Gatwick Airport, London

I have nothing better to do while I'm sitting in the airport waiting for my flight back to Spain, so I may as well blog up on the past month in England.

It's been a good trip. I spent a couple of days with my sister and the kids in Marlow, then drove up with them to Hartlepool to see my parents. Spent a week or so each with my Mum and my Dad, and a weekend with a good friend, Nigel, at his "country home". Nigel is an equestrian vet. His vetinary practice is in the grounds of an old stately manor. Nigel lives in an apartment in the courtyard, and the stables are just a few steps away. It's a lovely place with lovely views of the open rolling hills of Yorkshire (and the powerplants in Pontefract).

I had a great time with both Mum and Dad. I rented a car so we could get out for some day trips, but the weather was not too cooperative for going out to do anything fun. Dad and I went out on a pie shopping excursion, and ended up on the North York Moors in a snowstorm.

While I've been here I've been somewhat disconnected from my normal life due to the lack of internet connectivity. It appears that many more people pay the ISP to set up their wireless routers here, and therefore most of the networks in range of my parents houses are password secured. I did manage an occasional connection in my room at my Dad's,but only if I stood on the bed and raised the laptop in the air! So I've been finding alternate things to amuse me in my spare time: read couple of good books and I've become pretty good at Sudoku and Yubotu (a sudoku version of the battleship game).

Now that I'm leaving England, the weather,of course, has changed. Today is gorgeous and sunny and here I am stuck in the airport! Guess I'll go amuse myself with some duty free shopping.