Manchester

Written February 3, 2012

I decided to stay the week in Manchester which was very fun. I get to know a new great fund Vanessa. We had so much fun getting dinner, drinks, looking at places and exploring Manchester. Manchester is a great city. The city center is very small so you can walk from each area into almost a new city within a few blocks.

Saturday night I we and met up with Laura and Natalie, two friends of a friend from the us. We went to a bar that was giving out beads for Mardi Gais. Because I was American and knew what the holiday actually was they gave me about 10 things of beads and a mask to wear around. Very fun! We went out dancing then to Chinese karaoke which


is very famous and very fun to do! It's basically a normal bar with people dancing and then a stage where you could sing.


Sunday Vanessa and I went to the Chinatown new years celebration. It was very crowded since chinatown is only a couple blocks. There were dragons and street vendors selling great food. We waited around till it got dark (6pm hahaha it gets dark so early!) the fireworks were right in the middle of the city...I couldn't believe we were only 50 yards from where they were lighting them off! It would never happen in the states hahaha. We picked a spot and started waiting for the fireworks at 5pm. At about 545 we notice there was a Chinese little house in front of us and our view (even though we were at the front) would be majorly obstructed. It ended up working out even if we missed the middle of the show. The fireworks went on for about 30 minutes. My favorite ( and as some people know I have a lot of favorite fireworks hahaha) was the pinwheels that spun and shot out fireworks.














Monday night I switched back to the Preston Marriott which turned out to be more of an inconvenience than anything. But it was nice to see all the people that work there since I know most of them now!

Tuesday I was invited to my first footy (football/soccer) game by Pete! We went to the Manchester united versus Stoke City. When I asked where Stoke City was they told me....Stoke City...hahaha well where is that....Stoke City...o man...finally found out it is south and hour. Trying to park was very interesting. I kept making wrong turns (shocking) and ended up driving around the whole stadium which can be quite hard for me in the traffic. I turned too early and ended up in a KFC which took me 10 minutes to get out of the working lot. Pete told me the food you need to eat at footy is pie. I was a bit scared but decided to get the meat and potato one. They give you these pre wrapped pies in a tin foil dish. It was soo hot I could barley hold it let alone get it out of the dish and into my mouth with no silverware or place toast anything down because of course we got a beer as well. I surprisingly was about to eat the whole thing without getting it all over myself! It was very good. You are not allowed to drink alcoholic drinks if you can see the pitch (field). I guess people get to rowdy.











Pete got the tickets from a friend who works for the team so we had 4th row seats at almost the goal line. It made it very fun! I couldn't believe it! We were right near the stoke city section so we could hear their songs and chats they whole time. They come up with really funny and clever chats to make fun of the other team. They also sing songs like "swing low sweet chariot" which I only know from when I was little. Between the guest side and the other fans they are a row of two security guards all the way up the steps. It is to make sure there are not fights. I guess at rival games they gave even more security. Also when ever there is a pause in the game security guards stand up around the entire pitch to make sure people don't come on the field. The game ended up 2-0 Manchester united. Both goals were made by penalty kicks.

Wednesday night I checked back into Manchester because I had to take an early flight to London to check on my supplier's supplier. There was been a huge issue at work and I needed to verify the fix. It was very interesting to take a one day business trip! Also it meant I was going to take 3 flights in 24 hours. The trip was pretty seamless got a car drove to a supplier. I got to learn a lot about ejection seats and parachutes too. I think it is the only company that can have pictures of plane crashes all over the walls and be advertising their product.

When I got back I was going to stay at the Hilton hotel at the airport. I landed, got my rental car and checked not the hotel. I asked if they would store my stuff from Friday till Monday and they agreed. I got my stuff up to the room and went to drop of my car. Oslo is really expensive so I picked up some wine to take once i finally found the store then went to return my rental car. I returned the car then went out to wait forte hotel bus. I waited about 15 minutes in the 30 degree weather then decided to walk. Since it is a pretty big airport I decide to walk the long way which I thought had side walks. As I walked I found the booth to wait for hotel cars that you are suppose dot call...whoops. But being stubborn I decided I would still walk even though it as cold and I as wearing heels. I walked back through the other side of the rental return parking garage and found some pathways...super dark and super creepy. I crossed the road and followed the signs. I walked under and overpass and through all these little areas. After 10 minutes I saw I sign that said the pathway was closed to the Hilton. I had already walked most of the way and wasn't going to turn back I figured it wasn't really blocked and I would just go. Well it was blocked and the street was turned into one lane each way with a speed limit of 40 mph. I saw some guys on the other side of the street and asked if it was safe for me to dart into the narrow roadway. They laughed. I waited for some cars to go and made a mad dash running in heels with my wine and purse in hand. I made it!

