Indeed, is has all been a bit too exhausting. You will not be hearing much news tonight, except that it has been a superbly happy day.
We have trailed around historic buildings, marvelled at ancient learning, spent a fortune on books and unfashionable black robes with ridiculous sewn-up sleeves, and glided up the Cam on a punt.
All punts are run by desperate commission-only students, it is like being set upon by ravening geographers. They will pole you up and down the murky waters, crashing helplessly into other punts, at the top speed they can possibly manage, which fortunately isn’t very fast, whilst plying you with utterly untrue anecdotes about Cambridge. Presumably they have made these up themselves, so perhaps they are all creative writing students and not geographers at all.
It was hot, and the waters were cool and soothing, a step away from the dusty city, so it was very pleasant indeed. Also one of the punters, who might be better referred to as pilots, since we were the punters, in the fleeced sense of the word, fell in, which provided some brief amusement.
Certainly it was a very contented way of spending an afternoon. It was far too hot to wear my newly-acquired Cambridge University sweatshirt, or I would have, and been disguised as a Chinese tourist. I am going to save that for the taxi at home.
We ate an enormous lunch, and then went to visit a friend, who gave us cake as well, so we were thoroughly stuffed before turning our faces southwards, for Number One Daughter, who is kindly lending us her dog whilst they go off to Sardinia.
You can never have too many dogs. Ours have just finished off the remnants of Number One Son-In-Law’s birthday cake, and are having a late night sugar boost brawl on the floor of the camper van.
Mark has finished in the shower.
I am going to bed.
