20 June. Boroughbridge

22/6/2017

5 days since we landed at Heathrow, so jetlag decreasing. The journey over here was better than we expected- firstly getting ticketted through to Heathrow, and second having an upgrade to premium economy for the 2nd leg, meaning some sleep was possible. Thankyou Qantas.

We've hired a car for 10 days, visiting Portsmouth friends, then to our cousins in the midlands, and now to Yorkshire, to more family. All of the above live in splendid locations, which is most considerate. A lovely cross country scramble yesterday, past Chartist cottages, the Houseman eatate, along public footpaths, to a pub lunch. The weather Sydney hot, quite dry.

So much calamitous news here, with the appalling Grenfell fire, further racist attacks, Brexit negotiations beginning. 44 years ago I followed a brass band to Whitehall, a celebration of the Common Market entry. The Times that day carried an obituary to ' British freedom, which died today'  1 January 1973.

The narrowboat received a drop in call today, our first eyeballing- and yes, she floats, looks good, and we only have 2 more sleeps before we pickup the keys. Our cousins from Morecombe Bay handled  the purchase for us, and are driving down with the keys on the 22nd.

On Friday 23rd we'll drive into Macclesfield to buy in supplies, then begin toddling off on our adventure.
Tonight we sleep in the attic bedroom of Burton Grange farm, a BnB, pheasants, horses, sheep. Quiet and remote. Tomorrow a walk in Boroughbridge, stretching our legs before tackling sim card acquisition in Harrogate.

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