John Linton For the first time in as long as I can remember during time on these trips the only internet service I can connect to is failing and I am typing this courtesy of Cindy at ibahn going the 100% customer service route and providing a temporary connection via patching to my physical address on the hotel's network as their credit card processing is screwed. (customer service is alive and well in some suppliers - she was brilliant and I will send a letter to her manager when I get internet back). The temporary connection will drop out in 20 minutes or so but in the mean time I will post the day's 'activities' which revolved around turning an hour trip down the motorway in to a five and a half hour trip via various villages using B roads. Although it took so long we saw more of the beautiful country with their views and vistas and more of the delightful architecture.
One of the highlights was noticing a bird sanctuary in the middle of nowhere where we were the only visitors. The oldish lady told us it came about when she began taking in unwanted birds (predominantly ducks and chickens) from her neighbours. She now has over 600 ducks, chickens, mice, gerbils, rabbits, cage birds and even two peacocks, an emu, two gigantic pigs, four Shetland ponies, three donkeys and several other species I have forgotten. The total personnel are her son and herself and she sells what birds and animals she can to help make ends meet. The world needs more people like this nice woman. We spent an hour or so walking round her 20 or so acres and gave her a small donation at the end of the surprising visit - I didn't let Annette buy a baby rabbit.
We visited four more Cotswold villages on our way to the French Horn at Sonning and stopped for lunch at a pub found in the usual way. So we didn't get to our hotel until well after 4 pm but it was good to return. Everything looked and felt the same and we had the room down the corridor from the one we previously stayed in in the same layout. The menu also seemed to be unchanged with same innocuous sounding dishes giving no indication of their gargantuan sizes. We had a brief walk down the river Thames to get rid of the car cramps and will attempt to do something 'useful' tomorrow.
So, what we have have managed to see of the Cotswolds in two days has allowed us to develop a desire to spend more time here on some future visit - if that is possible. September is a good time to visit because the 'tourist season' has finished and the schools have finished their holidays with the result that although all the villages are very busy they are now sanely so according to several locals with whom we struck up chance conversations (usually by Annette admiring their dogs - particularly a Lurcher called Dorothy). We were advised to visit in late April or early May or alternatively from late September to mid November after which snow and ice becomes a problem.
I did try to look at something other than email before typing this entry - but what could I do? I have used up my allotted time....I don't even regret having no access......I must have been away too long.
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