We are here!

　
It's hard to believe we are finally on English soil. We pinch ourselves and elbow each other. Our smiles are a mile wide.

We survive our 28 hour flight and only now begin to understand the meaning of jetlag. We fly for hours in darkness between Sydney and Dubai. Max takes a sleeping tablet and has a reasonable sleep while I, on the other hand, have intermittent sleep of somewhere between two and three hours for the whole journey. Strangely enough, jetlag hits Max the hardest. Emirates keep us well fed and amused with their extensive entertainment system. Going through security in NZ leaves me the most flustered when I look down to find I've misplaced my passport and tickets and I haven't even left the country yet! It's a hurry up and wait system - hurry to get in the queue - wait until it's your turn - hurry to get your gear onto the trays and through the machine - the passport and tickets are found, to my relief. Sydney, Bangkok, Dubai and Heathrow customs are all a breeze and, like pros, we take them all in our stride.

We arrive at our homesit in Virginia Waters early afternoon and meet our hosts, Sophie and Chris. The homesit plans are delayed for a week but we are still generously welcomed into their home for a couple of days.

Fergus, the African Grey parrot

It's a chance for us to catch up on some sleep, become orientated, and meet the animals we will care for in a week's time. Fergus, an African Grey parrot, is full of character and a 'little person' in her own right. She is truly adored and loved by Sophie. The human/bird bond between them is incredibly strong and a pleasure to watch. Fergus spends most of her time living free range indoors and regularly enjoys sharing meals with her owners. You can imagine my surprise (and mirth) to find Max and Fergus sharing toast one morning! We also meet three little hens. All the animals (and including most of the visitors to the garden) are well-loved and enjoy a charmed life.

Ruins in the garden are a visual treat

The house is three-storeyed, built in the early 1900s. The garden is spectacular - a combination of tall trees, lawns, shrubberies - many rhodies and azaleas in their final days of flowering (it's spring here), ponds, and structural vistas. Whimsical features and statues add visual interest and some fun to the garden and include a prowling crocodile and a stray calf.

We are within walking distance to Great Windsor Park. It was originally a large private deer hunting park (5000 acres/20km sq) for Windsor Castle and dates back to the mid-13th century, but is now open to the public. (Much more to tell you about this area and who lives in the garden when we are back in a week's time but I will tell you that we are great company and that Max is in car heaven - bmw, audi, maserati, ferrari, daimler, just to name a few)

To stay awake on our day of arrival, we take a stroll around the large lake, Virginia Water - approx. eight km. Boy, are we were pleased to finish with a drink at the Wheatsheaf, a typical English pub on the edge of the lake...