Why I love Norwich

I think part of the reason why I was so excited to travel to Norwich is because it was there that I've really become fully myself. I'm lying wide awake thinking about exactly what's happened this past year, and I just need to write it down to let it out.

This time last year, I was in the middle of Sherwood Forest in Nottingham with a fairly large group of friends. It was great, don't get me wrong, and a really nice way to finish 7 years of secondary education. But, looking back, we were immature. Most of us have moved out and matured. I've grown up a lot since then.

University life really does change you. I mean, this time last year, I had never:
1) 100% trusted someone with personal matters
2) Smoked a cigarette
3) Got drunk
4) Danced provocatively in a club
5) Seen different perspectives on some topics
6) Been independent
7) Been fully myself

After 1 year at uni, I can say I've now done all of those. All of them. If you'd have asked me this time last year about any of those, I'd have given a very different response to most.

Moving 200 miles away was definitely a move for the greater good (the greater good). Throughout the few years before coming to uni, I was never properly happy. There was always something on my mind to burst my temporary happiness bubble, whether it was studying for A-Levels, a family death or supporting a friend through cycles of depression, to name a few of the many. Music was the way I coped through all this. That's probably why my hearing isn't the best. Because loud music makes you temporarily forget everything except it. Which can be a blessing at times.

Of course, I had and still have a close group of friends to count on, although that has been reshuffled a little bit over the past year. There's only one person out there who knows absolutely everything about me. But 8 months ago, I didn't know he existed. Funny how these things work. A few close friends knew most matters. But I never fully trusted them the way I now trust him. I think it's fairly obvious who I'm talking about.

This year, for the first time, I've been able to do things the way I want them to be done. Freshers week was my first sense of complete independence and it went uphill from there. Living with parents was all getting a bit too much. I've been back a month on and off and it got too much weeks ago. Another reason why I love being back, albeit temporarily.

And, most importantly, this year I've been completely myself. My first year at university gave me a change to completely reinvent myself. I've done things I would never have considered doing this time last year, I've got stuck into university life and I'm already the vice president of a society. But most importantly, I've made new friends, who I know I'll have for a long time.

The best bit about this year? I'm doing it all again for the next 2.

To Cambridge & Merseyside and back

Bloody hell, I've done a lot of travelling recently. It says it all in the title really. The worst journey was the 6 hour one coming back from the outskirts of Cambridge (damn you, number 10 bus) where the hungover Scouse woman next to me on the Virgin train looked like she was going to chunder any moment. She didn't, thank god. I didn't really fancy rolling into Stockport covered in someone else's vomit, cheers.

Not that I really mind all this travelling. I like going places and it makes it feel like I'm at least doing something with this loooooonnnnnnnnnggggggg summer. It also helps that the weather's been surprisingly good. Well, everywhere else I've been in the past few weeks away from Manchester it has been, apart from the past few days. Pretty much sums up Manc weather to be honest.

Anyhow moving on from a very Grandparent-like comment...

Cambridge!!
I love Cambridge. It's full of pretty buildings and a pretty river, without being too 'look at us'. You know what I'm trying to get at.Ok, so it's an expensive city, but you can tell that people have at least a little bit of common sense (see my first post). And it's very small, perfect for lazy sods like me. Although on one of the many walks in, there's a field full of cows, which I wasn't expecting. I mean, cows near a city centre? Moooo (bad pun, sorry). Whilst I was in Cambridge, I had my first ever game of golf. All in all, it could have gone better. And by that, I mean it took me at least 4 shots to do what Alex and his dad could do in 1. I'm amazed I finished with 60 to be honest. I was expecting 63 (the max score). Practice makes perfect... riiiight....

A few days later, I went to what must be the complete opposite to Cambridge: Merseyside. Or Scouseland, as I prefer to call it. It just seems more fitting. Anyone who's been there will know what I mean. More specifically, Formby. And even more specifically than that: Formby Point (the beach for anyone who doesn't know what I'm talking about). It was classic Northern fashion; go to the beach as soon as the mercury hits above -10 and there's more than 1 hour of sunlight. I'm exaggerating of course. More like 2 hours of sunlight! Ahh the joys of livin' up North! I'm surprised it was as quiet as it was to be honest! I guess it was a Friday, so it shows people at least are still keeping their jobs! Ish. What got me was the people who came down the sanddune between the carpark and the beach and then just plonked themselves down at the bottom of the slope! I mean, seriously, walk up the beach for 2 minutes and it's a lot more pleasant. Talk about lazy...

Tomorrow, I venture back to Norwich for a little bit!! I'm so excited, and I don't even know why. There's nothing particularly exciting about what I'm doing there, except maybe surprising people at volunteering then a drink (or several) at Playhouse. I've only been gone from it a month and I've missed it. Weird what moving away does to you.

My take on Amsterdam

At about this time last night, we (Alex and I) touched back down at Manchester Airport after a 3 night break to Amsterdam. It was meant to be earlier, but one of the main onboard computers (which we later learnt was the braking system) had crashed, so we had to sit at the gate for an hour whilst they turned it on and off again (Anyone reminded of the IT crowd here?!). Needless to say, that was the most stressed out I've ever been on a flight.

But apart from that, it was definitely a successful trip. Amsterdam is such a picturesque city. We walked to and around everything worth visiting, and some parts that weren't. The vast network canals were definitely the best thing about it. We spent hours wandering around them, and the surrounding Jordaan neighbourhood.

                                                                  See what I mean?

