I went to Swansea last Saturday, 29 November, to see daughter Fran swim in an International Swimming Event. She did well enough but the most important point is that she will remain in Swansea until today, Thursday 4 Dec, with her coach so that he can work on her style and stroke. The National Wales Swimming Pool is a magnificent affair: 50 metre pool together with diving/learning pool and outside there are hockey pitches, rugby pitches ... a marvellous set up. Take a look: The sound system is marvellous too and the "DJ" had my taste in music. Well, until it got to the Tom Jones Fest that is! Then again we were in Wales. Fran was staying at the Marriott Hotel and that's quite a nice affair and we did lunch there! Can't say I recommend the veggie butty but it filled a corner. One rubbishEnglish gripe is that the menu says that the sandwiches come with chips ... when the butty arrived it arrived with CRISPS. Aaaaagh! I wanted CHIPS. If you're watching this, Marriott people, PLEASE help people like me to understand what you mean. This was my first trip to Swansea and it's a breeze to get there: just get onto the M4 and drive for around 2 hours then turn left and you're there. I didn't have much time to look around but there is a massive newly developed central area and a fet old fashioned terraced houses. The setting on the way in is very attractive: at the end of the valleys system of South Wales. It was dark and drizzly all the way down from Abingdon until I got into Wales and then the sun shone brightly and that lightened up the vista! DW