On this trip to London we had the joy of catching up with friends we met at university, nearly 50 years ago, friends from Geneva days about 20 years ago, and friends from Delhi days some 12 years ago. Inevitably the chats revolve around current lives and retirement features large, as well as grandchildren and aches and pains. Summed up beautifully by a good friend who said that when they meet up with friends they have a rule. They can talk about one grandchild and one organ!

Our friends Mitch and Mary’s hosted a delicious lunch where we admired cards handmade by their daughter Siobhan while sipping bubbly.

We followed a long lunch where we spoke about everything, with a walk where we admired so much. London in spring and in the sunshine is stunning, though the two do not automatically go together. The Sultan of Brunei likes the area so has bought himself a modest pad near Regents Park.

Picking up with good friends is as if we were never apart. Admittedly these days punctuated with pregnant pauses as we dredge our memory banks for names and places. We would like to think we can plan a few more of them. The meetings that is, not the pregnant pauses!