Day 4a. Along the Thames by Pleasure Cruiser.

Isn't life strange sometimes? Last night I found myself surrounded by well heeled gardening enthusiasts on a large cruise boat on the Thames.

Jeez, you should see some of the riverside properties here - fantastic real estate, yet in most of the houses, nobody seems to be home.

There is a truly excellent cold buffet on the boat and plenty of J2O to wash it down with.

Catherine gets a little over exited about the allotment quiz and actually accuses the neighbouring team of cheating! I am slightly embarrassed by her vociferous objections to some of the answers to the quiz, but feel she is somewhat vindicated when the team at the next table, when asked for their final score, declare a total of 86. A superb score for the grizzled and grumpy gardening veterans considering that the maximum possible score is 80!

It's a truly gorgeous evening and the Thames is really beautiful - lots of folks in smaller motor boats and rowing boats with champagne and strawberries.

We arrive back at the mooring at Henley at 11 pm, walk the few minutes home, drink tea, hit the sack and I am unconscious in seconds. A superb evening.

What ever happened to all the sex and drugs and rock and roll?

Current Pain Rating: 2

Day 4. Aldermaston to Henley.

Well, we made it and early too. Arrived in Henley at about 2:30 this afternoon after a superb days ride.

Really the best way to see a city (if possible) is along the canal by bike. I would never have believed that Reading was so ace!

We ended up right in the centre where an Italian food fayre was in full swing, bought bread and stinky cheese for our hosts in Henley (one of whom is Italian by birth) and then cycled on, leaving the Kennett and Avon and joining the river Thames just outside Reading.

After this, the scenery all gets a bit surreal as we move into millionaire country. One house even has it's own railway around the massive grounds. It has to be seen to be believed! Every house has it's own boathouse at the bottom of the garden, most with stupidly expensive looking powerboats moored up and appearing unused.

Cath and I discuss whether we could live like that and the decision is a 50/50 split. Me, yes, Cath no.

Of course with that kind of disposable income I would have been dead years ago and Cath would have the biggest allotment on the planet Earth!

Wildlife was pretty good today too, sandmartins living in the canal banks in the centre of Reading, a couple of nightingales and even a cuckoo! Red kites are as common here as buzzards are at home in the
Blackdowns.

Ha! I feel a real sense of  achievement having cycled 100 miles AND enjoyed it. Where next?
Anywhere without hills is the answer.

Tonight? Well tonight is the Henley allotment society annual river cruise along the Thames. I know nothing of gardening and will surely stick out like a sore thumb amongst the local 'hooray Henry' gardeners, but no matter as our generous hosts Keith and Marissa have invited sister Mary Anna along too and she isn't fussy about ones social standing or background!

Shall I photograph and blog that too?
Oh yes, I think so don't you?

Current Pain Rating: 3

Day 3. Hungerford to Aldermaston.

Once again cracking cycling weather for todays 23 mile ride. So warm today that both your intrepid explorers have plumped for the shorts option in the sartorial elegance stakes.

The ride is mostly canal paths through really beautiful countryside.

It turns out to be wildlife bonanza day as we spot a glorious red kite (which is kind enough to circle directly above us for several minutes, thus securing it's place as my favourite bird), reed warblers, sedge warblers, willow warblers, skylarks, common terns, herons, cettis warblers, lapwings, great spotted woodpeckers with babies, grey wagtails, a family of rats, a water vole and two damsel flies making 'the beast with two backs'.

Actually, damsel flies do it in a very odd way with the male depositing his sperm in a special sack on the back of the females neck (our so it would seem, I must look it up), anyway it looked like fun - one can learn so much from even the simplest of creatures!

The evening is spent in a very comfortable 'Comfort Hotel', with the biggest bed I've ever seen (apart from the IRA waterbed in Manchester, but that's a whole other story!)

Advice from a caterpillar: should you ever find yourself staying in a Comfort Hotel, don't eat there!

Another early night in preparation for the last 20 miles or so tomorrow where we are promised a boat trip down the Thames with the Henley-on-Thames allotment society. Too much fun? We'll see.

Toodle-pip.

Current Pain Rating: 4