a very quiet day.

I woke up with a headache this morning [not sure what the headache was from.. too much sugar maybe or just the stress of the drivers yesterday] and I did not get out of my bed until at least 10.. the plan was to go to Malmesbury but once again, we didn't make it..

we had cheese on the rest of the walnut bread for lunch and sat around all day really, drinking cups of tea.. [lucky we have a cottage.. sitting around is ok to do sometimes.. when on such a long holiday, it is just exhausting going out every day]

Joe lit a fire early afternoon and then about 5, we decided to go out for dinner ..
where to?.. a quick look at the brochures here in the cottage and we decided to go to the next village of Northleach to a local pub..

we went into the bar and asked if we could have dinner.

very odd for a small pub, that they didn't serve dinner until 6 and we had to be out by 7.30 for the next serving to be seated. this village has about 10 houses or so, a village square and not much more.. don't quite get all of that but those were the rules! maybe they have some kind of high rating and we stumbled in without a reservation..  the bar maid gave us a menu to look at while we had a drink and we both looked at each other, knowing that neither of us wanted to eat anything on the menu... items like stuffed quail with cranberry jus or pickled grouse with bramble stuffing.. you get the gist... the place was full of knobs as my son would say.. so we made our exit and headed to Cheltenam..  found a little bar on the corner and walked in.. they served Thai food, so that suited us ok..

I had a mulled wine.. and while sitting at the table, I once again felt that odd feeling of being back home somewhere.. in an inner suburb of Sydney.

I must be truthful and say that I am not enjoying this area so much..Stroud was brilliant, but the area is just not as nice as further north in the Yorkshire Dales, the Pennines or the Peak District.. or maybe it is the people. i don't know. the drivers here, as i have said, are just plain rude and impatient.
and for me, this place just does not feel like England, or rather, what I had perceived England to be.. they have rules about garbage and rules about this and that.. things must be done right. But, we have only been here two days so hopefully when we get out and about, discovering places, I may change my mind..

tomorrow, we plan to go to Avebury - I hope I am feeling better.. the headache has left me feeling a bit flat..