Great Times!

The next morning we were up bright and early…when weren’t we? No rest for the wicked as they say….and catching a train to see yet another online friend who very graciously offered to show us around her neck of the woods AND take us to Hever Castle. I am not sure that I am allowed to mention this one by name as she likes her privacy and I totally respect that. For in saying who she is, it will kind of give away where she lives...lol...not always a good thing online.

She met us at the station near her place and we ended up scaring her a bit. See Trish and I had to pee really bad…we didn’t know there were bathrooms on the train…lol…so anyways we got off and immediately made a beeline for the ladies. Well my online friend thought we’d miss the boat and got worried. But we eventually came out and found each other! It’s was great meeting her, she’s an absolutely awesome lady all around and I can’t say enough good things about her.

So we piled in the car and she took us to see Hever Castle, Anne Boleyn’s (King Henry Vlll’s second wife) family home. I’ve always been rather obsessed with Anne ever since I was young, read everything I could ever find on her and always felt somewhat of a strange kinship with her. Btw, The Other Boleyn Girl is a crock of shyte. Anyways…

We got lost along the way to the castle though I am sure that was planned to make me fall in love with the countryside even more. It IS beautiful that’s for sure. And oddly enough, no matter how out in the middle of nowhere you may think you are, I swear there’s always a pub just around the bend. Kinda like roundabouts.

So we got there and had a quick tea and coffee and were off! The grounds were lovely with their topiaries. The castle itself is on the small side but VERY beautiful. The moment I stepped inside I wanted to cry, it just took my breath away. The guy that owned it over the last hundred years or so really kept it up well and probably didn’t change it a whole lot, avoiding the garishness that we found in Warwick Castle. The whole house was spectacular and was interesting to see the room that King Henry himself had stayed in while visiting there. Odd to be in the same room that he had once been in….

After the castle we went about the gardens. They are quite large and breathtaking as well, with a lake at the end. My online companion had packed a wonderful picnic and we sat and devoured what we could of it, it was SO delicious, though in true generous style she packed enough for ten of us. Even the ducks were coming over begging for a nibble that’s how good it was.

After that it was off to her lovely home and beautiful backyard….simply wonderful. Her hubby came home just as we got there and we had a very very wonderful evening visiting, laughing, (oh did we laugh) and partaking in a much love home cooked meal. (I’m craving that btw!...hehe) I think spending time with treasured friends beats seeing sights any day and these last few days would be my favourite of the trip.

It was hear where we picked up a well seasoned travelling companion, a teddy bear with an insatiable thirst for seeing the world. Seems this little bear’s been travelling around with the family for ages and just HAD to see France! So armed with a can of mushy peas he hitched along for the ride, with the promise of being mailed back in the end.

It was a teary farewell at the train station that night. I am SO glad to have met these two wonderful people, I had so much fun, I love them both to death! I sorely wished we could have spent more time together. Hopefully one day soon!