The people we’ve seen

Further on from my last post, I thought I’d put on a few pictures of the wonderful friends and family we’ve seen. So here goes, not everyone features as we’ve been rubbish at times at taking photos.

Isabel, Aubrey & Caspar with Belinda (Bee) at White Cliffs of Dover. Dover Castle is in the background

The kids with Timmy & Bryony (& Bali) at the White Cliffs of Dover

Visiting Ian & Mary, Brightlingsea, Essex

With second cousins Nicholas, Elliot & Etienne, near Norwich, Norfolk

With Mike & Marion, Near Thetford, Norfolk

With Craig, Laura & Thomas outside their pub, Hope, Derbyshire

The idyllic Cheshire Cheese Inn, Hope, Derbyshire

The latest stop, Sinan & family’s house, Winksley, Near Ripon, North Yorks.  The rest of Sinan’s family weren’t up when we took this!

 

And finally….

A much needed and the best fun bath ever (it was a whirlpool bath – I won’t tell you what the bathroom looked like afterwards!) at Mike and Marion’s.

Ochina! x

 

 

 

 

 

 

There’s no place like friends!

We’ve ended up having a few focuses for our tour now which have come about fairly naturally.  Too many things thrown in and we wouldn’t have moved out of Hampshire!

One of those things is catching up with family and old friends.  We are very lucky to know lots of people between us who now seem to be living all over the UK!

The generosity and warm welcome shown by all our friends and family has been amazing, especially as some have been given only 30 minutes notice for an afternoon visit (thank you Ian & Mary) or an hours notice for an overnight stop (thank you Craig & Laura)! Talking of Craig and Laura, they run a beautiful pub in Hope, in the Peak district, The Cheshire Cheese Inn.  That was a hard place to leave!

It has been at friends that we’ve mostly been able to catch up on my blog, have a shower, wash some clothes and have room to swing a cat.  All very much appreciated. As I said before though it has not been good for our alcohol consumption as everyone we visit is of course a reason for a proper celebration and catch up!

Some friends we’ve not seen for years, in fact so long we can’t really work out when it last was, but the overwhelming evidence is that the years don’t come between you.  It’s straight back into the old ways and gossip.  We’ve loved meeting friends’ children, hearing about trials and tribulations, visiting their lovely homes and enjoying good food and company.

We have a bad habit of coming to stay a night and ending up staying two or three!  Again hugely appreciated, but often it seems a shame to dash off the morning after arriving just the evening before.  The one thing we do have going for us is that we are totally self sufficient so no one has to worry about beds/space etc.  Having said that, having six people descending on your house can be a little overwhelming!

So this email is to all those friends and family who’ve hosted us and let us use their washing machines/showers/baths/fill up on water and fed us delicious food.  It’s also to all of you yet to have ‘the call’!  Just to say we’re coming! Not sure when but will 10 minutes notice be ok?!

So thank you to (either seen or stayed with):

My parents, Aubrey’s Dad & Anne, Aubrey’s Mum & Dan, Barney & Sarah (+Florence & Ella), Soph & Dom (+Raffy & Lottie), Mark & Amanda (+Willa), Jamie, Poppy & Karoki (+Ayesha & Willoughby), Diddy & Alex (+Kit & Holly), Roger (at work, so didn’t catch up with the family sadly), Belinda & Dave (+Timmy & Bryony), Sue & Roy (+Caroline & Ed), Ian & Mary, Al & Helen (+Nicholas, Elliot & Etienne), Mike & Marion, Sara-Guy & John (+Tess & Scarlet), Craig & Laura (+Thomas) and Sinan & Dawn (+Toby, Layla & Fern)

and the list keeps growing….

and finally…..

a lovely cheesy shot of Aubrey (no the hat doesn’t come off!) with Dave, one of our wonderful hosts

Ochina! x