The Packhorse Pub. Near Reading - the name, surroundings, service and cooking by Angela Lansbury

 
Inside is a picture of the packhorse.

Delightful Decor

Decor

As you can see, pictures, pictures, everywhere. You'll never be short of things to look at and talk about.

I commented to a member of staff on the number of pictures. He said, 'Two of the pictures are upside down. It's deliberate. It's like that in all the group pubs. We have about 80 all over the country.'

Service

The staff were friendly, chatty, smiley and helpful. Easy to catch their eye and wave to them when we were ready to order.  They didn't rush us out. That is the advantage of a country pub - as opposed to a small city centre place where there's a crush and rush on seating and parking space.

They did not ask us if everything was all right.  So I did not have the courage to tell them I did not like the batter on my fish, which was too crisp. I would have preferred a batter softer, more like a thin pancake. I fantasied that f I had been a regular, I might have gone into the kitchen, seen if fish was heated in n oven or grill or frying pan, and told them exactly at what point they should lift it out and said, I'll come here every Friday if you can cook it the way I like it. Restaurants do steak the way you like it. 

Strangely, I had the opposite problem with the crumble dessert. Undercooked. No texture to the crumble which was not crumbled on top but a smooth uncooked paste. Yes, the same as steaks, the customer's preference should apply to batter. 

Is it just me? I had the same view of the masala dosai at Praba restaurant later the same day that it should have been cooked the way I like it. Cooked too much. Crispy and crackly instead of soft like a pancake.

Four things I like to know. Where to sit. They were good at that. The sign at the door tells you. Staff behind the bar tell you. They offer to show you to the table. One separate nook of alcove tables in a middle room between the bar and restaurant is the dog friendly area. 

Toilets

The toilets were lovely. I tried both the spacious handicapped toilet which was spotlessly clean and welcoming, and the ladies' room. Flowers. Colours. Clean. Accessible bin for hand towels. Plenty of visible spare toilet rolls so they don't run out.

Interesting

Seating Choice

Choice of indoor, in three indoor areas, the bar area, the main restaurant with windows, the more enclosed area, the two large alcove dog-friendly tables. Plus seating at the front where you can sit to hail your friends if you arrive first. The large garden at the back. Plenty of seating. No need to worry about booking, except for events and co-ordinating with friends. However, you can make an automated booking online.

Events

They organize country walks, and one off events such as the Sausage day, and Spanish food and music.

Meal Tickets

Our bill came with small address card size pieces of paper marked meal ticket. I thought they were address cards and took only one.

It had small white print on grey and a QR code. You might need reading glasses, and to take time to check what it says.

Later I discovered it was a discount voucher. I presume you received one person per meal. You needed six of them for a discount, and they were valid until November, four months away.

So, and if you had six of them, which would have been from two more meals for a couple, or more. But we are unlikely to go back to this area. Are they valid also in London, where other restaurants in this group can be found?

Prices

Pricier than a Wetherspoons, but less than the top Michelin restaurants in the area. 

Regulars come here because it is nearby and convenient with parking.

Useful Websites

www.packhorsepub.co.uk

https://www.brunningandprice.co.uk/packhorse/menus/sunday-menu/

Return to Praba Sri Lankan Restaurant

 On my second visit to Praba, the Sri Lankan restaurant near South Harrow Station, they were able to provide me with a mango lassi. Thirst quenching and cold.

Also milk is a source of calcium, so I like to think it is good for me, helping with osteoporosis.

Again, I ordered masala dosai.

This time the pancake was cooked crispier. Still okay.

We wanted the bill split. They wanted to charge each of us extra if we paid with four credit cards. We spent a long time discussing this with the waiter. At first we were disconcerted and unhappy. This seemed a whole palaver.

But after we had eaten, our mood changed.

Finally, one of the four of us decided he was happy to pay for all on his one card, because he got cashback with Chase Bank.

