Working Tourist

The last month has been very busy work-wise, which is why I was so behind in posting about my Devon adventures.  I've traveled a little bit for work, and the bonus has been squeezing in a bit of tourism!  First up, there was a National Trust double whammy.  I was speaking at a conference in Brighton, and staying with one of my sisters.  It made sense for me to drive (she's out in the Sussex countryside) so I thought that I'd make use of the National Trust membership to have some interesting stop-offs both there and on the way back.

On the way down, it was a decently warm and sunny day, so I stopped to see the gardens at Hinton Ampner.  Even though it was a Thursday, it was rather busy.  Lots of older couples, and families with young babies.  The gardens are big enough that you can find a quiet spot away from the masses, and I'd brought a picnic lunch to enjoy.

I started off following an 'ancient trees trail' around the grounds, but part of the walk headed into a field in which there were lots of cows.  I'm not a fan.  Then I spotted the cows were actually bulls because they had horns!  I retreated back to the safety of the gardens rather hastily.

The weather wasn't as good on my return journey, but I was determined to see more sights.  I took the long route home.  I stopped off briefly in Arundel, a town brimming with antiques shops.  Well worth a browse.  There was also a very nice secondhand designer store, that had the most sumptuous set of 1960s Ferragamo luggage.  I fell in love with it, but the price tag was over £1000!  Some of the antiques shops had very reasonable vintage clothing and accessories, but I didn't see anything that made my heart leap as much as that luggage set.

Continuing my journey, I decided on another National Trust stop, Mottisfont.  There is a large house, set in extensive gardens.  I had another solo picnic (hastily bought from Sainsbury's) under the trees before heading to the walled gardens.

The rose garden was full of inspiration, and they even had a specially created 'Rose' ice-cream by Jude's.  It was the best rose ice-cream I've ever tasted, subtle and beautifully natural.  After the gardens I headed into the house.  One the things I enjoyed most about my visit was an art exhibition on the top floor of the house.  There were some incredible botanical drawings, done with exceptional detail.  I didn't take any photos indoors, so you'll just have to visit and see for yourself!

On a different work trip, I was invited to speak at an event at Cambridge University (long story!).  This was a very long journey that I had to make by train, so there were no National Trust stop-offs this time.  I did have a couple of hours free on a rainy Saturday morning though, and  headed off armed with my umbrella to see the sights.  The College I was staying at was a very short walk from the city centre, so I didn't have to go far before I encountered hoards of tourists, and herds of students on bicycles.  I felt quite outnumbered.  I had no idea that Cambridge was such a tourist attraction!  The university buildings are beautiful, and there were some lovely shops.  I managed to enjoy a long walk around despite the rain.

In other news, I sadly parted with my car.  I'd had it for 15 years, and absolutely loved it, but it had got to the point where the cost of repairs was exceeding the value of the car.  I sold it to a local scrap yard, and unfortunately this is right next to my local supermarket, so every time I do a food shop, I can gaze wistfully across to the yard and see my car, still where I parked it...

That's brought me reasonably up to date.  There's another work trip on the horizon for a few weeks' time to London, and I'm hoping to tie in a visit to a gallery or museum to keep the work-fun balance in check.

Do you like to do solo sight-seeing?  I'm an introvert and need quality time by myself, so I find it very relaxing and freeing!