RTW ’23: Week 9

During week 9, I found myself in a constant state of gratitude, reflection, and awe. Being in this consistent state of travel has really opened my eyes to what is important in life, and has formed a deeper appreciation for other cultures, historical understandings, and life as a whole. I spent this entire week in the UK, exploring everything that Liverpool has to offer, and made time to visit the Isle of Man, which proved to be a fruitful and worthwhile adventure. This week, I hit a new milestone: I managed to utilize all five modes of my RTW criteria transportation! It felt really good to hit another milestone on my trip, and it made the week as a whole that much better. Getting used to the rain in the UK was a challenge, but embracing a rainbow at the end of every storm always brought a smile to my face. It’s a constant reminder that every storm will pass, and there’s something beautiful waiting on the other side.

Wednesday was a very full day in Liverpool! In the morning, I had a Beatles walking tour, which was really special. Alan, our tour guide, had a book with a lot of early photos of the Beatles. He shared little known facts about the Beatles and took us to the places where significant events happened in the Beatles saga. We started at the Bluecoat school where Yoko studied art. He explained some of the background story of their song lyrics; notably, that Strawberry Field was at the back of an orphanage near where John grew up. We saw where the Hessy Music Shop used to be, which is where they bought their instruments. Paul’s first instrument was a trumpet that his father, a Jazz musician, bought him. Paul then traded the trumpet in for a guitar so he could sing as well. It was so cool to hear so many little details that really brought their story to life. The Cavern Club, where they played over 200 times, was originally a fruit and vegetable storage cellar. It was destroyed in 1973, but rebuilt years later, and Paul agreed that the rebuild was just like the original when they played there again in the 90’s. After the tour, I grabbed a quick bite for lunch at the Liverpool museum cafe, which was very busy with visiting families because the school kids are still on their break. Afterwards, I checked into a new hostel. I decided that a hostel is a better accommodation for me because there I have a kitchen, and it’s half the cost of a hotel, so it’s a win-win. I really love it in Liverpool, so extending my time here just makes sense. My new place is in the Georgian Quarter neighborhood near St. Luke’s bombed out cathedral, as well as the student housing for Liverpool University. After I got settled in, I went out and explored my new neighborhood and found even more to love about Liverpool! There’s a cat cafe and an independent bookstore nearby, which I plan to return to soon. I also found a yoga studio and took an in-person class in the evening. It felt so good to be in a live yoga class for the first time since leaving home! I liked the studio space and the instructor, so I’m sure I’ll take another class this week. I’m definitely settling into life in Liverpool. It agrees with me, here, and I am thankful!

After a few days touring Liverpool, I needed some time to tackle some business. On Thursday, I did just that, and worked on my travel plans for the next few legs of my trip. The UK does not compare to Spain in regards to cheap public transit, so it’s taking more work to stay within my transportation guidelines. I’m not complaining– just noticing the difference– and reminding myself that years ago it wasn’t this easy to navigate passages, especially as a solo woman traveler. It’s a good reminder about why I’m traveling this way! After I ironed out some details, I returned to the bookstore I found the other day. I bought the book “The Girl Explorers” authored by Jayne Zanglein. I’ve been needing a paperback book to read during the rainy days and nights when I’m not out exploring the area. My other shopping find today was a good pair of rain pants that I found on sale at Cotswold’s, a UK outdoor shop. As I walked around today, seeing everyone out and about in awful weather, I was reminded of two sayings that are relevant here. The first, “Stay calm and carry on”, as everyone does here, regardless of rain, wind, and cold. The weather isn’t putting a damper on any plans in the UK! The second, “There’s no bad weather, just bad clothing choices!”. That’s really a lifestyle, here! My one tourist activity today was visiting the Maritime and International Slavery museums. Both were free, and indoors, at the Albert Dock. As I was wandering around, I ran into Robert, my tour guide from two days ago. We had a nice conversation, and he admitted that browsing these museums helps to keep his tour guide knowledge current. I really am starting to feel like a local in Liverpool, running into friends while out and about! The Maritime Museum gave me a good perspective about how sea travel has changed over time. The Slavery Museum was very comprehensive and didn’t shy away from Liverpool’s part in the Atlantic Slave Trade until 1807, at which point the UK outlawed slavery. It was difficult to hear the testimonies and see the photographs from that time, but their stories need to be told, and the truth cannot be buried. It reminded me of the Holocaust Museum in DC– it’s important to remember our collective history, regardless of how dark it is. They also had exhibits regarding current day human trafficking, which was another eye-opener. After I had walked through the museums, I ventured to Maggie May’s Cafe for tea and cake. I’m beginning to understand how hot tea and a delicious treat are a very welcomed break to get out of the cold, raw, rainy days here in the UK. On the way back to my hostel from downtown, I took note of Bold Street. It boasts restaurants from all around the world (Lebanese, Sushi, Texas BBQ, Mexican, Moroccan, Italian, etc.), and a plethora of shops that sell books, vintage clothing, and vinyl records, just to name a few! I really do love my new neighborhood! The hostel that I’m staying in has a lot of good features, like a kitchen that I can cook in, and some rather interesting guests. Jasmine is one of my roommates here, and she talks to herself quite frequently. At first I thought that she was on the phone, but after a short bit, I realized there was no one responding, and no phone to be found. It’s the types of conversations that most of us have silently to ourselves; she just has them outloud. Earlier in the day I returned to our room after breakfast, and there was a third person in our room evangelizing to Jasmine about Jesus, but when I returned this evening, she was gone. In the lounge area of the hostel, there is a guy who is always there on the phone and looks like he’s running a business out of that space with papers piled up on his desk. His conversations aren’t in English, so I have no idea what kind of business he’s running. Luckily, I have good headphones and lots of Spotify music to listen to!

