A tourist (topless) bus goes to Bournemouth in one direction and Swanage in the other from outside the hotel. Going to Bournemouth, it crosses the bay by chain ferry (my second in a week!) to Sandbanks. This is famous as one of the most expensive areas to live in the country. What was, twenty years ago, a spit of land with 1950s holiday bungalows, is now heaving with the sort of houses you see on tours of the stars homes in Miami. You have to hope the threatened sea level rise doesn’t happen too soon.

Between there and the centre of Bournemouth are the sort of houses and flats where you suspect that the main subjects of conversation are ‘Truss or Sunak’ and the threatened increase in golf club fees. The cost of living crisis will not be noticed until it affects the price of gin.

The centre of Bournemouth is rather nice – large pleasure grounds park (with drumming, rather taking the edge off), large beach and a lot of the symptoms of British seaside resorts – fish and chips, ice cream, rides, betting shops and a private company charging people to get onto the pier.

From the pier it is possible to take a boat ride around the bay. There are what seems like miles of beach – running parallel to the road we were on on the bus – and many many beach huts. We were informed about Harry Redknapp’s house move from Sandbanks amongst other nuggets. I understand he is a retired football manager.

Apologies for the lack of photos but that was the day I forgot my phone. I’m sure the tourist board have lovely pictures- https://www.bournemouth.co.uk/things-to-do/beaches