Friday 27th August 2021

Got up and started packing up for the trip to West Sussex. Aki spent most of the morning trying to sort out a pre-flight covid test...everything seems booked up well in advance. Packed the car and set off after a late brunch. Sat nav reckoned we'd get there around 1500, which would give us an hour to mooch about and look the place over before picking up the keys...but the sat nav had reckoned without the Bank Holiday traffic. Lost half-an-hour queueing on the Blackwall Tunnel Approach Road, and another half-hour queueing to get off the A2 and onto the M25. Got to Findon at 1615 and Paul came down to meet us and show us round the cottage. Very smartly presented, and cosy...basically a one-up-one-down with added kitchenette downstairs, and shower room and WC upstairs. Nice little rear garden with table and chairs. Drove down toward Worthing and bought some supplies at the M&S garage. Aki wanted me to squirt some sanitiser on her hands when we got back in the car, but the thing had got bunged up, and the ethanol shot out at an unexpected angle, hitting her squarely in the left eye! The garage toilets were out of action, so we had to request they open it so she could wash her eye out with some running water. She seemed none the worse for wear. 

Sat out in the back garden with a drink before walking into the village centre. Colin and Trudi were already sat in the Gun Inn...had a drink there before walking across the road to the Sylvan Oak for our dinners. It passes for fine dining in these parts...but not too expensive by London standards. I had pate de foie gras with brioche toast to start, followed by beef fillet on a smoked aubergine mash. Aki had halibut. Very tasty. Colin and Trudi came back for a look at the cottage before driving back to Hove.