Well I’m back from the UK.  Had a great flight thanks to Mr Nytol!  Arrived at airport early enough to get though and shop a little.  When they say 3 hours at Heathrow they really mean it!  After going through Narita a few times I forget that mess that is Heathrow.  I did get a wonderful insight while being checked in. The manager came down and as the guy was checking me in to go and do something else.  He asked for protection leaving a queue of 100 people to be checked in by one person! Her excuse was well it will be fixed when the other shift comes on?

I knew coming back would be different and it certainly has been a case of seeing things with different eyes. I’m on the train back to London (this was a paper entry so its only going in now). Its totally rammed with kids so I upgraded to 1st class which is hindsight may have been a bit of a mistake as there is nothing special about it. Seat is a bit wider, but not all that comfy. (and apparently my original ticket could not be upgraded so I had to pay full whack and the word extortion only just covers it, I’m not even going to say how much it cost, but suffice to say the flights to and from Cornwall were cheaper).

To add insult to expensive injury the buffet car couldn’t open as they "didn’t have a full crew" and we would have to wait and hour and half to Plymouth when the crew came on! And then to really finish the job the new crew merrily annouce that they will need 30mins to "get there shit together", (my words not theres!). Truely how long can it take two people to put some prepackaged sandwichs into a chiller given the other stuff was already there.

Now this train runs on a regular basis everyday so why is there no crew from Penzance? The train must have gone down there with a driver, and this is the 9:36 train so its not like the crack of dawn.

I personally think its a case of ‘just good enough Britain’. No one actually says anything to change the situation and this is what they get.

Today is lunch at the famous Jamies Olivers 15 in Cornwall.  I was so lucky to get a booking here for the two of us.  The girl on reservations took pity on me and let us squeeze in for a 12 – 2 lunch, which was perfect. 

Its so odd being back and walking the streets of Falmouth, its never really been my home, but there are many memories of the place. The street has all the familiar names like WH Smith, Boots etc, and after standing in Tesco’s waiting to be checked out it sudden occured to me that it also had all the people stereo types present, and that really nothing had changed at all.

Dinner at the Cove with Jim, Frank and Jane.

Wine = Pinot Gris from New Zealand – Excellant

Starter = Cornish Mackerel – Lovely

Main = Cornish Fillet Steak with Wild Mushrooms and Blue Cheese. Totally artery clogging and perfect!

Finished with a small cheese board between two with no crackers for me.

Ordered Book from Arty, to be delivered to Japan.  His wife recognised me from two years previous! Maybe time to stop visiting the area?

Overall a fabulous night, with the most excellant food that could not be faulted. Basically another fantastic night at a wonderful restaurant that we both love.

One of the attractions for coming this time of the year is the Falmouth Oyster Festival.  Its now in full swing, and I’ve now at least 18 oysters from two different counteis.  I think I like the local Falmouth ones, bit sweeter,  will have to go and try again over next few adays to be totally sure!!

Also now have Claire from next door as my partner in Oyster eating crime.

Well arrived in good nick, wonderful flight really with loads of spare seats to relax in.  Food was good and service pleasant.  Didn’t get much sleep, but then again it was a day flight so sleeping was not a problem.

Heathrow was well heathrow, so no change there either.  Got to Steve place much earlier than expected, which was good as it meant we had time for a good catch up.  About the only unknown factor was the Malborugh Savingnon Blanc which he had oogles of. 

Its really the first time I’ve drunken wine since the chemo and add onto that an 8 hour time difference it was like being hit in the chest by a very pissed off horse, the wine had such a kick to it.  I was even being good and having water in between drinks to keep the hydration levels up.  So Thursday morning didn’t start very well.

Lucky for me there was only an hour left of Thursday morning so all I had to suffer was Thursday afternoon.  Oddly that didn’t make all that much difference.  2nd stupid thing was that I so missed burger king that it just seems like a great idea to have a Whopper for brunch cos I was so incredibly hungrey, and so still so incredibley allergic to flour products that I didn’t just get to enjoy a 5 hours car ride feeling like crap from too much wine, I also got to enjoy the insessant nausea from eating wheat. 

As I said to Jane, I wasn’t asking for any sympathy as I wasn’t even giving myself any, after all I know I shouldn’t eat wheat and no one forced that rubbish burger into my mouth.  Oh no, I did that all by my little self.  Anyway it all cleared up fairly much by the time we got to Falmouth and it was great to see old friends and met the new ones.  Just managed to keep brain and body working for dinner, but then it was crash time. Batteries dead.

Look out London, I’m on my way back!

The flights are confirmed, payed for and I have the e-ticket. Which actually just reminded me to take the e-ticket out of my work bag and put with my passport!

News from home, Donna had a successful c-section this morning and Abbey Ann Mary has joined the family. Pictures to follow as it was a bank holiday here in Japan and Andrew sent the pics to work email.

Mother and daughter are doing great!

Found a great blog today while looking for chilli paste recipes. Chez
Pim. I particularly loved the entry of telling people to stop ‘fu&king around with Pad Thai‘.
Its comment thats been long overdue, I remember from my time in
Thailand eating Pad Thai direct off the street. It was the ultimate
fast food really, and so so tasty. Chefs in the western world seem to
think need to fiddle with it, when really they should just leave it
alone.

I found another entry which outlined how to cook Pad
Thai, and lucky for me I had all the right stuff in the house, so
following Pims outline I wipped up a batch, and wow, was it good. Also
the mystery of how to cook it is gone, which while a little sad no
mystery, does mean no problems making more.