Sand Pit to The Big Smoke

August 18th saw me embark on my 3 week break from the sandpit, for 2 weddings, a stag do and a few days in Houston. In between time getting to spend some quality time with my best friend and his family, including my godson Isaak who quite unbelievably is already at the age of starting school.

Thursday night saw me in my old neighbourhood of W2 in Paddington. It was quite surreal to walk around the area I called home for 4years, see my old flat and the pub and launderette just across the road. The area whilst close to paddington is a lovely area with lots of White Georgian houses and Mews between them. It was absolutely chucking it down with rain when I arrived in the UK and I thought it was a bad sign. But after a great night out and not much sleep, Friday morning was bright and sunny and W2 looked amazing. Almost had me thinking it would be nice to move back – but not quite. Had to pick up a car today so wad heading back to Heathrow. As luck would have it I got upgraded a couple of classes and took off in a Golf blue motion – highly recommend www.budget.co.uk – and if you can get a blue motion car then do it. I couldn’t believe how little fuel I used during the 4 days I had it. So much so that when I handed it back I actually saved quite a lot of money by topping the tank up myself rather than taking the pre paid full tank.

I was headed towards Romsey for a wedding and I had forgotten about the wonders of the M25. Stop start traffic for quite a few miles and it was at this point that I had my first experience of the engine stop start function the car had. I thought I had somehow managed to stall it when it just died in the middle of the M25. I know that this tech is supposed to improve fuel economy but it’s quite daunting if no one told you about it.

Once off the M25 it was quite an easy trip down to The Kings HeadWhich would be home for the next 2 nights down in Hursley. I highly recommend checking in for the night if you are in the area and need a bed. There are 8 rooms and I was in Hoby, the room at the top of the

Hursley High Street – Quaint.

stairs on the right. Lovely little room, quite quirky as there is no door to the bathroom, and because of where the loo is, you can watch TV! Just remember to lock your room door, otherwise room keeping might make an entrance at an inopportune moment. The bar was calling and there is nothing quite like an English pub in the afternoon, the sun’s out and the cider is cold and you have Wifi in the garden so can tell everyone in Dubai, how you are outside in Summer and allowed to eat and drink during the day (it was Ramadan in Dubai and 48 degrees) Amazing Full English breakfast as well which sorts you out the morning after the night before. Dan who runs the place is a top guy and looked after all of us, perhaps because we had all his rooms booked out as part of the wedding!! Thanks Dan and the staff at The Kings Head