I had a lovely time yesterday at Port Lympne in Kent, the hotel and nature reserve which was founded by John Aspinall. I don’t have a well-informed view on the ethics of keeping wild animals on a different continent, but I did get a real thrill from being up close and personal with real giraffe, different species of rhinoceros, Bactrian camels and a more distant zebra.

I also saw a lion and a capybara, but did not get good shots of them; and lots and lots and lots of different types of deer.

Inside the hotel, there is some spectacular art, with the jewel being the room whose entire walls are dominated by a massive mural by Arthur Spencer Roberts. It’s difficult for photographs to do it justice, but I tried.

The whole day, of course, was a celebration for a friend and former colleague, who has found the man for the rest of her life. It was a great day and I wish them many happy years together.