Well we made it safely back on board on Tuesday as planned.  Wednesday and Thursday we have been making our way along the New Main Line through Birmingham, which has brought us to Hawne Basin near Halesowen.  We have traveled through 2 tunnels.  The first was quite a long one, the second was quite low.  At one point we weren’t actually going anywhere, but thankfully arrived safe and sound.  Tomorrow we are off to Plymouth again!  For the wedding of our niece, Lisa to Phil, who has seemed like a family member for several years now anyway!  We will be picking Richard up at Bristol Airport on the way.  So it will be 3^rd June before we will be back on the move again.  So until then TTFN.

Well Bournville was very interesting.  Lots of beautiful old building including a carillon which is part of the primary school so only open on Saturdays.  The village is somewhat dominated by the chocolate factory which is the reason the village grew around.  Then of course there is Cadbury World.  We did go and look in the shop but managed to resist temptation.  However we did give in and have a hot chocolate complete with cream, flake and marsh mallows in the cafe.  Lovely it was too.  Well that was on Wednesday, and now we are back in the heart of Birmingham.  Yesterday had a walk around the Jewellery Quarter and a visit to the Pen Museum which was very interesting.  Today we are going to Plymouth just for a few days, back on board on Tuesday.  So for now adieu. 

Part way along the 11 locks at Aston on Sunday morning.

Well a couple of days since I last wrote and still not much sign of that big yellow ball in the sky.  I can’t even remember its name!  A fair bit of the wet stuff though.  Still, the worst of the rain has been when we were moored.  Saturday was a reasonable day with only 3 locks when, by the end of the day, we had been through Salford Junction.  This was interesting as not only is it where the Birmingham and Fazely, Thame Valley and Grand Union Canals all meet, over head is big road intersection with the M6, A38(M) and other major roads.  We moored for the night just after, little knowing what Sunday had in store for us!!

We set off Sunday morning with the 11 locks of the Aston Flight ahead.  All the way along there were no moorings.  We finally moored on the lock pins at the bottom of the Farmers Bridge Locks.  There are 13 of those!  The lock pins are there only for accessing the lock, you are not supposed to stay there.  However we stopped for lunch and Paul watched the Grand Prix.  So 3 o’clock saw us setting off again on what turned out to be a very dismal flight of locks indeed.  Admittedly not helped by the drizzling rain.  We had been told it was very industrialised in Birmingham.  What we didn’t know was the blocks of offices or flats had been built over the locks, making a wind tunnel.  Any way we managed all 13 in about 2 hours which we thought was good going!  So about 5 we arrived in the heart of Birmingham.  We found moorings adjacent to Gas Street Basin where we could stay for 48 hours. 

Yesterday we set off to explore the city on foot.  Found our way to the Bullring via several different shopping malls!  Also along the way were some old buildings too.

Today has been a couple of hours gentle cruise by Edgbaston, past the University of Birmingham and we are now moored at Bournville.  Will let you know if we find any chocolate!

Well it has been a busy day today.  First stop we filled with water then on to the Birmingham and Fazely Canal.  New waters for us.  We started at Fazely so you can easily work out that we are now on our way into Birmingham!  Making our way steadily up hill.  11 locks today.  Following another boat, so all but one lock was set against us.  Which means, I had to empty them before Paul could enter for me to fill it up again!  Still it did stay dry.  We are now moored near Curdworth, not far from the M42!  It has been very windy today, with Paul struggling to get away from the tow path at times.  It has been very pretty with open countryside.  Trees all covered in green now and lots of blossom, the only thing missing was the sunshine!  Ah well there’s always tomorrow.

Well first off all I must start with an apology.  I write off line then paste in when I am on line.  So today when I went to post I discovered this entry for April 22 which never actually made it on line.

So the reason I have been 'silent' is because we have made a trip to Plymouth for a week then Hereford for a weekend.  So  read below and all will be explained!

April 22

Well only 2 locks at Glascote, which brought us to Tamworth where we are now moored.  We arrived here on Friday.  Then Paul’s cousin Alison and her husband another Paul arrived on Saturday to spend the night.  We took them for a cruise.  Back through the 2 locks at Glascote then winding and back down through the same locks.  Alison grabbed a windlass and helped me at the locks.  Quite busy, but everyone going the same way, so not so good.  Also one of the bottom gates swung open after we had opened the top paddles so had to quickly close the paddles.  Thankfully no harm done.  Also went aground slightly when winding to come back.  So all in all they had an eventful trip!  Well won’t be posting again for a while as we are staying here or nearby and will be going to Plymouth on Friday for a week.  Followed by, a weekend in Hereford for Pauls RAF reunion.

So we may well see some of you soon.  Be back here in May.

May 8^th

We had a good trip to Plymouth. Caught up with as many people as we could, sorry if we missed you out.  Followed by our trip to Hereford where Paul caught up with the guys in his RAF entry.  Not seen any of them since 1968! So you can imagine a lot of catching up to do.  It was their 8^th reunion although the first we had been to. 

So now we are finally back on the cut.  Set out from the boatyard, where we had left Falcon whilst on our travels by car, yesterday afternoon.  The 2 locks at Glascote once again.  Saw a mother duck with 12 tiny ducklings showing that spring has really arrived whilst we have been away.  Still close to Tamworth.  We will be staying here for a couple of nights, probably moving on, on Friday.

So until the next stop, bye for now.