Whitby Here I Come...And There I Went...

I now realise that I could have left home later than I did and travel to Whitby for free but I decided not knowing the place to go reasonably early. My county has a modest fee if you travel before 9.30am...50p but this does not extend outside of the county so I paid full fare between Darlington and Middlesbrough.

However, I decided to hang around in Middlesbrough for an hour and wait until the rest of the journey was free. And there was an express bus available.

I arrived by 11am and took the rest of the day easy taking in the place and seeing everything(Images to be added soon)

I would have liked to have stayed longer as Whitby took on a different feel in the evening...there were people fishing around the harbour/marina areas, often with simple lines dropped into the water(no fishing rods)the lines wrapped around those kind of plastic reels(I don't know the proper name)you know the kind, they are usually used for flying kites and fish/crabs were being caught(often put straight back)just being done for fun, lots of children involved.

I had no idea that the ruins of the Abbey required an admission(I did not pay)and many avoided doing so. It has a high wall around it but many of us found ways to take photo's. It perhaps sounds churlish to say that I am unsure what that admission charge covers, after all, they are ruins. The only time any cost may be incurred is should something become dangerous and could harm the public.

 

 



 Around the marina area when I arrived the following street entertainer was performing...

 

 

 

In the evening this performer was doing a similar act with a marionette but he was not singing or playing an instrument. He had some kind of speaker set up.

  



I was going to have some fish and chips but decided that a portion of chips was enough. I came home with a couple little treats, a book on cocktails(I am determined to make as many as possible)a little hat that is reversible in a stone colour or a navy blue. And a kind of kitchen gadget that holds items like tomatoes/onions/beetroot etc...and allows you to slip a knife in between the slats so you get uniform slices without getting your fingers in the way.

Later in the day I took my first trip ever on a boat on the sea and though there was quite a swell, I can report that I did not feel any sign of seasickness and felt fine. It was a replica of a ship that Capt. James Cook sailed in. We were given a thirty minute trip around the bay, there was a little recorded commentary on journey and about Cook. I decided to go on the trip on the spur of the moment and part with my £3.

 

 

 

 

Its difficult to know what images to leave out but I hope those I have posted give a flavour of my day.

 

 

However, you won't be surprised to hear that the day was not without incident and a cloud was put on it.

I managed to get around the town and then in the harbour area and all had gone well, I took a photo of the Lifeboat. I was on level ground and walking slowly(I cannot do anything else)what I did not realise was that though I was on level ground there was an incline and it became a step further along and when I put one of my feet down, there was nothing there and I went down heavily like a sack of potatoes. Prepared better I could have avoided what happened next.

My carrier containing my book went flying, as did my hat and worst of all, my new expensive camera of two months(I had been getting ready to take another photo)was not in its case but in my hand and the way I fell it scrapped across the stone floor, if my hand had been a different position it would not have been, I almost got away with it, almost...I hurt my knee and perhaps being disorientated was unable to get up.

Some kind people came to my rescue and I thanked them, made my way to a seat. The book was slightly damaged(not enough to worry about)then I inspected my knee raising my trouser leg expecting to see it bruised, bleeding and badly scrapped(it felt like it was)but though sore today, I got off lightly...and then to inspect the camera.

The plastic around the LCD screen on one side was totally scraped with deep rough scratches. Under the extra guarantee I thought it might be repaired, it cover accidental damage but in the end decided to buy(I know this sounds drastic)some very fine sandpaper so there I was in Whitby attacking my camera with fine sandpaper(probably annulling the guarantee)even the one for accidental damage.

The camera still works, the scratches are removed(well they are now fine one's)and they are smooth and it looks a lot better but on that side of the camera it no longer has a black, shiny finish. I suppose I got off lightly all things considered. But you cannot change what has happened. Always that little word "If"

Yet the old camera it replaced lasted years, was never dropped or damaged in any way. At this rate this one isn't going to last long which was the plan.

So mixed memories of my first trip to Whitby. And I cannot blame being under the influence of this book either...

The weather stayed fine all day. I boarded the return bus around 6.50pm arriving back at Middlesbrough bus station around 7.45pm to see an express bus waiting to get me to Darlington already at its stand and just as I managed to get there he pulled away(I reckon 2-3 minutes early)and he had not really left when I got there. But though he must have known I was there he carried on his way with only one passenger on board.

I reckon I missed it by 20 seconds! It was the last bus to Darlington.

So I had to wait(and was lucky that two further buses were available)but this meant travelling to Durham adding time and more miles onto my day. That bus got me into Durham for near 9.25pm(it was supposed to be there for 9.15pm)and I was getting a little worried as the bus to get me to Darlington(again)well, home because on this route my town is before Darlington, departs just after 9.30pm. And the next and last one is not for another hour.

So it was almost 11pm by the time I reached home...in general an enjoyable day still even if I was a bit battered and bruised.