Monday 15 September 2014

Day 8. York and end of holiday

Good evening from base camp, yes I'm home. After another hearty breakfast, they are all hearty at the YHA, I checked out of York Hostel at 9am and as I made my way down the drive to leave I spotted this fascinating fungi growing on the lawn near the entrance. Nature is wonderful. 
The hostel is close to the river, a mile out of the city. It's a lovely walk along the embankment track shared by cyclists and walkers. York has a comprehensive network of  tracks to encourage people to bike to work. The city was very busy for a Monday morning, still plenty of tourists about. The boats are getting ready for a days work.

I didn't want to spend time fighting my way through the crowds, so I decided to pop in and see the National Railway Museum before I caught the next bus. It's a smashing place, if you are in York go there, it's free, and fabulous. Look at this magnificent beast, now that is a beautiful sight. Sadly they don't make 'em like this any more.


Just the front bit of a Eurostar. I've never been on one.

This is inside a Japanese Bullet Train.

There is a big model train layout. 

Trolleys piled high with authentic luggage.

A peep into a couple of the carriages. They look very grand. I'd like to sit in there like Lady Muck, ha ha. 

Everything is sparkling clean and polished.

I was yet again confused by the bus stands at York, now which one was it that I came in on. At last I found it, and within a couple of minutes a bus arrived bound for Hull. Wonderful. 
On arrival at the bus station in Hull, I saw my local bus pulling out, missed it. Never mind they run every half an hour, not long to wait. The last ride was a ride from hell. a very small child never stopped screaming and crying the whole way. boy was I glad to get off. That was the only bus of the holiday which had a lady driver, nice to see a female behind the wheel.  
What did I do when I got home, went out into the garden and picked a whole lot of runner beans. Need to get them in the freezer. Then I dug up some spuds. It was lovely to have some fresh vegetables for my dinner tonight, I ain't half missed them. My digestive system will start working better now, can't have done it much good with all the junk I have been eating. Also a cooked breakfast, even though they filled me up each morning, is not good for a healthy body. 

My little family are pleased I am back. I'm looking forward to snuggling up in my own bed tonight. I'll do a costing for the holiday in a day or two, it must have been the cheapest one I've had for ages. 
I'll say goodnight, thanks for your company every day, I really do appreciate it. I have enjoyed reading your comments.
Toodle pip

27 comments:

  1. What a nice lively happy holiday you seem to have had. Fun! Glad you got home safely and yes when all is said and done, there is no place like home. Hope you are enjoying being with your cats and eating your own good food. Thanks for sharing your adventures with all of us. You are inspiring!
    Sara

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  2. Love, love , love following you on your adventures! Your blog really brightens my day. Glad you got home safe & sound. I agree, there's nowhere as cosy as your own bed!

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  3. Welcome home, and thanks so much for a great virtual tour of my old homegrounds! fifty years since I was there, but it was so good to see a lot of familiar hills and dales and lakes again. You could have mailed me your Kendal Mint Cake, though, big oversight there...

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  4. Glad you are home safe and sound. Thank you again for sharing your travels with us, it's almost like being there with you

    xx

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  5. Thank you for your trip over hill and dale. As a none driver and a bus pass owner its good to see how far you have been able to travel at a low cost. It wouldn't be totally free for me though as I have to pay for some of my husband's fares, he is younger than me and moans like hell about having to pay and I don't ! Ha ha.( he is a Hull man) nuff said! Night night have a good rest and thanks again.

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  6. Welcome home, Ilona! I enjoyed traveling with you. You really make me want to travel to the north of England to visit so many lovely places I never would have known about without you. I love all the stone buildings and the lush countryside. I'm sure that you are happy to be back in your cozy home.

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  7. Welcome back, and we enjoyed your trip with you!

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  8. Welcome home Ilona, a really nice trip, I have enjoyed your posts and pictures very much, many thanks.
    Great to get away but always good to come home too, you will appreciate your own bed.
    I loved the pictures of the engines. I grew up in Swindon, a railway town. At one time there was a railway museum there, don't know if it is still open.
    Sleep tight.
    Pam in TX xxx

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  9. Ilona, this was a happy trip and wonderful for us, your fans, to follow!
    Glad to know you are home safe and sound. JanF

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  10. Glad you arrived home safely there is no place like home even after such a good holiday.