So we other three all did a bank transfer to our friend. Not next day, but immediately. Much simpler. Easier to check the bill in front of you. Be sure the cash had been transferred. Job done.

There are terms and conditions you must apply to be eligible for the UK Chase deal.

Useful Websites

https://www.chase.co.uk/gb/en/support/where-can-i-earn-cashback/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chase_Bank

See my previous post on this restaurant. Please share links to your previous posts.

London's Tourist Tuk Tuks Or Rickshaws

 

This one has the words, 'Hey, taxi, London,' above the seats inside, and under the seat. 

Where Are They?

Motorised tricycles are known by different names around the world, and variations as company names.

These in my photographs were parked near Embankment station in London, and driving up the road towards Trafalgar Square. 

You might see the lights, flashing lights, or hear music, like ice cream vans which I remember from my childhood.

The cost comes down divided between three friends. If the charge is by time and distance rather than by person. You can see them up and down Oxford Street, the main shopping street, as well as side streets.

Decor

They are brightly coloured, luminous, every one different. One had seats covered in imitation white long haired fur. For fun photos. Open sided so you can take pictures. 

Are they fun, causing congestion on already busy roads, a safer slower form or transports than big buses and coaches, cheaper than taxes, conning tourists out of cash. We were sent one at the airport by the hotel's taxi service in Cambodia. My hat nearly blew off. I was left clutching it. The engine and traffic nose make everything too noisy to speak to the driver and ask him to slow down, stop, or how long now. We hired them by the day or week for nearly a fortnight. You bargained the price. I was quite disappointed to get a ordinary and more expensive regular taxi back to the airport when we left. See my previous posts on this subject for more. Wikipedia has entertaining articles and pictures of similar vehicles in (alphabetically) Bangladesh, The Philippines, and other countries.

Useful Websites about rickshaws and tuktuks

UK

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuctuc_Ltd

Worldwide - USA, Europe, India and more

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto_rickshaw

 

Canary Wines

 

Central London Wine Society held one of its twice a month wine tastings, in July, on the theme of Canary Islands wines. The presenter was Trevor Sharot, author of a book on island wines, called Isle drink.

Canary Island Wines

He had brought back wines from the big island of Tenerife and smaller La Palma.

 His slides showed that the cheeses were from cows, sheep and goats. One of the cheeses was wrapped in vine leaves. 

You can buy a small selection of Canary wines from the Wine Society which had a few basic popular and affordable wines. Trevor had enjoyed tasting those a month earlier at an event run by Christos.

Trevor"s wines included one much more expensive wine. He also had a tasting sheet with a map of tthe islands and vineyards he had visited showing where each wine came from.

His slides showed the different styles of vine training, taking into account the winds. And highest vineyard. 

La Palma Volcano Eruption

Perhaps most memorable was the picture of the vineyard engulfed by the most recent volcanic eruption on La Palma around the time of Covid. No lives lost in the eruption but the vineyard owners' homes, vines and businesses needed finance and time for replacing. 

An enjoyable informative and entertaining evening.

Backpack cum trolley bag - size and safety

 I like the idea of a backpack cum trolley bag. The trolley feature is useful to relieve your back. But going up stairs if you have a second bag, it is handy to be able to put it on your back and leave your hands free to hold the banister, or help a child or older person. The trolley is useful if it is flat on top and can balance something else.

I watched a useful video about the extra features of one trolley rucksack, which was selling at near a hundred dollars/euros/pounds. 

Price Point & Postage

On ebay I could see prices ranging from about 14 pounds, 13.99. Some of them charged six pounds for postage which brought them up in the range or rivals selling around 19 or twenty. However I found one which was the cheaper price, post free. Then I read the description and saw it had two wheels. What was the specification for the others?

You might need a bigger bag or one with a front pocket if you are travelling with a laptop or a book to read, or just extra brochures.

Beware Of Muddling Matching Suitcase Sets

You could buy two bags, one to use as a backpack, the other as a trolley bag, to look co-ordinated. Fine if you are single. Or the bags are different sizes.

