Although handicapped by a heat rash in an intimate area I was determined to make the most of Monday before heading north to Burford in Oxfordshire for an overnight stop. I had reorganised my luggage in such a way that I would only need to take the communications and entertainment bag, plus the attaché case and food out of the car for the overnight stop. I planned for an early breakfast of, well by now I had a pattern of two croissants, grapefruit segments, fruit juice and coffee taking a pan au chocolat for later. I also planned to reach Havant by 9 am, giving me half an hour to get sun aftercare lotion and investigate a wireless link for the lap top before being eligible for a cheap day return train ticket into Portsmouth.
I considered using the bus but wanted to spend as much time as I could in the city before heading northwards for the overnight stop. I had difficulty putting money in the machine for a place in the almost full car park and fortunately an assistant came to my rescue and took the coins to another machines and brought me over a ticket to where the car was parked at the far end of the park. I must wrote about the contrasts in the behaviour of people towards me now that I am regard as old by others. In order to reach the shops I had to walk over an external bridge which involve a walk up over gardens to the left where one house had to large trampolines, another a single trampoline with side protection to prevent falling off and a play pool while a third had a larger pool possibly a hot tub and a barbecue patio area. This confirmed my impression that when one neighbour goes for something others tend to follow as if they give permission to each other. In this instance they were being brave as any activity in the gardens would be under constant observation not only from all the users of this foot bridge but there was a second linking pathway to the side of the house with the most expensive array of garden furniture. In contrast them there was one house which had attempted to create levels of privacy by a series hedges between gardens and within the garden although the height of the bridge still enabled passers by to overlook. They also had to contend with the noise of trains to Waterloo, to Victoria and to Brighton. I found a major electronics and appliance store in the shopping centre but they did not have the wireless device in stock but I felt I was making progress. I then found a chemist, not a chain store, where three assistants were waiting for their first customer of the day. Yes they had some sun after care sun for 2.99 but it was part of a two for one special offer and but they only had one tube, would I like some sun tan cream instead so I chose factor 25 and threw my existing out of date supply which appeared ineffective at the earliest opportunity. On the way back to the station I noted a car on this side of the station which would have avoided having to walk over the external bridge. I was determined to make the trip into the city although I was handicapped by the heat rash which made mobility difficult. On the train I was entertained by a mother with one or two daughters and pre school son who was taking three other teenage girls on a shopping trip singled handed, five teenage girls and small boy was a challenge for anyone. I quietly wished her success (to myself).I was able to tale a quick look at the free London based Metro newspaper when the main story was the survival of Gordon Brown as Prime Minister. It is significant that the Cabinet have not rushed to his defence and that a momentum is building up behind my Member of Parliament, David Miliband. It would be a mistake for him to stand, unless as with Heseltine it is to make way for someone's to take the crown although whoever won would have to go to the country for an endorsement. My instinct is for Harriet Harman. I decided against going to the Spinnaker Tower and chose the Naval Dockyard and although I knew I had time for only a couple of attractions I took the annual season ticket at the concession price for Seniors of £15.50 and which included gift Aid, providing entry to four major attractions, HMS Warrior 1860, The Marie Rose Museum and Ship Hall, the HMS Victory Walkup and a Boat trip around the Harbour, plus unlimited access to the Royal Naval Museum, the Dockyard Apprentice and Action Stations, the various restaurants and other facilities on what is n exceptionally large site and which in turn is only a small area of the restricted naval dockyard, I found the experience overwhelming and moving and regretted that I was handicapped and with a limited time. It is my view one of the most important attractions in the British Islands. My first interest was to take a boat trip around the port which included a view of the warships remaining in the secured naval docks and where the next trip was at 11am. I considered visiting the HMS Warrior but the assistant advised that there would not be time especially if I wanted a good seat on the boat. I took the advice and made a slow walk around the site finding toilets and getting my bearings. There is a cavernous store of naval antiques would could have occupied the rest of the morning. However my mind was on my previous visit to the Naval dock gates which were close to where the public entrance is now. Sometime