Five nights in Rutland and Cambridge

Since returning from Australia and New Zealand we've been itching to go away in our 'new' motorhome. After completing all of the jobs we've put off for some time...tidying garden, laying new patio etc we felt we deserved a break so went off spending 3 nights in Rutland and 2 nights in Cambridge. The weather was surprisingly good, it was dry and sunny for most of the time but cold. We went on a 30 mile ride around Rutland Water...a great track with some lovely countryside and views. A couple of 6 mile walks around the area close to the Caravan club site at Greetham. We also used my bus pass for the first time when we went into Oakham. After picking up some second hand bowls from nearby it would have been nice to have tried them out on one of the nearby greens but we just didn't have the time. The caravan club site was of a high standard but a bit pricey at £19, there's a good cl or cs in Greetham charging £10 with electricity but no showers or toilet (close to town and pubs).

Normanton Church on Rutland water.

Normanton Church.

Cambridge was as I remember it from my lecturing days but this time it was nice to not have any conference papers to deliver. We just chilled out looking around the shops and colleges and walking along the river bank. Again the Caravan site was of a high standard close to the bus route into the city. Again we did a quite lengthy cycle ride out into the country.

Kings College Cambridge

Cambridge

Punting on the river, Cambridge

One of the many lovely bridges Cambridge

Cambridge river punting.

A day spent walking around Singapore.

Our hotel is outside the city in a busy 'working area.' We took the excellent rail network into the city centre where we just toured around the mix of colonial and modern buildings. The latter consisting mainly of huge shopping malls and banking institutions. It was nice to visit The Raffles Hotel a place my dad told me about. He must have visited it after  his boat HMS Prince of Wales sank after being torpedoed in world war two. I'd like to think that after surviving that and the trek through the jungle to get to Singapore at least he might have had time for a pint in Raffles before the Japanese invaded the place. Hopefully he wouldn't have had to pay the £14 I had to pay for a pint of Heineken!

Barb guarding my £14 pint in The Long Bar , Raffles Hotel.

Lounging in Raffles.

Raffles hotel

The marina Singapore.

A ship across three towers...some flood they had!

Singapore

Just got into Singapore city. Decent enough hotel, just going dark so will explore the area pretty soon. Too early to form an opinion, two more sleeps and we'll be back in our own beds, now the holiday is over I suppose we're looking forward to getting home!

Leaving Noosa

As 2 little kids ran past us the other day one shouted to the other "mind the old people". We then got on a bus and the driver didn't hesitate to give us age concession fares. So it would seem that we`ve `come of age` down under and are now officially boy scout material! Its now early Saturday morning and we will shortly be leaving Noosa for the 2 hour drive to the airport. We don't fly until tomorrow soî will be in a nearby hotel for the night. Our hotel in Singapore has WiFi so hopefully I'll do another post there.

More Noosa pics

Noosa, still.

Noosa was always planned as a relaxing week before embarking on the long journey home and its certainly giving us thst. We are in Noosaville based on the wide river. Noosa heads, the main, trendy part is at the mouth of the river with a lovely beach and marina. See pics.

Pelicans on the  river

View from villa

Noosaville

Noosaville

Noosaville

Noosa

Arrived in the fantastic Noosa yesterday (Saturday). Looks great in a fab 6 berth villa overlooking pool. Went into packed surf CLub yesterday and watched cricket. No Ozzies interested as they were getting battered then the game took a dramatic turn where the ozzies should win...a huge wave of people swept from theIR seats to watch, only for the final kiwi batsman to hit a winning 6! Silence returned except for one Englishman who recreated his 2005 European cup winning scream as the wave washed out to their seats.
Good news the lifeguards told us that the sunshine beach surf club has a courtesy bus and they`ll pick us up and take us home for free ! Great booze and good food...happy days!