Well, it was when I left, but after almost exactly 20 years in the flat Fenlands of East Anglia, I’ve made it back to my native northwest… and it’s anything but grim.
Within a couple of days of arriving, the Tour of Britain rolled into town with all the attendant razzmattazz. I was standing less than five yards away from the legendary Sir Bradley Wiggins as he lined up on the startline.
Since then, there have been numerous trying moments, the odd full-scale meltdown and more than a few tears – but hey – we’re here now and some of the reasons we dediced to move back up here are clear to see: warm, open-hearted people, authentic local food, outstanding beer, and the most amazing scenery.
So while the career plans need an urgent rethink, and we don’t have enough money to fully indulge in the veritable cornucopia of Lancastrian cuisine that’s all around us, it’s wonderful to be back in the North.
I’ll be writing about all of these things and more over the next few months. In the meantime, thanks for reading.
