Occasionally husband Keith and I have a trip to London. Our daughter Joanne kindly buys us a theatre and meal deal to which we add a train and hotel deal. We always laugh at ourselves as we wander around sure that our lack of sophistication must show from 50 yards. In Hyde Park we admired Diana’s memorial fountain. Later in Bayswater, the location of our hotel, Keith was fascinated by the Turkish chaps sitting on sofas outside cafes smoking ‘hubble bubble’ pipes. It’s tobacco but not as we know it. I must add that nothing illegal was going on. The restaurant was swanky, you can tell how swanky when you’re charged £4.50 for a bottle of water. But hey, we did get a complementary mouthful of soup in a tiny glass - lovely.

Keith had mine, well, I didn’t want to over do it. The show was well done but Keith is convinced our Sedbergh shows are better. The following day it was the National Gallery where we viewed millions of pounds worth of pictures for free. I mean it would be rude not to. Later, while eating lunch leaning on the wall outside the Houses of Parliament a couple asked us how to get in. We gave directions and warned of likely queues then we noticed there wasn’t any. A little surprised we inquired if we could go in. But there are no tours on Fridays unless booked ahead. But our luck was in. Upon seeing our disappointed faces a young guide who had a qualifying exam coming up, offered to take us around. What a treat, there we stood in the ancient Westminster Hall where the trials of Thomas Moore and Charles 1 took place. If only walls could talk just imagine what we would hear. Then we were shown the room, complete with throne, where the Queen pops her crown on before opening Parliament. She has a special hidden loo in this room and it’s a treasonable offence for anyone else to use it. It’s a good job Michelle Omaba didn’t get caught short on her recent visit then.