h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

For the daytime activity on Saturday, we've managed to snag the services of the County Archaeologist, the chap is *very* knowledgeable about the history of Manchester, from its Roman roots through the Industrial Revolution to modern day, and has agreed (in exchange for a packet of jaffa cakes and a couple of pints) to lead a guided walk around the city centre.

What it takes in, how long it lasts, and the depth it can go into all depends on the numbers fancying a stroll, etc.

So sign up here if you'd like to go on this walk, and remember, it's free!

Sign me up!

Count me in

I'm interested! Let me round up the rest of the band and have them say their wishes...

maybe maybe... maybe...

Count me in

Awesome idea! I'll be there. (Have just booked accommodation, by the way.)

TRiG.

Most likely we will be there, too. After all I'll have an exam on the history of UK only a week later.

we will be there

I'd love to!

We will be 2, but possibly 4 depending on how today's youth are feeling on the particular day...

Looking forward to it very much. The weather in Manchester seems to be improving the closer we get to Saturday 7 June

Manchester weather is weird, it can be pissing it down one minute, and then just cloudy the next.

Best advice, bring a lightweight raincoat

Its Manchester... anything more than a tee-shirt, or shirt, is overdressed Oh, and me too, for hte walkies please

Nah, Manchester's alright with coats. It's Newcastle that isn't

I swear its true... the year I was living in Manchester, doing my Masters degree; it did* rain every single day!
Just so long as its not too* hot for me to wear my one and only coat, the long leather jacket, plus my hat, I'm OK... I must go investigate why my boots are seemingly falling to bits though... I may have to regress to the rediculus army leather boots instead at this rate, hardly summer attire

I've been out shopping for my trip today.

While I have a great set of foul weather gear for riding, that includes a nice, lightweight raincoat, I went ahead and bought a new one that's even lighter. They don't get much lighter than Frog Toggs.

So what are the temps like right now in Manchester? I did look up the climate report for Edinburgh, but that was a few weeks ago, and I trust personal reports from locals more than what I find on Google.

To finish up my shopping list, I bought a spare memory card for my camera. I got to the store, and realized I wasn't 100% sure which card my camera used. I tried a quick search on my JeeJaw and it came up with conflicting results. So, after a few minutes considering whether to just take a chance and pick up an SD card and hope I was more right that google, I decided to play it safe, and make the 25 mile round trip back to the house. That was the wise the choice. My camera uses the harder to find photo flash memory cards.

Then I went on a search for a messenger bag. I was going to just bring my small little tablet bag, but I got I'm bringing some things to give away on the main night and they wouldn't quite fit in that small bag. Then I thought about this thread and decided a proper messenger bag would give me room to carry a light raincoat as well. Also, while I'm there I might buy a proper British Brolly (Anyone have any suggestions on where to find one and what brand to buy? Does Sainsbury's carry decent umbrellas, 'cuz there's one right down the street from the hotel. I'll be shopping there when I arrive anyway to pick up shampoo, toothpaste, etc. all the TSA prohibited essentials.) So, where to buy a messenger bag. Ugh, I knew I'd have to shop at least NEAR the local mall. I fought all that traffic but none of the extramallular stores had them. So, over to Baybrook Mall (mentioned on The Big Bang Theory as where a mall Santa breaks a young Dr. Sheldon Cooper's heart. He asked "Santa to bring back his Paw Paw and instead he got a set of Lincoln Logs.)

I park. I walk into J.C. Penny's. No messenger bags. I walk out and head toward Dillard's, popping my head into a couple of shops on the way. No messenger bags. One salesperson recommmends checking a Polo store. I don't find the Polo store. I very hesitantly enter an Ambercrombie and Fitch store. They had carried messenger bags, but they're out. But the young man I asked says he had bought a really good one at the Fossil store and kept it for several years. On my way to finding the Fossil shop, I step in and out of a few more stores, and actually find a messenger bag in American Eagle. It's about $40. Now that I know there's one to be had, I decide not buy this one and at least check out the Fossil store. I bought the one at the Fossil store. It didn't have a price tag on it, but I let the young, pretty, sales clerk go and get me one from the back, in blue canvas. She rings me up. That'll be $171.50. Quick decision, do I cancel this sale and get the cheap American Eagle one or not?... Nope. I decide that it's probably over priced, but it's also probably still better quality. If I was only ever going to use it for this one trip, I'd have got the cheap one.

I'm still a bit amazed that I just spent nearly $200 for a man purse.

*faints* that's.... insane! and I'm not entirely sure what a messanger bag is... I've a really cheap rucksack I use for everything... when I say cheap, I mean I found it in my Dad's loft... and took it before my Brother noticed I'd found one of his old rucksacks I thought my £12 for a new wash bag was on the pricey side!

As to traditional British/English umbrellas, William has one (yes, the one that has hit me over the head in the cafe several times ), it came from M&S, (Marks and spencers), but not sure how long he's had it for... I'd imagine they'd still carry such things, and also, probably somewhere like John Lewis oughta do them, and whilst not hugely cheap, they're useually not overpriced, and tend to be decently made items... (well the umbrella William has seems hard/heavy enough); we use it a lot for pressing buttons on electronic doors in town, etc, and for moving pedestrians who arn't looking where they are going, out of the way