This morning we check out of our accommodation in Cheltenham and make plans to meet up again in Royal Leamington Spa. The others in the Queensland car have all been to Stratford before so I am given the flick from the car and will be riding today with Bill, John, Diane, Murray and Anne.   The Queenslanders will be heading off to Liverpool.   Stirling is going in to the hospital to have surgery on his finger.

An early coffee after we arrive in Stratford-on-Avon and we then sign up for the Shakespeare tours . We snare a two-for-one deal which costs us 12 pounds each. We visit his birthplace then Nash's House and the New Place where he lived later in his life. The gardens are magnificent. Then on to Hall's Croft, where his elder daughter Susanna and her husband Doctor John Hall lived. The final leg of our Shakespeare tour is at Holy Trinity Church where the Bard, his wife and daughter are all buried.   Unfortunately at his point the battery on my camera expires so no more photos from me today.

We take a stroll alongside the River Avon which is full of people in row boats, tour boats and the occasional narrow-boat. Its with great amusement that we watch a hired row boat that contains 7 young girls, 4 oars and no clue.   The hire company eventually comes and rescues them.   Another boat has 6 young guys in it and at least they are making some progress with their rowing.   Goodness knows how, since they are actually moving the boat backwards - perhaps someone should tell them its more traditional to have the pointy-end at the front .

We end up having a quick pint and a light lunch at The One Elm before jumping back in the car and continuing our journey to Royal Leamington Spa. We take several wrong turns - no GPS in this car - so we ask for directions from a local. He soon has us back on track.  

Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington is a spa town in central Warwickshire and is named after the River Leam which flows through the town.
Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water in 1784. Leamington is closely associated with the founding of lawn tennis. The first tennis club in the world was formed in 1872 by Major Henry Gem and Augurio Pereira who had started playing tennis in the garden of Pereira and the modern rules of lawn tennis were drawn up in 1874 in the Leamington Tennis Club.

 After checking in to the Angel Hotel we have a couple of ales in the bar before Murray, Anne, Ron, Jennifer and myself head out to the Turtle Bay for a meal.   Its a Caribbean themed restaurant and I have a coconut & pineapple smoothie and the Trini Fish curry.   Its early to bed this evening and I have to get some clothes prepared for tomorrow as apparently we are having a formal dinner following the cricket.   Its the British Judicial game tomorrow and rumour has it that there will be a couple of ex-test players in their team along with a sprinkling of judges and magistrates.   Could be interesting!!