How is it that when you really don't have to get up, you wake early bright eyed and bushy tailed?
Tuesday dawned beautifully clear.....endless blue skies that would put a summer day to shame...not a cloud in sight.
We breakfasted well...grapefruit and a full English...with mountains of toast.
I needed to get my strength up for chair pushing.
We were off on a tour of the island......and we were doing Newport(yippee - Tuesday is market day in Newport), then on to Yarmouth for lunch......and then to Alum Bay with a chance to see The Needles.
We were told to be at the coach for 9.45 prompt. Like good little children we were all there at the prescribed time.....there was to be a bit of spiel by a chap who was running a cruise around the Solent and the Portsmouth docks.
He came on the coach in his navy sailors jumper(regulation issue) and waxed lyrical about the benefits of his little cruise.
I wasn't interested in going on the cruise...I had other plans for our free day on Thursday....I think the Beatles wrote a song about it...something like 'Ticket to Ryde(Ride)'.
It was 10 am before the coach got onto the road.
It is only a half hour trip to Newport - which is the administrative centre of the island.
On other visits we have been dropped off by the Methodist church in the centre of town.....but alas the council have put a stop to coaches unloading there now......so we were dropped off at the coach park which is down by the river side.
We had 90 minutes to explore......I got Ma into the chair and whizzed up the slight hill.
it was obvious that the breakfast had given me some turbo power - strange, we didn't have any beans
.
The Methodist Church was having a book sale.
Ma could not resist having a look at what they had on offer. She bought a few books and left a donation too.
We moseyed on to the Market. We had been looking forward to a look around...the last time we were there Ma bought some real bargains....but this time the market was proper pousey, and we didn't buy anything.
Charity shops were the next thing on the agenda. Ma got a lovely peach coloured silky scarf, a blouse and a sparkly pen.
I bought a pair of evening shoes in bronze italian leather.......the kind that the ladies of a certain age wear, when they go to trip the light fantastic. It did make me wonder if it is all down to the shoes - I have to say it isn't.......you do need some rhythm and co-ordination!
Ma suggested that we have an alfresco coffee, but when I looked at my watch we didn't really have time, so she had to settle for a bottle of orange Fanta from Superdrug.
I know it isn't nearly so elegant, but it had the advantage of being able to be corked up and drunk on the coach as we travelled to our next destination.
Once back on the coach we were off to Yarmouth......this is where we landed on the Isle of Wight.
I have never been much of a fan of Yarmouth.
Every time we have gone the place has been shut. OK, so I know that each time I have visited the Isle of Wight it has been out of season...but you would think that some of the shops would be open.
We weren't there to look at the shops, we were there to have lunch.
Ma fancied Fish and Chips so we headed off to a place that had been recommended to us...The Lobster Pot.
It looked pretty nondescript, but we went in.
Outside there had been boards advertisng 'Haddock and Chips £6.95, hmm reasonable we thought. When we got inside, it was a very different kettle of fish, so to speak.
The same meal inside was £15.95.......the one on the A board was to eat outside the shop.
We made a sharp exit.
A little further down the street was The Wheatsheaf......they served food, and it was reasonably priced too.....Cumberland Sausage on a bed of creamy mash with onion gravy....didn't it just make your mouth water reading about it.
Liver and Bacon with Mashed swede and potato. I read these delicacies out to ma and she was transported.
I parked the chair and in we went.
I went to the bar and ordered a shandy...well, it was really just lemonade threatened with a splash of beer, for Ma and a half of lager for me.
When we got inside there were even more choices on the specials baord.....in the end Ma opted for a trusty baked spud with cheese and coleslaw.....it came with a mountain of dressed salad......I had something which was down as a cheeseburger. What a misnomer that was.
It was not a burger at all. it was a thin succulent slice of steak, topped with gruyere cheese(lightly toasted) and a slice of lovely crisp bacon......all this on a large floured bap.......with a huge side salad, fries and a pot of dynamite sauce.
I am sure my description has not done this delicacy full justice. It was absolutely delicious - the best I have ever tasted.
The only one that has come anywhere near it was at Doyles Restaurant on Sydney Harbour......and believe me that was expensive!
I told the waitress and she said she would tell the chef.....he came out to see me and I told him how much I had enjoyed his food.
I also told him it was better than one I had had at Doyles. He was well chuffed.
I was well stuffed!
After lunch......well, I think I should tell you all about after lunch later.
