Meet up with university friends

This year we met up in Kings Lynn.  I left on the Thursday and went to stay with one friend at her new house in Hitchin.  Very nice it is too, even if there are rather a lot of stairs!  We had an excellent meal out in the town in the evening.

Friday morning we had a wander round the town, so I had a better idea of it and then had lunch and after that we were picked up by another friend who was taking us up to Kings Lynn.  We went to look at “his” charity shop first – the people there say they have only seen him working there once!  Then to his house and had a cup of tea.  His wife came back from work and only had time for a very quick cup of tea and to finish her packing before we set off.

The road up was quite busy and finding the hotel and the way in was not that easy either.  The sat nav seemed to take us to the back…..  We found our rooms and then made our way to the pub where others had gathered for an evening meal.  We moved a table and weren’t the last to arrive.  Food, drink and lots of chat and noise followed…..

The following morning we had a guided walk round Kings Lynn given by a friend of the people who organised the weekend.

Listening to our guide.
Listening to our guide.

I was so busy taking photos that I missed the introduction (and various other bits) so the history didn’t make much sense to me – whoops!

King John's sword?
King John’s sword?

I picked up that this was supposed to be King John’s sword, but couldn’t have been because of the dating and I did like some of the wonderful old buildings, quite a few of which were merchants’ houses.  I think they were profits from exporting wool and corn from the port – if I remember rightly?  The town was also part of the Hanseatic League in mediaeval times.

Lovely stonework patterns - pity about the roadworks.
Lovely stonework patterns – pity about the roadworks.

I also liked……

.....the "clock" that shows phases of the moon.....
…..the “clock” that shows phases of the moon…..

….and the high tides.  Clever!

We didn’t block the roads all the time we were listening.

Listening and blocking the road.
Listening and blocking the road.

I did quite like the idea that a salesman is supposed to have suggested that……

......this door be replaced with UPVC.
……this door be replaced with UPVC.

And I thought this………

......was somewhere else.
……was somewhere else.

We came out near the river at one point.

River Ouse.
River Ouse – Norfolk is flat!

We looked at several courtyards with old buildings round them and finished up at…..

......the customs house.
……the customs house.

After that we split into groups/pairs/whatever, depending on what we wanted to do.  Four of us decided to take the Coast Hopper bus to Hunstanton – 3 of us having bus passes!  When we got there we took the land-train to the lighthouse at Old Hunstanton – mostly because it was due to arrive at about the time we got there.  We then walked back along the beach.

On the beach at Hunstanton.
On the beach at Hunstanton.

The cliffs are interesting with the layers of colours.

Cliffs at Hunstanton.
Cliffs at Hunstanton.

They were presumably laid down in different ages and are limestone/chalk type, but I have never done any geology.

Looking out to sea, in the distance was…….

.....a large wind farm.
…..a large wind farm…..

…..which would probably not be visible if the day had not been clear.  Looking at the picture, I wonder if it was actually on land at the other side of the Wash rather than at sea?  When we got back to the main town we found one café open and it could provide all of us with what we wanted – different for each of us!  Then it was back to Kings Lynn by the bus and time to get ready for the evening meal.

Some people dressed up really smartly – unlike the usual jeans and T-shirt.

Dressed up smart - even a tie!!!!!
Dressed up smart – even a tie!!!!!

We had to walk to the restaurant, which was beside the river.  The sun was just about setting as we got there……

Sun setting over the River Ouse
Sun setting over the River Ouse

The meal was very pleasant – with lots of the usual chat.  I was so busy eating and talking that I forgot to take the photos until we were about to leave!

After the meal and ready to leave
After the meal and ready to leave

From there some of us went back to the Customs House where there was a light show depicting the history of Kings Lynn.  Some of it was hard (impossible?) to interpret but other parts were more obvious, like……

.......the map of the Hanseatic League.
…….the map of the Hanseatic League.  (No, I wasn’t drunk – just not good at getting photos straight!)

Then it was back to the hotel.

Next day, after breakfast, we checked out and then went on to do different things – some going straight home, but quite a few of us going on to the grounds of the Sandringham Estate.  My friend and I were getting a lift back with different people and that is where we went.  We had coffee there and some of us had a wander round and then had lunch – meeting up with various of the others for that. Some of them had looked round the house, or what they were allowed to see, but the general consensus was that it wasn’t really worth the money – the grounds are free!  We had managed to grab a table, which was good as it was busy as it was another wonderful warm, sunny day.

Meeting at Sandringham
Meeting at Sandringham

After lunch it was back to Hitchin, to show the people who gave us a lift the house.  After they left we had the evening there and the the next day it was home for me.

So – a good weekend?  Yes, I would say so!  I think I managed to get an answer from everyone to my question of the year – “What have you done that is new this year?”  Apart from the moved house (x3) and the arranging weddings and the new grandchild there were some interesting answers – even if I wouldn’t want to repeat all of them here – Hugh!

 

 

2 Replies to “Meet up with university friends”

  1. Hey, that’s pretty damn impressive. I appear only in the distance in one photo but I am not the only one to have grey/white hair.
    Looked at your other intriguing categories. Grumpy Old Woman had a resolution to give up listening to the Archers (sounds good to me) and the Slug Hunt (a new sport perhaps I thought?) was all about getting rid of slugs in the garden.

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