Easter in Horsham

Last Wednesday, I managed to eventually return home for a bit. I packed as many clothes and revision notes as I could into my bag, then hopped on the train at Reading to return to Horsham.

I happened to be there at the same time as Piazza Italia, a three-day festival celebrating all things Italian. I'm not sure of the Italian population of Horsham, but I'm fairly sure it's below 1%. This didn't stop the organisers from turning the town centre into a strange version of Italy, which seemed to be focused a lot more on the food, drink, cars and glamour than the corruption, mafia and poor driving.

On each of the three days, Dad and I went to town to watch the cars arrive, in convoy, from a hotel on the outskirts of Horsham. The first day saw almost 100 Ferraris parked in the Carfax, the main square in the town. On the Saturday, it was the turn of the Minis, then Sunday saw the leftovers arrive, with Alfa Romeos, Fiats, Lamborghinis, a Pagani Zonda and a Porsche, which seemed to have sneaked in somehow.

Some Fiat 500s, in patriotic colours. If they were French.

Definitely a considerate driver.

Ferraris in the Carfax.

Minis. Not Italian, unless used for bank robberies.

It was nice to be back home, and between cars, I actually managed to get some revision done. It was still all-too easy to accidentally end up sitting outside under the apple blossom with a cool drink, listening to the birds and watching the guinea-pigs scampering around. If you attempted the same thing in Reading, it'd be under the dripping overflow from the toilet upstairs, listening to the sound of two A-roads within 100 yards of the garden, and watching the men demolishing the Indian takeaway a few doors down. Not quite the same, I think you'll agree!

The garden in Horsham. If you click on the photo, you can see all the weeds in the flowerbeds. So don't.

My first exam is on Tuesday, when I'll have to sit down and write three essays in three hours on electoral reform. Interesting and enjoyable as it is (and I mean that genuinely, in case it sounds otherwise), I'll be glad to get the exam out of the way!