Sunday 30th April 2017

We are both awake well before six, with a 90 minute wait before breakfast. As I laid there, I thought if we left now, we could be home by ten. There was also the opportunity to visit the churches I missed out, or could not visit on Saturday. But on reflection, let's go home. What was most frustrating is that we failed to lay in despite there no cats to wake us up.

Sod's luck I suppose.

Outside the birds were singing again, happy to see a new dawn. And why not?

We pack and get ready, being ready for breakfast at half seven, only to find others already there and drinking coffee, but sitting in silence. We order ours, and sit there pulling faces at each other. Behind Jools two middle-aged single ladies were talking, explaining why they were in town. Quite interesting to hear their stories; shopping, St Julian, coffee, a meal, go for a swim and visit the cinema. One was a carer and this was her break. We are lucky in that every days is pretty much a free day for us.

Back in the room I make a check on the traffic, and from the sidings near to the station, I could hear the rumble then growl of the engines of a 37 pulling away. Second time the sound echoed off the buildigs in the street, and I laugh with joy to hear it.

Anyway, let's hot the road.

It was a shame to leave, the guys in the hotel are great, we had a great light room, and breakfasts set us up, but back home there were three pissed off kittys who wanted to know where the heck we were. The car is loaded, and I take us out of the city, past the football ground and up Bracondale to the by pass then down the A140 to Ipswich. I am trying to think where else in the country are the county towns of two neighbouring counties linked by a single carriageway road, that passes through several villages where the speed limit is just 30, and at peak times traffic lights create delays of half an hour? Only in EA.

I wanted to stop at Winks Meadow again to check on the Green Winged Orchids, so we set the sat nav, and it decided it don't like the fast route, instead took us direct as possible through Dickleborough and Rushall before joing the A143 which is what we would have been on had we ignored the machine!

But a slow quiet drive through the Norfolk countryside at the height of spring is a joy, with those huge skies above and on either side so full of colour and new life.

At the meadow we park up, then struggle to climb over the five bar gate, as the supporting post is failing, so with all the grace of something graceless, we get over and are aain in the midst of little purple flowering spikes. Although some are really quite robust and a good size. I seek out the pink and white ones, which look just fab in the sunshine. But after two visits to Marden and now this, I think I have enough shots of Green Winged; lets go home.

We make our way back to the A140, then down to Ipswich, and all the time the traffic got heavier and heavier. Seems like many were heading to Southend, as after the main junction for there, the road quietened down again, so we cruised down to the M25 junction, listening to Radio 6 and quietly smiling at the joy of it all.

The motorway was busy, but moving well, so we cross back into Kent, and take the M20 south, knowing that now we were in the right county, home was just an hour away. We could have stopped for lunch, but we knew the fridge and larder were empty, so we would have to brave Tesco at lunchtime, and it would be hell.

Hell, but necessary, we rush round getting stuff we thought we needed, and so were home just after one. Where were the cats we wondered; not bothered seemed to be the answer. The one cat I could find, Scully, carried on sleeping on our bed, until she thought she would try her luck and ask for more food. We give in.

There was football on the radio; yes, really, so I put that on and set about downloading the 1600 plus shots I took, putting a couple up, then sitting down to write the blog post for the trip. Mulder and Molly turn up, and seem pleased to see us, but you, being cats and all, they might just be happy with regular mealtimes.

On the radio, Chelsea beat Everton and Spurs beat Arsenal, so got to laugh, really.

Insalata caprese and chilli and jalapeno bread for dinner, which hit the spot I have to say.

We laze around through the evening, listening to Huey on the i player, and me writing and editing photos. This is a hobby right? Sometimes seems like a job, but then I enjoy it.

Next stop: May. A holiday. A visitor from far off lands. And more orchids.