Ticks for April

 

I had made the decision that I would be in the UK for April, this year is not about travelling abroad every month, but about doing something different or going to a new place.

And so I had a drive over to West Yorkshire to visit Keighley. This was mainly to look at an Antiques centre, but also for a look out.

The Antiques centre ( Worth Valley Antiques) is a lovely place, an old mill which still incorporates a sawmill.

The antiques centre is spread over 3 floors and very newly opened, so if you are in the area, pop in and have a look around.

The thing that I wasn't too keen on was the 'mountains' that you had to drive down to get into Keighley, and obviously drive back up to get out.

Being mainly a city girl, this goes totally against the grain, I'd prefer 3 circuits of the M25 than have to do that regularly.

Another thing that I had never done before, was fly to London and back the same day.

I have flown in and out of Heathrow,  to the North East many, many times but usually with a few days 'hols' in between.

The idea of going to a sales meeting, there and back in a day was totally appealing, until the reality hit home at 2.30am the day of the meeting.

Up at 2.30am, picked up by taxi at 3.45am and fly out from Newcastle at 6am, well 6.30am as we were stuck on the runway due to air traffic and wind, not sure if the latter was affecting the former but we didn't take off on time.

Arrive at Heathrow, I saw Concorde, which always makes me happy. We then walked straight past the driver holding a huge sign for us!!!! ( come on I was dead on my feet and still had a meeting to get through). Into car, and whizzed off through Berkshire to Buckinghamshire and our HQ in Marlow.

A full days sales meeting and then 4.30pm back in the car and whisked back to Heathrow.

Luckily there was time for the obligatory airport glass of fizz, before we were shuttled onto the BA flight back to Newcastle...........................and then sat on the tarmac for an hour waiting to take off. It seems rain on the radar is the air equivalent  leaves on the line. I can only imagine that the shipping version is clouds on the compass!

As we eventually took off, there was a traffic  jam of planes lining up to take off, 7 according to the attendant.

We arrived back into Newcastle after 8pm, cold, tired and hoping that our taxi would be there, it wasn't!

It did eventually turn up and I arrived home at 9.30pm, dragging myself upstairs  and straight in to bed.

I'd never done that 'day trip before' and doubt  I'll ever want to do it again.

Put them down to experience, and that's exactly what this year is all about.

So 2 ticks for April and we move onto May.