Newcastle- on-Tyne

Well, my husband and I took a trip to Newcastle-on-Tyne! You might recall that I mentioned it in my last post.



We stayed at the Premier Inn near the Millennium Bridge on the quayside. The trip was a great success. We both enjoyed it immensely. The weather was perfect, especially for the time of the year. We were able to walk along the quayside (when I say walk, I was walking, Phil was on his mobile scooter) and then sit outside The Pitcher & Piano without coats, sipping wine, while watching the people pass to and fro.


On the first day, we spent some time in the city visiting the shops and walking around past Grey's Monument and other various landmarks in the city.

The only thing I will say, and this is a big thing as far as I am concerned - bearing in mind that both Phil and I are from Tyneside and used to know the place inside out - the city is no longer car friendly! We had worked out how to get to the Premier Inn before we set off. However, we found the road we wanted to use was closed! As was another we tried! We did make it in the end, but decided there and then that we would use taxis to and from our trip to the centre of the city.

The taxi drivers were very friendly and exceedingly helpful. When we told them of our problem finding the motel, they agreed the routes were difficult to navigate. One went as far as to say that there were times when the routes changed overnight! One way streets were springing up all over the place,

On the morning of our departure, we worked out a route using Google Maps, only to find we had missed our turning and were forced to follow the flow over the Tyne Bridge and through Gateshead. We ended up at the Team Valley Trading Estate! Many reading this won't know the area at all, so I will just say that we were travelling south when we needed to go north!

Anyway, we managed to get back home in one piece - no thanks to the other drivers, who seemed to want to travel at break neck speed and didn't give a hoot for anyone who was struggling with the idiotic chaos of the route! Nevertheless, as I said earlier, we really did have a wonderful break!

So what's next? Well, for a start, I will have to get back to working on my new novel and then there is the ironing to do. But not today! Today, I am popping around to a friend's house for a drink and a natter.

So with that wonderful thought in your minds I will close now and wait for Sainsburys to deliver my shopping before I go out!

Have a great day!

Cheers!

Chink Chink!