There has been widespread flooding in many parts of UK including the South West and South East. In Berkshire, flooding of the River Thames at Reading has disrupted railway services and further downstream at Runnymede, the River Thames has risen to a level that I have not seen before. We eat at the Runnymede Hotel time and time again with friends and loved ones, and on December 30, we arrived to find that half of the car park was submerged in water. At the back of the hotel facing River Thames, the water level had risen right up to the edge of the lawn. The dull grey sky and the drizzle summed up a miserable and wet winter of 2012.
Perhaps it was lunch time and most people were still recovering from the excesses of Christmas, the restaurant was half empty at 1 pm. Still, the company was delightful and we exchanged news about each other and those we know. It really sank into me that I had been travelling too much and too often....
River Thames at Runnymede in the Summer 2012 |
The same spot on 30 Dec 2012 |
Lacking in festive cheer, Left Bank Restaurant, Runnymede Hotel |