Ok, I'll interlace this with my diaries and Stephen's diaries. There's also a real journal that I wrote in Italian during this trip, but that's in my Mum's storage locker. - 01 August 2002 (Stephen) Today we went to the Eiffel Tower, which is a amazing site especially when you are sitting under the middle of it. From the top of the Eiffel Tower Paris looks like a white city
Before the Eiffel Tower we saw some orange slugs. We got a lot of photos of them. Near the Eiffel Tower we brought two models of the Eiffel Tower from an Indian who knew about cricket.
01 August 2002 (Michael) Today we went to the Eiffel Tower and went to the top (somet in French). I was very excited, but tired. We have nicknamed Paris 'The white city'.
An Italian village from the motorway...
02 August 2002 (Stephen) We went on the Chunnel Today which was quite neat and funny because you don't go directly into the tunnel you get about 10 minutes view of Calais which had the battle of Calais there (the battle of Calais was during the hundred years war), in the Chunnel you can stand outside your car. 02 August 2002 (Michael) Today we left Paris at 12:00 and arrived at Calais at 6:00 and then went on the Euro tunnel for half an hour. It then took 1 hour to arrive at New Milton.
03 August 2002 (Stephen) We went sailing today. It was quite good. The boats we went in were: a motor boat (which also had oars - that was neat) the other boat was a one cabin boat. (We swapped into the boat). It was raining all throughout the trip. We were trying to get to Hurst Castle - we didn't arrive in time.
03 August 2002 (Michael)
Today we went out on Dan and Jane's boat and got lost. Later when we came back I was wet and very relieved to get back into their home and get warm again. I was very tired.
04 August 2002 (Stephen)
Today we went to see Salisbury Cathedral and Stonehenge. In Salisbury Cathedral we saw the grave of Simon de Montfort and the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta was interesting as four bishops gave it John on a lake. He didn't sign it and they plotted to kill him if he didn't sign.
Stonehenge wasn't interesting.
04 August 2002 (Michael) Today I played with a bow and arrow. Then we went to: Salisbury Cathedral - which had the Magna Carta, Avebury Stone Circle - which was neat and Stonehenge which was a rip off. You pay 11 pound just to get a few yards closer (which we didn't do).
05 August 2002 (Stephen) Today we went to Hurst Castle, which was used in World War II not only in medieval times. We saw there: tanks, a huge cannon, artillery, some cannon shells and the tower that King Charles I was imprisoned in. 05 August 2002 (Michael) Today Stephen, Dad and I went to Hurst Castle with Dan and Jane. I found out that King Charles I was imprisoned here. There were soldiers quarters, commons, machinery, towers and thick walls to defend themselves. There were things added in Victorian times by Queen Victoria.
06 August 2002 (Stephen)
Today we went to Eire (Ireland) and Wales. To get to Fishguard to get the ferry to Eire we went through Cardiff and Bristol.
Fishguard was the first place in Europe we had fish and chips.
06 August 2002 (Michael) Today we left Dan and Jane's house for a Youth Hostel in Ireland. We stopped in Wales and went up a hill. On the ferry I played some games. After more driving we arrived at the Youth Hostel.
07 August 2002 (Stephen) Today we went to Kilkenny. In Kilkenny we saw Kilkenny castle which Strongbow took over and Foulksrath Castle (the youth hostel we stayed in) and brought a Kilkenny flag and two Irish flags. The Irish flags were made from paper.
07 August 2002 (Michael) We are preparing to go to a camping. Yesterday I was at a Youth Hostel and then went for a tour of Kilkenny Castle. I discovered one of the seats I sat down in the Pope had also sat down in. We found a shop and I got 2 flags and Stephen got a Kilkenny flag. At about 8:30 we arrived at another Youth Hostel which had a playground and family bedrooms (the other one had a dormitory).
08 August 2002 (Stephen) Today we went to Cong. On the way to Cong we ate breakfast and Lunch. Cong was Boring. 08 August 2002 (Michael) Today we drove while I read books and played on the computer and got very bored at last at 6:00 we found a bed and breakfast (B&B). 09 August 2002 (Stephen) Today we went to The Rock - the Irish seat of kings. We saw the seat of Kings, the Norman Centaur for fighting the Irish Lion, a grave yard and a hill which Michael and me rolled down.
09 August (Michael)
Today we saw an odd castle where the Kings of Ireland were crowned. However, the walls had been attacked by the Norman's during the Norman conquest of Ireland under Henry II of Norman England (though he was an Angevin of Anjou).
10 August 2002 (Stephen)
We're campervanning until next Friday night. The campervan has got 13 cupboards, 11 shelves, 2 sinks, 1 kitchen cupboard, 3 fly screens, a second floor, a fridge and a bathroom. Its colour, like all campervans, is white.
10 August 2002 (Michael)
Today we got a campervan in which I sleep on top of Mum and Dad when they are sitting at the front (the back is like a lounge except with bumps.)
11 August 2002 (Stephen)
We are outside Warwick castle, which is a great castle to go to. Today there was a jousting contest. We could have bought a bow and arrow but we didn't because it was 5 pound (15 dollars). On display there were helmets of: Oliver Cromwell, Cavaliers, a Roundhead and a medieval knight. You could put on all the helmets except Oliver Cromwells. There was also a display of what people wore during duels. When the duelers got shot the bullet would come out with some of their blood.
11 August 2002 (Michael)
Today we arrived at Warwick and went to it's castle. It was a very good place because there was a jousting match, a Victorian Set of rooms, the mound and many other things including guys tower.
12 August 2002 (Stephen) In Hay-on-Wye we ate breakfast, lunch and brought books. For breakfast we had Cornflakes for Lunch we had beef and cheese sandwiches and we brought our books in three shops. There names were Children's Bookshop, Cinema Bookshop, and Bookends. We bought a book called Great Civilization's of the East.
I think Hay-on-Wye is book city.
12 August (Michael)
Today I have had a good day. I played soccer and cricket and then played cards with Stephen. Then we went to Book Town (Hay-on-Wye, Wales, Britain) and brought a list of books including some Shakespeare and the Arabian nights. Tonight we are going to Hadrians Wall. The ancient border of England and Scotland, Britain.
This is me playing guitar, apparently...
13 August 2002 (Michael)
Today we went to Edinburgh Castle a most spectacular place with many attractions such as Moms Meg and the Scottish Crown Jewels. The Crown Jewels were most spectacular very beautiful but it was pouring like Scotland usually is. -
... I'll come back to this later, but you get the idea.
Yeah, kids in a youth hostel... probably wouldn't do that these days. Dad was a very carefree traveller, or so he seemed to me as a kid. He'd been on his OE in the late 1980's, and worked in Bristol. He was 40 in 2002. Mum was the real architect of the trip. She chose where we went, and planned most of it. Mum was 44 in 2002.