All good things come to an end.

Last time I posted I was in middle England just about to start a round of visits to friends in Yorkshire; well that came and went and from there I moved on to North Wales to visit more friends - and then it was but a brief trip down to my final finishing spot at my fathers house in Swansea in South Wales.  Whilst I was looking forward to seeing him, finishing the trip was something I wanted to put off so instead of going directly there I managed to add in one or two extra days of sightseeing in Wales, which is the country I grew up in.  Now memories of Wales in my youth feature recollections of quaint towns and beautiful scenerery, unfortunately too often viewed through a veil of rain.  Well travelling in December brought both elements of those memories back!

[caption id="attachment_766" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Chester - and a brief burst of sunshine!  (And all is not as it seems, whilst Chester has some genuine Tudor timber framed buildings, most, including these, are Victorian pastiches - however it makes for a charming city centre) "][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_767" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="The beachfront promenadeat Rhyl (North Wales).  Damp is the word that comes to mind - once a thriving tourist town. December perhaps wasn't the best time to appreciate its charms."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_768" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Snowdonia National Park - beautiful but again damp (however since snow was scheduled for the next night I considered this a reasonable weather option)"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_770" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Brecon Beacons an area of glorious hills and mountains in mid-wales (and even better the suns out)"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_771" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Swansea Bay and The Mumbles Pier- the scene of most of my childhood. (Swansea has the second highest tidal rise and fall in the world - between 9 and 12 metres; this is low water, at high water all the foreground becomes sea.)"][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_775" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Christmas dinner - with all the trimmings."][/caption]

Suddenly the trip is all over and its kind of depressing. Its great to see family and friends for Christmas but I've had such independence and such a fantastic time over the last five months and experienced so much friendship from people that it is a flat feeling now that its finished.

The question  always asked at the end of a trip like this is "what have you learnt?" and perhaps more insight-fully (as was done by one of my friends) "what have you learnt about yourself".  Neither are an easy  answer.  To the first I'd say more than anything it has taught me (or more truthfully reminded me of) just how good people are and how friendly and interesting the world is.  It is so easy to get caught up in your day to day to existence to forget this and to believe the world is a frightening place that has to be somehow controlled and corralled.  The reality is so different; the world is out there is waiting to welcome you with open arms and to give far so much more than it takes.  The second question is even harder to answer and I need more time to reflect on it than I have yet given it - but I do know it has reminded me how much I usually set my own limitations when in reality if I just get going there are very few things that can't be achieved.

[caption id="attachment_774" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="The bike - now cleaned, soaked in WD-40, wrapped and parked in my dad's garden. Ready for the next trip? (Alaska to Argentina sounds interesting)"][/caption]