The forecast predicted warm, dry weather, the Rolls was for once in working order, Mother had prepared enough food for an army, and Larry was coming home for a visit. The Durrell family picnic on the Dorset coast should have been a relaxing, jolly affair. But with the Durrells things are seldom straightforward and on this occasion all that could go wrong did go wrong - except Gerald Durrell's sense of humour in recounting the tale.