Sunday 19th May - Day in Manchester

(Boat Flamingo - posted by Cath)

The first  pound we will need to go through tomorrow

Woke up fairly early, and decided that we would try to stock up on a few useful things for tackling the Rochdale Canal - like bolt croppers.

So after breakfast Alan and I headed a short way up the canal to Urban Exchange - which seems to be a fancy name for a car park with an Aldi, a gym, a Go Outdoors and a M & S Outlet store. 

 

More water will definitely be needed!

When I'm boating I need quite a few sets of clothes that can get mucky, so I was looking for some cheap jeans and a cheap easy-care jumper. In my attempts to not pack as much as usual (which then doesn't get worn) I failed to bring enough 'mucky clothing'. I didn't find anything suitable , but I bought some nice running stuff in Go Outdoors and another jumper in M & S. 

 

Samuel Barlows "Daphne" - a wonderful wood built boat

Then off to Tool Station for the bolt croppers. 

Back at the boat we ate a very hasty lunch and headed off to Arndale Manchester. Alan had been hoping to head for an interesting shopping area, and he complained that he could be going to the Arndale in Luton. Despite this, the old buildings in Dale Street were interesting, and we did find an M & S for jeans. 

 

Swan arrives up the Rochdale 9, its single cylinder Gardner barking away

I think I have probably lost a couple of pounds on this journey, since I haven't been hitting the pub dinners and alcohol too much, and I have been working hard. I wasn't expecting to find myself fitting into size 10 jeans - the first pair I believe that I have ever owned. This says very little about any weight loss and a great deal more about 'vanity sizing'.

 

Swan with Flamingo, Daphne & Tasmania

We bought a few other things: camping chairs, a new clothes airer, then back to the boat to dog sit, and let David head off to do some things that interested him.

Then the afternoon was largely taken up with pottering about on the boat and writing up some blog posts. At one point a couple of boys smoking weed asked Alan if they could come into the boat, since they had never been on a boat. Alan declined, as it would 'wind the dogs up'. In fact, this is our home while we are away, however interesting to people on the towpath. They then asked Alan if they could stand on the boat to smoke, and he said OK. 

Joel and Maria - we are being spoilt for wooden boats.

This did wind the dogs up a bit. Max did a few 'wuffs', and they were running up and down inside the boat, so I went out to see them and explain. I chatted to them for a while, did they live locally? One lad explained that he lived in the Travelodge, waiting for housing. They didn't do much except sit by the water and smoke weed - there was nothing else to do. I didn't know what to say, it just seemed so incredibly sad. Manchester is undergoing massive regeneration. Old warehouses turned into chic apartments, posh waterside apartments everywhere - but no social housing. These boys were quiet, and resigned, what will they be like in five years time? 

Everybody that is expected to depart on Monday is now gathered.

The other boats in the convoy turned up during the afternoon.

Early to bed, but my brain just wouldn't switch off - just when I needed a good night's sleep