Day 9 - Weston Super Mare

We got up this morning and packed our bags to say goodbye to Cardiff and Wales.  We said goodbye to Alan, the owner of the B & B and headed outto the street to go to the train station.  Just in time to encounter the Cardiff 10k marathon.

The runners just kept coming - apparently there were over 1000 runners registered.  Watching them go past looked like much more than that.

 

 We headed to the train station to travel back to England.

 We had to change trains at Bristol and unfortunately we just missed our connecting train so we had a 50 minute wait at Bristol station.  The upside of this was a chance to see all the houses built up the hill at Bristol.

 We found our B & B in Weston Super Mare - Derek and Linda are just lovely and made us feel welcome from the minute we walked in the door.
We then walked down to the waterfront to see the Weston Sand Sculpting Festival.  It was amazing.....  We were just in awe of what these people could do with a bit of sand and water!
Kyle was very excited to see his name in sand.

 As you can see some of the sculptures had a little bit of damage to them but they have been standing for about 2 months and there is a team going around making repairs.
Tony was very excited to see a sculpture there by an Australian - an 11 time world champion sand sculpturist no less!

 The theme was fun and games and there was everything from roller coasters and chess games to kids toys, electronic games and sports.

 

I am so excited to be here in Weston Super Mare.  It is fulfilling a dream from childhood - you see this is where my Mum grew up and it was wonderful today to walk along the beach and see the donkeys and the beachside markets that Mum used to talk about with such joy.

 

Tomorrow we are getting picked up by Mum's cousin Margaret to go and see the house that Mum was born in.  I am so, so excited.  After all that is what we came here for - I promised Mum just before she died that I would bring the kids here to see where she grew up and I am now fulfilling that promise.  LOVE YOU MUM.  The only way this could be better would be if she could be here with us.

 

 

Todays tally:

 

Steps taken:  12875

Times I have said how excited I am: at least 20!

Steps up to our rooms: only 1 flight of stairs.  Ah lovely!