Another Day Out

Saturday 3 December 2011, Saturday

I was thinking of buying a pair walking shoes which I saw in the Go brochure. I fancied a shoe. The nearest store was in Wigan.
Got up early, breakfast of a slice of wholemeal bread with lurpak butter and a big mug of coffee and drove off to Blackrod, parked my car there and took a bus to Wigan. It was cold and windy and on reaching Wigan it was drizzling.
Walked down to wards the Go store, stopped at WH Smith, bought the DK German language guide £13.99). Passed  the Train station which is on the right, collected some time tables and went down to Go. Saw the shoes which I liked, and also a head cap and purchased them. The shoes was £39.99 and cap £2.99.
Walked back the way I went and stopped at the local pub and had 2 pints of Carlsberg, costing £2.20 a pint.
I began to feel hungry and initially felt that I wanted fish and mushy peas, then rice and curry that was available at Bolton. Finishing off my beer, walked to the train station and took the train to Bolton which left at 11.18 am.
While on the packed train, I decided to go to Manchester for a dim sum meal instead. Sitting across I saw a Chinese resembling girl who was reading a book while listening to her music. The book was an autobiography of Duncan Balantyne. He is one of the Dragons on Dragons Den, my least favourite.
I passed a note to the girl reading the book with these words scribbled, what is interesting about the book?
 She read the note and gave me a smile!
The person sitting next to me was reading the book, 'We have to talk about Kevin' by Lionel Shriver.
I got off at Salford Crescent to change the train to Oxford Road.
At Oxford Road I went to Tai Wu Chinese Restaurent and had to wait for a table, and while waiting had a pint of Carlsberg.
 About 20 minutes later my number was called for the table. Had about 5 dim sums.
The bill came to less than twelve pounds and after paying decided to go to Chinese grocery in Chinatown.
Here I bought 4 male crabs, Ching chong fun.
While at the grocery, saw a small English boy looking at the crabs. Took one and showed to him how harmless it was. While talking I met the Dad who was with his family. Discovered he had worked and lived in  Kanthan (cement factory) near Ipoh. We exchanged common information.
From Chinatown walked to Market street and took the tram to Victoria Station. Here I met the chinese looking girl whom earlier I met on the journey from Wigan to Manchester.
I smiled and she responded and exchanged information. Her parents were from South Vietnam of chinese origin. She was sixteen and was in Manchester for a tutorial session. Parents ran a chinese take away in Winstanley in Wigan. Had a chat with her and had to leave at Salford Crescent in order to take the next train stopping at Blackrod, where I intended to stop and take bus up to Spar to collect my car.
After 2 trains I discovered none was stopping at Blackrod and no other trains indicated on the board.
Decided to take the next train to Bolton and if no further  trains to Blackrod, get the bus direct to Blackrod.
At Bolton there was no indication of any training stopping at Bolton. Got off and in front of the station discovered the buses here go Wigan via Blackrod (575).
How grateful I was, originally thinking that I had to walk to the main bus station to get on to this bus!
The bus dropped me faithfully at Spar on Blackrod and took my car home.