What a Lark!: Sad goodbyes, gins and Diplodocus.

A bit of a sad day today, we say goodbye to lovely people, it was three years since we last saw all of them, but hopefully not that long till next time.

We had said to the latecomers, (NB Lady Georgina, who arrived after 6pm and wanted to moor up, they breasted up against us) yesterday afternoon that we wanted to leave at 8am, Chris said to David "We'll try to be up" which
unnerved him a bit but at 7:45 they were up starting their engine and they insisted on paying for the nights mooring £7, frightfully nice couple.

They moved off and feeling a bit like the Queen when she has crowds to wave to her... Sue, Carol and George were there to wave us off.

Wallingford Bridge this morning, a bit chilly, I had my jeans on and a waistcoat.... I didn't pack any socks but they would have been on too.

David has made the turn, and we are heading upstream towards the first lock today, Benson Lock, just out of sight now was NB Lady Georgina.

Got a bit close to the bridge when we turned, that is downstream towards.... well someplace.

The Darling 'Rockers' George and Carol.

You can see Carol, has her camera in hand, she got some much better photos than me, her's are here HERE

Both boats, No Problem moved off today as well.

Through Benson Lock and this is Shillingford. I just love these old stone bridges, I appreciate now the work that men put into them with their hands.

Wobbled the boat here as I was driving & D making the coffee, I don't yet have the knack of driving and taking photos.

Last to arrive at Benson Lock but we were the first in! This is Lady Georgina following us.

These two from RAF Benson very near here, I THINK that fat plane is a Hercules, but anyone know what the Helicopter is?

So we did all three locks with NB Lady Georgina, excellent sport was had approaching Clifton Lock, a large Le Boat (They are all large) had tried to come past us, he hadn't smiled waved or made any eye contact, minimum manners required! But as he was on the verge of coming past there were a couple of orange marker buoys in the river marking the shallows or maybe a wreck but he had to stay back and at the lock he didn't fit in with us NB's. Needless to say after this lock he did shoot past us and we thought he would be through the next lock, Culham, before we got there but no, the lock keeper waited for us so he hadn't gained anything at all, much sniggering from me.

We arrived at Abingdon and got a nice mooring next to the swimming pool, NB LG moored up too and as we stood in the the ankle deep goose poo, NB LG moved across to the meadows side, David was on the verge of doing the same when two mini cruisers shot into the last gap so we stayed.... almost all the moorings were taken by lunchtime, but it was the weekend coming.

I looked about and saw that NB Dulcieblue HERE was in town, we really weren't expecting to see them as I had thought they were in the upper reaches of the Thames. We hailed them just as they saw us and they arrived for coffee, which carried on into wine, beer and snacks.

NB Dulcieblue is a most striking boat, not only the lovely warm peachy colour which is so unusual but the decorative effect arty Sarah has achieved too around the portholes. We met up with these two Chris and Sarah at the end of last summer at Hawkesbury Junction by good luck.

I neglected to take any photos so I have stolen this shot from Sarah's blog.

Wwll the reason we landed up here in Abingdon is really for me. I was included (in my last daughter to get married in September) her Hen Do in London, it was all very hush hush as she didn't want a Hen Do..... David had left the car here for me and it was a real easy jaunt down the M4 from here early the next morning.

It was a very nice Do you'll be happy to hear.
Any pure Boating fans can look away now, but here are a few photos.....

It took the form of team games in the park, races in fancy dress costumes all very tasteful of course;