A Kaleidoscope of Photos Following on from the Days in London & the Countryside

After my first few days into the city of London to catch up with friends in business, exploring any new boutiques and interesting boutiques, I went back to follow up some places I hadn't made it to in those first few days.  Time is the essence, as it is an hours journey in and out along with hoping on and off the train to different places.  I did so much exploring along with the much needed coffee in dear little cafes to reassess what is still reasonably achievable in the hours of the day left.

The dearest little garden at my Aunts upstairs, downstairs home in Staines where I stayed, commuting to & from London by train.

Watery Day as I finish shopping....but still has so much atmosphere....

Out into the countryside...for an afternoon jaunt, taking my Aunt along with me.

Gorgeous countryside & could just drive & drive .....

So many dear little cottages butting onto the edge of the road in the many villages I drove through..........

Wherever you stop to have a coffee there are always beautiful surroundings like this little brook trickling through the yard of an old pub...

Wonderful gardening & decorating shops in almost every village as the English love their gardens  & decor.

I did not come across hardly any nursery's shops that did not have warm cottage decor accessories or furniture to purchase as well as the plants.

An array of items still for sale in the Garden Nursery.

Into London Tuesday and Wednesday...

In order to get to most of my destination stores I decided to do a short trip on Tuesday and long day on Wednesday.  Tuesday I got to Sloane Square to visit Anthropologie which is housed in a huge old character building and then to several smaller stores.

Inside Anthropolgie

i also popped into the Saachi Gallery where upon there was an exhibition themed on trees....very modern but still quite interesting as I love anything to do with trees be it fabrics printed with trees or prints or lanterns...

Into The City One Day Then Into The Country The Next ....

Well, I thought I was coming to England's summer but have hit the cool weather and so glad I brought a mix of clothing.....so It has been out with the jeans and jumpers. Mind you, I had bought white jeans with me as they always look fresh for summer but after a run on the tube to London they were a slight shade of gray !!! No problem for Val as she had them in the wash in no time...

I got myself familiar with the train routes and the stations closest to my destination stores.  I had a long list of favourite stores along with others that I had been following from my magazines.  I managed to get to Covent Gardens where there are always concerts happening and lots of artists around.  I found Whittards Tea Shop that is still the same but up marketed quite a bit and very chic.  Then off to Oxford Circus and found The Liberty shop.....not a lot has changed except they are more upmarket using the traditional patterns that are Liberty's stamp.

Val collected me from the station, and home to hot dinner and unwind...at least I didn't get lost but my shoes were soaked and tried them out on the warming cupboard.  We talked of heading off to Montifonts National Trust House and a meander through the villages on the way.  We had booked to go to a local Italian restaurant whom Val and her friend know the owners  great food but as it was quite winters there were not many people around !!

Covent Gardens

So come the morning we headed off and oh the countryside is a totally different story to the inner city like anywhere.....the tight little roads with trees meeting across the road like extended bridges and moss and greenery hugging the road edges giving it a soft feel and almost inviting to go for a tumble in the grass or to lay on ones back and contemplate the goodness all around.

We stopped at The Mayfly Inn and had a cuppa together, these little inns and pubs are all so hospitable and homely and the grounds are usually a place you want to linger in.  There was a brook running past and there was usually Trout fishing but beware you need license's.

From there we made our way to Montifonts where we walked through the grounds to the Kitchen area where they sold lunch.....quite ordinary considering it is a National Trust place but the National Trust don't do the food it is contracted out - felt like it needed to lift its game so to speak.  We then ambled through the house and walled gardens before heading back in time for dinner.

Mayfly Pub.....

On the way to Montifonts..

In London ....

After the beginning of an uneventful flight with the babies finally sleeping, I could read, think for a while then watched a movie and then sleep a little..... arrived on Abu Dharbu amidst a thronging stream of people with mischief chatter amidst babies starting up with crying being out of their routines, and everyone in purposeful walking - likeshe following each other, if you tripped no hope of not being crushed !!   I found the gate where I was to board my connecting flight - I felt like I had walked into an ice cube and so much so some people were quickly pulling their coats on as the air conditioning was up quite high.  Well we had a 4hr wait but it wasn't long before there was much chatter at people started congregating - then the the pantomime that ensured between the check in staff and some long robed men who obviously had some authority ..... Many of us found it hard to keep from laughing but knew it wasn't the place to be free with the laughter......

We were able to board and I settle and start to doze and thinking we had taken off I came to with the announcement that we were waiting for a crate of baggage that didn't belong to anyone on the plane to be taken off.  All done we then proceeded to take off with only a slight delay.  This trip again was rather uneventful..... Arriving in London and clearing border control was easy enough, but then at the baggage carousel was another interesting feat as people so anxious to get their luggage hugged their spot and didn't want to allow enough room to pull your case off when it arrived.... I managed well and beetled off for the exit.  Rounding the narrow exit lane there was Val, Tony's Aunt who had been patiently waiting for me....she claims to have seen my bag before me.....

Off to Val's for a cuppa whereupon we laughed all the way to her cottage as she has a wicked sense of humour so needless to say we had tears running down our faces.  Cuppa and off to explore - lunch at a lovely nursery, sorting phones out, afternoon tea and home for tea - rather  a gentle start ..... Do so love England !!!!  Only thing is the internet is tempramental at Vals's so please excuse mistakes as sometimes switches off as I am correcting  !!!  Some photos of her gorgeously colourful garden - oh yes raining !!!  So much for summer here