Day 1 of tour
.. started smoothly at 7.20am.. my love took me to the airport… I got through check in and security with breeze.. and decided Luton is a good airport to go if you’re heading to London – it’s easy, quick, waaaay better than heathrow in terms of ease and speed! .. later in the day after several more trains, buses etc I got the car.. then travelled without a GPS.. cos it wasnt working .. managed to get semi-lost and ask some friendly locals for directions.. turn around go back left, left, right etc.. then followed the signs almost to my destination.. found a servo to see if they could fix my GPS problem… no… sent me to the nearby car store.. the guy was so helpful and spent a while figuring out what was wrong and how to fix it – he said ‘ I hate to let it beat me so I always find a solution..’ awesome.. and he did! so finally on the road again GPS had power.. good start.. next it wasnt loading.. great.. power.. but still no frkin directions.. finally I gave in and bought an extra download internet pack for my phone on roaming… ( oh I didnt mention I bought a top up for my uK sim.. only to find it’s not working either.. what a day).. so finally on my german number my internet is working and I had directions and working map@@@ yes!! and by the time I got to the hotel it was bed, beer and nuts time.. waaaaay to go day 1!!!
Day 2 on tour
started like this in Bournemouth a beautiful city in the deep south of uk.. Followed by a 4/5 hr drive north with semi-functioning Gps.. Thank god for the iphone maps.. Someone suggested I get a good old fashoined paper map.. I just laughed.. ‘Me? Drive in a strange land with a paper map ?! Navigate old school and drive?? Not gonna happen… Or..? About halfway there I stopped for fuel and asked the kind lady if she knew how to fix bung gps’s – she had a good look, tried to reset it.. Etc then ended up taking it out to her car to see if it would charge better on her charger and possibly work..? The gps still not working I said Ill just keep using my phone but the battery is low – can I charge it here for a while? ( they had run out of ones you could buy – I checked) She ended up saying ‘take the charger with you’ her own charger..!! I was like are you sure??! I will send it back to you, you are a legend thankyou!! What an angel ! Sent to help me on my way … And thats how I made it to the boat inn in Matlock to play my 1st gig of the tour! Great cosy english pub, friendly peeps.. Noice.. And in the between time I found an awesome book shop !! Win..
Day 3
of tour started a little something like this.. Pleasant stroll through a lovely village lots of history and peaceful sunny fields.. Apparently this place was famous for mining lead and milling.. Lots of very cute cottages – so today miss gps was working a bit better so our relationship has drastically improved .. We could almost .. Almost be friends now.. I got everywhere I needed to go today.. Turned off many many many too many roundabouts… And played a fun gig at the blues bar harrogate and had a surprise visitor from Australia!! More angels today – I was given fruit and had my gps fixed – I can go to sleep happy… Goodnight all
Day … 4?
Of tour and I got to catch up with my lovely fairygodmother of a friend Jo Jo Bea Moffet was such a sweet day! After navigating out of leeds and to her village maston? In the north.. We had a lovely catchup over tea, wandering through her town, driving through the drystone walled fields and moors ending with lunch on the hilltop overlooking this stunning view! We also found some great treats in the opshops books!! I am a bit addicted to books.. I just love them!! And I bought a ‘cartier watch’ almost as good as the real thing… Hehe..
Day 5
of tour was a lovely day in Scarborough! Very relaxing here, lots of old people lots of fishing, boats, a castle, hills, beaches… I went for a big wander around town, down along the beach then up the hill to the castle.. Had lunch – a mixed plate of whelks.?? Mussels and pippies – very nice (‘mmm not sure about the whelks though..) the seagulls here are massive.. The sun was shining.. And after a full day of wandering I wet for a much needed run along the beach now to catch up on all that reading I want to do…
Day 6 of tour… It’s all about the bird.. Ok turn left… A little to the right.. Ok smile grr tiger!!!!
Day 7
of tour!.. Started with another run and a beautiful view – what a magic place! Scarborough by the sea.. Love it… Then headed onto Nottingham through Robin Hood’s forest and many roundabout.. The gig tonight was one of my favourite so far – lovely audience who were all there to hear music! Great vibe, friendly pub owner – just great.. Sometimes the chemistry is just right – you can’t always figure out exactly what you did differently or whether the stars were aligned.. But tonight was one of the good ones – it just worked I don’t know if other musicians are superstitious about little things when they play – but sometimes I am – tonight I set the loop number to my birthdate – I had the big long list of all the songs.. I had a nap in the arvo.. And i’d been for a run this morning.. Maybe thats the recipe?.. Who knows..