On Friday, I continued to settle in to Liverpool and take care of some business to prepare for my weekend departure on Saturday. I started the morning with an awesome yoga class. I went back to the same studio that I went to before and attended a longer Hatha class with the same instructor, Penny. It felt so good to be taking yoga at a studio, and since I’m in an English speaking country, it’s easy to follow along so I might as well! I’ve been doing some solo yoga along the way on the Camino and stretching as my body needs, but there’s something about having a guided practice that is just different. It’s that sweet surrender of letting go of control, and of everything, really. This class focused on the sacral chakra (the British pronounce this word with a hard k) and non attachment. I melted into the 90 minute class, enjoying the surrender and letting someone else guide my movements. I have so much gratitude and thanks to all of my yoga instructors and fellow practitioners! I didn’t realize just how much I’d miss being in this space with others. I’ll make a point moving forward to find yoga studios where I can practice in a space like this as much as possible along the way. Who knows, maybe it’ll become just like attending Mass– English may not even need to be a prerequisite! In the afternoon I spent some time at the Central Library. It was so cozy to get out of the nasty elements outside and enjoy good WiFi and peace and quiet. I was very productive catching up on emails and researching my next destinations. Tomorrow, I’m headed to a new country, sort of. I’m going to the Isle of Man for the weekend, which is technically still within the UK sovereignty, but they are on the ISO official country list. They have their own parliament, currency, cell phone company, and flag. Although they are part of the 6 Galician nations, they have a surprising connection to SIcily. More to come on that connection when I get there! They were the first country to give women– sadly, not married women– the right to vote in 1881. Once I learned that fact, I had to visit, if only for the weekend. The transportation to get there will not be easy, even though the direct distance as the crow flies is only 86 miles. I’ll spend most of Saturday on a ferry, train, potentially even a bus, and, of course, on foot. It’s a mini adventure within my time in Liverpool, and I am here for it! After a very productive time in the Central Library, I had another important task to take care of: laundry. Doing laundry in the UK so far has not been as easy as in Spain or Portugal. For a country that has such a wet and damp climate, I’m shocked that there aren’t more dryers readily available. My hostel listed laundry onsite, but the front desk told me that the dryer isn’t working, so I found a laundromat one mile away. It featured nicely automated machines with an app to pay and select the machine, cycle, and even detergent, but was a rather cramped space with no tables or areas to fold finished laundry. In Spain, at least along the Camino, every little town had a laundromat. My exciting Friday night was spent doing laundry, and I made sure my laundry bag had a rain jacket! Everything in England seems to require a rain jacket– from the people to the animals to baby carriages and laundry bags! The laundromat required a PIN code to get in, but as someone was leaving, two homeless men slipped in. I got a little nervous, but they asked if I minded if they hung out for a few minutes. One of them looked in the machines for what seemed like maybe loose change, and they kept their distance in the narrow space. They asked me where I was from and when I was going home. I lied and said I was going home tomorrow, because I wasn’t sure what else to say, and we chatted for a few more minutes until someone else came in. The men left a minute or two later. It is really sad to think of being homeless on a nasty night like this. I have seen a few homeless men and women, sometimes even with dogs, on the streets during my travels. There are even a few tents scattered around the city, and this weather must add an extra layer of misery to being homeless. I was thankful that they got a reprieve in the laundromat, albeit only a brief one.

