I was asked if I would like to accompany year 4 on their school trip. It was yesterday. There was wind, There was rain. We rode on a double-decker coach, swaying from side to side in the gale-force winds, relived that we are only twenty minutes from Alfriston.

There were moments when we advised the children to link arms to give them a certain weight advantage; upon my arrival at the school some of the tiny ones seemed to be flying down the road towards the gates, and I was slammed into the side of the car by a strong gust. We made the most of the indoor exhibits, and had a wonderful talk on habitats and adaptation. We were all given the opportunity to stroke a chinchilla and a snake; I had never thought I would want to, having had a mild phobia in the past, but it was actually lovely: not at all slimy and surprisingly warm.

I had a group of 5 children to look after. We looked at the map, and the only thing they unanimously agreed had to be done was a visit to the tanrantulas and the gift shop. We managed to be conveniently passing the penguins at feeding time which was delightful.

Being outdoors, even in such extreme conditions, was just what I needed. In the winter it can be very easy to hibernate but fresh air and exercise is healing all year round; though my hair was all over the place, my cheeks were glowing and I felt invigorated. In the wise words of Billy Connolly, "There's no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes!"

We went to Drusillas Park (google it for some lovely photos)