Day 8
of tour..Arry… Was a great gig in Stevenage upstairs in a cosy room with a wonderful audience ! Thanks for singing along and joining in made my day and thanks to Trev for organising the night – it was a cracker :):)
Day 9!
Of UK tour.. What can I say..? Its been amazing from stevenage to a little village outside of leeds.. I managed to be very cool and at peace (ie not freak the hell out) when my gps decided to pack it in today with a repeated error msg.. Thanks Blythe.. Youve been great.. No really you have.. Up until today that is.. I tried pushing all her buttons but nothing made her come back to life in her usual cheerful tone.. So I managed – wait for it – to get directions from a human!! Actually two humans – thanks Jan & Trev – I got there!! (And my phone maps- tha kyou phone..) the house concert was lovely tonight great audience and really lovely people – what a treat this tour has been I’ve decided I love yorkshire and derbyshire actually most of the ‘shires’ seem to be good spots. All the gigs I’ve played have been special in their own way and it’s all coming to an end with tomorrow night being my last official UK gig before I head to Belgium! For 2 house concerts! Onwards and upwards and big thanks to Jane for organizing tonight!
Day 10 of UK tour
I have to say it’s been such a lovely tour this time round and the English people are so friendly and welcoming I feel blessed to be so looked after wherever I’ve been… Today was a nice end gig at the Filly and great to catch up with more surprise friends of friends! And get a bit of country air and a good hot meal ahh.. London here I come (tomorrow) todays 5 hours if driving really knackered me so I will sleep like a log I’m sure!!
Day 11 of tour
.. Strange dreams about dogs.. Followed by a morning walk with the dogs and horses in New Forest… Lovely chats with my friends mum whilst picking up special stones and taking these photos.. Afternoon train ride to London.. Catching up with my cuz Clare Hill and Nick Hill over a scrummy homecooked dinner! All round awesome easy day.
Day 12
of tour I met one of my music idols – Harry Manx who played a concert in London with Aussie artist Derrin Derrin Nauendorf and Rick on Double bass. Earlier in the day I went for a run down to the park – love the spring flowers.
Day 13 of Tour..
I learn that ‘bitch-itis is a disease’ had me almost in tears of laughter… That the curry is good in Battersea and that squirrels are not only in London but also in the grand canyon.. Oh and I also got a deep tissue massage to try and move the pain in my neck – good so far… Was great to spend some quality time with Clare Hill and Nick Hill ‘it was so great having me’ no?? :):):)
Day 14 of tour…
The cat (my new best friend) has fallen head first in love with my shoes… Umm.. I think they may be a bit stunky… Anyway.. Love is blind and smell-less apparently.. Also featured was a baked camembert with salad – a little bit amazing.. A tour of the ww1 cemetery of flanders, Belgium.. Very sad and moving.. A lot of sad history..thanks for the tour Conrad de Muelenaere it’s probably going to be a new song at some stage in the future…
Day 15..
Highlights.. The chocolate factory.. Wild Mushroom pasta.. Awesome house concert.. New friends Mounjid Houda!! the ever-shoe-loving-cat… Presents!!! … I wrote a song on the Ukelele and played it the same day live! … Chocolate brownie..
Day 16 of tour
was a little like this – quick tour of Ghent on the way to my next gig – met this old dude and his dog – he owns the gemstone shop in the alleyway.. I ask to try on a ring.. He unlocks the cabinet.. I try it on .. He promptly locks the cabinet and exclaims ‘it fits!’ As if that is the only consideration.. I am in shock but laugh he’s right.. He then gets his dog to pose for the camera and as I say ‘have a nice day’ he replies ‘have a nice life’ .. Classic.. Also the gemstone ring I chose will make my life beautiful he says.. It will bring you good things… Can’t argue with that .. I also tried this jelly thing which tasted like a cross between fairyfloss, jam, and turkish delight.. Waaay to sweet for me ( I know right?!) and a tour of the markets (presents for my man) and one of the amazing churches… And lastly a great friendly houseconcert in Overmere. Thankyou Veerle Claeys, Filip Van Lerberge, and your friends and family!!
Day 17
..was an epic train trip home from Ghent to Berlin via Brussels and Köln… need I say more… I basically got stuck into a really good book – that is the small blessing of a long train ride – time to read!!! Big thanks to all the people that hosted me, helped me, came to gigs and organized things for my UK & Belgium tour – you know who you are!! without you it wouldn’t have been possible!… and on arriving home.. with the heaviest suitcase ever!! presents were happily recieved and drunk & eaten!! (except the books for me – I will try not to eat them.. although that could be tasty.. nigella?? )
