The Stories: Manchester

The first thing you need to know about the trip is that we took a red eye to Manchester. This involved trying to sleep in an upright position, tucked in with a couple hundred other people (including a group of very chatty people) during a bad storm over the Atlantic. Not an ideal sleep scenario.

So, they drag us off the plane at what they tell us is 7:30 am, but my body knows is 2:30 am and they send us in front of immigration officers. I'm used to the Canadian kind, where the interrogation goes something like "Well, you're coming for a visit, eh? Good to see ya. Have a great time." I was a little unprepared for a battery of questions on who we were going to see, where all we were going to stay and who this person I was traveling with was. With a couple of dramamine and my usual sleep meds in my system I didn't know what my own name was, let alone who this guy was I was traveling with and what we were doing in England.

Unfortunately, since I had done most of the travel planning, he was counting on me to know this stuff. We probably should have planned that better, huh?

Evidently the immigration people must of decided that I really am this bumbling and it couldn't be the act of someone more sinister, because they let us in and the real adventure began.

Adventure 1 - The Airport

So, our friend was supposed to meet us at the airport. Since we were arriving at 7:30 am on a Tuesday, it didn't seem like it would be hard to find here. We'd walk out of the international arrivals and she'd be there smiling at us. Right? No.

Leaving one of us behind with the luggage, one of us would go out exploring to see if we could find her. No luck. Finally we found a pay phone, figured out how to use it and called her. She was right under the meeting place sign and couldn't we see her? Ummm... no. Eventually I got out my book of everything with the map of the airport in it and determined we were in different terminals. She came over to our terminal and things got a little better.

Adventure 2 - Everything Else

I wish I could describe more of the adventures, but it's all a little hazy. I know we found our b&b, which turned out to be above a Chinese take-out restaurant and very weird, and then spent the day in downtown Manchester (shopping district, Manchester Cathedral, Urbis). I know we took pictures. I know we found an internet cafe and I emailed birthday greetings to my brother. I know later we went and had dinner with our friend. However, mostly I remember trying so hard not to doze off. I also remember sitting next to Stork (my traveling companion) on the bus and watching him doze off, knowing it was cruel to wake him up, but also knowing it was the only way to beat jet lag.

The best thing about Day 1 (no offense Manchester) was finally crawling into bed at the end of the day and falling to sleep!