between 1947 and 1949 the son of one my mother's brothers who had become a USA citizen and arrived in his ship at Portsmouth and at least a dozen of us went to see him. There was the three aunties. There was the son and his wife of one with both recently demobbed from the army after serving in world war two. There were cousins and a friend of one on whose lap I went to sleep on the return journey. It took us all day to get there and get back. (I need to know who went as I remember some but not everyone).We waited at the gates with lots of young women anxious meet American sailors with their presents of nylons, chocolate and chewing gum. Everyone came out at the appointed time except our relative. Enquiries were made and it was discovered that he was confined the ship for some misdemeanour. Representations were made and it was agreed he could meet us at a nearby café but under escort and on hearing about the numbers he had managed to acquire nylons for the lasses and chewing gum and chocolate for everyone else. It was the second great peace time event of my life after seeing the street lights come on for the first time, with oranges, lemons and bananas the third. The trip around the naval harbour was extraordinary especially as we were able to watch three visiting Japanese vessels depart, police launch ensured that we kept our distance but there was no restriction on photographs and film. Everyone had crowded on to the top deck whereas I quickly discovered the best place was at the front or rear of the saloon deck where I was able to photograph without the heads of others appearing in frame or blocking the views of the children. There were a score of vessels which we were able to see at close quarters, the majority in active service. There were decommissioned vessels including several who had participated in the Falklands campaign and had been replaced after their vulnerability to modern rocket assault had been exposed. The running commentary was excellent. In the distance we had pointed out the Submarine training facilities as well as the vessels used now a training ships. We then called in at the new marina type shopping development which includes the tower having also passed close to what is called Spice Island and is now given over to a huddled collection of Inns and restaurants, both areas to visited, hopefully. I then visited HM Warrior, in its day the most powerful fighting vessel on the seas. In order to explore the three below levels it is necessary to use steep ladders with for the most part ropes help one up and down. I had difficulty and discomfort butt grateful that I did not miss out, The main deck comprised a score of large breach loading cannon type guns each requiring 18 men to fire and maintain. The men slept in hammocks slung over the guns and improvement to when they would sleep on any available hard space and they eat at tables between the guns with food prepared at a central galley. There was no privacy or room for personal possessions and as one observant young pointed out to his parents there are no toilets or bathrooms! The captains quarters were impressive in contrast with all the atmosphere of a London Club. The quantity of other weaponry and ordinance was impressive but only served to emphasise the danger to everyone although in the instance of the Warrior it was a fast ship with the power to sink opponents using just a couple of forward mounted guns. I also explored the next deck to see the quarters of other officers, the workshops and. I did not go lower to the steam power house which made every other warship obsolete and can be regarded as the most ship to have ever been built. For those who can travel within a day I would recommend making a visit to the Warrior as one trip other wise there will not time to digest the information provided or speak at length to the available crew guides. This also applies to the Marie Rose, the only remains of a fighting vessel for the time of Henry the Eight. Known to have been sunk in Portsmouth Harbour in 1545. Like many people I witnessed the raising of the remains on television in 1982 and have since watched one or more films about the finds of objects and the restoration projects. I did not see the hull in this instance which is kept in a "dry dock " sprayed previously with water and not with a waxing preservative to prevent the timbers from drying out and disintegrating. Some 190000 objects were retrieved and many of these are on display in the museum, Shortly after arrival there was a showing of the hour long BBC film about the location of the wreck, the raising to the surface, and the information which the objects have provided about the life of naval men at the time. I watched half the film which I have seen before and then the rest of an hour in the museum, but it merited a whole morning or afternoon of a visit. I had been on site for four hours and felt that given my condition with increasing difficult in walking without painful discomfort, I had had to end the visit in this instance but determined to return and to the Isle of Wight. I decided to return to Havant where I left by rucksack the car and made my way back to the town centre where I purchased a sandwich, a bottle of water and a packet of crisps from Boots for £2.99, My dyslexia meant that when looking to see