After a decent breakfast it was off to Felixstowe. The GPS took us on a direct route so we spent quite a bit of time in the winding country roads which was actually very pleasant if a bit of hard work, given that the car has a manual box.
We got to Joe's village without any issues but where was he? In the end I had to phone for directions, it turned out that we were very close but my memory had him on the left side while he was on the right! I was amazed I was 100% certain about the side, memory is a funny thing!
Joe looks like semi retirement suits him. Emma and Judy were there, Emma is a bright young woman who looks like Joe though fortunately without the mustache. We did not see that much of her as she had to go to her job but we had plenty of time to catch up with Joe and Judy. Judy is still working so I guess this makes Joe a kept man, they both seem ok with this. Emma is working in a local pub saving for a year in Thailand. Joe seems to spend most of his time either diving or planning the next dive trip. He is just about to do another week in Cornwall. After several hours putting the world to rights it was time to head to Felixstowe.
Driving in I felt like everything was the same as I had left it but also that some things had changed, bit of a contradiction eh! There seems to be more building around the edges and much of the centre is now pedestrian prescient but other than that much the same. WH Smiths has replaced the news agents and Woolworth’s is gone (not that I ever shopped there which is why it's gone because nobody ever did). I approve of the pedestrian work as it has improved things, bonnets and treasure box is still there though the wharf is gone. While waiting outside a fabric shop for Gemma I was asked to push a car into a side street which I thought was a bit odd but these things happen to me and the guy really had just broken down in the middle of the street.
I noticed in Smiths that the UK has gone massively to chip and pin debit/credit cards. It seems to be a much slower system compared to swipes like NZ. Additionally I keep on being given vouchers of the 10 off your next 50 purchase type. I just keep on dropping them on the floor, there are so many that they are a real pest. I bought one magazine and got 3 vouchers.
Had a look at bonnets and then went next door to buy a flat cap. Ended up paying 35 for one, Gemma thought that was to much but it is a good quality hat that should last a while though I realize as I write that that I no longer know where it is! Oh well it will turn up I am sure.
We had lunch in the Wimpy. Some of the colour scheme has changed and I suspect that the bun is also changed but a quarter pounder with chips is still great as is a Brown Derby with nuts! Mind you I don’t think they had cleaned the gents since I was last there. Seems to be a different crowd running the show as well. We spent a total of two hours in the town, I would have liked to spend more but as ever on this trip we are under the time gun.
We went back via Sutton Hoo. What a disappointment there is nothing there basically just a display telling you about what had been there and had been removed. Still we got to use our Nat Trust membership.
Then back to the pub. I had wondered how busy they were and this evening I was surprised to hear that they are fully booked for six weeks and the owner was talking to somebody planning to put some more rooms on the existing block.
Dinner at the pub was scampi and chips, so 70's again! Then another walk around and turn in time.
Notice that my Brown Derby has nuts but Gemma’s does not!
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