Brian and Jackie Cross: Adventures in Epsom, Surrey

Sunday 27 May 2018

Adventures in Epsom, Surrey

Epsom town centre

Probably not much to write, and we have been relaxing, but interspersed with browsing the net looking at MiFi, WiFi boosters, cellphone contracts, camper specific Sat Navs, dash cams, not to mention where to buy cables, adapters, vehicle locks etc etc.

We are not very good at shopping at the best of times, so with trying to read reviews too it’s all been quite stressful! We spent half a day in Epsom shopping centre flitting between four mobile phone shops trying to decide what to do to stay connected.

Parakeets in the garden

Although European travel and usage is in theory easier it is aimed at Holiday makers, not those of us planning on spending months on end in Europe, so in the small print they all have a fair usage policy, suggesting if you are away for two out of four months they may cut you off, or make you pay through the nose. We thought we’d get better information talking to people direct, but it appeared we knew more than all the staff! Some didn’t think we’d be cut off at all, one said, yup, three months, no more, though this is who I am currently with on my PAYG mobile which seemed quite happy after seven months in Spain/France..... bit of a minefield really, and after Brexit.....?

We did have more luck in Aldi with sun loungers, camping stuff started on Thursday, so we were there as ‘once it’s gone it’s gone,’ decided the ones we were looking at were a bit weird, and big, after getting it out in store, but what’s this that a lady is looking at and talking about on the phone to her mum? Much more normal looking, after we tested that out for her too. “Yes mum, I’ll get you one” . To our disappointment this only left one.... seeing the look on our faces she got back on the phone “Mum? Can you leave Matalan and go back next door to Aldi and pick yourself up one?” We carried on buying groceries, only to find her chasing us round saying “she’s got one, so you can have this one too” what a lovely lady, we had a lovely chat, we did the product testing, and she made ‘mum’ go out of her way....

The weather has changed a bit, but fortunately we did manage to get out for a couple of hours the day before the rain. A walk from the house, always my favourite kind, round Epsom common, noteworthy for the sound of birdsong, something we commented on being missing in much more remote places in NZ. So along with songbirds, ravens and goslings and ducklings, we saw squirrels, rabbits, cows and deer and got ‘attacked’ on more than one occasion by small caterpillars suspended by a gossamer thread at head height in the middle of the path! A gentle walk, but good to get out.

Friday we did a longer walk, 14.5km before B’s battery died (the phone battery that is!), around Walton Park Wood, about 15 mins drive away. It was a route B found highlighted on a map printout in the study here, so not really something he can take credit for. But we did it the other way round to their big arrows, so virtually finishing at a pub, for a well deserved pint.

We may have ruined little old Frodo, but at 19 I reckon she can have what she wants, so she’s had tuna mayo, salmon, smoked mackerel, whitebait, pork rib, roast pork, ice cream, water out of our glasses, all in tiny amounts, but all eaten with relish. Strange that her cat food has to be smushed up with water so she can ‘drink’ it.... Along the same lines as carrying her up to bed for morning coffee every morning, only to ‘lose’ her the other day to find she’d taken herself upstairs and onto the bed! I suspect because the inverted laundry basket intended to aid her getting off the sofa had been in her way to get on.... Who is in control here, and who has mug written on the forehead?
She is the sweetest thing, and we are so happy to be able to spoil her, just hope she forgives us our overnight away tomorrow as we head up to Brum for B to have the little lump removed from his chest!