Saturday was an extremely full day of travel in order to get to my next destination: Isle of Man! The morning was a bit of a rough start, as I didn’t get a great nights sleep. My 3 roommates at the hostel came home very late, around 2:30 a.m., and turned on their bedside lights and started chatting. I tried to go back to sleep, but after 20 minutes, they said they were “happy drunk” with no signs of going to sleep. I got up and used the bathroom, and when I returned, I requested that they turn their lights off because I needed some rest. When I got up in the morning at 7 a.m., I didn’t even worry about making noise when I exited the room. Being on the road again was so much fun, and I had everything I needed on my back. The first leg started at Lime Street Train Station to get to Lancaster. It was a quiet Saturday morning and not at all crowded. I had to make a decision at Lancaster whether to wait for the one train to the ferry terminal just before it left, or take a city bus to the nearest town and walk from there. I asked someone at the ticket office what their input was, and he said “there’s nothing here, I’d take the bus and walk along the beach.” It wasn’t raining and there were no ominous clouds in the sky, so I took his advice and hopped on the bus. I liked seeing the towns on the way and the people getting on and off the bus going about their typical Saturday mornings. I didn’t realize we’d reached the last stop until the driver got out of his seat and apologetically told me! I said thanks and checked how far it was to walk to the port. I pinned my location to know where to come to on the return trip and set off on the 2 mile walk with plenty of time to wander and explore before the ferry left. I took the longer route because there was a cafe along the way. It felt like I was back on the Camino, walking to my day’s destination and knowing there was a place to rest along the way. The walk was easy and I found a beach to walk along just before the half moon cafe. There were people out looking for sea glass– I asked a woman to confirm what I had guessed. I was thankful that it wasn’t raining and I feel like I’ve really honed into the right layers and clothes for this climate, at least for today. I did have my rain jacket and pants in my backpack, just in case. Maybe that’s what I’ve been missing– the lucky rain pants. Pam and I used to joke that as long as she packed her rain pants, it wouldn’t rain. Now, my rain pants were, maybe, bringing me luck this day. I stopped at the cafe and had a warm coffee inside. Then I set off to the ferry terminal, which was in sight with two power plants along the way, in addition to lots of truck trailers parked behind fenced in lots. It felt like an accomplishment when I walked into the ferry terminal. There were cars lined up, similar to Portsmouth, but on a much smaller scale. The passenger lounge was very nice with leather couches, a cafe, and BBC on the Telly (as they say in British). I caught up on the news and checked the time to make sure I took Dramamine 45 minutes before departure. Even though the weather conditions were favorable, I wasn’t willing to take a chance on getting seasick– I was determined to have a good sea adventure this time! We boarded and went to the passenger decks above the car levels. It was very similar to the Portsmouth Ferry and I did have just a twinge of anxiety from the last sea voyage. I found my assigned recliner seat on level 8, which featured a nice bow view, and settled in for the 4 hour passage. The waters were calm and I barely noticed when we started moving out of the harbor. Passengers weren’t allowed on the outer decks of this vessel, so I sunk into my seat and took a nice nap for a few hours, waking up to the lights of the shore as we approached Douglas Port. I’d slept through the sunset, but I was thankful for the much needed rest. Disembarking was easy and straightforward. There were no customs or passport stamping at the arrival dock, which was a little disappointing since I love getting a stamp. I walked along the Queens promenade, smelling the ocean breeze and checking out the very provincial hotels, shops, and restaurants along the way. I checked into my hotel, and then went to grab some dinner. I’ve been waiting to get British fish and chips, and this seemed like the right time for it, so I found a takeaway shop near the hotel. They had “Queenies” listed next to the fish and chips, so I asked what they were. The woman told me they were small scallops, so I said “yes, please!”. They were absolutely delicious, and I immediately fell in love with this place! It was a great start to my mini adventure on Isle of Man. If it hadn’t been dark when I disembarked I would have looked for a bike rental spot so I could have had ALL of my transportation methods in one day, but 4 out of 5 is what I call a great RTW day!

