5,6,7,8,9,10 June 2012

 Headed off to Southampton and Portsmouth. Both cities have amazing maritime histories. Pictured is HMS Victory, Lord Nelson's flagship.

 The Isle of Wight is a beautiful island, rich in history and just about everything else. Plenty of little villages with narrow winding streets,

 and good pubs too.

 Caught up with old friends John and Audrey Duncan who live in Waterlooville near Portsmouth. Had not seen them since 1974 when they returned home to England from Brisbane.

You try taking taking your own photograph with rain and a cold 20 knot gale in your face.
At Southampton to see the 3 Queens, Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary and Queen Victoria. All 3 were berthed in Southhampton as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. The Queen Elizabeth is in the background.









The highlight on the Isle of Wight was Osborne House which was Queen Victoria's summer residence. It belonged to a time when the British Empire was at the peak of it's world power and dominance. Two words to describe it's contents would be "unimaginable opulence"

Headed home to London on Sat 9 for a quiet weekend before heading off to Paris on June 11.