It was a perfect English summer’s morning when I went for a walk first thing this morning – sunny blue skies and warm(ish). I ended up at Totland Beach with its sparkling blue-green sea. But no sand on the beach – or concrete like in nearby Colwell Bay – this beach has big, round stones littered all over the beach instead. Walking back, I met a little boy about three years old walking down the track to the beach with his mother. I chatted to him and he was very excited to have his bathers on and was carrying a little bodyboard. I patronisingly felt rather sorry for him – going to swim in very cold water on a beach of large stones. But kept my thoughts to myself!

Pam and Nathan took us for a wonderful breakfast together in a delightful nearby village. We’ve had such a lovely time with them and enjoy so much our friendship.

Here’s a photo of a thatched church near the breakfast cafe. As a tourist I can’t resist taking photos like this!

To feed my inner “Milly-Molly-Mandy” they drove us to nearby Winkle Street of what looks to me like a quintessential little English village street. I wouldn’t want to live in one, but I do appreciate the history, age and look. Thatched wobbly rooves, low doorways and tiny windows, stone-built and made with such craftsmanship, roses and bright colourful flowers abundantly flaunting their colours in the gardens.

In the clear waters of the bubbling nearby brook a mother duck was busily supervising and fussing with her six newly hatched ducklings. A delight to watch.

On then to nearby (everywhere on the Isle is “nearby”) village of Godshill with its old church from the 1300s, grey weathered grave stones encircling it.

Inside the church there’s lots of memorials of long-gone people. Below is the effigy of Sir John Leigh and his wife Anne. No other details known to me – but God knows them. Do you see the carved skull on the memorial stone next to the stained-glass window? To remind us of the transitory lives we lead.

Nathan drove us into Cowes, crowded with people for the Isle’s Music Festival where Philip and I caught a passenger ferry (this one didn’t take cars) across the Solent to Southampton. A much bigger town and port with huge ocean liners tied up at their docks.

Then a smaller connecting bus that was supposed to take us to the Southampton National Express busport. I’m still not sure why – I couldn’t understand the bus driver’s explanations, but we ended up at the Southampton Train Station instead. The bus driver then pointed us in the right direction for the busport – I’m very glad we don’t have lots of luggage – and we walked till we found the small bus station for National Express.

Only to find that Philip had accidently booked our bus seats to Heathrow for 2am this morning, not 2pm in the afternoon! He was mortified, he doesn’t like making mistakes like that, especially if it’s going to cost more money. But I think it’s all part of the adventure, working out how to figure out the next step when things go awry.

The man at the ticket office was so helpful. Technically we should have bought another lot of tickets because we’d missed our bus, but he said he’d figure it out for us. He had such a delightful Indian sense of humour that had me laughing, but was incomprehensible to Philip – partly because his ears are still blocked from his cold and he isn’t hearing well. And the ticket office man did sort us out. Two people didn’t show up for the bus ride, so we got their seats without paying any extra. To show my gratitude I gave him a Margaret River fudge bar and he was very chuffed.

A huge, modern comfortable bus ride of two and a half hours through mostly green fields, farmlands and huge belts of trees to Heathrow Airport. (Maybe I’m confused but I don’t think that English trees have as many varieties of shades of green that we have in the Australian bushland.) We’re staying at the hotel here at Heathrow in very comfortable rooms. They even have a big bath that we’re going to use tonight. An early night tonight – up at 4.30am tomorrow morning for our Italian adventure!

(IOW stands for Isle of Wight)