Just then I saw a phone outlet selling yes Garmin ! Man I could almost hug the bloke . He tried his best checking the settings and all but still the map just won't load .Oh no. It will be dark in a couple of hours
( wow ! finally got to say that just like the movies ) so we had to continue driving . Nadiah had another try fiddling the Garmin to life and then I remembered that the UK map is stored in a memory disc . On closer re-examination we found the disc dangling slightly from it's slot , so that's why the maps won't load ! We reinserted the card and walla the maps were immediately restored giving details to the exact . When we rejoined the motorway , the patronizing voice of Samantha from the GPS never sounded so sweet . And so we safely made our way back to Manchester from London , a good 4 hours drive . Along the way I guess Mikhail , Natasha and Danny must have been worn out from the stress and slept through . My faithful wifey , Nadiah, as usual kept me company making sure I take the right turns although I knew she was tired too. I was actually fresh ( munching chocolates randomly helps ) and enjoying the drive . Yup , I sure missed our cute car and the British way of driving .
The drive back to Manchester marks the last of our three weeks stay in UK. The London experience was suspenseful but it just makes the trip more memorable , we had a good laugh over it and it add colors to fond memories.
We had spend Christmas and Boxing Day in London , seeing the sights and the ladies with their shopping escapade ..
brr it's cold
horsing around at trafalgar square
And so the last few days was a wind down of our activities as we prepare to leave Abang and head for home .... but prior to that , what a jolly good time we had !
It may be winter in UK but there were warm hugs and kisses awaiting us at the airport :)
Arriving Manchester at the crack of dawn
A few days later , we travelled north to the Lake District and stayed for a week at a really cosy cabin .
then returning to our cabin for a warm delicious home cooked meal prepared by Nadiah. Then there were those energy sapping UNO session on Barbie cards and the shout of joy and exasperation when Danny loses.
From north we drove south to experience canal boat in a remote country side near Wales . I had a very relaxing time cos my main man Mikhail skippered our 55 feet long Scotts Fun Fair No 108. " A natural," said Bob our cannalboat guide.
Danny was a superb first mate , capable of handling the boat himself too
the skipper and his first mate
... ah this is just nice as I found myself cuddled in a corner engrossed in a novel ( a shocker cos not a novel fan or anything with pages in between)
hot coffee on a winter morning
brotherly love
my sweet princess on the hunt for leaves?
The boat ride was truly a welcome break from the pace of our hectic life . Here we are strolling along the canal , with no access to the internet , no e-mails , no appointments .. we're literally following the flow, taking our own sweet time , smelling the fresh air , admiring nature and mooring the boat when we feel like it. We spend a night in a quiet area where it was cold outside but warm in the cabin , and in the morning we explored the surrounding area where two adorable country puppies tag along
..and i will always remember our walk at Bettisville , a quaint little village by the banks . We stop for water refill and stroll into the village . It was a lovely Sunday morning and I guess the folks were attending church , so we had the whole village to ourselves .
We walk pass the country houses to vast fields and had a merry time chamwhoring . Natasha and Danny even sneaked into a farmer's land to get a photo shot .
hmm , trying to sneak in eh?
me lovely wife
Lunch by the canal on the way back was nostalgic , with our Scotty safely moored nearby.
Back in Manchester , Nadiah was in her usual self making sure that Mikhail's room is trim and proper. We found the vacum which somehow my son overlooked for the past 3 months .. and soon enough Room 5 is cleared of dust. Surprisingly though Mikhail's room was tidy when we arrived , I suspect he did a spring clean before we arrived .. in fact it had a rather pleasant smell quite unlike his room in KMB. Mother's instinct took him to the kitchen for the first time though .. ah yet another discovery .
nice room bang , hmm clean too :)
But my son is the Boss in Manchester . He was our local guide taking us out to the city and the sumptuous meal at Curry Mile
on the way to Curry Mile
what a big helping , says tasha
no worries for my man
Grocery time for tonite's dinner
and he took us to Old Trafford , a dream come true :)
mama, a proud mother and his son
At the airport I have already missed Abang ,
yeah worried about his coming days ..the exam that he will be facing soon and his meals . But we left knowing that he is in the care of responsible and loving seniors ...good guys whom I know will be there to be his interim family . I left with content, satisfied that my son is doing great , his Iman Insyallah intact ,
friday sholat
and sensing that he will do well in his studies. I know he will interact well with the locals , learning their culture and thoughts .. broadening his exposure to be a better person.
