Headed Home.....

So where does the journey end? Our journey, my journey?

I flew from Anchorage in Alaska and landed in London then spent a great weekend with a best friend and a beautiful step daughter. I then headed across to Cornwall and stayed with another great friend, his wife and their little lady, Willow. I learned about babies. Interesting little creatures. I cycled, trekked and watched Elbow perform live at the Eden Project. It was moving and magical.

I then headed northward to Banbury, Oxfordshire, the old home of Amanda and I. I photographed Clive's brothers wedding (Karl, a great friend of mine) and for the long weekend of wedding celebrations shared the family home of their parents. Truly lovely people.

After the brief Banbury interlude Clive and Abs dropped me off along the M4 as they headed south to Cornwall. Carl & Kate-Anne picked me up in the mysteriosu motorway junction exchange, and I was now headed toward Machen (near Cardiff). Here I spent time with two of our best friends, mountain biking, running (twice for me, almost every day for them) and working - including a group effort to create a new garden at the back of their house, help launch and develop a new protein bar and build a photographic website for yours truly (www.mbimagery.co.uk) . It was great. 

GROUND FORCE!

MY NEW WEBSITE LOGO
THANKS TO CARL & RHYS FOR ALL THEIR HELP

Then after two weeks I headed back across to Banbury to house/dog sit for Steve and Kesh. Kesha was the main draw for Amanda wanting us to move to Banbury in 2006. Steve was an immediate great friend and link to even more friends. I house sat for a week and half, cleaning up after their old incontinent greyhound.... Ergh....and caring for their plants. I ran a stall selling my Nepalese organic hemp bags, wallets, hats and dresses at Cropredy's Fairport Convention for three days, I fished on the local river, ran a trail Amanda and I trained on for the Coast 2 Coast in September 2011, and cycled about the place. I caught up with neighbours and good friends.

Today I boarded the train to Liverpool to catch the ferry back to the Isle of Man.

I chatted to an Indian couple (British couple of Indian heritage) from Wolverhampton on the train, they'd been to Cancun in Mexico and spent five days in New York.

As I walked from Lime Street Railway Station through the main street in Liverpool I met a beggar. I was lugging my backpack, front pack and wheeling my bag of Nepalese wares. I started to rummage for change and ended up giving him a fiver. He asked for more. I had a fiver in cash left and that was for me. I fancied refreshment.

I headed to All Bar One, the bar Amanda and I always sat in whilst on our way to the Isle of Man ferry. I had three hours to spare. I clumsily battered my way through the doors of the fine establishment spotting a corner table to my right. I stacked my bags and headed toward the bar. A guy sat at a table with his wife stopped me and asked if I would mind closing the door I'd just left open. The breeze was cool. I said of course not.

'Where have come from' he asked, quickly adding, 'Where have you been?'

He asked me to pull up a chair, then ordered me a pint of Peroni. What a lovely fellow I thought to myself, then confirmed verbally to him.

We made our introductions at 5pm and by 7.50pm he'd bought me four pints of Peroni and some starter dishes for us to nibble on. Alan and Kate were a kind, lovely, generous couple. We shared and laughed. Due to their kindness and generosity I wheeled my Nepalese 'bag of bags' over and asked Kate to chose one. She opted for a Messenger Bag, I asked if Alan would like one too? He said he was more than happy with the one Kate had. He then attempted to force money upon me... Maybe it's my vagrant, hobo appearance, but I refused, and we wrestled over the cash. He refused to back down, so I approached the bar and bought drinks with the £20.00 he'd stuffed in my pocket, then threw the change in to Kate's large handbag – never to be found again! Ha ha! I later found another £20.00 in my pocket.  At one point Alan was whizzing through pictures of his kids on his iPhone, sharing everything with me... But then he really did share everything as a fine picture of Kate posing topless flashed in to view!  Ha ha!  
'Sorry mate!' he said.
'Don't apologise to me Alan, no man would need an apology for that shot!  Ha ha!  Maybe Kate needs an apology though!  Ha ha!'
The twenty quid note I found will be spent on providing Alan and Kate a lovely print from the picture I took of them in the bar. Alan was generous to a fault. I'd experienced this in Alaska, but here in the UK, it seemed a little strange. Strange but beautiful. Alan and Kate wouldn't see me walking to the Albert Dock and asked me to share their cab. I knew I'd left it a little late... and things would be tight. Little did I know how tight!

Kate.
With her top on!

Alan... a Gift from the Gods!
Thank you Alan & Kate.

As the taxi pulled up I paid with the money Alan had given me. I loaded my bags up, front, back and hands, then Alan saw his opportunity to stuff the cash back in my pocket. It was like a crazy game of 'who can lose the twenty quid note'.

I approached two Steampacket girls and asked where I could get my tickets.

'It's too late, they've stopped checking in. You need to be here 15 minutes ago.' One of the ladies said.

I looked at the Liver bird buildings in the background. The clock showed 8.12pm. Bugger! The sailing was set to depart at 8.30pm. Wow, time had really zipped by.

I began to plead.

'You can run down the tunnel, but I doubt they'll let you on.'

I ran.

'My train was late!!' I yelled as I pushed my way through the doors....

The staff looked wide eyed and confused. They all stared at one another.

'Please don't leave me behind!'. .

'Name?'

'You'll have to take all your bags with you. Follow the man through.'

As I boarded, I heard the skipper come over the tanoy. 'All passengers are now aboard and we are ready to depart.'

Wow that was close!

I met an old school friend and we chatted about everything for an hour. A real joy!

Now I sit and type. I share my last day of 7 months on the road with you all.....

In an hour I'll be back in my bed on the Isle of Man....

The day after tomorrow Amanda will be gone one whole year.... It doesn't feel that long....

Our journey was something special. If Amanda was able to watch over and guide me she did. If she wasn't able serendipity, universal energy and wondrous people guided my way.

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for caring.

Thank you everyone for joining me on my travels through my words and pictures.

Until next time x