Hotel life

Wilson is still a bit miffed that, due to the Bees' Guest Blog yesterday, he was unable to tell you about the v. tasty dinner he had in the Hotel Restaurant. 

I think he's beginning to regret his generous offer to let them Blog once a month — although now they're building up a regular readership I'm sure they won't relinquish their Blogging Rights without a fight!

We've retired to the bar now, and W is catching up on his email. He's particularly chuffed that one of his Twitter friends has Tweeted: "You're the 'Number One' anteater on Twitter, for sure!"

Also, I've promised him that we'll go back to the pier tomorrow so he can have his Donkey Ride on the sand.

The Facts of Life

Bees' Guest Blog: The Facts of Life

We know that many of you are very curious about what is sometimes called 'The Facts of Life' and today we were going to tell you all about those facts. 

However, bearing in mind what happened when we told Wilson about them a few months ago, we've asked Uncle Zoltan to draw up a Waiver or a Disclaimer or something for you to sign and send back to us if you accept the risks of learning about the Birds and the Bees. 

Once we've received all your Waivers or whatever they are we will tell you all the Facts Of Life next month when we Guest Blog again. If we don't get enough of them back we'll tell you about some more Bee Recipes and Housekeeping Tips instead.

See you next month,

Polly- and Billi-B

XX

The Last Tram

The day is drawing to a close and I'm ready for dinner, but Wilson has pleaded for one last tram ride. 

This tram has comfy upholstered seats, and W is intrigued by the way the backs of them flip so passengers can face forward whichever way the tram is driving. He told me he might try adapting the front passenger seat in our car for when I'm reversing.

As we disembarked he had a final go at pretending to drive, even though he could barely see out of the front window. 'I expect if I'd been a real tram driver they'd have provided a box for me to stand on,' he explained, 'with my name printed on it in a nice font!'

Tomorrow is the day the Bees do their Guest Blog. Wilson has had a text from them saying to tell you all to have a pen ready when you read it, as you will have to sign a disclaimer or something because they will be saying something very controversial.

I wouldn't take any notice, but at least I've told you now…

Railway signal box

The museum wasn't just about buses and trams — there was also a tiny caravan with little bunks and a kitchen where the railway track repair men used to live, and a real signal box we were allowed to go into! 

Wilson particularly liked all the dials and the old-fashioned telegraphs, but complained that the room smelled of oil.

'I couldn't have worked in this oily smell, New Dad!' he confided. I said nothing, but reflected that if he had worked in a signal box it would soon have smelled not of oil but of anteater.

The big levers for changing the points were very stiff and he wore himself out trying to pull them — so much so that we had to retire to the tea-rooms for refreshments.

Time is getting on, though, and we'll have to see about returning to the hotel once we've finished our coffees…

Riding upstairs

Like most kids, Wilson enjoys riding upstairs on a bus… although he didn't know that until today, as I think this is the first time he's ever ridden on a bus at all, let alone upstairs on a vintage tram!

Compared to a modern bus, tram rides are immensely jerky and lurchy-about, and in the picture you can see W holding on tightly to our souvenir tram tickets with one paw and his ice-cream cone with the other, being very careful not to get ice-cream on the seats. Or on the tickets. Or himself.

He loved it so much that he asked me whether we could sell the car and buy a tram instead — I think there are one or two drawbacks to that plan that he hasn't properly considered…

Hold very tight please — ding-ding!

The driver of this vintage Tram let Wilson call out, 'Hold very tight, please! Ding Ding!' before he drove off.

W had to shout the 'Ding Ding' part, as unfortunately there wasn't a bell-push within his reach. 

However, he was allowed to go round all the passengers with a ticket machine clipping their tickets!

Transport Museum

Wilson claims to be bored by museums, alleging that they are all far inferior to his own 'Wilson Vermilingua (OBE) Museum of Old Stuff and a Robot' but I think he'll enjoy the one we're going to today — the East Anglia Transport Museum.

Here there loads of old buses and trams and things, and you can actually have free rides on many of them. Even the roads look like you've stepped out of a time machine back into the 1950s.

It's very nostalgic for me, but even though W is seeing them for the first time I'm certain that he'll love it here. 

Wilson sends special love and good wishes to Colin's New Mum, Ms Jenny, who is running the London Marathon today for the 11th time!