Getting your prescriptions filled for a slow traveller

Naturally I love Mani. I love all these places. 

The women's European cup for soccer started here last night. Over 70,000 people at the first game. That’s amazing for womens sport. Never happen in the U.S. By the way England won against Austria. 

So I am on 3 medications that I take every day. I knew that this was going to be a challenge.  So starting looking into how to get more. Asked a pharmacist who told me I have to see a doctor and have them prescribe. He gave me a number.

No go. Said he never should have given me the number. Went to another pharmacist. Gave me a number to a private doctor that you can see the same day.

Called them and made phone appointment which was cheaper than in person. So next day wait at at appointed time. Nothing. Called them an hour later and the woman had put me down as in person. Couple hours later nurse practitioner called me. Able to give me one month supply. Messaged a local pharmacy. Cost: $60. 

Went there few hours later. Not ready and oh by the way we can’t fill one of them. We ran out. Called back to NP office. They gave me paper prescription to try at another pharmacy. Cost for two meds for a month supply:$30.

I don’t know if I’ll be able to get it or not. It is usually combined with another med. We’ll see.

How can she travel for a year?

 You are probably wondering how did she manage to do this? The whole travel the world for a year thing? Doesn’t she have obligations?

Before this I lived in an apartment and paid rent, electric gas. I had a cell phone bill. I had credit card payments. I was buying groceries every week. 

I had no car. That saved me a lot of money. No payment, gas, insurance. I used an hourly car rental that was a block from my house. 

I ate out, went to coffee shops, events.  Bought stuff on Amazon. In other words I had a normal life.

I have a decent retirement income after 30 years as a nurse plus social security. It’s average. I had a small business that earned me about 9,000 last year.

The biggest reason I could do this is that I didn’t have any big obligations. I don’t own a house. Didn’t have payments or have to worry about it while I was  away. No car to pay for or store. I am retired. No work obligation. My son is not married, no grandchildren yet.

The biggest thing is I have always been is a risk taker. Not afraid to do something different. Always confident I could take care of myself. I have a big sense of adventure. 

I thought what is the worse thing that could happen? I would hate it and have to come back. I would have to come back for a family emergency. If I had to come back, the world would not end. 

I have made sure I have money in the bank for any emergencies or extraordinary circumstances. I also have credit cards. I will only use them if I need to. I have health insurance in case of emergency.

I don’t know what the future holds. Something could happen that brings this to an end prematurely. In the meantime I’m going to enjoy every minute of it.

UK is not a paradise but it’s a relief

 I’ve noticed something since being over here. I am not  holding myself tense or grinding my teeth. 

There is no doubt that I am more relaxed. It’s hard to say if it’s having less worries about everyday life or because life is more relaxed here.

Traveling like this, there are challenges. Being in a foreign country away from your home. Traveling a lot. Staying in different places all the time. However it frees you up too. All I really have to worry about is what’s the next air bnb, train ride and food.  Sure I still have bills back home but they are automatically paid. 

I don’t have gas, electric, cable, phone bill (I’m using SIM cards), car payment, gas for car, car insurance. Food is cheaper. 

Probably the biggest difference here is the lack of gun violence. There are no shootings. No mass shootings every other day. There are stabbings here but it doesn’t seem to be on the level of US violence.

My experience here is certainly not like the people who live here on a daily basis and all their worries.  

It feels different here. There is not the tension or fear of other people.  Mentally unstable people are not yelling or aggressive on the street. There are homeless but they just sit with a cup on the street. I know there is racism here of course. Race doesn’t seem to permeate the very fiber of the country like the US. Black people don’t have to worry about the police gunning them down. 

Riding transit is so much less stressful than the nightmare it is in the US. Politics are as stupid here as they are back home but they don’t seem as extreme. I don’t know maybe they are.

I’m making this sound like a paradise. It isn’t. It’s just more like what would be normal life. It’s not crazy. But that’s just my perspective. I’m probably way off.

It’s cold in Manchester for this slow traveller

 I could live in Manchester. It is like a very big city but in a smaller package. It has everything London has but not so much of it. It’s so much less hectic and frantic. 

