Well Here Goes

Here I am. No longer a virgin blogger. Up until now we have kept a private blog for close friends and family. It's been fun and well received. Others we have met on our journey have been interested in what we are doing so perhaps it's time to make something available for a wider audience. If no-one reads it we'll soon know and give it up. To find out what we're about go to our website at www.avonrose.org.uk. We don't claim to be unique. We've met many retired couples doing what we are doing. Perhaps others cruising the waterways may find things we note as we go along useful in planning their own cruising. Who knows?

So, the story so far. We started our waterway life back in September of 2008. We cruised from the fens of East Anglia via the Oxford Canal to the Kennet and Avon Canal and Bath, were we had a winter mooring while navigation was restricted by winter works. We've become acquainted with the guys at Bath Narrowboats who fitted a new Isuzu 42 to Avon Rose. It has replaced the Perkins D3-152 that had been fitted to her but was sadly becoming incontinent, springing oil leaks one after the other. We started this life to get away from hassle so sadly she had to go. Now, somewhat later than first planned, we leave Bath to make our way back East along the Kennet and Avon. We missed the early January window of escape and so are quietly bumbling along towards Devizes and the Caen Hill locks which will be closed until 31 January.

Here we are at Bradford-on-Avon having spent last night moored at the east end of Avoncliffe aqueduct where we spent a delightful evening in the Cross Guns in order to satisfy herself's need for chips. Strange the things people crave for at times. The Bath Bakery on Frome Road has already scored a hit with some wonderful bread. Nearer the centre of town the Fish & Chip shop is calling and we've found at last somewhere that will refill our Ecover bottles. (If you don't know about Ecover then you had better start Googling). Oh the simple pleasures of the boating life.

Well dear reader, that brings you up to date. Keep watching to see how our journey unfolds, unless of course you are of a nervous disposition and unable to cope with the excitement!