THE AMAZING COTSWALDS

Wednesday Sept. 4th 2019

Well I didn't think I'd make it here without incident and I was right.

The road trip from Cardigan on the coast of Wales to Mells in the Cotswalds in the U.K. was difficult at best.  The tiny, tiny roads that brought me to the highway were nerve wracking to say the least so once I reached the M4 highway on my way towards Bristol I breathed a breath of fresh air until I read signs that the bridge on the M4 was closed.  This is a major bridge over the Bristol Channel connecting Wales and England.  So I was rerouted around to the next major bridge and the traffic was bumper to bumper and stop and go...mostly stop.  When I finally made it across the bridge, the GPS which until now was spot on, led me into an indoor parking garage in Bristol.  After pressing HELP on the keypad at the entrance of the garage so they could just let me drive around and out, I found myself in Little Afghanistan (or so it seemed).  Most people were dressed in Burkas.  After driving around all of Bristol, I finally found my way out.  I knew I was out because all around me was beautiful countryside with fields of greenery and a lot less traffic.  OK so now I was on my way towards Bath which I knew was about 1/2 hr North of Mells which was where I wanted to end up.  The GPS took me on roads not much wider than a cow path with trees forming a tunnel overhead.  Beautiful as it was, I was worried I might be on the wrong road.  And I had to pee.  Really bad.  I pulled over and with no cars in sight proceeded to do my business only to be interrupted by a lovely man walking his dog (yellow lab).  I apologized profusely to which he responded that it was ok and guys have to do the same from time to time.  We both laughed as he skirted around my pee; pulling at his dog to not show interest on what I just did.  It was all good at least for a good laugh.  I don't think I have ever been caught at this before...ever.  So I tread on and on and on.  Finally I see a sign for Mells!!!  I'm almost there.  I turned my phone on to call Annette who will meet me at the cottage and we actually connect.  She's is waiting for me in the road and we meet at the cottage to show me around.  The gardens around the cottage are full of over grown and wild Rosemary and other assorted herbs and flowers in bloom.  
So here I sit around the corner at the Talbot Inn bar having a few Peroni.  
I am looking forward to walking this beautiful place tomorrow.  But for now it feels good to just relax, have a few beers and sit at some point in the lovely garden outside the cottage.  And the sun is shining beautifully. 

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