Travelogue – Rediscover a part of childhood

Thursday, August 15

We had a leisurely morning at the hotel, sleeping in and enjoying breakfast. We checked out a bit before the designated 11:00. Then we walked the short distance to the train station and took a train to the airport.

After checking bags we faced a decision – whether to eat lunch before security (lots of fine options) or after (options unknown). We ate before, though it seemed we just had breakfast. That turned out to be a good decision – there wasn't much other than duty free shops beyond security.

I had a small problem during the security check. This past Sunday Brother had given me the gift from the Talle pastor and the nail was in my carryon bag. I had completely forgotten it was there. Of course, the x-ray found it and flagged my bag for further checking. The agent found the nail. I said it was a souvenir and that, if necessary, he could take it. After a bit more discussion he let me keep it if I made sure I moved it to my checked bag. I agreed.

The flight to Heathrow was about an hour. We picked up another rental car, which Brother expertly drove on the other side of the road. Then it was off to the area where Brother and family lived for three years while he was on foreign assignment for his company. At the time Niece was ages 7-9.

We went first to the school where Niece and her sister attended. This is TASIS, The American School in (Switzerland) in England. The original school was in Switzerland. In the last 20 years this English branch of the school dropped Switzerland from the name but didn't change its acronym.

Though Niece hadn't given them any notice we were coming and it was already late in the day, Mary of the public relations office showed us around. She said part of her job is to hear from alumni, and showing them around and hearing their comments is one way of doing that.

A few buildings have been added in the last 20 years, blending into the existing architecture quite well. We found the rooms where Niece spent 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades and heard her stories of the things she did, such as being an apple (with worm) in the school Christmas play (no, I don't know the connection).

It was a two hour tour. Niece was happy and delighted to rediscover a part of her childhood.

TASIS seems to be a pretty good place for learning. Niece's elder sister (grades 6-8 while at TASIS) seems to have used her TASIS experience as the inspiration for her rich home school curriculum – her 3 year old loves opera.

From TASIS we drove to the hotel where Brother and family lived during their first month in England while waiting to move into their house. The place was under renovation, so nothing to see. We did find the Fox and Hounds pub near Windsor Great Park where the family ate several times during that month and during the three years they lived there. Alas, I left behind the new cap I had just bought in Cologne. Niece had been given a bag of swag from TASIS which included a cap, which she gave to me.

We drove past the house where they had lived for three years. Not much to see from the car in the evening light.

Our hotel in Chertsey was another over a pub. The room was adequate, though I saw it could use three things – a chair, a bedside lamp, and a towel rack.