New York - Day 2

Day 2 - Saturday 22nd October 2011


We were woken around 4.00am by the lads next door coming in. Once we were awake we decided to get up. We all showered, had our coffee and were out for before 6.30 am. Great to walk along 42nd Street so early in the morning. We headed for Times Square and were there for 6.40 am ! Great to watch 42nd Street and Times Square come alive.

42nd Street

Times Square - early morning

Took some photos and purchased a ticket for the NYC sight-seeing bus tours. This gave us a $10 voucher for Planet Hollywood so when it opened at 8.00 am we headed in for breakfast. Ham, cheese and egg bagels and coffee – the girls had cocktails ! Caught the hop-on, hop-off bus tour and headed Downtown. Our plan was to do the whole tour first. Headed around the Theatre District, Maddison Square Gardens, Empire State Building, Bleaker Street, Soho and down to the Financial District, Ground Zero and Battery Park. It was great having a running commentary on everything.

It was then back up the Lower East Side, United Nations, the Waldorf and to the Rockefeller Centre. Whilst it looked a sunny day, sat upstairs on an open top bus can be a bit chilly, so we headed into the Rockefeller Centre for a coffee to warm us up. The skating rink was already up and running ready for Christmas so we watched them skate for awhile.

Once warmed through we headed over to the Empire State Building. Wow what great views from the top.

Looking Downtown towards the Financial District

Chyrsler Building

Don't look down !

We had photos taken with our Stokies in the City t-shirts.

We had a swift drink in the Heartland Brewery bar at the bottom of the Empire State Building.

Once the sun had set we took the evening tour of Brooklyn. We wrapped up warm for this bus ride! The tour started in Times Square and then headed Downtown. We took the Manhattan Bridge over the river. The views back of Manhattan were stunning.

Manhattan at Night

We had a tour around Brooklyn and then headed back to Manhattan. Great day.

New York - Day 1

Day 1 - Friday 21st October 2011


Up at 3.45 am (what an unsocial hour!), taxi picked me up at 4.45 am. We arrived at Manchester by 5.30 am. They were queued right outside the terminal to go through security. I didn’t queue that long to ride Rita at Alton Towers a few weeks ago ! So much for a relaxing breakfast - we ate the Danish pastries in the queue. Once we’d made it through into departures it was a much needed coffee while we waited for our flights. I saw Ange and Carole off on their flight to Dublin and then waited for my flight to Shannon. It was a small plane to Shannon with propellers !

Arrived in Shannon safely with an hour or so wait. That soon passed by as they had free wi-fi! Headed through to US immigration in Shannon airport had my finger prints done and was photographed. I then had to identify my case from a photo. So glad I put a stripy strap on it or I’d have had no chance ! I then waited at gate and the sniffer dogs came round. They stopped at the guy sitting behind me ! They sniffed out an orange – not drugs !

Flight to JFK was good. They fed and entertained me! However, I had to sit next to this old bloke (and he was really old) who never took his hat or coat off. They kept coming and asking him if he was ok and if he had enough room … never mind me pinned against the window as he had “elbow” syndrome and took an early hold on the arm-rest and part of my seat ! The time passed by as I watched Hangover 2, Con Artist and Bad Teacher, oh and an episode of Sex in the City – got that in just in time before we landed. The flight took 7 ½ hours. Looks like the captain took the long route. Views of Long Island from the plane were great. I’d never really appreciated how long they were !

I arrived safely in JFK, claimed my baggage and Ange was waiting for me at the gate. They’d all been in the bar waiting on my flight. They were on the Cosmopolitan cocktails, me I had a Bud!

We took a yellow cab into NYC. Cost $55. We went through the tunnel into Manhattan. Would have preferred a bridge … but you can’t have everything.  Marie talked the driver to death! By the time we got there we knew his life history. We got our first sighting of Times Square – Wow !

We checked in at our hotel – Travel Inn on 42nd Street. Room was ok. We’d got all the essentials, it was clean and we’d got a full sized fridge and a microwave. No kettle though and no mugs for our morning coffee! Dumped our luggage and went out to explore and find something to eat. Managed to picked up four mugs for our morning coffee !

Early night – lots to do and see while we are here.

My 365 Project

Today I've completed my first 365 project. I've taken a photo everyday for the last year. I started on the 10-10-10.  It's made me get out and about over the last 12 months and hopefully over that time my photography has improved. I've not always got my DSLR with me so some photos have been taken on my small digital camera or even my mobile, but not a day has gone by when I've not photographed something.

