Holiday Week 2: Friday: Scotland - Manchester

So I decided that Tilley beat the Berghaus cap, having been warn in rain, shine and wind, day and night, while the Berghaus was only worn shopping in Manchester immediately after purchase. I fully recommend a Tilley hat for anyone going out walking/hiking, while the cap just makes my hair look weird.

Other best buys: Petzel Tikka head torch. Essential for scrambling in the dark, caving, and going to the loo at night. Let's you use both hands without having to juggle a torch. Wasn't as good as a maglite style torch for long distance viewing tho.

Top of the pops: Technical 5-finger Toe Socks. Totally awesome!! Have been wearing them all week and don't want to go back to normal socks (I will just have to go bare foot till they escape from the washing machine tomorrow). They were great as liner socks while hiking, and am now sitting in a pub in Manchester drinking Rekorderlig in them. Freedom of the feet!

In other news, I spent the morning chilling with Eddie the community cat, then pootled down the road to Manchester in the rain, past about 5 crashes.

Due to the riots of the week, walking through Manchester centre I counted 40 police in 5 mins - a pair in the door of each closed shop on the street. Apparently on Wednesday morning the city looked like the aftermath of a warzone, let's hope it's all over now tho.

No trouble that I saw, but did manage a flaming cocktail in crazy bar that played Queen, Beatles, then Peter Andre. Via a load of other normal bars to Mojos - possibly the best bar I've been in ever. After looking at the extensive cocktail menu, and seeing the range of 4 beers, I thought I was suitably drunk to chance it and order 'a cider?'. To which I was given a Rekorderlig. What an awesome surprise - I was readying myself for some expensive strongbow or magners, but in fact they had quality stuff. Awesome! They also played totally sweet music from ACDC, Arctic Monkeys, Kooks, Queens of the Stone Age and more! Needless to say, we rocked :-)