Day eleven in Devon. Our fast car.

What a day.  We left Fingals to have breakfast on the coast, but this was in the opposite direction to our trip home.  Breakfast was great and we all loved it.  And it was just as well as my son had left his iPhone behind!  Travelling back was no great hardship as it was on our way home and we thought that was the end of our problems.  

But it was not.  We hit traffic on the way to the M5 and our car ended up breaking down due to an issue with electricity.  And just for dramatic effect in what was meant to be in the fast lane.  Fortunately, the traffic was going slow, and later an AA van stopped traffic allowing us to move to the grass verge.  The police who had been called came and checked us over and we waited for a nice man in a breakdown truck to collect us. By that time, the car started to work, and we drove onto a service station where our car was checked and no fault was found.

So we went on, and due to issues with traffic again decided on a diversion to take us back past Stonehenge.  But after hitting heavy traffic we broke down again. So here we are, in a lay by waiting for a pickup to come to take us home, the time of this being put back further and further.

What a memorable end to the holiday!

Day Nine in Devon

Today we were intending to try out some glass blowing but due to a problem with mobile phone connections, this was not to be.  So we went to Slapton Sands instead where the kids flew kites.  They had tried before, but the wind only allowed my son to fly his kite.  This time both were able to enjoy this, but the kite my son had bought earlier this holiday broke.

After this it was a trip to a sea food restaurant that my wife had her eyes on which served the best fish and chips I have ever had (the fish was only recently caught), and the trip also took in some World War Two history before we returned for swimming while my wife made some food with the freshly caught crab and scallops.

And the photo is to show how cold my son found lunch!

Day Eight in Devon. Walking.

Today we went to Totnes.  When we had driven through it before, we had seen that there was a place to paint pottery, so we went there.  The kids loved it.  My wife demonstrated her abilities with art by painting a skull, my daughter painted a penguin, my son painted a tea pot that he intends to store money in, and I painted a coaster.

After this, it was a trip into town for lunch and a stroll before my wife met up with someone from school.  While she was catching up on old times, the children and I walked from Pokestop to Pokestop and they walked over three and a half miles before my wife was ready to meet again.

After dinner, a trip back to our base, where I got us lost, but now the kids are in bed after watching the end of Spider-Man. 

Day seven in Devon.

First of all, I forgot to mention the Arsenal match from yesterday.  Like with the FA cup final, I had expected us to get beaten.  Unlike that match I did not get to watch this one, with being on holiday, though a friend of mine did despite being on the other side of the globe!

Today, we did not spend the morning swimming, much to the annoyance of the children but did travel to learn about Agatha Christie.  Her old home is close by to where we are staying, a ferry ride even.  The kids seemed to like the day and the lunch there, and later we went swimming.  We did get in trouble as we were in there for sometime so all in all, an educational day with fun afterwards.

Day Six in Devon. The Grand Old Duke.

My wife had a nap after breakfast. During our first meal of the day, my son kept asking about swimming which caused some annoyance as we were wondering what else could be done.  But once my wife had her nap (she was not feeling too well) we swam.  We also had a trip to the games room where the kids tried to play pool and also played table football.  But it was swimming that they enjoyed the most.  And much to my annoyance, my daughter is able to swim faster than me.  And she has yet to realise, but I think she can swim further than me.  My son, after his swim loved his massage and then we had a muck around on the grass tennis courts that are here.

Lunch was interesting.  We had tried to eat local, and I ended up taking my wife down some roads that are not used by cars much.  She was not happy.  And then the place we wanted to eat at, which was at the bottom of a very steep hill, was booked up.  So we drove to Dartmouth.  While we had similar issues there, we did find a place where we could sit and eat.  It did not have the best food, but it was good enough and my daughter and I went walking to play Pokemon.  Later, we met with my son and he got to play as well, which he loved.  

Once home, I was allowed a walk to nearby Dittisham, which has knackered me out.  But it was worth it.  I am surprised at how many hills there are here, and the walk up and down several, challenged me.

Night all!

Day five in Devon. A change of scenery.

We were sad to leave Glebe House today.  We have had a great time there and the kids loved Coco and the books as well as exploring the grounds and so much more.  After another fabulous breakfast there, we finished packing and then it was a trip further into Devon.

We did stop in Sidmouth for my daughter to have a braid put in her hair, something that she was wanted for a while.  We had the chance yesterday at the folk festival but the wait was too long before.

Anyway, we are now in our new locale.  It was an interesting drive at the end, as promised before we left Glebe House. What I had not expected was to drive out of a town into single track country roads.  But we arrived in good time and since being here have enjoyed the swimming pool, played Table Football, tried a game of pool and played about on the tennis court.

Not sure how we can beat that tomorrow!

Day four in Devon, kite flying

Another interesting day today.  We went to Sidmouth for the folk festival.  The day started with spectacular sunshine which sadly was replaced by clouds. But this morning my wife and daughter started off by buying one of the other guests a birthday present (she and her daughter had bought the two children some bookmarks) and a card.  After a lovely breakfast, we drove there rather than trying out the local team and Jurassic centre (we may try this tomorrow).

Sidmouth is a lovely town with a pretty wall along the beach which we walked along after parking near the sea front.  Walking we saw some people flying kites and the kids were tempted to buy some. I did promise to help fund this, but not if they bought things at the first stall they came to.  Along the walk, they saw hair braiding, finger spinners and many other things that fascinated them.  They climbed on some rocks which had been arranged as groynes and my son was ecstatic as not only was he able to climb, but his sister could not keep up with him (she was not wearing the right shoes for this task, having left them in the car).  We had a poetry recital and a delightful lunch before buying kites (the first one that my son bought had to be exchanged as it had not enough struts) but before lunch, we tried the kites.  My son bought the cheapest one there and my daughter bought a more expensive one using some of her own money in addition to what I had paid them both.  On the beach, I failed to get the kites up, but a kind man came over to help us and got my sons kite up.  However, that of my daughter was a lot more challenging.  It's tail was too heavy for the wind, and despite numerous attempts, and a fall from a height for me, we were not able to get it airborne properly.

But then, after lunch, it was a trip home, and after a rest, a journey to Axminster to eat at the River Cottage Canteen.  Sadly this meal was not up to the standards of lunch nor our expectations. But at least we have been there to say we did not enjoy it as much as we had hoped, rather than always wondering what it would have been like.