I BELIEVE I'LL get a decent night's rest. I'm in Hadleigh.

This morning I was awake by 8 am so I just lasy in bed to collect myself then went down for breakfast at 8:30 am. There was a family from Denmark so I talked with them. They don't seem too crazy about this household, either!

They're driving around England but they also have their bikes on a rack. I didn't find this out 'til later so I couldn't ask the reason. I had a bath after breakfast then got ready to leave. One thing we'd discussed over breakfast was cycling. They told me how, several years ago, they'd cycled through the middle of London along Oxford Street with their two young children. Well, if they could do it, so could I!

I set off at 10 am after some directions that a fool could have followed. Sheelagh didn't think I'd remember what her husband had said. After I've cycled through the whole country? That's what he said as she was off to 'fetch' some paper on which to draw a map. It was kind of her.

As I cycled, I only used the map as a general guide. It was cloudy and it could have rained but didn't. The road was beautiful along the Thames with the mist and the lush green of everything. As I approached Heathrow I heard what sounded like a rocket - there was Concorde straight above me, soaring into the clouds. I love it.

Closer to London, I went past Heathrow's doors and I would have stopped but the traffic was getting heavier. There were signposts for London. Then the London Museum. Runners in the 'Run for Life' for Sport Aid. On the news I heard of a fire where six people died. Right at that moment I was beside the row of Victorian apartments. I continued along the road then I saw Picadilly Circus - Cupid et al. Around the bend was Nelson in Trafalgar Square. I could see a huge Canadian flag across the Square which I later found to be Canada House - our embassy! I cycled along Fleet Street. After a few turns I could see a familiar dome - then I passed right beside St. Paul's Cathedral! Then the Tower of London and part of a stone wall which just happened to be built by the Romans.

All of a sudden I was in a bad part of the city - the east end. No tourists. No sights. No Sherlock. Perhaps some 20th Century crime at night - and lots of it. I didn't even like being stopped at traffic lights. It was quite a few kilometres before I was finally out of the city. I even stopped to get a picture of a very pastoral scene - cows sleeping along a gently meandering stream on a Sunday afternoon.

The traffic was heavy due to the long weekend, They were probably all heading for Southend-on-Sea which is a busy resort town during the summer. Because the people are good for cyclists, I had no problem. The sun had been out for a few hours by now so I was rather warm - this tired me out quite a bit. I finally arrived in Hadleigh by 2:30 pm so I asked around and in I came. I almost missed the house as it was here all of a sudden.

Uncle Frank had seen me through the window so he came out to greet me. There were some visitors up from Devon and they'd all just eaten lunch but Aunt Marjorie made me a fine prawn salad, ham, chicken and salads for a lunch - I was starved. I described my trip to everyone then we had a bout of photography with and without Bike then the visitors had left and I more fully described the trip and I helped them plan their trip to Ontario in the fall. I suggested they travel the Lake Huron route as the leaves should be very colourful at the end of September. I think they may do that or go through the Agawa Canyon. I'm trying to think of other things to do but I can't think of an awful lot to do in the fall in Ontario. They may visit Ottawa, too.

We talked about the next few days that I'll be here. Tomorrow I am going to help Uncle Frank to plant some beans. Then the three of us are going to try to see an airshow which will be held nearby. There will be the English counterpart to our Snowbirds, the Concorde and some planes from WW II. I can't wait.

On Wednesday, we get a tour of the House of Commons. Uncle Frank and Aunt Marjorie are in a conservative club and they were interested in a tour which can only be done with the MP. They asked if I could go - I can so there's a seat reserved for me! We also see Westminster. At one point I'll be going shopping for china on Oxford Street and Aunt Marjorie said she'd love to take me. I think (ie know) she loves china shops. She knows where to go so I should find what I want. Of course, there are a million more things to do, but I'll do them one by one. There will also be a night that I see slides from around Europe!

It got late, so we had a late-night snack of cold meats and salads at 9 pm then I learned what marquetry and paquetry were. Inlaid wood in furniture - the art is known by the aforementioned terms.

We were all quite tired so that ended the day. It's restful to be back and nice to see family but I'm already feeling sad that such an adventure is over. I will do it again. I will begin planning my own Tour de France soon after I've returned. The cycling holiday feeds upon itself. How will I survive without the daily adventure by cycle?!!