Back where I started from (a long time ago!) – the UK
Sunday 16 June
Back in Old Blighty and its goodbye to Julie before Denise and I hop on the train back to her home in Eastbourne in East Sussex. An easy journey, made more interesting by the eye candy of a number of men in very smart dinner suits enroute to the Glyndebourne Festival Opera, held at a six-hundred-year-old Grade II listed English country house near Lewes, and the site of opera since 1934. It’s Father’s Day here in the UK so when we had had time to shower and change, we met Denise’s daughter Luisa and her granddaughter Eva Grace, and along with the Dad of the Day, Glyn, went out for an absolutely delicious Sunday roast with all the trimmings!!!
Monday 17 June
A very welcome easy day today, time to relax and rest those weary feet that had walked over 90 kilometres last week, do some much-needed laundry for me, get rid of a few grey hairs with Denise acting as my colourist, and just generally take it easy and sit in the very welcome sunshine in Denise’s very English garden. Perfect.
Tuesday 18 June
A red-letter day today, I am meeting an old friend, Gilly, who lives in Eastbourne and whom I see every time I visit here, and today we are driving to Crowborough, also in Sussex to catch up with Helen. A bit of background here – I lived in Cyprus from 1982 – 1987 and Gilly and Helen were part of a wider group of friends – young mums with young kids, all of us having husbands who worked and travelled in the Middle East, but whose companies based the families in a much safer, friendly and picturesque environment, in Nicosia. Whilst I have seen Gilly annually, I had not seen Helen since I left Cyprus in 1987. What a reunion we had – all of us Nanas now and Helen and her husband Tim, gave us a red carpet welcome to their beautiful 16th century home. What a stunning house and with magnificent gardens, which they have cultivated themselves – spectacular - with views of the South Downs and rolling hills in the distance. A pond, stables home to Helen’s horse, Sorrell, an abundant vegetable garden, fragrant roses, and flowers – it was like something out of a House and Garden magazine. We had the most wonderful 6 hours – lounging in the conservatory and reminiscing about our lives together 30+ years ago and all the events that have happened since.
Wednesday 19 June
My last day with Denise so we decided to make the most of it and visit one of my favourite towns around here – Lewis, the county town of East Sussex (the most important town!). It’s the administrative centre and a traditional market town. In 1264 it was the site of the Battle of Lewes, and its landmarks include Lewes Castle, a Norman Castle built by the supporters of William the Conqueror after the Battle of Hastings, Lewes Priory, a part-demolished medieval Cluniac priory, of which the ruins have been designated a Grade I listed building, Bull House, the former home of Thomas Paine a writer and revolutionary who lived there from 1768 to 1774 and the medieval Wealden Hall house, known as Anne of Cleves House dating back to the 15th century and given to Anne of Cleves at the end of her very short-lived marriage to Henry VIII – but apparently she never lived there, and as I mentioned earlier it is also the home of the Glyndebourne Festival. Not a bad historical round up! We took the train from Eastbourne and had a delightful wander around its charming streets, with eclectic independent shops, complete with a lovely lunch and an afternoon tea too – didn’t we do well!
Thursday 20 June
On the road again! This time to stay with Julie who lives in Manuden, a delightful, peaceful village, close to Stansted Airport, but nowhere near the runway! So, I’m packed up once again and ready to negotiate the train from Eastbourne to London Victoria, the Underground from Victoria to Tottenham Hale, and then another train to Stansted Mountfitchet.
I stormed, head down dragging a wheelie bag and suitcase right across Victoria Station, I gave way to no-one! It was very, very busy because, guess what – England are playing Denmark in Euro 2024 kicking off at 5pm and everyone is pouring out of their offices trying to get home or to the pub in front of a TV. The Circle, District and Piccadilly Tube lines are in total chaos, suspended services and delays everywhere. Thankfully I was safe on the Victoria Line and arrived bang on time and here I am now sitting in Julie’s beautiful garden in the sunshine, prosecco in hand and dinner being served soon! Totally spoiled by both sisters!
That’s it for now – off to Bonnie Scotland tomorrow!
PS How do you like this photo – I got a new five-pound note with King Charles on today….given he has finally got the job he waited 75 years for you’d have thought he might have looked a little happier on it!
