Wednesday 1st September 2021

Got up around 0930. Needed a bit of a lie in after all the walking of the last two days! But managed to haul myself out of bed. Left for a driving tour at around 1100, heading north-west toward Petworth, and stopped in Midhurst's medieval town square for a coffee. Drove south-westward, through various Sussex villages, and stopped at the Kingley Valley Nature Reserve. Took a walk in the ancient yew forest for an hour or so. Aimed for a late lunch at the Weald and Downland Museum in West Dean...the museum was open, but the cafe was shut! Drove north-easterly and eventually found my way via very narrow country lanes to Bignold Roman Villa on the old Roman road of Stane Street, which linked Chichester with Londinium. However, it is closed Tuesday through Thursday!!! So headed back to Findon.  Stopped off in the beautiful village of Amberley on the way, and bought some very late lunch at the village stores, and took a walk round the churchyard, past the crumbling castle, to the the water meadows abutting the River Arun.

Aki rang to say she had not been permitted to board the Haneda flight, as she needs a visa, no longer being a Japanese citizen. She was very upset, as this may take weeks to sort out satisfactorily, and she is now distressed at the possibility she may not get to say her farewells to her mum in person! She's headed home now, and will make contact with the Japanese Embassy tomorrow morning. Decided to abandon tonight's plan to go to Brighton to hear some ukulele jamming, heated up a ready meal, and packed the car. Managed to set off around 2000, the sat nav taking me straight up the A24, then onto the M25. Got home at 2215. Aki still a bit emotional, but managed to help me unpack the car. She's grappling with various visa information forms, and will have to phone the Embassy tomorrow for further advice. Watched a bit of US Open on Amazon prime, before bath and bed well past midnight!