I had to get to one-day conference in St Andrews where, I was warned, the presentations would be a waste of time, but I could enjoy many different varieties of sherry.

TPR and I travelled part of the way there by tandem. Things got tricky when the back end of the bike became detached from the front. Although I could still pedal along quite happily, I had no brakes. I was forced to slam my wellington-booted feet into the tarmac to slow myself down at traffic lights.