Met a fellow Aspie today in Blackpool. The plan got quite dramatically changed as I checked out of the youth hostel with almost indecent haste in the morning... eventually arrived in Blackpool for 10, having planned 2:20 at first! Much good geeky conversation was had, I beat him at air hockey, he complained about his legs hurting from walking on concrete (!)... and we had a hug at the end of our meeting, at 2:07, hug deprivation clock stopped on 239 hours 53 minutes. It got old after about 93 hours...

walked into the centre of Blackpool - a fair way, I've probably walked further today than even the day in Fort William! - and sung at karaoke before returning by tram to the little hotel I'm in.

Pics all from that walk, the last is from the karaoke bar itself. Yes, that lady sung, and yes, that is a group of 14m people seemingly campaigning for the right to poison me.

After one horrid night's sleep came a day doing little but calming down. Wrote some music too or tried to at least! Here's pics from my walk around the little place, a place small enough to have no free ATMs...

this may have been my best day for photos in fact. A real mix here, from the witty comment at a chip shop at the start to the unconventionally pretty sunset shot at the end. And as for the cat pic... Aww Factor 8.

Blackpool tomorrow. The hug-deprivation clock will be stopped on 240 hours, 7 minutes, plus any delays to the Preston - Blackpool train.

Never again will I stay in a youth hostel. Ever.

Here's some pics from earlier in the journey that I never put on here. Pics from Arnside tonight, if the weather remotely justifies going out.

'I've spent so much time living in survival mode'
(Alanis Morisette - 'Precious Illusions')

'can't find no space to breathe
world's closing in
right on me now
well that's how it feels, that's how it feels'
(Pet Shop Boys - 'Numb')

This was planned way back when as a base for a trip on the Settle-Carlisle line, but this was abandoned when I realised the extent of engineering works there, and I opted instead to use it as simply a 'recharge point' if you like, a place to calm down and unwind after the first week's business. My room, which I should have photographed but didn't, was ideal for this, and I ended up relaxing in front of the TV for ages. So unlike me. Did have a good laugh at the old DoND though, especially Noel saying his role was to be neutral.

...Oh that didn't help. Typing this from Carlisle station and a freight train came to a screeeeeching halt.

anyway, I had to do *something* in Carlisle. My accommodation was very near the football stadium. This explains these pictures. Second one's got a joke in it about 'St Martin's College' and 'Common People'...

also a couple from Glasgow as overspill. They should be easy to distinguish despite also being stadium pictures.

I had too many pictures for this to be one post!! Here's just a few from Hampden Park. Great place to visit. Also went to the Tramway Theatre for two odd visual displays, no pics from them alas.

This was the last day of series 2 of the UK's inferior version of a hugely popular game show format from the Netherlands. It would be great, but Noel Edmonds advertises irrational superstitious beliefs and reckless gambling at various points, particularly the latter.

all that leads into one gag relating to my hotel... Sleep or No Sleep?

It seems the answer is No Sleep. Traffic from eight floors below me is rumbling constantly, soundproofing is conspicuous by its absence, and the place itself seems to be a party-animal hub. Won't be returning to anywhere like this again.

Here, have some pics. One from Inverness, showing attempts to revive Gaelic; one from the train, specifically Carnoustie where the Open will be next week; one showing the bar in the hostel (there's also ShinyDiscoLights but so slow was this shutter that the thing comes out properly lit!), one from a shop that was CLOSED but still invitingly (and criminally, to me) lit up; and one showing the architecture of parts of Glasgow, with a hidden meaning for game show geeks like me.

Here, have

For the first time since the stressful opening day, I've found clear downsides to this travelling lark. It's oddly tiring, not that there's anything odd about all the walking I've done (much of it on non-trivial slopes) being energy-sapping. And - should have thought of this - it's been 105 hours since I had a hug, and I'm not expecting any for another 135 (at that point, I'm meeting a friend in Blackpool). This is not a good thing. Some people with Asperger's hate physical contact, but I'm not one of them.

you came for pictures, no doubt. You got 'em. First one's of shiny-in-progress Eden Court Theatre and a footbridge over the Ness. It's interesting because it almost tempts you to ask whether or not the new building will be an eyesore. I suspect the old one was, in honesty.

second one is on a tiny path on one of the little islands within the Ness. Hard to believe a place like this exists so close to a city centre.

third one is just interesting - buildings centuries apart coexisting along the river. It's a strange sight I had to snap.

next up - Glasgow. friday 13th had better not be unlucky for me!

No pics from the journey alas, had a few camera problems and needed the shuteye in any case.

I walked through rather 'ordinary' suburban-industrial Inverness. Odd, but interesting, and worth it purely for the 'geeks2you' shopfront. (This geek 2 you: the font is Cooper Black and yes, that is what Easyjet use as signage for their climate-destroying services.) why though? Because it allowed me to define Caledonian Stadium as my most northerly point ever. And lawks, it's an ugly stadium. See that asbestos sign on the admittedly-modern stand? The rest of the ground needs it, probably!

as for that very city-like silver building: 1.oohSHIIINY!! 2. It's one side of the Eden Court theatre whilch is being redeveloped. And that sign deserves full slating. It defines 5m as two different things in imperial, one sign can't be seen from the road, and it implies you can't turn right if over 5m tall... Or get here. (there's a reason. These are bridges over each part of the city's main shopping centre, and there are shops on the bridges themselves.)