Hitchin

Monday

Had a lovely early morning Skype with Trace & Jess who told us that Bec was in Hospital! With an ongoing stomach problem. Waiting now for tests. She can't get too ill as we've only been gone a week!

Mike & Liz have very kindly lent us one of their cars –a Ford Focus named “Dixie”. It didn’t take long to get used to driving on the UK roads. We drove to Hitchin and David took me to where he was born. Bowyers Close – got out and while we took some pictures the front door opened and we were welcomed in by Jean who had purchased the house from David’s parents 40+ years ago. It was very surreal to stand in the bedroom where he was born! David reckons every year on the 4^th Aug thousands flock to this shrine!!!!!!! Most of the house had not changed at all and David told lots of childhood stories.

We then went to Harkness Roses where there is now a huge Motorhome sales centre. We spent a long time climbing in and out and getting a feel of layouts we like and don’t like as this is the first time we had been in one. Of course the ones we loved were not in our price range!!!!!

We then headed into Hitchin town which was really nice with all its Elizabethan buildings (we didn't appreciate them when we lived here). We tried  to sort out our mobile phone!!!! A bit of a pain at the moment! Sorting things out like this in Europe will be great fun in a foreign language!!!!!!! Had lunch at Herleys which was on Market Square and I recall going there with my Grandmother Rene to get Ham off The Bone. When we were last there they had pheasants and rabbits hanging outside. David even found his Barber Shop from when he was a child and he could not believe it was Exactly the same even down to the same chairs!!!!!! Didn’t they know Minkz had a sale on!!!!!!

On the way back to Harpenden we tried to get into Luton Airport so I could walk around my old work place (I was a security officer for many years there). It had changed so much and was peak hour traffic we ended up getting lost and giving up! Another day maybe.

Grabbed some food for dinner at the Co-Op and filled up with fuel £1.39 per litre - $2.40!