Oxford is busy but the mooring gods are still with us.

Wednesday: 1/4 mile and one lock
Thursday: 8 miles and 3 locks

On Wednesday we had a late start because Jo got a much needed hair cut in walk-in unisex barber type place with reasonable prices (been trying for ages but everywhere trying to charge absolute fortune). The weather forecast was grim so we just went through Abingdon lock. We visited the busy water point above the lock, putting the world to rights with fellow boaters while we filled up with water. There is a 24 hour mooring just beyond the services and we stopped there. It poured with rain for much of the rest of the day so our cowardice felt like a reasonable decision. We ended up moving the boat three times to fit different boats in the small mooring area at different times. The last move was for a small hire boat. The Australian couple on board invited us over for drinks and nibbles and we had a lovely evening swapping stories. This week on the Thames is a part of their trip of a lifetime to Europe.

On Thursday we made up for our laziness and set off in good time for Oxford. We had breakfast on the move and Jo hoovered and had a clean up. The locks were mostly self service and we worked out a way to get roped up in the deeper ones without a lock-keeper. It was windy but with no complicated manouvering to do, all was well. As we approached Oxford the canoes and punts appeared and Scooby was sent indoors to hysterically bark at them from in there.

About 12.30 we arrived at Osney lock. As we were leaving, a boat left a precious Osney Bridge mooring space and we nabbed it. The boat in front was pretty grumpy and when another boat asked to moor alongside them so they could get some shopping he refused. We were happy for them to moor against Harold though. They got their shopping and happily went off again. Jo went off into town (which was madly busy!) and then came back to finish assembling the cushion interrupted yesterday by drinking with Australians. Robin went to Waitrose and bought booze as our cupboard was almost empty. We are moored right next to The Punter pub and it seems rude not to toast a thanks to the mooring gods. Dinner is booked there for 7.15pm!  

At this rate we will need to by a Thames ticket for another week if we want to go to Lechlade....