Cheltenham and Malvern

Posted on 2005/01/17 14:01:56 (January 2005).

[Sunday 16th January]
We started off the morning with a very respectable hotel breakfast, and then gathered together our things and checked out. We went for another wander around the shops in Cheltenham on foot before getting in the car and heading off. We'd wanted to drink the spa waters, so went to the Pump Room, only to find disappointingly that due to some technical fault or something, we weren't actually able to drink the water.
Disappointed, but not altogether put off, I became quite determined that we would somehow drink some fresh spring water. So I decided we should go to Malvern. I'd been there as a kid a couple of times with my Dad, and recalled rather fondly an outlet by the side of the road, up on the hill, where the locals went to collect fresh mineral water. This is basically the same stuff that goes into bottled Malvern water (as sold by Schweppes), but of course it is absolutely free. After a phone call to my Dad for directions, we found the place with relative ease. This was possibly the high point of the weekend - it really doesn't sound like it ought to have been that great, but I guess you'll just have to believe me. We drank plenty there and then as it was just so tasty - probably the same reason why whisky tastes so good at the distillery, or wine at the vineyard. Luckily Chie had an empty bottle in the car so we could bring some back with us as well.
I drove most of the way home as Chie was a bit tired. She nodded off in the passenger seat for the last segment of the journey. When we got back we had Japanese food for dinner - including miso soup made with Malvern water - most water just has the wrong chemical composition for it, and never tastes quite right, but this was just perfect.

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