To close out my weekend in Isle of Man, I scheduled a walking tour on Sunday. I booked it through Tripadvisor before coming here with a tour guide, Ian, and we walked through the hills near Colby, the south part of the island, with some other locals. Ian picked me up at my hotel with his cute black terrier, Flow, in tow. Then we picked up two more people along the way to the trailhead where twelve other people were waiting for us, some even with their dogs, too! The weather was perfect for walking– 50’s, with no dark clouds– and Ian and Flow led us on a walk through public footpaths (signed paths that wind around the island through pastures, woods, villages, etc.). It was a great opportunity to walk and talk with the local people who regularly go on walks with Ian. Everyone was really friendly and appreciative that I had chosen this activity during my time in the Isle of Man. I loved hearing about local topics, such as a potential wind farm, and the usual weather habits in the area. The walk lasted about two and a half hours through pastures with gates, small villages, and farms. Ian informed me that here, and across the UK, you can walk on public footpaths that pass through private lands, such as sheep or cow farms. If anyone buys a parcel of land that abuts a public path, the right of way has to be maintained. Furthermore, if anyone has a bull, they are not permitted to keep them in a pasture with a public footpath, so that was reassuring! One of the things that I really like is their unique triskelion flag– it’s whimsical, historically significant, and tied to their motto “Whithersoever you throw it, it will stand”, which sums up their independent resilience culture. All of the early examples of the Manx “legs” show them running clockwise towards the sun. The Three Legs of Mann motto has been associated with the symbol since 1300 AD. The Manx triskelion, a version of the sun symbol or swastika used by many ancient civilizations, is one of the oldest continually used government symbols. It’s quite common in Scandinavian lands and very well may have been introduced to the Isle of Man when the Norse ruled the area prior to 1266. In Sicily, the triskelion is known as the trinacria, a three-legged woman that symbolizes Sicily itself, which was first adopted in 1282 by Sicilian Vespers. It is currently the official flag of the autonomous Sicilian region. Tying this all together: the connection with Sicily probably came about through the Norse occupation of the Isle of Man from 979 to 1265. The Vikings sailed throughout the Mediterranean Sea and knew Sicily well. It was probably these seafarers who brought the emblem to the northern and western part of Europe. After the walk, Ian drove me back to Douglas and pointed out a coastal walk close to my hotel. After saying goodbye to Ian, and giving Flow some parting pets, I did a little souvenir shopping. It started raining, so I went into a cafe for some lunch and enjoyed a hot pot of tea and a toastie (grilled cheese). Once the rain stopped, I still had a few hours of daylight to explore the coastal path, so I ventured on! The walk provided a fantastic view of the port and the opportunity to see some of the winding and twisting roads on the TT motorcycle raceway where the Tourist Trophy, an annual world famous motorcycle race, takes place right here on the Isle of Man! It’s a highly sought after race, albeit an extremely dangerous one, where many of the drivers have died. Although it was a short visit to this beautiful island, I’m so glad that I came. I sampled the cuisine, met some local people, explored the nooks and crannies of the island, and added one more country to my list.

I love travel days, especially when I’m somewhat familiar with the route, which was the case on Monday. I was headed back to Liverpool from Isle of Man, and I retraced my path in the opposite direction from Saturday. Leaving the Douglas, Isle of Man port was a little different than coming in. The security check was very thorough, and I debated on whether to mention my Swiss Army knife or not. Ultimately, I decided not to bring it to their attention. I’m not sure if it made a difference or not, but my bag was held and a very nice security person went through it completely. He opened all of the pockets of my backpack and complimented me on my nice job packing as he completely undid all of my carefully placed Tetris parcels. He allowed my beloved knife to stay, and with half of the items removed, put my bag back through the x-ray machine. I was even given a pat down by a female officer! Thankfully, I kept all of my belongings, but next time I’ll just take the knife out and hope to avoid the time-consuming and more thorough inspection. It was a good comparison to the Bilbao port, and although its a bit of a pain, it is worth the extra effort to keep my Swiss Army knife! Not only do I use it almost every day, it makes me feel connected to my father, who also carried one everywhere he went. After getting through security, I re-familiarized myself with the ferry. The ferry was a smooth ride again, for which I was thankful, and I found the outer deck this time by following a few passengers who seemed to be looking for a place to smoke. The mission was successful, so I stayed on the deck awhile and deeply breathed in the sea air. I was thankful for smooth waters, fresh air, and the feeling of familiarity. Afterwards, I went back to my seat, turned on some soft rock on my headphones, and took a nap during a sunny stretch where I could feel the warm glow through the bow windows. The only exception from Saturday’s route was that I decided to take a train from the Heysham port to the Lancaster train station instead of busing and walking. It was raining on and off all day, so walking and taking a bus wasn’t as appealing as it had been on Saturday. Plus, I wouldn’t be seeing anything I hadn’t seen before, so I chose the comfort of protection from the elements! As we pulled into the Liverpool Lime Street train station, it really felt like I was coming back home. I checked back into the same hostel, except this time I had an upgrade: a private room all to myself! As I was walking to the hotel, I pondered what it took for me to feel “at home” during my travels, and came to the conclusion that the following criteria needs to be met: I don’t need to use my phone for directions, I know where a grocery store and coffee shop are, I’m familiar with how the crosswalks work, the person at the front desk of where I’m staying recognizes me, I’ve left my big backpack and/or groceries at the hostel, and, probably most importantly, I know the vibe of the city. In Liverpool, once I turned down Church Street, I knew that there would be street musicians playing, and once I started up the hill on Bold Street, I knew I’d see college students and high schoolers hanging out in their school uniforms. Liverpool certainly meets the criteria! I’m looking forward to settling in and just hanging out during my last few days in Liverpool. It’s taken some time to adjust to the concept of living my daily life not always on vacation mode, but I’m making new habits. What I do know is that exploring new places and meeting new people, and connecting with them on common interests, brings me joy and fills me with gratitude. Travel truly feeds my soul. I have to stop sometimes and just be in the moment, reminding myself that this is real and it’s not just a dream!

