Leaving London I was satisfied with the time I’d spent in what is an amazing city. I was also thinking about when my next visit would or could be. I wasn’t sad to leave though because I was excited about getting to my next destination!

Making new friends is interesting but seeing old ones is special, especially seeing them overseas! My friend Laura was staying at her mum Jan’s home in Kettering with her partner Damien and baby daughter. Earlier in the year Jan had invited me to visit during my trip, but as it worked out Laura and co. were going to be there too. Meeting up on the Kettering train station platform was most parts happy and funny and a small part surreal!

After a delicious dinner of Jan’s home cooked lasagna we drove to a local pub in the countryside to meet Laura’s sister Anna, her partner and their Labrador for a drink by the canal.

I forgot I was tourist in Kettering and didn’t take any photos. Take my word that it is a lovely small English town. Although rival town Corby to the north appears to be receiving more funding from the local government at present, which has caused the demise of a few shops on the main street.

The next day we went to prestigious Cambridge for a day trip. Damo negotiated the motorway in the stylish rental Mini like a pro, hating every cramped minute much to Laura and my amusement! The weather was amazing and I remembered my camera!

That night we enjoyed home cooked curry (thanks again Jan!) for dinner while watching a nail-biting penalty shoot out win for England over Columbia in the World Cup.

The next morning I departed to catch four trains to Whaley Bridge. My two days in Kettering were a very enjoyable start to what would become seven days of ‘R&R’ in the middle of my travels.