But beware of his and hers bags in identical sizes. Once my husband and I both had identical black bags. We were lucky to be on similarly timed flights the same day from the same airport going in different directions.

Five minutes after we said goodbye he came dashing back to find me. He realised he had my bag and I had his. He was about to arrive at a conference, having gone through various security inspections with high heeled shoes and ladies underwear. Minus his laptop.

 I would have arrived minus - well, you get the idea, the message.

Add Stickers, And Covers, To Suitcases

Some people don't want brand new luggage in poor countries because that makes them a target. They also think bright colours are conspicious and attract unwanted attention. One solution is to put an old stained tee-shirt on your suitcase in public places, which also covers exposed zips and soft parts which could be slashed.

The old faded, stained or torn tee-shirt can be removed when you arrive at your conference, business meeting, or expensive hotel and want to look smart.

The solution to this is a second colour tag or sticker or painted stripe on one or both. 

Backpack and Suitcase Colour Choices

I like pink, orange and red. My husband sometimes uses my suitcases. He doesn't want pink, but can manage with red or orange. Some of the suppliers had sold out of the pink, red, and orange options. However, they had purple, blue and green. I have a large blue and green suitcase bought on holiday to replace a broken item same size. That was my only colour option in the size large enough to take the items already with me. So the blue or green smaller bag would co-ordinate with my larger suitcase, as well as going reasonably well with my orange, pink or red summer clothes.

Backpacks At The Front

Regarding backpacks, several online websites and videos warn against having valuables in pockets on a backpack worn on your back. The suggestion is to wear the backpack on your front in crowded places, lines for buses or at attractions, or sales.

There you have it. All the options to check on.

Buying On Holiday

The bigger department stores and bargain stores have suitcases. You can buy before leaving home, or bring back an extra bag from holiday for souvenirs such as heavy bottles of wine.

We did this, paying extra for the transport of another check in bag on RyanAir, but only one way, not the outward journey. 

Websites - Useful Backpack & Suitcase Sources

amazon

ebay

temu

Prepare For Emergencies - Like in Japan and the Philippines

Be Prepared

The scout's motto is be prepared. First Aid. But not only first aid. Scouts are constantly learning new skills. How to read maps. How to cook food. 

Outdoors

Hiking and camping holidays teach you what you need to survive, alone or in a group. Protective clothing. Food and drink. Knowing the weather. 

Planning a route. 

Telling people where you are, where you are going, when you will be back. 

Avoiding Danger

Check weather forecasts. Watch out for wild animals. Avoid dangerous places. Avoid dangerous activities.

Have insurance. Keep the number of who to call in your pocket. 

Know the location of the nearest hospital and emergency department. Does the hotel or ship have a resident doctor or nurse or first aider?

Hotels

Hotels show you escape routes on the back of bedroom doors. 

Know the location of the fire extinguishers.

 And the fire exits. Are they locked or blocked? If I am in a group and arrive first, but see no fire extinguisher or exit, I pick a table near the front entrance.

Trains

One man who survived a train crash, fatal to other passengers, explained how he was able to save himself and his family. As he entered the carriage and took his seat, he had simply noted the location of the nearby window and how to open it.  

Types of situations: 

Fire. Flood. Food poisoning. Earthquake. Plane crash. Boat sinking. Rip tide when swimming. Avalanche. Tsunami. Storm. Wild animals. Escaped pets. Active shooters. Riots. Burglars. Carbon monoxide. Sink holes. Car accident. Robbery. Kidnap. Wrongful arrest or imprisonment. 

Rescuing Others

Drownings in pools and on beaches.

Fires in homes and entertainment and hospitality venues.

Emergency Bag

In Japan it is usual to have an emergency bag close to your front door to grab as you exit in the event of an earthquake, tsunami or any other emergency.

Apparently the British government plans to issue advice to every household in Britain.

 You would need everything for a weekend away, plus more food and drink and first aid equipment and documentation. But a small enough bag to carry.

