The Colonel

I am not one for junk food but I know that from living abroad you crave things that you don’t normally eat when in the UK.

When I lived in Chicago I craved Bird’s custard powder.

My Mum sent me some in the post, unfortunately for me she decided to take it out of the tin and send in a sealed plastic bag along with another sealed plastic bag of Yorkshire pudding mix.

Unfortunately as this was the time of the anthrax scares in the US just after 9/11.. Little packets of white powder being sent through the post in Jiffy Bags….

It took that parcel 3 months to get to me. I still now giggle when I think that there is a possibility that security were analysing the Bird's...

“We don’t know what it is Sir but is turns a yellow not known in the natural world when you add milk…”

I have no idea what they thought of the Yorkshire pudding mix. At least she didn't try and send me a packet of Aunt Bessies.. or some mushy peas.

A diet of rice, veg and spam can become a little monotonous after 10 days and I was craving some “normal“ food. I don’t even know why I say normal. I was just craving something that wasn’t rice.

On the way back to Beijing we saw a KFC. The bags were left and we braved life and limb to cross roads and get to that KFC. It was delicious- I know. But it really was. Even High Society loved her cold chips.

Silence fell across the group of 8 that had made the trek as we ate fried chicken chips and ice cream. A guilty pleasure.. a bit like me having a soft spot for Jeremy Clarkson.. it's wrong.. but you just can't help it...

Vik captured the mood entirely when he stood up and saluted the Colonel.

All that was needed was Birds Custard Powder.