January 07th, 2016

It was another bus day, I'd got all the DVD orders ready for Mandy to pack and send out and while Mandy went to the health club for a swim I headed to Altricham to drop the little IQ car at RGG for a service. They had booked it in for 11am but they had it nice and early at 8.30, the traffic wasn't that bad but the bus journey on Arriva was for ever but landed finally at 9.30 when the bus pass becomes valid, it cost quite a bit really for one journey, guess regulars get discounted cards. All new to me this England bus travel, drivers all pleasant and good at their job, no complaints and used First, Stagecoach and as already mentioned Arriva. It wasn't cloudy at all first thing but that soon changed and by 10am the weather forecast had been vindicated. There was chaos all around the Piccadilly area with the roads up all over the place , even walking between the temporary bus termini was difficult, the PTE lads were struggling to keep order in the rush but mid morning it was easy peasy as services relaxed.

Manchester really is suffering at present with the second city centre tram crossing, the Piccadilly episode, the Mancunian way sink hole, the M60 sink hole, road works on M60/M62, road works on M6, really the best thing unless you must get there is to avoid the place, dirty, full of tramps and there are even ISIS flags flying all the way down past the university, couldn't believe it! What a dive Manchester has taken, especially comparing it to Liverpool which just seems to go from success to success, possibly leaving football aside! Birmingham had a bit of a chilled atmosphere with the Syrian war there, I guess the Americans will be bombing parts of it soon especially if Trump gets in. Hey ho the day soon passed and some shots for your perusal, I went back on Arriva to Altrincham, the documentation wasn't done, surprise, surprise, then they couldn't find the service book, the chap in front of me was having a hard time with them then I did, not the best garage in the world. The IQ needs warranty replacement tail gate pistons but I haven't even got the heart or energy to book, next Wednesday we have our yellow fever jabs, I'm reminded by RGG as both are things I dislike.