Neil Thompson
@neilthompson.me
📤 143
📥 238
📝 144
Grumpy, middle aged, tech genius with passion for music, all things geek & Williams F1
This is an awful thing to say, but Reading is really easy to get away from! It is incredibly well served with transport links to the M4 to the south and rail links which lead pretty much anywhere. One such destination is Oxford, which is only a cheap 20-m…
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Oxford – Radiohead, Le Carre and Treister
This is an awful thing to say, but Reading is really easy to get away from! It is incredibly well served with transport links to the M4 to the south and rail links which lead pretty much anywhere. …
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/11/28/oxford-radiohead-le-carre-and-treister/
15 days ago
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Knaresbourgh is beautiful any time of year.
21 days ago
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In the middle of last year I visited Lightroom in Kings Cross to see The Moonwalkers. I loved it so much that I went back for a second helping and bought the soundtrack that accompanied it. When I saw that The Natural History Museum were offering a simila…
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Our Story with David Attenborough, Natural History Museum, London
In the middle of last year I visited Lightroom in Kings Cross to see The Moonwalkers. I loved it so much that I went back for a second helping and bought the soundtrack that accompanied it. When I …
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/10/16/our-story-with-david-attenborough-natural-history-museum-london/
about 2 months ago
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Last day in Washington DC and we needed to avoid last-day syndrome, particularly as we had the whole day to kill as the flight wasn’t until 22:45. We had done all the major sites and places that we wanted to visit but there were a couple more outposts t…
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USA ’25 – Day Eight – Eastern Market & Navy Yard
Last day in Washington DC and we needed to avoid last-day syndrome, particularly as we had the whole day to kill as the flight wasn’t until 22:45. We had done all the major sites and places t…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/09/25/usa-25-day-eight-eastern-market-navy-yard/
3 months ago
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I posed a question on our Alexandria day asking “How do the blind of America cross the road?” as there didn’t seem to be any audio feedback. Our eyes and ears on the ground (👋Angela) got in touch to say that if you hold the crosswalk button long …
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USA ’25 – Day Seven – National Air and Space Museum
I posed a question on our Alexandria day asking “How do the blind of America cross the road?” as there didn’t seem to be any audio feedback. Our eyes and ears on the ground (👋Ange…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/09/24/usa-25-day-seven-national-air-and-space-museum/
3 months ago
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We were sat in Starbucks this morning having breakfast and watching a little tableau unfold on the pavement (“sidewalk”) opposite where five police officers were arresting one guy. I’m not sure why five officers were necessary given that the man off…
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USA ’25 – Day Six – The Sights (Part II)
We were sat in Starbucks this morning having breakfast and watching a little tableau unfold on the pavement (“sidewalk”) opposite where five police officers were arresting one guy. I…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/09/23/usa-25-day-six-the-sights-part-ii/
3 months ago
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I must admit that of all the places I expected to find myself on holiday, the zoo wasn’t one of them— at least not without children. Don’t Panda to Them Like many of the museums on the National Mall, the zoo is also part of the Smithsonian Institute…
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USA ’25 – Day Five – National Zoo
I must admit that of all the places I expected to find myself on holiday, the zoo wasn’t one of them— at least not without children. Don’t Panda to Them Like many of the museums on the …
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/09/22/usa-25-day-five-national-zoo/
3 months ago
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When we came to Washington last time, we stayed in Georgetown, a beautiful and affluent suburb of Washington. It was a nice area but probably a bit too far from the action. Foggy Bottom This trip we are staying downtown so we had to get the Metro over to …
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USA ’25 – Day Four – Georgetown
When we came to Washington last time, we stayed in Georgetown, a beautiful and affluent suburb of Washington. It was a nice area but probably a bit too far from the action. Foggy Bottom This trip w…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/09/21/usa-25-day-four-georgetown/
3 months ago
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Today we took the metro south to Alexandria, a city seven miles out of Washington in Virginia. We accept the reality of the world with which we are presented As we walked from the station to old town Alexandria I was struck with how well presented it was …
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USA ’25 – Day Three – Alexandria
Today we took the metro south to Alexandria, a city seven miles out of Washington in Virginia. We accept the reality of the world with which we are presented As we walked from the station to old to…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/09/21/usa-25-day-three-alexandria/
3 months ago
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Jet lag wasn’t too bad. I’m sure that it’s perfectly normal to be wide awake at 5 am! Still it did allow us to get out early and avoid the crowds. National Mall Today we’d earmarked to do the sights, which in Washington’s case are all centred ar…
