We had a nice slow start on Saturday morning, and by about 2pm we headed off for a 12km walk around Wiltshire, up to see where some of the paragliders were taking off from. D and S recently learnt how to do paragliding when they were back in Australia, and they have just joined the club in Bournemouth. The countryside was really beautiful, and it was a good walk there. On the way there, we walked past a house which looked really lovely. I told P that it was pretty good, but a bit low down in the valley and a shame that it didn't have any views. Then we saw the main house a little further along. It was higher up on the hill and looked beautiful. I told P that I would prefer this house instead. Later on in the day we found out from the local paragliders that the house I had admired actually belonged to Madonna! It is her English country mansion.. Apparently the walking trails used to go through her property but she has closed them to walkers since she bought the place. I had wondered why the acres of lawns were mowed leading up to the driveway - it makes sense now to know it was a celebrity hangout..
Here is a photo of D, S and P in Wiltshire, Dorset.
I got to drive the porsche for the first time, back from Wiltshre into Bournemouth. S was in the front with me and we had a great time. Although I think I was expected to drive it faster because P said that it was the first time he had seen cars backed up behind a porshce. When we got back we discovered that the car had a problem with a loss of power steering fluid. We ended up having to spend most of Monday morning trying to find a porshe parts store open on a bank holiday so we could get it sorted before driving home... the porsche is now nicknamed 'broken Betty'!
The second day we went along the beachfront in Bournemouth and had a look at an area near 'Christchurch'. We saw a beach hut for sale, meters from the beach but absolutely tiny for £120,000! Madness.
Here is S, D and I on our walk near Christchurch.
S told us an interesting story about how Christchurch found its name, and I have found a copy of it here for you:
During the building of the Priory there worked a carpenter who never mixed with his fellow workers, drew no pay and never appeared at communal meals. One day it became necessary to fashion a beam to support the roof. The place where it was to be fitted was measured and the wood cut to the required length. However, when the beam was raised into position it was found to be several inches too short. Disappointed with the work, the carpenters lowered the beam to the ground and, as evening had come, went home expecting to have to cut a new beam in the morning. When they arrived the next day the beam was already in position in the roof and of the right length. The mysterious carpenter was not seen again, and so the people imagined that it must have been Christ the carpenter working on His church. Thereafter the church became known as Christ's Church of Twynham and the name of the town Christchurch-Twynham. Over the years the Twynham has been dropped and the name of this ancient borough changed to Christchurch.
We had a great weekend, staying with D and S. If/when they finally move back to Australia, we will miss them:)
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