Great Britain - 19 to 21 October 2007 (GR2 & GR3)

Hi there

We were greeted, on our arrival to England, by the White Cliffs of Dover, after an easy 2 hour ferry. Again, we wondered why the ferry crossing from Sudan to Egypt could not have been similar to this one. It really was a pleasure. Strangely, though, we had a weird feeling of 'coming home' upon our arrival in England. We guessed it was because for the first time since we left South Africa, things seemed 'normal'. Everyone spoke English. Magazines and newspapers were all in English. The radio stations were all in English. And, everyone drove on the left side of the road. Doesn't that all sound like home?

As the sun had already set by the time we passed London, we opted to settle in at the first available campsite and this happened to be at the Royden Mill Campsite. We woke up the next morning with Zack explaining to us that the gentleman catching fish in the nearby river could speak English and that they could understand each other with ease - poor child was starving for some English conversation with strangers!!!!

After a late 'salty breakfast' (it was our first breakfast in England), we were off to meet up with a close friend from Port Elizabeth, named Donald (Ducky) Hearne. We ended up spending the entire weekend with him, Clive, Connie and the rest of their family. We were we spoiled rotten and enjoyed our Rugby World Cup victory with fellow 'homeboys'. What a celebration!! Thanks again guys.

The Sunday, GR3 left for Ireland, driving through Wales and catching the ferry to Dublin, the Monday afternoon. Dean had his 2 days of clinical orientation and then drove down to Athy, where GR2 met up with them a couple of days later.

GR2 stayed an extra 2 days in England, visiting the university town of Oxford. They then headed for Ireland, passing through Cardiff and Swansea in Wales and hopped on a ferry from Fishguard to Rosslee, a town in Ireland.