Just back from a very nice overnighter to Cambridge with Vicki Holgate & Rachel McDowell – my belated 45th birthday present from the two of them. Despite Rach's eldest sprog managing to break her collarbone the day before and nearly scuppering the trip, we managed to get to the old stamping ground and trot about town in the charming June drizzle.
Hired a punt and discovered that they are both much better at the punting bit than I am – cue me sitting happily in the punt with a beer then a G&T – a much better idea than having to wobble unsteadily at the back with a very long pole that seemed to only want to direct us into the willow tress and the bank when I had a go. And which Rachel managed to leave stuck in the riverbed at one point, having to be rescued by the kind young man in the punt behind us.
Then hired bikes and went off to see some old haunts – the Catz sports ground (still has the same groundsman as when I was there nearly 25 years ago – some people really do get over-attached to that college!), and then on to the Catz second year accommodation – St Chads – now with 5 floors (threre were three in our day) and a big ugly gate system for security. I think I liked it more when 20 people used to climb in my window there twice a day – for the all-important watching of Neighbours on my TV.
Off past Newnham, Selwyn, Robinson and the University Rugby ground (no hot man totty training, sadly)for a quick stop at Churchill College – still as dog ugly as when we were there. And a labour of love – flogging out to the other end of beyond-town to see if the Coldhams Common hockey pitch we used to play at (the only astro in Cambridge then) still existed. Vicki disappointed not to recognise it in the slightest – well, its now called the Abbey Leisure centre, and was at least good for some quick shelter from the rain and a wee stop. Apparently we used to play against one England player there – blimey, I was almost good at hockey way back in those mists of time.. Though we did then recognise the shell of the old pub where we all used to stop on our bikes post-match on our way back into Cambridge – the Zebra. I remember it well – finishing off my rather crap languages essays over a beer and dropping it into my director of studies house a few doors down at closing time. She scared the bejasus out of me once at 2am when I cycled there to drop my essay off on a deadline date, only for her to be waiting by the post slot and pulling it out of my hands as I was still pushing it through..
So, a couple of photos there before we free-wheeled back downhill for a pub lunch, watching other overweight suckers getting into their punts on the river.
Add in a few cocktails at Revolution and dinner at the Cambridge Chop House and a very good trip back down memory lane was had by all. Cheers girls!
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