Privileged.

This morning we received a text message from postman Pete telling us to meet a Dr Poole at the Lodge of Green College for a tour of the college (university). We found the college easily. Green College is only 1 of about 50 odd colleges in Oxford which make up Oxford University.
Dr Poole as it turns out is another Kiwi who originated from Invercargill and has been in Britain since 1955. The current vice chancellor of Oxford University, John Hood is also a Kiwi. Where would they be without the Kiwi’s?
Dr Poole was waiting for us and gave us the history of the college which is the newest college in Oxford even though it was built in the 1700’s. Originally set up to study astronomy the colleges telescopes etc; were shipped off to South Africa and the college changed to medical science and it was here that Penicillin was first developed before being shipped off to the USA for further development.
Lord Nuffield of the motor industry fame has had a large financial input into the college and its development.

Talking about the motor industry how about this unusual mode of transport. The old Reliant comes to mind but I think this might be a home made job but very well done.


We were then taken up the old Radcliff Observatory building. This was a privilege because only certain personnel are allowed the keys to this building and it is here that a wedding was due to take place this afternoon. We had to climb a circular stone staircase up to the second floor and then a narrow steel stair well up to the observatory.

The all round view of Oxfordshire was stunning and the weather couldn’t have been better. One view was of the flood plain to the North which naturally is completely under water at present. It is a massive area and will take quite some considerable time to drain.

This afternoon we have seen a Tiger Moth flying around the area and the fire brigade launched their rescue craft presumably for a training exercise. They went downstream quite rapidly but the return upstream proved not to be as easy as they fought again the current and turbulence.