For weekends away...

...there's always a plan of some sort...

This weekend I’m heading to North Italy to scout out the Loris Malaguzzi Centre, the home of Reggio Children with my colleagues.  I'm really excited as it is the place where a particular, context, play-based approach to learning that evolved that influenced, amongst other things, the development of the Early Years Foundation Stage in England.  I particularly want to investigate the 'What happens next...' issue.  What happens to all the free thinking, happy, reflective 6-year olds that then enter Primary School?  After visiting the centre, I'm heading to Ferrara to meet a close friend moved North.  There are plans to spend a day in Verona and Padua, eeek!  However, I’ve not long returned from a weekend in England...

I used the trip to catch up with all my friends and family that I couldn’t see in Summer due to the American adventure, and to give me a focus for after the return from America.  The schedule on the Friday before I left looked like this…

Saturday

02:00 - Bus to Ciampino Airport

05:00 - Arrive at Airport

06:30 - Flight to Stansted

09:30 - Collect hire car and head to Portsmouth

12:30 - Find parking space for the car at Gunwharf

13:00 - Ferry to Fishbourne as a foot-passenger where Mum will be waiting :-)

14:00 - Tour family friend's newly refurbished house

15:00 - Coffee with Grandma

17:30 - Starbucks with my favourite opera singer

19:30 - Movie night with my Cousin

Sleep

Sunday

09:30 - Pop round to church to say Hi!

10:15 - Walk over to friend's house for coffee where Mum will be also

12:00 - Ferry to Gunwharf

13:00 - Lunch with friends at Gunwharf Quays somewhere

14:30 - Collect car and drive to Thetford

18:30 - Arrive and give my best mate a HUGE hug then chat, laugh, eat, drink,

Sleep

Monday

05:15 - Leave for Stansted

06:30 - Drop-off car

08:30 - Flight to Pescara

12:00 - Land

13:30 - Go to Work and start the week again...

And the weekend did really go pretty much like that!

There were a few ‘added’ extras including the BMW series 1 that was waiting for me at the airport.   It took me 20 minutes to get the seat adjusted and start the engine.  It wasn’t the whole ‘driving on the otherside of the road thing’ but more the, ‘which of these 5 levers makes the seat go forward?’ that I had problems with…

Saturday evening was quite possibly the most relaxed I’ve been in aaages.  My cousin had prepared a buffet style tea with all the naughty things you buy for parties, like sausage rolls, salad pots etc AND she had prepared our families signature ‘plate’, cheese straws…plus a chocolate cake.  This was eaten whilst watching ‘The Sound of Music’ with the karaoke lyrics for a good ol' sing-a-long, bliss.

Sunday’s lunch with friends turned into an extended lunch as I’d forgotten how easy it is to lose track of time when in good company.  I’d not seen these friends since New Year and there was a lot to catch up on but at the same time it was as if I’d seen them only last week.  Before I met them at Giraffe, one of my favourite restaurant chains, I managed to buy a new bag and purse (or purse and wallet if you’re American) from the Radley outlet in Gunwharf.  Spending money has officially got to stop!

Due to the extended lunch and impromptu shopping spree I managed to leave later than expected to go to Thetford.  Although late, seeing the best mate in person was worth it.  Especially the random conversations I had with their 4 year-old daughter who was already tucked up in bed.  We ordered pizza (well I got sausage and chips) and nattered until we were all too tired.

Oh, how I wish I could’ve extended that weekend to a week, or a few months!