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  11. There truly isn't any place like home is there:) I'm sure your little fur babies were so pleased to have you back home. It's been wonderful to travel around with you, so many very familiar places where I've lived, worked and spent many happy day trips:) Thank you so much Ilona for lovely, interesting and funny posts, I've loved every moment♥ Linda xx

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  12. We enjoyed your lovely holiday! It's given us lots of ideas, too. I'm sure all your exercise will have more than offset the 'ravages' of a full English! How do you find your runner beans keep in the freezer? We have lots too and though it's nice to give some away, it would also be good to have some for the winter!

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    1. Hi Charlotte. The beans are fine. I don't blanch them, just cut them up and bag them in single portions.

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    2. Thanks, Ilona...I never had any success with blanching, so will definitely try this. Look forward to some 'fresh' beans with Christmas dinner!

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  13. Welcome back. I have enjoyed your travels and pictures, so frugal and environmentally friendly.

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  14. Your holiday was really interesting, you've been to some lovely places. I'm amazed that you managed to get around on the bus as well as you did, i thought you might struggle with infrequent service or no service at all.
    I cant wait to get my bus pass so i can give it a go.
    Dave.

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  15. Thank you for sharing your holiday, it's really special to get to "join" you on your adventures. :)

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  16. Welcome home! I've enjoyed reading and seeing what you got up to on this holiday! (sounds like a school essay - 'What I did on my holiday' !).
    Enjoy your fresh veg.x

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  17. Welcome home!
    I love the shot of the boats...gorgeous.
    The museum looks like a great day out. I forgot how HUGE those trains were until I saw the man standing next to the engine!
    Jane x

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  18. Ilona......such a pleasure to travel with you.........take us all to the Farne Islands one day.

    Metta

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  19. You don't realise the size of some of those locomotives until you see a person stood by the wheel do you ...WOW!!

    I have been on the Eurostar and it was comfy but nothing too special, we went through the Channel Tunnel and I was really excited about the prospect of the 'going through the tunnel' bit, but as soon as you get near it they put on all the lights in the carriages and it's brighter than it was a few minutes earlier in daylight, they could at least give you 30 seconds of blackness for effect. Lovely Hubby slept for the entire journey so he missed everything!!

    I've really enjoyed sharing your holiday, you fitted a lot in. Did you manage to travel for free on all the buses you used?

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    1. Yes, all free, Sue. Didn't pay a penny for transport.

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  20. Pleased to hear you made it home and what a great holiday "on the cheap" apart from hostel & B/B charges and good to know it can be achieved on the bus pass. I am going to try freezing runner beans without blanching first, I am also going to try and freeze beetrots, I am not too keen on vinegar. Loved the Fungi picture, some can be so beautiful and spectacular, Hope you enjoy snuggling up with kitties tonight and reliving your time away.
    Danneke

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  21. thanks for taking me on holiday with you, I thoroughly enjoyed it. x

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  22. I haven't read your holiday exploits yet, will catch up soon. OH are staying just outside York in our motor home and spent a large chunk of yesterday at the Railway Museum, we had a wonderful time. I wish that I had spotted you. Travelled to Scarborough and back on the bus today, bus so clean and comfortable too. Ali.

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  23. So glad you're back home safely....even though I didn't comment every day of your trip, I enjoyed it all immensely....lovely photos and descriptions of your beautiful country...makes me want to visit every time I read your posts...one of these days.....one of these days.

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  24. You amaze me, Ilona - thanks for posting about your 8 day break for ($300 approx). I love riding the buses when I am in the U.K.
    Great news about the skip - what a treasure trove. My find of the week was a danish Scanpan frying pan - $6 in Goodwill - online they are $150 ! Can you believe a frying pan would cost that much. I am preparing to be impressed !
    Glad you are home safe and sound and eating lovely fresh veg again !

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