Photo of the Month (July 2020)

I anticipated the Photo of the Month post being in the middle of the month.

This failed to happen in July due to preparations for going away and the excitement of at last managing to take a motorhome trip.

Also on returning home I needed time to rectify a few minor faults in the van before my next outing.

Here Pearl is waiting for me to catch her up whilst climbing the Sugar Loaf in the Brecon Beacons.

It may be in Wales but like the countryside throughout the UK

it is beautiful.

This is the path to the top of "Sugar Loaf" in Wales just outside of Abergavenny.  

This is one of the walks in my book 

"Wonderful Walks from Dog-friendly Campsites throughout the UK". 

The campsite I stayed at was Pyscodlyn Farm Caravan and Camping Park.  

This was one of the best campsites

Pearl remarked in her "Pearls of Wisdom"

Whatever the weather the countryside can still be appreciated.

During these unusual times it has proved to be essential.

We must not take it for granted.

What is your favourite place

My First 2020 Motorhome Outing.

I was unable to do my usual Thursday post because

• I was on a campsite
• There appeared to be wifi but unusually I did not have a laptop with me. (That is another saga).

Because of so much uncertainty I only booked 5 nights

This was just as well as the weather was awful on the last day.  

The forecast for the following week was not much better.

For 4 days the weather was glorious and 

Lydford Campsite was wonderful

They had an ingenious way of limiting numbers in the facilities block.

On the outside of both the ladies and the gents there were 3 numbered tiles on hooks.

If you wanted to use the facilities you took a numbered tile;

and entered the block

On exiting you hung it back on the hook.

If there were no tiles you waited outside until one was available..

Pearl also enjoyed the campsite.

Just a few minutes walk away was a large playing field.

Here there was plenty of space 

to chase her frisbee

The walking was not so good as several of the footpaths and bridleways led to a busy road or a barrier like a gate. 

Finding suitable routes was time consuming and challenging. 

We found one up over the moors that was just amazing.

It also allowed me to check out the competition 

(The campsite behind the pub).

This was better that either the website or reviews indicated. 

I need to return to finalized details for the book and take more photographs.

My new camera is good but I have not yet mastered its quirks and so silly errors often occur in the photos.  

I did however manage to take a panoramic shot. 

It is not too bad.

What do you think?

At last a Motorhome Outing

I have taken the plunge and decided to go away in my motohome for a few days. 
This will be my first outing since last September.

The reasons are very simple

• I toured Southern Africa in a hired motohome for October and part of November (A wonderful trip).
• I sustained a severe muscle bruise in November which took a long time to heel.  (Driving was tiring)
• Then the weather became very wet. (I was worried about getting stuck in the mud).
• Finally just as I made plans Lockdown happened. 

Campsites have now been allowed to open.

They have to be Covid secure so I a going to see how this is achieved.



As I have a contract for a second walking book I need to continue the research as soon as possible.
The second walk book also looks for routes directly from campsites.
This time I am looking for campsites near pubs.

It may sound straight forward but it is not.

• The site I would like to go has not updated the information on its website for a considerable time so I do not know if it open for business.
• The reviews of the site are off putting.   

I am going to another campsite close by.

Unusually I have booked my visit. 

(I don't generally do this until the day before departure.

Campsites are getting fully booked very quickly).

This alternative campsite is only 10 minutes/ half a mile from a pub.  

Its information is up to date.

I will check out both campsites whilst away and see which to include in my book.

Where am I going? Dartmoor. 

I can't wait. 

Confusion

So here we are.

Restrictions easing

BUT 

is it safe?

especially for us older folk.

Being fit and active in no protection

By comparison "lockdown" was easy.  

We stayed in 

Ordered groceries online

Walked the dog across the nearby fields

I was so lucky as there were lots of fields near by.

Now we are being encouraged to go out and spend to support the local community.

BUT (another one)

so many decisions  to make

• masks or no masks
• 2 metres or 1 metre
• inside or outside
• local or further afield
• quick visit or can we stay
• safe or not safe
  

Evidence against

• the situation in Leicester, which is still in full lockdown because of an increase in cases.
• the 3 pubs where some customers developed Covid-19.

There is no doubt that the situation is improving BUT (again) the virus is still about and according to the figures it is still prevalent in the community. 

What to do?

Read of the Month (July 2020)

Rather than being serious it is the intention of this blog to be informative;
hence the "Read of the Month" books are all non-fiction.

This world is incredible;
huge
diverse
spectacular.

Few have the resources to experience all the world has to offer.
Books help to illuminate various aspects of the complexities of this awesome place.

However events at this time demand an honesty and thoughtfulness
and also a genuine appreciation of what we have.

Here books, especially non-fiction and sometimes biographies and auto-biographies can help.

This months selection is a life story of three generations of Chinese women.


Wild Swans

by

Jung Chang




The oldest (grandmother) experienced life under the Chinese Emperor
The mother's life experiences were in the era of Chairman Mao.
The youngest is no longer living in China.

I am reluctant to say too much about this book as how it affect a reader very much depends upon what the reader brings to it.

I have also selected this book because of the current world situation
as well as events in Hong Kong.
China has long been a mysterious country and remains so today.
This book lets one peep through the curtain to see a tiny segment.