It was so great to get back on an aeroplane and go somewhere. During the pandemic my life has not been the same without that buzz of travelling to foreign parts. I always like to go to new countries, but I also like to go home to England. On this trip I headed home for the first time in three years.

The fact it took a car, ferry, train, plane, another plane and a car to get there was just all part of the adventure. An adventure to go and tread old and new pastures. Day 1 was a jet-lagged filled day of hunger, sleep deprivation and the high of being home for the first time in so long. I meandered through the day, but made sure I found my way to a fish & chip shop, they are just not the same outside of England.

Fortunately, a friend of mine from Australia was coincidently in town when I arrived, so we had the pleasure of going to a professional football game.  We support rival teams, so it was probably good that we did not go to see either of our teams, but we went to the local third tier game, Accrington Stanley v Crewe Alexandria, yes, those are real names for two professional teams in England.  Stanley won 4-1 as we were watching among the 2000 or so fans as we took position behind the goal. It was the first time I have been able to stand up on the terraces at a football game for many years.  In the top two tiers of English football all stadiums are all seated, but in the third tier, terracing is allowed.  This is how it was when I was growing up, and I much prefer being able to watch the game stood up.  I think if I had been sitting down I might have frozen to death, so there were other benefits too.

More football on day 3. I have supported Burnley Football Club for more years than I care to remember, some of the most enjoyable days of my life have been inside Turf Moor. It was so good to be back.
It was a challenging day as Burnley were playing a very strong Liverpool team. Burnley played pretty well, were not far away, but ultimately lost 0-1. I have to say, it was a pleasure to witness Liverpool who were just really good, and they didn’t even play that well. Some so very talented players.

I was able to have Mothers Day meals out, take outs, going outs and hanging outs, all with relatives who I hadn’t seen in almost three years. Met some old friends, new friends, as well as visiting some old favourite places and new things to see, at least for me.

Trips out were the order of the day as I navigated my week in the hire car and through the ever changing weather. Howarth, Harrogate, Carnforth, St Helens, Liverpool, Blackpool and Padiham. Visiting all these places in the north-west meant I didn’t really get lost, which is something I see as a right of passage as you travel, but this was more about getting to delve into local places, both old and new…

I’d seen a TV show that included the Ribblehead Viaduct in Cumbria, so on a magical mystery tour I headed out that way to see the impressive railway viaduct.

On another day I headed to Liverpool. Despite it not being far away from where I grew up, I’ve only ever been to Liverpool to go to football games. I decided to go and spend some time at Liverpool Docks, and on my way home I ran into familiar ground – the question came to me, ‘how on earth can I be on familiar ground’ given that I have never been to Liverpool? The more I drove the more it seemed familiar. It brought me to the thought I must be near “Penny Lane”, as so well known in the famous Beatles song – it was fun to explore where the barber was showing photographs and see Penny Lane in my ears and in my eyes, there beneath the blue suburban skies.

Blackpool was always an important place for our family, we visited often as I was growing up as my grandparents lived there, it is a captivating place for a kid. Nothing more so than Blackpool Tower.

At 36,000 feet, for some reason, I find it easy to write poetry, and started this and finished it, it’s about getting lost, which coincidently on this trip I didn’t do, though I often like to.

Maybe I go
For a reason we don’t know
Take me there
Tonight, to sing.
My shoes will dance if they choose.
Fools don’t know,
Holding tight,
Getting lost along the way.

Embrace,
Take my hand in yours,
Believe tomorrow holds more,
Let’s go, take this,
If we go searching in the countryside,
Seek, don’t hide,
Getting lost along the way.

Don’t let the rain be tears in the sky,
Bring sunshine to me more,
My weary mind ignores,
As my footstep hit the floor.
Getting lost along the way.

I got home after the return car, plane, plane, train, ferry and car trip to Bainbridge Island, travelling during (hopefully)post-pandemic is still not quite fun with covid tests, passenger locator forms, attestation forms, wearing a mask for the whole 16 hours, its hard work, but travel is still just great, and I am already looking forward to my next adventure trip. Where will that be?