In the last post we were off to see the Queen.

After landing at Birmingham Airport, which we found to be really user-friendly, we went to the Avis kiosk to collect our car.

The sales person knew I wouldn’t be able to resist the upgrade he offered for a few more GBP.

After all it was a BMW 1-series red in colour. Lucky he told me how to start it otherwise I would still be looking for the keyhole; door and ignition.

 

We rented a Tom Tom GPS, inserted the post code of New Barns Farm and before you knew it, we were there.

Amazing stuff – no long address or getting lost. All one needs is the post code.

 

It was a little chilly when we arrived and getting dark so Mr Canon 550 stayed indoors in his bag most of the time.

 

The drive to the farm was very interesting and, had we stayed longer, we would have gone crazy taking pictures of cows, old buildings, churches, pubs, horses, the local inhabitants and dogs.

The underfloor heating and wireless inside New Barns was a bonus.

The company that evening was superb – we shared food, wines, laughter and tales with a couple that were due to get married, as well as other guests.

 

The next morning we drove from New Barns to Wimbledon where we left the car in a parking garage.

The pic above was part of another discovery called “services”, well signposted on the road. Garages for fuel, toilets, shops, restaurants, accommodation and so on.

We loved the free wireless and Upper Crust Baguettes. Their takeaway stores seemed to be all over the place.

Upon entering Wimbledon station we bought a 24 hour travel card for trains & buses.

I only managed one pic (shown above) on the train from Wimbledon to Waterloo station.

 

The trains were very clean and on time.

 

Mind the Gap!

 

 

 

It was not long before we reached Waterloo and I was soon reminded how snobbish and rude some Londoners can be.

We hadn’t even left the station before one information kiosk chap showed us “unfriendly”. This happened later in the day inside a famous store.

Maybe they were just having a bad day or decade.

Or it could be that us South Africans are just so friendly.