20th-30th December 2008, in tapas size

We have done a fair bit this holiday period.

Saturday 20^th December

We started from Royston via the A505, A1, M25, M3, M27, A31 etc. to Weymouth, getting there for mid-afternoon. We stayed at a nice guest house very centrally located, and somehow we managed to get an upgrade to the en-suite room, on the ground floor (which saved carrying everything up and down the stairs!) In the evening, we visited Caroline’s friends Allison & Andrew, and while they were working on the computers, I was assisting their daughter Ruth with decorating the Christmas tree!

Sunday 21^st December

More of the same – changing from the usual activities to play with their daughter once more, while Caroline and Andrew were transferring stuff over from tapes. They have recently picked up a second hand iMac, so C offered to take it back to Royston for upgrading…

Monday 22^nd December

…We had to leave Weymouth, for the first part of our journey north. This was the place where we stayed in Weymouth…

… and after stopping in Weymouth (you can see all the pictures here), we drove north, following the reverse of the route to the M25 then the M1, M18, M62, M60, M6 – had a clear road most the way, but we just ran out of time to get across the border (had planned to stay at Glasgow, at least).

So, at 2130, we stopped at Westmorland (Tebay) in Cumbria, for the second visit of the year. C stopped on spec, hoping to find space, and we got a nice room (with a third off the price too!) – I had planned for Glasgow, but we did not get that far. Never mind, lovely room, and a lovely hotel to stay in, once more!

Tuesday 23^rd December

We had to leave (again), and this was the outside…

… and continue our drive north. After stopping in Carlisle for some more pictures, we drove via the A7 (stopping at Sarah's Coffee Shop in Hawick, where we found a selection of fifteen or so teas, something to which auntysarah  was apparently pleased to here!), to Dalkeith, the Edinburgh city-by-pass, A8000 and Forth Road Bridge to Ferrytoll Park & Ride, then on via the M90 to Kinross Services, M90 becomes A90 and direct to Farnell, joining C’s family for the holidays.

Wednesday 24^th December – Christmas Eve

It was a quiet day, mostly spent finishing preparing for Christmas Day.

Thursday 25^th December – Christmas Day

We had a quiet one, with C’s family. I’d got a C a few books, including 1000 Films To Change Your Life, and 1000 Books To Change Your Life, plus (all from Time Out) a copy of Country Walks Around London 2 – the first one is out of stock at the TO webshop. I also got C a new diabetic blood sugar meter (she asked, as they were going cheap in the chemist – so I get to explain of the time I went for one, and the guy behind me thought I was in for a pregnancy test!), to add to the SatNav, amongst other gifts. I was impressed that her new blood meter includes free batteries for life!

Caroline got me a personalised iPod (already in use, as is her SatNav) and others. The family sent us a parcel of things, and included labels “To you” (not “boyname”), and some for C too! Anyway, we went to pick up C’s mother in Carnoustie, and here are a few pics of what we had when we got back!

Friday 26^th December – Boxing Day

Caroline drove me out to meet my family, via Forfar and the A90. We stopped at my family home in Linlathen (where she gave us two personalised Chocolate gift tags – one to Suzy!!! And Caroline! – shame it’s taken nearly five years, but another big step – as well as the first of my birthday gifts!!!), before driving them to see my dad briefly, at his new home. Mum said he appears to be a lot better looked after there, and although we weren’t there long, he does look better. Anyway, from there, onto the Gallagher Retail Park – we had a browse around Borders (C got some books, I got a daily calendar with 50% off, enough for a similarly discounted bear!) and my sister/mother and I then went onto Matalan for a look round their 50% off sale. A few more items purchased, loaded in the car, and then a quick stop at Dundee Bus Station, before back to Farnell via Linlathen.

Saturday 27^th December

We left Farnell on Saturday morning, before driving via Gowanbank, Forfar, Southmuir, Lintrathen, Glenisla, Blacklunnans, Kirkmichael, Strathardle, Moulin, to Pitlochry, before continuing via the A9 to Perth, onto North Muirton Industrial Estate then back to the Perth A9 City-By Pass... we're not finished yet!... then onto Perth Park + Ride at Broxden, via A9, Aberuthven, Auchterarder, A9 to Dunblane South, then Doune, Callendar, and the A81 via Strathblane into central Glasgow, before we picked up Bobby B after his shift, who took us out to an Italian place in Glasgow's West End. Here is a pic of the two of us, after being out for ten hours!

We dropped him off, before returning via Stirling, St Ninan's Toll Shell garage for fuel, then direct to Farnell. A long day with well over thirteen hours out, but it was worth it! Collection includes scenic pictures, plus some bus stuff from , Stagecoach, Bankfoot Buses, Smith & Son's new vehicles for Perth Park + Ride, Broons Buses, Elizabeth Yule, Docherty's Midland Coaches, Pegasus Travel, Crieff Travel, JP Coaches, Rennie's, plus much more! Click here to see all the pictures.

Sunday 28^th December

A quiet day to recover – but the optical drive on the new-ish PC laptop is refusing to work!

Monday 29^th December

After technical support diagnosing the issue as one to warrant sending back (once we return to Royston), out to Dundee once more, and we stopped at Montrose and Arbroath briefly, before continuing to Carnoustie (to pick up C’s mother, who wanted her to go vacuum cleaner shopping, and did buy me an external DVD rewriter, with Lightscribe (to print labels with the same laser that burns the disc), which is something I shall need to look into). I had went to the flat on other meter-related issues, but, now not until later this week – so, instead, proceeded with packing what I wanted into the boxes we bought in Staples on Saturday – and a few other “suitable” containers! Stopped in Carnoustie and Arbroath (new Tesco) on the way back to Farnell.

Tuesday 30^th December

I’m definitely under the weather yesterday, and this morning, although today it has been on and off. We drove from Farnell to Dundee via Forfar, Glamis, and West Denoon, as C’s sister-in-law wanted to point out the very rural house she grew up in! We went via Kingsway West Retail Park (for lunch) and Menzieshill (a few of my old haunts pointed out to Caroline) before stopping at Ninewells Hospital (hoping for one of the new 333 buses, as the 08 plate MAN/Enviro300’s are to be replaced with 58 plate Enviro300 single decks with higher back seats, at the behest of Perth & Kinross Council), but they are not yet in service – but a few other worthwhile shots, so not a wasted stop. Into town/flat, and back out via the railway station, Dock Street, and C had the Lessiemobile washed at A1 in East Dock Street (occupying part of the former Greyhound bus depot premises). We proceeded along the A930, and just about 50 yards from the Dundee/Angus boundary… we got a bird dropping from above! Perhaps inevitable… anyway, from there, we drove via Ardestie, Monikie, Crombie and Friockheim, to Farnell. A few pictures taken, and you can see them all here.

The last time I checked, the mileage was well over 1300 miles!