A delightful but darkening day on the Aylesbury Arm ...

I suspect that many people will be thinking that we've stopped blogging all together, its been so long since I've managed to find sufficient time to sit down and reminisce once more.  Apologies everyone, we absolutely DO intend to complete our journeys of 2010 and thereafter continue blogging intermittently until we finally return to the canals in 2013 (or before if possible!).

I've been gallivanting around the southern hemisphere once more, with a week 'across the ditch' in Australia visiting a friend who moved there in January.  We'd been considering relocating for a year or so before returning to UK to top up our bank balance, but although I had a lovely time and Melbourne is a cool city, Australia just doesn't 'do it' for me in the way that New Zealand does, so it's likely that we'll be staying here until our next big move ...

Cape Patterson, two hours south east of Melbourne

Feeding the Pelicans on Phillip Island - apparently the largest of their kind in the world

A very cute Koala bear - a rare sight of one awake, as they sleep for 20 hours a day!

It's Australia, an opportunity to get up close and personal with a friendly wallaby

Our other news is that we booked return tickets to England yesterday for three weeks in March 2012 - Malaysia Airlines had a deal too good to pass up and it means we can both come for less than the price of a return trip for one with any of the other airlines!  Who knows, we may even squeeze in a few days on the canals in some form or another ...

Friday 15th October

Before leaving Aylesbury, I did the girlie thing and wandered round the shops, while Barry took the masculine option of visiting the museum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ronnie was still sitting there staring at the theatre - I'm sure he'd rather be at the 'King's Head'!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

G-G-G-Granville appears a couple of times round here

 

He managed to idle away an hour or so in the Aylesbury Museum, apparently a little 'dumbed down for kids' according to local opinion, but interesting all the same.  There was an amazing display of holograms from their first invention in the 1980s, to some pretty awesome current creations.

This contraption is a 'Magic Lantern', first appearing around 1660, though the pictured model is from c1900.  Travelling showmen used them to project painted glass slides of ghosts, skeletons and goblins onto walls and smoke screens to entertain and thrill audiences. These horror and fantasy shows were called 'Phantasmagoria' (!). Pink Floyd re invented it all in the 1960's, creating 'Psychedelia'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 While we filled with water these workmen opposite were busy driving steel pilings into the new wharf area

We finally headed off late morning, after stopping for water, and stumbled across Rick who shut one of the gates in the first lock for us.  We got chatting to him and discovered that he is the second trombonist with the orchestra who were playing for the Swan Lake Ballet at the newly opened Aylesbury Waterfront Theatre.  Despite a very late finish last night, he was ejected from his bed and breakfast accommodation so they could clean the room!  Not knowing the area, he decided to while away the time with a walk along the canal, where Barry was able to inform him of the interesting museum and fascinating hologram display - one of which it turned out was of a trombonist!  That's one of the beauties of the canals, you never know who you'll meet from day to day, and Rick was a lovely man, very good to meet you. 

 

 No-one on the canals today, peace and solitude along the straight and narrow waterway

 Just the occasional feathered friend as company

 And every so often other signs of life ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

... human, horse and heron!

Our journey was very slow and seemed to take forever today, and at one point we were stranded in the middle of the canal, just beached on what must've been sludge!  Barry had to get the pole out in order to extricate ourselves from the depths of mud and was luckily eventually successful!

The weather was dreary, cloudy and cool, which doesn't make one feel very 'happy', I wonder if I'd get SAD (aka Seasonal Affective Disorder) if I was still living here?  I always miss my family sooo much when I return to NZ, and weather isn't everything, but I do find the persistent cold and darkness of British autumn and winter a challenge. I understand better now why Halloween, Guy Fawkes and Xmas is so celebrated in the Northern Hemisphere, it's to try and counteract the effects of the darkness!  However, we still get coldness and it gets dark down South too, but we don't have anything to brighten those autumn and winter days there, though some people do have a 'mid-winter Xmas party' in the middle of June!

Wrapped up warmly whilst on lock duty

 Those inside will be snug and warm with the log burner on

 In spite of the cold, the surroundings are truly beautiful along this stretch

I think this image sums up our opinion of the Aylesbury Canal - delightful

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We eventually arrived at the end of the Aylesbury Arm, took a sharp left turn, then moored up close to Marsworth and decided to have a rare night out.  Stopping at The Red Lion briefly, we decided that the menu didn't look too appealing, so we had a quick drink then walked to The Angler's Retreat which had a much more convivial atmosphere, full of locals chatting merrily away. 

