Category: sheffield

Goodbye Sheffield

Posted on

And so we did get our snow in Sheffield. And we had huge fun in it until late last night.

image

But our concerns about getting out of my parents’ rather steep road were also well founded. The roads around us were littered with abandoned vehicles and there were plenty of accidents as well.

image

Other methods of transport may have been more appropriate.

But thanks to the community effort of the local residents, we’re out and on our way on the first leg of our journey south. It’s been an amazing break and it’s horrible to leave friends and family behind, but there’s sunshine and a beagle to look forward to, or so I’m told.
Ahead of that, several (or more) hours of travel including three continents and at least two big aeroplanes.

Better Sheffield

Posted on

Sheffield looks different today. Better.
I was here on a Monday a couple of months ago and I was distressed by when I saw. It was grey and empty, sad and miserable. Killed by Meadowhall (the local huge shopping mall) and the online revolution.

image

Today though, it’s like I remember it. Mood and numbers artificially swelled by the approaching festivities, I know, but still – it could have been empty and horrible.

As it is, today is bringing back many happy memories for me.

Sideeye

Posted on

Back up in Sheffield and with access to the internet and a PC to use it on, I’ve chucked the photos from the last week up onto Flickr:

Biggness here.

Highlights of the last week have been numerous, but have included the London Eye and the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland – both expensive, but both well worth it. The great thing about London is that once you’re there, you can just go from one landmark to the next – there’s something to see around every corner, and even when it’s not something overtly famous, there’s still something. You can see why Brian Micklethwait populates BrianMicklethwaitDotCom with images, because there’s always something interesting to pop a shot .

All in all, it’s been a great family holiday, which is exactly what we were needing. Sadly, we’re into our last week here. This time next Sunday, we’ll be back into Cape Town already and the kids will be thoroughly involved with the beagle. But there’s still a lot to fit in, including a pub quiz this evening and a Slutty Rutty Butty tomorrow.

We also need to go to Castleford. It’s somewhere I’ve never been before, and frankly, it’s rather scary.

High Speed Train

Posted on

Off back up North and currently doing 200+kph on East Coast Mainline.

image

Having left Kings Cross station and its amazing roof inside a roof behind, we’re belting through the Cambridgeshire countryside (it’s nicer than Leicestershire) and being amazed by the number of wind turbines. Yeah, we’re really easily amazed.

This train does London to Doncaster in about 90 minutes. The journey the other way took over three hours. That’s what stopping 11 times does for you. That said, on the way down we were on schedule. This one is running a few minutes late, which wouldn’t be too bad if we had more than a few minutes to change to our Sheffield train once we get there. Could be tight.

Tomorrow: Sheffield United v Walsall.
Tonight: Russell Howard at the Arena.
And yes, I need to upload some photos.