It's a Funny Old World

Well, 8.00 Wednesday morning I'm pumping the boat out, 8.00 in the evening I'm at the O2 watching Fleetwood Mac!!

Ok, sorry about last night, but no internet signal!!

Right, to try to sum up, and no pictures as signal is very poor here, no idea as to why, we're right next to the M40!!

I think we left you tied up above Clifton Lock on Tuesday evening, oh no we didn't!! We were in Abingdon on Tuesday!! Well, we left 0730ish, worked ouselves up the lock and used the services above. This done, we left at 8.15 heading for Oxford. I can't remember anything untoward happening, steady progress through Sandford and Iffley locks, Billy no mates in both, then at Osney we waited for ages for two boats to come down, they were buying licenses. Another narrowboat turned up and we locked up together, then it was good to see plenty of space on the Osney moorings, which we tied up on. It was 11.30.

A relaxing lunch and a bit of a lounge around, then off to the station for the 1501 to Paddington. We went to the O2 via Desigual in Regent St and GBK on the South Bank, eventually getting there at 1930. Fleetwood Mac were awesome, again!! We've seen them twice now. One of the true great rock bands.

We left as songbird was playing, the last one, as we wanted to make sure we didn't miss the last train back to Oxford. We didn't, but only got back to the boat at 0130!!

As you can understand, we had a bit of a lie in in the morning, it was nearly 10 when we set off. Continuing up the river to Kings lock, then the left turn onto Dukes cut and the South Oxford canal.

We seemed to have it pretty much to ourselves, making good progress as far as Shipton Weir lock, only to find a queue of boats at the top and bottom and a CRT guy fishing around with a keb at the bottom gate. Turns out some local yoof had deposited bricks and rubble near the gate and it wouldn't close. After  a while he gave it a try, a big pile of rubble was on the lockside, and sterted to lock boats up and down. The gate was still leaking quite badly, but with some weight on the top gate we managed to force it open!!

We cruised on and stopped for the night at the old quarry moorings near Kirtlington. Been by here many times, the first time We've stopped. Turns out to be very interesting, lots of woodland paths, the old quarry, looks to be very popular with the locals for dog walking and stuff. Such a popular spot that 2 other boats joined us.

Now to today, I think!!
Set off just after 8, very peaceful and quiet, not many boats about. It rained a bit early on and again later. We're now at Twyford Wharf, the noise from the M40 in the background. Just a regular steady cruising day, nothing much of note to report, just the impending end of cruise blues!!