Faversham, Sandwich and Deal

Chris was a big help with booking a ferry as we decided to go the cheapest route Dover Calais. Only 54 quid for camper and us whereas Portsmouth to Cherbourg was over 200. So Denise took a day off work and Chris drove her down for another day seeing us off and seeing some of their relatives in the Dover Deal area. Chris had some ideas of places to see and the first was Faversham which is a cute market town and home to Britain's oldest Brewery. Then it was Sandwich for Afternoon tea and Deal to catch up with Mick and Maureen and for us to get a great place to freecamp beside the sea. An 8.30am sailing in the morning and its "leavin ol england forever"
PS--had to include the moon chimney shot from Denise's place---very Harry Potterish-I thought and the moon and sunrise shots taken at Deal beach

LONDON voting & sightseeing

Slept outside London then went into Sth London and left the van at LIz's friend Denise's place while we went in on the Tube to Australia House to vote. Monday 20th June was the first day for pre polling in London so our timing was perfect. Quite a queue but well organised and we were done in an hour so some time for tourist stuff. Had a nice lunch near Trafalgar Square as the weather cleared up and then had a look in the National Art Gallery. Walked through Piccadilly and down to Speakers Corner and across the park to Buckingham Palace. It was sunny now and we walked through St James Park to the Horse Guards then along Whitehall past the beefed up security of 10 Downing St to the Houses of Parliament. Pretty busy round here with lots of Polllies giving interviews outside re the assassination of the Labour member of Parliament for her views on the IN OUT vote for the EU. Creating quite a stir over here and we were not surprised when they voted OUT. Most people in the countryside that we met wanted out but were worried about the city vote. Maybe it will be a good thing for Aussie trade. Westminister Abbey looked sad under renovations and we walked along the Embankment back to Charing Cross and we had an hours delay with a train broken down on our line. Home to Denise and Family and nice night of catching up.  

Oxford

On our own again and 1st stop was Oxford so now Liz has done both University towns. Photos of the place where the race between the Uni eights ends each year and then the great hall of Christs Church and huge quadrangle featured in Harry Potter movies and then another college and we chose Trinity College

Last supper at Boulton on the Water

Great value pub found for our last dinner together- this time !

Chedworth Roman villa

Too late to visit and missed the show as well but one of the cast posed with Liz. Place was close to where we camped at Northleach

Flower Show at Blenheim Castle

Blenheim Castle

This was very impressive and the annual flower show was going on so a double attraction. We even had a ride on a minature railway between the castle and the flowers. Owned by the Duke of Marlborough and Queen Anne gave him the huge Victory Column after his victory over the French in the 1700's

Broadway Tower

A folly----built to prove you could afford to build a useless building

Chipping Campden

an old market town with a 450 year old stone market now protected by the National Trust. Also a nice church and some remains of the house of a royalist supporter during the Cromwell era but the banqueting houses on the estate left untouched !!