A pilgrimage across southern England

[malmomike77]

^ Dill get that puppy back up will you.

[BLD]

The donkey rides look like fun, but is there a weight limit? Asking for a friend.

[bsnub]

I can see Mendy taking a few jars of that back to Thailand

He could turn it into a proper gangbang with all those bitches.

[Shutree]

She has been to the pantomime in Weston-Super-Mare on several occasions during our winter Christmas visits and these places are truly grim during the winter months. They're also pretty grim during the summer but at least it was nice and sunny.

I seem to recall that you reported a visit to Weston on your last trip and described it in very harsh terms. Yet here you are, back again!
I hope Mini Mendip had an enjoyable and memorable day.

[hallelujah]

Updates, Mendy!

We demand updates to the thread!

[Edmond]

Updates, Mendy!

We demand updates to the thread!

'Bigfoot' caught on camera: Yeti-like creature spotted on Welsh mountain | UK | News | Express.co.uk

Yeti-like creature spotted on Welsh mountain

[DrWilly]

A friend just went back to the UK, taking his son and daughter for first time. They got COVID and spent the last week in isolation.

[Mendip]

^^ We haven't made it to Wales yet so not guilty. Coincidentally enough my Welsh mate from Korat is coming over next week with his son, and bizarrely enough his wife as well. I don't think we'll be catching up though as I've only ever visited Wales for passport renewals in Newport but... and call me strange... I prefer to do that in Bangkok these days.

Anyway Ed, eat your heart out. This is what early morning abs exercises are about.

Updates, Mendy!
We demand updates to the thread!

Yes, sorry about that mate I've been a bit remiss that last few days. These threads are hard work. We spent the day in Wells yesterday but the photos need to be sorted out so for now I'll just add a mishmash of stuff from the last few days of doing not much at all.

^ Forgive me if 'm wrong Mendip but this was the feeling of you having a holiday reminiscing and possibly seeing the old places for the last time

Yeah Mike, I've been getting that feeling of doing many of these things for the last time... almost like putting to bed past memories and accepting that things have moved on. I binned my rotted coarse fishing tackle last week... 35 years after it should have gone. This trip has been a surprise to me... I'm loving being here but don't really feel that 'connection' any more and have realised I couldn't live here permanently again. I'm even missing my home in Korat a little bit and will be happy to go back in a couple of weeks (and will thoroughly enjoy the first day or so). One day I'll find somewhere to settle.

Didnt know you had mines named Speedwell down there, I thought the only one was oop here!

Speedwell is an area in east Bristol where there used to be a lot of coal mines. You often get coal in association with Carboniferous limestone (of which the Mendips mainly consist of).

Anyway, great day out, lil Mendip finally had a day that she enjoyed!

She's been having a great time and has really been enjoying the light evenings and playing with the neighbour's kids, but that stuff isn't good for photos!. She doesn't admit it but I reckon she's even enjoying the long walks on the Mendips. But of coarse it can't all be fun and a couple of days ago we revisited Weston for a trip to the opticians... and a proper old fashioned eye test for both of us came up with very different prescriptions than the machine automated tests we've had in Thailand. I like to do this every couple of years and it was an expensive visit but the new specs (5 for me, 2 for the daughter) should last us a couple of years at least.

But on the way in we visited a place I discovered a few years ago which is now religiously on our list during a UK trip.



The bargains here are unbelievable. The daughter got a couple of pairs of tracky bottoms and a hoody; I got meself a T-shirt, some decent underwear and some new slipper/flip-flop things for the garden. I can never seem to find decent ones in Thailand.

And check out the bargain!

The donkey rides look like fun, but is there a weight limit? Asking for a friend.

I'm at the stage now where I should be giving the donkeys a ride. I'm sure there is a weight limit and I know that the RSPCA is all over these places so they are very careful. I think these donkeys probably have a pretty good life.

I seem to recall that you reported a visit to Weston on your last trip and described it in very harsh terms. Yet here you are, back again!
I hope Mini Mendip had an enjoyable and memorable day.

Weston-Super-Mare is pretty grim with a declining High Street and an obvious drug problem but it's handy for shopping and eye tests, without the hassle of driving into Bristol and finding parking. In fact, on a nice hot sunny day there's plenty in Weston to keep a kid occupied and I quite enjoyed it meself if truth be told. In general I'm quite enjoying walking amongst people I can understand and with the same accents.


Rain has been forecast today so the daughter may get her wish and have a Monopoly session later. Rain has been forecast several times since we've been here but it never seems to come to anything, which is the exact opposite of what I expected from this holiday. Usually it never stops raining in the West Country

Even the cows got it wrong a couple of says ago and it remained dry for the day.



I also have some unfinished business at a local farm shop. A few days ago I saw these pies but thought them a bit pricey so left them be... but my mum's let us down badly on the steak and kidney pie front so I'm returning today to pick up a couple for lunch.



That farm shop is part of a nursery which also sells exotic pets. I spotted these... in Korat we are absolutely inundated with millipedes during the wet season and must be sitting on a goldmine.

[Bonecollector]

Nice pics Mendip, do they really charge a quid to go on pier's now? news to me. With regards to the current state of the nation's health, there are some absolute porkers hanging around. I saw one with a gunt bigger than her belly the other day, dressed in lycra and eating a Greggs sausage roll and an X large can of Red Bull no less. Shame about your fossil!

[malmomike77]

Steak and kidney pie, monopoly and dry cider, day sorted.

[Mendip]

^ Ha! Just added Thatchers shop to our itinerary!

