Forty years since we graduated, so our “gang” met up for an even more special reunion. We have been meeting up once a year for several years now, but this time we decided to go to Bath. The hotel was booked several months ago as it was not sensible to hope for last minute deals, in the town, with 19 of us.
So who are we? Thirteen Warwick graduates; one friend of one person who married another and was often around, so it is hard to remember he wasn’t a Warwick man; one husband; three wives (two came for the first time – why have their husbands kept them hidden??!!) and one hanger-on! (Not totally fair – he failed his first year – or was it the second? – and was around working in the bar etc. until we graduated. Later got a degree elsewhere – London or somewhere minor……). In fact one person had to drop out at the last minute as her mother had a fall; the hanger-on arrived a day late as he had a posh function to attend – celebrating a colleague getting a knighthood, I believe, and one arrived quite late in the evening as his wife had to work.
Most of us arrived on Friday afternoon and as it was dry and quite warm for late September, we gradually collected on the terrace outside the hotel.
Most of us had cups of tea, but we also had to catch up with a year’s worth of news.
As more people arrived they had to be shown where to park the cars so some of the men kindly did that.
That evening we ate in the hotel bar, having had a room there set aside for us. Disappointing that they had changed the menu from the one advertised, but the food was OK. It was a bit noisy, though, so it was hard to talk to anyone but the person sitting next to us. What do you mean, we are all getting older and deafer?!!
After breakfast next morning we all gathered and went on the (free) walking tour of Bath which started from the Pump Room.
There were 5 guides and the people wanting to go on the tour were being split into groups so we all gathered together so as to be in the same group.
The guide was very knowledgeable and he (Paul) started by talking about Bath Abbey, which is in the same square as the Pump Room.
As he led us round he talked about the re-building of the town and the architect, the finance and the social (Beau Nash) sides. We saw the oldest buildings, the baths, Queen Square, the Circus, The Royal Crescent and the New Assembly rooms with appropriate commentary at each stage.
The buildings and design are pretty amazing, but who would have a chance to knock down a whole town and start again now!
The Royal Crescent is my choice of abode (if only I had the millions needed for the buying and upkeep), mostly for the views and the lack of passing traffic.
By the time we had got there we had picked up 4 extra people.
They had a function in the New Assembly Rooms so we couldn’t go in and see them.
By the time the tour was finished it was lunch time but there were too many of us…….. and people wanted to do different things. We therefore split up. Three of us went to the Tourist information office to get a map and then to one of the oldest buildings in Bath where there was a café where we had a nice lunch. We then went to Pulteney Bridge and to look at the river.
We then walked up to the Sidney Gardens and looked round and then back into the town. We seemed to be going in the opposite direction from the numerous rugby fans (there was a match in the afternoon). I got the impression that the Bath colours were blue, black and white…… We then spent time looking at shops in the town, especially at fascinators for a friend who has a wedding soon. We could easily hear the cheers of the rugby fans – was Bath winning? We finally found another café for a cup of tea, before returning to the hotel for a rest! Other people had done other things, of course……
In the evening we had the central part of our weekend – a posh meal – at a Sardinian restaurant this year.
The food was very good and we had a great time eating and talking……
We were very grateful to our organisers this year who had tried out the restaurant and looked at the hotels to choose the best. A lot of work went into it.
The walk back to the hotel was a good thing (for most of us) as we had – naturally – eaten too much!
After breakfast next morning we again split up. We said goodbye to some as they went off to do other things, some of them on the route home. Nine of us went to look round the Roman Baths. I have been there before but it was several years ago. There wasn’t much (anything?) new, but it was all arranged differently and more clearly showed how it would have been in Roman times.
We had audio guides as part of the entrance price but there was really too much information and it was hard to know how to be selective. I think many of us (certainly me) got a bit fed up with them by about 3/4 of the way round. It took about an hour and a half to two hours to get round and was quite tiring. I noted that there were more seats nearer the end!
When we had all finished two of the men managed to find a café that would take all ten of us. (The tenth never gets up for breakfast and failed to read his texts and emails so missed joining us for the tour of the Roman Baths – but met us at the end. A long wait? Maybe he will do better next year??!!)
We had a good lunch and then went back towards the hotel – some going to their cars and some of us back to the hotel for our cases. And the final goodbyes – until next year?
So, a good and excellently organised weekend – well done to this year’s organisers! It is always good to see each other and catch up again. The aim (well mine, anyway) is to have a chance to speak to and catch up with everyone. Did I succeed? Well, no – I don’t think I ever do quite manage to speak properly to everyone – but I did do quite well this time.
So how are we doing after 40 years?
We have lost contact with a few; sadly one has died; one is in America and comes over every few years (but not this one); we have produced lots of children (between us!) and some grandchildren; I think we are (almost?) all heavier(!!!), all older; slightly deafer(?); we have less hair…….
Someone suggested we are more sensible ………
But we are still friends! Yeh……..
Great photos and tbat shirt !!