We\u2019d planned to leave Matt and Sonia\u2019s at 9am. We were on the road by 11am. Close enough.<\/p>\n
As we headed north I wondered when the accents would change. I love a northern accent, and was looking forward to the moment we crossed the invisible line where everyone suddenly started talking funny.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re trying to fast-track it to Scotland, but still avoiding motorways. The roads were much better behaved today, and not as narrow and winding. <\/p>\n
We stopped at Warrington to get our tyres checked as they are wearing funny. And the man took a look at them, opened his mouth and guess what? <\/p>\n
He had the accent! Yay! On the negative side, he said it might be our suspension causing it and to get that checked, but he didn\u2019t seem to think there was a problem for the moment. At least, I think that\u2019s what he said. I couldn\u2019t really understand him. <\/p>\n
Then somewhere along the way my jandal popped its clog, and has been impossible to walk in them. So we spent the next hour or so, looking for jandals. I thought Decathlon would have had them. But nope. Only those stupid scuff style ones, and crocs for 40 pounds!<\/p>\n
We tried the Lidl. Nope. Homebase. Nope. Now you might be thinking I was going around asking if they had jandals. But no, I\u2019m not that stupid. I was definitely asking for flip-flops. Although I had to get Mike to translate a couple of times as people up here don\u2019t understand my accent.<\/p>\n
Finally I found a pair in Aldi. But they only had the one size, and they were a size 10! But, they would have to do. I can\u2019t survive without jandals. They\u2019re easy to slip on and off, and essential for the showers in preventing foot fungus!<\/p>\n
So I am now wandering around in a ridiculously oversized pair of jandals. I wonder if that\u2019s why people have been giving us a wide berth.<\/p>\n
After that we were exhausted and started looking for somewhere to sleep. I\u2019d seen a pub that allowed campervans to park overnight, roughly between Manchester and Liverpool but a little further north, so we headed there. It was a lovely spot, right on the canal with already a couple of vans parked up.<\/p>\n
But what a noise. There were a load of rowdy cyclists there, all drinking and jumping in the canal, naking a terrible racket. I actually said, ‘lets get outta here.’ But Mike seemed to think they wouldn\u2019t stay long.<\/p>\n
It turns out it was a charity bike ride and they were raising money for their rugby club and to play in Ireland. And Mike was right. Within a couple of hours they were all gone.<\/p>\n
We had a couple of beers in the pub, but I didn\u2019t fancy anything on the menu. Then I saw the specials board. Sausage, mash and gravy for 8.90. I\u2019d be having that! And it was so yummy. Diet starts tomorrow.<\/p>\n
After dinner we took a walk along the canal. It\u2019s a really gorgeous spot. <\/p>\n
We saw a guy trying out an inflatable kayak he\u2019d bought from Lidl. He was loaded up with camping gear while his mate walked alongside. The whole thing looked questionable. It had no keel and didn\u2019t seem interested in travelling in a straight line.<\/p>\n
I wished him luck and got outta there. I wasn\u2019t jumping in to save him.<\/p>\n
Despite being in a pub car park on a Saturday night, we had a really quiet night.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We\u2019d planned to leave Matt and Sonia\u2019s at 9am. We were on the road by 11am. Close enough. As we headed north I wondered when the accents would change. I love a northern accent, and was looking forward to the … Continue reading