I've published my photos on Facebook and if you'd like to look at them they are viewable by anyone. You don't need a Facebook account or to be my friend on Facebook.

The first part of the project can be found here

and the second part here

I've really enjoyed doing it and I hope you enjoy looking at my photos.

My next 365 project will start on 11-11-11.

Tour of Britain - Stage 3 Stoke-on-Trent

I couldn't decide where to write about Tour of Britain - my blog or Dad's. In the end I went for Dad's as he has more readers !

However I thought I'd post a link to it on my blog. So here is an account of my day "chasing" men on bikes around Stoke-on-Trent - Tour of Britain

Jury Service - Week 1

There is a lot of waiting around on Jury Service. In fact as I blogged the other day the whole of my first day was spent just waiting. Apparently not much happens on a Monday. However, it did get better.


On my second day the phone rang on reception. It's a bit like the Apprentice. I just imagine someone on the other end saying "send them in". The Clerk then calls for attention and reads out the names of 15 people. As soon as your name is read you rush to the loo ... well it might be your last chance for awhile. Then what normal happens is you sit and wait for an Usher to come and collect you and by the time she does you want the loo again !

The Usher will line up against a wall and when you are ready the she will use a keypad to open a door and take you into a corridor. You then line up again before you are escorted through another door and taken upstairs into an anti-room attached to the Court. The Usher then locks the door behind you. That room only has 14 chairs and there are 15 of you, so one person stands! It's a bit like musical chairs. The Usher then disappears into Court through another door. You then wait in that room and when they are ready for you the Usher knocks on the door and you file into Court. You assemble just inside the Court, again there are not enough benches, so several have to stand. The Court then reads the names (yes your name!) of 12 Jurors and you acknowledge your name and take a seat in the Jury box. You have to remember your seat or who you are sitting next to as you have to return to sit in the same seat every time you go back into Court. I don't much like being on the front row !

The three people whose names are not read out return back to the anti-room and wait. Each Juror is then sworn in. Once this has happened the three that didn't make it into the 12 return back down to the Jury Suite and wait. You are either put in another 15 or if there aren't any more case starting you could be sent home.

Every time you leave Court you have to do this with an Usher. First you congregate in the anti-room, the Court door is closed before the door out to the stairs is unlocked.

The first time I went into Court I took my bag with my phone in it but I was so worried it might ring - how I don't know as it was switched off, that subsequently I locked my bag and phone away in the Jury Suite.

When you go to discuss the verdict you are taken to a room and you have to hand in your phone and they are locked away in a drawer. The door to the room is then locked. You have access to a toilet. If you needed anything you have to push a buzzer and the Usher will come. If it's over lunch, like ours was, then lunch is served in the room. There you stay and discuss until a unanimous decision. If you suffered claustrophobia bad you'd not like it! Mind you I panicked when I thought I'd got locked in the loo ! If the fire alarms sound we were told to make our way to the Town Hall as a group and we would be put into holding room !

I found it amazing how 12 relative strangers from all walks of life could sit and discuss in a coherent way. Very interesting watching people interact with others.

So far in my first week of Jury Service I have been into Court four times. Only once did I not make one of the 12 Jurors. I have sat on three cases now.

It's not much like TV Court Room dramas ... not heard many "objection" or "may I approach the bench". However there have been a few comical moments. There is one particular Barrister that pulls very funny faces when questioning witnesses. Or listening to Barristers swear, in extremely posh voices, whilst reading out the defendants statements is quite amusing.

My second week starts tomorrow.

The waiting around ...

Well today was day one of my Jury Service. I had to report at 9.30 but having no idea on what traffic would be like at that time in the morning I gave myself plenty of time. Needless to say I was there way to early so I sat in the car, waiting for the rain to ease and read my book.

I headed over to the Court. I've never been in one before so  it was quite an experience. First of all I had to pass through the security systems. I was asked if I'd any keys or money in my pockets. Felt around and found a penny. It looked awfully lonely sitting in a bowl on it's own. My handbag was searched and I was asked if I had a camera. Now normally I'm never without my camera, but I'd read the blurb about cameras and it had been left at home much to my annoyance as I'm doing a 365 project and need to photograph something daily ! So I walk through the metal detectors and it goes off. I'm asked again if I had anything metal in my pockets. I feel around my coat pocket.... a couple of tissues, a couple of packets of sugar (why I don't take it) one of those wooden stirrers but I can't feel anything metal. Then I pull out a packet of mints. That was the culprit !

