Day 1 Newcastle

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We arrived at Newcastle airport just before lunch time and after raiding an ATM, we made our way to the Airport Metro Station and caught the first train to Newcastle Central. It was very humid in Newcastle and around 28 degrees. From the metro station below Newcastle Central, we climbed the escalators up into the Railway Station where we were confronted with mayhem. Lightning from a thunderstorm had knocked out a train bunch of signals in Yorkshire so the trains heading south to London were all cancelled. We needed to catch any one of those trains for our 25 minute ride south down to Darlington where our Campervan awaits. Amongst all the bedlam at the station, we talked to some railway customer service people who told us to jump onto the train on platform 2 which we proceeded to attempt but the train was packed with people and suitcases upd and down the isles.

We eventually squeezed into one of the doorways and made our way to Darlington. The campervan owner’s daughter was king enough to pick us up from the station and gave us a brief tour of the campervan before we headed off to the nearest Sainsbury’s to stock up on some food for the next 8 days. From the Darlington Sainsbury’s, we made our way to Durham which is an amazing little town with a cathedral constructed in 800 AD. We spent the early evening exploring the meandering medieval streets crossing the river and leading up to the cathedral which was perched high overlooking the town.

We made our way back to the campervan just before a thunderstorm hit and travelled to Newcastle in the rain before finding a camping spot just back from the river. We were both exhausted from our 20 hour journey and were asleep before 10:30 pm.

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Photos

Newcastle Airport
We arrive to a humid day in Newcastle

Durham
Overlooking the river in Durham

Durham
Tish with Durham iCathedral in the background

Comments

[Barbara]

Looking forward to hear about your travels. Hope you didn't get all that thunder and lightning on your first night back in UK.
Don't know if you got my last note. If not just briefly. I took Bellas bed down to her hotel but I'm not allowed in to see her as it is their policy that once the pets are in their care it would unsettle them seeing a family member and then they have to settle them down again. Think you missed summer from what I hear. I've been to Durham cathedral. Last time we were in Durham the miners brass band was marching up the street for the last time. Hope all is well and enjoying yourselves x