TWC Tours - Hampton Court Palace !

You have to hand it then to the High Commission of Canada office in London ! Bureaucratic ineptness and tardiness of this standard I thought had been eradicated in the 70’s (British Rail aside).
Having applied in October 2004 for a Federal Skilled Worker Visa those good souls of the Canadian Embassy finally got around to advising me this week that my visa was now available for issue and collection !

Great stuff !

It only took them 32 months to process three forms ! Oh yeah and did I mention that it cost me neck end of $1500......... oh and by the way I am required to go to London and collect it at my own cost !


Oh well ........ we get there in the end I suppose and what great opportunity to mount an English summer cultural excursion of beer, pies, racing, rugby and history.

My partner in crime for this cultural odyssey would be non other than the current North Shore Canadian Cultural Attaché – Vicky the Viking !

Displaying a much greater understanding of international relations and history than her team Australia counterpart (Sir Les ‘A.D.D’ Patterson) a massive list of venues was accumulated on one itinerary and issued for my attention prior to departure.

The following tales are offered as loose script (as the writer has a tendency to be some what liberal with the truth) recording those adventures mounted.

Mission 1 would be the grand theft auto of one Peugeout 106 XSi from the grasp of clan Anderson and the shores of sunny Sussex by the sea. An act of sheer sponging on my part, not only did I deprive my old mate of transport for three weeks I further deposited one seriously infected laptop with him for intensive care treatment and revival.

Well if you are gonna wind your neck out you might as well be a right cheeky git I suppose !


Cheers Gazza – a gentleman as always to the last, I appreciate your efforts and help more than any Chinese take away, single malt and free car could ever repay ! Thanks fella.

Armed now with my old banger and a tank of petrol (not gas), off I raced to get my first decent English beer hit with Lord and Lady Fonters and check out their Godalming local – the Charter House Inn .

And what a fine pint of ‘Old Speckled Hen’ they serve too ! It’s good to see Frankie that you have succumbed to English living and spend many of your days now talking tosh to the various eccentrics that frequent your typical local pub !

Thanks ‘Me Lord and Lady Fonters’ for putting the Viking and I up so graciously upon our arrival – your new home is absolutely gorgeous and very homely ! Congratulations !

Having settled back into my old motor and en route to Mig and Owens for a day or two, The Viking and I took in an afternoon at Hampton Court Palace where giggles overcame one very annoying girlfriend in the bakery as all together too many ‘Simple Simon the Pieman’ jokes were cracked for my liking !

Be wary of upsetting the author is all I can say !