General Chat

Hi DET,

I do like Marks and Sparks.... Years ago my Mum went to a party with her maternal Aunt and was introduced to Miss Matilda Marks !!

I need a posh frock for a 'do' in July. Bring on the sales :-D

Three sleeps and counting !!

Ingrid, lucky you six weeks, we have just three. But three is better than none ;-)

Most shops seem to be having sales all year, just trying to shift stock.

For the cheaper end of the budget, the larger supermarket chain shops - Sainsbury's, Asda and Tesco- carry their own lines. Primark is super for 'one season' clothes if you aren't too fussy about the quality. Pile it high and sell it cheap! Matalan is another good if inexpensive place to shop.

Your relatives will be able to point you in the direction of more up-market clothing places. ;-) Good old Marks and Spencers!!!

I hope they have a cake and cuppa as well when we arrive.

We arrive Terminal 3 Heathrow on Emirates Friday 11th.
DET maybe you can have a word with Border Force.

Susan having the same trouble hard to pack just 23kgs. Will be sure to check out the Bristol markets.

Yes we may just pass each other and never know lol.

Safe travelling Susan.

Cheers :-)

DET: hope they have baked us a cake too :-D

We arrive to Terminal 1 on Air NZ. Our first purchase is to be a GPS. I can get lost on a straight line. Where we live, there is not one set of traffic lights so we are in for a treat - or something :-S

Our exchange rate was 49p this time, effectively, we can double your prices to get a comparison to home. Hope we are still in time for winter sales?

Exeter Cathedral is on our agenda, I walked past it two years ago, it looked beautiful. My Aunt and Uncle live very close to town, easy walking distance.

Ingrid, I had a night in Bristol in 2010, loved it, the old markets in the town, can't remember the name now. :-(.

Suitcase is nearly full, I cannot pack light for the life of me. Mind you, there are a fair few gifts in our cases, so lots of space to fill on our return journey..

Toodle pip, who knows, we may walk past each other..

Susan

"The UK's Border Force will ensure all immigration desks are fully staffed during summer peak times, Immigration Minister Damian Green has told MPs."

From the BBC website today. Now don't you feel valued? - they knew you were coming :-D

Thanks +++DetEcTive+++ just what I want to hear after flying for 26hrs lol, won't tell OH till it happens.

Bobtanian will keep alook out on the way in.

Motown will buy me a pair of wellies when I get there.

Hopefully we will bring the sunshine and warmth with us. :-)

Bring wellington boots both of you.

Since the hosepipe ban has been in force, it has not stopped raining.

Nearly monsoon at times.

:-( :-0 :-| :-P

some new sights to see


anti aircraft surface to air missile sites to be built on top of blocks of flats!!

Are either of your parties arriving into Heathrow?

if so, be prepared for a long wait to clear Border control, and thats even before you discover your luggage has gone AWOL.

Recent reports say that non EU passengers at Terminal 5 face at least an hour's queuing, so go to the loo when you see one before you have to get in line.

Thanks Gwyn :-)

You intrepid visitors from overseas might be interested in this if you plan to visit historic sites.

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/overseas-visitor-pass/

Not all historic sites are in the English Heritage group, but there may be something of interest.

Gwyn

Hi Susan-nz
I have got around 62-65p each time I have exchanged. I managed to exchange while it was a bit higher.

The Roman Baths and Cathedrals are a definite on my list.

Cheers

Thanks all, not sure where Susan-nz is going or how long she is staying but I will be there for 6 weeks and travelling around. Have hired a car and would like to see as much as possible and meet as many people on here that wish to meet. My OH has family in Bristol we have not met, though his father keeps in touch,so hope to meet them too.
Layers it will be with a good set of thermals,.

Cheers
:-)

Apart from London, every where else you intend to visit is to the West of the centre. So waterproofs of some description are a must :-D

If you have time, go to the Roman Baths in Bath while you are in the SW. Fantastic.

Don't forget to visit Exeter Cathedral, worth a visit.

Thank you all for your suggestions.

We are into Autumn now but have had such a spell of warm days, we are a bit spoilt. It will come to an end and probably overnight. We have been having days of low 20oC.

We are driving ourselves around, down to Exeter, up to Wales to meet Jean(Monmouth) and then up to Manchester, flying back to London for a few days before we fly home again. Hoping to also meet a certain agony aunt......

Ingrid, hope you have a wonderful trip too. How is the exchange rate for you? Ours is dropping :-(, but hey ho, that is the way it goes.
Safe travels to you.

Susan :-)

Susan and Ingrid,

Invest in a set of thermals.

London is generally warmer than the rest of the country, the further south you go, the warmer is becomes.

:-D :-D

Thanks for that, what it doesn't mention when saying about snow and ice that this probably up in the far north of Scotland or on top of snowdon. It probably means it will be 10/11 degrees instead of 14 degrees. But how much do we believe the weather forecasts these days?

And I believe they have already lifted the severe weather warnings.

You have to dig around for it Anninglos. :-0

http://goo.gl/nZpQn

The online papers are re-hashing a prediction by WeatherAction which apparently is a subscription site.

I can't find where it says it will be the coldest May for 100 years but I can see that it says the first 2 weeks of May will continue cold. I don't think you will freeze anyway although you were always going to find it cooler than you are used to. We don't often get really hot weather in May, not continually anyway. Yes a fleece and a raincoat of some sort would be useful.