Week or so beforehand, I'd looked ahead, realised I was due a day's time off in the loo, and booked it off. Very deliberately didn't mention this fact to G. knowing that she'd be highly unlikely to secure that day off with so little notice. So it was that I awoke on 14-May-2019, to use my preferred date format, and rode out on my bright yellow bike for a day out in the sun. Happy 53rd birthday, me!

Up to station code IPS, lugged bike up and over the bridge and straight on to the 09:17. Through Woodbridge, Melton, "Wickham Market" (actually Campsea Ashe) and Saxmundham, then I'm off at Darsham on the stroke of 10am. Why? 'Cos the Darsham Hamper is dead and, after a hairy mile bike ride up the A12, I'm having birthday breakfast at its replacement, the Two Magpies Bakery. Excellent coffee and the best almond croissant I've ever had.

Hour later I've reboarded Greater Anglia's finest to pass through Halesworth, request stop Brampton and Beccles. Decided somewhere along the line to keep fit and get off one stop earlier, thus disembarked at Oulton Broad South. Brief tour of Nicholas Everitt park, bought a used paperback at the library, then cycled via Pakefield and over Lowestoft's mighty bascule bridge to reach unlovely Whapload Road (tyres, used cars, repeat). Why again? 'Cos it's home to the highly rated Lighthouse Diner, "the most easterly diner in the UK", a surely unique claim.

Slightly concerned that it's now 1:45pm and they're due to shut at 2pm but that's all fine. Order at the hatch -- double egg, double bacon, chips and beans -- and took my numbered slip. Bunch of customers inside ignoring the waiting-room style telly ("and now here on BBC1, Doctors"). My number's up, in a good way, so gave a few squirts of genuine HP and took my large plate of carbo goodies to the sun-drenched seating area outside. With a health giving bottle of mango iced tea to wash it down, all good, all very good indeed. No wonder they've nabbed a Trip Advisor certificate of excellence. And once you're sufficiently stuffed, work off some of those surplus calories with a stroll along the sea wall check out the Euroscope at Ness Point. There, you're truly east of Ipswich.

If it was a car -- used Kia Picanto from M&R Car Sales.
If they were passing by -- Laurie Sivell.