We went to Warner Bros studio tour to walk again in the footsteps of Harry Potter. Virginia's sister Vicky was over from New Zealand and this was a joint family outing. I made a fool of myself going through security, I keep having to remove metallic items from my pockets! The entrance had changed, you have a long walk past quotes from the books on the hoardings. The exhibits you walk past haven't changed, but it is still well done and worth one visit at least. Our New Zealand visitors enjoyed it. The day had torrential rain - we had a nightmare journey home, crawling through the St Albans area then crawling up the A1.

There is a mecca for Harry Potter fans at Watford. The Warner Bros studio tour where you can walk in the footsteps of Harry Potter, see the scenes from the movies, see how the movies were made, and taste something called "butterbeer". The studios are well-laid out for visitors, well organised, plenty of free car parking, cafes and rest rooms, and of course a large shop so you can take away some of that magic back home. I'm not a Harry Potter fan but I still got something out of visiting these studios. Firstly how much effort goes into making films of the scale of the Harry Potter films, how many people are involved, the talents required to create the visuals and the sounds. A useful counterpoint to the instant gratification of our day, where everything is a swipe away, where everything is superficial and cheaply obtained. Secondly how for those working on these films how they become part of a team a second family of those working - an experience I envy. Perhaps a reason readers become so enmeshed in the Harry Potter books is that they identify with Harry Potter not only in his becoming wizarding superstar royalty but also that he finds a real true family to belong to. Thirdly how rich the world that J K Rowling has composited is, plenty of material for people's imaginations to roam in. Like all authors and authoresses she has borrowed heavily from others, cooking up her books from off the shelf ingredients. It's a tour I would recommend.