Snuggling up in the Bude Hotel
Snuggling up in the Bude Hotel

Shopping for video equipment and then on from London to Bude, in Cornwall, to stay for a holiday and to visit my sister Freda and family

Up after another hot and noisy night and after our normal help yourself breakfast, we set off for the shops to get my cine-camera. We stop on the way to see all manner of fine leather briefcases at Selfridges and eventually I buy a large capacity model. I do not see the ideal briefcase for me; elegant but expandable with protected corners and plenty of inside pockets and facilities. Onwards to Dixons in New Bond Street and we start looking at the cine-cameras and accessories. We are soon aware that, for the money we can spend, the modern choice is a video camera and recorder and so we soon decide to buy a Canon set with spare video cassettes. A rush back by taxi on a sweltering 30degC temperature day, loaded down with the video boxes. Just time to check the system out whilst Diana breast fed Daniella and then, the children having had their last swim, we checked out and packed up the Jaguar.

It was like fitting together the pieces of a mosaic and we resolve not to buy anything else of size, otherwise the car would be too full. Off then we go out of London, glad of the air conditioning, west along the M4 to Bristol and down by the M5 to westward A361 to Bideford and Bude. I misjudged the journey and I am sure there is a quicker or shorter route. In any event we rather starved looking for a restaurant, but managed in the end. As we approached Bristol we met a large bank of low cloud and by the time we were in Devon we were in the centre of a wave of thunder storms. We had witnessed the blessed end to the west countries summer drought as water rationing loomed. By 8.00pm to arrive at Bude and the hotel. We were in time to get some chips for the kids and get some dinner ourselves. A rough night’s sleep on a hard bed on a close evening, but pleased with the room and the break in the weather.