Coggeshall - A hidden gem!

I had another swift trip down the the southern counties this week, early-morning Newcastle-Southampton with Eastern Airways, on a cute Saab plane with rotors and leather seats (had a monster under the bonnet though, hidden jets!) Very good service, lovely flight and they gave me a nice breakfast! My workmate collected me and we went off to a couple of local hospitals to sell our stuff.

Afterwards along the south coast on the A27 he pointed out some local landmarks, Arundel Castle (wow!) and I spotted Lancing College Chapel (also Wow!), which he'd not noticed before!

On past the fake plastic trees and up into south London, he dropped me off at the Travelodge. I then had a half-hour wait while some builders argued with the receptionist, so I didn't feel much like going to the pub next door for food. Ordered a huge pizza (eventually, after I didn't have the postcode and the guy on the phone didn't understand the word "travelodge") and they gave me a big tub of Haagen-Dazs, which was surely a mistake but I wan't too upset.

Next morning we went up to Ipswich on a similar mission, timing it just right traffic-wise we then had some time afterwards for some actual real lunch.

Just off the A12 on the A120 en-route to Stansted airport, I instructed my driver (!) to just see if there was anywhere nice to eat in Coggeshall. Found the marvellous White Hart Hotel and has a delicious cheese omelette, presented by the resident Italian chef who after we'd eaten could be seen jumping into his Fiat wearing a red Lamborghini leather jacket. I can't exaggerate how impressive this little village was, with it's embossed Essex plasterwork and it's painted houses, some of them were so special they were owned by the National Trust!

Onward to the airport and back on Squeezy-jet to Newcastle, with a plane-load of noisy kids who treated the flight as a rollercoaster ride, even did the hands-in-the-air bit.