Summer Continues

Back from the North-East and back to the realities of teaching. I have a new class this week and although they seem very nice I'm finding teaching very stressful at the moment. I'm also very, very tired, which doesn't help.

Had a great time in the North-East. Caught up with my Grandma and also managed to see some of my other relatives, which is pretty good going given that we were only in the North-East for two days. It was a long drive up on Thursday after work, but we wanted to make the most of our time up there. On Friday after visiting my Grandma Kiya and I went into Newcastle and then out to Tynemouth by the coast. It was very hot over the weekend and at times I couldn't believe that I was in the North-East of England, where it usually never gets hot. Friday night Kiya and I ate with my aunt and uncle out in the garden - I felt like I was back in Australia!

Saturday we set off very early and drove out to a part of Hadrian's Wall. It's quite amazing that over two thousand years ago that someone came up with the idea of and managed to construct a wall that basically reaches from coast to coast - although I guess it doesn't really compare with the Great Wall of China. There's not a great deal left of the wall, but what is left is in beautiful countryside and despite the heat Kiya and I managed to walk some of the wall. From Hadrian's Wall we drove across the moors and down into Weardale and then to Durham.

On Sunday we came back via Yorkshire, stopping at the very English seaside town of Whitby (where Bram Stoker wrote Dracula), and York. I actually wish we'd had more time as we didn't really get to see very much - even with the car.

It was great having a car, but in some ways it can be a real hassle - particularly when it comes to finding somewhere to park. Most villages and towns here just can't cope with the volume of traffic. Oxford has terrible traffic problems and it's good that there are lots of restrictions about bringing cars into the centre.

Kiya and I are renting a car again this weekend, but are not planning on going so far. We're going to stay with my aunt and uncle in Wiltshire and will probably visit Bath and might go to Wales. Wales is a big place though.

I did want to include a photo with this post, but I've been having problems downloading my photos - might try and add one later.