Ryton Park Country House Hotel Newcastle upon Tyne

Countries: 1
Miles travelled by Car: 1121
Miles Travelled by bike: Do trips to the supermarket count?
Fond Farewells: Numerous
Declarations of Jealousy: More numerous (because it includes a lot of people I don't even know)
Accusations of insanity: Even more numerous (because many people made more than one)
Bricks Shat: 53
Tasks left incomplete at time of departure: 2
Tasks able to be completed via internet: 2

1345 and I set out (Chauffeur driven of course) to leave the Eden Valley, bound for Newcastle. The journey was fairly uneventful and once I had located the correct check in desk it only remained for us to wait 20 minutes or so until boarding commenced. Jo and I broke into a chorus of 'The Littlest Hobo' which caused mum to get a touch emotional and we all had a lump in our throat for a minute or two. Soon enough however the doors started to roll ...

... up the bikes, we all headed off towards Scarborough to pop in and see Nathan aka the "Postman" & "Dot". Nathan rode from Sydney to London on a moped (named Dot) earlier this year and is a really lovely one off character. We all turned up & his Father supplied tea & biscuits for us all. Thanks Nathan & good luck with the book.

I was getting really excited ...

... of Thieves and ate my lunch thinking of Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman (I think) being here fighting the sheriffs men. The YHA doesn't open until 4pm so I pop in for a quick Stowford Press Cider next door while I wait. Just what you need after a hot day walking. Booked in to the YHA and I have to share with 4 other men tonight. No food on at the YHA so I think I might just have to pop to the pub next door for some food and a pint or two.

Well this is day one.

Left Haverhill at 10am this morning and was in Newcastle at the Angel of the North by 15:00. Not bad going for an old thing (the car not me!!!) lol. Stopped at the Angel of the North and took a few pictures, just need some wi-fi so that I can upload a few. Then off to my first stop over, Newcastle YHA. Checked in, handed over £20 and and went up to my room with a packet ...

Lonesome George is a tortoise who lives in the Galapogos Islands. The last of his kind he is the rarest creature in the world. Despite having a small hareem of female tortoises for his leisure and earthly pleasures he persists in a state of unnautural abstinence that would make even the most dedicated Buddhist monk envious. That or maybe he just ain't all that attractive to the ladies. Not being a tortoise, I can't comment further, but for the namesake and the fact ...

... then headed up "The Shambles" road and The little shambles road and had a look at the street market. I got a new 4 pound black case for the phone as I managed to crack the last one...I seem to go through them quite quickly, ah well at least the phone is protected.
We walked back towards the church to try and get a 2pm slot to climb up the spire. On the way we stopped at a fudge place where they made fudge in front of you, we got a ...

... again. after lunch we took the metro to visit a friend of my flatmate who lives in a studenty suburb, west jesmond. it was a nice, self-contained area. very iconic english, urban-expansion residential, i think. and there was a community fair going on at the school. we missed most of it, but we did see a steel band, made completely of white teenagers, which was funny, but they were good. looked like fun, too... then we ...

... even do doubles. Rather its triples at the it-would-be-rude-not-to price of £1.95 each. I saw a cocktail with 9 different types of spirit in it. That's 9 shots! oh and geordies don't do subtlety either - bars simply advertised 'get mashed here' and 'hot tottie inside'. Hahaha somehow don't think they have RSA there. 3) The accent is pretty much impenetrable - I have found just nod and smile and then push Paul in front usually works best. We were staying in Quayside which is a ...

... seat us after we ordered. He had been returning to see if we were ready to order. The bizzare seating arrangements were the only unusual thing about the place. The food was incredible. I had a chicken vindaloo that was superb. Everyone seemed very pleased with the taste and portions served. I have to highly recommend the Rajpooth. It didn't seem too crowded the night we were there; but, Durham's restaurants seemed to get filled quickly. It might not be a bad idea to call ahead.