The Trouble With Norfolk ...

...is that it's just SO pretty !  It's going to be very hard to leave on Saturday, but we HAVE to go to Italy for this Opera Festival in Verona where Placido Domingo will be singing Nabucco, and then we HAVE to go to Venice as the accommodation is all booked and paid for.  Otherwise..

We have been having a fantastic time here.  Suzi and Mike's house is just lovely and the water is about ten minutes walk.  We have been exploring in all directions on foot with the dog and also quite a bit  by car.  We went over the border to Suffolk on the weekend to visit Suzi's aunt and uncle, whom we met and just loved 12 years ago.  It was lovely to be with them again in their gorgeous part of the world.  Apart from the fact that we HAD to play cricket on the Village Green with the grandchildren (LOL), we had a marvellous day and weren't the least bit interested in leaving. They will be in NZ early next year and will hopefully come and stay so we can reciprocate their lovely hospitality

We've borrowed walking brochures and books and we've been going through them, crossing off our achievements.  Luckily, rather a lot of the walks begin and end in a pub carpark, so it's easy to get going and move along fairly swiftly with the promise of a nice lunch at the end.  We've found several lovely little spots along the rivers and on the Broads, so Richard's lust for water and boats has been easily satisfied.

Earlier this week we had a gorgeous walk which, due to road works over the years and an out of date booklet, turned out to be over 9 kilometres - pretty good for us!  We WERE a bit knackered by the time we got back to the ...you guessed it, pub, for lunch.

On Wednesday we went out on one of the restored old Broads motor boats.  It was built in 1937 and has been lovingly brought back to its former glory by Paul, a great bloke that Richard instantly bonded with.  He even let Rich have a go at the wheel, so he was in his element. I have to say, we had THE most gorgeous day for a jolly on the water; warm and sunny without a breath of wind - just glorious. Went fruit picking again on the way home - last week was raspberries and blackcurrants, today there were strawberries and raspberries - the treats and the treasures just keep coming!

 

Yesterday was a walk with Gerry and Joy, (Suzi's parents) around the estate of a National Trust house called Blickling Hall.  We didn't bother with the visit to the Hall, as there was rather a nice ... again, pub for lunch at the end of the walk!
A short blog, but really the pictures say it all.  Have a look and see if you agree.