Ambling around

I went into Weston yesterday morning to see if I could get a SIM card. Double decker bus and I went upstairs and sat right at the front. It was raining so I didn't take too many photos out of the window. It seemed that every time the bus stopped and I'd get ready to take a photo, it would suddenly lurch forward and I'd end up with a photo of the seat or the top of the bus or something. Riding on the top of a double decker, at least one that has to make a lot of stops, is like riding a horse. Bumping up and down and you're not sure you're actually going to stay on. Fun in a queasy sort of way. I wondered for a bit what those loud bangs were that I was hearing and then I realized they were the sounds of tree branches smacking against the top of the bus. I was very glad it wasn't an open topped double decker!!

My trip to Weston was a bit of a wasted journey. I went to the phone people there--didn't realize there were different phone places but I should have as we have Verizon, AT&T, etc., in the US--and the woman simply said the phone was "locked" and she couldn't sell me a SIM card. Now if she'd said that this was an Orange mobile (cell) and that I should go somewhere that sold Orange SIM cards it would have been more helpful. Ah well, we need to be self-reliant as consumers these days. As that was a bust and I only had a half hour if I wanted to catch the bus back to Burnham and get back in time for a possible bike ride with Sheila, I went into the Marks & Spencer next door, bought a sandwich and some fixings for last night's dinner and then just walked around the pier of Weston a bit. Another seaside town but larger than Burnham. The smells from the fish 'n chip places were glorious but not conducive to my healthy eating plan. I will go in one of these days but only on a day when I've either done a LOT of exercising or have saved up calories.

Got back to Burnham and it was pouring rain again. The rain came and went yesterday. I was dressed for it though, wearing my big plastic rain cape. It works well and I think will come in very handy when I'm rambling up in the Highlands. I can put it on over my backpack and keep it dry. I'd actually had a nicer one to bring but somehow in the transition of luggage at Laurie's I must have left it behind. So I bought this one and that's fine.

Our bike ride a non-starter, Sheila and I decided to go to the travel agent's and see if we could book a cheap, last-minute, sunny getaway for early September, before I go back. We spent over an hour with the helpful agent, discussing the pros and cons of Greece and Turkey before we decided on a week on the Algarve in Portugal. Wow, this is turning out to be THE holiday for me!! But who knows when I'll get back to Europe--and next time I really do want to come with Richard--so I thought I should take advantage of the opportunity. Make hay while the sun shines my Mom always said.

Today's been quiet too. Having spent a good portion of my budget yesterday, I've been trying to figure out the cheapest way to get around Scotland between the end of the Gathering next Sunday and the start of my week in the Hebrides. It is MUCH cheaper to book trains in advance. Perhaps I should have opted for the 8-day BritRail pass instead of the 4-day but at the time I didn't know how much train travel I'd be doing and whether it was cost effective. The jury's still out on that.

Having hung my wash out on the line, I see that the dark clouds are gathering again. Cross fingers it doesn't rain for a bit longer. So I'd better pop over to my HSBC bank and get some answers on my debit card (works fine on ATMs but not with merchants) and then take the wash off the line. I don't know if we'll be biking this afternoon either.