Tuesday 29th June.
Apologies for not writing for a while, but lots of things have happened and I will try to record them here.
Let me start first by saying, it's a brilliant match, England have won against Germany in the Euro cup.
I was walking by Reeve the baker when I heard a terrific cheer coming from the Market Inn. There is a strong police presence all over Salisbury tonight, especially by Wetherspoons. I'm glad Salisbury has won, this means now we either play against Croatia or Sweden; let's hope we play against one of the weaker teams.
Matt Hankock the health secretary has resigned because his picture was on the front news of the pages of newspapers kissing a female colleague. She is a married woman, would have even been more shocking had he got her in the family way!
I went to Teignmouth from Monday to Friday, then stayed in Exmouth from Friday to Monday. I got up about 6 am because the train I was going on was about 7:38 am, just as well it was a sunny morning. I took my rucksack, but never again for reasons I will explain later.
It takes 2 hours just to get down to Exeter St Davids, then switch trains. I sat in first class which was quite surprising, the second train is one of those new Hitachi trains that go all the way down to Penzance.
It was very hot when I got off at Dawlish Warren, so I walked down towards the forefront. I stupidly should have put suntan lotion on, because later I got sunburnt arms and shoulders.
I got a message from the Ash hotel in Exmouth saying that if I didn't confirm my booking my room would be cancelled, I was a bit worried about them already, as they've asked me to pay in cash.
It's good to be back in Devon again, I've missed so much. I stopped off at Dawlish town centre, I didn't bother with the bus as the train is much quicker.
Found a nice cafe, so quickly made a note of it. Dawlish is famous for its black swans, wandered through the park and stopped at Gays creamery. I like seeing the baby birds under the heat lamp, they can be viewed through a window.
Got back on the train to Teignmouth, I've been coming here since I was a kid, so I've seen a lot of change.
Sign in was 3 pm. I knew where the Seaway hotel was, I stayed there a couple of years ago when it was under the old management, they have now gone and these new people there have been there about 6 years.
My room was right up the top, the colour theme is yellow which is nice. Barbara the owner calls it her sunshine room, given me ideas
Went to Weatherspoons where an old toy shop I knew used to be.
I want to retire to the Teignmouth area one day, I have no intention of staying in Salisbury after my parents are gone.
Tuesday 15th June 2021.
Another sunny day. Barbara is an artist, we both hit it off because I am a photographer so we are both artists. She has an adorable spaniel and has many pictures of him.
I got the 9.18 train to Paignton from platform one, arriving at Paignton at 9.45 for the 10.00 steam train to Dartmouth. The only thing is my plans were reversed, I had to get the open-top bus first. I hurriedly followed another couple going in the same direction.
Didn't have long to wait. The driver said anytime if it felt uncomfortable, then I was to ring the bell and he would stop and I could come downstairs. But I didn't want to disrupt the journey, so I took my hat off and held my hair against the wind.
We stopped on the outskirts of Totness, one of my plans is to one day visit the town of Totnes. Had about an hour to kill so I got a cuppa until the boat arrived.
The boat (Cardiff Queen) took us off down river towards Dartmouth, met a nice couple who I got chatting to. I saw Agatha Christie's house Greenway upon the hill, I will be visiting that on Thursday all being well
Dartmouth is lovely, about the same size as Brixham. Waited outside one cafe but they were too busy, so I went next door. Just as well, as they closed 20 minutes later.
There is a lovely park in Dartmouth, and a tourist bus with Cambridge over it waits over the road.
Got the boat over to Kingsbridg where I waited for the steam train. I asked someone to guide me to the right carriage, which says on a ticket but by the time I search out rain could be moving off.
Some lovely scenery to be seen from the train. We passed Goodrington sands. There is a line of beach huts with coloured doors, also there are liners anchored in the bay including the Queen Mary 2. The liners are here because of covid, and people have been visiting them. people have been saying that anchoring them there has been damaging the seabed.
It doesn't take long to get back to Paignton, about 5 pm when I got back. So wandered down to Paignton seafront, I wandered along the pier. Sadly Teignmouth pier out the back looks like a building site, you wouldn't believe there used to be a theatre and boat depot there once. I got a 6.20 train back to Teignmouth, I am curious to wonder if all soldiers during WW1 left Teignmouth station. Did they go to Dover or Plymouth to go to France?
I'm trying to look for all the old haunts my parents went to on their honeymoon in 1968. I finally managed to locate the hotel in which they had their honeymoon, it's right at the top of Barnpark Terrace. It's still a hotel called Woodlands with expensive prices.
To leave Teignmouth railway station because of covid restrictions, we have to go across a car park and out the back behind the building.
I did go and have dinner at the Diner. Used to come in here all the time with my parents when we were down, it was brilliant then. But today it's lost some of its zings and it's not what it used to be.
Wednesday 16th June.
Went off to Newton Abbot. The train station is about a ten-minute walk from the town centre, which makes it easier to visit things along the way.
Went into a cafe called the pharmacy. Many years ago It used to be a chemist shop, but now it's a nice cafe. I sat outside until a table became free. They still have the old bottles of medicine in cabinets around the sides of the cafe. The place is supposed to be haunted.
Wandered around the market and some charity shops. Moved onto Torquay in the afternoon and visited the museum. There is quite a few Agatha Christie related things. it doesn't take long to get around, about an hour.
There are some lovely cafes along The strand in Torquay, too much to choose from. There used to be a place called coast that used to have penguins and other birds, because of the covid-19 it's shutdown which is a shame.
