Going so well!! - REPOST FROM PREVIOUS DAY!

Set off this morning and although the sky was cloudy and the wind chilly, I had a spring in my step! Zipped along nicely - the Cherwell was on its best behaviour and even all the Lift bridges were open; the only ones that weren't had a helpful farmer or another boater on hand to assist. An unsuspecting passer by in Banbury this morning was quickly signed up as an honorary Khayamanzi crew member and a hasty training session in the finer art of lift bridge operation saw an easy passage through the town centre. Aynho wier lock was interesting but caused no problem and as Classic FM was just getting into its stride I hit the back end of 10 boats waiting at Somerton Deep Lock!!

Apparently the lock gate had got stuck closed.... and then it got stuck open and BW hd to be called to free the unfortunates that were stuck with it. 3 and a half hours later and I was through and progressing again. By this time, I'd had enough and the weather had increased in temperature to the point of rivalling our school kiln and I pulled in at Lower Heyford.

A shower and change later, not to mention the abstraction and consumption of a nice cold beer from the fridge and I was ready to tackle my new barbecue...

Fantastic it was - and lived up to almost every claim on the tin. A very pleasant evening was had and, with the exception of absolutely no TV signal of any kind, only 2 dodgy bars of GPRS, (hence the few and small pictures this evening,) and the passing of the occasional goods train, almost perfect!

Theoretically I could be on the Thames tomorrow evening all-beit only just. The outskirts of Isis and Oxford are not exactly pleasant so I have to decide, do I push on to get on the Thames, moor up early before Oxford or put up with a miserable nights mooring wherever I end up?? Decisions decisions - oh the stress!!