To be continued.
Tuesday dawned beautifully clear.....endless blue skies that would put a summer day to shame...not a cloud in sight.
We breakfasted well...grapefruit and a full English...with mountains of toast.
I needed to get my strength up for chair pushing.
We were off on a tour of the island......and we were doing Newport(yippee - Tuesday is market day in Newport), then on to Yarmouth for lunch......and then to Alum Bay with a chance to see The Needles.
We were told to be at the coach for 9.45 prompt. Like good little children we were all there at the prescribed time.....there was to be a bit of spiel by a chap who was running a cruise around the Solent and the Portsmouth docks.
He came on the coach in his navy sailors jumper(regulation issue) and waxed lyrical about the benefits of his little cruise.
I wasn't interested in going on the cruise...I had other plans for our free day on Thursday....I think the Beatles wrote a song about it...something like 'Ticket to Ryde(Ride)'.
It was 10 am before the coach got onto the road.
It is only a half hour trip to Newport - which is the administrative centre of the island.
On other visits we have been dropped off by the Methodist church in the centre of town.....but alas the council have put a stop to coaches unloading there now......so we were dropped off at the coach park which is down by the river side.
We had 90 minutes to explore......I got Ma into the chair and whizzed up the slight hill.
it was obvious that the breakfast had given me some turbo power - strange, we didn't have any beans
.The Methodist Church was having a book sale.
Ma could not resist having a look at what they had on offer. She bought a few books and left a donation too.
We moseyed on to the Market. We had been looking forward to a look around...the last time we were there Ma bought some real bargains....but this time the market was proper pousey, and we didn't buy anything.
Charity shops were the next thing on the agenda. Ma got a lovely peach coloured silky scarf, a blouse and a sparkly pen.
I bought a pair of evening shoes in bronze italian leather.......the kind that the ladies of a certain age wear, when they go to trip the light fantastic. It did make me wonder if it is all down to the shoes - I have to say it isn't.......you do need some rhythm and co-ordination!
Ma suggested that we have an alfresco coffee, but when I looked at my watch we didn't really have time, so she had to settle for a bottle of orange Fanta from Superdrug.
I know it isn't nearly so elegant, but it had the advantage of being able to be corked up and drunk on the coach as we travelled to our next destination.
Once back on the coach we were off to Yarmouth......this is where we landed on the Isle of Wight.
I have never been much of a fan of Yarmouth.
Every time we have gone the place has been shut. OK, so I know that each time I have visited the Isle of Wight it has been out of season...but you would think that some of the shops would be open.
We weren't there to look at the shops, we were there to have lunch.
Ma fancied Fish and Chips so we headed off to a place that had been recommended to us...The Lobster Pot.
It looked pretty nondescript, but we went in.
Outside there had been boards advertisng 'Haddock and Chips £6.95, hmm reasonable we thought. When we got inside, it was a very different kettle of fish, so to speak.
The same meal inside was £15.95.......the one on the A board was to eat outside the shop.
We made a sharp exit.
A little further down the street was The Wheatsheaf......they served food, and it was reasonably priced too.....Cumberland Sausage on a bed of creamy mash with onion gravy....didn't it just make your mouth water reading about it.
Liver and Bacon with Mashed swede and potato. I read these delicacies out to ma and she was transported.
I parked the chair and in we went.
I went to the bar and ordered a shandy...well, it was really just lemonade threatened with a splash of beer, for Ma and a half of lager for me.
When we got inside there were even more choices on the specials baord.....in the end Ma opted for a trusty baked spud with cheese and coleslaw.....it came with a mountain of dressed salad......I had something which was down as a cheeseburger. What a misnomer that was.
It was not a burger at all. it was a thin succulent slice of steak, topped with gruyere cheese(lightly toasted) and a slice of lovely crisp bacon......all this on a large floured bap.......with a huge side salad, fries and a pot of dynamite sauce.
I am sure my description has not done this delicacy full justice. It was absolutely delicious - the best I have ever tasted.
The only one that has come anywhere near it was at Doyles Restaurant on Sydney Harbour......and believe me that was expensive!
I told the waitress and she said she would tell the chef.....he came out to see me and I told him how much I had enjoyed his food.
I also told him it was better than one I had had at Doyles. He was well chuffed.
I was well stuffed!
After lunch......well, I think I should tell you all about after lunch later.
To be continued.
