On the motorway south to Brighton, English trees were in full leaf and the magnolias dripped with huge blossoms, lush green rolling hills were dotted with dozing fat sheep and hyperactive new lambs, and from every corner the fertile spring overflowed. We had a wonderful day walking through the North Lanes in search of treasure, reacquainting ourselves with the city, and eating and talking until we could no longer stay awake and gave in to jet lag.