We went for our final trip of the year, out to Wales.
We hired a car and drove across London to get to the M4. On a traffic island near Wandsworth Bridge we saw a tent set up, but not sure if it was currently inhabited. At fuel stops along the motorway I noticed several pumps out of action, and this increased on the way back today. We also noticed signs by the motorway advertising the advantages of investing in gold.
We travelled in to Cardiff and for the first time I decided to rely on satnav… which turned out to be out of date on one road junction, though we picked up the route again soon after. As the weather was terrible we mostly spent time in Llandeilo, apart from one trip to down to Mumbles near Swansea. The knitting shop seems to be in trouble see above.
We stayed indoors mostly, celebrating Christmas and watching TV – mostly quiz shows and also repeats of Midsomer Murders, which has now been running long enough for the earliest series to feel like relics of a different version of the country… which they are, since they are now as remote in time as the 80s were when they were first broadcast.
We also saw Charles do his first attempt to speak to the nation as its monarch. A puzzle: does The Prince Of Wales Bridge still refer to Charles, or now to William, or did its name never refer to either of them, it just coincidentally contained a string that could refer to each of them at different times?
Here’s the papers, there were a lot of them along the way and over the week. The Western Mail is a very good newspaper, much better value than most of the nationals. It covers national and international stories as well.
21st December:
Camarthen Journal:
South Wales Guardian:
22nd December:
Newbury Weekly News:
23rd December:
Western Mail:
26th December:
South Wales Echo:
South Wales Evening Post:
Western Mail:
27th December:
South Wales Evening Post:
Western Mail:
28th December:
Monmouthshire Free Press:
Western Mail:
DiscontinuedNotes 