mandb tales: July 2016

Having made our minds up to have week off in July the big question was whether to go away to some warmer and sunnier climes, where they may not speak our language but offered something new if a little of the unknown - or - to stay in England, take our chances with the weather, relax and hope for the best in familiar and reliable surroundings. In other words: should we Leave or Remain ?
After weighing up the various pros and cons, dismissing the false predictions of the weather forecasters, the risk of airport or ferry delays and other such works-to-rule, not to speak of the economic costs - we voted to Remain !
Spend a week at the van and be 'Brits at home on holiday' - we 'd become Hurley villagers for a week and see how they (and us) like it !

If you are reading this just the week after you will know how we lucked-out, with the temperamental English weather impersonating summer, it simply couldn't have been better. Unlike our trip to Vietnam in March, it was shorts, sandals, suncream and blue skies, all the way.
Crucially other items needed dusting off following a prolonged period of inactivity:- deck-chair, large shade umbrella, picnic utensils, beach-mat, cooler box & ice trays and naturally the barbecue.
We lazied around but also gardened, went to Henley, paddled in the Thames, walked to Marlow, cycled and bought a huge parasol. Some photographic evidence is offered below:

Humble Hurley Abodes

Cycle Day Out

The Thames path south of Goring.

We spent one day cycling the Thames path from Wallingford all the way back to our van. We cycled to Maidenhead Station - caught the train to Cholsey - cycled to Wallingford and then followed the path back to Sonning. We left the Thames here and took the narrow roads back to Hurley. Approximately 32 miles of cycling, minus occasional narrow pathways, steep hills, locks and bridges, were we had to walk.
See map below