dawesberry adventures my view of the big family adventure.

Forest Row was sweet, tho i was ready to go by the time we left. Then getting onto the motorway with the weekend traffic made me want to go back. Still, i had faith that the rest of England wasn't going to be like the motorway. it was hot (though not hot like Australia hot or Louisiana hot or California hot) so of course driving was not that pleasant. getting used to the sound of the van was a bit difficult, it seems like we shouldn't be working the engine so hard, traveling at such a speed, the revs seemed to high! :^o Steve suggested that i get used to it. We got to see Stonehenge, but its surrounded by a fence and we didn't want to pay to get in, so we didn't. I think I'll appreciate less well known nearby rock formations. Still, Stonehenge rocks have been there for, like, 5000 years!!!! Its great to be amongst old buildings. I was admiring all the stone work on buildings as we got closer and closer to Mark and Tara's. Some of the directions to their house were, "turn left at old pub", "after stone gate", "first drive after bridge". all these places are grand and old and solid in history. The stone gate - we HAD to stop at it. It reminded me of what chess pieces are modeled after. The house here, is called the Manor House (most of the buildings here have names, not numbers for addresses. Its about 350 years old, and has the oldest tree in the village here, one with red leaves, the same age as the house. and the house, ah! I actually dream of houses like this, with room after room after room. The walls are so thick, every room so private. We're loving it. There are kids all over the place, so everyone is happy with plenty of companionship. There is a ping pong tournament going on, which I've placed out of, darnit. Its all very nice. And they are so happy to have us here. oh joy. so nice to be on holiday. and to have such lo-o-o-ong nights! I'm one who uses the rising sun as my wake-up signal, and what an adjustment it is... it is only really dark from 10:30pm to 2:30am. i had to stop myself using that ol sun to wake up by.