I've been traveling the UK for 32 days & it has rained every day

[lebkuchen]

including today, where there was a deluge on the M1. In a month I've seen the sun a total of maybe 8 hours, and that's under mostly cloudy conditions. I was able to ride my bike twice, two hours each, and picnic outside the van once.

The M5 HWY South is closed. Tewkesbury, on the M5, is flooded, and the Thames continues to rise and is reported to be near bursting its banks.

If you are planning a vacation in the UK this summer, dress warmly, and don't forget your Wellies. You're gonna need 'em.

The Brits say they haven't seen anything like this before, and most attribute it to global warming. Bush's name isn't mentioned much, however. I sense most Brits find him irrelevant.

[CoffeeCat]

1. Are you an American?

If so, is it nice to be away from the Decider?

I'm in desperate need of a vacation from this situation...so I'll live
vicariously through yours.

[lebkuchen]

4. Yes

It's great to be away from the news, actually, and, as I had said in my edit, the Brits don't mention the US or Bush when they learn I am a Yank. They're very polite, but aside from one "What do you think of that bloody Bush" comment, I may as well be from New Zealand. Nobody really cares, and that's nice. It's like Bush doesn't exist.

Edinburgh is more touristed than when I had last visited in '84, but I was only there for one day and happy I made pub rounds in smaller villages, where folk music still combusts spontaneously with very fine local musicians! No need to tip the bagpiper on the Royal Mile when they're dueling each other in the local small town pubs for attention and applause, and just for the fun of it, because that's the way it's always been.

[soothsayer]

2. well it's been uncharacteristically unrainy these last few years, hasn't it?

this is making up for it (poor UK!)

[lebkuchen]

6. It's hurting tourism here

and as for camping, some sites have had to close completely because of flooding. I've managed to get a hard pitch most of the time, so it's worked out. There are so many castles in both Scotland and England, and abbeys, especially in the Borders region, and museums and palaces and Hadrian's Wall and so on and so on, that there's always something to do to avoid the rain....hiking or biking just isn't one of the activities.

[JDPriestly]

3. And we are in a continuing drought.

[lebkuchen]

10. It was hot in Germany when I left

I packed all wrong for the UK. These one pair of pants have pulled me through, and the occasional washer/dryer!

[TomInTib]

5. Damn! Stay away from the Thames, lebkuchen.

I just saw this:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070723/ap_on_re_eu/britain_flooding

[lebkuchen]

7. The message sign on the M1 today told everyone to stay off the M5

and that's where Tewkesbury is. I saw a photo of a caravan park, with vehicles floating. I'm camping and have been calling destination campsites ahead of time to find out their status. Some have simply closed.

The British economy seems to be really hurting. I don't remember it this poor 23 years ago, when I biked through various regions. All this rain sure doesn't help, but Edinburgh is packed with tourists nonetheless, and I assume London is as well, so folks are working around it.

I'll be negotiating my way to Dover in the next handful of days. Thanks for your thoughts.

The UK has been a lot of fun to see and learn from, again....Mary Queen of Scots, Culloden, Hadrian's Wall, the border disputes, the Royal Family...and, an excellent musician at the Celtic Festival on the Isle of Lewis, Seth Lakeman, a folk singer from Devon...very good.

[Ilsa]

8. Don't drink the water at Tewkesbury... they say the water treatment

plant has been flooded.

Are you sure you aren't in south Texas? We've had rain almost every day here as well. I've never seen weather like this here before.

[lebkuchen]

9. Didn't Bush declare TX a disaster area?

Not because Bush resides there but because of flooding? :)

It's also been raining a lot on the continent. My balcony geraniums are probably drowned by now, but the begonias in the UK are looking stunning! They definitely take to soggy weather. The heather in the moors is trying to bloom, but is only out in brief spurts here and there.

Last week it rained more in just a few minutes in Westminster than it usually does the entire month of July. All in all, it's a bad summer in the UK...a bust some might say (hopefully the reservoirs won'), but we made the best of the situation. Some pubs had the fireplaces going.

You take care. 'Nite.

[Ilsa]

11. There may be a few places. But not here. Thanks for asking! nt

[Karenina]

12. Viel Spass, liebe Lebkuchen!

Komm gut nach Hause! :hi: