To be honest, when I set upon arranging a weekend trip to visit a dear friend in Manchester a month or so back, I didn’t wholly expect to be blogging about it almost immediately on the train home. But here I am. Sat on a dubiously stinky Virgin train back to London Euston, with a keen impulse to share numerous highlights with you.

Despite the pungent waft of what can only be described as overly-worn-puddle-drenched-trainers, I am sat gazing out of the window over a drizzly Stockport station with a very happy smile strewn across my face.

Now, let’s preface this entry by telling you all that said smile was always going to be in place due to having spent a weekend with a pal who I hadn’t seen for 2 YEARS. How the years roll by. But adding to the smile is the quite lovely experience I’ve had in…