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USA ’25 – Day Two – The Sights
Jet lag wasn’t too bad. I’m sure that it’s perfectly normal to be wide awake at 5 am! Still it did allow us to get out early and avoid the crowds. National Mall Today we’d e…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/09/19/usa-25-day-two-the-sights/
3 months ago
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Just as the weather begins to change at home, we are off to warmer climes. Back in 2019 we did a combined trip to New York and Washington but felt that we hadn’t spent long enough in the capital so vowed to come back. Now we are here for a week. Wheneve…
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USA ’25 – Day One – Dodgy Stats
Just as the weather begins to change at home, we are off to warmer climes. Back in 2019 we did a combined trip to New York and Washington but felt that we hadn’t spent long enough in the capi…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/09/18/usa-25-day-one-dodgy-stats/
3 months ago
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Something new for Heritage Open Days this year and arguably, something without any heritage— a trip up the newly opened ONE Station Hill building in Reading. Having done all the other things on offer and seeing that this offered the opportunity to look …
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ONE Station Hill, Heritage Open Days 2025
Something new for Heritage Open Days this year and arguably, something without any heritage— a trip up the newly opened ONE Station Hill building in Reading. Having done all the other things on off…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/09/14/one-station-hill-heritage-open-days-2025/
3 months ago
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We’ve not been able to do a leg of the path since late April. The reasons for this are twofold: firstly, it was very hot over the summer— too hot for us to want to walk; and secondly, I got plantar fasciitis in my right foot, making walking painful, s…
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Thames Path – Day Fourteen – Cholsey to Shillingford
We’ve not been able to do a leg of the path since late April. The reasons for this are twofold: firstly, it was very hot over the summer— too hot for us to want to walk; and secondly, I got p…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/09/13/thames-path-day-fourteen-cholsey-to-shillingford/
3 months ago
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Today is the last day of my 6th decade. Tomorrow I will be eligible for free prescriptions and a senior railcard. I don’t feel old enough to warrant those and other concessions but the grey hair tells me otherwise! While browsing the bookshops in Hay I …
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Wales 2025 – Day Five – Hay–on–Wye
Today is the last day of my 6th decade. Tomorrow I will be eligible for free prescriptions and a senior railcard. I don’t feel old enough to warrant those and other concessions but the grey h…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/08/24/wales-2025-day-five-hay-on-wye/
4 months ago
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The final two stops on our Welsh tour today waking in the lovely Portmeirion and then travelling on to the bookish Hay–on–Wye. Portmeirion After all the hoi polloi paying day guests had left the village it became very, very quiet there and it was a pl…
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Wales 2025 – Day Four – Portmeirion & Hay–on–Wye
The final two stops on our Welsh tour today waking in the lovely Portmeirion and then travelling on to the bookish Hay–on–Wye. Portmeirion After all the hoi polloi paying day guests had left the vi…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/08/23/wales-2025-day-four-portmeirion-hay-on-wye/
4 months ago
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We moved on from Conwy today winding our way on towards our next top of the Italianate village of Portmeirion. Anglesey Our first stop was to be the island of Anglesey, where we had planned three stops, the first of which was the town of Llanfairpwllgwyng…
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Wales 2025 – Day Three – Anglesey, Caernarfon & Portmeirion
We moved on from Conwy today winding our way on towards our next top of the Italianate village of Portmeirion. Anglesey Our first stop was to be the island of Anglesey, where we had planned three s…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/08/22/wales-2025-day-three-anglesey-caernarfon-portmeirion/
4 months ago
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For our first full day in Wales we had decided to start at the nearby Bodnant Gardens, a National Trust property with extensive grounds. Bodnant Gardens We arrived just after opening, and there was hardly anyone there. Three hours later when we left, the …
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Wales 2025 – Day Two – Bodnant Gardens & Llandudno
For our first full day in Wales we had decided to start at the nearby Bodnant Gardens, a National Trust property with extensive grounds. Bodnant Gardens We arrived just after opening, and there was…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/08/21/wales-2025-day-two-bodnant-gardens-llandudno/
4 months ago
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We’ve talked about doing a Wales road trip for quite a while now and just never quite got round to it. Then when we were planning a few days away for my birthday, which may or may not be a big one, we decided now would be a great time to go, so here we …
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Wales 2025 – Day One – Conwy
We’ve talked about doing a Wales road trip for quite a while now and just never quite got round to it. Then when we were planning a few days away for my birthday, which may or may not be a bi…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/08/20/wales-2025-day-one-conwy/
4 months ago
