This trip had originally been scheduled for the end of the summer holidays, when The Boy was to have his first full day at secondary school, and was to have been Boy Two's birthday present from his grandfather. However, the boys both came down with Covid-19 (fortunately not badly - Boy Two was almost asymptomatic) so the trip had to be cancelled - and both the museum and Chiltern Railways were very good about refunding tickets.
So the trip was postponed until half-term, and The Boy honoured us with his company, too. The Daughter is now working in Marylebone Road, so the Swan Whisperer and I went up to Baker Street Station to meet them at her offices. We then found a bus would take us back along the road to Marylebone Station, which was nice of it, and were in good time for our train to Great Missenden with Chiltern Railways.
Unfortunately, it was not a pleasant journey. The lights had not been switched on in our carriage, and a lot of the first part of the run is in a tunnel! And when I went to the loo, I can't begin to tell you how indescribably filthy it was. Not a pleasant experience, and I warned the others off it!
We arrived at Great Missenden at last, and it was only a short walk to the museum. Which was lovely if you like Roald Dahl, which the boys do. A lot of information about his life and, towards the end, a creative sort of room where you could make up sentences with fridge magnets, and various other crafts.
Then it was nearly lunchtime and, at The Boy's request we went back to a café called "Matilda's" nearer the station - he said he had been attracted by a picture of the "freakshake"-type milkshake outside, but when push came to shove, they were "off" as the ice-cream machine had broken. The café was extremely busy and it took a good half hour for our food to arrive. At first we sat outside, but the boys got very cold so when a table came free inside, we took it. I had chosen poached egg on avocado toast, which was lovely but very filling (two of them!), and with feta cheese underneath. The Swan Whisperer had an All Day Breakfast; Boy Two had a burger he couldn't quite finish, and the Boy had a "mixed shish", with chicken and lamb, which came on a bed of rice, with salad. He managed most of it - pre-teen boys appear to have hollow legs!
After this, there was a bit over an hour before our train back, so the menfolk went on the nearby "countryside trail", which was about an hour's walk. I wasn't up for that, so I decided to finish the "village trail" which was mostly along the village street, but then a diversion up to the church, which was a lot father than I thought it was going to be!
But worth the walk. I didn't go and find Dahl's grave, but spent a while looking round the church and sitting quietly, and then I walked back into the village and got a cup of tea I didn't really want at the museum café where I'd arranged to meet the others. They finished my tea between them on the walk back to the station.
The train for London was much better than the one out, as the lights were working! I didn't try the loo, though. I felt rather sorry for Boy Two, though, as he is not considered old enough to have a phone, and at one stage on the journey, the Swan Whisperer, The Boy and I were all engrossed on ours! I said as much, but he just laughed.
And then a bus two stops along Marylebone Road, and we returned the boys to their mother before heading home ourselves. I have been asleep more or less ever since, having done >10k steps today!
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