Day 13 - In Cowes, Isle of Wight

As you may have guessed… I was indeed able to cut and paste yesterday’s entry, which I wrote elsewhere on my tablet, while offline. The fellow was not able to fix the Internet issue on my devices this morning, (because the issue is actually with their provider, not my devices!) so he put in the Pub’s information to allow me access. That was great, and a life-saver! However when I went back up to my room (3rd floor again - I mistakenly said second floor yesterday), the WiFi stopped working. Out of range I guess. Very frustrating. So after some discussion of possible solutions, they very kindly let me switch rooms. I’m still on the third floor, but through a few less doors and stone walls, so it’s working fine here as you can see! If I was only here one night, it would be less of an issue, however I’m here for four days, so it is quite necessary to have good access! When did we get so dependent on this technology?! I guess we just used a landline and called someone for whatever information we might need. Along this path, however, I have noticed there have seldom been phones in the rooms.

I had a pretty good sleep last night - although the wind was howling all night and you could feel the windows (and building?) shake. Someone this morning said it was hurricane force winds that were pummelling the Isle last night! Yikes! (I wouldn’t have wanted to be on the ferry then! Or maybe they stop running when it gets too rough.) As I write this at 4:30 pm I am startled by the force of the rain hitting my window, and by the wind gusts that are making the wooden window frames bang together! It’s a bit unnerving! I’m really glad to be snug inside. It’s so dark out there it looks like night… AND I was just out there, coming back from my very interesting bus trip around the eastern part of the island!

After breakfast this morning (Eggs Benedict!) and we got the Internet and then the room switch sorted… I went out exploring. It had stopped raining for the moment, from the overnight and early morning deluge… and although damp, it was not actively raining. I had picked up a wonderful bus schedule in the lobby and had been looking at it last night. I decided on a rough direction to take, on a bit of a sight-seeing adventure around the island. Cowes, the town where I am based, is at the very north part of the island, (where the passenger ferry arrives and departs from), and so thought I would go to the south shore and up the east side, and then back to Cowes. This took most of the day!

I first stopped at a coffee shop - I was actually looking for a laundromat, which was on the same street! Then I decided it was such a nice day (Ha ha!), that I should see some of the island. I was wearing my raincoat just in case! I headed to the bus stop for bus #1 to Newport - a bigger town/ or small city roughly in the centre of the island, and a hub for many of the bus routes. The trip to Newport probably took an hour or more. It was still quite nice outside, although windy. At the Newport bus station, I was going to catch a #6 bus, which I never did see… or the #2 or #3 bus to Ventnor (down on the south east coast), and then back up to Ryde and eventually back to Newport and Cowes. Even as I stood at the Newport bus station waiting… the clouds rolled in with that chilly wind, and it started raining a little. Once on the #3 bus, I sat on the top deck (of an enclosed double decker of course!) and two couples sat around me, one in front of me, and the other beside. Just as we left the station, it started POURING rain! And continued pouring! We laughed about it, and the large window in front of us completely fogged up because we were all damp and breathing - you know, as human beings tend to do! We took turns clearing the condensation from the window with Kleenex and were all glad we were not out walking in this torrential downpour. These two couples from elsewhere in England, knew each other, and were with a bigger group on a walking tour. Today was a day off - and they were really glad! Aside from the rain… when we - in this huge bus - wound down toward the ocean in the Ventnor area, we all gasped at how the driver so expertly negotiated the tight corners and cars passing on these narrow roads. It is quite a skill!

Approaching Ventnor we started to see the blue-green waves of the ocean (the English Channel I guess it would be); it looked pretty rough. And was probably pretty cold, too! Right about then, we were starting to see bits of blue sky through the quickly moving clouds, and by the time we reached Shanklin on the bus, 15 minutes later, the sun was out again! These two couples were staying in Shanklin, and as they got off the bus, I heard them talk about sitting in a pub - with a cup of tea - for the afternoon! That sounded like a great idea… but I still had many miles and two more buses to catch before getting “home” to my hotel. For the rest of my ride, although not as much fun without my humorous companions, it stayed clear and sunny.

I managed to get back up to Ryde, then Newport, and finally Cowes. By the time I got off the bus in Cowes it was probably about 3:15 pm. From a journey that started at 11:30! A long day. But I think I saw quite a bit of the island, even if it was through a foggy window! Back at the Inn, I was very tired. I made myself a cup of tea, and started writing this. Went down to the dining room later, for dinner. It is much later now, about 10:30. It is supposed to be a similar day tomorrow, weather-wise, and then Thursday there is a 100% chance of rain! Lol! I will go to sleep tonight listening to the rather comforting sound of the wind howling outside… rattling the window panes.