Category Archives: Out and about

Time off

It already feels like a long time ago, but we closed the bar for 10 days, so we could have a break and do some work in the bar.

Beginning in Peterborough, we visited familiar places.

A walk along the river was quickly abandoned due to an insane amount of flooding.

We did find a new (to us) micropub though.

After two nights in Peterborough, there was a day/night in York (which was also flooded).

Then, after a day at home, we were off to Edinburgh. We met up with a brewery rep for a couple of drinks; he introduced us to The Guildford Arms, a lovely old pub.

Another discovery was the Fierce bar, which had opened since our last time in Edinburgh. Fortunate, since we’re quite fond of their beer (we’ve had a few kegs in the bar). Weirdly, the bar person had been in our bar.

We spent the following day mostly in Leith.

It was good to fit in a couple of brewery taps, as well as some bars we’ve previously visited.

Of course, we took the customary picture of the cool T3 in Leith.

A wire fell off

So, a few days ago, we set off for Nottingham in the van.

Needless to say, it broke down. Maybe that’s a little harsh. It wasn’t exactly a breakdown. We stopped at Wetherby services for coffee.

And then the van wouldn’t start.

After 20 minutes, a twelve year old RAC guy turned up. And fixed it in five minutes. A wire had fallen off. We both made the obvious judgement that someone so young wouldn’t have a clue.

And we were so wrong.

And we made it to Nottingham and back.

While we were there, we visited (among a couple of other places) the Partizan Tavern; a lovely micropub. We’ll, they’d been to our bar a few months ago. If you ever find yourself in Nottingham, it’s worth a visit.

And Neon Raptor’s just around the corner.

Weirdly, a cool T3/25 (depending on which bit of the world you’re from) drove pass when we were there.

Oh yes, CMAT was brilliant.

Peterborough

Well, this probably wasn’t the best time to visit Peterborough.

I pretty much live in a pub, so I don’t understand why people are avoiding/landing/. my post from a few days ago.

The dog had a good time, though.

As usual, I was bitten by insects.

Newark

Right, a few years ago, I was stuck in Newark because I had a booked train and work stuff ended early.

So, I used my time wisely, after my non-booked train brought me to Newark. I found some nice bars.

My second visit to Newark was a few years later, just a few weeks ago. We stopped off in the van on our way back from Peterborough. When we found the Castle Barge.

And we’ve found ourselves here again today, meeting up with some of my second in command’s family.

We had a drink earlier in the Old Post Office, a nice old post office, although I took no pictures.

We did have a quick drink in the hotel bar beforehand.

There were some other decent bars. For example …

And …

And then …

We had to find food, before a nightcap in the hotel.

Other nice bars may have been involved.

Synchronicity

Last night, we bumped into Brian, in a bar in Bournemouth. What’s unusual about that, you ask. Well, we only know Brian from our local in Gateshead.

He’s working here for a few weeks.

There are many pubs in Bournemouth. Synchronicity.

Thrapston

For the second night this week, we’ve stayed in a pub. Tuesday was the Wrens in Leeds, while last night/this morning is the Courthouse Inn, in Thrapston.

It’s quite nice.

Las night involved a trip to Islip, where we found a nice old pub. Run by a man from Gateshead.

Perilous adventure

Today, my second in command and I undertook perilous activities. First, there was a trip to the blue hole, an impressive string of small-ish falls, with deep pools.

There were four jumps, with an optional fifth.

Everyone did the first three, we managed the fourth too, but abstained from the last one in view of the ridiculous height.

I lost my glasses on the third jump, which was itself scarily high for a man with a fear of heights.

No, of course I wasn’t wearing them. They were in a secure place (my back pocket).

A diver was available for a reasonable price and, unbelievably, he found my glasses thirty-odd feet below. So all ended well and I don’t need to wear sunglasses until our return home.

Then, a little while later, wearing my glasses, I scaled a near vertical waterfall. OK, maybe it wasn’t that bad, but I’m getting on a bit and I’d also lost my asthma inhaler in the aforementioned leap of death.

We thoroughly enjoyed the climb up Konoko Falls, and the earlier plunges. However, since there was so much water, we have no pictures.

Not that I’d have been able to see to take any when it mattered. Still don’t know how I managed that fourth jump while almost blind.

Addendum: I should have mentioned my second in command’s spider powers. I was astonished to see her nimbly swinging legs up to reach ambitious footholds, at one point climbing almost horizontally.

A true spider woman. Probably inspired by the huge creatures dangling over our heads.

Coffee

We climbed a mountain today. A blue one, which didn’t look at all blue. And we learned that everything we (thought we) knew about coffee was completely wrong.

The coffee was nice though, as were the views.

The picture above was actually looking down onto a pretty scary road which zig-zagged up the mountain.

Five decades

This is my second visit to Jamaica. I was last here fifty years ago. Admittedly, my last visit was limited to less than a couple of days in Kingston.

I remember little from that visit, although I clearly recall being given a stick of chewing gum (Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit) by a beautiful young lady who was standing in a doorway. Many years later, on remembering the occasion with an adult mind, I realised she was prostitute.

Anyway, while we’ll be visiting Kingston, our temporary home is a beach resort.

A beach resort with poor Wi-Fi. Which is probably why we were unsuccessful in this morning’s Glastonbury ticket sale.

Anyway, this is our house for a little while.

Eels II

Eels’ performance in Iveagh Gardens on Friday was outstanding. They played a lot from the new album, but also managed to fit in something from what seemed every other album, including many older ones I’d not heard live in a long time. Climbing up to the moon, for example, was gorgeous. Souljacker and Dog face boy, on the other hand, were as loud as they should be. I’m hoping for an extension to the tour, with something more local. They’ve done that a few times in the past, so you never know.

We met some nice people too. Rob, who liked my whistling, was pretty cool. Extremely polite too. Then there was the security guard who’d rather have a conversation than tell me to leave.

A really lovely gig.