The Three Musketeers</em
Table of Contents
Canadian Cousins. 1
North Wales. 1
Bristol 2
London. 2
Canadian Cousins
I have had my Canadian cousins – Steve and Phil, visiting, from Ontario, for a week or so. Entirely their idea as we had not seen each other since my strokes some ten years ago.
Previous to this, my wife and I had visited them and their families – and vice versa – many times – my wife being the blood relation and me becoming as good as.. Now – one is retired and the other part time on the way to retirement and having the time and their wives’ blessings, to check out how I am doing in the UK.
One wife – on a loudspeaker call –when I asked how long Steve could stay – actually said ‘he can stay three months if he likes’.
in preparation, we planned a road trip around the UK and prepared a draft itinerary including parts of the UK they wanted to visit / re-visit and I put in my two pennyworth.
I was a bit wary. – since the strokes I have been virtually house bound, not allowed to drive – and haven’t gone further than a 30-minute taxi drive for about two years and not walked more than 100 metres for even longer.
We actually planned – N Wales – Port Merion – Bristol – Bath and London with them sharing the driving, of course. – – and me sat at the back and six-nights stop-overs – in three different hotels.
And we did it all – without actually falling out – just a bit of brotherly bickering.
North Wales
They were blown away by north Wales – Ontario being mostly flat and -well, –boring – and nothing like Bristol or Bath in Canada.
London did pose a small issue. The original itinerary had us travelling in from Bristol for the nights of 19 & 20 September. Maybe a week before their arrival the timetable for the Queen’s funeral was made public.
You might recall that the actual funeral service was on the 19th September in Westminster Abbey commencing at 11 a.m. – and our hotel happened to be in central Westminster
Bristol
Nice modern hotel – with lifts – which were absent in some of the others.
Only issue was the first round in the bar – check in vouchers give 10% discount – so my medium glass of white wine was – £7.20 – we didn’t stop for another.
Did find an excellent Chinese restaurant, full of Chinese diners, always a good sign. Lot of them quite young – I remember that Bristol has a large and very central, student population.
London
We handled it. Left Bristol later than originally planned – to arrive in the outskirts of central London after 5p.m. – most traffic coming out – it was a bank holiday – and found the hotel and the parking – no problem.
A result – as the hotel – pre-paid for two nights and not cheap – did not do refunds.
Great time in London – weather had been good for the whole trip.
Even did the tourist hop on – hop off bus and a stroll in the mild evenings – outside seating just humming, Regent Street absolutely packed – and we found a fantastic tapas restaurant – they loved London.
Back Home
Next day – motorways all the way back north and I am back home evening of Wednesday 21st They are in a local hotel and we are all knackered –
and I have sore feet with the walking – but an early night with no morning alarm sorts me out.
No complaints – you always pay a bit for your adventures (there’s an adage!). They looked after me continually – and, having not really left the house for any time in the last couple of years – I did get a good handle on my limitations and capabilities in the real. busy world.
Last Night
Their last night in the north, before they are off, tomorrow, to London and Heathrow flight home – they had expressed an interest in meeting my close neighbours who have always looked after me and had been mentioned in many emails to them. They had insisted on hosting a dinner for them to say their thank yous.
Seven of us – booked into a small but quality Italian place about ten minutes in a taxi – the Three Musketeers and two close neighbour couples – Kath & Steve and Sandra & Pete, for a great night,
Started with a gathering in my in my lounge for introductions and Prosecco toasts – everyone got on straight away and a fantastic dinner – Steve even said to the waiter that it was the best Italian meal he had had outside Italy and I agreed with him
So, we did it – but I would think twice about doing it again – my mobility is worse than a thought – with stairs and up and downs and ins and outs and crowds – and- some early starts, even like like 7.30 am slow me down a bit – it has proved to me that any real travel is not on – certainly not alone, anyway
The three Musketeers are now retired.