Karen Wright:

We sometimes go for months without a visit and rely on technology to keep in touch. It is not the same though as seeing them in person but of course if you don't bite the bullet and put plans in place things don't happen. I use the phrase “make things happen” quite often so I put that into practice and made some arrangements. First up, a visit to Oxford by car.

The weather was shocking as we prepared to drive to Oxford. The housing estate where I live was engulfed in snow and the roads were treacherous. Fortunately, as soon as we reached the main road everything looked clear and we made our way to the motorway. Three hours later we were checking into our hotel which was only a five-minute stroll to where Vanessa lives. We stayed in with her the first evening and enjoyed a delicious Mexican meal. I had taken chilli con carne with me (as I had cooked it at home in readiness) and we added all the usual toppings while we enjoyed a glass of wine and a good catch up.

The next day, after a bit of retail therapy, we wrapped up and went out for a lovely walk through the local park, which even has an outdoor swimming pool, although it is closed for winter now. In the evening, we hopped on a bus and a short ride later we were in the middle of Oxford. Oxford is a magical place, and as it is where Vanessa did her master's degree and she now works, she was able to point out lots of places of interest as we walked to the restaurant we had booked for dinner.

We had a superb meal in a small French restaurant called Pierre Victoire. It was wonderful. My main course was a twist on my own signature dish Beef Bourguignon but instead of beef it was venison. Served with dauphinoise potatoes, carrots and a horseradish cream, I was in seventh heaven. John had steak frites and Vanessa belly pork, we all agreed it was worth every penny we paid.

Next week, a different vibe, I will be reporting from Brighton!