And there wasn’t any ice cream.

Continued from this post…

So we arrive in Ampthill, and start heading towards, where we think the entrance to the Park is. We’re not entirely sure, afterall we don’t know this place too well…plus it is us.

Walking through Ampthill, taking in the sights. A rather pleasant place, very picturesque, although neither of us have actually got our cameras out yet, which is unlike us…normally they’d be out before we do anything else.

“You know, they sell ice cream in the park” says matey.

Umm, lovely ice cream on a hot summer’s day. Not that the weather dictates when we have ice cream…it could be a torrential downpour and there’d be us, huddled under some shelter somewhere, eating the stuff.

Amazingly, for us anyway, we find the entrance quite easily and before you know it, we’re wandering through a woods. Following a path, that leads to…that leads to, erm it didn’t seem to be leading us anywhere.

Eventually, we see an area that’s a bit more open. “That’s where the ice cream will be”. says him.

Looking forward to that…umm ice cream.

There’s a kids playpark area, so being the conscientious fellows that we are, we quickly skirt round it…pretending that we aren’t a pair of dodgy photographers, who happen to have whacking huge cameras in our hands.

And there wasn’t any ice cream, he bloody lied to me…bastard! Was so looking forward to it as well. Still at least it meant he didn’t get any either.

We finally, after walking up a hill, found a view that should have been ideal, but it was a bit of a let down. didn’t stop us from trying to get some decent shots tho. Laying on the ground, standing up…let’s try this angle, no that’s not really working either.

Also, there were some teenagers hanging about, all noisy and cheery. At one point, one of them appeared next us as we’re lying on the ground, mobile phone in hand. Pretty sure one of the other kids took a photo of the three of us..bloody cheek!

Matey, being the dodgier one of the two us (sometimes it’s hard to tell tho), says “I bet they want their picture taken?”. So up he gets and wanders over to them and asks them if they want their photo taken by a pro, I’m thinking to meself “where’s this pro then?”

And there they were, a bunch of teenagers posing for some dodgy old git, in the middle of nowhere. I thought kids were more savvy these days, If  I was them, I’d be screaming paedo and kicking him in the nuts!

We carry on walking through the park and come upon a strange building, seemingly completely surrounded by trees.

As we’re walking through the park, the ‘ol tummy starts to rumble. Remembering the little cafe we visited last time we were here, we slowly start to head back to Ampthill proper. We stumble upon these wooden gates, both us convinced there was “something there”. Neither of us knowing what it is, so we go about trying to find it. Shooting them from various angles, laying on the ground (we do seem to that lot), standing up…tilt the camera this way and that way.

Not sure either of us truly captured what ever it was that we could almost see.

Having left the Park, and the slight disappointment that came with it, we head back into Amphtill proper and to a little cafe which we had visited the last time we were here. Lovely place, nice food, although we did both get the same thing…just once it would be nice not to have the same thoughts.

Lunch sorted, it was time to head to the bus stop, when we get there I check the timetable…properly this time. Work out we’ve got about 20-25 mins until the next bus. There just so happened to be a pub right next to the stop, with tables outside. So we decide to get a quick half while we wait. I go in to buy them whilst Matey stays outside. I get served by the rather nice barmaid and head back outside.

Drinks finished, I pick up the glasses to take them back inside…being a barman meself, I find it quite irritating  when people don’t do that. We then go back to the bus stop, hoping we don’t screw this up and actually catch the one we intended…luckily we did.

And so we leave Ampthill and head back to Bedford and to The Bear. Got a bit of time before I have to start work, so we buy a couple of shandys…proper ones, with beer in them not lager. Not sure when it happened, or how for that matter, but at some point the way certain drinks are supposed to be changed. Shandy started being made with lager, a snakebite and black became just simply a snakebite…bloody irritates me it does.

And so our escapade came to an end, I went to work and matey, well he came and sat at the bar for a while, before heading off to wherever he heads off too. Not sure I really want to know.

Despite a bumpy start and the disappointment of Ampthill Park, it was very nice day…getting out of Bedford helped.

[edit 26.06.2010 – If you really want to, you can read matey’s version here, although he’s made me out to be some bumbling, bone idle fool…it’s all lies, of course!]