It has a very extensive public transport system with the trams, albeit very slow.  Easy to reach rest of UK from here with 3-4 rail stations in the central part. Lots of culture, music, arts. Lots of diversity. History. 

It would be cool to live in one of their many high rise buildings. The only drawback I can see is weather. (This coming from someone who lives where there is 6 months of snow and cold). 

I think Manchester has maybe two months of summer where it gets to maybe 68.  Rest of months range 44-62 degrees. They get more rain than most UK cities.  Cold and damp winters? No.  I guess you get used to it. What is worse 10 inches of snow and -15 or cold and damp winters. It’s a toss up. They typically get 2.8 inches of snow in winter.  (See photo) The UK doesn’t seem to have clear days. It’s a lots of clouds, then partly cloudy periods.

I’m looking forward to exploring more of this fascination’ city!

View from Manchester Deansgate tower

 Lots of people out today. Tram was full with people standing. 

Went down to central Manchester. The tram’s slowness and many stops let’s you see different areas. Manchester is a city of rivers. They meander through the city. A lot of neighborhoods are named so and so key. 

In the 2000’s the city decided to develop an isolated area with nothing on it. They decided it was a place that skyscrapers could be built. It was named Deansgate Square.

Four very tall residential buildings were put up. They range from 460 to 659 ft tall. The tallest building has 62 floors. That is the tallest building in Manchester. Imagine living on the 62nd floor!

Here is a picture of the towers and a view of Manchester from the tallest one. Obviously view is not my picture.

Manchester is hip to this slow traveller

 It's a new day. Here we are in Manchester.  Or “Mani” as the locals call it. The city itself has a population of 535,000 but in greater Manchester (suburbs and all) has 2.7 million. It's the 2nd biggest metro area in England. We're in northwest England now. Accents are thicker.

Manchester has two rivers that run through it so lots of scenic spots along it with shops and places to live. After Cardiff this feels really big.  Very sophisticated.

We sat outside a Starbucks today and people watched.  A wide variety of people went by.  Everything from bachelorette (or hen parties as they are called here) parties to a marriage party led by the bride to hip young women in the latest fashion. Add some good looking young men and you got the picture.(I’m not dead yet)

Manchester is a mix of old and new. Very old intricately designed building to 40-50 story modern skyscrapers. It’s sort of like a less crowded, less harried London. I love it so far. 

I’m even enjoying the very slow trams that are actually kind of relaxing and let you see the scenery. 

So a good start to a new and exciting place!

Train travel in UK is not fun

 Man I'm tired. These travel days take a lot out of you. 

Left at 8:30 am so we could get something to eat before the train. Long ways from the air bnb to station. At least it seemed long with a suitcase and a backpack. 

We had no idea how Cardiffs train station worked. Yes we had come in there but we just left right away. In order to get out you had to scan your train ticket. So we knew we had to scan the ticket going in. Turns out the station is sort of like a subway only it's outside. It's has platforms, that's it. 

We went to the right platform and there were lots of people . Uh oh another mad dash like in London? Turns out they were going on different trains. We got there too early. So it's 5 minutes before our train is due and announcement is made : change of platform! Of course it was up another staircase. 

Then train is delayed 30 minutes. OK it’s all good, we`re on the train. Everything is copacetic. The Wales countryside is absolutely beautiful. Lots of sheep. Cows.

About four stops from Manchester, they announce everybody has to get off at the next stop because this train ain't going any farther. We have to get on a new train! So on to the new train, different platform.

Finally at Manchester. Time to find train to air bnb to Eccles. Well we decided to take the "metrolink". Turns out it's a light rail situation. Great. Get on. Proceed to move through downtown at literally 5 mph. It seems to stop every block. As time goes on it seems to be going 2 mph. This was the pace to Eccles. It was bizarre and funny.  It really wasn't funny. We were tired. So five hours later (ha more like 40 minutes) We finally get to Eccles. 

We thought we would be efficient so we bought a week card for the light rail at the station. Cost: $30. Found out the actual train is 10 minutes to Eccles. However weekly cost: $60 for 1 week per person. Can somebody tell me why the UK transportation system is so darn expensive?!!