I'm shown to the Jury Suite. There were five of us "newbies". All dressed relatively smartly. We were given a brief talk and we watched a DVD and then we sat and waited - not really speaking to each other. Other jurors started to arrive and the Jury Suite got a bit more busy. The jurors that had been on Jury Service the week previously all sat around chatting. Their dress code was more relaxed, jeans, trainers, etc. Us newbies sat quietly. A few people were reading books or flicking through magazines - others just sat there. Why would you just sit there ! I'd taken Mike Carter's One Man and his Bike, so I cracked on reading it. Nothing much happened  in the first hour or so except some form filling and someone came to service the water dispensers - yes that's as good as it got! 

The TV was on in one part of the Jury Suite, a bit too loud, and I listened to a couple of those house programmes and one of those ambulance emergency programmes whilst reading. About 11.00 ish some of jurors started getting restless ... I could hear murmurs about the "fag break" coming up at 11.15. By 11.20 security hadn't arrived to escort them for the fag break. That didn't go down very well ! He eventually turned up and several jurors disappeared for fag. It was then back to sitting and waiting. It was like sitting in the departure lounge at the airport when the plane had been delayed for an unspecified amount of time ... we'd got a common purposes for being there but we didn't really know the people with us.

About 12.20 the phone rang in the Jury Clerks office. It reminded me of the Apprentice. I just imagined a voice on the other end saying "send them in". The Clerk came out and read out 15 names. I was one of the 15 names read out. I packed away my book. This was the moment ....  the Clerk disappeared and came back again and said that Court had decided to break for lunch. It was 12.30. My moment hadn't last long.

We moved from one part of the Jury Suite to the canteen section - about 20 paces away for lunch. A different view, there were windows. Different tables and chairs. Oh the excitement! Lunch was provided free (well you get a card with £5.17 daily allowance on it).  There was pasties/pies or shepherds pie and chips. I choose a jacket potato.  If the ladies behind the counter called my Sug once, they called it me half a dozen times ... have you got your card Sug, do you want salad Sug, do you want a drink Sug ... and so it went on.

I sat and ate my lunch with one of the newbies. Lunch eaten we shuffled back to "our spot" and I sat and read. It's funny how when you go into a room you pick your spot and that's like your territory for the day! I thought we might get the call at 2.00 (the official time we needed to be back) to go to Court so I packed my book, but 2.00 came and went.  About 2.30 the phone went again. The Clerk came out and read another 15 names out. That meant everyone had been called.  There was a mad rush for the toilets .... it was all about to happen.  The Clerk disappeared and when she came back she said the 15 people whose names she had read out before lunch were free to leave. It was 2.40. The defendant had pleaded guilty and we were no longer required.

So that was my first day on Jury Service ! I read an awful lot, I sat around an awful lot. Court is not like that when you see it on TV dramas !

Take That - Manchester

Well the day arrived ... Saturday 4th June 2011. We'd waited a good six months for this day after spending a frantic morning trying to secure some tickets.

Heard a few reviews from the Sunderland shows and Manchester the previous evening. They'd got a huge job to upstage the Circus tour.

We arrived at the City of Manchester Stadium and after walking half way around the stadium to find our gate we then had to walk up to Level 3. We "people" watched for an hour or so until Pet Shop Boys came on. A great support act who belted out hits like Go West and Suburbia.

We then got the count down and the rain!  First on a rainy slippy stage it was just Gary, Mark, Howard and Jason. Within minutes Mark removed his shoes and socks and sang barefoot ! They performed some of their hits from their time as a four piece band. This included  Rule the World, Greatest Day, Patience and Shine. They alternated between the main stage and the smaller stage.

Then Robbie came on in spectacular fashion hanging from the top of the stage and did an awesome set belting out Let Me Entertain You (which he did), Rock DJ, Come Undone and finishing off with Angels.

Then the five were reunited. They song Flood to a back-drop of acrobats suspended in a huge wall of water. They then belted out a Million Love Songs, Babe, Everything Changes and Back For Good, Pray, Never Forget and finished off with Relight my Fire and Eight Letters. It was good to be seeing all five of them on "home" soil.

They even handled a mechanical problem which stranded both Mark and Howard in the robot (apparently named Om) hands. Step ladders were out and Mark and Howard made their way down out of Om's hands and back to join the others.

Fantastic night. I'd go again tomorrow if I could get tickets !