Tuesday 9 December 2008

Goodness Gracious me, who's this I spy?

0 Locks, 1 Mile. Still moored at Hopwas.

We again awoke to find a thin layer of ice on the canal but by 10am it appeared to be melting so we cast off. Well after several attempts to get away from the bank we finally got under way, the ice was still a bit thicker than I imagined. As we passed the "Tame Otter" pub we came across 2 moored boats the first of which was bearing the name "Pania". Could this be Baden and Ros we thought, it must be. We had only met them  twice before in the UK although Dot met them through her work in Lower Hutt when they were preparing to move over here. The first time was in Mirfield, Yorkshire on the day "Gypsy Rover" was launched and the second in Guildford when we became live aboards. They travelled by car to visit us as their boat was up North while we were still down South. Baden and Ros come from the same city as us in New Zealand and are known by some of our caravan club mate's, so how's that for a small world.

We stopped and dropped 1 of our cards through the pigeon hole as it was partly open but then decided to give Baden a quick call on the phone. After some discussion and a later text message we finished up mooring up behind them and will await their return from work. There will be plenty to talk about, catching up with the last 12 months happenings over dinner and a beer or two.at the "Tame Otter". Personally I think Dot just enjoyed her birthday lunch there yesterday and wants to go back for another, crafty isn't she!

1572 locks, 3278 ½ miles, 52 Tunnels, 43 swing bridges and 39 lift bridges since Nov 2006

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