Categories: uncategorized
Date: 22 May 2004 20:33:11
It caused a lot of amusement last year when, leading a convoy of six cars carrying various people visiting from the Ship of Fools, I managed to set off in the wrong direction for a ten minute drive. Yesterday I said to a visiting friend from the mainland that the good thing about the Isle of Wight is that you can't get lost - you always eventually end up somewhere you know and you're never THAT far from your destination.
So why did I spend an hour today driving round in circles in the middle of the Island, totally at a loss as to where we were and how to get from one place to another - a trip that on the way back took us only twenty minutes. And it was something of a surprise to suddenly see the sea... on totally the wrong side of the car!
It was a lovely day. We set out mid-morning and, after a quick reverse down the road to retrieve Dad's forgotten walking stick, we drove through the beautiful country lanes to Wolverton Manor in Shorwell. We'd never been there before - didn't even know it existed - but it was the most idyllic place and this was where Tiddles was to spend the day being a Young Archeologist. He loved it - making roman pots and painting them, tracing a medieval moat, digging for flints, and generally having a wonderful time. I was quite jealous. Oh to be eleven again!
From there we set off on our cross country drive to meet Dad's friend R in Ventnor. He hadn't seen her for ages as they've both become unable to walk or drive far. It was a delight to be able to pick her up and take the two of them to the Botanical Gardens in Ventnor for lunch and to sit and talk in the beautiful surroundings of the gardens. Smudgelet and I went off to have a picnic and play on the play area, finishing off with a lolly by the fishpond before starting the return journey. And we called just for a run round Carisbrooke Castle on our way home, just to crown the day.
We must do that again.