I have seen people saying we don't have need for this because the UK is not in an earthquake area. 

What if you travel to an earthquake area on holiday? I was take by surprise by an earthquake on a Greek island. 

I was a travel writer on a press trip, a guest of the government tourist promotion. Ironically, we were listening to a speech, in Greek, about how safe the island was. A translator summarised briefly in the pause after every fifth sentence. In fact, the safety they were talking about was robbery.

There was a huge crash. The drinks in our drinking glasses shook. The Greeks all ran out. I thought a lift had fallen. (Americans say elevator.)

Then one of the fellow brits said, 'I think that was an earthquake. If they have all left, we should leave.' So we ran outside.

The following day we went to a museum and read about a major disaster which had happened to the island a decade or more previously.

When I arrived on La Palma in the Canary islands in June 2026, I had no idea that a major volcanic eruption has happened less than a decade earlier. The museum's day by day videos kept me mesmerised for several hours, whilst my husband was hiking.

In the UK there are people living in houses along crumbling clifftops. Others are in houses built on flood plains. These are disasters we know about. Sink holes appear suddenly over areas which have been mined a century ago. In the UK. And many other countries. 

We also have flash fires. In nightclubs. Such as the one in January in Switzerland. Safe, law-abiding, affluent Switzerland.

Suggestions

First aid kit and first aid instruction book, including bandages, first aid equipment and sterilisers such as wipes. I would include waterproof bandages and tape.

Survival book.

Language translation. learn the language before travelling.

I spent a year learning Spanish. When I fell down a flight of stairs on holiday in La Palma in the Canaries, I shouted, 'Help, help, help.' 

Nobody answered. 

I then reckoned that most of the hotel staff spoke Spanish. So I shouted, 'Ayuda', meaning aid or help, in Spanish. People came running.

What if you are just stuck for hours, waiting for a replacement plane or ship? 

Toys, games or entertainment, for yourself and others, while waiting. A pencil and paper to draw noughts and crosses, make a fortune teller. A tiny pack of playing cards.

Water, drinking cup, maybe water purifier.

Seeds to grow edible plants. 

Small tins of food with tin opener. I would opt for sardines.

Also plant edible plants in your garden. Every garden should have an apple tree, and a tree growing nuts or other suitable food for protein. 

Two scenarios require opposite action. One is escape. The other is stay in place because roads are blocked, or the doors are blocked, and you are beseiged or waiting for help. So you need food and drink in the pocket of your coat or dressing gown. 

Aircraft

What are you given on an aircraft? Bulk to protect you. Flotation device for landing in the sea, river or lake, or flood water. 

Whistle to make sound which carries, or small bell if you are too weak to shout. Or mirror for signalling, to rescuers for away or overhead in aircraft.

Supplies for others, children, pets, the elderly, those you meet on the way to safety.

Identity documents. Insurance documents. Driving license.

Fire Survivors

The people who survived a fire in a hotel because they were by the hotel swimming pool, wearing shorts. They needed regular clothes. Also credit cards to buy clothes, and food, and accommodation, and transport to travel home.

Useful Websites

https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-15977097/Householders-told-prepare-major-emergencies-new-government-public-information-campaign.html

https://www.jrpass.com/blog/what-to-do-in-case-of-an-earthquake-in-japan#:

Wine and Whisky Tasting In London

 

Left Jano @whiskysky_official on Instagram

Whisky Dinners In Pinner

Jano holds dinners with 5 whiskies, once a month, at a restaurant in Pinner, Middlesex. 

Right Angela Lansbury of Central London Wine Society.

Central London Wine Society

It meets the middle two Wednesdays in the evening at the Civil Service Club near Trafalgar Square. The cost varies from about £30 for tasting about 7 wines, double that cost yet sold out with a waiting list for tasting more expensive premium wines, with commentary from the presenter. See media such as Meetup and Eventbrite to secure a place and get admission to the venue.