So here we are – we flew into Manchester aboard the early
Icelandair flight and arrived just after 11am UK time on Friday. The first task
was to get through customs and it was much easier for Buffy to get in to UK
than it has been for me on my travels. She sailed through and met me by the
conveyer just as the bags started to arrive. Finally, our turned up and we made
our way through a ridiculous exit walkway, where you pass through the centre of
a shop and negotiate least three 90 degree turns as you try and steer the bag
trolley that doesn’t want to go straight.
We made it through though and were met by my brother Chris, who had come
to pick us up.
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| Leaving Iceland for Manchester |
Once we were out of the airport we headed to our new home,
Chris’ house in Urmston, but on the way we decided to check out what was one of
my priorities - buying a car. So we drove down to Old Trafford just by United’s
ground and had an unsuccessful look at the cars at the local ford garage. I am
after a new shape ford fiesta – they are lovely little economical cars, cheap
to insure, good looking and exactly what me and Buffy need to get around – but there
was nothing available in Old Trafford.
We went home for the first time but headed out pretty
quickly as I had seen a really nice car at a nice price online, but it was 30
minutes drive north, in Preston. Chris was happy to drive us out there even
though it was a Friday afternoon on a bank holiday weekend. It turned out to be
a great idea though as the car was lovely. The young lad that sold it was very
funny and friendly and he was happy for us to take it for a drive. I liked it
immediately and made an offer – it was accepted and so an hour after leaving
Chris’s house, we were on our way home again in our new car. Priority one
sorted and if you want a good car at a good price go to Deepdale Motor Company!
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| New car from the front... |
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| and from the back! |
Priority two was a chippy dinner – Chris took us to the chippy
in Urmston that has won awards and does fish and chips for The X factor. So we
grabbed dinner with some dandelion and Burdock to drink. I had my usual meat
and potato pie and chip barm. Chris had some curry sauce with his and Buffy had
a chip barm and pasty. I had been looking forward to a chippy for ages and ate
it too fast, but enjoyed every bit!
After that we went out for a first night in England. It
started to rain heavily as we left the house, so we grabbed a quick taxi and
ended up in Urmston at the Steamhouse pub. A great night followed as we were
joined by Chris’ best mate Paul and a couple of other old friends. During the
night my shoulder started to ache quite a lot and I hoped that my old shoulder
injury wasn’t reoccurring. However the beers we drank definitely helped with
the pain relief!
Saturday morning was a bit of a nightmare – not only because
of the hangovers we had from the evening’s activities, but my shoulder was
beginning to get quite painful. We went out for the afternoon to get some stuff
sorted for our room – a set of hooks for the back of the door, a small rubbish
bin and a mirror so that Buffy can do her makeup and look at herself whenever
she wants to! We also had time for another of my favourite foods – Gregg’s pasty
shop and a sausage, bean and cheese pasty, which I know Buffy really enjoyed! Don’t
worry Buffy; we will be having Greggs again quite soon I promise!
The weekend continued with a quiet night in on Saturday and
a lie in on Sunday morning, and then as the weather was really nice on Sunday
we went out for the afternoon with Chris and Taz the dog to Alderly Edge in
Cheshire. It’s a lovely little place with walks through the forests, past old
caves and to the ‘Edge’ itself with a stunning view out over the Cheshire
countryside. We really enjoyed our walk with the dog and treated ourselves with
a nice drink at The Wizard pub – an old traditional country pub with a beer
garden. The pub is named after the legends or witches and wizards which
supposedly used to live and do their stuff in the woods around the edge! It was
a really nice afternoon out, with the only hassle being my shoulder which was
gradually getting worse.
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| Buff visits Cheshire |
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| Taz enjoying the weather and the woods |
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| A nice wander |
Sunday night my shoulder got worse again and Buffy helped
with a massage which eased the pain, but when I got up on Monday it was agony.
My arm is in constant pain and I am starting to feel nauseous with it.
Unfortunately it is Bank Holiday Monday and I didn’t like my chances of getting
to see a Physio about it for at least a few days – but I tried anyway and left
a couple of voice messages with some local physios. Just after 9am I received a
call back from the physio in Urmston – ‘Could I be there in 20 minutes?’. I
replied a big fat yes and headed into Urmston where I spent the next hour getting
beaten up by Julie, the physiotherapist. I have a problem disc in my neck which
is pinching a nerve, causing pain into my shoulder and arm. She couldn’t fix it
o the day but has improved the pain and I have another appointment on Friday
afternoon after we spend a few days in Skegness at my mum and dad’s house. It’s
been a busy few days and apart from the pain we are settling in really well. It’s
even sunny outside, so Buffy's new office is the patio in the garden!
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| The view over Cheshire |
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| In the caves |
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| At the pub! |
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