Not exactly on my travels but it was in London when a childhood friend invited me down for the weekend to a party to celebrate his recent quiet remarriage. I thought that it would be mainly family and some other old friends from our teenage years but I couldn't be more wrong. It turned out that the only people I knew at the party where him and the friend who came with me - I hadn't even previously met his new partner! We arrived before any of the other guests because they were putting us up at their house and whilst everybody else was getting ready the phone rang. When an exasperated voice called down the stairs 'Will somebody please answer the bl**dy phone' I picked it up. At which point I found myself being given the 3rd degree as to who exactly I was if I wasn't the householder - it turned out that this was the Special Protection police officers wanting to come and do the security check on the house because Neil and Glenys Kinnock were coming to the party too! He was leader of the Labour Party and hence the Opposition at the time. They were long time friends of his new partner, as were various other members of the Labour Party and the TUC, and the police duly came around, inspected every room in the house before the Kinnocks were allowed in and slunk around occasionally talking into their sleeves!

I knew that my friend was an actor but didn't expect so many of the great and good of the British stage and TV to be there too. The friend who came as my 'plus one' is not usually lost for words but we both sat there star struck on the stairs as Timothy West and Prunella Scales came through the door, as well as Susan Hampshire and Sheila Hancock (her husband John Thaw wasn't with her!) and Joan Bakewell and a man whom I later realised was probably Alan Yentob. I never plucked up the courage to ask my friend why I'd been invited but seemingly none of the other old friends from that era in our lives had! We spent most of our time chatting to my pal's ex-brother-in-law whom we'd initially mistaken for Bob Peck the actor who starred in the TV series 'Edge of Darkness' (this dates me doesn't it!). He too was a bit unsure about why he was there in such illustrious company. I've never since been in the presence of so many people I'd have dearly loved to ask for their autograph but thought it would be bad form to do so!

What a great dinner story SMa. 👍

I met Nigel Havers back in the 70's in a taverna on one of the Greek Islands. He was with his, I'm assuming wife, as with Fiona & SMa we didn't want to intrude on their privacy. Nigel, however, engaged first with us by asking if we'd like his finished with newspaper lol.

I was once on a flight from London to Teesside Airport with Hayley Mills.

Not on holiday, but in the early 70's before he was famous, Dave Coverdale, singer with Whitesnake was part of our extended group of friends. He looked nothing like he did after he became famous mind you!

I don't think anyone can beat that Sma! Amazing! Glynis- friends with rock stars? Whitesnake - I loved a lot of their songs. Fool for your Loving is one of my all time favourite songs.

On our honeymoon in Estoril February 1975 - John Pertwee at the hotel and in the bar on an evening - he was a very nice and funny fellow.

the best Dr Who!