Across the Mersey

Wednesday morning was a mad rush from Ludlow to Manchester; three and a half hours driving to meet the 7:20am bus to pick Nathan up from an all night trip from Karlsruhe in Germany. It certainly was great to see him! He was measured today and he's 6 foot one, the tallest in the family now I think. We buzzed in and around Manchester chasing a car part which didn't exist; well at least not in a form that was of any use. It's unbelievable what these Breakers (wreckers) try to hock off as quality secondhand parts! We think they are probably overstayers working under the table as their yards have no proper signage and all deals are done in cash.

In the afternoon we visited The Science and Industry Museum where we saw huge steam engines and all the paraphenalia of the cotton mill industry. This is so much more fascinating as it is where the series 'North and South' was set. I came away with samples of calico in various stages of production from raw fluff to fine-spun threads.

Our road atlas is about 15 years out of date which made navigating that much more challenging as some roads and motorways have been renamed. So we're driving on the highway and the road splits and we don't know which one to choose and come to an abrupt halt on the cross-hatched median right in front of the concrete barrier! Well I'm happy to report that we're still alive and somehow arrived at our destination.

So we've spent the last three days with old friends on the Wirrol across the Mersey from Liverpool. It's been a great catch up. Nathan's had a cold and Peter has fixed the last job on the handbrake. We've done plenty of talking and enjoyed a full Moore curry this evening after the little ones had gone to bed.

Tomorrow we head back South for a bit to Wrexham in North Wales.