So far this day isn’t going so well

This post became so long, I’ve had to split into two…

here’s part one…

Is it morning already? Can’t be, I haven’t slept yet… have I?
If it isn’t, then what’s that beeping noise? Maybe it’s a dream, close your eye’s and it’ll go away…

except…it’s still there, beeping away. It’s not gonna stop unless you get up and turn it off.

See…isn’t that better. All quiet now.

Put the kettle on, and isn’t there something else you were supposed to be doing? Oh yeah, didn’t you agree to be online at about eightish, so you and matey can sort out what the plan for the day is?

Best go do that, once the coffee’s ready of course.

That’s it sit there, turn on the ‘puter, roll a fag and wait for everything to load up…Why’s everything so blurry? Perhaps if you actually open your eyes it might help.

Check your emails, he’s probably been up for hours and has sent thousands of them, asking you why you aren’t up yet…No, only one, must be having an off day…good, that’s the way it should be.

Everything’s still blurry, only out of one eye, I don’t like morning’s…gotta wake up.

Now, just reply and he’ll get back to you, twiddle the thumbs, waiting…what’s this, switching to chat mode?

How do I do that then?

Oh yeah there it is…umm this looks suspiciously like an instant messenger thingy, didn’t think he did those. Oh well just go with it, I’m sure it’ll be alright.

I think the blurriness has gon…no, there it is, really must wake up. Have some coffee, it’ll make everything better, I promise.

Why’s he asking me what the plan is? It’s like he doesn’t know me. He really should know better than to ask me to make a decision, especially as I’ve only had half a mug of coffee and one smoke! Mind you, he doesn’t know that, he’s not here in the room with me. If he were, we wouldn’t need to use this instant messenger thingy.

Hang on, he’s got an idea…Ampthill Park eh? That sounds good to me, haven’t fully explored there…really wish everything wasn’t so blurry, gotta wake up.

Umm… coffee, is there anything finer?

So off I go to meet matey, only this time not at the usual place. Today we meet at, what is known locally as “pigeon square”. A public, erm… square, located just in front of the bus station. Why I hear you ask? well actually I don’t, that’s just the voices in my head…must take my medicine.

Last week, as we were wandering around Bedford town centre, it dawned on us that we were getting a bit bored with Bedford, and this week we could get on a bus and go elsewhere. So today, we were off to Ampthill, been there before but there’s still lots of potential, thing’s we haven’t seen or done.

As I wander though Pigeon Square, I spot him sitting outside one of the many cafe’s that are dotted in or around the bus station, why are there so many of them? for that matter why are there so many of them in Bedford itself? Can barely walk 10 feet without walking past a cafe or coffee shop in this town.

As I approach, he turns to me and says

“I would strongly suggest you get a coffee”.

“Why?”

“just trust me, get a coffee”

So I enter the coffee shop thinking “I wonder why he’s so adamant that I get a coffee, I’ve had the coffee here before, it’s alright but I…oh, hello…I see, that’s why. Oh and she’s Eastern European…damn, they’re everywhere”.

Not only do we share a weakness for ice cream, it seems we also share a weakness for ladies too, especially Eastern European ones. There’s something about them that makes us both go all funny in the knees and other parts of the body…ahem.

And Goths too, an Eastern European goth, now that would just finish me off…

Where was I? I seemed to have drifted off there…

Coffee finished we head off to complete a couple of tasks before we get the bus to Ampthill. I needed to get some sunglasses, lost the last pair I had. Dunno what it is with me and sunglasses, I just keep losing the darn things!

Gotta get some grub as well, so we decide that some sarnies would be good and the happen’s to be a fairly good baker just opposite the cafe. Plus, Superdrug is next door, where I can get some sunglasses.

As we’re walking towards them we have one of our usual conversations, an outsider might say we were bickering…

where to go first? Matey suggests the baker, I’m thinking superdrug…we’re standing at the crossroads so to speak, arguing discussing which one, round and round we go, why is it always like this? why can’t we just agree on something.

Finally, we decide to get my sunglasses first. We’re standing in Superdrug looking at the various types, Matey thinking he’s funny, pointing out all the girlie ones saying things like ” Oh, I think you should get those”. I settle on a pair which are quite nice and not too expensive and suddenly Matey picks up a pair too, the same pair, well not the exact same pair, but some identical to the ones I’ve chosen… he’s bloody well copying me again!

