Day 128 - Phil and Stu arrive

What Stuart is looking forward to!

Well we made it! Our arrival at Gatwick was uneventful as was the train ride. I slept a little on the plane and again on the train, but poor Stuart just couldn't fall asleep. 

I mentioned yesterday that his trip to visit us is part of an adventure he has always wanted to do and that is to fly in the first class section of a Boeing 747 jumbo jet. He was taking advantage of a special offer that Lufthansa has that allows passengers to upgrade into a first class seat within two weeks of departure for a reduced fee, which Stuart could use his points to pay for.  He had always planned on visiting us, but had booked an economy seat for the return trip and so he was gambling that he could get the upgrade.


Our arrival in Moreton-in-Marsh was eventful,with Angela meeting us at the train station with two glasses of whisky to welcome us home. For Stuart, he had decided that instead of staying with us he
was going to treat himself to a stay in Moreton's premier hotel, the Manor House.  It only became an Inn during the 1950s, but it has sections that date back to the mid-1600s and possibly earlier.

For most of its existence, the Manor House was owned by the Creswyke family who were large land owners in Moreton in Marsh. It was not really a manor house as one traditionally finds on large estates. It is believed that it was actually one of two original inns in the town, the Bury's Inn, which was recorded in the history of the town prior to the 1600s. Moreton-in-Marsh has been a center of economic activity since the 11th century so the existence of inns has probably been since that time. 

Stuart had booked himself the best room in the hotel, a corner suite with three rooms, a lounge, a bedroom and the ensuite bathroom and it occupied the corner of the first floor (we would call it the second floor in Canada) with a dual aspect.  It was a really nice room and he felt like he was experiencing the true English historic inn.

After a brief rest, Stuart returned back to our flat where he was treated to a roast beef dinner that Ange had promised us and did she ever deliver!  I must say it beat the best of the Sunday roasts we have had since arriving here.

Our stomachs full, we went for a brief walking tour of the town ending at the Bell Inn for a nightcap. I was able to enjoy my pint (Stuart had a half and Ange had the plum cider) and we laughed away our travel trials. 

By the time we dropped Stuart off at his hotel it had been 38 hours without sleep for him. We told him to sleep in and we would pop by later in the morning to start his only full day with us -- hopefully a wonderful walk through the countryside.

Ale of the Day: The Bard's Best, North Cotswold Brewery, Stretton-on-Fosse, Gloucestershire