Swallow Hotel Derby

Woke up this morning. Had that 'Red Letter Day' feeling. Steve obviously felt the same as we bumbled through the usual morning rituals, all the while thinking that today was not just another ordinary day.

Having said goodbye to my esteemed host of the past week I set to getting things ready to leave (and having a final idle surf on the internet). I had initially said I wanted to be out of the ...

Wow - only one week to the day before we make our way down south to London town to stay in the very affordable 'heathrow' travel lodge.

Liz in in Manc saying goodbye to friends and family and i'm sorting the last bits out for the fresh box before we go.

Just wanted to say thank you to Ron and Sue for ...

... stuff is arranged as follows:

Pannier 1: Tent, Waterproof clothing and riding accessories
(Pocket: Puncture repair, inner tubes, diary, camera stand)

Pannier 2: Sleeping bag, Mattress, First Aid Kit, Miscellaneous items such as tape, cord, chargers and wires)
(Pocket: Toiletries, Spanish Phrasebook, Hip ...

... in Cologne Hostel
CityNightLine Sleeper train from Cologne to Copenhagen
3 Nights in Copenhagen Hotel
Mum and Brother return to Manchester via Easyjet

It's taken me 4 weeks to get the timing and money right, but today I've booked the majority of the tickets, and I have a shortlist of accommodation.

It's weird how it's all coming together now, it still feels like booking a holiday....but it's slowly starting to sink in that this is a 1000 mile house move ...

So I'm back in Stoke after my brief trip back to Cumbria (where, sadly I did not see everybody that I could have). I would just like to say now that if I didn't get a chance to catch up with anyone during the whirlwind that was the last couple of months then I'm sorry and I'll see you down the road.

With a little over 10 days til departure three goals need to be achieved:

1 ...

... 45 minutes while he takes his break, what a joke! We stop at a service station and I wait around while he takes his break and we get on our way again. Finally I arrive at Helena and Phil's house at 00:30 and sneak in a get straight to bed. What a day!!!

... to miss the jet setting life!

Descending through the cloud over Ireland, we get snatched glimpses of small bays being bombarded by waves and on the approach to the north of England it starts to rain. Touchdown and those words I have come to dread over many years of travelling, "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Manchester". We taxi in through the pouring rain, stroll to reclaim all our bags and then meet Norah’s brother ...

... jacket, hand luggage. Then the security guard hit the reverse button, back went the hand luggage and stopped whilst a couple more men in black gathered to look. I could see them pointing at something and discussing it. It was an almost square thing with three prongs poking out of it and to me it looked just like a standard UK three pin plug, and there was a good reason for that. My case was marked for search and I had to stand and wait while other cases were searched and once a ...

... see another cave. They had a little show in the cave to try to give you an idea of what it would be like hundreds of years ago to work in the mines, not a job I think I would have liked. Back up the mountain {another at least 400 steps} so we could catch the cable car back down, then into the town of Matlock Bath for a few drinks and tea before heading home. It was a great fun day out and we really enjoyed spending some time with Alan. Monday 31st July. Today we are visiting ...

... I think my old housemate Hugh 'The Womble' Torry slightly underestimated the effort required to shift the rest of his worldly possessions out from the house...he was still there at around 2030 and still had the drive ahead to his new burrow he is sharing with Uncle Bulgaria in Wimbledon Common ;-). Myself and Rickie did the rest of the cleanng on ...