I have been looking for places but not sure which one I want yet. I found a perfect one but someone took it 3 hours after I saw it :( still looking. I really like the castlefield Area of Manchester, it has canals and it very cute.

Today I am off to Oslo for the weekend! I am excited to see Norway and go skiing! Yay!

Location:Manchester

It gets better!

I had the best weekend! It started off with a lazy Friday off where I looked at some places in Lytham. I went with Nick our house hunter provided by Lockheed. He is sooooo very British. He was so polite and was like a father helping me pick places and checking on all the things I forget about like heat and bills! We saw several places that would work very well! I will post pictures. One lady we went to houses with showed us these not nice places and she was in such a rush. Nick kept making comments about how bad she was at her job. We went to one and she tried to get through the door, tried all 3 keys, asked nick to try then realized she had the wrong keys! We just shook out heads! It was also the first day since I had been here that is rained! Terrible timing!

Saturday I checked out of the Preston hotel, went to work then drove to Manchester. I checking into the Marriott in Manchester, upgraded to a nicer room and relaxed for a bit. I'm the afternoon I met up with a friend of Rebecca's who grew up with her finance. Vanessa and I met up with a couple of her friends and we went out for drinks in castefield. It is the area I am thinking about living in. It is very sweet and has canals through it. Very romantic and feel surreal. We went to a couple other places the went home to change for the night out! We went dancing, I met some friends by doing the dougie that we ended up staying out till 4am then went to the curry mile to get Indian food! Very fun and very English!

I slept in a bit Sunday then met up at a pub with Ashley, a friend from Boeing, her husband, a Brit ;), and their friends! They picked a place in Manchester not knowing where I was. I was a bit nervous I was going to need to take public transportation but the pub was .3 miles form my hotel! The closest place. We went to walkabout only to not if d a tale so we went to another places to get food. Once we had ordered drinks we found out they did not have footie or food. We finished out drinks and headed back to walkabout! We watched Manchester united beat arsenal. Most of the time we laughed about how we say things differently. My favorite saying so far is brilliant. Instead of good, great or wonderful they say brilliant. You can even make it more meaningful by adding bloody before the brilliant :)!

After the game we headed to another bar where we decided to take shots. One out of the six shots had hot peppers in them. Of course I got the pepper shot! Hahaha! After that we went to Indian food which had naan to share! I have never seen so much naan! It was amazing! We had a great time and I made it home before midnight to wake up for work at 530!

Tonight Vanessa and I got sushi then walked through the different neighborhoods! The city center is so small that every few blocks (which they do not say here!) you are in another neighborhood. We went to china town, spitting fields, castlefields, canal street and several other places on our 40 minute walk! The next adventure I have head is Chinese karaoke!

Overall it was a brilliant weekend! I am so excited to have made so many friends and for all the adventures ahead of me! I can't believe I live in England!

The damage!

Here is a picture of the mirror (lack of mirror) and damage to the car as it rattled down the road banging against the car!

Lytham

Two successes of the day....got a phone! and made it the Lytham and back with both mirrors intact!



If you want my number let me know. If you get the app wahtsapp we can text for free!!!



I had tea in Lytham with a man from work, his wife and two daughter. They are very cute (9 yrs and 7 yrs) and have British accents! I played tig with them (tag). I hope you enjoy these pictures of Lytham.



I am still deciding where to live between Lytham and Manchester. Manchester will be a bit more of a commute and more expensive but would be really fun/my first time to live in a city and convenient for traveling to other places. Lytham is very cute, on the beach and has a great town feel but still fun bars and such. If you have any thoughts please let me know!






Beach looking towards Irish sea





The windmill is what Lytham is famous for.


This is looking towards the town square.

York....the old one

Last night I went out in Manchester with a group of guys from work. We took the train from Preston to Victoria station in Manchester. It was about an hour ride. Once we got there we went to a bar that was from the 1700s. We sat outside. Crazy people it was about 4 degrees c. We went to several bars around Manchester. Everyone kept telling me we would get supper but after the 4th bar I knew it wasn't happening. So I switched to half pints which I thought was really silly until I was trying to keep up with 6 British gents. People ask at every bar wether you was a half or a full pint! So finally at about 11pm I got some chips(French fries). We took the train back around 1120.


Today I went to York with a guy names Patrick from work. The drive was about 2 hours. The countryside is just beautiful! We got to York and it is one of the older cities in England. It was a major trading city. They has roman, viking, middle ages and Victoria ruins throughout the city. We walked through the city, saw my first castle of England (it was rather pathetic so I am ready for the big ones!), looked at small shops and enjoyed some creeps for lunch!

