Waterloo Station at 14:00 for the fast ride to Portsmouth Harbour and the haven offered by another precious friend.

Ashley met me at the train on her scooter (Ash has MND to you Brits; ALS for the Americans amongst us). Ten years of the nasty thing, and she meets my train--traveling faster than me with my cases, by a long shot.

From the train round to the left to the Gosport ferry (lovely ride across the Harbour) to the bus to Ashley's perfect home in Gosport. Trivia: Ashley's parents are in Portsmouth, VA--with a suburb of Gosport. You cannot make this up.

Did you know there are palm trees on the south coast of England. Ash treated me to a fab dinner right on the water (the picture was taken at the restaurant). Note: there is a monument there, too. This is the beach where the Canadians took to their ships for the Normandy invasion. More on this later.)

Lovely catch-up, then back to the Harbour to board the night ferry to France.