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A couple of years ago Reading Town Hall played host to an art work called Gaia by the artist Luke Jerram. Essentially this was a giant inflatable ball with an image of the Earth printed on it and suspended from the ceiling, slowly rotating to a soundtrack…
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Luke Jerram’s Helios, Basildon Park
A couple of years ago Reading Town Hall played host to an art work called Gaia by the artist Luke Jerram. Essentially this was a giant inflatable ball with an image of the Earth printed on it and s…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/08/18/luke-jerrams-helios-basildon-park/
4 months ago
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When I was on the university campus the other day, visiting the new World Reimagined globes that had been installed, I made a slight detour to visit one of the ugliest buildings around— the Region 6 War Room. I didn’t know that this even existed until…
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Region 6 War Room, Reading University, Reading
When I was on the university campus the other day, visiting the new World Reimagined globes that had been installed, I made a slight detour to visit one of the ugliest buildings around— the Region …
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/08/16/region-6-war-room-reading-university-reading/
4 months ago
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On New Year’s Day this year, we went over to the university to check out the globes that had been installed to create an art trail on the campus. This was part of a wider national campaign called The World Reimagined which had globes all over the countr…
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The World Reimagined Global Trail, Reading University (Updated)
On New Year’s Day this year, we went over to the university to check out the globes that had been installed to create an art trail on the campus. This was part of a wider national campaign ca…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/08/14/the-world-reimagined-global-trail-reading-university-updated/
4 months ago
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How can Peter Bank's solo work have eluded me for so long? Currently listening to Reduction - what an amazing album.
6 months ago
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On this cruise, there have been two days at sea to fill. The first one was easiest as it was the first day, and so there was a whole ship to explore. Also, the weather was great, and so many were frying themselves on the decks, leaving the lounge spaces i…
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Norway 2025 – Day Seven – At Sea
On this cruise, there have been two days at sea to fill. The first one was easiest as it was the first day, and so there was a whole ship to explore. Also, the weather was great, and so many were f…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/06/06/norway-2025-day-seven-at-sea/
6 months ago
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On almost all cruises you end up in a destination which is smaller than the rest, or further out from the action (Piraeus for Athens or Civitavecchia for Rome for example). Haugesund was that stop on this cruise. The town was 20 minutes from the cruise po…
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Norway 2025 – Day Six – Haugesund
On almost all cruises you end up in a destination which is smaller than the rest, or further out from the action (Piraeus for Athens or Civitavecchia for Rome for example). Haugesund was that stop …
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/06/05/norway-2025-day-six-haugesund/
6 months ago
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Nestled at the end of the Aurlandsfjord is Flåm, a tiny place that is known predominantly for one thing and one thing only— the train to Myrdal. Does anyone come to Flåm for anything other than the railway journey? I very much doubt it. I certainly di…
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Norway 2025 – Day Five – Flåm
Nestled at the end of the Aurlandsfjord is Flåm, a tiny place that is known predominantly for one thing and one thing only— the train to Myrdal. Does anyone come to Flåm for anything other than the…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/06/04/norway-2025-day-five-flam/
6 months ago
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We don’t normally go on organised excursions laid on by the cruise company because, quite frankly, they don’t represent very good value for money. Often you can do the same trip for half the price by doing your own thing. However, that’s not always …
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Norway 2025 – Day Four – Briksdal Glacier
We don’t normally go on organised excursions laid on by the cruise company because, quite frankly, they don’t represent very good value for money. Often you can do the same trip for hal…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/06/03/norway-2025-day-four-briksdal-glacier/
6 months ago
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When we awoke this morning, we were already docked in Stavanger, Norway’s third-largest city, a place of 150,000 people, making it less than half the size of my hometown of Reading. Stavanger has grown on the back of fishing, oil, and tourism, the latte…
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Norway 2025 – Day Three – Stavanger
When we awoke this morning, we were already docked in Stavanger, Norway’s third-largest city, a place of 150,000 people, making it less than half the size of my hometown of Reading. Stavanger…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/06/02/norway-2025-day-three-stavanger/
6 months ago
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There’s a lot to be said for the comfort of familiar things – a favourite place, a much loved song or a film that lifts you – and it can be very discombobulating to do someting that on the outside appears to be the same but is actually very differen…
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Norway 2025 – Day One & Two – Comfort in Repetition