Next we went to the Viking museum which had a ride in it. They have all these mock ups of Viking people that move and talk to you....it is rather scary. It wouldn't take much to make it a horror ride. Next we walked the city walls. It is soo cool they actually have moats and walls and tower gates. It is just like I learned about and played when I was little. The coolest part was a museum that was about the archeological digs in the area. I thought I was a kids museum but our guide was great and taught us a lot of history.

We drove back the country route, stopped for the mulled cider at a pub along the way and ended with some wonderful Indian food! Overall a very English day!

I hope you enjoy the pictures!

Does it get easier?

One Tuesday I decided it would be a good idea to add my personal email to my work blackberry since I can't check it 24/7 like I do with my iPhone at home....bad idea. Adding it was sooo easy but it kicked my work email off my blackberry. I went online to fix it but you can't do that internationally. So I ended up calling the help desk (always a joy) which said they would call me later. I was contacted by a lady who proceeded to yell at me for taking my blackberry to Europe and that she was going to shut the whole thing off at the end of the day....no no no! I can't live with out it! It isn't safe...I plead with her! Finally I got approval to just have data and no calls or texts but she would wait till Friday to cancel so I would have time to get a pay as I go phone here.

I went to get a phone today. I decided Blackburn was closest and it would be easy. As I got a little lost I tried to use my phone to look up where I went wrong but the data would work. Finally after 30 of driving on one ways and almost getting kill( we all know this driving on the other side isn't easy for me!). I turned around and went the 30 mins back to the hotel. In the hotel I looked up the cell store in downtown Preston I had 45 mins till they closed, took pictures of the map on my iPad and was set to get a phone (I thought!). I got to preston, got a bit lost but finally got to the center where the cell store said they were. I paid to park and frantically walked about.

I went to the second floor still not finding it and asked a man who worked there if he knew. He told me it might be out on the street. I walked super quick out there and about 3 blocks and saw every other cell store possible. But no O2! Finally I wanted back and asked another cell store and they told me it was just in a different mall. I walked into the mall, asked two security gaurds and they pointed to the store....as the metal gate in front of it went down. I couldn't believe it! They were closed. I leaned over the rail and cried with frustration...finally I looked up and the two security gaurds looked at me...are you okay? I told them yes but I tired to get here for the last hour and half...the guy goes "it really sucks you had to watch the gate go down." I agreed. They were very nice and thought I was a freak! I walked out...called my mom on the phone just to spite the lady who cut my data and told her the whole story.

Finally I got back to my car and tried to leave downtown Preston. I started driving and went in about 1o circles, I never thought I would get out of the city! I ended up going on a road to blackpool which is about 15 minutes west of my place, I didn't care all I wanted to do was get out of that city! Finally I got home after this 3 hours adventure which proved to be worthless...just another adventure!

Whoops and recovery

Written January 9th, 2012...

On the way to Lytham on Saturday I tapped my side mirror on another car while driving on a busy, narrow street. When I got back from dinner at the pub, I checked the mirror and realized I had really messed it up. The mirror was hanging off the rest of the mirror that was attached to the car. Not thinking I pushed the mirror hanging on a coard back into the mirror holder and I got into the car and hoped it would last till I got home. It didn't. Once I got on the freeway it started banging against the car, I slowed down and it got stuck for a bit, then started banging. It was very dark (630pm) and the freeway shoulder was very small so I didn't feel cmfortable stopping. It kepts getting stuck them banging, stuck then banging. All of a suddend it was quiet again and the mirror hanging off was gone. I started to panic. I didn't buy the extra insurance. I got back to the front desk where my the receptionists from earlier were and told them the story. They laughed but more in a way of pathetic and I don't want you driving! As I walked up the ramp to my room they stopped as asked me if I wanted to go out with them one night. It was the best thing that had happened to me all day!

I went back to my room and went to bed around 8 only to wake up and stay up till 430am. I should have done my dads jet lag diet!!! I did finish my book though!

Sunday I woke up late and went to the gym for 2 hours just to kill time. Then decided I would trace my route to see if I could find my mirror, I didn't. I was still very upset about it and didn't have a clue what to do. I decided to go to the grocery store and try to stay off the roads for the rest of the day. I ended up researching MBA programs.

Today was my first day back at work. It was pretty fun but the highlight was talking to an expat who has been in the uk for a while who told me that visa provides insurance for free when renting a car overseas!!!! Amazing!!! I get to just take the car and the broke mirror right back to Avis and say good thing I didn't buy your insurance!!! Yay visa!

Tonight I went to a body pump workout class. It was a 50 or 60 year old lady teaching who had abs like rocks! We listened to songs like eye of the tiger and she would dance and shout out things in her accent which I didn't understand. The class was super hard but her personality really made it!