I’ve always enjoyed planning. It can be frustrating but, given enough information it gives me great satisfaction. So with a pinch of military precision I carried out our plans for a day out in Durham.

I’d found that it was possible to use the Park and Ride at Howlands, get into Durham, lunch at Cafedral get back on the bus and walk to both the Oriental Museum and the Botanic Gardens. I hadn’t factored in closing times but anyway….

We’d been to Cafedral a couple of years ago. It’s just as lovely as we remembered. Delicious main courses with slices of yummy chocolate cake for afters. The atmosphere is warm and friendly and the cafe has a wacky, shabby chic interior. It’s a family run place and Aiden, son of the owner remembered us from our first visit. We were so pleased, we booked to have lunch there on Sunday.

Returning to the park and ride, we strolled round to the Oriental Museum , which again we’d first visited two years ago. It really is a stunning museum, especially with the chariot sculpture outside, which Susie couldn’t resist posing in even though she’d mislaid her whip. Considering the museum’s floor space is about the same as a large detached house, they pack so much in. Exhibits are cleverly displayed on four levels and the opportunity for children to interact and learn is simply superb. We did laugh when we overheard a mother say to her son, “Harry, you’d have missed a whole civilisation if you’d gone down the stairs”….

Leaving the museum we realised that there was no time left to look round the Botanic Gardens before it closed, so our intention is to try and go on Sunday….post lunch of course…