"Why come ye not to court?"

 You don't go on the river for three years, and then two cruises come along at once!  This one was very different from our afternoon tea cruise.  This one was a short cruise between Kingston and Hampton Court, on board the Yarmouth Belle, which, built in 1892 is the oldest surviving passenger vessel on the Thames.  

We started off, however, by going up to Vauxhall to meet the Boys, and then up to Vauxhall Station, where we had just missed a train to Kingston, but they are every 10-15 minutes, so we didn't have long to wait.  The journey to Kingston takes about 30 minutes; the train said it was going to Strawberry Hill, as, indeed, it was, but it then looped round to come back via Hampton and Richmond, so the destination signs on the train said Waterloo, very confusing!  

The Boys had both said they weren't feeling very well, but soon cheered up at the thought of lunch at Five Guys, a favourite of theirs (and given the amount they ate, there can't be much wrong with either of them).  The Swan Whisperer and I had never been to this particular chain, but our expert grandsons showed us the ropes!  I chose a grilled veggie sandwich with cheese,

and very good it was, too, if rather difficult to eat!  The Boys both had burgers - one with bacon and cheese and the other with just cheese - and the most revolting-looking milkshakes topped with whipped cream, which they seemed to enjoy.  The Swan Whisperer ordered a grilled cheese sandwich with onions, and then we ordered a large chips to share between the four of us, which was just a nice amount.  

When we had finished eating, and topping up our water bottles with the free ice cubes provided, it was time to walk down to the river - not the loveliest walk in the world - and await our ship.  I had booked in advance, but in fact, hadn't really needed to, as there were only two other families on the boat with us.  

It is not a long distance between Kingston and Hampton Court, but long enough to be enjoyable.  The weather was rather irritating, as it was too hot with a coat on and not quite warm enough with it off!  The Boys spent some of their time in the interior, and went down the spiral staircase into the lounge - "Very old-fashioned," they told me.  I didn't go down, it looked rather steep for coming up again.  The Swan Whisperer spent all his time on deck, and I spent most of mine, as there was so much to see, from swans to be whispered at, 

St Raphael's Catholic church

Hampton Court park

and, of course, Hampton Court Palace itself.

"Why come ye not to court? To which court? The King's Court, or Hampton Court?"

The Boys were rather tired - I think they may have overdone it playing football the previous day - and so was I, so we didn't linger; we walked across the bridge to Hampton Court station (thus, for the Boys, and later for the Swan Whisperer, who took them home, meaning that they had gone under the river, on the river and over the river all on the same day!) and so a train to Clapham Junction and back to ours for a most welcome cup of tea.  

There are more photos on Facebook, if you are interested.