Friday night - as the English put it - "a nightmare".Due to depart London 6.30 Friday evening. Left work with backpack on wheels. Carrying bag up tube stairs not fun. Booking agency sent me to wrong side of London for departure point. Nearly missed bus. Other tour bus rang through to let them know I was coming. Tubed it from Great Portland Street to Shepherds Bush on the lookout for bus near Walkabout pub. Arrive Shepherds Bush. No idea where Walkabout pub is. Asked newspaper boy - no idea. Asked Policeman - sends me in wrong direction. Start to freak out. Am now 45 minutes late for the bus. Phone tour company. Phone low on credit. Continue freak out. Get through and point me in right direction and I see purple bus. Relief. Bus full of 50 impatient/annoyed people await me. We finally depart. Sleepily watch Hot Fuzz on DVD on the bus. Due to late departure, we arrive in Lakes District at 1am and don't get to bed (which for me was the top of a bunk with a room of 9 other people) until 2am. Also started reading a book - Ex and the City - must read for any girl - v funny and author had same birthday as me and understands joys and pain of having your birthday on Valentine's day.
Saturday and Sunday - the Lakes District Walked around the hills. Lots of Lakes - imagine they would be sparkly and blue if sun was out. Cute little towns (cute shops, and no Maccas, KFCs or Starbucks in sight!). Very green. Sheep everywhere (in various colours and breeds) - they keep their tales here. Stone wall fences everywhere. Old timey slate houses and buildings everywhere. Chilly cloudy weather (but no rain). Ate the best home made gingerbread ever. Caught ferries/boats around Lake Windemere. Went horseriding overlooking lakes - very scenic. Finished book.
Monday - Liverpool. Liverpool: Major port city - trade and industry driven. Big American influence. Home of the Liverpool soccer team and giant stadium. Hometown of the Beatles. Where maiden Titanic voyage set off from. Where slave trade began (and was also first abolished). First Chinatown in Great Britain. Largest (Anglican) Cathedral in Great Britain - designed by same man who designed red phoneboxes (no, the church does not look like a giant red phonebox). Also home to ugliest giant pointy metal Catholic cathedral ever. Giant Beatles Festival going on - Beatles lookalikes and coverbands everywhere. Went to Cavern Club where the Beatles played before they hit the big time and where loads of other famous bands have played. All wheely bins in Liverpool are bright purple. Stopped at Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields. Saw house where John Lennon grew up. Long bus journey home to London. Watch 28 Weeks Later on DVD - this movie could solve London's population crowding problem. Home by 9pm, in bed at 10. Have caught a cold.
Other news.
Also saw Spoon, Trail of Dead and Tool (bands) over the last couple of weeks. Phew. Enjoy photos! Manda
PS: big big thanks to my old boss Karen who sent me over 2 tins of Aktavite, promite, tim tams, sweet chili and sour cream chips and dvd..
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