Landed at Heathrow, customs hall was empty so walked through to terminal 1. Strange to hear this funny language! In eventful flight to Manchester where we were picked up by Leslie. Made very welcome by the kids and Kelly the dog. Our first trip was down memory lane with a drive around the Wirral visiting all the old haunts and reliving escapades with a little embellishment, well maybe a lot. We hired a small car which has given us a lot of freedom. We spent time with Ann and Paul, Paula and John, they showed us round the Liverpool Pier Head and the massive improvements to the area, it's like a completely new place! We had a few drinks on an upstairs terrace, in the sunshine, overlooking the river and listening to non stop Beatles music, heaven!! We then went for a meal to a restaurant within the Albert dock complex and I had a respectable risotto. We finished off with a walk to the Cavern Club but the Beatles had left the building! Many thanks to the guys for that trip down memory lane. We met a few other people Aunty Hilda, John and Margaret and young Denis. We met Denis at his club, the Bootle National Irish Club, it was, quite appropriately I thought, situated in what looked like a bomb shelter with an iron door which you knocked on and asked for Patrick. More embellishment. A trip up to Blackpool to visit Elspeth and Bill, good to see Elspeth looking so well after her operation Bill wasn't so well. Brother Hugh and wife Pat came up from Litchfield, not seen them for about 25 years so spent a bit of time reminiscing I never realised what a bad boy I had been, must have been someone else!! Spent some time on walks along the prom and a couple of rides on the trams and Elspeth cooked us some lovely meals, very sad to leave. Went with Les and family on holiday to Devon and Cornwall and fell in love with the Pubs, so Olde Worlde, full of character. Stayed at a caravan park where Les has his Van parked. The family slept in the van whist we had our own space in an annexe. Our comfort was provided for with two camp beds, quite comfortable, 6 inches off the floor which necessitated a somersault with half twist in the piked position to get out of bed, degree of difficulty, 2.6, luckily I had been watching the diving at the Olympics otherwise I could still be lying there!! Les took us for some sightseeing trips at just a little less than warp speed plus the high hedges meant that we have some very fuzzy photos!! We did see some very quaint old fishing villages, very picturesque. I went out with Les in his new boat were he attempted to get it airborne over some of the larger waves luckily my weight and the dogs, yes he took the dog, kept us down. Now I know where the term "sick as a dog" comes from. Still it was a good day out, plenty of sun, no fish! We thank all the people we visited for their outstanding hospitality and hope to be able to return the favour in Australia. We can't leave without mentioning my visits to my old rugby club, Caldy. I had a great night at the clubhouse with a lot of my old mates, I don't think I stopped laughing all night, I'm sure they made up a lot of tales!! I hardly bought a drink all night, I sometimes had a pint in each hand and one on the bar! I vowed never to drink again. I went back the next day to watch the 1st grade play in the 1/4 final of the Cheshire Cup, a trophy the club first won when I was captain, so it was fitting that I should be there to watch them scrape through 30-28 in the last minute. It was just like I'd never been away!!!