Tuesday proved to be a very exciting day! I took a bicycle tour around Liverpool, which meant that I closed out week 9 utilizing all 5 modes of my RTW transportation in one week! I couldn’t find any bicycle rental shops since it’s past the tourist season, and even though there are city bikes and scooters listed on the Voi app, there weren’t any available. So, I found a bicycle tour of Liverpool and signed up for it! As it turned out, I was the only person who signed up, so it was just the tour guide, Alex, and I. It’s a good thing that I didn’t try to ride on my own, as riding a bike in a new city is challenging at best, but riding on the opposite side of the road takes it to a whole new level. The only bikes he uses are e-bikes, which I didn’t realize until I showed up for the tour. However, back in Santiago, I was considering using an Ebike when I didn’t feel 100%, but there were none available. At that time, though, I had researched them and learned that the electric bike was first patented in 1897– over 20 years before my pre-1920 scope, so they fell well within my guidelines! They were made, but only in small numbers, while current Ebikes became popular due to lighter weight lithium batteries. After Alex showed me how to operate the Ebike, I tried it out in the parking lot. On the tour, I didn’t need to use the power feature, and chose instead to ride in Eco (no assistance) gear. The hills were nothing like Spain, but it took all of my attention to follow Alex through the city streets and roundabouts. He played 60’s rock music from a speaker on his bike and I had so much fun! We stopped at several places and he provided a lot of facts that I hadn’t heard on other tours. He’s a local Scouser (from Liverpool) and a musician himself. Riding let us cover more ground than the other walking tours I’d been on. At the end, I explained more about my RTW trip purpose and my charity fundraiser for World Bicycle Relief (https://www.powerofbicycles.org/fundraisers/sharonelder). His tour company does community work as well by providing free bike maintenance to local people to help them keep their bikes on the road. I’m so glad that I made the effort to do a bike ride. Even though it was short in distance, it was such a rewarding experience! I ended the day chatting on the phone with my camino amiga, Pam, and couldn’t help but notice how my time with her in Santiago felt so far away, yet so close to my heart.

A few days ago, a new Beatles song titled Now and Then popped up on my social media feed. I watched the video and had a very emotional reaction to it. The obvious reason is that I’m currently immersed in Beatles nostalgia here in Liverpool. But, I felt like it went much deeper than that. The lyrics talk about remembering those who have passed, and thanks to the magic of technology, the video shows all of the Beatles together. The lyric “now and then I miss you” is obviously referring to the two Beatles who have passed away. It also reminded me that those who have passed from this life stay with us in our hearts through music and memories. The two people who come to mind that have passed are my father, who loved to explore and travel, and my late husband, Joel, who loved John Lennon and was a musician himself. The lyric “it’s all because of you” especially touched my heart. I feel so much gratitude for everyone who has helped me prepare for this journey, everyone who is helping me along the way, everyone who is following the blog, and everyone who is no longer here but has influenced who I became. It’s all because of everyone who molded me into the woman I am, fueling the fire to have the desire and courage to take this journey at all. I could see myself coming back here in a few years to an art class at one of the universities, immersing myself even more deeply into this place that feels like home. Liverpool has taken a very special place in my heart. Until next time, dear friends: stay safe, stay healthy, and always remember to make space for what brings you joy.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
Blackbird fly
-The Beatles