The Eden Project

Today, the Eden Project! The Eden Project is a former disused chalk pit that has been transformed into a diverse array of plants, flowers and trees from all over the world. The main attraction is the two large Biomes - temperature-regulated environments that recreate the climate conditions of Europe and the Americas, and Africa and the East. Outside of the Biomes were the remains of the recent Live8 concert and fields of tea and lavender. One very large sculpture was made out of the number of electrical goods discarded as waste from the average individual, such as refrigerators, computers, toasters and mobile phones. We also saw the enormous half-haired bee grazing on the landscape! The journey to the Eden Project was long and painful. Remember we are in Ilfracombe, North Devon – the Eden Project is located near St Austell, South Cornwall. Yeah, a round trip of c.200 miles and nothing but 'A' roads. Southwest England badly needs motorways!

After the Eden Project, we decide to drive into St Austell to have a Cornish cream tea and maybe ice cream before starting out 2½hour journey back. Easier said than done! After driving up precariously steep corners and circling the town a few times, we find nothing. My grandmother said St Austell was a delightful little town. What she failed to mention was that driving was a nuts idea and there aren't any cafés, just takeaways and pubs! The turning point was when I found myself faces with a narrow road able to fit one car across and the sign by the entrance was for the national speed limit… 60mph up a narrow winding path with a strong chance of on-coming traffic? Uh-uh… Wrong-o!! I quickly about turned and drove home, stopping at Okehampton Little Chef at 6pm because I was too hungry to continue! We also made a quick pit stop at the Tesco's in Barnstaple for some provisions, namely cough mixture and petrol… again! The Rover 200 isn't the most economical car in the world…