what was included in the meal deal I missed the hundred or so notices in deal in deal in deal marked on the display units. That evening or maybe the next I watched a programme about commercial sandwich making in which those from Boots rated the best in terms of healthy content. I eat these on a bench in the shade under a tree. Having not heard from the garage about my car I decided to withdraw cash from the nearest machine and called in at the nearest supermarket on the way back to the station where I bought a baguettes, a jar of large olives a three for the price of two deal on packs of salami and cured natural ham for a picnic feast that evening. Why I did not go back to the chemist for advice o the heat rash is a puzzle. It was around 4pm when I decided to commenced the journey to Burford in Oxfordshire which formed the end of my patch as a child care officer 1964 1967 and where I had represented the county at the juvenile court chaired by the wife of the Marques of Blanford and where her husband chaired the Magistrates Court which I also had occasion to attend in my professional capacity. To get to Burford I decided to journey west along the M27 and hen take the MS back north and then across from Oxford via Witney, However the MS was closed because of an accident and traffic was also congested at the next exist so I continued on taking a route to Salisbury, Marlborough Swindon and then directly to Burford via Lechlade. This journey takes one through some of the most glorious of British countryside full of quite villages with thatched roofs, However Salisbury was busy at rush hour so seeing a large supermarket and a Staples office store and left the traffic for some cold water and to see if Staples had a wireless link. This was a very successful detour using the toilet and drinking down a bottle of cold water before finding a helpful assistant to recommenced a Belkin wireless card to go min to the external slot thus keeping free the USB slots. The cost was £20.The weather changed and I reached Burford just before a tropical thunderstorm. The Travel Lodge and Little Chef were at the junction at the end of the road I had taken as it reached the A 40, thus avoiding having to extend the journey in search of the over night stop. Both building are built with stone facades to fit into the Cotswolds character. The location meant that I did not get to see the town again but I had visited within the past five years so my memory remained, Unfortunately either because of the location or the storm or both there was not mobile phone reception so I did not try the wireless. The receptionist seemed surprised that I was on my own so perhaps there is no mobile phone link anyway and the rural isolation would make it an ideal retreat for lovers of all kinds. I enjoyed my Picnic feast with two glasses of red wine, bathed and had an early night going to sleep, waking sparingly and rising early. However the rain was torrential at times and I wondered if the hot spell was over.
I considered using the bus but wanted to spend as much time as I could in the city before heading northwards for the overnight stop. I had difficulty putting money in the machine for a place in the almost full car park and fortunately an assistant came to my rescue and took the coins to another machines and brought me over a ticket to where the car was parked at the far end of the park. I must wrote about the contrasts in the behaviour of people towards me now that I am regard as old by others. In order to reach the shops I had to walk over an external bridge which involve a walk up over gardens to the left where one house had to large trampolines, another a single trampoline with side protection to prevent falling off and a play pool while a third had a larger pool possibly a hot tub and a barbecue patio area. This confirmed my impression that when one neighbour goes for something others tend to follow as if they give permission to each other. In this instance they were being brave as any activity in the gardens would be under constant observation not only from all the users of this foot bridge but there was a second linking pathway to the side of the house with the most expensive array of garden furniture. In contrast them there was one house which had attempted to create levels of privacy by a series hedges between gardens and within the garden although the height of the bridge still enabled passers by to overlook. They also had to contend with the noise of trains to Waterloo, to Victoria and to Brighton. I found a major electronics and appliance store in the shopping centre but they did not have the wireless device in stock but I felt I was making progress. I then found a chemist, not a chain store, where three assistants were waiting for their first customer of the day. Yes they had some sun after care sun for 2.99 but it was part of a two for one special offer and but they only had one tube, would I like some sun tan cream instead so I chose factor 25 and threw my existing out of date supply which appeared ineffective at the earliest opportunity. On the way back to the station I noted a car on this side of the station which would have avoided having to walk over the external bridge. I was determined to make the trip into the city although I was handicapped by the heat rash which made