Whatever is left of the white cliffs of Dover. Apparently they are crumbling faster than the British economy - unthinkable.
Still, the only topic of conversation - stuck in a cab in another traffic jam, this time on the M3 ( Australia does NOT have traffic jams...trust me on this) is The world cup and whether Rooney is a tosser who shouldn't even be in the English Team and Capello does nuffin to warrant five miwllion bleedin quid a year!
It's all wonderful....the accents - the flags of St George on the cars on either side - the huge groves of silver birches on each side of the motorway...the smell of early summer - and the fact that we are finally off the plane!
The trip was fine, but long...and I saw 5 more movies - nine in total.
I'd recommend The Lovely Bones for PJ's direction, Crazy Heart for Jeff Bridges charismatic performance and wonderful hair, A Single Man for Colin Firth...straight or gay he's yummy - and suggest you skip Edge Of Darkness if you saw the Original, and The girl with Dragon Tattoo if you've read the book.
On to Hartley Wintney - a stunning English village where the local pub The Lamb, has been renamed Zazanka( I refuse to ask) and the local butcher makes his own pork sausages with apple and Sage.
It's Thursday 17th June and though this is all very beautiful - there is nothing about it that feels like home or reminds me that I am English - of the rose and peachfuzz variety. This is not home...though I am happy to visit.
Tony's sister has a lovely bungalow ( a house style reserved for the elderly in GB...what would they make of Melbourne?) with an exquisite garden. As soon as I can I will download and post some pics.
it's 7.30pm but feels like 4 in the morning ( probably beacuse it is back home.) We listen to a thrush singing it's evensong and eat strawberries and drink Lindeman's Chardonnay (yikes) and Tony and Margaret - who is 80 and lost her very special husband of 55 years last year - reminisce about childhood while I try to keep my eyes open. It's gentle and gentile and at last I feel the holiday has begun!
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