DAY IN OXFORD

My daughter Becky called for me at the Travelodge at about 9.15am. Then we waited for her husband Mike to arrive with the hire car. He was picking it up from Heathrow Airport.

We then drove to Starbucks for breakfast and then on to Oxford. Had a bit of trouble finding a long stay car park but found one in the end.

Wandered around looking at the beautiful old buildings. Went inside The Ashmolean Museum - we looked at Egyptian artifacts, mummies etc. Also went to the BODLEIAN LIBRARY.

Oxford is certainly popular with cyclists. BIKES everywhere.

My blip is the Hertford Bridge - popularly known as The Bridge of Sighs. It joins two parts of Hertford College.

We bought a snack and went down by the river intending to find a nice spot to sit and eat but there didn't seem to be anywhere suitable. We did see these colourful ROWING BOATS AND PUNTS

We decided just to drive out of town and eat our snack in the car.

We then carried on to THE TROUT INN, Wolvercote. Its a lovely old pub which looks small from the outside but its huge inside and there is lots of outdoor seating overlooking the River Thames. There was a PEACOCK strutting about the place. We sat outside and had a drink. This pub featured in Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse stories which were set in Oxford.

We then set off back to Hounslow. The weather so far had been lovely - warm and sunny. However after we had been on the road for about half an hour the heavens opened and the rain came down in torrents. Really tricky for Mike to drive. By the time we got to Hounslow the storm has passed.

I popped back to my hotel room to get a change of clothes and then we went back to Becky and Mike's place. Mike returned the hire car while Becky and me just relaxed.

Later on we got the bus to Richmond and had a meal at Bill's. I had crab and smoked haddock fish cakes with mango salad. Another delicious meal. I managed to resist having a starter or pudding - again.

After the meal we got the bus back to Becky and Mike's and I spent some time there before getting the bus back to Hounslow High Street which is a short walk from the Travelodge.

In bed before midnight - again.