Chard in Somerset must be one of the least exciting places to stay but we found ourselves there in a very charming bed and breakfast as we were desiring a short break from sitting in front of the computer plus all the other excitement that Midsomer Norton can bring. We left last Friday week in incessant rain and ended up at Lyme Regis where the wind and the rain was so bad that most shops were closed. In the good old British way we made the best of things. After battling in the wind we left to meet the very charming Chinese lady who ran the B and B.
It is a relief to see that mask wearing has diminished as we observed in the high street. Chard is actually part of the A30 which runs through the High Street. A record number of clarity shops were in view. I bought some very nice waterproof trousers for £10 and two sets of stamps from around the world for £5.
On Saturday we visited Seaton which is on the coast. The weather was sunny and dare I say warmer. The beach was unremarkable but we found a wonderful old Tramway which has been kept going for the benefit of tourists. It runs for about 3 miles through some marshes and was a link used by trains from London so that people could come and enjoy the coast. This was from Victorian times and onwards to the closure at the Beeching cuts in the 1960s.
No visit to the seaside would be complete without a good old portion of fish and chips and we had such at an old-fashioned cafe at the end of the tram line. The trams were 100 years old at least. The upstairs section was open but the downstairs were also open meaning plenty of room for the wind to blast across.
Petrol has shot up in price. My car costs about £115 to fill up and being a Volvo it is more thirsty on short distances. Combined with the 33% increase in electricity and gas from April, plus the increase in council tax, and I must go out and do more gardening work to pay for it.
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