Why’s he buying some, he’s already got a pair, I know this cos he’s wearing them. He thinks he’s being funny again, properly amused with himself, I can see it on his face.

Glasses paid for, I’m just peeling the sticky labels off and walking out the door…except I don’t actually walk out the door, I walk straight into it! My own fault, shoulda been looking where I was going.

Embarrassment over, we head to the bus station, upon arrival I go and check to see what time our bus is…

Looking at the timetable I see there’s four journey’s in the morning up to 8:40 and then every 40 mins after that…so that’s 8:40 , 9:20, 10:00, 10:40…11:20. Yep 11:20 that’s the one, not too long to wait. There’s a double-decker just about to leave the stop, but we don’t pay too much attention…can’t be our bus, it’s too early. Besides it doesn’t say Ampthill on it, it’s going to Toddington…so it can’t possibly be our bus.

Time arrives, but the bus doesn’t, we’re stood there all confused, we can’t have missed it surely? maybe I got the time wrong, so I go back over to check the timetable…ah yes should always read the whole thing properly, what actually says is every 40 minutes past the hour! So that means we’ve got another 20 mins to wait…

And then in the grand tradition of us, Matey suddenly remembers that the Toddington bus goes through Ampthill, which meant of course that it was indeed our bus!

So far this day isn’t going so well, what with walking into doors and missing buses, shoulda just stayed in bed…it’s safe and warm, nothing bad can happen there. Although given the chance it would…ahem.

So we’ve now got another 20 minutes to wait, so we wander back to Pigeon Square, to have a sit down and tuck into the sarnies we bought earlier. We’re sat there happily eating, occasionally checking the time…don’t wanna miss another bus, enjoying the sunshine. Matey looks at his watch…bloody hell! it’s time to get the bus already. How did that happen? where did the time go?

We head towards the bus station, picking up the pace a bit, get to the stop where our bus should be waiting…

Except it isn’t, it’s empty…mild panic sets in, we’re thinking we’ve done it again. Then a bus pulls up, oh that’s alright then we haven’t missed…hang on that isn’t the bus to Ampthill, what’s going on?

Then we hear a voice saying the Ampthill bus is at this other stop. Why can’t the people running the bus service get their act together? Why can’t the bus you want to get be at the stop it’s supposed to be at?

We’re still not sure it’s the right bus, I think we’ve got a little paranoid by it all, so when we get on the bus, just had to make sure it was the correct one…thankfully it was.

And so after all this we finally get on our way to Ampthill…

To be continued….

Tuesday’s Escapade…Part2.

Continued from Part1...

And so on to Houghton House then…

Now I’ve been there before, many years ago… I remember cycling there with mate#1 in fact, it was before I got into photography so I didn’t have any pics…until now that is.

We drive up to where it’s situated, mate#1 looking for somewhere to park, cos you can’t drive right up to the House… great more bloody walking.

So we have to walk along a path that seems to last for forever, at least the view was worth it.

Also on the way to the House, see told you it went on for forever, there was some Cows in the field nearby, although I seemed to be distracted by mate#2 whinging about the steepness of the path. I know he’s getting on in life but does he always have to whinge.

Whinging about how knackered he is or how cold he is, honestly I’ve never heard so much whinging!

Anyway where was I… oh yeah Cows. I like cows, not sure why there’s just something about them.

Have to take some pics of the Cows.

And then there was the sheep, managed to get a shot off before they ran away. Mate#2 reckons it was me who scared em off, but I think they saw him coming and scarpered!

I don’t blame them, wish I’d done that when we first met, would have saved me from years of abuse.

Then on to the House itself…

Very impressive it must have been in its heyday but now it’s a ruin, not that I don’t like ruins quite the opposite, ruins have a lot interesting shapes and shadows great for taking pics of.

Having spent a while wandering around the House taking pics, I decide to have a sit down for a smoke and to just take in the atmosphere.

Which mate#2 takes as an opportunity to shove his camera in my face bloody cheek!

Then mate#1 and mate#2 are suddenly stuffing their faces, as if the food we had in Ampthill wasn’t enough.

At some point it was decided (not by me, I can’t make decisions remember) to move on yet again, this time to Marston Vale Forest Centre…

Turned out to be a little disappointing, firstly in the grand tradition of us we struggle to find the damn lake!
Eventually we did find it but were left with very little time as I had to go to work soon.

