Monday, September 20th
Hooray! The Americans are finally lifting their travel ban, for fully-vaccinated visitors from the UK and various other countries. But still want a load of tests doing. A new vaccine’s being tested … in Bolton. And Princess Beatrice has had a baby girl.
Today, I went to Tenby, and over to Caldey Island on the ferry – very exciting due to the Chalet School connections, and I struck lucky and got a really lovely sunny day.
Lots of English tourists there, and lots of signs reminding people that Welsh rules are different. It really would be a lot easier if we all had the same rules!
Tuesday, September 21st
Infection rates are down in all 10 Greater Manchester boroughs. There are quite major variations even within the local area, but the panic merchants who were claiming that we’d be seeing 50 zillion cases a day within 5 minutes of lifting restrictions have gone quiet now. However, the virus certainly isn’t going away, and … well, it’s going to be an ongoing problem.
I went to Pembroke Castle, birthplace of Henry VII, this morning, and then to the Bosherston Lily Ponds.
Lovely day again. And I went in the pool and jacuzzi at the leisure club adjacent to the hotel. Going again on Friday. You have to book slots, but it wasn’t that busy.
Wednesday, September 22nd
Bah. Lost to West Ham in the Carabao Cup. 1-0. Took a chance and put the reserves out.
Booster jabs for over 80s are now being given. Scottish tourism officials are hitting the roof because Sturgeon’s refusing to drop the PCR tests. And the German government’s going to withhold sick pay from people who aren’t vaccinated and have to self-isolate. So they just won’t self-isolate, will they? Stupid idea! Not that I’ve got a better one, but still.
I went into Carmarthen today, then to Dinewfr Park, and Carreg Cennin. There was some rain, but, thankfully, nothing major!
Thursday, September 23rd
A Covid row’s broken out over Strictly Come Dancing, of all things. It seems that three of the professional dancers haven’t been vaccinated, and that their dance partners weren’t told about it and aren’t very pleased. This really is a difficult issue. It’s not compulsory to be vaccinated, and I don’t think anyone really wants to go down the Italian route of saying that people in pretty much any job need a Covid pass, but is it fair for someone working in close proximity to others to be putting them at additional risk?
It rained quite heavily this morning, but turned out nice later on. I went to the Roman gold mines at Dolaucothi, then to the Welsh National Botanic Gardens.
Friday, September 24th
I went to Cardigan Castle this morning, then to St David’s, and then called in at Laugharne on the way back. Nice sunny day.
Fortunately, I was able to fill my car up for the journey home. Thanks to the media whipping up a panic over fuel shortages, after a very small number of petrol stations had to close temporarily whilst awaiting deliveries – due to the shortage of HGV drivers, not a shortage of fuel – , everyone’s panic-buying. It’s the toilet roll saga all over again – people start panic-buying, the media show pictures of long queues (the irresponsible BBC, ITN and Sky are actually encouraging people to send in pictures of queues), everyone else then panics, places run out, the panic spirals …. . There was a bit of a queue at the station near St Clears when I got back, but nothing major, but it’s really not good in more densely-populated areas, especially for those people whose vehicles run on diesel rather than petrol. I believe that some garages at home are out of fuel, although others are open, and my sister’s said that it’s an absolute nightmare in London, with most filling stations closed.
Saturday, September 25th
I’ve filled up again … I had a long drive from St Clears to Chepstow (lovely castle, closely associated with William Marshal, and right on the border, with a sign on one side of the bridge over the Wye welcoming you to Gloucestershire, England, and a sign on the other welcoming you to Monmouthshire, Wales!), then to Tintern Abbey, and then on to Hay-on-Wye, where I’m staying overnight after a very nice afternoon spent looking round bookshops. Hay’s on the border, too – most of the town’s in Powys, Wales, but the first bookshop I went to was in Herefordshire, England! Wet early on, but dried up later, and tomorrow’s looking nice and sunny.
Anyway, there was a petrol station not far from Hay, with no queue. I don’t think it had any diesel, but it certainly had petrol. It’s quite bad in some urban areas, though. And no-one’s doing anything about it. Telling people not to panic buy doesn’t work.
And we lost 1-0 at home to Villa, to a late goal, after we’d missed a penalty. The wheels seem to be coming off this week :-(.
Sunday, September 26th
I’m home! Via Attingham Park, near Shrewsbury. I’ve now got that awful post-holiday feeling of having a mountain of ironing to do and having to go and be trapped in a depressing office tomorrow, but it was a lovely holiday.
Infection rates are up again in most of the 10 Greater Manchester boroughs. Ups, downs … but nothing’s changed significantly for weeks. And there’ve been protests in both Australia and the Netherlands in relation to vaccination rules. And the USA thrashed Europe in the Ryder Cup 😦 .
And the petrol crisis is getting worse. Could someone please do something?
The Year Without Wimbledon 