When travelling there are always things that go awry and are a great test of character. As I have little character, this can be a bit of a drama but eventually things usually work out. This was the case when, ready to leave bright and early from London a couple of days ago to get to Stamford for the Burghley Horse Trials, we found ourselves with a flat tyre on the hire car. No great problem, except that Paul, mechanic extraordinaire, could not find an implement (I’m sure that’s not the right word but......) to remove the wheel. To cut a very long and tedious story short, it took 4 hours and two trips to the car hire place, which was in total disarray (remember that in the last blog I mentioned all of the complaining customers – now we know why) to finally get a replacement car and get underway. Rather frustrating as we were very organised for a change and had plans for our arrival in Stamford.
The view from our studio flat
However we finally arrived at our accommodation and things started to improve. Only 6 minutes drive on back roads from Burghley House, we have a lovely bright studio flat with all mod cons in a beautiful country location. We dropped by Burghley to do press accreditation etc and catch some of the trot up. Suddenly everything is looking good and it’s great to be here. The Media tent is bang slap in the middle of the event with great facilities, nice food, helpful and efficient staff and there are lots of mad Kiwi photographers and TV guys covering the event who are great fun. Horse & Hound down the other end keep looking as us as if they are wondering what planet we all came from! Another bonus is being able to park in the Member’s Area about 30 seconds from the Media area and main arena. Very impressive – M3DE and Adelaide, take note! Having checked things out at Burghley we headed over to Stapleford Park to have dinner with my mother and godfather who had driven down from Yorkshire to spend an evening with us. They are addicted to The George Hotel at Stamford, it is their home away from home and mum was very miffed that all these horsey people meant she could not get a booking there. The very large and grand Stapleford Park did not pass muster in mum’s eyes and we have to agree with her. Finally, after getting lost on the way back we literally fell into bed when we got back to the flat but at 6am – bingo, we were wide awake! The weather is amazing – the best of the English summer and Burghley Park looks amazing. With the current exchange rate, it is TOO irresistible. Lots of photos coming up of them After a lovely local pub dinner last night, we have another beautiful day today and a forecast of 26 degrees (English heatwave) for Day 2 of dressage – yesterday I even got a bit of sunburn. The Aussie riders certainly aren’t going to have a problem with the warm weather and slightly harder ground on the cross country (feels wonderful to me and the general public isn’t even allowed on the actual riding area of the course to maintain the grass) but there is no doubt that this is a BIG course. Heading off now to watch Lucinda Fredericks who should do a good test on Prada and hopefully we’ll be catching up with Lucinda and Clayton to interview them for the magazine between now and Blenheim [gallery order="DESC"] It’s all go!
