The morning started with the most welcome news of Gordon Brown’s bloody nose stemming from the previous day’s London mayoral elections following close on the heels of Labour’s set of recent local election defeats. Not content with single-handedly decimating peoples’ pension funds as Chancellor of the Exchequer, having been handed the post of Prime Minister on a silver platter rather than earning it, this most vindictive of politicians presides over the adding of yet further fuel tax, watches prices spiral uncontrollably, then, while everyone is smarting anyway, sticks the boot in by eliminating the 10p tax band thus cold-heartedly penalising the lowest income members of society. Let’s kick us while we’re down, eh, Gordon? Rub salt into our wounds, why don’t you? This contemptible man richly deserves to be politically crucified. (Maybe he’s an SNP mole sent into England deliberately to ruin the economy and destabilize the nation? Damn fine job.)
Buoyed up by the common man’s common sense, we started our day with another bicycle pilgrimage to Rock’s fish shop (brill, this time) followed by some housekeeping chores: coughing up for the camp site, washing, and an essential trip into Wadebridge to visit Tesco for food and alcohol stocks (the latter of which appear to evaporate alarmingly). Arghh – hardly any special offers! This must be a rare full-price week at Tesco. There was, of course, the ubiquitous Hardy’s Crest which is always said to be half price, £3.99 instead of £7.99, in absolutely every store. I have never seen it sold anywhere at £7.99. (Good job too, at £7.99 it would be a complete rip-off.)
We had another reason for our trip into Wadebridge: the Ship Inn was reported (on the Internet – Carol checked at the previous McDonalds) as having wi-fi. I was going to be quite happy to sup a pint while posting blog entries. Found a suitable parking space and … boarded up with a “business for sale” sign adorning the front wall. Drat! Back to Billy with our booty.
The day having warmed up nicely after lunch, we took a cross country wander from St. Minver Lowlands to Polzeath. I was thinking that, Polzeath being a surfing beach, there might just be some wi-fi presence for all the surf bums to hook into. So I packed the laptop in a rucksack and off we went. Having covered the 2.5 miles to Polzeath, an enquiry of the young man selling us two ice creams sounded hopeful; apparently Carter’s Pub and Restaurant up the (very steep) hill out of Polzeath was wi-fi enabled. Up and up we went and sure enough, lo and behold a “free wi-fi inside” sign. A couple of espressos won us the password from the bartender and we were in. “Oh, that’s why I can’t connect”, quoth another chap sitting in the bar with a beer and a laptop .
Two further espressos later, we returned on a rambling 4 mile route via Trebetherick, Daymer Bay, the coastal path through some very sandy dunes, and Rock (far too many Sloane Rangers this Bank Holiday weekend) to St. Minver Lowlands and Billy with his waiting brill.
A great day – the wine’s evaporating well again. 🙂
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