Tight Fit.

We are now back at Farncombe after having just returned from a weekend in Guildford. Lovely mild weekend with temperatures still around 18 degrees during the day and dropping down to around 10 degrees overnight. Amazingly mild considering we are now almost into November, although temperatures are predicted to drop in the next couple of days. I think we are having better weather here than at home in New Zealand from the emails we are receiving, and there it's meant to be Spring.

Tracey caught the train up on Sunday and spent a couple of hours with us, swearing she hates trains as many were not running due to line maintenance. It took her almost two hours to get to Guildford from Wimbledon which should only take 20 minutes or so. Never mind its just one of the things we’ll have to get used to here.

Derek is also getting frustrated with the slowness in getting anything here. Looking for a vanity for the bathroom we found an ideal one but delivery is about a month. At home we can just go and buy something from the display, but no, here so much is mail order or the shops do not hold stock.

“No problem sir, we will deliver it to your home, ...........what you have no home, well that could be a problem” What do other boaties do? I think we are spoilt in New Zealand and take so much for granted.

We are finding that it is a lot easier to up stakes and move compared to life in a caravan. If we don’t like the surrounds we can be on the move in a couple of minutes, so easy, we can even leave breakfast or the dishes until we are settled.

The river Wey was closed for a couple of days last week due to river levels but today it is down to normal again. The photos show the small clearance on one of the bridges today, firstly with Derek crouched right down to save getting a headache from the low road bridge and the second when he popped up again. We were one of the last boats up river last Monday before it was closed due to flooding. Boy, that was a bit hairy and there was less clearance then. The river then came up further so that one couldn't get under the bridge at all. We hope that the rain stays away until we can get off the Wey and head down the Thames to Brentford and up the Grand Union.

Work is progressing on the boat, the new batteries are now installed and we now have 800 amp/hours. We should manage well with these once the second alternator and management system are in place. Good, then I can have my washing machine. We are not used to Laundromats, (another thing I have taken for granted.) we have just arrived back with two backpacks of clean washing.

Halloween is celebrated here more so than at home and all the shops are sporting pumpkins and the like. We first noticed this in Canada but didn't realise it was celebrated here also. Guy Fawkes day also follows this week and Godalming has a huge bonfire built up ready to be lit.