Today we visit Kew Gardens with Clare. We’ve been to the beautiful Royal Botanical Gardens (and UNESCO World Heritage Site) just outside London before and enjoyed it a lot to stroll around the huge area and to discover many interesting plants along the way. First, we pick up our pre-ordered picnic right next to the park, as we did before. We know the Maids of [Weiterlesen]

{:en}We’re off to London today. And as always, it takes patience to get there. But we enjoy the beautiful view as we drive past the Natural History Museum, the Ritz (which was founded by a Swiss Abroad), and Piccadilly Circus. We head to the almost hidden side street in which we often find a parking spot. And are in luck. We browse Covent Garden area, [Weiterlesen]

This morning we meet Caroline at the shopping centre in Basingstoke. We have a long shopping list for Primark, but can’t find a lot. I wanted plain clothes without logos for further embroidery projects, but don’t find many I like. And wow, these colours… the 90s are coming back again. For lunch we were invited to Peter and Caroline’s house and enjoy lunch on the [Weiterlesen]

It’s Star Wars Day today: ‘May the Fourth’ sounds like the Jedi knights’ salute (‘May the Force be with you’). I didn’t have time before departure to take a photo or video with my new red lightsaber. Gabi suggests that I use the headboard’s ambiance lighting in our hotel room to improvise. Which I do! This is very convenient. On our first real day of [Weiterlesen]

The car is packed, Calais is programmed. Holidays, here we come! Today, we try a new route via Biel and Delémont. Which is more direct, but, as it turns out, slower. It takes us almost two hours to leave Switzerland at the northwesternmost edge. We then take small roads through what feels like half of France. Which is very scenic, but not really faster. We’re [Weiterlesen]

The coronavirus pandemic has forced us to take a holiday break that is far too long. Our last short trip was more than two years ago, the last real holidays even longer. We have always been very cautious and continue to be so – after all, the pandemic is not over yet. That’s why we are planning the balancing act: we want to meet friends [Weiterlesen]

From 5–16 November 2019, we’ve been on holiday in the UK. Tuesday, 5 November 2019: Greeted by fireworks Wednesday, 6 November 2019: Costco with Caroline, Guildford, and a trip to the Cinema Thursday, 7 November 2019: Bluewater Shopping Centre Friday, 8 November 2019: I drive the A-Team van! Saturday, 9 November 2019: Pub lunch and a visit to the garden centre Sunday, 10 November 2019: [Weiterlesen]

Like almost every trip to the UK, this one also ends with eating the Krispy Kreme donuts we brought with us. This time we meet at the senior residence where Gabi’s grandfather lives, who also helps with eating. As always, here are the before and after photos.

Our holidays are coming to an end. Today we drive home again. But before that I walk over to Pret to get some Christmas sandwiches for the trip – it’s much earlier than I usually go there to pick up breakfast. On Saturday morning, there is much less traffic in and around London than on weekdays. We make good progress and reach the Eurotunnel terminal [Weiterlesen]

On our holiday’s last day we make our way to the Brunswick Centre near where we used to live (in the brick house on the first photo). Here we do our grocery shopping and ask ourselves, as always, what the lady at the till will think as we only buy sweet and salty snacks – and lots of them. We had planned to see if [Weiterlesen]