Journeys 3.1

Spent the morning prepping for future travels, knocking out tasks that once would have required a physical trip, all from the comfort of home. I ordered new hiking boots from REI, an updated version of my worn-out pair that keeps the essential wide toe box. I also renewed my expiring US passport online; surprisingly, I didn’t even have to mail in the old one. However, we’re not quite ready for a robot to steal the zen of cleaning gear, especially Dwight’s improvised drying system.

This is one of my happy places: Economy seats on an A330, exit row, two-across. Often these seats get a thumbs-down because of their proximity to the lavatories, but at my age, that’s a plus. I book early and then rebook if the price goes down. Over the years, I’ve had many lovely conversations with flight attendants sitting in the jump seat opposite. Today, we fly home.

This is one over-the-top fish and chip restaurant at the seaside in Whitley Bay’s Spanish City. I met my brother for a late lunch, followed by a bracing walk along the seafront to the Rendezvous Cafe, which is sometimes featured in the Vera TV series. There was no Vera sighting, but we did enjoy some cups of tea and cake.

It took all five adults, two wedges, and a rubber mallet to remove one panel so other panels could be slotted in to complete this Little Tikes slide. The little tike was happy, though.

I’m now in Newcastle upon Tyne, my hometown. Much of the city center is still recognizable from my childhood, just more spiffed up. At Fenwick department store’s toy department I picked up a DUPLO set for the almost two-year-old grandchild of the friends I’m staying with.

I first walked across the Firth of Forth on this suspension bridge with my brother shortly after it opened in 1964. By 2018, its role was largely taken over by the cable-stayed bridge just visible on the top-right. Today, we first crossed by train on the 1890 cantilever bridge to the left; here, we’re walking back across the 1964 bridge.

Dwight and I are now in Edinburgh, having bade our friends a temporary farewell. We’re staying in the university area, which we prefer to the overloved city center. Always on the lookout for something we haven’t seen before, we walked over to this former railroad tunnel; built in 1831, it is now part of the National Cycle Network.