There’s a lot to be said for the comfort of familiar things – a favourite place, a much loved song or a film that lifts you – and it can be very discombobulating to do someting th…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/06/01/norway-2025-day-one-two-comfort-in-repetition/
6 months ago
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Reading Museum has one small exhibtion space, the John Madjeski art gallery, that they put to good use displaying a number of interesting exhibitions each there for about six months. Previous ones had all been more traditional art type exhibitions and the…
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Reading’s DIGITAL Revolution, Reading Museum
Reading Museum has one small exhibtion space, the John Madjeski art gallery, that they put to good use displaying a number of interesting exhibitions each there for about six months. Previous ones …
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/05/28/readings-digital-revolution-reading-museum/
7 months ago
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At the beginning of the year I wrote about The Murals of Central Reading highlighting the three that were there, two of which were very recent. I compared them with Bristol and noted how Reading’s “are a much more sober and corporate affair.” Royals…
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Reading Station Mural
At the beginning of the year I wrote about The Murals of Central Reading highlighting the three that were there, two of which were very recent. I compared them with Bristol and noted how Reading’s …
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/05/23/reading-station-mural/
7 months ago
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Years ago my Dad told me about a place in Swindon where the Science Museum held items that there wasn’t room for in their museums. Tickets seemed to be like hens teeth and then came Covid and the place shutting down while a new facility was built. Final…
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Science Museum Collection, Wroughton
Years ago my Dad told me about a place in Swindon where the Science Museum held items that there wasn’t room for in their museums. Tickets seemed to be like hens teeth and then came Covid and the p…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/05/18/science-museum-collection-wroughton/
7 months ago
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I have for some time now been attempting to visit every museum in the Reading area of which there are eight by my reckoning. The last of these that I had to do was a tiny place just on the outskirts of town, just 15 minute from the centre. I have to admit…
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Riverside Museum at Blake’s Lock, Reading
I have for some time now been attempting to visit every museum in the Reading area of which there are eight by my reckoning. The last of these that I had to do was a tiny place just on the outskirt…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/05/07/riverside-museum-at-blakes-lock-reading/
7 months ago
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We had this morning loosely planned out, where we’d do some of the highlights of Amsterdam. Helen then said the next time we come, we should go further afield, so I suggested we go to Delft today. This is not something we Thompsons do. We aren’t reall…
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Amsterdam 2025 – Day Three – Delft
We had this morning loosely planned out, where we’d do some of the highlights of Amsterdam. Helen then said the next time we come, we should go further afield, so I suggested we go to Delft t…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/05/03/amsterdam-2025-day-three-delft/
7 months ago
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Oh I so want to live in The Netherlands.
7 months ago
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Today was the reason we were in Amsterdam – a visit to Keukenhof (I’m told it is pronounced Kook-en-hof) – the self proclaimed “most beautiful spring garden in the world”. In all the years that we have been coming to The Netherlands we have neve…
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Amsterdam 2025 – Day Two – Keukenhof
Today was the reason we were in Amsterdam – a visit to Keukenhof (I’m told it is pronounced Kook-en-hof) – the self proclaimed “most beautiful spring garden in the worldR…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/05/02/amsterdam-2025-day-two-keukenhof/
7 months ago
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Since retiring I’ve had the flexibility to do things that previously I couldn’t due to work commitments, particularly those taking place during the week. A number of these events have been part of the local u3a group, an international organisation for…
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Royal Courts of Justice & The Old Bailey, London
Since retiring I’ve had the flexibility to do things that previously I couldn’t due to work commitments, particularly those taking place during the week. A number of these events have been part of …
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/04/26/royal-courts-of-justice-the-old-bailey-london/
8 months ago
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Heading out for our fifth leg of the Thames Path this morning, neither Helen nor I were really feeling it, suffering from an unexplainable malaise. However, we pushed on and were really glad that we did. The weather was supposed to be sunny but feel like …
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Thames Path – Day Thirteen – Pangbourne to Cholsey
Heading out for our fifth leg of the Thames Path this morning, neither Helen nor I were really feeling it, suffering from an unexplainable malaise. However, we pushed on and were really glad that w…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/04/20/thames-path-day-thirteen-pangbourne-to-cholsey/
8 months ago
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The beautiful weather has allowed us to complete, so far this year, 100% more legs of the path than last year. All that really highlights is just how few legs we did last year. I am glad that we are back in to the swing of it though and today’s was a re…
