Sunday 9 October 2016

Desborough devilment with the crew of Unknown No 3



We drove down from Hull to Desborough following a scenic route rather than using the motorways - they are fast but nerve-wracking and not particularly interesting. The nerve-wracking aspect comes from the three or four lanes of traffic and the requirement to have eyes in the back and sides of your head at all times: trucks to the left of me, trucks to the right of me and here I am stuck in the middle ... And drivers of cars who change lanes without signalling and without much room. Spooky!
The GPS is a marvellous invention and we have two in the car - the one the car was born with and our own. Having two is fun, esp in the UK where there are a myriad of ways you can get between two places.

We started off by crossing the Humber Bridge - a very impressive structure

On the southern side the aspect was lovely

I don't remember the village this was in (Sleaford perhaps) but the traffic was at a standstill so I took this from the car. Not a bad place to be in a line of traffic, I thought.



The two days in Desborough were great. We stayed in a hotel (the R Inn - known as the Ritz but not advertised as such or I am sure there would be a storm of protest and threats of litigation - as there were in NZ when the Blackball Hilton had to change its name some years ago - renamed itself Formerly The Blackball Hilton ...)

Dinner each night was at Mick and Julia's. Recipes imported from NZ ... (ooh, sorry, Jack - and from Australia) And brekkie was at Lucy's Cafe in Desborough, juyst around the corner from the hotel. She has a lovely poster which says: A heavy person is hard to kidnap - eat cake and stay safe.
In the kitchen at Mick and Julia's - I think a fair amount of cider had been consumed by this stage. David is sitting on Mick's poorly knee; but not to worry, as Mick is going in to hospital on Monday to have it replaced.


Concentration is writ large on his face - salad prep requires it, you know.
We had a day out on Unknown No 3 - back and forth between Saddington Turn and the bottom of Foxton Locks with the obligatory stop at the Bridge 61 pub.
The galley - time for tea

Doesn't that look peaceful?

I don't think Mick looks terribly anxious that I have the tiller, do you?

Mick and me - selfies are not my strong point but the aim was to get a pic of Mick!

The immaculate engine. Makes a lovely sound. Wouldn't do for us though as it requires more knowledge than we have and far more cleaning rags...

Not sure if he was pretending to be Bluebeard or what at this point. But you see what I mean about cleaning rags? Ours are always oily - that one looks pristine!
In Lucy's Cafe for brekkie before we headed off on our way to Bude. Mick looks charming in a floral headband. Of course, he has the hair for it!

2 comments:

Jenny said...

Looks like your days are full of fun, friends, and eating yummy food - just as it should be. Have fun on your trip - we are sure you will. We have just returned home from 3 and a half weeks in Australia, touring around on the Ghan, various coach trips and a few boats in the mix too.

Robin and Jenny - Romany Rambler

Adam said...

We met Mick and Julia at Buckby Locks at the start of our big September trip -- and again at Watford and Foxton. Lovely couple -- and you came up in conversation!