Summer in the UK

Having been unable to get away last summer, I did manage 2 weeks this Summer. Whether it was really summer or not is debatable. There were a few hot days, several mediocre days and only a couple of miserable days, thankfully. 

We had a nice 8 days in the New Forest, with daily morning runs that were spectacular; regular swims in the indoor pool, a few walks in the countryside with the horses (that roam wild) and some bike rides too (though it is fairly hilly). Sandy Balls (where we rented small cottages/caravans) has good evening entertainment, Alpacas to take for a walk, Laser Tag, and various other activities that make it a great place to go. 

We found a very sweet museum in Fordingbridge, some of which was focused on items from the 19th and 20th centuries including a wonderful doll's house, and some was focused on he role of Fordingbridge in World War 2 (and how the war affected Fordingbridge). The D-Day landings left from Southampton, nearby Fordingbridge, so the area was a staging location for much of the invasion force.

We also visited the Museum in Southampton, which had some exhibits on immigration to the UK (a lot happened over the last few hundred years coming through Southampton), and a lot of exhibits on the Titanic, which had sailed from Southampton. It was interesting exploring the design of the ship, the people who staffed and sailed on the ship, and of course, the details of the sinking (and the subsequent investigation into the cause and how to prevent similar from happening again).

The rest of our week in the UK included a few good Sunday Roasts, a couple of trips to London to see friends, attend Musicals, visit Museums, and plenty of shopping. There was of course lots of Football to watch as well in the evenings, and just plenty of time with the extended family which was great.