Hemel Hempstead, England

HEMEL HEMPSTEAD

Saturday, 8^th September

On Tuesday Jim drove me down to Carlisle to catch the train down to Hemel Hempstead.   The day was lovely and sunny so the hills, forests and farmlands of Galloway were sparkling as I said Goodbye to them.    Hopefully some time I will be back here – I at least have to come back to Cream o’ Galloway to check if some of their revolutionary ideas re their dairy herd have worked out or not!!   It was also a bit nostalgic to say goodbye to Jim and Elaine but I do look forward to showing them some of Victoria’s scenic attractions one day.

The train trip as far as Lancaster was very scenic and interesting, going through the Lake District, but from there until we reached Coventry we passed many industrial areas and anyway half the time the train track was in a railway cutting so you only saw the banks.    The scenery changed after Coventry into farmlands again and coming into Watford Junction it was quite pretty.    

Kylie met me at the ticket barrier and Trish was waiting by the car to whisk me off to Hemel Hempstead through the afternoon traffic rush.    Trish is a cousin and the last time I saw her she was 12 years old!!   My time with her was lovely and how great it was to meet up with the rest of that part of the family.   David & Brone also came and over the next few days there was a lot of “family time” together.   Meeting Neil, and hearing his guitar playing;   Colin, Linda & Sarah;  Stuart;  and Ange & Simon and their two lovely boys, Leo and Zac.   It has been a wonderful time with them all and I look forward to lots of visitors over the next few years!!

We went to Berkhamstead for lunch at Gatsby’s one day, which is an old cinema renovated into a very posh restaurant, and wandering through the old streets of this little town we came across a Victorian style funeral carriage, which was waiting outside a church.    The man in charge of the horses had untied them and let them stand in the shade while the funeral service was going on.   Fancy seeing something like that!!  

Once again the weather was lovely and plenty of sunshine.    David, Kylie & Brone departed to take the ferry over to France and drop Kylie off in Amsterdam where she will pack up everything and next week fly back to Melbourne, and they were driving on the last few weeks of their huge UK trip before following me to North America

Hemel Hempstead itself is also a very old town with lots of history especially regarding Henry the Eighth, who did his wooing of Anne Boleyn there.   We also visited St Albans which is not only very old, but you would call it ancient.   The magnificent cathedral is the oldest one in England and is still in use – there was actually a wedding in progress while we were there.  

Poor Trish had to rise early on Saturday to take me down to the bus station in Hemel so that I could catch the airport bus for Heathrow.   It was sad to bid her goodbye but as I said above:   -----  next time in Melbourne!!   Thank you Trish for all your hospitality – it was a lovely time with you and the family (and the dogs!)

To my amazement, it was so simple at Heathrow to check in and get rid of my suitcase and then just fill in time waiting for my (delayed!) flight for Toronto, where Jana and George were waiting for me when I eventually managed to collect my case.   I am now in St Jacobs with them and although it is only a few months since we met up in Melbourne, it was lovely to see them again.