So; a New Year is an artificial time for a new start. But I thought I'd have one anyway. A chance to try to live differently; better, not to analyse one's mistakes of the past, too much. And - of course - endeavour not to make them again.
Over the Christmas holidays, I had agreed with my cousin to stay with him in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, UK. So I packed up my panniers, cranked up the folding bike and pointed it towards Edinburgh's Waverley Station. I was to meet my cousin at his office after work; but it was financially advantageous for me to travel earlier and arrive in Chesterfield in the early afternoon.
So, merrily pocketing the seventy or so pounds, that I had saved, I had some lunch in the pub; completed some administrative chores and then found a cafe from which I could access the internet for work.
A night in a most excellent real ale pub in Chesterfield followed. I did think that the Landlord seemed pleased to see my cousin when we rocked up together. But that evening whizzed by as good evenings always do, and I was off to Newton, Notts.. To my ethnic homeland to see some other family members.
By then the bulk of the travelling had been done and it was just a quick hop, from Derbyshire into Nottinghamshire. I caught a reasonably early train which took me into the centre of Nottingham, where it's just a short blast on the folding bike to my Cousin's place in Newton. Lunchtime. Excellent.
The next few days flew by in a pleasant haze of visitation and pubbing. Turns out that I'm blessed with very generous cousins, who insisted on buying me lunch and getting me back to my accommodation in a taxi. Great times.
So, onward ho. I packed up the bike and pointed it towards Newark-upon-Trent, where I was planning to have lunch with some old mates. There is a lovely cycle route from Newton, Notts., to Newark-upon-Trent, Notts, which meanders through some pretty villages and then joins up with an old railway line. That brings one straight into Newark. But there was no time for that, so I cycled up the old A46 - the Roman Fosse Way - to make haste. I have written about the Fosse before: http://travelsofgordonfisher.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/what-have-romans-ever-done-for-us.html
I got a little lunch, worked for a bit and then met another friend after work for my onward journey.