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Thames Path – Day Twelve –Reading to Pangbourne
The beautiful weather has allowed us to complete, so far this year, 100% more legs of the path than last year. All that really highlights is just how few legs we did last year. I am glad that we ar…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/04/14/thames-path-day-twelve-reading-to-pangbourne/
8 months ago
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It has been quite a while since I last did a Record Store Day; in fact, it has been eight years. The reasons for this are many but mainly it’s been because the date has clashed with other things in many of those years and then there was COVID too. Howev…
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Record Store Day 2025
It has been quite a while since I last did a Record Store Day; in fact, it has been eight years. The reasons for this are many but mainly it’s been because the date has clashed with other thi…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/04/13/record-store-day-2025/
8 months ago
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I had seen on the Reading Walks Festival site that one of the walks this year was around Reading’s Inner Distribution Road. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make this but that didn’t stop me from doing the walk myself, so I did! Queens Road I got the bus i…
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Walking the Inner Distribution Road, Reading
I had seen on the Reading Walks Festival site that one of the walks this year was around Reading’s Inner Distribution Road. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make this but that didn’t stop me from do…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/04/06/walking-the-inner-distribution-road-reading/
8 months ago
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Having not done any legs of the path for over nine months, suddenly we have done three in the space of six weeks, and we have, finally, reached our home port! We headed out from Reading on what promised to be a beautiful day once again. This time we got t…
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Thames Path – Day Eleven –Henley-on-Thames to Reading
Having not done any legs of the path for over nine months, suddenly we have done three in the space of six weeks, and we have, finally, reached our home port! We headed out from Reading on what pro…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/03/30/thames-path-day-eleven-henley-on-thames-to-reading/
9 months ago
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So 90 cent will be provided at unaffordable rent levels. Gotcha.
9 months ago
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The local soft play has a cartoon of the orange toddler. How apt!
9 months ago
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So, as promised, we were back on the Thames Path this morning for the Marlow to Henley-on-Thames (henceforth known as Henley) leg. However, it very nearly didn’t happen as when I checked my emails first thing I discovered that there was broken rail betw…
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Thames Path – Day Ten – Marlow to Henley-on-Thames
So, as promised, we were back on the Thames Path this morning for the Marlow to Henley-on-Thames (henceforth known as Henley) leg. However, it very nearly didn’t happen as when I checked my e…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/03/16/thames-path-day-ten-marlow-to-henley-on-thames/
9 months ago
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It’s been a long time since we last did a leg of the Thames Path – nine months in fact. The reasons for this are many and varied but boil down to three things: a busy life, the weather and that we found the last leg boring which somewhat put us off...
www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/03/09/t...
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Thames Path – Day Nine – Maidenhead to Marlow
It’s been a long time since we last did a leg of the Thames Path – nine months in fact. The reasons for this are many and varied but boil down to three things: a busy life, the weather …
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/03/09/thames-path-day-nine-maidenhead-to-marlow/
9 months ago
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We had pretty much a full day before our flight this evening so we got to do the things that we’d wanted to do yesterday but couldn’t because of the strike. REVENGE Speaking of the strike, as we walked back to the hotel last night, the clear-up proces…
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Athens 2025 – Day Four – 100M Sofa Dash
We had pretty much a full day before our flight this evening so we got to do the things that we’d wanted to do yesterday but couldn’t because of the strike. REVENGE Speaking of the stri…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/03/01/athens-2025-day-four-100m-sofa-dash/
10 months ago
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Take me to the Baker.
10 months ago
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Take me to the Baker.
10 months ago
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I have to admit that I did consider using a much more provocative image than the one actually shown for today but one of armed riot police might have been offputting! “transport, flights, and ferries” Let’s step back a bit. When we arrived on Wednes…
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Athens 2025 – Day Three – Everybody out!
I have to admit that I did consider using a much more provocative image than the one actually shown for today but one of armed riot police might have been offputting! “transport, flights, and…
https://www.neilthompson.co.uk/2025/02/28/athens-2025-day-three-everybody-out/
10 months ago
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The kettle in our hotel seems to be sponsored by Sky.
10 months ago
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