mobility difficult. On the train I was entertained by a mother with one or two daughters and pre school son who was taking three other teenage girls on a shopping trip singled handed, five teenage girls and small boy was a challenge for anyone. I quietly wished her success (to myself).I was able to tale a quick look at the free London based Metro newspaper when the main story was the survival of Gordon Brown as Prime Minister. It is significant that the Cabinet have not rushed to his defence and that a momentum is building up behind my Member of Parliament, David Miliband. It would be a mistake for him to stand, unless as with Heseltine it is to make way for someone's to take the crown although whoever won would have to go to the country for an endorsement. My instinct is for Harriet Harman. I decided against going to the Spinnaker Tower and chose the Naval Dockyard and although I knew I had time for only a couple of attractions I took the annual season ticket at the concession price for Seniors of £15.50 and which included gift Aid, providing entry to four major attractions, HMS Warrior 1860, The Marie Rose Museum and Ship Hall, the HMS Victory Walkup and a Boat trip around the Harbour, plus unlimited access to the Royal Naval Museum, the Dockyard Apprentice and Action Stations, the various restaurants and other facilities on what is n exceptionally large site and which in turn is only a small area of the restricted naval dockyard, I found the experience overwhelming and moving and regretted that I was handicapped and with a limited time. It is my view one of the most important attractions in the British Islands. My first interest was to take a boat trip around the port which included a view of the warships remaining in the secured naval docks and where the next trip was at 11am. I considered visiting the HMS Warrior but the assistant advised that there would not be time especially if I wanted a good seat on the boat. I took the advice and made a slow walk around the site finding toilets and getting my bearings. There is a cavernous store of naval antiques would could have occupied the rest of the morning. However my mind was on my previous visit to the Naval dock gates which were close to where the public entrance is now. Sometime between 1947 and 1949 the son of one my mother's brothers who had become a USA citizen and arrived in his ship at Portsmouth and at least a dozen of us went to see him. There was the three aunties. There was the son and his wife of one with both recently demobbed from the army after serving in world war two. There were cousins and a friend of one on whose lap I went to sleep on the return journey. It took us all day to get there and get back. (I need to know who went as I remember some but not everyone).We waited at the gates with lots of young women anxious meet American sailors with their presents of nylons, chocolate and chewing gum. Everyone came out at the appointed time except our relative. Enquiries were made and it was discovered that he was confined the ship for some misdemeanour. Representations were made and it was agreed he could meet us at a nearby café but under escort and on hearing about the numbers he had managed to acquire nylons for the lasses and chewing gum and chocolate for everyone else. It was the second great peace time event of my life after seeing the street lights come on for the first time, with oranges, lemons and bananas the third. The trip around the naval harbour was extraordinary especially as we were able to watch three visiting Japanese vessels depart, police launch ensured that we kept our distance but there was no restriction on photographs and film. Everyone had crowded on to the top deck whereas I quickly discovered the best place was at the front or rear of the saloon deck where I was able to photograph without the heads of others appearing in frame or blocking the views of the children. There were a score of vessels which we were able to see at close quarters, the majority in active service. There were decommissioned vessels including several who had participated in the Falklands campaign and had been replaced after their vulnerability to modern rocket assault had been exposed. The running commentary was excellent. In the distance we had pointed out the Submarine training facilities as well as the vessels used now a training ships. We then called in at the new marina type shopping development which includes the tower having also passed close to what is called Spice Island and is now given over to a huddled collection of Inns and restaurants, both areas to visited, hopefully. I then visited HM Warrior, in its day the most powerful fighting vessel on the seas. In order to explore the three below levels it is necessary to use steep ladders with for the most part ropes help one up and down. I had difficulty and discomfort butt grateful that I did not miss out, The main deck comprised a score of large breach loading cannon type guns each requiring 18 men to fire and maintain. The men slept in hammocks slung over the guns and improvement to when they would sleep on any available hard space and they eat at tables between the guns with food prepared at a central galley. There was no privacy or room for personal possessions and as one observant young pointed out to his parents