York and Heading Home

 Today, my last full day in York, was my shopping day. Not that I bought a lot. I purchased a couple of tops in Fatface - I really liked this store and wish it wasn't only in the UK. I also bought a couple of things in H&M. Overall I was really quite restrained. I bought some English toffee which almost didn't make it home and a big 1.4 litre bottle of scotch when I got to the duty free store which I am still enjoying - and that was it. Oh, and a book which will be a Christmas present.

It was a day for exploring several snickleways...

and saying goodbye to the ever present and awe inspiring Yorkminster.

 I focussed on architectural features that caught my attention and interesting details like Minerva, the goddess of wisdom and drama...

 ...a cat climbing a brick wall...

 ...a whale spouting off up on another wall...

...found this bit of sensible philosophy in a window of metal wall signs: Life is like riding a bike, to keep your balance you must keep moving! (attributed to Albert Einstein) I liked the message - YES, I'll keep moving!

 This lovely fellow was above the entrance of a very deluxe old theatre. What does he see that is upsetting him so?

The inevitable "reflection" photos...

 I explored a few more churches... this one was really old and needed a lot of work - a fundraising campaign was in progress...

Pew boxes!

The carvings were quite primitive...

 I ate my lunch in the beautiful and peaceful churchyard...

This older gent had some music playing and he danced his way into our pockets hearts!

...the old and the new...

This photo has a postcard feel to it...

I could live here - a huge house on the river with my own tower ruins! Perfection!

The signs of fall are everywhere...

 While I leaned over a bridge I took a few photos of people enjoying the final remnants of the sun...

 The sun still reaches the cathedral but the narrow streets are getting darker.

Goodbye to the old city and the River Ouse - it's been a wonderful visit! 

Goodbye Micklegate! My favourite landmark!

And here I am after a quick flight from Manchester to Heathrow, then Heathrow to Toronto.  My daughter was waiting for me and we enjoyed a magnificent sunset as we headed west to London.

Home sweet home! 

Counting Down!

In just a few days I'll be hopping the pond to meet up with Annie!!  We'll connect in Manchester and travel by train to Newcastle upon Tyne. We're spending two nights there and then will walk across Britain, following Hadrian's Wall, until we reach Bowness on Solway, a small village on the west coast.  That will take a week to complete. From there we'll catch our separate trains from Carlisle, Annie returning to New Forest and me carrying on to York for a few days. So excited!!!

This year I'm doing a few things differently. After my trip last year I made a list of things "not to do" and things to change for my next trip. Here are the changes:

• I hated the long LAYOVERS I had last year, specifically at the airport in Iceland where I paid extortionate prices for food/drinks. From now on I'm going to pay a little extra in order to have brief layovers!! Both layovers for this trip are at Heathrow (Toronto to Heathrow then a short flight to Manchester and then the reverse coming home) My first layover is 1 1/2 hours and the second coming home is 2 hours and 15 min. 
• Don't wear ANY makeup on flights - my face gets sweaty and it's hard to maintain an oil-free complexion especially when you don't get a chance to remove makeup for 36 or more hours. So I think it'll be easier to just go without anything on my skin at all. Then I can splash water on my face from time to time during flights/train trips etc
• Wear clothing that doesn't have any METAL snaps, buttons etc. - I was frisked on a regular basis because all the metal snaps on my hiking pants kept triggering the scanner. It got so I just "assumed the position!"
• Less/smaller CARRY ON baggage - last year I had a backpack as my carry on and also had a large purse. This year I'm still taking a backpack but my purse is much smaller and goes across the body so my hands are free. 
• Last year I ended up wearing the same outer wear zip up athletic top EVERY DAY!! It had two zip up pockets which was just perfect - one pocket for my camera and one pocket for my phone. Usually after an hour or so of walking I would take it off and tie it around my waist. So what I'm getting at is I'm taking less clothing - I know now what works and what doesn't. I think I can reduce the amount of clothing I took last year. (though waiting to see what the forecast will look like later on next week)
• Less STUFF- I took things with me last year that I didn't use such as binoculars. They are awkward to pack and stayed in my suitcase during the whole trip last year. 
• CONDENSE - instead of taking several pill containers put 2 weeks supply into one container. Instead of bringing regular-sized hair products squeeze enough for 2 weeks into little bottles. And so on.

So there you have it - my few pearls of wisdom to make this trip a little easier....I hope. 

Best Laid Plans...

... gang aft agley...!!

Although I said I was going to wait to see my "tax situation" I've gone and booked my flight!!

Into Manchester!!

To hike Hadrian's Wall with my friend and fellow blogger Annie!!

Most of you know Annie - but here's her blog url, just in case you haven't met her yet: "Northern Living Allowance."  If you are a regular reader of my blog you'll know that Annie and I met up for the first time in person on my last trip to England. We forgot to take a selfie during that visit so I decided to make another journey across the pond :) We connected through our blogs... oh I don't know...5 years ago? 6? Annie used to live in Canada, in the Yukon no less!! But she felt the call to move to England and is enjoying new adventures there and LOVING it!!

(**I thought I was getting a great deal on my flight until I discovered it was in American dollars!! Once converted into Canadian dollars ay yi yi!!)

So I'll keep posting wonderful photos to make myself feel better - I mean...who can put a price on THIS!!

 Or THIS!!

And then there's THIS!

I've been pouring over my big map of England which is spread out over my dining room table to decide where I'll spend a few days after our hike is over. I'm considering one of the following: Liverpool, York, Edinburgh, the Lake District... right now I'm most interested in York or Edinburgh. Decisions, decisions!!

Thanks Mike for the advice about the waterproofs - I realize I probably won't be so lucky a second time around. Last year's trip saw me carry my rain gear daily in my back pack where it stayed - for TWO weeks - no rain!! But I am realistic and know that was an anomaly!! (Though I'll keep my fingers crossed that the good weather fairy will follow me around again!)

Having this trip to plan for and look forward to has really lifted my spirits - I read recently that we get just as much joy and excitement from the planning stages as we do from the actual trip. Ain't that a trip?!

Plus I needed some motivation to get eating right and moving more - this should do the trick!

Now I need to plan my trip to PEI this spring!! I'll be busier than a rooster in a henhouse!