun (piping in the Haggis on a miniature bagpipes), the Cook's lovely daughter, and the Walking Guide (who is about to "address" the Haggis- normally only done on Burns night. The staff were exceptionally lovely.

Louise, from Watheroo, WA, whose idea the Canal trip was, found a wandering Piper and brought him back to the boat.

He played for us and explained the costume. Louise asked if that was his Clan tartan, and he said No, he was a Scotsman and bought that plaid because he found it on special. He reckoned clan tartans are mostly a marketing gimmick for rich Americans:). He's played at the Edinburgh Tattoo a couple of times.

The Sporran here is made from Horsehair. Btw, that's my suitcase near his left leg.

It was BBQ night. Here's the Skipper, keeping watch over the BBQ fire. He's a super experienced 26 yr old New Zealander who is most at home on the salty seas. And he can BBQ too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Camera is holding my photos Hostage!

Well, you'll have to put up with a Cambridge retrospective, as I can't download my pics due to "technical issues". However, it should not be painful.

Breakfast time at " Cats"...St Catharine's. These Israelis were wonderful- exhuberant, strong, clever. The red haired green eyed one is 61. Yes, both her parents were from Middle Europe, not Scotland.she teaches at Ben Gurion Uni, a desert university city. The older is a much published writer, who used to be the others lecturer.

Louise from Western Australia, to whom I owe thanks for getting me to Cambridge, with Lyn, an absolutely lovely woman from the States.

 

Ria, a smart, kind, loving woman from The Netherlands. Ria, Lyn and I were the 2-years widowed subgroup. They were a fine example to me in survival and compassion and sorrow. A not good photo of Rebecca, who happens to live in Gordon Park near my good friend Sandra. Sorry Rebecca, I'll post a proper photo of you later.

The two Johns, very different but creative and unique. You can probably guess which one can recite The Man From Snowy River"!

Me, just to show you I'm still in existence. Btw, iPads are great to travel with. Though you can't count on wifi out of the cities.

The beautiful shoes of the highly talented young Dutchman, Erik. I look forward to his books. He also has impeccable English.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cambridge,from the Caledonian Canal

Through my bathroom porthole, upon boarding at Inverness. I hope to upload this when we reach Fort Augustus this evening, as some of the Pubs have Wifi. No Wifi on board. Today we walked 13 Miles, up a small mountain, along, and down. Legs tired, but otherwise good.

Another writing student and I, butterflying towards one another before class.

 

These Shakespearean students preformed a workshop on The Tempest. Some even spoke English as their first Language. The student declaiming, teaches in Ben Gurion University in the Israeli desert.

This is Louise setting off to the Prizes Award Evening.

This is Louise returning from the Prize-giving event! Clever thing! See how how head is bigger than in the previous photo?!

Most of the fortnight I spent in this room. This is our wonderful Tutor, Midge Gillies.

Sometimes we even had time to go outside. This is Cats, our College. ( St Catharine's).