I got a bus to Sheldon village, there are so many lovely gardens there. I had a fright when I went to the clipper cafe as I did the track and trace and it said I had to self isolate for ten days which means the rest of my holiday could be ruined. I rang aunt Joan and she said alan had the same thing a couple of days ago with a stupid man who refused the jab and wasn't wearing a mask! Luckily it turned out to be negative, but I was scared stiff. The stupid Chinese virus is trying to get me, but it won't.
Sat outside shaking like a leaf. I had to eat my dinner in a hurry anyway because the seagulls were on the prowl, and had already attacked the table nearby. Went up to the smuggler's tunnel, my mind is a whirl with all sorts of scenario's. You can hear the sea from the other beach on the other side, the lights flickered, I hope they don't go out because it would be pitch black.
I walked back to Teignmouth which was knackering, I wouldn't do it again.
Thursday 17th June.
Did a flow test which I got from Boots, aunt Joan talked me through it. The first one was dud so I had to do it again! I'm supposed to wait 30 mins for the result, but I had my result within ten minutes; thankfully it was negative but the track and trace still told me I had to isolate. I wracked my brains about all the places I had been and decided that as it takes 2 days, someone infected must have come into weatherspoons Monday!
Only the ground floor is open because of Covid, the gardens are lovely but very steep; I wanted to see the boathouse but gave it a miss as the hills are so steep.
Went back to Dartmouth, saw Dartmouth's only coal-driven ferry, the hooter sounds from time to time. Some area's of Dartmouth have hardly changed since the 18th century, there's also a castle but there's a charge for that.
I went for a walk after dinner along Teignmouth's seafront. It was great in its heyday, the old swimming pool is now a skateboard park; I did look at the lido which looks a bit murky.
Friday 18th June
Sad to leave the new friends I made in Teignmouth, going to see what Exmouth is like. Garry who I know at Mind said it was nice, I shall see.
Lovely sunny weather today found a cafe called Coast in Teignmouth, but it doesn't stay open in the evenings; has red seats outside and the interior is seaside.
Caught the train for Exmouth, passed through Exeter St Davids. I've heard a lot about Exmouth but never stayed. I asked for directions to the seafront which is about ten minutes walk away, I walked through manor gardens park which is a bit like Victoria Park. I did find the place, in the end, it had painted green wall's, not my style. The place is run by a couple of Indian people, they seemed nice enough, I had a room on the ground floor with a comfy bed and tv, but the remote control wasn't very clean. I had a nice view of a backyard with a spring frame in.
To be honest the place wasn't as nice as Barbara's in Teignmouth and the room looked a bit tired and dated.
I walked into town (about 10 mins) there is a Weatherspoons but I never went in it.
Saturday 19th June.
The door to this is weird and I think they need to replace the lock, it's very awkward and takes a lot of faffing around.
I went to the World of country life, it's a bus ride away from the rail station. The bus was already in, but the driver went away for a break and said that another one will be turning up. Another woman was waiting but got impatient and left because it didn't turn up.
The driver returned and we set off. The place is like farmer Giles was, joined the queue and got chatting to a woman who runs a small farmstead, apparently her rabbit is expecting babies any minute now.
World of country life was very enjoyable. On entering you see lots of exhibitions on farm tractors, and farm life. The Victorian village was very interesting, you get an example of what the inside of a Victorian or Edwardian cottage looks like.
I especially like the display of the different cameras from the past and recognise some models that I used to own. There was a box brownie which my mum used to have, my dad had a Polaroid.
There is two donkeys plus other adorable animals including, lambs, pigs, deer, goats and more. Felt a bit chilly around the legs, there's a train you can go onto to feed the deer, but you have to book in advance.
Got the bus back to Exmouth. I went to the hungry horse restaurant, got a taxi back because it was hammering it down. Watched wonder woman while waiting, when I was young I used to watch a series called Xena Warrior Princess, and I wanted to be like her when I was a kid.
Sunday 20th June
One of the pains about going away is constipation, my grandmother used to get this as well. I was OK in Teignmouth and it came on when I got to Exmouth, so I took a senator and hoped it would work.
One of the things I notice is that the owners of this hotel don't interact with their guest's like Barbara does at the seaway, they are nice people but things could be a bit better.
Went to Al la Rond today, my friend Garry raves about it so I'll want to find out for myself. Got the bus in front of the cinema, and had to get off by a garage and carefully cross the road then up a country lane. Almost had to jump into the bush every time the car went past, I was a bit early so I had to wait about ten minutes.
Since it was a fine day I did the house first, the doorways are very narrow, I don't think fat people could enter very well; the original owners must have been skinny rakes.
Couldn't do the shell room as it was cordoned off, but there's camera's that show you what it's like. There were shell's everywhere even in the fireplace, the house is built in a round shape.
The gardens are lovely, I got very inspired by the Belfast sink, we have one but it's in a bit of a state for now. I recognised some plants, must do more with the plants I have.
I had to wait by a small bus stop for the return bus, I was getting worried as being a Sunday I wasn't sure of the time they ran. But it did come and it was a relief to get back.
Wandered around the marina until my hip started complaining, the marina (not my hip) has recently been built.
Monday 21st June.
My week had sped past, when I was with the lifestyle social group we went to the donkey sanctuary at Sidmouth, but we never did the seafront.
The weather wasn't very nice today and it was a bit rainy. I waited outside a cafe down from the bus stop for a table to clear, I didn't fancy sitting outside in case I got divebomb by The seagulls.
The cafe is opposite a church, I think one day when I have the opportunity I may come back.
Comments
Post a Comment