I’ve had my friend Cathie staying with me for the past month and we’ve done lots of exciting things. Here are a few of them…

We went to see The Crucible at The Globe on a very hot afternoon. The £5 ticket meant standing for the duration which wasn’t too bad when the shade finally reached the spot where we were perched against a wall. It was one of several great plays we’ve seen this summer – others were The Great Gatsby and The Stereophonics.

We met Cathie’s former colleagues in Budapest where we did lots of touristy things. Highlights of the weekend included a drink in the Szimpla Kert ruin bar, a boat trip along the Danube and a visit to a spa.

It was blustery at the top of Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh. We travelled on the sleeper and enjoyed three days of walking around the city.

We met my daughter and grandson in Bath. At fourteen months, Jude has just started walking which is very exciting.

I fulfilled a lifetime ambition and sang in a choir. It was difficult to hold the alto line but I had a lot of help from Cathie who runs choirs in Australia.

We didn’t make it to Wimbledon as we’d intended, but have enjoyed watching the big matches on TV.

I next see Cathie in January 2026 when we meet in Sri Lanka. Do you have any travelling plans to share?