3 April

Very reluctant to get up this morning. Though the room and bed are small and there are shared facilities, it is still very comfortable and far more friendly than any of the motels or hotels in North America. For anyone who hasn’t stayed in a B&B in England, they are often family homes where the children have moved out and there are spare bedrooms and bathroom(s). Usually the family (husband and wife) or single person running it (widow) lives downstairs and the dining room is there, while everyone else stays upstairs. Breakfast is a communal affair and often interactive between guest and host and guests.
Sometimes there is a communal lounge, but not always. Sometimes supper is included, but always breakfast is, and a fine repast it usually is – and here is no exception.
Facilities are usually rather homely, but always clean and well-maintained.
After getting ready and having breakfast (met all the other guests now – one from US, one originally from India and one from Africa/Caribbean) I headed off for Peggy’s. I had already misplaced her number (didn’t put it into the mobile) so I got it from her, then headed off to Cornwall. I let the SatNav guide me, as I only have a sheet map of Britain (I will see if I can get an AA Road Atlas) with me, to save weight. It took me on a varied route, not the one I would have chosen (I would have gone north-west to the motorway and then straight to Cornwall – perhaps longer, but usually quicker and far less stress on me and the car).
On the way down I saw all the signposts to different places and they brought back memories of driving there with mum and dad. I didn’t go in to see any (so missed the puddles) as my prime purpose was to visit. I filled up on the way down (fill the car, go in, pay – actually got to chat to the attendant instead of getting an LCD message telling me about specials and that I should call in to the shop) but will have to wait until later to see how it performs.
I arrived at St Agnes just before 2:30 (normally I would have been a lot earlier, but while I’m here I’m sleeping in) and enquired about the village I was looking for. The first person I asked was able to give general directions, but on the way there I accosted a couple delivering advertising brochures (is this the modern curse of all of civilisation?) and they gave slightly different directions, but also named the village differently. I headed off and asked a third person (woman gardening) along the way and this time got there straight away (if you can call a winding lane straight). I asked the first one there about Emma and, as usual coincidences do occur, her name was Emma – but not the one I was looking for. I was directed to one of two houses, but no answer. I tried at another house (with children – bikes and scooters littered in the drive) and was assured Emma did live in the middle house, but they had not introduced themselves mutually. However, Emma’s surname was shared by a plate I had passed on my way, so after leaving a note in the letterbox (and an apology in case it wasn’t Emma) I called into the company and found … Emma’s husband, Tom! In the meantime I also visited Parrenporth and found, like a lot of villages, parking restrictions and charges were coming in for the summer. I didn’t get a look because the sea-mist was in and I couldn’t see the beach from the cliff lookout. I got some late lunch there and also got some postcards and souvenirs (another parcel soon, Fran).
After a quick introduction and call (she was at her mother’s), I was given accurate directions and headed off, to find her mother’s house was almost behind the first place I had asked directions at.
I knocked on the door and there was Emma, with Goran (just short of a year old). I met Goran and her mother (Dorothy), had a chat, a cup of tea, took some photos, caught up on people and then it was time to return.
The drive back was a little quicker because of less traffic, and coincidentally I filled up at the same petrol station as I had on the way up. I was back at my B&B by 10:30 and had everything done by 11:30 and was quickly to bed and to sleep.