Climate Change must be a True Story - warm, sunny weather in England in April?!

Sunny, balmy England and it’s only April. But who’s complaining? Everyone except me seems to be truly surprised by the weather. I’m not because in my mind I imagined it thus and it has come to pass exactly as I expected. I love being a weather god.

England is even more picturesque than I remember. I’ll try not to overdo the adjectives but it really is ever so pretty. I caught the bus from Heathrow to Oxford, which was nice and easy. Uncle Mike (avuncular by choice rather than blood) was fetching a paper just as the bus pulled up and we walked around to his house - aka ‘The Cave’. We enjoyed the warm sunshine in the garden for a few hours, catching up on life and the state of the universe over tapas and wine. Very civilized. Then we went for a dander around Oxford and the Thames, stopping off at a river-side pub on the way. Every man, woman, child, tourist, dog, cat and barnyard animal was out and about and we were able to enjoy that uniquely European sight of people sun-bathing in bikinis with no beach in sight.

On Saturday we had an early start and headed off to Devon to UM’s other house - EBG. I’ll refrain from adjective overuse - sufficed to under-state, the drive and the eventual destination was pleasing to the eye. UM ribbed me the entire way about speaking Australian rather than English and it became a game to see how many Australianisms we could locate in any given sentence. Starting all sentences with “look” was a particular favourite. It helped to add gravitas at inappropriate moments.

In Devon we saw the best of the coast, with one of the prettiest surf beaches I’ve seen anywhere and we also found plenty of mythical-type countryside in Exmoor National Park. I’m surprised we didn’t see more elves, hobbits and orcs.

From Devon we returned to Oxford via Dorset (to see Emma, Ed and Thomas - renovators extraordinaire) and Longhanborough (to see the Fletchers). Both charming, picturesque places where we enjoyed amazing hospitality (thank goodness most of the clothes I’m carrying are stretchy).

Sadly, the time past all too quickly and after a quick breakfast meeting on Tuesday morning with the beautiful and charming Sophie in London (half of a delightful couple I met in Bali - hoorah for new friends!), I had to be off to the airport, leaving behind a long list of people I would have loved to see that I did not manage to visit. So what else can I do but start planning a return journey? Perhaps on my way back from the USA.....nothing wrong with going home the long way around is there?