Fingers crossed on the exchange rate

We've been watching the exchange rate closely with the time drawing near for the funds to arrive paying for Parisien Star.  I had an email today from Tore saying he'd processed the transfer at his end so now it's just a waiting game.  The exchange rate had begun a bit of a decline over the last couple of weeks which was disappointing but now it's on the up again, and just in time.  If it can stay up there for a week we'll be very, very happy!  So this is how many Aussie dollars we will get for £1.

This morning it was time to move on from Mousehole.  It was pouring rain.  I guess the UK weather gods needed a rest from producing all this lovely weather.  We got soaked packing all our stuff in the hire car and the rain kept on the entire drive to our next stop.... Port Isaac.  Yes, we're fans of Doc Martin.  You either love the show or hate it.  But, more than that, since we first visited Port Isaac we were smitten.  What a beautiful little village.

We splashed out this time and booked The Old Schoolhouse Hotel.  We must have the best room in the house!  It has the lovely tall window at the front of the building.  We simply couldn't have asked for better. We tend to choose self catering accommodation in lovely old cottages so we can cook our own meals but for just two nights and knowing that parking in the village isn't easy, we decided to stay at the hotel, have breakfast cooked for us, and as it turned out we struck it lucky and got the prime parking spot too.

By the time we'd unpacked our belongings again the rain had stopped so we went out for a walk around the village.   Mick loves watching the fishing boats (we have a couple of low, side windows in this room that look straight down on the boats) so we walked down to the harbour to check it out.  I like to climb the steep path and steps on the other side of the harbour as the view of the village from there is amazing.

You can't come to Port Isaac without eating crab so we started with crab sandwiches for lunch.  We chose takeaway and when we saw the size of them, with the obligatory bag of potato crisps that seem to come with every sandwich in England, we put one in the fridge for tomorrow and shared the other.  It was enormous.

Mick went off again after lunch to give me a couple of hours of work time.  It's the best view I've ever had from my "office"!  Unfortunately it's not the most comfortable for working as there is no table and chairs, just a sofa and coffee table.  I managed.

Once the tide was all the way out I went for a walk along the edge of the harbour which is usually submerged.  A couple of spaniels and a border collie were having the time of their lives.  Mick enjoyed a rest on the sofa, gazing out at the fishermen in their bright yellow wellies bringing in their crab pots. It turned out to be a lovely afternoon.

We were looking forward to another seafood dinner and we weren't disappointed.  We ate in the restaurant of the Old Schoolhouse and both had a lovely fish meal.  After dinner we walked around the harbour again, sitting for a while to watch the sun setting and the lifeboat being hauled out after their training.  It's a village that is quite busy during the day but quietens right down in the late afternoon.  We just love it here.

Good news from fellow Aussies, Kelvin and Rachael.  They've found the perfect boat for them and have paid a deposit.  Congratulations guys, and all the best for the survey.