The original plan was to go and see Anne Frank's house, but we got there, saw the queue, and thought fuck it, we've seen the outside of the house, and everyone who's read her diary knows exactly what happened. We only visited one serious museum, the refurbished Rijksmuseum, but, to be honest, that was enough. There's only so much of a museum you can stand in a given length of time. I think we ended up missing out half a floor cos we got fed up. Appalling.

Our B&B was a nice cheap little family-run one in a local neighbourhood (Bed & Breakfast Amsterdam, in case you were wondering) on the other side of the Vondelpark, which meant we had to walk through it to get to the city centre. Not that I'm complaining, it was probably the most relaxing way of getting to a city centre. Ever. Even better when it was sunny. It's something I'd highly recommend. I felt like I got a better feel for regular Dutch life than I ever would if we'd stayed slap-bang in the city centre.

One thing I did notice about Dutch culture was that they like their drink, especially their beer. But it's not in a "down it Fresher!" sort of way. It's more a social "let's have a catch-up over a beer" sort of thing. You're slightly fucked if you're like me and dislike beer, however. I got weird looks when I asked for vodka instead. Ah well.

Which brings me nicely (ish) onto the Dutch cannabis culture. For those of you who don't know, cannabis is technically legal in Amsterdam, although slightly frowned upon if you do it anywhere other than the designated coffeeshops. Which, of course, is what attracts so many people roughly our age to Amsterdam. That and to get completely fucked by other drugs which are also legal in Amsterdam. But we mostly avoided that. We did go into a coffeeshop for a bit, just cos it's something you feel you have to try, but realised that we disliked the "must get fucked" drugs culture as it's no fun walking around a city in broad daylight slightly stoned.

Another part to avoid would be the Red Light District. I know it's what Amsterdam is famous for, but it just feels ridiculously sleazy and like anyone would pickpocket you at any time. We had a quick walk around, then buggered off out. It was interesting seeing erotic shops everywhere, and the sex museum just outside of it was definitely a laugh. They have giant statues of penises, for crying out loud! I feel sorry for anyone who was walking around with their parents....

Oh fuck, I've rambled on loads. Ok, I'll summarise quickly, hopefully without sounding too much like a guidebook.

The bit about Amsterdam most worth seeing I'd say would be:
1) The canals
2) The Vondelpark
3) Jordaan
4) Rijksmuseum (although don't spend too long in there)              
5) The war memorial that looks a bit like a vaginal dilator.

And the things to avoid:
1) Red Light District
2) The Remembrantplein (there's nothing there apart from overpriced shit bars)

There you have it, my take on Amsterdam. Probably nothing like any guidebook you've read before.

Some Key Place Names....

As you probably gathered from the blog title, I'm from the posh part of Manchester. Hale to be more precise. Although I despise letting it onto anyone. If an outsider asks, I always say Manchester. If they ask which part I always say Altrincham. I didn't even tell my own boyfriend (who I met at uni in Norwich, may I add) my exact address until about a week until he was due to visit at Easter. And I was very reluctant to give my address to a friend so she could send me a birthday present. I just don't want to be judged by people who may think that I (well, my parents) live in a £1,000,000 house, with 2 Bentleys with personalised number plates casually sitting in the very large driveway, and that I spend my free time sitting in expensive coffee shops with a chihuahua's head popping out of a ridiculously large expensive handbag, and crashing cars in the airport tunnel, just because I have more money than common sense. Oh, and that I have a framed photo of Margaret Thatcher, which I kiss every night before I fall asleep. That's the aura that Hale people give out. Have I mentioned that I dislike it?

My reality is very different. Yes, I live in a fairly large house, but that's just because we recently inherited enough money to build an extension. And we have a fucking Kia Picanto. Probably the least show-ey car you could possibly have. And a Land-Rover, but that's practical for my dad's long-distance job. Although we do own a poodle. A large miniature black poodle to be more precise. She's sat next to me now actually. Sweeeeeeeeeet. And I'm very left-wing. I voted the Green Party at the local council election. I didn't tell anyone from around Alty, because I knew I'd get callings of "Right is Right"(?!), "Why did you vote for such a nothing-y party" etc etc etc. Surely everyone's entitled to their own political beliefs? These are mine.

I'm ridiculously glad I moved out of this area for uni and moved 200+ miles away to Norwich, out of the "Hale bubble". I've met new people who's opinions I actually agree with, seen different perspectives on life, and for the first time ever, I'm  fully myself. And I'm fucking loving it. I was actually very reluctant to move back to Hale after my first year. That speaks volumes in my book.

Although it's not all bad. I'm proud to be associated with Manchester, and to have lived there for 16+ years. Just not the Hale part of it. There's something about the city that just draws me back into it. I'm yet to figure out properly what it is. The music maybe? I'm a massive Oasis fan. And the Smiths. And the Stone Roses. Any halfway decent Manc band, actually. Even, dare I say it, Take That. Yes, I know, I should be hung, drawn and quartered for actually admitting that. Meh.

Also, the football. It both brings the city together, and divides it, especially on Derby Day. It's more a a banter-y division. I've never seen or heard of anything really serious breaking out between the two fan bases. I'm a Red, and every time I see United playing on TV, I feel a sense of pride to be from Manchester. I actually welled up when Sir Alex Ferguson made his retiring speech at Old Trafford, and I'm willing to bet that others, including grown men did. Take my boyfriend, for example.

I think I've said everything. Over the next few months, I'm going to be in limbo between here, Cambridge and Norwich. Although Manchester will always bring me back to it, in one way or another. You can take me out of Manchester, but you can't take the Manchester out of me.