So the day draws to an end and apparently we’re dropping mate#2 off first…think it must be time for his afternoon nap.

We head back into Bedford and me into work and that is the end of our escapade, some good times and some bad ones (mainly mate#2 whinging) but all in all not a bad day pic wise.

just wish we could pick one place and stay there… have I said that already, think maybe mate#2’s senillity is catching!

Tuesday’s Escapade…Part1

The day starts off with a rather rude awakening at about quarter past seven by a knock at the door, not overly pleased by this, having only got to bed at about two thirty!

Turns out to be a delivery driver, er delivering some bits for my Pirate costume…having a Pirate party at the Pub in which I work, hopefully if all goes well I’ll have some pics.

Anyway, back to Tuesday…

So, having had to get up earlier than expected the only thing to do was put the kettle on…umm coffee! Oh yeah, best have a wash as well…don’t want to be smelly do I?

Mate#1 picks me up first…so I get to sit in the front seat like a proper adult (I can pretend can’t I?) and as we’re driving along, well he’s driving actually be a bit strange if we were both driving, I’m sitting there in the front seat and I spot all these wonderful clouds in the sky (where else would they be?).

Bugger… I’ve only gone and put the camera bag in the boot! I’ve never done that before so it’s just typical the one time I do, there’s some pics to be had.

Mate#1 says he needs to get some petrol, seems cars don’t work very well without it, so that’s the first port of call.

When we get to the petrol station, I take the opportunity to firstly get my bag out of the boot and then to go get some grub…a man’s gotta eat.

Back on the road, I’ve got me camera out to get some shots of said clouds.

Time to pick up mate#2, best let him know we’re on our way tho cos we don’t wanna be hanging about, waiting for him to get his act together… bless him he’s getting on y’know.

Right, finally we’re on our way to, erm… where are we going again? Oh yeah, Clophill with the intention of visiting The Church…St. Mary’s church to be exact, actually it’s the old St. Mary’s church to be more exact.

Was gonna put in some history and what not, but it would seem having had a sneaky peek at mate#2’s post he’s already done that so I shan’t bother…so there!

We get to Clophill and as it turns out this Church isn’t that easy to find, not helped by the fact mate#1 and mate#2 can’t decide which road it’s on, they’ve both been to the Church before apparently, not that you would have got that impression…I know I didn’t.

We head up a road that both of them agree (sort of) is the right one.

Turns out not to be the right one of course, we couldn’t find a map in a map shop such is the level of combined  incompetence.

Undeterred we carry on looking for the Church, when one of us spots it (not sure which one) at last! now how do we actually get to it?

As we drive around, trying to keep it in our sights, we head up a road that seems to lead us there…and would you believe it, it does…well sort of, had to park the car and walk up what turns out to be a bloody long steep path (nobody said anything about walking).

But finally we arrive.

So the pic taking session begins proper, albeit with much jostling and getting in each others way, well mate#2 getting in my way and me resorting to jostling him.

And as we roaming around the Church taking this shot and that, I turn round to see mate#2 doing this.

I’m pretty sure you’re gonna regret that… which of course he did, and moan about it too, kept complaining he was feeling all stung for some reason…I’m guessing the senility kicked in.

Having spent a fair ol’ time taking pics of the Church, changing memory cards in the process…funny I don’t remember taking that many pics, it was decided, not by me I might add…well known for my lack of decision-making skills, it was time to move on.

I think the goal was to find somewhere to have coffee, about time too hadn’t had one for about three hours! Although mate#2 kept mumbling something about beer, not that we take any notice…he’s always mumbling something, must be his age.

We ended up in Ampthill, in a rather nice little coffee shop. And so one cup of coffee and a Cornish pasty later, we head out into Ampthill, seems mate#1 and mate#2 want to go to the bakery down the road…hang on haven’t we just eaten, always thinking about their belly’s.

Having got their grub from the bakery, it was decision time again.

Where to next, seemed to be a lot of that going on today, why can’t we just go to one place and stay there?

It was decided that Houghton House was next, seeing as it’s just down the road from Ampthill, and that is indeed where we ended up.

To be continued…

If you feel inclined, you can always read what mate#2 has to say here…not that it’ll make much sense.