Stonehenge

I'm headed to Stonehenge. I can't come all this way and *not* see it. The computer directions say that it's about an hour and 45 minutes away. I figure it'll take about 2 and a half for me. I don't know the area and it's not exactly perfect weather. It's raining this morning. Well, more like California rain. Not really rain. More of a heavy, steady drizzle. The windshield gets wet with small dots, but, not large dollops of rain drops.

I figure that after Stonehenge, I'll continue driving out to Bath. I've been told by several people back in the States that I should go see the Roman Bath houses that are there. So, I've got an overnight bag in the back of the car and the camera with a fully fueled battery in the passenger seat. I tell the car's navigation system where I want to go and we're off.

From what I can see of the country side it's quite lovely. I'm too busy driving to stare at it though :). Very green. It's surprising to see the green fields everywhere. I would have thought that they would have crops (or worse) condos all over the place around London. Every now and then the green fields are dotted with off-white puffballs that are sheep. Quite a bit of sheep 'round these parts.

I can't describe the initial feeling I got when I crested the hill driving towards Stonehenge. I wasn't expecting to be able to see it from the road. I can't believe that it felt so different seeing it in person. I'd seen tons of pictures of it. But, this was different. I pulled off into the parking lot and wandered off to see it "up close and personal". Like Shannon had told us when he got back, you don't really get to get "up close and personal". There's a walkway all around it. Initially closer to it than at any other point. The custodians provide you with a free audio device that you can hear about the place and it's history (what's known of it). It was colder than I'd prepared for. It didn't stop me from gawking and taking pictures. I took *way* too many photos of it. I couldn't help it. Looking at it in person, it cried out to be photographed. So, I did. Over and over again. I'll upload them when I get the chance.

After I'd spent enough time gazing and freezing, I figure it was time for me to push on towards Bath. I'd figured that I would get there in the late afternoon. So the plan was to find a hotel, explore what I could for the rest of the day and finish up tomorrow before heading back home.

After some driving time I arrive in Bath. The navigation system telling me to turn this way or that. Of course, it's trying to take me to the town center. Not exactly where I want to be driving. I instantly become lodged in a traffic jam. There is no parking on any of the crowded streets I venture down. There are a ton of people here. I come upon the realization that there is some sort of large event happening in the area of town I'm in. No matter which way I go, I'm stuck in traffic with no clue as to where to go. I've now spent about 45 minutes in Bath. What I've seen from the car is fairly nice. Many of the buildings look the same. Like much of the city was constructed by one guy. Nice buildings, but, the same type of construction. I can't find parking. I can't find a hotel (that I can get to). Let me explain; At one point in time, I could see the Hilton. I know that's going to cost me more than I want to pay for a room. But, I know that it'll have parking and I'll be in the hustle and bustle of the town center. Unfortunately, I spent 20 minutes in the same spot on the road trying to get closer to it. It seemed to be where everyone was going. That's not true...I didn't spend 20 minutes in one spot. I did move about a car length in that time.

Now, I'm hungry and frustrated. I decide to follow a couple other cars from behind me and swing into the oncoming lane. Not to worry, there wasn't anyone going *that* way. I follow them up and out of that area. Driving around a bit more just gets me lost. Not that I care...you can't get lost if you don't really have a destination :). So, a'driving I go. I finally come to an intersection that I recognize. I've been here before. It points to the A4 (a road out of town). I'm so frustrated by this time with the traffic, I decide that I've seen enough of Bath.

About an hour out of Bath, I stop off at a restaurant to get some food. Of course, it's closed. So many things seem to be closed on the weekends. I fuel up the car and grab a quick snack and some water at a service station. I'm a little disappointed. Mostly in myself that I couldn't/wouldn't get things done in Bath. Life goes on.

On the drive home I find the button for voice commands for the car's computer system. So, I begin experimenting. I swear that this thing is there for one reason; annoy the driver. It still wants to take me into Bath as my destination (I never 'arrived' at what it has recorded as my destination). It wont let me give it a new destination. I try all sorts of commands; 'Delete Destination', 'Stop Navigation', 'Remove Destination', 'Kill Destination', 'New Destination'...I try all kinds of commands. I spend the next couple of hours arguing with the machine. It keeps telling me that it can't find a Towne Centre, a Chinese Restaurant, and various other things that I never asked for. So, I tell it to 'Learn English'. It, of course, doesn't understand that command. I do figure out how to zoom the map in and out, turn on/off the audio system. I inadvertently turn on the AC, raise the temperature, and turn the navigation system back on. Those I can't seem to repeat. It does me the favor of changing the radio stations at it's whim. I have to keep changing it back.

I pull into the hotel's parking lot and head straight to the pub to get some food and liquid refreshment. Tomorrow is another day.