Welsh adventure 2024. The Accommodation

All went smoothly on the train to Haverfordwest.  I just gazed out of the window.  The countryside is so beautiful, so green, a balm to me.

Wonderful Cousin David was waiting for me at Haverfordwest Station and off we drove to St Davids, arriving mid afternoon.  I have no photos of my room at David and Frances' place.  I tried to take one but couldn't do it justice.  You'll have to believe me that it's just the sort of room I like - a loft style with windows at both ends, a bit Shaker-ish, ensuite, all white bedlinen, and a view over rooftops to Carn Llidi.  Five Star accommodation with Frances keeping my clothes clean and David challenging himself to provide a different meal every night.  Plus wine.  They were perfectly happy to leave me to my own devices but also keen for day trips.  Most evenings I was pretty tired from walking, walking, so many nights we watched a movie.  12 movies all up!  I retired tired but very happy.  And thus it continued for 21 days.

I decided to spend a cuppla days in Cardiff.  I have never been there before, only passing through on the train or bus.  I wanted to see my Cousin Cynthia who, I had learned, is now in a nursing home and best visited in the morning.  Thanks again to David and Frances I caught the train from Haverfordwest to Cardiff and stayed in a hotel that they had suggested.  It is in the heart of the city and close to the station.  Perfect.  Apart from the hundreds (I exaggerate, slightly) of stairs to climb - and that's just to Reception.

The Sandringham

a welcome landing between flights, with wall art placed by someone with a sense of humour

My room proved most satisfactory with opening windows and a bath.

view from my window, a Turkish Restaurant on the corner

where I had an adequate but ordinary meal

I think Cardiff is a lovely city, very pedestrian friendly, good public transport and lots of arcades to explore.  The weather was beautiful, as far as I recall it was sunny and warm and I stopped wearing my thermals daily.

Apart from the bath and opening windows, my room was basic but it was always a pleasure to return up 60 million stairs to be greeted by this picture.

After a couple of days, and having seen Cynthia, it was time to move on to my rendezvous with Spanish Rose at Heathrow, she having flown in from Barcelona to spend the weekend with me in London.  This was the trickiest day's travel.  My train was delayed because a freight train had caught fire up the line at Swansea and no other trains could get through.  I still made it to Heathrow in good time but Rosa's plane took it's time in landing and then there was no bus to carry passengers to the terminal.  We'd both lost the will to live by the time we met.

But we struggled womanfully via the underground to Kew Gardens where Rosa had brilliantly managed to have a friend waiting to drive us to her place just around the corner.  I remembered Kew Gardens station well from travelling to Kew Gardens with Mum, Cynthia and John in 2010.  It feels like going back in time, and I half expect women in fingerless gloves and clutching posies of violets to urge us to buy.

Mon's house is an absolute delight.

Cleo the dog quite rightly takes a star role.

this bust preened atop the wardrobe in my room, reminding me of my wedding ensemble from 2001

Everything is luxuriantly OTT.  The sun streams in this window in the morning

and a fox prowls the garden in the evening.  We were so well looked after.  I can never thank Mon enough.

the view from my bedroom window reminded me of River Bank in Wentworth

lush gooseberries in the garden!!!!

the rear of the house seen through the garden wall which backs onto the Thames Path.

I like to think this is how the fox, welcomed only by me, makes an entrance.

Before I knew that Rosa had arranged accommodation for us, I thought it would be nice, albeit expensive, to stay here https://www.artistresidence.co.uk/london .  Staying with Mon surpassed this in every way.

Our two glorious London days flew by and we were off to Heathrow again to each fly our ways home.