there are no toilets or bathrooms! The captains quarters were impressive in contrast with all the atmosphere of a London Club. The quantity of other weaponry and ordinance was impressive but only served to emphasise the danger to everyone although in the instance of the Warrior it was a fast ship with the power to sink opponents using just a couple of forward mounted guns. I also explored the next deck to see the quarters of other officers, the workshops and. I did not go lower to the steam power house which made every other warship obsolete and can be regarded as the most ship to have ever been built. For those who can travel within a day I would recommend making a visit to the Warrior as one trip other wise there will not time to digest the information provided or speak at length to the available crew guides. This also applies to the Marie Rose, the only remains of a fighting vessel for the time of Henry the Eight. Known to have been sunk in Portsmouth Harbour in 1545. Like many people I witnessed the raising of the remains on television in 1982 and have since watched one or more films about the finds of objects and the restoration projects. I did not see the hull in this instance which is kept in a "dry dock " sprayed previously with water and not with a waxing preservative to prevent the timbers from drying out and disintegrating. Some 190000 objects were retrieved and many of these are on display in the museum, Shortly after arrival there was a showing of the hour long BBC film about the location of the wreck, the raising to the surface, and the information which the objects have provided about the life of naval men at the time. I watched half the film which I have seen before and then the rest of an hour in the museum, but it merited a whole morning or afternoon of a visit. I had been on site for four hours and felt that given my condition with increasing difficult in walking without painful discomfort, I had had to end the visit in this instance but determined to return and to the Isle of Wight. I decided to return to Havant where I left by rucksack the car and made my way back to the town centre where I purchased a sandwich, a bottle of water and a packet of crisps from Boots for £2.99, My dyslexia meant that when looking to see what was included in the meal deal I missed the hundred or so notices in deal in deal in deal marked on the display units. That evening or maybe the next I watched a programme about commercial sandwich making in which those from Boots rated the best in terms of healthy content. I eat these on a bench in the shade under a tree. Having not heard from the garage about my car I decided to withdraw cash from the nearest machine and called in at the nearest supermarket on the way back to the station where I bought a baguettes, a jar of large olives a three for the price of two deal on packs of salami and cured natural ham for a picnic feast that evening. Why I did not go back to the chemist for advice o the heat rash is a puzzle. It was around 4pm when I decided to commenced the journey to Burford in Oxfordshire which formed the end of my patch as a child care officer 1964 1967 and where I had represented the county at the juvenile court chaired by the wife of the Marques of Blanford and where her husband chaired the Magistrates Court which I also had occasion to attend in my professional capacity. To get to Burford I decided to journey west along the M27 and hen take the MS back north and then across from Oxford via Witney, However the MS was closed because of an accident and traffic was also congested at the next exist so I continued on taking a route to Salisbury, Marlborough Swindon and then directly to Burford via Lechlade. This journey takes one through some of the most glorious of British countryside full of quite villages with thatched roofs, However Salisbury was busy at rush hour so seeing a large supermarket and a Staples office store and left the traffic for some cold water and to see if Staples had a wireless link. This was a very successful detour using the toilet and drinking down a bottle of cold water before finding a helpful assistant to recommenced a Belkin wireless card to go min to the external slot thus keeping free the USB slots. The cost was £20.The weather changed and I reached Burford just before a tropical thunderstorm. The Travel Lodge and Little Chef were at the junction at the end of the road I had taken as it reached the A 40, thus avoiding having to extend the journey in search of the over night stop. Both building are built with stone facades to fit into the Cotswolds character. The location meant that I did not get to see the town again but I had visited within the past five years so my memory remained, Unfortunately either because of the location or the storm or both there was not mobile phone reception so I did not try the wireless. The receptionist seemed surprised that I was on my own so perhaps there is no mobile phone link anyway and the rural isolation would make it an ideal retreat for lovers of all kinds. I enjoyed my Picnic feast with two glasses of red wine, bathed and had an early night going to sleep, waking sparingly and rising early. However the rain was torrential at times and I wondered if the hot spell was over.
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