When I started to feel physically and mentally tired after work often and my sinus pain was becoming very regular and a nuisance due to work related stresses, I knew it was time to plan a holiday.

It has been almost 9 years since I was last in the United Kingdom and as I still have plenty of holidays not taken, so it was settled — a 3-week break to the UK in March to catch up with many of my old friends whom I haven’t seen for years.

After thousands of miles and a plane journey that seemed much longer than how I remembered it, I got into Heathrow on 7 March 2015 and my first stop in England is Cecilia’s place in Farnborough, Hampshire.

The jet lag has been kind, the walks with C’s dog Diddly do me a lot of good, the fresh air helps with my sinus and the leisurely pace we take to do things have started to get my exhausted batteries charged after just a few days.

sign of spring

delightful to see the new leaves appearing…

my little new friend Diddly

Diddly watching Crufts!

weather has been mild since I arrived but this was a very chilly day…

white heather

purple heather

closer examination of purple heather

English afternoon tea

a must-have – fish and chips, added the salad to make it just that bit healthier

walked past the Westminster Cathedral on the way to the theatre in London

an enjoyable musical

Victoria Palace Theatre, London

Victoria Palace Theatre, London

a visit to The Vyne Estate

the stately home from a distance

the chapel of The Vyne

the stained glass that is said to rival the windows of King’s College Chapel, Cambridge

grounds of the Vyne

twig trees intrigue me…

grounds of The Vyne

flowers on the grounds of The Vyne

a beautiful sunny day to be out and about…

there are still snowdrops around