[hallelujah]

A friend just went back to the UK, taking his son and daughter for first time. They got COVID and spent the last week in isolation.

Why? There are no requirements to isolate anymore in the UK.

[hallelujah]

Yes, sorry about that mate I've been a bit remiss that last few days. These threads are hard work. We spent the day in Wells yesterday but the photos need to be sorted out so for now I'll just add a mishmash of stuff from the last few days of doing not much at all.

I actually put some pics up from Wells earlier in the thread. Was there anyone playing croquet on the lawn of the Bishop's Palace again?

You'd never get away with letting so many people loose on a park with mallets in Manchester. The police would be called within 5 minutes.

[Neverna]

Weston-super-Mare are playing a pre-season friendly at home today, Mendip. 3pm kick off...against Yeovil.

[PAG]

2.45 pounds for a genuine steak and kidney pie is quite reasonable. Here in Phuket, a 'Lady Pie' (local makers) sell steak and kidney pies for 110 baht, essentially the same price though what you're having there will be a thousand times better.

[hallelujah]

Weston-super-Mare are playing a pre-season friendly at home today, Mendip. 3pm kick off...against Yeovil.

Local derby. Pitched, sorry pitchfork battles ahead.

[Reg Dingle]

^ There'll be no battle,they are all fukkin related

I've been a bit remiss that last few days.

I was wondering where you'd got to earlier today, whilst sat there stuck behind a tractor.

I thought I bet he's at that Travelodge, one of the few hotel chains in the world that doesn't offer free wifi

[Reg Dingle]

That's like our British version of a sports Walmart, Snubby.

Even Chitty stays out of there and shops upmarket at Decathlon

That fukker Mike Ashley owns House of Fraser now too and has started selling all that Sports Direct forced Asian child labour shit in there and dragged the place down with the huge declime in quality and 90% off sales regularly advertised.
More sales there than fukkin DFS

Weston-Super-Mare is pretty grim with a declining High Street

Every town in the UK is the same now, All of the high Street shops have moved to factory units and big depots in retail parks near the motorways. On the High Street now are just charity shops, bookies, pubs, cash converters, chippies, specsavers and Sports fukkin direct. No wonder the places are full of thieving chavs, doleites, refugees and beggars

McDonalds, KFC, Burger King and Pizza Hut have all upped sticks from the High Street here and moved to the retail park.
Most transactions are online nowadays.

[BLD]

2.45 pounds for a genuine steak and kidney pie is quite reasonable. Here in Phuket, a 'Lady Pie' (local makers) sell steak and kidney pies for 110 baht, essentially the same price though what you're having there will be a thousand times better.

We could get them lady pies all the way from.phuket to a remote minesite in Laos for a while there. Don't know who was organising that but it must of been some challenging logistics and I certainly availed of them

[DrWilly]

2.45 pounds for a genuine steak and kidney pie is quite reasonable. Here in Phuket, a 'Lady Pie' (local makers) sell steak and kidney pies for 110 baht, essentially the same price though what you're having there will be a thousand times better.

That's what I was just thinking.

The good news is I found some kidneys, so going to make a Steak and Kidney pie tomorrow.

[Mendip]

I actually put some pics up from Wells earlier in the thread. Was there anyone playing croquet on the lawn of the Bishop's Palace again?

And much appreciated mate, I forgot those were on this thread. And the croquet was ongoing...

Weston-super-Mare are playing a pre-season friendly at home today, Mendip. 3pm kick off...against Yeovil.

Damn, we missed that one. Next time...

2.45 pounds for a genuine steak and kidney pie is quite reasonable. Here in Phuket, a 'Lady Pie' (local makers) sell steak and kidney pies for 110 baht, essentially the same price though what you're having there will be a thousand times better.

You're quite right PAG, I just still haven't got used to seeing UK prices in the UK. The last time I lived here a s&K pie cost 70p, but I happily pay 150 Baht for a pie in Korat.

I thought I bet he's at that Travelodge, one of the few hotel chains in the world that doesn't offer free wifi

FFS... I hope you're kidding. Again, this would have been great advice BEFORE I booked the room.


Anyway, following Mike's suggestion...

Steak and kidney pie, monopoly and dry cider, day sorted.

I headed out to get prepared for a rainy day.

On the way we were behind an interesting queue of cars... something else I miss when living in Asia.

My first car was an 'F' plate Mk I Escort, but sky blue... the same age as me.



And then...



From apples just down the road.



But anyway, £2.45 for a pretty damn good pie. I also bought a couple of lamb and mint pies for the train on or way to London on Monday.

We ate them with some oven chips and peas while I planned next weeks finale walk to the highest point of the Mendips.



If I would have one small criticism... neither me or the daughter had a single piece of kidney in our pies... there's always something...

[DrWilly]

If I would have one small criticism... neither me or the daughter had a single piece of kidney in our pies... there's always something...

GO back and complain, bloody kidneyless Steak and Kidney pie! Not good enough!

FFS... I hope you're kidding. Again, this would have been great advice BEFORE I booked the room.

You know you could always just cancel that room and book a better place. Sure you'll lose a deposit or summthink. But, might be worth it?

[Joe 90]

You know you could always just cancel that room and book a better place. Sure you'll lose a deposit or summthink. But, might be worth it?

You try booking something in London at this short notice

[DrWilly]

You try booking something in London at this short notice

That's a point...be worth a try though, eh?

[Joe 90]

That's a point...be worth a try though, eh?

Hours on the tinterweb looking for another room, fvck that lives too short.
It's just a place to sleep and if its central to all the places that you wanna visit then happy days.