I told you it was cold yesterday! We had 15cm of snow overnight, here is the Motel car park with our hire car (on the right). Quite a few roads closed, but I insisted we get on the move as there was more snow forecast for the end of the week and we needed to be back in London.

Rae was quite hesitant at first, but soon got the hang of it. The leon's traction control and front wheel drive were brilliant. The main road (A31) had been gritted (spread with rock salt) and was not too bad. The original plan had been to head north from Alton to get on to the M4 and approach Heathrow as directly as possible.

With the snow closing a lot of the B roads, plan 'B' was implemented and we followed the A 31 east. The problem was when we got to Farnham, there had been a truck accident and the road was closed from there on. So it was North through Aldershot and Farnborough on the A331 to the M4.

London was brought to a total standstill on Monday, this was the heaviest snow fall in the capital in seventeen years. I had managed to book accommodation in Slough, close to Heathrow so we could drop off the car on Tuesday morning, and then at one of the hotels on the strip at Heathrow so we would not have to get up too early on Friday. Willesden Green (Nat and Laura's) is nearly two hours by train from Heathrow and with the threat of more snow I wanted to be close enough to yell at someone if the flight was delayed. The basic issue is, that despite what you may believe England (especially the south) is not equiped to handle heavy snow fall. On Monday morning there were no buses or trains running in London. Neither the Buses or trains could leave their depots, not to mention the fact that there was no way for drivers to get in too work. In any event we had a very picturesque ending to our travels.

Very cold day today, we slept late and just made it to church in time for the sermon. After a carvery lunch at the 'Windmill Inn' in Four Marks we returned to Chawton to visit 'the house'. An interesting and informative display. A great many artifacts and personal items are on display. It is interesting to learn, how the events in Jane's life have found their way into her books. She wrote of the world in which she lived. There is a copy of a reply to a court official who wished her to write a novel about the house of Hanover. Jane refused, saying in effect she wrote of what she knew, and would be incapably of doing anything worth while in that regard.

St. Nicholas' church Chawton, we went to the 10.30 service this morning. Sat across the aisle from the Austin pew, fortunately Rae did not notice, or I fear she would not have been able to concentrate.

The forcast is for 6 inches of snow tonight, so expect to see more snow pictures as we head back to London tomorrow.

Winchester today, we spent about an hour and a half in the Cathedral. There was a special tourist fair on, so we got in for free. A truly amazing place which perhaps gives a glimpse of what Glastonbury must have been like.

The profusion of tombs and memorials is mind numbing. Of particular interest to me were the chests which had contained the bones of ancient Kings. It's a strange thing to realize, that Alfred (whose statue stands in the man street outside) we are told saved England from the Vikings, yet the bones of a Viking King of England are in the Cathedral along with some of Alfred's decendants.

These small statues on the side of one of the chantry chapels reminded me of the fragments we had seen in Glastonbury. Each one a finely carved work of art. Of course for Rae there is only one tomb of any consequence in Winchester, that of a certain female writer. Now aware of the link Rae declared we were while staying in Four Marks going to visit Jane Austin's old home in Chawton.

But before we get to that, here is a quize for you!




Why is this 'Diver' a hero? Well off you go! I'm not going to tell you.