News!

Wow, hadn't realized how much time had passed since I last updated everyone! What can I say........!

The big Family party was amazing! The setting was an old Country Hotel which we more or less had to ourselves and was like a setting for an Agatha Christie book.Everyone was in their best bib and tucker, and after a round of bubbles we sat down to a sumptuous meal and many hours of banter and some story telling.

As the Hamblin clan descended on Wimborne we vacated our rooms at Mums to make room for some of the others and based ourselves in Weymouth with big brother, Colin. The weather was hot and sunny so we made the most of it and had a family surfing lesson.... fantastic even if I was the only member of the family who didn't get onto my feet, and of course I haven't been allowed to forget it! The outfit was run by a Kiwi who was very pleased to have some fellow countrymen and woman to teach. I am hoping to have another go this week so I can keep up with the others!

Some other Kiwis from Cambridge got in touch and we ended up meeting them at Stonehenge. I think I had been there as a child but didn't really remember it. Quite a surreal place despite the people but the boys weren't impressed that it is all roped off and you can't climb on the stones.

Weymouth is the quintessential English seaside town with its promenade backed by a Georgian Terrace, deckchairs for hire and donkey rides. On a summers day there is no room on the beach, but in the early evening light when all the grockles have gone it is quite beautiful with sailing boats in the bay and the white cliffs to the east. I like the harbour where there is always something happening with all the boats and people and funny little houses along the edges. There has been alot of upgrading going on in and around the town as Wemouth is to be the sailing venue in the 2012 Olympic Games. Chesil Beach is an impressive and unique geographical feature. Nearly 11 miles long, it is a huge bank of pebbles with an area of water behind it called the Fleet. Fishermen can find their position by the size of the stones which vary greatly along the bank. On a stormy day the sound of the stones as they roll back down in the backwash is more of a roar!