Golden Girls on Tour

Arrived 3.30 am on Qantas flight QF255 from Sydney to London. The flight was super, above average food, good drinks and service. Smoothest flight experience ever!

Quickly through immigration and customs. No one in the lines at this hour in the morning.

Got the shuttle to pick up our hire car and then headed to Hartpury for our first stop. There was a Pre horse show on even though there wasn’t much going on when we there.

Went to visit Sara at Flying Changes riding jackets and was measured up and selected my new custom made tails. Very excited but will have to wait a few weeks as she has a big amount of tails being made for riders competing at the World Championships. I guess they should have priority.

Then we headed off to the beautiful Cheltenham to visit the Holland Cooper store. It was like heaven to me. So many beautiful things to look at try on and I did let the credit card go for a run. A glass of wine in the beer garden and a brunch snack to tide us over until lunch!

Back in our Volvo to head down to sheep’s lane, off Tanners Road to the Lamb Hotel in gorgeous Burford! I had the quit essential fish and chips with mushy pees. The village had the most beautiful shopping strip and we could of spent the day there but we were off on our way toward Bicester

Pit stop on the way at the “Bull” hotel for a pint! Deb and I had a half! It was nice beer.

Back in the car and off to the Bicester Gold and Country Club for the night. Sounds flash but it wasn’t! The wine list was non existent and I had the worst margarita of my life so we hopped back in the car and went into town in search of a nice bottle and a bit of walking to get some of the swelling out of our feet.

Bicester village is a 400 meter long group of high end fashion label stores. It is very upscale stuff. I am not a rich person or particularly poor but there was nothing on my price point to buy in the shops we looked at. It does beggar belief how some of the people there mainly Asians and those of middle eastern appearance where they get the money to be carrying 5 or 6 bags full of stuff. Gucci , Valentino and Jimmy Choo shoes etc!!

Finished the night off in a delightful Italian restaurant with a plate of tagliatelle and some Italian Pino Grigio

Then we went to Sainsbury’s. (Supermarket). To get some wine to take to our accommodations for the next few days. I don’t think they have bottle shops here as we couldn’t find one

Collapsed into bed at 8.30

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s exciting adventure