Spotting what appeared to be the Landlady in a black jacket with a silver fern, I asked if she was a Kiwi to which she replied "I certainly am, I'm from Palmerston North".  "Oh well" said I, "I suppose someone has to be!" Lol!  I was recalling (but not repeating!) John Cleese's words after a visit to the North Island city "If you ever do want to kill yourself but lack the courage, I think a visit to Palmerston North will do the trick," click here if you want to read the town's revenge! 

The Landlady informed us she'd been in England for over 20 years and at The Red Lion for 9 years, helping it to gain 'The Most Improved Pub' award in 2004.  It was still plain 'British' food, I had cheese omelette, chips and salad, and Barry had a chilli and rice, but it appeared to be freshly prepared and satisfied our appetites after a long, cold day.

Then, for the first time this trip, we played a few games of darts which was fun.  It's always a delight to find a 'proper' British pub still going strong, well done Pauline and Jane.

There followed a rather precarious walk back to Northern Pride, along a very dark towpath and then stepping gingerly over the top of the staircase lock of the entrance to the Aylesbury Arm, managing to get safely back on board.

A couple of canals in New Zealand - and a curse on Barry!

Last week Barry and I hooked up at a place called Bowentown, not far from Waihi Beach, which is about an hour's drive from Auckland.  We stayed in what kiwi's call a 'bach' aka a holiday home - friends of Barry's own it and we had it to ourselves for two nights which was awesome.  Barry and his family used to have a bach a short walk away that his grandmother owned and they'd come here for holidays when he was a child.

Some people have been asking for photos of New Zealand - well you may wish you hadn't soon (!) ...

 

 

 

 Jan and Cliff's bach

 

 

 

 

The bach is across the road from the fishing club where many boats are launched and fishing competitions held through the year.  We were treated to the sight of half a dozen kingfishers sitting on the flax bush opposite while they watched patiently for passing fish, which brought back fond memories of the canals of England.  Their markings were very different to British kingfishers, being more cream and black rather than orange and turquoise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            Bowentown Fishing Club from the balcony                            One of the kingfishers

 The view from the bach of the estuary with the tide in 

 School holidays and some boys take advantage of the fishing opportunities - this is where Barry and his brothers used to fish and play when they were children

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    We had a walk in the sun and visited some of Barry's childhood haunts - and saw the changes since then such as this huge holiday home on the hill

 Mt Maunganui and Tauranga, and Mt Edgecombe in the far distance with Matakana Island in the foreground

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

... and toi toi - or pampas grass as it's known in UK ...

 ... hardly a cloud in the sky, and glorious shadows of them and the sun on the still water

  Bowentown and Waihi beaches - hosting a preponderance of all kinds of shells

 

 

 

 

Easter holidays and a camp site nearby, lots of people out walking on the beach - well about a dozen!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Certainly a calming break away from 'normal' life here - Mayor Island breaking the horizon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Shelly beach, where Barry and his family would water ski from as it's so shallow

Sunset looking across the estuary from Bowentown

The scenery in New Zealand is spectacular and I do feel very lucky to be spending time here.  As we're unlikely to get back to England this year, we're trying to make the most of 'being' where we are and taking all opportunities to get out of Gisborne and travel around.  Next week I'm off to Melbourne to visit a friend for a week - so there may even be one or two Aussie shots on the blog!

 

 

On the drive back to Gisborne we pass Mount Edgecombe, an extict volcano, seen in the distance.

 

 

 

 

And you thought we didn't have any canals in New Zealand?  This could possibly be the only canal in the world with a volcanic mountain nearby?

Sadly no narrowboats to be found on these canals though.

 

Next stop was Waioeka Gorge and a famous 'historic' Tauranga Bridge from the 19th century. This area of the gorge was 'sold' to settlers to try and make the land farmable back in the 1860s, a part of the process was to build a bridge across the gorge.  The original bridge was washed away but there's a replica from the early 20th century.  Not old by European standards, but historic here in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sadly despite their best efforts, the land around the gorge chose not to give in and they had to abandon their farms and try somewhere else.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Almost 100 years old (the bridge, not Sandra!) 

 Barry managed to climb up the hill a short way to get this fantastic shot - he wasn't so nimble on the descent!

 Part of the Waioeka Gorge - the 'main', winding road from Opotiki to Gisborne

Returning to Gisborne late last Wednesday, I had a call from my dentist's asking me how my tooth was.  Having cracked one of my back teeth (without realising it!) a few weeks previously, he'd attempted to repair it and I'd had a large filling before we left.  Sadly, despite pain killers and antibiotics, the pulp of the tooth hadn't survived and the following day I returned to the 'chair' and had my root 'canal' filled - not the most pleasant experience in the world!

The spooky thing is that during my life coaching work we're looking at our core beliefs and how we've built these during our lives.  I have a book called 'You can heal your life', by Louise L. Hay, and she describes how any physical problems we may encounter can be due to some blockage/mental cause in our lives and will have message to be listened to.  A root canal is all about 'root beliefs being destroyed'!  Interesting aye?

