No signal for TEN days...

so here is the update.

Sunday August 3rd 2008

I got up early to cruise to Nantwich. Only 2 locks today although they were deep ones with scary ladders. I met up with Lynn ok. Very close to where we moored there was a concert starring Girls Aloud. Tickets were £32 but we had ringside seats (for sound anyway!). Shame is wasn’t someone more to our taste. We found a nice Italian restaurant for supper. With the concert some places were only open to regulars. We are off to Liverpool in the morning.

Monday 4th to Wednesday 6th August 2008
We started out for Liverpool. Went to Nantwich Station but when our train arrived (a single coach) the driver said he couldn’t take us to Crewe as there had been a fatality on a level crossing further along. We went back to our cars and Lynn drove us to Chester where we got Merseyrail into Liverpool. The ticket only cost £4.20 so we probably saved cash. Our hotel was only 300 metres from the station and was right in the heart of things. We dumped our bags and had a walk round calling into the Catholic Cathedral and, later, into the Cavern Club for a drink. We found a lovely French bistro close to the hotel for a meal. On Tuesday it rained early on so we went to the Walker Gallery and then we went on the "Ferry cross the Mersey" and to the Klimt exhibition at the Tate. We ate at a restaurant opposite the hotel and then went back to Chester and from there to the boat. We were both surprised at how compact the city was. Today we set off down the Shroppie, stopping at Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker before mooring for the night at Audlem Locks. It started raining so we decided to eat in tonight.

Thursday August 7th 2008

We made our way up the Audlem Flight. A nice sunny day. We went back to Nantwich to fetch our cars and then had a meal at the Shroppie Fly.

Friday August 8th 2008

Lynn put an old padlock on my front door - for which I have no key! Luckily it was to hold the two door parts together so can still open door but not open it as a stable door. That will teach me to declutter and throw out useless items! We moved cars and cruised down to Market Drayton . Couldn’t find a decent pub to eat in so we ate at home again.

Saturday August 9th 2008

Rained all morning. We went to Market Drayton Museum as Lynn wanted to trace her grandparents and any clues would be welcomed. We moved my car a place called Gnosall which I will pass in a day or two. It also has good bus connections. Then we had lunch - we tried Staffordshire oatcakes! Very nice. When the weather cheered up we took the boat through the next 5 locks. It started raining at about lock 2 and we got drenched.

Sunday August 10th 2008

Lynn left at 12.30pm and I cruised for three hours to High Offley. Very windy, but fine and sunny day.

Monday 11th August 2008

Still no signal so that is 5 or more days!! I cruised to Gnosall for a few provisions and to check on the car. I loaded up some laundry and some old paperbacks. On to Wheaton Aston for diesel, elsan and thru the only lock for today. Ended up quite close to Brewood and only 6 miles from the junction. If weather holds I should get to Great Hayward in good time.