Wednesday 19 September

Up early and away by 8.30 to head for the K&A. A lovely sunny day not a cloud in the sky when we left our mooring and turned around from facing upstream to head off for Reading.  It was such a lovely day and we would like to have meandered more.  But you cannot just moor up on the Thames and need to stop mainly around where the locks are.  We both decided that we need to bring back our Motor home and explore this area.  I have spent the last two days sitting in the front of the boat (Where the Lock keeper suggested) sitting in the sun and soaking up the lovely views beautiful houses. Then we hit Reading and it all changed. Once we were off the Thames and on the Kennett and Avon we both really appreciated our time on the Thames and being well looked after by the Lock keepers apart from Mr Grumpy.  Yet again we were confronted with different types of Paddles on the first lock the paddles were opened by huge steering wheels. But we managed.  At one point there were traffic lights. John struggled a bit to press the button and I thought he was going in for a dip.  Once the light went to green we were were told we could  not stop until the next lock.  We cruised by Debenhams, House of Fraser, Jaime's Restaurant and Vue Cinema.  What a lovely atmosphere.  Lots of people busy during their lunch break. We were soon at the next lock and struggled a little to moor up due to a weir.  For the rest of the day we travelled on every lock was a real challenge.  Either a weir before or after. Very larger paddles which gushed the water in and leaving John to try and keep Martini steady and one thought she had been drinking she was all over the place.  At one lock there were no sides and the water poured over the banks. The final straw was the Swing Bridge.  It was a road variety and John had to read the instructions, stop the traffic (in Rush Hour) and after all of this we decided enough was enough and we moored at Theale. According to the book it was 3/4 mile so I persuaded  John to get the bikes off the back.  FIRST TIME.  We are now sitting in a pub with a pint each, and we are not in Theale we went the wrong way!