Sat - Tourist in Leominster : museum , ducking stool in church etc. - Had been meaning to head south to be in position dor the Cheltenham Science Festival, but when checked ..nothing much I liked enough to pay for..So decided to head east to hostel in Birmingham to avoid the Sunday night rain ...so hitched to Tenbury Wells & then Bewdley.

Sun - the sun came up a bit ..walked down into Bewdley & around the museum & old town, then walked to next old canal town of Stourport. Bugger I thought I would be in the Birmingham bus area, but even when I gotr to Kiddiminster there were no buses to Brum so I had to fork out big money for train ticket. Birmingham hostel is OK

good info http://twitter.com/#!/visit_bham
Mon - tourist circuit with the guys from the hostel

BIRMINGHAM I see London mayor's office has hacked into Birmingham city planning office to cause it to be a total mess .. buildings like the Greek temple-like Curzon station left abandoned, even tho it is Britains oldest mainline station building

Tue - In the morning in search of Brirmingham history I went out to the museums in the suburbs of Dudley, Tipton & Walsall. I passed the Black Country Living Museum, which seems like a history themepark ..it's expensive £16, but there are some 2 for 1 tickets offers & it's half price for the August evening day special.

Wednesday - stayed in Brum to go to Skeptics in the Pub : The mathematics of Juggling, but he wasn't as good as when I saw him in Liverpool. He started too simple then rushed to be too complex.

Thu - stayed another day - walked south of city - went to see writers actors workshop based on Shakespeare ..it was a big ask so wasn't so great.

- Aha I realised it's the Peace Festival in Leamington Spa so I'll go to help out

Fri - hitched to Leamington to help at Peace Festival, still an amazing thing .. although green hippy stuff is not my cup of tea anymore... some stalwart organisers & crew ; good to see Ant, Tim & Dave again. Pity it rained & not same level of wet-weather plan as Wallingford.

- Festival ran Sat-Sun in a busy blur
- whereas I have become anti-green they stick with old principles : even meat is banned from site

Mon - amazing hospitality from John, Jane & Jo ..headed to Malvern hostel (Ledbury)

Tuesday - back in Tewkesbury; chasing down a laundrette and then internet.

I might go to Leigh on Sea free Folk festival in Essex, but there is no festival campsite

- Wed :So set off to hitch : to Tewkesbury, Evesham, Chipping Campden, Oxford, Bicester, Buckingham, Papworth, Royston, Buntingford, Standsted