Thread: I have to return to the UK...

Diet, Lifestyle & Angiogenesis|The Angiogenesis Foundation

its not low carb but there is quite a bit of research, and a very good Ted Talk on the effects of diet, and reducing sugars i think, in cancer patients

its actually some sensible guidelines, not sure its a cure but more a management

Best of luck to you Simon.

I've only read page one but I could recommend looking for accommodation on Gumtree, and you can sort the results by price, lowest to highest. Caravan parks are usually fairly cheap monthly and you can avoid council tax or whatever as it's like staying a hotel.

Right, air ticket purchased. Assuming no further incidents with jellyfish, I'll be flying to London on Wednesday night with Thai Airways, (about $600 one-way). Then up to Manchester on a train, stay in an Ibis or similar hotel with boat refugees for a few nights and then hopefully rent an apartment.

Originally Posted by Simon43

Right, air ticket purchased. Assuming no further incidents with jellyfish, I'll be flying to London on Wednesday night with Thai Airways, (about $600 one-way). Then up to Manchester on a train, stay in an Ibis or similar hotel with boat refugees for a few nights and then hopefully rent an apartment.

Good luck
Be aware many train strikes, In the north they are very unreliable even in summer and in winter even worse
Not sure of all the evolving strike days but with 23 firms its complex usually no early trains after strike days as trains crews in wrong location.

Perhaps a UK based member can update.
Assuming you arrive in LHR on Thai for a little extra I'd be inclined to fly to Manchester as an option, probably no more than first class rail or a "forced walk in rate " at a London Hotel?. You may even be able to add on and have bags checked through, though unlikely if using an agent, rather than the caarrier?
pm if you need any info on flights/ trains I will do my best on a big screen if it helps
If on Thai Airways 920 on weds 8th should arrive early , I think layover somewhere where you could switch?

Strike days known so far inc Health Rail here
UK strike calendar – service stoppages planned for January, February and March | Industrial action | The Guardian

With health and timetable urgent sooner you get an address a GP ball running the better IMHO

I hate coaches as tall but one option may be take a coach from Heathrow ,
Rome2rio

While it seems longer you'll need a couple of hours from landingto get to Euston in the rush hour with bags by tube bus or taxi
Like Bangkok there can be queues from 5m to hours ar passport control, If you have a machine readable the queues a little better or for floks in wheel chairs
Only advantage of coach is it is city centre to city centre but if under 6 foot may be an option?


Id stay away from Picadilly area noisy "Lively"
I used teh Holiday In on Deansgate usually about a ton got it for 69 on a promotion well in advance.

The cheaper chains Ibis then Travelodge Premier In but they tend to be out of town on Motorway junctions so need a car

Nearby smaller calmer spa Buxton, Chester or seaside Cleveleys would be my choices. Its off season so a an Air BnB or small guest house for a week could get you the address for the Dr etc. There will also be lots of cheap digs along the N Wales coast but I guess that would put you in different health authority, Chitty Hal Pag or Reg are the guys for local info it is 25 yers since I worked there but did fly from manchester last year.


Best wishes Simon

What's not to like about a bracing Winters walk along the world famous Golden mile seafront first thing in the morning.
After arising from your deep slumber with a native tatooed wildebeest straddled across your boat race.
A hearty ,friendly blackpool breakfast on your return to Karen and Kevs swingers BnB.

Btw Simon,have you packed a warm coat, woolly hat and gloves???

Enjoy Blackpool for the experience!

There's always other options down the coast for the blue rinse brigade, Lytham and Southport spring to mind.

Also some great air bnb deals in historic places like Chester, Liverpool, Manchester or out in the hills like Glossop or Accrington where registration with a GP will be less painful and appointment waiting times shorter.

Good advice on here, avoid the trains at the moment due to strikes.

Also you may want to consider drinking from the magical fountain of youth in Buxton as David previously mentioned.
The water has magical properties!!

All the best and safe travels.

Originally Posted by cyrille

t Lancaster the other day?

Better choice, imo.

Spot on Cy
If sick and unused to Blackpool street life after dark I think best avoided, tho Si does seem a sensation seeker

Simon ask yourself why a major holiday city has such cheap digs?
Some of the run down B and Bs lost the trade to the cheaper Med Costas a generation ago, then it was dole folks and immigrants refugees and I think few English families as tourists, Sure there are day trippers and folks from Ireland Scotland Wales , seeking a "change"

All Id say don't book more than a couple of nights is m sincere advice

As I posted in sea bite thread Clevelys 5m N of Blackpool even inland Garstang Lancaster far better and "off season holiday chalets are empty so that abe an idea.
There are a few 3-4 star joints on N shore but its still Blackpool when you need the shop pharmacy , I have worked and visited some rough industrial places and know Belfast, Birmingham, Stoke, Glasgow and Geordieland and I'd sooner stay in any of those in them for a month than a free hotel in Blackpool.

Originally Posted by Joe 90

Also some great air bnb deals in historic places like Chester,

A tad touristy for me but very good links to London, Manchester and days out walking coasts and Mts or N Wales or the peak District.

Have a squint say Victoria Rd the main drag in Cleveleys (an easy 20m tram NORTHWARDS from anywhere in Blackpool ) or train bus. There is a lady who has a very up together house about half a mile from town centre who is on air BnB for about same as grotty en suite in Blackpool centre , I ll look if it helps. Journey time to Central Manchester about 60m whether train or taxi or drive , train easiest de to traffic always take a cab from Deansgate or Picadillly the last leg

Cleveleys average age is about 165 and all of them bar me seem to whizz about on mobility scooters, but good beach with brave bathers walakrs dogs great fish and enough wifi cafes for me, I belive there is a Spooner's , I didnt see any pubs but many cafes somewhere an Aldi (like LIDL) for good German wine sausages and cheese. I leave it to locals to update these comments, I think you can do better than Blackpool.

Its glory hole has faded long ago. Buxton i lovely but very very cold at this time of year sometimes passes are snowed up tho climate change may have altered this.My local knowledge is at least 4 years out of date in teh Dales I was in manchetsr and Chester briefly last year. Lytham had an airport, I think we flew from Ireland on a turbo prop yonks ao not sure if you can transfer from London, suffice to say fly north if you can, Im all for carbon neutrral and offsets just gave away my diesel truck but sick jet lagged aside from weather transfers to Euston are horrid even if well with no bags

Suggestion once in pre paid digs, get a list of better options from Cleveleys to Lytham take tram all the way N to Fleetwood a rather run down old Fishing Port , and South to much classier greener sedate Lytham St Anne's stop off anywhere and check out the digs they will all be all be on Gumtree or Air BnB , Rightmove for longer lets or t for daily shortr rentals he hotel sites like Agoda, Booking.com, Trivago, Hotels.com etc if repeaying a few months worth comparing teh sites as some have deals promotions which may save enough for Miss Candy Floss , one of the few ladies yearning for more inflation.

This is what I have in mind once recovered its about 350 for 10 days , helps if you like swimming can walk to pool or Rossal beach, kids and few well behaved hounds, there is a regular holiday park adjacent , local buses or 10m walk to Rossal to Blackpool tram

Google Maps

You don't have to be on the spectrum but it helps and oddly the odder the oddfellows the more tolerant and easier to fit in in my IMHO, seriously I used to volunteer but such holiday camps are cheap in winter , hike for Easter then cheap again until School holidays , not for everyone, I had a car but if happy to use public transport only 10m to Celevleys or Poulton or Fleetwood for all you daily needs and still about 70m to Manchester