Barry had also had an interesting experience in Aylesbury last October ...

Thursday 14 October

We left our mooring half way to Aylesbury earlier than anticipated as a BW working boat came alongside wanting to moor where we were to pick up some sacks of something on the towpath!  Not a problem, it made us move onto the last eight locks to Aylesbury where we'll stay overnight then return and do the 16 on this arm all in one go tomorrow.

The Aylesbury arm opened in 1814, one of the later canals, as there'd been much controversy about building a canal that took water from another navigation so was strongly resisted at first.  Once it was opened the price of coal halved overnight and it went on to become a successful transporter of coal.

Mid-October now and the temperature is really beginning to drop - today I layered up wearing my thermal vest, long sleeved top, scarf, gloves, ear warmer, hat and waterproof - and I was still cold!  Possibly I've turned into a wuss (how do you spell that?), having not had a winter for the past three years, I'm just hopeless at coping in cooler climates!

 

 

 

 

 

 

A very pleasant and peaceful almost straight, stretch of canal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Sixteen single locks along the arm

A very serene area of the waterways, especially in mid-autumn

Four geese enjoying the solitude ...

... Until we turned up - then they were off!

Puttenham Bottom Lock and cottage

An interesting collection of part-restored wooden boats at Bates Boatyard at Puttenham

The drydock at Bulbourne, at the junction of the Grand Union and Wendover Arm, is also owned by this boatyard who specialise in building and restoring wooden canal boats

 Stunning reflections on the mirror-like surface

The hump back bridge and low vehicles must cause some noise to the residents of the red house at Red House Lock

A couple of fishermen trying their luck

Red House Lock No 13

A very long, weedy and shallow section of canal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good to see the trimmer boat out, though I think he might be fighting a losing battle

 Colourful images reflected this time ...

 ... then back to black and white - sublime stillness

 Happy horses in the countryside surrounding Aylesbury

 Not a bad set up for these fishermen escaping from the hustle and bustle of the modern world

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Enjoying some of the final narrow locks of our 2010 journey

We arrived into Aylesbury at around 5pm so sadly most places were just closing.  We did however manage to just catch the Tourist Information site and bought a heritage walk map for 50p which we set off on to explore the town.  And what a surprisingly delightful place it was, with some gorgeous historic buildings that were all well preserved, with the old blending in nicely with the new structures. 

We'd just missed the opening of the brand new Waterside Theatre which had occurred just two days previously amidst fanfares and stars - it's a jaw-dropping piece of architecture and alongside the canal basin which is also in the process of being 'done up'.  Unfortunately there's a dearth of visitor moorings in the town, but it's definitely worth the while travelling down this canal arm and visiting the town and it's attractions ...

 Approaching the moorings in Aylesbury town basin

 Packed to the rafters!

 Many boats moored up for the winter - we get a mooring at the end on the left

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The brand new Aylesbury Waterside Theatre

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make up your mind - which way DO we go??

 Aylesbury town - streets criss-cross all around

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Real village butcher and green grocer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The historic walk took us along many of the backstreets to discover hidden gems

 Quaint cottages encircle the church

Walking around the churchyard, Barry was doing his usual photography when a young Muslim boy walked past and told him in no uncertain terms that he shouldn't be doing that - he recounted a story that he'd once took photos of the church and had a curse put on him and he'd been taken ill shortly afterwards! He was convinced that taking photos had been the cause and seemed quite distressed and seriously wanted Barry to take notice so the same didn't happen to him; bless!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Curses in churches?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Not far to walk to the Sunday service - or a funeral!

 Very well maintained houses ... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 ... of all shapes and sizes 

The walk took us around an hour, leading us back to our starting point of the 15th century King's Head pub.  It would've been rude not to partake of a drink in the establishment, so we entered and duly patronised The Farmer's Bar, hoping to ward off any evil spirits from the curse!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The light was fading as we walked back to the boat and the new theatre was positively glowing in all it's glory ...

 

The famous Ronnie Barker, of 'The two Ronnies', 'Porridge' and 'Open all hours' fame, was born and resided in Aylesbury

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What do you think of the shiny new theatre Ronnie?

It's b-b-b-b-b-b beautiful! 

There was a very damp and frosty feeling to the evening, it's definitely drawing close to the time to fly south for the winter!  I have only a week to go as I'll be leaving Northern Pride next Thursday in a hire car to go to my parents for a few days and remove some of our 'stuff' from the boat, then a weekend in the New Forest with my family. Barry will return to the boat after the weekend, to do some more work on the boat prior to getting her into a marina to sell.