Back in merry england

If just one of the 10 is someone you’d like to see and have dinner with then worth going. Unlikely to be another chance…. I tend to regret things I don’t do, not things I do actually do.

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I went to my one and only school reunion years ago, pretty much against my better judgement. I didn’t enjoy my school years at all. At first I recognised no-one, but then faces started to become familiar. For me, it was just OK, not a great experience!

After the first year I really enjoyed my time there and of course as a boarding school most of us lived in the same building.
Just had an update 3 confirmed and 5 more expected to, 4 definitely not, but then one of those is in Oz. :smile:
I am surprised though that apart from him I am the only ‘foreigner’.
Still thinking about it, at one moment I think great, but then I think, but all that driving though.
However there are family only 20 miles away where I could spend a couple of days afterwards. :thinking:

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For me, the journey would be to see the family… with (perhaps) the reunion as a sidedish…

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Yes, would be nice, and of course I have even older friends there too. :smiley:

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My father, several years ago showed me a clipping he had taken from the local paper announcing a reunion of my year at my secondary school. It was six months old, but he did have dementia so I wasn’t surprised he showed it me then. On reading it I discovered it was being organised by a lad I knew who was expelled in the 5th form for breaking into the school and setting it on fire. I really would have liked to have be there just to find out … why ?. I actually got on really well with this lad, and he was probably one of the most intelligent people I have ever met, but he was very troubled.

@JaneJones and @Stella . Yes I am coming round to those thoughts, most of the family are within a few miles of each other and I haven’t seen them for years. Got the list now and have sent a round robin email to all on it and will phone later now I have some numbers.

Even re-constructed the route. Switched from Dieppe to Caen which will give less kms in France and slightly less time on the road, longer time on the Channel asleep so won’t need to snatch a nap in the car, and best of all, avoiding London. Portsmouth past Oxford, M1 to turn off past Leicester on the A 46 to Southwell. :grinning:

Do you get the impression that I am warming to the idea. :wink: :rofl:

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Having not seen any of them in 40 years, I suspect I wouldn’t recognise any of my classmates apart from the two that became BAe apprentices with me.

Like others have posted, I return to the U.K. only to see family.

Last re-union was in 2004 I think, and before that sometime in the '90s. Apart from the baldies I recognised most of them one way or the other and at the second one there were even 2 masters still alive. :astonished: Must be something in the water around Southwell. Both of them were French masters and I chatted to them but avoided telling them where I lived now. I was terrified that they would start conversing in French, leaving me tongue tied. :rofl:

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Wave to me as you go past. :smile:

I’ve got sundry celebrations/reunions I could go to this year, next month and then in the autumn - it’s 50 years since my college started admitting women, and it’s 40 years since I went up - but I think they may well clash with work :cry:

You might be surprised. I didn’t see any of mine for 25 years and I walked into this room with all these strange middle-aged women whom I didn’t know. And then suddenly I did - often when they laughed - and had the most wonderful time. Strangely, it was often the conversations with women whom I hardly knew at school that I found the most fascinating - learnt about their school life as well as their adult life.
Went back for the 50th in 2015 as well and it was interesting to see how we had all mellowed, most now being retired (though not all).

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A lovely surprise yesterday morning, an email from my best friend at school saying that he had been wavering till he got my message. We were close because we were 2 of only 3 that I knew who took any interest in girls. I don’t mean all the rest were gay, but we were the only 3 that did anything about it. Strictly clandestine as it was strictly against the rules. :joy:

Anyway I have booked a room in the pub and he has agreed to share, so alike are we that we both have to buy pyjamas for the event, both having been skin sleepers since school. :rofl:

I also booked the ferry, but not with Brittany as I thought but via an agency called Direct Ferries or something. Got the confirmation email and then 10 minutes later a cancellation due to ‘technical problems’. I’ll try ringing Brittany direct tomorrow.

Have checked all the family and non are on holiday so I will see them all, including some never yet met Great Grandchildren. 2 nights there with my other best friend (from 1950) and his wife so all in all something to look forward to. I think. :thinking:

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After telling Pete that The Crown where we are booked in does not do breakfast (not a problem for me, 2 black coffees and one round of toast and marm is good), I just got this reply:

I’ll contact Anthony bit later, but have booked us a table for breakfast at Saracen’s Head, just across road. Serving 7 - 9am. He was called Jonathan, too young to have heard of Alvin! Staggered at ferry cost!!! Breakfast definitely on me. Can’t start day without a bit of brekky. Pete

So we aren’t after all twins seperated at birth, but I will go along with a bit of brekky, especially at the Saracen’s, allegedly where Charles the 1st hid, a very expensive pub. :joy:

BTW, if you too are too young to understand the reference to Alvin, he means Bill Jewry, also our mate from school. Sadly one of the half dozen or so that definitely can’t make it. :slightly_frowning_face:

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I think the flags are the same colour,and the the political mess the same as well.

Struggling to get to Merry England. Direct Ferries cancelled the booking on Brittany they confirmed.
Went through the procedure on Netferries for Brittany only to be told that the accommodation was not available.
DFDS Dieppe allowed me to go through everything before telling me it wasn’t available.
So finally ended up at Eurotunnel, booked no problem and confirmed. A lot further to drive but over €600 cheaper.
I don’t drive in the dark anymore so arriving early for the 2330 trains each way is no problem, but, I will be sleeping in the car after each crossing. Not as bad as it sounds as I can stretch full length in the long space beside Jules’ cage where Opie normally travels. :grinning:
Only one thing not sorted. The Dartford Crossing will not accept my French reg. Anyone know how to pay?

What is it with these booking agencies? At least with Le Shuttle you book direct.
I reckon Booking.com have mis-spelled their title. :rage:

Wow 600€ lower​:flushed: makes me wonder how much you were being charged for the ferry :flushed:

I found this online… does it help… ??

You can pay here David,

https://pay-dartford-crossing-charge.service.gov.uk/Home

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Thank you @Stella & @ChrisK , I reckon the 2nd one is the one I was on before, nothing about foreign regs but the other one seems to be aimed at foreigners so I will try it later, or tomorrow, wasted all afternoon today one way or another.

@letsmile The Brittany cost was €899.99 including cabins, and I don’t think I got as far as the DFDS figure. Both though included a cut for the agency, in the case of Brittany around €8. The Tunnel cost is €233.

I was fixated on minimising driving time at my age but if I had thought there would be so much difference I wouldn’t have gone for Brittany in the first place. I can’t take advantage because I have to deliver Fran to her respite care on the Monday afternoon, but if that had not been the case I could have afforded a hotel half way with that saving.